November 12, 2013

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WB report urges policy makers to design pro-poor products

Let the games begin

Kartik 28, 1420 Muharram 7, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 229

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Modi faces popularity test in state polls

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Interim cabinet likely next week Ministers formally express ‘intent’ for resignation kar Ali Manik and n Julfi Mohosinul Karim Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will form an all-party polls-time interim cabinet by next week.

“If the BNP joins, the all-party pollstime government will be formed comprising their representatives,” said Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud.

“If the BNP does not come, the cabinet will be formed comprising other parties – those that have representation in parliament and will come forward to join the polls-time government.”

A cabinet member writes in his resignation letter: 'To pave the way for forming the all-party government, I am expressing my intent to resign from the cabinet. I am submitting the matter for your consideration.'

To pave the way of forming the cabinet, meanwhile, all full and state ministers of the ruling Awami League-led alliance government at the beginning of a regular cabinet meeting yesterday submitted letters to the prime minister, expressing their intent to resign from the cabinet.

A cabinet member yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that it was not a straightforward resignation letter mentioning any particular date for the resignation. “Rather all ministers expressed their intents to resign from the date the prime minister forwards the letters to the president,” he said.

Hasan Mahmud told the Dhaka Tribune last night: “The number of the members in the polls-time cabinet will not exceed 20.”

About the possible date of formation of the interim cabinet, he said: “It could be next week.”

India wants dialogue, free and fair elections n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman India says it supports free and fair elections in Bangladesh and hopes that differences here will be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka issued a public statement yesterday and posted it on its website supporting free and fair elections in Bangladesh.

“It is for the people of Bangladesh to decide their own future. India supports holding of free and fair elections in Bangladesh,” said the Indian High Commission statement.

“In a multi-party democracy such as Bangladesh, differences are best resolved through dialogue and peaceful means. This will strengthen democratic institutions and contribute to the realisation of the goals of peace, stability  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, however, more specifically said: “It might be formed by November 20.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave Dhaka for Sri Lanka on November 14 to attend the Commonwealth conference and will return on 15. She will leave Dhaka again on November 21 to perform Umrah Hajj in Saudi Arabia and will return on 24.

So, most likely she would form the polls-time cabinet between November 16 and 20, said a cabinet member.

State Minister for Land Mustafizur Rahman said the Election Commission might announce the election schedule

by November 21 or 22. The interim government will be formed before the announcement of the election schedule and will take charge immediately after the announcement.

A few cabinet members had earlier submitted their resignation letters. After yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told reporters that the prime minister had given hints that it had probably been the last meeting of the present cabinet.

In the meeting on November 5, Hasina had asked her cabinet colleagues to submit their resignation soon.

Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen said Hasina had appreciated the submission of the letters and asked all to work for the next election.

Talking with several ministers, it is now clear that the contents of the letters were almost identical.

A cabinet member, on condition of anonymity, said he had written: “You [prime minister] announced the formation of an all-party government. To pave the way of forming the all-party government, I am expressing my intent  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Police in a drive recover 167 handmade bombs and 1kg gunpowder along with a huge stash of explosives-making ingredients in the city’s Ajimpur area yesterday

BNP rejects all-party government initiatives n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Rejecting the government’s initiative of forming an all-party polls-time administration, main opposition BNP yesterday said only the prime minister’s resignation and election under a non-partisan government would ease the prevailing political stalemate.

“We want to say clearly that we are rejecting the process that has begun through the resignation of the ministers for the formation of all-party polls time government. The government still has time in hand. If the prime minister resigns and initiates holding the next elections under a non-partisan government, only then the ongoing crisis will be resolved,” said Ruhul Kabir

ACC chair: Changes contradict constitution, current ACC law n Syed Samiul Basher Anik Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman M Bodiuzzaman says the new ACC law making the commission to seek the government’s permission to file cases against public servants is in conflict with the constitution and the ACC law itself while curbing the commission’s freedom.

He fears that this will encourage government officials to indulge in corruption and render the ACC to the state of the erstwhile Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac).

Article 27 of the constitution says all citizens are equal in the eyes of law while section 24 of the ACC act says all three commissioners of the agency will be independent and can approve charge sheets in cases filed by the commission.

On Sunday, parliament passed an amendment to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, curtailing the

commission’s authority on filing cases against public servants, judges and magistrates.

Talking to journalists at the ACC headquarters yesterday, Bodiuzzaman claimed that he had not been aware of the provision before the amendment bill was passed.

“If we want to file a case against 10 officials, including a government one, and the government does not give us the permission to file the case against that official, then the case will not see the light at all because of the new law,” he said, meaning that they would have to spare the other nine, too.

The ACC chairman also expressed confusion as to “who” the government was because the law did not clarify it.

Bodiuzzaman pointed out that at Bac the Prime Minister’s Office was considered as the “government.”  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Bangladesh 2nd in Chinese arms purchase BANGLADESH COMES SECOND IN CHINESE ARMS PURCHASE LAST YEAR Pakistan $611.8m Bangladesh $351.3m Bolivia $289.0m Venezuela $279.5m Zambia $140.0m Saudi Arabia $107.0m Iran $75.5m Thailand $69.1m Namibia $30.3m Vietnam $29.8m

Bangladesh had been maintaining 1% to 1.3% of gross domestic product as military expenditure, and a part of it was used for weapons purchase Sourc: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Bangladesh was the second biggest Chinese arms importer globally amounting to over $350mlast year.

The New York Times recently published an article, which revealed that China has established itself as a credible competitor in the global weapons market and exported weapons worth more than $2bn to different countries.

The US-based daily quoting IHS Jane’s said Pakistan was the biggest importer with over $600m followed by Bangladesh.

According to a report published by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Planning last year, the Bangladesh Navy was trying to buy two “off-theshelf” submarines along with two frigates from China. In addition to that,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Rizvi, joint secretary general of BNP. While briefing journalists at the party’s Nayapaltan office yesterday about the second day of the 84-hour nationwide hartal, Rizvi alleged that the prime minister’s move to form an all-party government would not bring any good for the country. “If the government walks that path, consequences will not be good.”

When asked what would be the opposition’s course of action if the government continued towards holding unilateral polls, Rizvi said: “Policymakers of the party will finalise the action programme.”

The BNP leader claimed that more than 500 were arrested, 14,000 injured and cases filed against over 5,000 op-

INSIDE News

3 The Awami League-led government will not pass the proposed law aimed at returning “illegally leased and occupied land” in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the repatriated hill people in its present tenure.

Long Form

5 Adnan R Amin talks about "The Clash of Civilizations” (1993) by Samuel P Huntington on its 20th anniversary. It is a farsighted, pre-9/11, hotly-debated analysis and prediction of global conflict patterns.

Nation

7 The prices of essential commodities including vegetables have seen a sharp increase in Khulna due to the ongoing countrywide 84hour hartal. Transport owners are refuse to use vehicles fearing arson and vandalism attacks by pickets.

Op-Ed

11 Ikhtisad Ahmed: British comedian Russell Brand has recently discouraged the disenfranchised youth from voting. His has been a call for a revolution, based on the premise that votes are worthless.

Entertainment

12 Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Mithun Chakraborty and Kamal Haasan came together on Sunday, November 10, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to inaugurate the 19th Kolkata International Film Festival.

position men on the second day of hartal yesterday.

Earlier in the day, Rizvi said the resignation of the ministers was not enough. “The prevailing problem will not be resolved until the prime minister resigns.”

Ministers submitted resignation letters to the prime minister yesterday.

Ruling party leaders said the resignations would lead to the formation of an all-party cabinet to oversee the upcoming national polls in January.

The all-party cabinet is a proposal of the ruling Awami League put forward by the premier herself. However, main opposition BNP still demands a neutral non-party administration for administering polls. l

MAHMUD HOSSIN OPU

More crude bomb stashes recovered from city houses n Tribune Report Law enforcers recovered 167 crude bombs and a huge stash of explosives-making materials by raiding a house in the capital’s Azimpur yesterday.

Lalbagh police conducted the raid in a tin-roofed house in the New Paltan area of Azimpur around midday and recovered the bombs and materials including marble stones, gun powder, etc.

Police, however, could not make any arrest as nobody was there and the room was locked from the outside.

Kamal Hossain, caretaker of the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Around 100 injured on 2nd day of hartal n Tribune Report The second day of the 84-hour countrywide shutdown enforced by BNP-led 18-party alliance passed with stray incidents of violence leaving around 100 people injured while pickets set fire to many vehicles and vandalised many, alongside exploding crude bombs sporadically in capital and elsewhere in the country.

Among the injured, around 10 people sustained burn injuries when pickets set vehicles on fire and hurled crude bombs and petrol bombs at them while railway track were uprooted in Benapole as part of obstructing railway communication.

Police arrested around 100 pickets and recovered around 200 bombs from different places. Around 200 bombs exploded all over country yesterday.

At least seven people sustained burn wounds when pickets hurled crude bombs and petrol bombs and set several vehicles on fire in capital’s Gulistan, New Market, Uttara and Pallabi area.

A pick-up van driver Sumon, 20, sustained burn injuries when his vehicle was set on fire pouring petrol in New Market area, a passenger of a bus, Sagar, 20, was burnt when a bus was set to fire in Kalshi of Pallabi.

In Rajbari, launch movement was choked on Daultdia-Paturia river route by the pickets, who also hindered ferry

movement resulting in long queue on Dhaka-Khulna highway.

In Chittagong, four vehicles were set on fire and five bombs exploded in Sitakunda and Kazir Dewri areas. Police picked up seven pickets while trying to vendalise vehicles.

In Narsingdi, at least 20 BNP leaders and workers were injured in a clash on Dhaka-Sylhet highway. Policed arrested eight of them.

In Chandpur, a clash left at least 10 people injured around 11am when 14 pickets were arrested.

Pickets blasted at least 15 crude bombs in Laxmipur district town.

In Satkhira, at least four bombs were exploded on Bhomra Land Port.

In Gazipur, a taxicab and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw were set on fire and three other vehicles and several business shops vandalised. 13 were arrested.

A police van was vandalised at Nimtala bus stand in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah.

In Barisal, pickets damaged a garbage collection truck of Barisal City Corporation.

In Natore, two people were injured as a truck overturned and fell into a roadside ditch after being chased by pro-hartal pickets in the early morning near Ahmedpur Bazar of Boraigram upazila. The pro-hartal activists also blocked Dhaka-Natore highway in the morning. l

India wants dialogue  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

and development in Bangladesh,” the statement said.

So far India is the last to join the bandwagon of foreign countries, including EU, USA, China, Japan, Canada and Australia, urging Bangladesh’s politicians for a dialogue for a peaceful election.

Though the Dhaka-based diplomats of the next door neighbour have been actively engaged in diplomatic parleys along with US officials both in Dhaka and New Delhi seeking an end to political standoff, yesterday’s statement was the first formal response from India to the latest political developments in Bangladesh.

According to reports, during the last couple of months Indian and US diplomats have been engaged in close-door meetings with Bangladeshi politicians and outcome of those were not made public but this is the first time Indian High Commission published a statement on its website on the internal developments in Bangladesh.

The Dhaka-based envoys of USA and India had also parleys between themselves in Dhaka and New Delhi over Bangladesh’s current political situation.

Speculations have been rife in the diplomatic circle that India and USA are looking for common grounds to work closely to help Bangladesh find a way out. But so far there was no explanation either from Indian or US sides.

Yesterday’s statement was issued in the backdrop of Bangladesh’s cabinet members submitting letters to the prime

minister expressing their intention to resign to pave way for an interim cabinet and foreign ministers of both the country having a meeting in New Delhi.

Bangladesh diplomats, both in service and retired, see the statement significant in the current situation with the two major parties—ruling Awami League and main opposition BNP— standing poles apart from each other to sit in a much-emphasised dialogue.

While ruling Awami League is in a festive mood gearing up for polls, the key opposition leaders are either in jail or haunted by arrest fear since the crackdown launched Friday midnight.

A senior foreign minister official said this was for the first time India made any statement public on Bangladesh’s current situation. “We think it is the beginning and more such statements will follow,” he said.

“The public statement from a country on the internal developments of another country acknowledges that the existing situation needs more attention than any other period,” former Director General of South Asia Desk of the Foreign Ministry Humayun Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune.

India was trying to send a message that emphasised on long-term relationship, he said.

“In the statement, Indians used the word ‘people’ and it signifies that they support democracy,” he explained. l

More crude bomb stashes  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

house, said two young men rented the house in April but they never lived there regularly. The owner of the house informed police after he had come to know that there were bombs inside the locked room.

Police later picked him up for interrogation.

“The bombs are powerful. We have also found one kilogram of gunpowder in the house,” said Nurul Mottakim, OC of Lalbagh police station.

A team of the Detective Branch of Police took the seized bombs and materials for examination.

Motakkim also said there was no

furniture in the house except for a cot.

The young men used to come to the house occasionally and stayed nights.

No neighbours knew them. They might have fled sensing police’s presence.

Intelligence sources said bomb makers rented houses in the capital disguised as students or unmarried service holders.

“They make bombs on order. There are other groups affiliated with them who hurl the bombs on contract. The leaders of some groups keep contact with local political leaders, who give them the ‘assignments’ to blast those in certain areas,” an official said.

JP (Monju) to contest next polls, but won’t join 14-party alliance n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

A fire breaks out at a six-storey building in the city’s Gulshan-1 area which houses the office of Qatar Airways, around 10pm last night.

Eight units of the fire service brought the flame under control in almost a two-hour-long effort. The airways office was almost completely burnt down in the blaze BANGLANEWS24.COM

DMCH burn unit testimony to pains of hartal victims n Mohammad Jamil Khan The air feels heavy with tears from kith and kin of innocents suffering from burn injuries at the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The arson attacks by pickets during the ongoing shutdown made the innocent victims pay a heavy price.

A faint crying sound was heard in front of the observation ward of High Dependency Unit and Intensive Care Unit while some were shedding tears silently at the entrance of Burn and Plastic Surgery unit.

The innocents bore the brunt of their honest mistakes. Their easy-going nature to just go out on daily business in pursuit of earning livelihood and come back home with princely amount of money backfired.

So is Nasima Akter, 26, a garment worker, now undergoing treatment at ICU of the burn unit.

The woman received 46% burns all over her body on October 27, the first day of 60-hour-long hartal, when she was going back home after work in Mohammadpur area.

Talking with the Dhaka Tribune, she said the pickets set fire to the passenger bus she boarded.

“Before I got down from the bus near Bheribadh, almost half of my body parts burned,” she said.

A CNG driver Asadul Gazi, 32, who risked driving his vehicle during the November-3 shutdown only to feed his family met the same fate as other burn victims.

“When I reached Abdur Rab gate

He also said: “Cocktail-making and hurling business has been booming for the last few months, especially with the escalation of political unrest.”

In another development, at least 18 crude bombs were recovered from Tin Netar Mazar area on the Dhaka University campus yesterday.

DB police found the crude bombs in a vacant shoe box just behind the Tomb under a tree.

Dhaka University Proctor Amzad Ali said the bombs had been left there to give rise to untoward situations on the campus.

No one, however, was arrested in connection with the recovery. l

Bangladesh 2nd in Chinese arms purchase  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

the Bangladesh Air Force purchased one squadron (Sixteen) of F-7 BGI fighter planes from Beijing.

Deep military cooperation between Bangladesh and China has a long history, irrespective of regime change, former Bangladesh ambassador to China Munshi Faiz Ahmad told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The value of import keeps increasing due to purchases of upgraded technology and new equipment in the natural process of development,” said the longest-serving Bangladesh ambassador to China, who served from 2007 to 2012.

Citing another dimension, lack of comparable sources is another reason behind buying more from China, said Munshi, currently the chairman of Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies.

A foreign ministry official said in most of the cases Bangladesh bought

weapons on state credit, which was interest free.

“It is a very lucrative offer as it is extremely rare that a government provides interest-free loans for buying weapons,” he added.

Bangladesh and Russia recently signed a loan agreement to buy weapons from the country at a rate of 4.5%.

“China is also helping Bangladesh rebuild the Ordinance Factory in Gazipur which produces small arms and ammunition,” the official said.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, for the last 20 years Bangladesh had been maintaining 1% to 1.3% of gross domestic product as military expenditure, and a part of it was used for weapons purchase.

Bangladesh, being a $100bn economy, spent about $1.1bn last year.

Two corvettes, one survey ship, eight high-speed boats, a helicopter

handling system, an early warning radar system and two marine helicopters had been added to the Bangladesh Navy’s arsenal during the last three years, according to Mid-term Budgetary Framework for 2013-14 to 2017-18.

In addition, the procurement process for purchasing the C-704 missile system, QW-2 SAM, OTOMAT MK-II missiles, two large patrol craft, five patrol craft and one tanker has been completed.

The Navy has attained two dimensional capabilities by adding two marine helicopters to its fleet.

Bangladesh Army has engaged in a government-to-government contract to procure armoured personnel carriers from Russia. It also procured tanks, self-propelled guns, armoured personnel carriers and other equipment under the same contract. The Army also purchased a weapon-locating radar and a Bell Helicopter during the last three years. l

with passengers, picketers set fire to my CNG-run auto-rickshaw and 35% of my body were scalded,” he said, adding that a passenger was burned to death.

The deceased was Mostafizur Rahman Mukul, 36, a purchase officer of Biswash Group.

The third patient at the ICU was Mantu Pal, 36, who had 90% burns all over his body.

He said he was going back home from Laxmibazar to Tantibazar when he fell victim to the attack.

Besides, a minor boy Monir Hossain, 12, was killed after he was attacked by pickets in Gazipur at the second spell of 60-hour hartal enforced by the opposition.

The minor returning to his mother after visiting capital with his father.

A day labourer Rokunazzaman, 31, had been suffering at the burn unit with his 11% burns he received from pickets’ action in Joydebpur area on November 3.

In addition, six patients were also admitted to DMCH burn unit. Of them, Abdu Razzak Mithu, 20, was an insurance worker who came under attack by the hartal supporters in Shahbagh area.

Harun-or-Rashid, 20, a Leguna driver, was also attacked by pickets near 1 No. gate of BGB headquarters.

The victim received 20% burns. Harun came with his vehicle to earn his daily livelihood since he had no other options to make money without driving the four wheeler.

Rahima Khatun with her grandchild Soma Akter, 9, was coming from Netrokona to visit her daughter’s house at Uttara.

Their bus came under attack on November 3 at Gazipur by the hartal supporters.

Both Rahima and Soma were admitted to the hospital with 13% and 15% burn injuries.

The observation ward of the unit bears the testimony of merciless attack by the pickets mostly victimising common people.

A minor boy Roni, 14, received 16% burns after pickets set fire to a bus he was sleeping in in Shah Ali area of Mirpur Sunday morning.

He worked as a helper of the bus to support his family.

Milon, 24, received 15% burn injury after an arson attack on his vehicle called “Leguna” by pickets in Dhanmondi area.

Kamal Hossain, 25, a tailor, is undergoing treatment with 25% burn injury.

The victim was returning home from Mohammadpur area after work.

Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune he was the only earning member of his three-member family.

Sumon, 18, helper of a pickup van, received 10% burn injury Monday noon in the capital’s Hazaribagh area.

Sagor, 20, son of Asaduzzaman, was going to Gazipur to work for a firm and came under arson attack when the bus he boarded was set on fire by pickets.

The victim was admitted to hospital with 11% burn injury.

Dr Samanta Lal Shen, coordinator of DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery unit, told the Dhaka Tribune of the injuries, burs from petrol and gunpowder attacks were serious ones.

“Our attending doctors are giving all possible best treatment to patients so that they can go back home after coming round soon,” he said. l

Jatiya Party (Monju), a former ally of the BNP-led alliance, yesterday said it would contest the next general elections, but would not join the Awami League-led alliance.

Anwar Hossain Manju, who is considered as an important “player” in Bangladeshi politics, made the announcement after a meeting to exchange views with the 14-party ruling alliance.

Manju said he would also maintain contact with the main opposition BNP. “I will contest the polls, if it takes place. But I have not joined the 14-party alliance,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday after the meeting.

The former minister said participating in the polls was the choice of the respective political parties “If she (Khaleda Zia) does not participate, it does not mean that I will follow (her),” Manju said. “I am not so helpless”.

Elections were necessary for continuity of the democratic process, he added.

“If the BNP decides to contest the polls, I will hold a meeting with them, too,” he said. “Then I will decide the side.”

Earlier, Manju had a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Gonobhaban residence to discuss his party’s participation in the upcoming polls, which must take place by January 24. l

British Council, AIUB team up n Tribune Report The British Council Bangladesh has awarded the contract for a consultancy service to the American International University-Bangladesh in order implement the project titled “Audio-Visual Materials Production for the English Language Modules” under the Transforming English Language Skills in the Higher Education Sector in Bangladesh (TELSHEB) Project.

This project is aimed at producing audio-visual materials in line with the two modules previously produced by the British Council – English for Academic Purpose and English for Employability, according to a press release.

The Vice-Chancellor of AIUB Dr Carmen Z Lamagna signed the contract on behalf of the university and Robin Davies, director partnerships and programmes, on behalf of British Council Bangladesh.

The signing ceremony was held in the British Council Bangladesh office on November 3. Apart from the signatories, Md Lutfar Rahman, director public relations and international affairs of AIUB, Mirja Mohammad Shah Jamal, head of education of British Council, Borendra Tripura, project manager of Internationalising Higher Education and Sanjib Malhotra, director of operations of British Council Bangladesh were present at the signing ceremony. l

ACC chair: Changes contradict constitution  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

He alleged that the recommendations made by the parliamentary standing committee concerned and the commission had not been considered while making the law.

A number of ACC officials also expressed similar dissatisfaction, saying the commission would return to the state of Bac because of the law.

“A lot of corruption takes place at government offices. If we need to take the government’s permission for taking actions against government officials, our efforts to find the graft charges

against them will go in vain,” an official said.

A deputy director at the commission said, on condition of anonymity, that there would be no need for the organisational committees now working to find corruption in 11 sectors, including the Dhaka City Corporation, Local Government Engineering Department, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and the Roads and Highways epartment.

Bodiuzzaman, however, appreciated the new provisions making the ACC

Interim cabinet likely next week  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

to resign from the cabinet. I am submitting the matter for your consideration.”

Food Minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said in his letter he also expressed his intent to resign.

According to article 58(1)(a) of the constitution, the office of a minister becomes vacant if the minister resigns from office by placing his resignation in the hands of the prime minister for submission to the president.

Asked if the offices of the ministers and sate ministers fell vacant as they submitted their resignation letters to the prime minister, some ministers argued that the resignation letters would have to be forwarded to and accepted by the president for the resignation to be effective.

A minister said they did not resign from the cabinet directly and only “expressed our intent to resign.”

The cabinet member, who wished not to be named, said: “If she [the prime minister] considers that I should

continue, she will not send my letter to the president for accepting it as my resignation letter. But if she does not want me in the polls-time cabinet, she will send my letter to the president to accept it.”

Razzaque said: “The day the all-party interim government is formed, the prime minister will send the letters to the president for acceptance.”

A few ministers said those chosen for the polls-time cabinet would not have to take oaths as ministers again –only the new members would have to.

Although the present political situation hints that the main opposition BNP will not join the all-party polls-time government, Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud expressed hope that the government would be formed with the participation of BNP leaders.

“I believe they should participate in the upcoming national election through joining the polls-time government for the sake of continuity of the democratic process,” he said.

law superior in dealing with corruption cases – no matter what was said in other laws – and making all government organisations bound to provide the commission with information sought.

“Some provisions of the now defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption have been merged with the new law, such as considering cheating an offence. In addition, if anyone wants to go to the High Court for any issue under the commission, he/she will have to inform the commission first and include it as a side in the court,” he said. l

About the possibility of Jatiya Party’s joining the interim government, he said: “We expect representation from the party.”

Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad has recently criticised the Awami League-led alliance government, saying his party would not participate in the national election under the partisan government.

However, the faction led by Anwar Hossain Monju has meanwhile announced that his party will participate in the polls.

Asked if anyone from his party will have representation in the polls-time cabinet, a few ministers said Monju’s party did not have representation in the present parliament.

On the constitutional provision of the quota of technocrat ministers, they said the prime minister would finalise the cabinet.

“Nothing can be said for certain right now,” said a minister when asked about which parties will have representation in the polls-time cabinet. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Watchdog shelves CHT land dispute resolution act amendment n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The Awami League-led government will not pass the proposed law aimed at returning “illegally leased and occupied land” in the Chittagong Hill Tracts to the repatriated hill people in its present tenure although it promised to do so.

The parliamentary standing committee on land ministry, which was tasked with scrutinising the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution (amendment) Bill 2013 initiated in June, yesterday declined to approve the bill.

“Our observation is: We need further discussions on the bill. It will be

finalised at the next meeting, if necessary,” committee member Md Shahab Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune after a meeting of the committee.

He, however, said yesterday’s meeting was the last in this tenure of the government. “Unless the government instructs us, we will not meet again,” he said.

According to parliamentary rules, recommendations of the standing committee concerned in favour of passage of a bill is a must for law making.

The current parliament will end as soon as the Election Commission announces the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls.

Leaders of the ethnic minority people in the CHT and the government had dissenting views on the return of land in line with the Chittagong Hill Tracts Land Dispute Resolution Commission Act 2001.

According to the act, the CHT Land Dispute Resolution Commission, headed by a retired justice of the Supreme Court, will settle land disputes of hill people repatriated from India in line with the laws and tradition of the CHT. But the ethnic leaders said the land of the hill people, who had fled to India after August 1975 to evade the conflicts between the armed group Shanti

Bahini and the army and returned after 1997, was “illegally leased out and went to the grabbers.”

They said the 2001 law had no mention of settlement of such land.

In the CHT peace treaty with the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity, the government had promised to return the land to the repatriated people by setting up a land dispute resolution commission.

In June this year, the ethnic leaders met government policymakers who agreed to insert a provision to mandate the commission to return the “illegally leased and occupied land” to the hill people.

According to the decision, Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira tabled the amendment bill in parliament.

The law also proposes curtailing the authority of the chairman of the five-member commission.

In the 2001 act, the chairman’s decision is considered as the decision of the commission. The amendment proposed that the commission take decision according to the opinion of the majority of the members.

Standing committee members Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira, Md Motiur Rahman, Benjir Ahmed and Ranajit Kumar Roy attended the meeting with AKM Mozammel Hoque in the chair. l

Draft electoral code okay with political parties: EC n Mohammad Zakaria Lack of comments from political parties has lead to assumption that the draft electoral guideline was acceptable to the political parties, Election Commissioner Mohammad Shah Nawaz said.

“We think that the political parties support the draft and are satisfied with it.

“None of the registered political parties came up with any suggestion or opinion over the draft guidelines available in the EC website.

“We have received some opinions in person,” he told reporters at the EC secretariat yesterday.

“The EC is taking this positively. We think that this is because the polls-time guidelines have been acceptable to all,” he said, adding that the commission would finalise the political party and candidate electoral code of conduct soon after examining the opinions.

In response to questions from journalists, Shah Nawaz said: “As the election is nearing, the commission will not take any initiative to take opinions from the political parties before finalising the electoral code of conduct.”

Shah Nawaz said a “beautiful” election would not be possible without the participation of all parties.

He said the EC was a constitutional body and it was prepared to hold elections in line with the constitution in due time even if any major political party was not taking part in the polls.

According to the constitution, the next parliamentary polls must be held

by January 24, 2014. l

Hartal will be withdrawn if PM resigns: Khaleda n Manik Miazee BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said the ongoing hartal of her 18-party alliance would be withdrawn if Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned from office and agreed to hold the next parliamentary elections under a non-party government.

The opposition leader made the statement as Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League chief Abdul Kader Siddique and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh Secretary General Abdul Mannan urged her to withdraw the ongoing hartal.

“We requested the opposition leader to withdraw the hartal considering students’ misery and the country’s economic situation. Begum Khaleda Zia told us that she would withdraw hartal if Sheikh Hasina resigned from office and agreed to hold the next elections under a non-party government,” Mannan told the reporters after the meeting.

A 10-member delegation from the two parties also called upon the opposition leader to hold a dialogue with Hasina on the polls-time government to resolve the crisis.

The delegation had an hour-long discussion with Khaleda at her Gulshan residence on the latest political situation of the country.

After holding the meeting Kader Siddique said: “Khaleda Zia told us that the opposition was waiting for the government initiative for the dialogue.”

On ministers’ resignation letters, Siddique said there was no need to play “such drama” and their way of resigning was not in accordance with the constitution. The present government would have to be accountable to the people for violating the constitution.

Earlier at a press conference in the morning, Kader Siddique had called upon President Abdul Hamid to intervene to resolve the current political impasse.

He laid blame on the Awami Leagueled government for elimination of the caretaker government system. l

3

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

DCs reshuffled in five districts n Mohosinul Karim The government yesterday issued transfer orders for the deputy commissioners (DCs) of five districts.

According to the order, Bhola DC Khandakar Mostafizur Rahman was transferred to Noakhali. ADC of Lalmonirhat Zakir Hossain will replace him in Bhola.

The government made BMET Director Mohammad Mohsin Chowdhury the DC of Jamalpur, Personal Secretary of state minister for Liberation War Selim Reza the DC of Nilphamari and Deputy Director of Sylhet Local Government Division Md Shahabuddin the DC of Munshiganj.

Noakhali DC Sohel Imam Khan was made director of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre and Nilphamari DC SM Mahfuzul Haque was made director of Information and Communications Technology Department.

Munshiganj DC Shaiful Hasan Badol was made the director of BMET and Jamalpur DC Delwar Haider was transferred to the shipping ministry as deputy secretary.

The order would take immediate effect, said the order. l

WAR CRIMES TRIAL

Charges against Kaiser recorded n Udisa Islam

At least four handmade bombs blast yesterday in the city’s zero point intersection in a procession. Followers of Awami league leader Mizanur Rahman Khan Dipu, a nomination expectant, who went to the party office to buy a nomination paper for the upcoming election, brought out the procession RAJIB DHAR

‘I’m finished!’ n Mohammad Jamil Khan

“I’m finished – they’d set me on fire.

Come over quickly and spend some time with me. It’s too painful to bear!”

This was the phone conversation of Montu Pal with his wife, after he was admitted with major burn injuries to the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Montu, 37, a goldsmith by profession, suffered burns to 90% of his body in a blaze caused when the bus carrying him was doused with petrol, and lit on fire, by pickets on Sunday night. The incident occurred in the city’s Luxmi Bazar area.

He was going back home in Narayanganj from the capital’s Tanti Bazar area, but halfway through his journey, fell prey to the surprise arson attack landing him in hospital. He was still conscious when he made the call to his wife, borrowing a phone from a hospital attendant.

Sanju Rani Pal, Montu’s wife, who came to DMCH after getting the call, described in a tearful voice how the incident took place.

“He comes in Narayanganj after

every three or four days, between his working days. Before he does, he lets me know of his coming, but that Sunday, we didn’t make any call. I was so sure he would have no trouble coming home.

“Usually he didn’t board buses while coming, but took trains instead. I don’t know what made him change his mind and get on board a bus this time, especially when there is a hartal. And the accident happened.

“I don’t know what to do if anything happens to him. He will probably recover but is still in a very critical condition. For now, I will have to stay a few days here and maybe even face some problems, but there’s nothing doing.

He would be helpless without me.”

The childless couple, who saw their only child die four years ago, lived in separate places but Montu would always manage to visit his wife and inlaws periodically. His in-laws lived only several blocks away from their rented single-room apartment.

Son of late Bijoy Pal, Montu is the youngest of his siblings and hailed from Mirzapur of Tangail. His elder brother, Gurudas Pal, said, “I often told him to come and settle down in Mirzapur, but

The International Crimes Tribunal 2 has received the war crimes charges brought against Syed M Kaiser and set November 14 for cognisance order.

Prosecutor Rana Das Gupta submitted the formal charges, giving a short profile of Kaiser and description of charges pressed against him for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 War of Liberation.

Accused Kaiser was then present in the dock.

The prosecution on Sunday submitted 18 charges against Kaiser, former state minister of Ershad’s regime, including killing, extermination, enslavement, deportation, abduction, confinement, torture, looting, arson and assisting in rape.

Kaiser was arrested on May 16. The tribunal later granted him conditional bail considering his age and now he is living in his son’s house.

Meanwhile, tribunal 1 asked Fakhrul Islam, counsel for war crimes convict Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, to appear on November 26 to face the hearing on a contempt notice issued against him. l

CASE AGAINST NIZAMI

he wouldn’t listen. And now see what had happened.”

“Who will take responsibility for this family now? Already, Tk10,000 went into his first-night treatment alone. Who will bear all the expenses?

“It’s the responsibility of political leaders to refrain from enforcing such destructive strikes to the detriment of general people. They should solve their own problems and spare us the troubles of that,” Gurudas added.

Although Sanju Rani is hopeful her husband would be alright soon, doctors at the burn unit see little chances of him recovering from the injuries.

Partha Sharothi Das, a burn specialist of DMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune that Montu “didn’t stand much of a chance” but efforts were on to give him the best possible treatment.

“Generally, patients with burns to upward of 15% of their bodies are treated in the wards. Montu was admitted with 90% burns and were transferred in the intensive care unit for advanced care.

“Critical burns are those that are received from blazes caused by petrol or gunpowder. However, we are trying our best to provide the best possible treatment to him,” he added. l

Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League chief Abdul Kader Siddique, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh chief AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Secretary General Abdul Mannan hold a press conference at the National Press Club in the capital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Defence asked to place written argument n Udisa Islam The International Crimes Tribunal had to once again adjourn hearing of the closing arguments in the war crimes cases against Jamaat stalwart Matiur Rahman Nizami, as the defence counsels failed to appear for the second consecutive day yesterday.

The way that hartal is being called and the way defence is remaining absent on hartal days, we have no idea how and when will we be able to see them again On Monday, the tribunal began proceedings by hearing on the adjournment petition filed by advocate Asad Uddin, a junior defence counsel. He submitted the plea seeking adjournment for three days as the senior counsels could not appear before court due to personal difficulties.

Asad Uddin has been repeatedly filing adjournment pleas for the last two weeks on hartal days.

Asad Uddin told the tribunal that since prosecution took four days up

against the three days allocated for placing arguments, the defence should be given at least seven days to end their argument.

The tribunal then told him: “You were not sincere during hearing. We gave the fourth day to the prosecution as you were not ready to start and your seniors were not present at courtroom.”

Tribunal chairman ATM Fazle Kabir then said: “We do not know when the spree of hartal will end and your seniors will able to come to the court. So, get prepared to submit a written argument. You cannot letter claim that we did not give you time and opportunity to argue.”

In his observation, Justice Kabir also said: “The way that hartal is being called and the way defence is remaining absent on hartal days, we have no idea how and when will we be able to see them again. So, it would be better if you proceed with a written argument.

“It is important for us. We have to mention these in the judgment and you will not be able t o say that we did not give you enough chance.”

When the tribunal asked prosecution if they had anything new to oppose the adjournment petition with.

Conducting Prosecutor Mohammad Ali in reply said they had nothing to say. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

PM signs new pay scales for BB, 4 state lenders n Asif Showkat Kallol Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday signed the recommendations of the secretaries’ committee on the separate pay scale for Bangladesh Bank and four state-owned commercial banks, finance ministry officials said.

After the prime minister’s approval, the Finance Division and board of directors of Sonali, Janata, Agrani and Rupali banks will now have to execute separate pay scales for Bangladesh Bank and four state lenders within two days, they said.

“We will receive the recommendations for separate pay scale of Bangladesh Bank and four state-owned banks from the Prime Minister’s Office tomorrow (Tuesday) and the Banking Division will send those recommendations to the Finance Division and board of directors of the banks,” Secretary of Bank and Financial Institutions Division Dr Aslam Alam told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

In this regard, the Finance Division and Banking Division issued two sepa-

‘Hijra’, recognised as a separate gender now n Mohosinul Karim From now on, hijras, who are neither male nor female, will be recognised as a separate gender and get priority in pursuing education and rights in other sectors of Bangladesh.

The decision came at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.

While referring to the cabinet decision, journalists asked whether the spelling of Hijra would be spelt with a ‘z’ or a ‘j’.

The government to consider them as a separate gender alongside the existing male and female sexes

“It will be written with a ‘j’. They will be referred as hijras in both English and Bangla. Any other translation in English is misleading,” Cabinet Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said while briefing journalists after the meeting.

“They would mention their gender as ‘hijra’ while processing for a passport,” he said.

Currently there were 10,000 hijras living in the country, he said referring to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Social Welfare.

This has led the government to consider them as a separate gender alongside the existing male and female sexes, he added.

Hijras are already enlisted as voters in Bangladesh.

The move came as the current government’s term draws towards end. l

WEATHER

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

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:14pm 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

4:54am 6:10am 11:43am 3:38pm 5:14pm 6:32pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

rate circulars on new pay scales—one for Bangladesh Bank and the other for four state lenders, he said. The new pay scales will be implemented from November, he added.

To avail of the new pay scale, the central bank staff will have to be excluded from the national pay and service rules, the secretary pointed out.

Finance and banking officials said they were under pressure from new and outgoing staff members of the central bank and the four state-owned lenders to expedite the process of finalising separate pay scale, as the officials and employees of the banking sector regulator and government-owned commercial banks are paid much less than those in private and foreign banks.

But old staff members do not want the new pay scale to be executed, they said.

Officers and employees will be entitled to all other facilities including bonus, lunch allowance and provident funds as per the new scales.

Discriminations between salaries

and old provident fund will be solved at the board meetings of the respective institutions.

Aslam Alam said the staffs of the central bank and four state banks would have to pay income taxes from their own incomes under the proposed separate pay scale as currently being practiced by the prime minister, ministers and government officials.

The secretary committee recommended a Tk2,000 hike and reconstitution of 11 pay grades instead of existing 19.

According to the new scale, basic salary of a central bank executive director will be Tk 35,750 and takehome pay will stand at Tk 93,750, while the an employee of the lowest grade will receive a gross pay of Tk12,500 .

For four state owned banks, the highest initial salary will be Tk 55,000 for a general manager and Tk 6,000 for a lowest grade staff member.

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

People waiting in a queue in front of a TCB out let to purchase daily household essentials such as sugar, onion and oil in low price in the city’s Paltan area yesterday NASHIRUL ISLAM

Bangladesh domestic workers ill-treated in Hong Kong n Rabiul Islam

A two-member delegation of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) has found Bangladeshi female domestic workers being mistreated by their employers in Hong Kong.

Struggle to get accustomed to foreign language, unfamiliar food habit and inability to manage dogs of the employers have added to their woes.

The delegation led by Additional Director General of (BMET) Jabed Ahmed visited Hong Kong from November 5 and November 9 to inspect the condition of female workers over there.

Seven female migrants who were compelled to return home after losing jobs in Hong Kong, brought allegation of maltreatment against their employers.

They claimed that they were provided with insufficient food, put up with excessive pressure of work and frequently were terminated from jobs.

Following their allegations, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment sent the delegation.

The officials said they had found the workers having a tough time to adjust with a new environment where food habit and language were largely different from that of the native ones.

The delegation visited a dormitory of Technic Employment Service Centre Ltd, a Hong Kong-based recruiting agency.

A member of the delegation said: “While visiting the dormitory we found a female migrant burnt by her employer who poured hot water on her neck.

The employer was now languishing in jail.”

He said the victim would be compensated.

“We have seen our female migrant workers struggling to get habituated to the foreign language and food habits.

They are also unable to manage dogs,”

Development partners condemn ACC law amendment n Asif Showkat Kallol The recent amendments to the AntiCorruption Commission Act would render the graft busting agency inactive, a platform of development organisations have feared.

The leaders of the Local Consultative Groups (LCG) expressed the apprehension yesterday in a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the auditorium of the planning ministry.

Parliament on Sunday passed a controversial amendment to the ACC act 2004 incorporating a provision that would force the graft buster to seek permission from the government before filing corruption charges against public servants including judges, magistrates and officials.

LCG group feared that because of the passage of the amendment, the ACC might stop filing corruption charges against government officials.

During the meeting, Finance Minister Muhith explained to the development partners how the current government operated over the last five years and how the future governments planned to operate.

The minister said the volume of for-

eign assistance and loan doubled during the Awami League government’s tenure compared to the BNP-led government’s rule. He claimed that foreign assistance worth $5bn flowed in during this government tenure. It was only $2.5bn during the previous government’s tenure.

He also said more foreign assistance and loans were in the pipeline and would probably be disbursed within the next few years.

After the meeting, in reply to a query, the minister told journalists that an all-party cabinet would be formed 45 days before the January elections.

“We have already submitted resignation letters to the prime minister.

Now she will decide who will member the all-party government,” he said.

The LCG is composed of the secretary of the Economic Relations Division of the finance ministry and 48 Bangladesh-based representatives of bilateral & multilateral development partners, including five International Financial Institutions, 13 UN agencies with representational offices in Bangladesh and the UN Resident Coordinator. It coordinates between the government and the development partners through various mechanisms. l

Death Anniversary of Hasna Hena Qadir today n Tribune Report The 14th death anniversary of late Hasna Hena Qadir, one of the founding members of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, will be observed today.

She is the wife Lt Col M Abdul Qadir, who was martyred in 1971 Liberation War, according to a press release.

Col Qadir, was reburied with state honour at Qadirabad Cantonment in Natore in 2011 on the orders of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A milad mahfil and feeding of the

poor will be held to pray for the peace of the soul of late Hasna Hena Qadir. l

to export female domestic workers to Hong Kong, has stopped sending as their economy was soaring. Therefore we could seize the market,” he said.

Currently two private agencies in Bangladesh are sending female migrants to Hong Kong to work as domestic workers.

Sadia International and SA Trading are sending female migrants after providing them with in-house training for three months.

According to these agencies, 146 female workers have migrated to Hong Kong so far.

Of them, 58 went through Sadia International while 88 workers through SA Trading.

“The government should assign a female officer to take care of the female migrants in Hong Kong,” said, Sumaiya Islam, founding director of Bangladesh Ovibashi Mohila Sramik Association (BOMSA). l

Jabed Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune at his office yesterday.

The official said: “We hold a meeting with the Hong Kong labour department and discussed the issue of our expatriate workers being ill-treated by their employers”.

Quoting Hong Kong labour department officials, Javed said: “There are branches of labour department offices in different districts in Hong Kong where the victims can go if they need any kind of assistance. They would take actions accordingly.”

However, they did not know how to approach these offices, he added.

Officials of Bangladesh Consulate office in Dhaka claimed that many times the migrants come to them with complaints over trivial issues.

We suggest them to try to get accustomed to the new environment if they want to earn livelihood over there, they said.

Director General of BMET Begum Shamsun Nahar said before sending, the girls are shown the workplace, the kind of work they have to do etc through video clips.

For example, if the employer owns a dog or not, how many members are there in the family etc are clearly screened to them.

“So they can refuse to go if they are not willing to manage dogs per say,” she said.

“We would take steps to address their problems after receiving the report of the delegation,” she added.

Jabed Ahmed suggested that extensive training on language and work be given to the workers before sending.

Currently trainings on Cantonese language and different domestic chores like cooking Chinese, is being provided to the potential workers willing to be migrated.

“Moreover, Indonesia, that used

TARIQUE-MAMUN MONEYLAUNDERING CASE

Hay Festival to begin on Nov 14

Defence argument n Syeda Samira Sadeque Hay Festival Dhaka, an international partly recorded, literary festival, is set to begin in the capital on Thursday, November 14 and Nov 14 fixed for will go on till Saturday, November 16.

At a pre-event press conference yesnext hearing terday, Shamshuzzaman Khan, director general of Bangla Academy, Mahfuz n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu Anam, editor of The Daily Star, Dr Kazi A Dhaka court yesterday recorded the defence argument partly and fixed November 14 as next date for hearing the rest of it in the money-laundering case against BNP Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun.

Special Judge 3 Md Motahar Hossain kept the record and fixed the said date.

Defence counsel Khandaker Mahbub Hossain initiated the court proceeding.

Mahbub said he would come up with his statement after his junior had finished his part.

The court started to record the defence argument at 12pm and it continued until 5pm. Security had been beefed up on the court premises during the case proceeding.

On the prosecution side, Mosharraf Hossain Kajal and other public prosecutors of different courts were present during the argument.

Gias Uddin Al Mamun was also taken to the court in a special vehicle due to the hartal.

According to the case details, Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Tarique and Mamun with Dhaka Cantonment police station on October 26, 2009, accusing the duo of “siphoning off Tk204.1m to Singapore” between 2003 and 2007.

The fund was allegedly taken by Mamun as a bribe from Khadiza Islam, director of Nirman Construction Ltd, for helping it get the contract of installing an 80MW power plant at Tongi.

The ACC, on July 6 in 2010, submitted the charge sheet of the case to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka after investigation.

On 8 August last year, the court indicted Tarique and Mamun under the Money-Laundering Act 2002 and issued an arrest warrant against Tarique.

Later, Mamun allegedly deposited the money to the Capital Street branch of Singapore’s City Bank. l

Anis Ahmed, writer, and Eshita Azad, head of arts at British Council Bangladesh, announced the agenda for the programme.

attendees. Last year, it was a two-day event and featured international writers such as Vikram Seth and had about 10,000 attendees.

“This year, the mix is different. We have speakers from both political and literature backgrounds,” Iffat Nawaz, one of the organisers, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“What’s different this year is not only the intersection of literature and politics but also the intersection of words and images,” Sadaf told the Dhaka Tribune.

Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, co-producer of Hay festival, is speaking at the press conference at the Bangla Academy Auditorium yesterday NASHIRUL ISLAM Co-producer of the event Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi was also present at the briefing.

During the briefing, Shamshuzzaman said this event was created for Bangladeshi writers to reach the English-reading audience, and expressed excitement at being able to be part of this process.

Kazi Anis Ahmed said: “We believe it [the Hay Festival] will build unprecedented links to the outside literary world.”

When asked, Sadaf told the Dhaka Tribune: “We decided to bring the Hay Festival to the people because it is important for us to be plugged into the global literary scene.”

She said: “We have a lot of maturity and confidence in our writers and writings, but they need a platform.”

The Hay Festival, playing on the theme “Imagine the World,” is going to be celebrated for the third time in Bangladesh. It was first launched in 2011 as a pilot project, when it was held only for one day and had about 1,000

“Last year, we wanted to promote writers and writing, and this year we are trying to promote other forms of expressions as well,” she said, adding that this year’s festival will feature graphic storytelling and comics as well.

“Furthermore, last year we worked with one or two languages, and this year we are working with 12,” Sadaf added.

The three day event will be celebrated in Dhaka, at the Bangla Academy. It will hold various panels, feature Bangladeshi writers and launch new publications. There will be 250 authors and journalists speaking at the event, of whom 50 will be international guests.

It will run from 8am to 8pm daily.

The Hay Festival Dhaka is produced

by Sadaf Saaz Siddiqi, Tahmima Anam, Lyndy Cooke and Peter Florence with The Daily Star as the title sponsor and Bangla Academy as the host. British Council and Commonwealth writers are global partners, KK Tea is the key sponsor and Bellisimo and Orion are platinum sponsors of the event. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

5

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Clash of Civilizations: 20 years on

O

n Adnan R Amin n its 20th anniversary, I’ve been rereading the essay “The Clash of Civilizations” (1993) by Samuel P Huntington. It is a farsighted, pre-9/11, hotly-debated analysis and prediction of global conflict patterns. Huntington basically argues that all future conflicts – wars and possibly world wars – will be over cultural and religious divisions. In putting forth a hypothesis on a “new phase of world politics” after the Cold War, it also predicted major conflicts emerging between Islam and the West. This essay briefly explores the influence and relevance of The Clash of Civilizations.

Most political scientists consider the Cold War as a conflict between capitalist countries in the West and the Communist Bloc in the East. As such, it was essentially a conflict of ideology.

At the end of the Cold War, an unavoidable question arose: what would drive the next wave of conflicts?

“Civilizational rifts,” replied Huntington.

The Clash of Civilizations deals with modern, post-Cold War empires and conflicts, but draws inferences from much older civilizations, cultures and traditions. It delves beyond political scuffles and explores the oldest, most deep-rooted sources of conflict. But first, we will review how the essay defines and differentiates a civilization.

tions. In historical research, 21 civilizations have been identified – only six of which exist till this day.

Reasons for civilizations clashing Huntington identifies a number of reasons as to why he thinks civilizations will clash. Highlights from these reasons are: Basic differences: nations fight and nations become friends. Their differences emerge and then vanish. But civilizations are fundamentally unique from one another and have been so for thousands of years. Each views man, family, society, nation, world and God in a unique way. For example, it may be okay to move out of one’s parents’ house in the West – but it’s viewed as relegating duty and responsibility in the East. People in each civilization hold their own view to be “the right view.”

Smaller world: through increased trade, travel, immigration and cultural exchanges – civilizations are coming

Fault-lines between civilizations inwards, to soul-searching (e.g. Asianisation, Hinduisation, Islamisation, etc). They are increasingly seeking to reinvent themselves and the world in non-western ways.

Solidifying civilizations: as two-sided conflicts (Nazi vs Allies, Communists vs Capitalists/Democrats) have subsided – regional blocs are coagulating.

European nations aren’t fighting each other, USA-Canada-Mexico are coming together. So the question has gone

Proliferation of technology and social-media was completely unaccounted for in Huntington’s analysis. The instant sharing of information and ideas, ideals and appeals, have transcended not only national, but civilisational boundaries

What is a civilization?

In short, a civilization is the highest, common cultural grouping of humans.

The only higher dimension of commonality is the Homo Sapiens species.

In modern times, racial boundaries have been blurred – but not that of civilizations. That’s because civilizations often transcend national boundaries and geographic locations.

We are all human beings. Physically, we can be divided into races.

Culturally, we are categorised into civilizations. Different civilizations, like Western, African, Islamic and Hindu, can contain many sub-cultures and nations. But these smaller units often share unique languages, history, traditions, folklores, religion and most importantly, identity. So, for example: I am a Dhakaite, a Bangladeshi, a Muslim, a citizen of the subcontinent, an Asian and a part of the Islamic civilization. Of course, part of my identity

Africa

into contact with one another. While languages may be learned and discrimination/racism, overcome – cultural identities are permanent baggage, always harder to explain or reconcile.

That is why Diaspora communities stick together and myriad cities have Chinatowns. That is why the French prefer European over African migration and why Americans resent Chinese, but not Canadian investment.

from “which side are you on” to “who are you.”

Disappearing nation states: with economic modernisation and democratisation – nation states are becoming identical. They no longer offer unique identity elements to citizens. Religions and culture are moving in to act as the primary sources of international identity. So, people are increasingly clinging harder to their religion, traditions and customs. This means: more and more polarisation of civilizations

Key civilizations in conflicts

Hindu

Western

Islamic

Regional economics: countries are seeing the benefit in trading with neighbours and keeping war out. Platforms for regional economic cooperation (e.g. EU, Mercosur, African Union, SAARC) are thriving. Trading relationships are strengthening cultural/religious cohesion and unity.

Huntington identified eight key civilizations and predicted significant conflicts brewing between the West and Islam, the West and China, India and China etc. In his hypothesis, the Western civilization is hostilely engaged with all other civilizations. Most of these hold true in our times, though not all have broken out into explicit wars. It’s also interesting to note that Huntington foresaw little or no conflict between the Islamic world and Latin America or between Sinic and African civilizations.

The conflict between Islam and the West is a major theme in the essay. It predicts continuation of the 1400year old conflict that started with the so-called birth of Islam. “The Muslim world has bloody borders,” it claims.

Even if decrepit regimes fell, it suggests, there would still be a fundamental clash of civilizations between Islam and the West.

Solidification of civilizational identities

Latin America

Sinic

Orthodox

Japanese

Emerging alignment of civilizations according to Huntington: The thicker the line, the greater the conflict is influenced by the Hindu civilization – and by the same token, civilizations often overlap.

Civilisations may consist of a large population e.g. China (“A civilization pretending to be a state” – Lucian Pyle), many countries e.g. Latin America or a single country with a (relatively) small population e.g. Japanese. But they all identify with commonalities inherent in their respective civiliza-

e.g. unsecularisation of the world, rise of the far-right and the re-Islamisation phenomenon.

Civilisation consciousness: following the end of colonialism, civilizations are returning to their roots. As the proverbial “West” rises to the peak of its power – confronting all non-western civilizations through economics and warfare – the latter are turning

Twenty years back, Huntington had predicted that the clash would happen along the “fault-lines” between civilizations: the line that runs between Scandinavia and Russia, the historic Habsburg and Ottoman borders etc.

One side of this divide experienced the Renaissance, Enlightenment and French Revolution – while the other had religious orthodoxy, Ottoman and Tsarist reigns. While this account is highly West vs Non-West oriented, the “fault-line” theory is also supported by real divergences in economic growth, democratisation and religious orthodoxy today.

To understand civilizational divergence in education, recall that some months ago Richard Dawkins tweeted, “all the world’s Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College, Cambridge.” The intense controversy, furor and mudslinging that these 140 characters caused, drowned out the fact that the Muslim World had fallen

WIKIMEDIA

dismally behind in scientific education, inventions and patronage.

There’s no way to deny that all the world’s recent, significant discoveries and inventions have come either from the Western or the Sinic civilization, where great value is placed upon science, research and innovation.

Solidification of civilization identities is also supported by distinct morals and values. There are divergences in how civilizations treat homosexuality for example. Many argue that the East’s refusal to acknowledge homosexual marriage can be attributed squarely to Islam. But then, Islam doesn’t explain China or Russia’s refusal to acknowledge such unions.

It may be safely assumed that moral codes that determine social attitudes are quite deeply rooted in civilizational identities. The present Islam vs West narrative, rise of a monolithic China, isolation of Japan, rise of trade blocs and pan-Arabism have fallen into place as predicted. The solidification of distinct civilizations seems well underway.

A self-fulfilling prophecy?

Huntington appears to have rightly predicted that people would embrace civilizational identities in the place of the nation state and/or religion.

Identification of fault-lines also seems to predict the geopolitics of recent conflicts and wars.

All of this – combined with endless wars in the middle-east, the budding Cold War 2.0 between USA and China, use of “regional stability” as a foreign policy standard, regional preferences for the War on Terror and even small things like squabbling over control of international institutions, rising far-right groups, tougher immigration and ethno-racial profiling by law-enforcement – may all be pointing towards an impending collision of civilizations.

However, the assessment that civilizations are bound to “clash” (and not embrace/tolerate each other, for example) may not have been entirely accurate.

The Clash of Civilizations is still useful as a macro analysis of global conflict. It may also be argued that the West’s foreign policy has been influenced by Huntington’s essay.

Much of the economic, diplomatic and military interactions with non-western elements have had a tribalist feel.

Consider the following passage from Huntington’s book: “Democracy is promoted, but not if it brings Islamic fundamentalists to power; nonproliferation is preached for Iran and Iraq, but not for Israel; free trade is the elixir of economic growth, but not for agriculture; human rights are an issue for China, but not with Saudi Arabia; aggression against oil-owning Kuwaitis is massively repulsed, but not against non-oil-owning Bosnians. Double standards in practice are the unavoidable price of universal standards of principle (P-184).”

If US foreign policy has been shaped, to an extent, by Huntington’s thinking – then the global reactions to such policy are also outcomes of his worldview. Thus, The Clash of Civilizations came very close to becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. But in truth, the hypothesis stems from a very primitive instinct and a series of ancient rivalries. It may have already ceased to be relevant to a trade-friendly, hyper-connected and increasingly-tolerant world.

Clash of the future Huntington takes a bird’s eye view of global conflicts, draws from history and in doing that, ignores nuances “within” civilizations. To illustrate, he had foreseen an indefinite continuation of the post-WW2 alliance between the USA and Western Europe, which has been considerably affected by financial and banking crises and mass spying allegations.

The Islamic civilization had been viewed as a glob that hates the West and is keen only to embrace authoritarian regimes. All of that seem dubious assumptions at best. The reemergence of Russia, strong US-Japan relations and an emerging Latin American confederation is missing from the essay, as is the alliances between the West and certain Arab countries.

The tremendous economic boom of the 1990s may have also gone unanticipated in the essay. Despite major civilizational differences, China has become the USA’s biggest trade partner. Western investments in Arab countries are substantial.

The fact is: countries can now ill-afford to hold on to differences, because that would mean paying the economic cost of not participating in a burgeoning, global economy. If wars are an extension of politics, and politics an extension of economics – it is economics that will fuel international agendas and alliances of the future.

Other trends and events that defy civilizational prescriptions include the constant infighting in Africa, regional leadership struggle between Egypt and Turkey, China’s no-conflict policy, growth of substantial, enfranchised diaspora communities in the West, col-

Dr Samuel P Huntington (1927-2008) was co-editor of Foreign Policy Magazine, professor at Columbia and Harvard universities. He was policy adviser to US presidents Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter.

Huntington also worked as political advisor to the Brazil and South African governments. In the post Cold War world, few articles have influenced how Western and especially American policymakers view the world more than Huntington’s landmark essay. It was subsequently expanded into the book ‘The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order’ in 1996. ity. Their resolve has been informed by whistleblowers and anonymous hackers who have emerged as a guerilla fifth-column. Never in history has so much meaning been attached to the simple phrase of “99%.” All of these are battles of the mind, wars of Ideas.

And Ideas have no boundaries.

It seems that over the next decade or so, conflicts are likely to arise out of fundamental differences between governments and the governed. In a world that’s rushing towards individualistic, liberal worldviews – resources used to create and drive regional agendas and fund overseas wars – will be challenged by citizens. They will demand jobs, economic emancipation, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and better living standards and employment. The future may well hold a clash of governments and peoples. l Adnan R Amin is a communications & strategy consultant. He can be reached at adnanramin@gmail.com.

The Clash of Civilizations came very close to becoming a selffulfilling prophecy. But in truth, the hypothesis stems from a very primitive instinct and a series of ancient rivalries

laboration to protect overseas investments, the War on Terror, increasing development aid and trade between regions and resurgence of social values and traditions in a financially-troubled west.

Additionally, proliferation of technology and social-media was completely unaccounted for in Huntington’s analysis. The instant sharing of information and ideas, ideals and appeals, have transcended not only national, but civilizational boundaries: think about Kony, Pussy Riot, Ai Weiwei or the Four Finger Salute and how fast these ideas spread. All these seem to promise to bring the civilizations together and ameliorate differences.

Of all the upheavals, the biggest surprise has come from the Arab Spring movements. Defying prophecies, Arab peoples have stood up against authoritarian rule. This time, the conflict was shaped by the Web, and the war, fought online. A well-educated generation had finally been equipped to fight a long-pending battle and they have turned Tahrir Square and Gezi Park into household names.

In the West, changes in country fortunes – debt crises and corporate dysfunction – have led citizens to reevaluate their political choices that had resulted in unfathomable inequal-

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Barisal schools charging extra fees from SSC candidates

BISWAJIT KILLING CASE

Court defers examining five accused

School authorities realising extra money in the name of coaching and development n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday deferred to When contacted, the headmasters Mathuranath and Kawnia Girls Schools Education Board, the examination fee 17 the examining date of the n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal for a regular candidate should start was charging Tk2,000-2,500, Sareswat of several high schools denied the al- November five people accused in the Biswajit Das Realisation of extra money as Secondary School Certificate examination fees from the candidates by school authorities has triggered outrage amongst examinees and guardians in Barisal.

Allegations came that schools managed by leaders of the Bangladesh Teachers Association were collecting more than double the usual fees from candidates, in the name of coaching classes and school development.

The act was passed without taking into consideration the guardians who have severe financial constraints.

To arrange the amount, many of the guardians are selling or mortgaging their properties. They are also being compelled to borrow money from loan sharks and banks.

According to the rate fixed by Barisal

from Tk415 and can go up to Tk1270.

The fee is a consolidation of Tk65 for the pages of written and theoretical subjects, Tk30 for for practical exams, Tk35 for academic transcripts, Tk100 for certificates, Tk15 for scouts or Girl Guides, Tk5 for observing education week, and Tk200-250 for centre fees.

Registration for the SSC began on November 3.

Shah Alamgir, controller of examination, BEB (Bangladesh Education Board) said action would be taken against anyone found realising extra fees from candidates through investigation.

Visiting different secondary schools in Barisal, it was found that Govt Zilla School and Govt Sadar Girls School were charging Tk1,210-Tk1300. While

Members of Bangladesh Border Guard on vigilance during hartal in Khulna

Girls and A Wahed Girls Schools was charging Tk2,500- 2,800, Collegiate School was charging Tk2, 545-Tk2, 600, Udayon (missionary) was charging Tk2,255 -Tk2,390, and Halima Khatun Girls School was charging Tk2,210 -Tk2,400.

Dasgupta Ashish Kumar, headmaster of Shree Choitanya Govinda Mohon School and president of Bangladesh Teachers Association, Barisal Region, said the extra money was collected as tuition fees for coaching classes provided to students.

Besides, an amount was also being charged for development activities of the school alongside expenses regarding school magazine, sports, annual milad, maintenance of mosques, and salaries of fourth-class employees.

FOCUS BANGLA

legation. They said they were realising examination fees as per direction of the BEB. They were collecting only the arrears, institution development fee and coaching fees as extra.

Mahbuba Begum, headmaster of Govt Sadar Girls School, said though an order for exempting female students from tuition fees came; it was subjected to scholarship holders only.

Hosneara Begum, a domestic worker residing at the Palashpur slum of the city, said she had to borrow Tk2,600 from a money lender to pay her daughter’s SSC examination fee and did not know how she would repay the loan.

Safiuddin, a farmer of Shayestabad village under Sadar upazila said he had to sell his bull on Eid ul Azha to pay the examination fee for his son. l

killing case under the Code of Criminal Procedure’s (CrPC) section 342.

The defence counsel’s plea for an extension to submit the High Court order on the petition for revision of charges was rejected on November 5, and was fixed yesterday for the hearing. However, due to the countrywide hartal, the High Court Division could not hear the matter.

They also mentioned that the HC fixed November 17 as the next date for hearing, thus needed time to submit the HC order.

Acting Judge Md Nuruzzaman, of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 allowed the petition to defer the examination date of the accused.

Earlier on October 22, defence lawyer Shah Alam had petitioned for section 304 instead of 302 of the penal

code under which to frame charges, but the court rejected the plea. Later, the defence lodged a petition with the HC for revision of charges.

Biswajit Das, proprietor of Amantron Tailors at Shakhari Bazar in the capital, was hacked to death allegedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists from Jagannath University unit during the opposition’s countrywide road blockade programme on December 9 last year.

On October 24, the tribunal completed cross-examining witnesses in the Biswajit killing case. The court recorded the depositions of 32 witnesses from a total of 60.

On March 5, DB Inspector Tajul Islam, also the investigation officer of the case, pressed twzhe charge sheet against the accused.

On June 2, the court framed charges against 21 BCL activists while the trial began on July 14.

Eight of the accused were produced before the court yesterday. l

Hartal supporters block road by setting fire to tyres in Kazir Dewri area in the port city

FOCUS BANGLA

Second day hartal passes amid stray incidents in metropolitans n Tribune Report Day 2 of the non-stop countrywide 84 hours hartal, enforced by opposition BNP-led 18 party alliance, passed off peacefully in metropolitan cities yesterday.

In Chittagong, strike supporters hurled hundreds of handmade bombs in different areas of the port city, including Chawkbazar, Mehedibag, Halishahar, Pahartali, Khulshi, Patenga, Bahadderhat, Bakalia and Khalurghat.

Hartal supporters set fire to four goods-laden covered vans in Bottol area under Sitakundu upazila on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway around 11am, reports BSS. The strikers also lobbed a homemade bomb at a police van carrying Chittagong District Additional Superintendent of Police M Shahidullah and Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda police station Bodiuzzaman in Chittagong during the morning.

However, none were injured in the attack.

Officer-in-charge of Kotwali police

station AKM Mahiuddin Selim said Shibir supporters hurled six to seven handmade bombs targeting police patrols at different areas.

Police detained eight pickets from different areas.

Hartal supporters also damaged a CNG-run three-wheeler at the Bahaddarhat area, two CNG-run three-wheelers at Patenga crossing, one at Agrabad Excess road, two at the Shah Amanat bridge area, one CNG-run Taxi at Rahattarpool and another CNG-run threewheeler at the Pahartali area during the hartal, police said.

Apart from the afore mentioned incidents, the overall situation in the city was peaceful.

Huge rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and human haulers were seen plying city the streets.

The long distance and inter-district buses, however, stayed off the roads.

Several law enforcers including Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion were seen carrying out different operational activities inside the CEPZ, where day to day activities

were being carried out in full swing and workers attendance was almost normal.

All scheduled trains to and from the port city left and arrived as per their schedules, said railway sources.

All domestic and international flights at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport took off and landed according to schedule, Nazrul Islam, chief security officer of the airport said, Operational activities including loading and unloading of cargo at 23 ships inside the port and outer anchorage went on without a hitch, however, the transportation of export-import goods to and from the port jetty was hampered due to disruption in vehicular movement on roads, said Port Secretary Syed Farhad Uddin.

Our Barisal correspondent reports: the second day of hartal passed off amid stray incidents in Barisal.

Hartal supporters vandalised a truck belonging to the Barisal City Corporation at the College Avenue crossing and a three-wheeler at the Sagordi area of the city in the morning.

Hartal supporters blocked different

roads using logs and detonated cocktails in different parts of the city. Police arrested 12 pickets from different parts of the city.

A procession led by Advocate Mojibor Rahman Sarwar, lawmaker, divisional 18-party alliance coordinator, central organising secretary, city unit president of BNP, was brought out from the Nazirer Pole area in the morning.

Meanwhile, an anti-hartal rally addressed by city Awami League President Shawkat Hossain Hiron, Secretary Afzal Hossain, city Jubo League Convener Nizamuddin was held in front of party office at Sohel Square.

The number of rickshaws and motorized three-wheelers was less than normal on city roads.

Attendances in public, private offices and banks were also as usual.

However, classes in different schools, colleges and universities were not being held during the hartal.

Police along with other members of law enforcing agencies were deployed at key points of the city.

In Sylhet, BNP brought out a proces-

Meanwhile, law enforcers arrested five pro-hartal BNP activists from different areas.

In Rangpur, led by Convener of Rangpur district unit of BNP Mozaffar Hossain, hundreds of leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations repeatedly brought out processions in the city streets today.

Besides, many pro-hartal JamaatShibir leaders and activists brought out sporadic processions in the city and other areas, set fire to car tires on the roads, attacked and torched several auto rickshaws, rickshaws and motorcycles and barricaded roads.

Common life remained partially affected during the second day’s hartal though rickshaws, auto-bikes, bicycles, motorcycles etc plied normally on the streets. Long route buses, trucks and heavy vehicles have been staying off the roads and highways.

Activities at the government offices, business establishments, and financial and educational institutions were almost normal while the civilians carried out their daily tasks. l

Two injured in BCL factional clash at RU

College student killed in Rajbari n Our Correspondent, Rajbari An expatriate allegedly killed a college boy yesterday in Rajbari.

Goalondo police recovered the slaughtered a body of Tutul Sardar, a first years student of Golondo Kamrul Islam college near the River Padma at Goalondo upazila.

Police said Md Nazir Ahamed, 30 son of Kadam Ali, killed Tutul around 5pm.

Sub-inspector of Goalondo police station said after killing the youth Nazir surrendered to the police station and confessed his crime. Nazir confessed that he called Tutul and took him to the riverside where he slaughtered him.

Local people said Nazir came to visit his home from abroad a few days ago and then came to know that his wife had been maintaining an extramarital relation with Tutul. l

sion in support of the hartal in the city around 8 am.

In Rajshahi, pro-hartal activists clashed with law-enforces at different places during the hartal hours in the metropolis.

Police sources said BNP supporters brought out a procession and staged a demonstration by burning car tires around 12 noon at the Sonadighi crossing. Police stopped the demonstrators and lobbed teargas shells when the clashes erupted.

Later, they fired rubber bullets to disperse the picketers, who retaliated by hurling brickbats at the law enforcers. Soon, the clashes spread to the Rajarhata and Hetemkha areas.

BNP activists threw stones targeting a BGB vehicle at the Shalbagan area that provoked police to lob teargas canisters and fire blanks, said Ziaur Rahman Zia, Officer-in-Charge of Boalia Model Police Station.

Some other pro-hartal outfits staged demonstrations by burning car tires at the Kasiadanga crossing. However, they fled when police appeared.

n RU Correspondent

The construction work of the country’s third seaport Payra on the bank of Tiakhali River in Patuakhali is going on. State Minister for Ministry of Water Resource Md Mahbubur Rahman visited the project site area yesterday to see it’s progress. The Paira seaport project will be implemented under the public-private partnership BANGLAR CHOKH

Two leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, of Rajshahi University were injured yesterday in a factional clash, centring extortion from a student on campus.

The injured are RU unit BCL VicePresident Atikur Rahman Atik and Organizing Secretary Kawsar Ahmed Koushik, who took primary treatment from the university medical centre.

Witnesses said a group of BCL leaders and activists led by Sudipta Salam, former joint secretary of BCL RU unit, went to the Shahidullah Arts Building premises around 2pm and

got engaged in an altercation with Atik and Koushik over extorting a student.

At one stage, Salam and his followers beat up Atik and Koushik, leaving them injured.

On information, police and other BCL leaders rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Contacted, Salam alleged that Atik extorted money and a mobile set from a student familiar to him few days ago and the clash ensued over the incident.

BCL RU unit President Mizanur Rahman Rana told the Dhaka Tribune that the incident ensued from mere a misunderstanding, adding he had settled the problem. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Shramik League activists take out a rickshaw procession in Brahmanbaria against hartal

One gets death for killing a women in Netrakona n Our Correspondent, Netrakona Netrakona court yesterday sentenced a person to death, while five others to life imprisonment for killing a women in 2004.

They were also fined Tk20,000 each, in default or will have serve two more years in prison.

Among the convicted, Abul received death penalty, while Saiful, Habul, Amzad Ali, Wahed Ali and Abul Hasem received life imprisonment.

The case statement described that the convicts, broke into Sufia Akther’s (from Shreedhorpur Village) house and killed her using edged weapons on the night of January 1, 2004 due to previous enmity.

Later, Sufia’s husband Abdul Latif filed a murder case with Netrakona police station in this regard.

Police after investigation, submitted a charge sheet to the court against the convicted people.

The judge after examining the witnesses and evidence, found them guilty and handed down the verdict. l

Over 3.6m books to be distributed in Jamalpur n Tribune Desk District Education Department will distribute over 3.6m books amongst the 285,159 students of Jamalpur free of cost for the 2014 academic year.

According to District Education Office sources, 182,241 students in secondary school level, 54,517 students in Ebtedaye level, 41,530 students at Madrasa level, 6,140 students at vocational (SSC) level and 731 students at vocational (Dakhil) level will receive books from the education department.

Of the total books, over 2.5m will be distributed amongst the students of class VI to class IX at a school level, 388,633 books amongst class I to V students at the Ebtedaye level, 629,055 books amongst class VI to IX students at the Madrasa level, 61,400 amongst class IX students at vocational (SSC) level and 7,310 books amongst class IX students at vocational (Dakhil) level. l

FOCUS BANGLA

7

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Jamaat activists wearing helmet bring out a procession in Monirampur of Jessore yesterday

FOCUS BANGLA

Prices of vegetables, essentials Nine killed in road crashes in three districts go up in Khulna n Hartal has disrupts the supply chain throughout the region

n BSS The prices of essential commodities including vegetables have seen a sharp increase in Khulna due to the ongoing countrywide 84-hour hartal.

Many customers were so annoyed at the high prices that they went back empty handed with very few buying, said Alo Miah, a vegetable retailer of city’s Sher-e-Bangla road’s evening kitchen market

Hartal has disrupted the supply chain throughout the Khulna region as transport owners are refusing to use vehicles fearing arson and vandalism attacks by pickets.

Prices of almost all vegetables have increased by Tk10-15 per kg.

The price of cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt and spices shot up as supply, mainly from Dhaka, came to a halt. The supply of other essential commodities also remained disrupted for the second day, resulting in traders and retailers of the city and suburbs to charge extra.

In the kitchen markets of the city, prices of seasonal vegetables such as beans shot up by Tk20, bitter gourds by Tk10, eggplants by Tk8 and radishes by Tk10.

Shamsul Alam, a vegetable vendor of the city’s Dolkhola kitchen market said prices of cucumbers, cauliflowers, cabbages, potatoes and green chillies also increased by Tk15-20.

However, excuse of a low supply was not true for all wholesalers. Many traders and retailers hoarded a huge quantity of vegetables to bring in higher profits during the hartal.

“Many customers were so annoyed at the high prices that they went back empty handed with very few buying, said Alo Miah, a vegetable retailer of

city’s Sher-e-Bangla road’s evening kitchen market.

Alam Howlader, a fish retailer of the same market, said he offered reduced prices to attract more customers, but sales were low, adding that supply disruption created the price spiral.

“My daily sales have been cut in half because of hartal,” he claimed.

A similar picture of few customers and high prices of essential commodities was also seen at Borobazar, Natunbazar and KDA New Market.

Nazrul Islam, president of Sonadanga wholesale vegetable market, admitted that vegetable prices increased, and agreed that a section of traders hoarded some essentials including vegetables before the hartal with an intention to sell them at higher prices.

Contacted, Abdul Gaffar Biswas, president of Khulna Divisional Truck Owners Association, said fearing arson and vandalism, transporters refused to bring out their trucks. l

UNB

Nine people were killed and 23 others injured in separate road accidents in the districts of Narayanganj, Sirajganj and Sylhet over the last two days.

In Narayanganj, four people, including three female garment workers, were killed and 20 others were left injured after a bus collided with a truck at Simrail under Siddhirganj police station of the city early yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Helena Akther, 25, Shahinur Begum, 27, Aysha Begum, 27 and bus driver Munna, 27.

Officer-in-Charge Abdul Matin of Siddhirganj police station said an Adamzi EPZ-bound bus with over 35 garment workers on board collided head-on with a truck on Demra road around 7am and left four people dead on the spot whose bodies were later taken to Narayanganj General Hospital morgue.

The injured were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition, he added.

In Sirajganj, four people were killed in a road accident at the Borogoja area

Village court needs to be more effective n Tribune Desk Village Court, the lowest tier of the country’s judicial process, needs to be effective and strengthened as it plays a vital role in resolving the grassroots litigations, speakers said at a discussion.

They also viewed that the village court could be an effective tool for the successful and logical disposal of village level lawsuits if it can be worked neutrally and free from outside influences, including political ones.

The speakers made these observations while addressing the discussion on village courts and its effectiveness at root levels in Rajshahi yesterday.

A good number of academics, legal practitioners and public representatives attended the programme.

Golam Mostofa, chairman of Huz-

rippara union parishad under Paba upazila, said the number of cases in their village court had gradually been increasing as repressed women are dependent on it.

The speakers made these observations while addressing the discussion on village courts and its effectiveness at root levels in Rajshahi yesterday He said in many cases both the accused and the plaintiffs did not appear before the court.

“We have to face illogical and unethical pressures from influential sides while conducting the court,” he said.

Similarly, other UP chairmen – Abul Kalam Azad of Haragram, Shahjahan Ali of Damkura, Nazrul Islam of Haripur and Mafidul Islam Bachhu of Harian-echoed the same opinion.

Advocate Hamidul Haque, a senior legal practitioner of Rajshahi Bar Association, said the government should take immediate steps to make the village courts time fitting to meet the needs of people seeking justice, reports BSS. He said if there was a suitable place for speedy trials of village-level cases, many distressed people could be protected from various hassles and expenditure.

Elected chairmen and members are more or less politically biased, so if they conduct a village court it will be impossible to get fair justice.

Besides, the persons who conduct

Panchagarh female tea workers getting self-reliant

Abducted teenager found in Bhola n BSS, Rangpur n BSS Expansion of 19 days after being abducted, Taslima Akhter Brishti, 13, was rescued by Daulatkhan police yesterday from the Kalakopa village of Daulatkhan upazila under the district of Bhola.

Brishti is a JSC (Junior School Certificate) examinee from capital’s Khilgaon Golf Colony High School and daughter of Dulal, a resident of the capital’s Malibag area.

Police said Brishti was abducted on October 22, on her way to private tuition classes.

Hasnain, 22, the alleged abductor, was held in this regard, said Officer-in-Charge of Daulatkhan police station Majibul Haque.

A team of police rescued the abducted girl from the house of a Khorshed Alam of the area, after receiving information from SubInspector Manjur Alam of the Rampura Thana, he said. l

Nation

tea farming in Panchagarh has helped many women over the past years to work their way out of abject poverty and become self-reliant.

Female workers outnumbered their male counterparts in the profession of plucking leaves in the district – officially recognised as the country’s third tea belt – the women are contributing to a gradual socioeconomic swing in their favour.

According to sources, over 6,000 underprivileged women have so far achieved self-reliance as plucking workers. These women, who lived in chronic cycles of poverty a decade ago, are now leading better lives with sure assurances of meals for them and their families along with schooling for their children.

Talking to BSS, female tea-garden workers, ranging from housewives to widows, divorcees, and students, said

this employment opportunity had “lifted them out of poverty”.

“It lifted us out of poverty. We are now using sanitary latrines, drinking safe water and taking health care services because of our earnings,” Jotysna, a plucking worker, said.

Bimola, another worker, nodded in agreement and said she earned Tk170200 per day on an average, by plucking green leaves in the tea gardens. Rashida Begum, who started working in the gardens about five years ago, said she had a daily income of Tk190.

In this regard, Amirul Islam, a tea development officer of Bangladesh Tea Board, said tea production continued to increase in Panchagarh since its commercial launch in 2000.

The sub-Himalayan district has produced a record 1,141,475kg of tea in 2012, which was 99,975kgs higher than that in 2011, thanks to the growing popularity of “small-scale gardening.”

The cash crop is now being cultivat-

ed on 2,802 acres of land, including 665 acres of 330 small-scale farmers, 141 acres of 11 medium-scale farmers and 1,996 acres of 22 large tea estates.

The sector had created employment for over 8,000 underprivileged people of the district, including 6,000 previously unemployed women Thus, the sector had created employment for over 8,000 underprivileged people of the district, including 6,000 previously unemployed women, Amirul added.

“Tea cultivation expanded over the years and brought profits to small, medium and marginal farmers and created jobs for distressed women,” said Iqbal Kaiser Mintu, president of Panchagarh Chamber. l

the court, should be aware about related laws, regulations and ethics, he said, adding, “All the litigants are bound to carry out all directives and orders of the court.”

“We have enormous scope of establishing a neutral village court in each of the country’s UP complexes to meet the people’s demands,” he said adding that the court can play a vital role in resolving grass root level disputes impartially.

He also opined that the existing anomalies and irregularities in marriage and birth registration processes could be ceased by village courts.

Prof Asma Siddiqua of Department of Law of Rajshahi University said the existing village court should be effective so that it can work impartially based on the demands of village people. l

on the Hatikumrul-Bonpara Highway of Tarash upazila on Sunday night.

The deceased were Nizamuddin, 35, Babu Fakir, 32, Monir, 35 and Mohsin, 40 from the Khanjahan Ali area of Khulna city.

Officer-in-Charge Ahmed Farid of Solonga police station said a Rajshahi-bound truck from Dhaka lost control and rammed into a tree around 11:30pm leaving Nizamuddin, Babu and Monir dead on the spot and Mohsin injured.

Mohsin later succumbed to his injuries at Sirajganj General Hospital around 11am yesterday.

Meanwhile in Sylhet, a day labourer was killed in a road accident at Noljuri village near Tamabil port in the district’s Gowainghat upazila on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Ibrahim, 26.

Police said a rock-laden truck from Tamabil port crashed into a pillar and overturned, leaving Ibrahim dead on the spot and three others injured around 7am.

Later police recovered the body and sent it to Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue. l

Three die after drinking rectified spirit in Jhenaidah n Tribune Desk Three people, including two siblings, died and another fell sick after drinking rectified spirit in Kaliganj upazila.

The deceased were identified as Nazrul Islam, 40, his brother Mozad Ali, 45, and Naba Ali, 43, residents of Badedihi village in the upazila.

Mahbubul Karim, in-charge of Kaliganj Barbazar police camp, said Mozad, Naba, Nazrul and Khairul Islam fell sick after drinking rectified spirit on Saturday night.

Of them, Nazrul Islam died on Sunday night while Naba and Mozad died in their respective houses yesterday morning.

Khairul was admitted to Kaliganj Upazila Helath Complex as his condition deteriorated. l

NEWS IN BRIEF 20 shops gutted in Lakshmipur At least 20 shops were gutted by a fire at Torabganj Bazar in Kamalnagar upazila of the district early yesterday.

Fire service sources said the fire had originated from an electrical short-circuit at a shop in the Bazar about 2 am and soon engulfed the adjacent shops.

Being informed, two firefighting units of Lakshmipur and Ramgoti fire station rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of locals and shop owners after two-hour of frantic efforts.

At least 10 people were injured in the fire. – UNB

Man held with arms in Naogaon

A team of the Narcotics Control Department in a drive arrested a man along with several arms and bullets in Hapania Bazar area of Sadar upazila of the district on Sunday night. The arrested was identified as Hossain Ali Mandol, 40, son of Masir Mandol of Shaluka village of the upazila. Police

sources said on sudden information that a bus with a consignment of arms was coming from bordering Addabazar, a team of the district Narcotics Control Department stopped and searched the vehicle in the area in the dead of night.

The team arrested Hossain along with three foreign-made pistols, 12 rounds of bullet and six magazines. Later, the arrested and the seized arms were handed over to Sadar police station.

– UNB

Six months jail for peddling hemp

A Jhalakati court on Sunday sentenced one person to six months’ imprisonment and fined him Tk1,000 in a drug case. Shahidul lslam, senior judicial magistrate of Jhalakati, handed down the verdict to Sujan Hawladar, son of Shamsul Hauladar of Krishnakathi area of the upazila.

Earlier, police arrested Sujan while peddling hemp and filed a case, in which the court pronounced the judgment after examining all witnesses and evidence. – UNB

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Deal struck on wider UN inspections of Iran sites n AP, Tehran Iran agreed on Monday to allow expanded UN monitoring at the country’s nuclear sites, including at a new reactor, state TV reported, in a deal that could boost wider negotiations over Tehran’s atomic program.

The deal was struck during talks in Tehran with the UN nuclear chief as part of a parallel initiative to the broader efforts underway to ease Western concerns that Iran could one day develop nuclear weapons — an assertion Iran denies.

The promise to grant wider access to UN nuclear inspectors could help push forward talks between Iran and world powers, which failed to reach a deal over the weekend but are scheduled to resume next week in Geneva.

The so-called “roadmap” described

by Iran’s state TV would give the inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency access to a key uranium mine and the site of a planned heavy water reactor, which uses a different type of coolant than regular water and produces a greater amount of plutonium by-product than conventional reactors.

During the weekend talks in Geneva between Iran and six world powers, France insisted that more controls

Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, second from left, and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, center, arrive at a press conference at the end of the Iranian nuclear talks in Geneva AP were needed on the planned reactor in the central city of Arak.

Plutonium can be used in nuclear weapons production, but separating it from the reactor by-products requires a special technology that Iran does not currently possess.

Monday’s deal also could open room for even wider inspections, but no de-

tails were given.

“The practical measures will be implemented in the next three months, starting from today,” UN nuclear chief Yukiyo Amano said in a news conference in Tehran. UN inspectors have worked in Iran for years, but have complained about limited access to some areas and some officials. l

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Egypt detains refugees from Syria, forces them to leave: HRW

Storms kill about 100 in Somalia’s Puntland, more missing n Reuters, Bosasso

n AFP, Cairo

At least 100 people were killed over the weekend when a tropical cyclone hit Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region, President Abdirahman Mohamud Farole said on Monday, appealing for help from aid agencies.

“A heavy storm hit Bandarbeyle and Eyl towns on Saturday and Sunday.

About a hundred people died. Hundreds of houses and livestock were swept by the floods into the ocean,” Farole told reporters in the capital Garowe.

“We urge United Nations aid agencies to assist the victims. As Puntland, we have established a committee to investigate the loss and damage. Electricity, communication and fishing boats were all destroyed.”

The government of Puntland said in a statement that hundreds of people remained unaccounted for and declared a natural disaster emergency.

Puntland spans the relatively calm north of Somalia and has largely escaped the worst of Somalia’s upheaval of the last 20 years. Foreign powers advocating a loose federal political system in Somalia have held it up as a possible model. l

Egypt detained more than 1,500 refugees from Syria, including Palestinians and 250 children, before forcing most to leave the country, Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday.

The New York-based watchdog said the refugees were detained for weeks and even months, and that some of the children were only two months old.

HRW said that most of the refugees who were arrested had been trying to "migrate to Europe on smugglers' boat."

Palestinians fleeing war-hit Syria were especially targeted, HRW said.

It accused Egyptian authorities of preventing them "from seeking protection" from the UN refugee agency UNHCR and telling them to leave or face "indefinite detention."

"Egyptian authorities tell detained Palestinians that their only alternative to indefinite detention is to go to Lebanon, where they are only permitted to legally enter on a 48-hour transit visa, or to return to war-torn Syria," it said.

"Egypt is leaving hundreds of Palestinians from Syria with no protec-

tion from Syria's killing fields except indefinite detention in miserable conditions," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director.

"Egypt should immediately release those being held and allow UNHCR to give them the protection they are due under international law."

HRW says some 300 refugees from Syria, almost two thirds of them Palestinians, are still behind bars and demanded that Egypt hold accountable the security officials who ordered their detention.

The Egyptian government says some 300,000 Syrian refugees are in the country, and 5,000-6,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria have also sought refuge according to UN figures.

Egypt has cracked down on refugees following the July ouster by the military of president Mohamed Morsi, amid media accusations they supported the Islamist leader.

In October Cairo authorities denied it was mistreating Syrian refugees after Amnesty International accused Egypt of unlawfully detaining and deporting hundreds of them. l

North Korea publicly executes 80

PIGEON SOMEBODY YOUR OWN SIZE

n AFP, Seoul

A pigeon lands on a boy’s head in the flooded Piazza San Marco (Saint Mark’s Square) on November 4, 2013 in Venice. Saint Mark’s Square, as the lowest point of Venice, is always the first place to be flooded AFP

Top UN court awards flashpoint temple area to Cambodia

n AFP, The Hague

The UN’s top court ruled Monday that the area around a flashpoint ancient temple on the Thai border belongs to Cambodia and that any Thai security forces there should leave.

The International Court of Justice interpreted a 1962 ruling saying that “Cambodia had sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear,” Judge Peter Tomka said.

“In consequence Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw from that territory Thai military or police forces or other guards or keepers who were station there,” Tomka said.

At least 28 people have been killed in outbreaks of violence since 2011 over the ownership of the patch of border land next to the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.

“It’s good enough,” Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who was at the hearing in The Hague, told reporters.

Last year the ICJ ruled that both countries should withdraw forces from around the ancient Khmer temple, which is perched on a clifftop in Cambodia but is more easily accessed from the Thai side.

Cambodia and Thailand finally pulled hundreds of soldiers from the disputed zone in July 2012, replacing them with police and security guards.

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

Thai senate debates disputed amnesty bill n AFP, Bangkok Thailand's senate Monday began debating a hotly-contested political amnesty bill as an estimated fifteen thousand anti-government protesters gathered in Bangkok.

The senate is due to vote on the bill later Monday. If, as expected, it rejects the legislation it is likely to embolden a range of anti-government forces who have massed on Bangkok's streets for nearly a fortnight.

Critics say the legislation was crafted to pave the way for a return of the polarising ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the brother of current prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and a hate figure for many among the Bangkok middle and upper classes.

Thaksin was toppled by royalist generals in 2006 and lives in exile to avoid prison for a corruption conviction that he contends was politically motivated.

"This bill violates the rule of law. All

laws must be equal for everyone," said Senator Manoj Kraiwong, echoing the views of several speakers in the televised debate.

The opposition Democrat Party has harnessed the growing anti-government sentiment.

It is holding a anti-amnesty rally on Monday evening – before the expected vote by the senate – which it says could draw tens of thousands to the city's political centre, heightening fears of clashes with police. l

Sri Lanka war legacy overshadows Commonwealth summit n AFP, Colombo Sri Lanka had hoped this week’s Commonwealth summit would showcase its post-war revival but the event is turning into PR disaster with the leaders of Canada and India deciding to boycott over human rights concerns.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) opens in Colombo on Friday, hoping to tackle a range of economic, social and diplomatic issues affecting the 53-member bloc.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse said he was looking forward to highlighting the island nation’s “tremendous transformation” after “suffering for decades from a brutal war against terrorism” that ended in 2009.

But the war’s bitter legacy has dominated the build-up, with Indian Prime

Minister Manmohan Singh announcing Sunday he would skip the summit after coming under pressure from some of his ministers to send a signal about alleged abuses committed during the conflict.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged his peers in April to follow him in boycotting the meeting to protest Sri Lanka’s refusal to probe its troops over allegations 40,000 mainly ethnic Tamil civilians were killed at the end of the separatist war.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will take part, but has pledged to push for an international investigation into the allegations, while New Zealand leader John Key said on Monday his attendance did not imply support for the Sri Lankan government.

Cameron said he would put “serious

questions” to Rajapakse, after watching a “chilling documentary” about the events of 2009 that shows footage of alleged war crimes.

Sri Lanka’s alleged abuses will almost certainly not be formally discussed during the three-day event given the island’s staunch denials of wrongdoing and even as it faces international censure for failing to investigate them.

“The Commonwealth is not a forum to pass judgement on each other’s problems,” Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris told reporters.

But analysts warned the Commonwealth risked sliding into irrelevancy unless countries, including Sri Lanka, directly tackled human rights allegations against fellow members during the biennial meeting. l

North Korea publicly executed around 80 people earlier this month, many for watching smuggled South Korean TV shows, a South Korean newspaper reported Monday.

The conservative JoongAng Ilbo cited a single, unidentified source, but at least one North Korean defector group said it had heard rumours that lent credibility to the front-page report.

The source, said to be "familiar" with the North's internal affairs and recently returned from the country, said the executions were carried out in seven cities on November 3.

In the eastern port of Wonsan, the authorities gathered 10,000 people in a sports stadium to watch the execution of eight people by firing squad, the source quoted one eyewitness as saying.

Most were charged with watching illicit South Korean TV dramas, and some with prostitution.

Several of the cities, including Wonsan and Pyongsong in the west, have been designated as special economic zones aimed at attracting foreign investment to boost the North's moribund economy.

The Seoul-based news website, Daily NK, which is run by North Korean defectors and has a wide network of

sources, said it had no information on the executions.

But another defector-run website, North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, said its sources had reported several months ago on plans for a wave of public executions.

"The regime is obviously afraid of potential changes in people's mindsets and is pre-emptively trying to scare people off," said one website official.

Watching unsanctioned foreign films or TV – especially those from the capitalist South – is a serious offence in North Korea.

However, efforts to control their distribution have been circumvented by technology, with an increasing number being smuggled in on DVDs, flash drives and mp3 players.

‘The regime is obviously afraid of potential changes in people’s mindsets and is pre-emptively trying to scare people off’

As well as South Korean soap operas, US shows like Desperate Housewives are believed to have a small but avid following.l

WORLD WATCH Batman son of Suparman can’t escape jail in Singapore

A Singaporean whose superhero-sounding name turned him into a social media celebrity was jailed for nearly three years on Monday for theft, housebreaking and drug offences. Batman bin Suparman, an unemployed 23-year-old whose name translates to “Batman son of Suparman,” was arrested on August 19 after security videos showed him sneaking into a store at night on two separate occasions. He stole a total of Sg$500 ($400) from the store, court documents seen by AFP showed.

Batman also pleaded guilty to various other charges, including stealing his brother’s ATM card to make withdrawals amounting to Sg$650, and consuming heroin. He was sentenced to a total of 33 months in jail.

Batman became a social media sensation after an image of his identity card with his unusual name was circulated online.

A “Batman bin Suparman Fan Club” page on social networking site Facebook has garnered nearly 11,000 likes so far.

Four men jailed over Moscow airport bombing

A Russian court jailed three men for life and one for 10 years on Monday over their role in a suicide bombing which killed 37 people at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport nearly three years ago. Chechen warlord Doku Umarov says he ordered the attack on Jan 24, 2011, as part of an Islamist insurgency against Russian rule of the North Caucasus and has urged supporters to attack the 2014 Winter Olympics in the Black Sea city of Sochi. Brothers Islam and Ilez Yandiyev, Akhmed Yevloyev and Bashir Khamkhoyev were jailed for offences including commissioning an act of terror, murder and attempted murder.

Philippines negotiator to fast for climate progress

A climate negotiator from the Philippines, which is mopping up the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, pledged Monday to fast at UN talks in Warsaw until clear progress is made in the fractious process.

“In solidarity with my countrymen who are struggling to find food back home and with my brother who has not had food for the last three days... I will now commence a voluntary fasting,” envoy Naderev Sano said as the 12-day talks opened to discuss ways of curbing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions.

China’s richest man smeared over Picasso painting

China’s richest man is under fire after his company spent $28m on a painting by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, with people questioning the extravagant purchase and his patriotism. Tycoon Wang Jianlin’s Wanda Group bought the 1950 painting “Claude and Paloma,” depicting Picasso’s two youngest children, at auction last week for more than double the high estimate of $12m.

Claim filed against paint company over ‘racist’ paint name A Swedish teenager has filed a complaint against a paint producer that labelled the colour beige as “skin colour.” Thyra, 14, whose last name wasn’t reported, said she discovered the paint sold by Universal Colour and Chemicals at school, TheLocal. se reported. Thyra’s father said his daughter was motivated by her sister. “Her little sister has brown skin but according to the paint manufacturer she has no skin colour. ... I think [the company] just looked at themselves and imagined that’s what skin was,” he told the newspaper.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Modi faces popularity test in state polls n AFP, Bijapur Voters defied threats from India’s Maoist rebels on Monday to turn out for the first of five state elections that will test the popularity of opposition leader Narendra Modi before national polls next year.

Chhattisgarh state, a resource-rich hotbed of left-wing extremism, was under tight security for the first of two phases of voting in which the national opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party, is seeking a third term in power.

Modi, a hardline Hindu nationalist, has campaigned in Chhattisgarh and is hoping a string of contests over the next month will boost his momentum and favourable ratings over his national rival Rahul Gandhi.

Gandhi, the 41-year-old scion of his family’s political dynasty, trails in the polls and is struggling to fire up his Congress party which has been in power since 2004 at national level.

Parliamentary elections in the world’s biggest democracy must be held before May, with Congress battered by a mix of high inflation, slowing economic growth and a series of corruption scandals.

Maoists have called for a boycott of the state polls in Chhattisgarh and have been intimidating voters in remote rural areas, police say, where the local mostly tribal population is caught in a vicious cycle of violence.

In the restive district of Bastar, long queues of voters formed outside poll-

People wait to cast their votes at a polling booth in Bastar during the first phase of polling for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections AP ing stations which opened at 7 am.

“I am voting for peace in this region,” first-time voter Vikash Kashyap told AFP. Maoists seeking the overthrow of the government are active in forest strongholds across a swathe of central and eastern India.

After Chhattisgarh, voters in central Madhya Pradesh, western Rajasthan, northeastern Mizoram and New Delhi will also vote for new state assemblies.

Police in Nepal arrested dozens of protestors Monday in a crackdown on a nationwide strike called by hardline Maoists seeking to postpone next week's parliamentary elections.

Protestors belonging to a 33-party alliance headed by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) torched a dozen vehicles across the country while enforcing the shutdown, police spokesman Ganesh KC told AFP. "We arrested 45 protesters including 34 in Kathmandu ... they attacked four vehicles in the capital early morning today," he said.

Party supporters also set on fire two parked passenger buses in northeastern

All results will be published simultaneously after counting on December 8.

Modi, chief minister of the western state of Gujarat since 2001, was named as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in September, despite qualms by some colleagues about his hardline politics and links to deadly religious riots.

He was in power in Gujarat in 2002 when at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in some of post-independence India’s worst rioting.l

n AFP, Manila

Dolakha district and vandalised two pick-up trucks, including one carrying chickens, in eastern Nepal, he added.

The CPN-M, a radical faction that split from the Maoist party last year, is boycotting the November 19 vote, which is the second national election in the country since a ten-year civil war ended in 2006. The CPN-M, which says the elections are unconstitutional, have called for an eight-day block on motorised transportation beginning Tuesday.

The group has previously disrupted the distribution of election material and set several candidates' vehicles on fire.

The United Nations last week urged the hardliners to respect people's right to vote and not to intimidate voters through violence. l

The United States, Australia and the United Nations are mobilising emergency aid to the Philippines as the scale of the devastation unleashed by Super Typhoon Haiyan emerges.

The Pentagon is sending military personnel and equipment to assist with the relief effort following the typhoon, which may have killed more than 10,000 people in what is feared to be the country's worst natural disaster.

Some 90 Marines and sailors, and two KC-130J Hercules aircraft, left Japan for the Philippines on Saturday, with equipment including tilt-rotor air-

Arrested Greenpeace crew moved to new location

n

AFP, Moscow

Russia moved the crew of a Greenpeace Arctic protest ship from the northern port of Murmansk on Monday and put them on a train to Saint Petersburg, authorities and the organisation said.

“The decision has been made to transfer all 30 of the accused to detention centres in Saint Petersburg,” the Investigative Committee said in a statement, saying that their charges “do not fall under the jurisdiction of courts in the Murmansk region.”

The 28 activists and two reporters, arrested in September after protesting against oil exploration in the Barents Sea, left their detention centre at 5:00am (0100 GMT) on a bus and are now on a train, said Greenpeace spokeswoman Dannielle Taaffe.

The arrested crew of the ship Arctic Sunrise includes 26 foreigners from 18 countries held for nearly two months on charges of piracy and hooliganism after an attempt to scale an oil platform operated by Russia's energy giant Gazprom.

The ride from Murmansk to Saint Petersburg is a journey of about 1,500km that usually takes about 27 hours. l

When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word’

But with recent shootings at the border among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003, Khurshid pointed out that Pakistan has not yet followed through on its promise of top-level military meetings to sort out better arrangements in Kashmir.

"If they can address the dismantling of the infrastructure of terrorism, that would be a good start," he told the newspaper. l

Nasiruddin Haqqani A Pakistani Taliban commander and an intelligence official say a senior leader of the feared militant Haqqani network has been shot dead in Islamabad.

The commander, Ahsanullah Ahsan, and the intelligence official say that Nasiruddin Haqqani was killed Sunday night on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital in area called Bhara Kahu.

Nasiruddin’s body was afterward taken to the town of Miranshah in the North Waziristan tribal area where he is to be buried Monday afternoon.

The intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to talk to media.

The Afghan Haqqani network was founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani and is one of the most feared militant groups fighting US troops in Afghanistan.

Nasiruddin Haqqani is Jalaluddin Haqqani’s son. His brother, Sirajuddin Haqqani, currently leads the group.l

AP

craft which can operate without runways, Marines Colonel John Peck said.

The Australian government pledged Aus$10m dollars (US$9.38m), with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop describing the unfolding tragedy as "absolutely devastating" and on a "massive scale."

The sum includes Aus$4m towards a UN global appeal and Aus$3m for Australian non-government organisations. The aid will include tarpaulins, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, water containers and health and hygiene kits.

Officials were struggling to cope with the scale of death and destruction, with reports of violent looters and scarcity of food, drinking water and shelter.l

‘Miracle’ birth amid Philippines ruins n Tribune Desk

Nepalese army soldiers patrol a street during a general strike in Katmandu

India is prepared to give historic rival Pakistan "the benefit of the doubt" as the two countries strive for peace, Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has said.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have since independence been at loggerheads over Kashmir, which is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.

India regularly accuses Pakistan's army of providing covering fire for armed rebels who cross the border and then mount attacks.

The gunfire and mortar shelling along the border of disputed Kashmir that erupted in August and peaked again in late October is the worst in a decade, killing eight Indian army soldiers and a border guard, and five military personnel and six civilians on the Pakistan side.

In an interview with The Australian newspaper published Monday, Khurshid admitted the relationship was fraught.

"We talk to Pakistan periodically and in terms of personal gestures we receive great warmth," he said.

"But the on-the-ground reality and the results of our meetings are very disappointing."

However, with Pakistani Prime Min-

ister Nawaz Sharif last month vowing to go the "extra mile" to make peace with India, Khurshid said Delhi would take him at his word.

"Pakistan has a lot of very, very difficult issues to deal with at home," he was quoted as saying.

"Our view is that we should give them time, not at our cost, of course, but that we should give them the benefit of the doubt.”

"When Mr Nawaz Sharif says he wants peace and good relations with India, we take him at his word."

Senior Haqqani leader shot dead in Islamabad n AP, Islamabad

World sends emergency relief to battered Philippines

Dozens arrested in Nepal pre-election crackdown n AFP, Kathmandu

India ready to give Pakistan 'benefit of the doubt' n AFP, Sydney

9

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

A baby girl who was born amid the rubble and residue of typhoon Haiyan in a Philippine city is being called a “miracle,” according to a report by NDTV. Emili Sagalis, 21, burst into tears of joy after giving birth to her daughter at a destroyed airport compound which had been turned into a makeshift medical centre.

Sagalis named her daughter after her mother who died in the typhoon which has so far killed thousands.

The typhoon has killed at least 10,000 in the city of Leyte, and experts are concerned the toll may be higher.

"She is my miracle. I had thought I

would die with her still inside me when high waves came and took us all away," Sagalis said.

Her husband, Jobert, who was by her told NDTV said the first wave that came carried their wooden home in the coastal town of San Jose many metres inland, washing all of the family outside. They were carried away for what felt like hours until the water subsided, and they found themselves sheltering in a school building where other mudsoaked and injured survivors had huddled, according to NDTV. In a mix of joy yet sorrow, Jobert said: "We are supposed to be celebrating today, but we are also mourning our dead." l

The road to the St. Rose of Lima Parish in Daanbantayan town, the northernmost town of Cebu province is strewn with debris AP

Tough tales but big ambitions at Afghan orphanage n AFP, Kandahar A packed timetable of lessons and football keeps boys at the Sheikh Zayed orphanage in southern Afghanistan occupied every minute of the day – one way to stop them dwelling on the tragedies that brought them there.

When they do sit still for a rare moment of reflection, they tell of fathers killed by the Taliban or in Nato air raids, legs blown off by discarded rockets and families torn apart by war.

In contrast to their grim stories, the boys appear to embrace life surrounded by friends their own age, sleeping 16 to a dormitory and rising before dawn to start a daily routine of prayers, classes and raucous kick-about games.

“We get up at 4:30am to pray, then breakfast, then lessons and playing all day,” said Hamidullah, 17, who has been at the orphanage outside Kandahar city for two years.

“We have a rest after lunch and in the evenings we chat, read or do extra work.

The teaching is very tough to help us get good exam results. We do all subjects – maths, Pashto, English, religious studies and computers.”

Hamidullah says his uncle brought him to the orphanage after his father was killed in Ghazni province by a Taliban roadside bomb.

Many Afghan families are so poor that when a father dies, widows are unable to care for sons who instead end up working, begging or are taken one of the country’s few orphanages.

‘Among the most ambitious students is Sayad Wali, 14, who walks on two artificial legs. He wants to work in television or radio, and admits with a grin to loving Afghan pop music despite the teachers’ stern disapproval’

The all-boys orphanage, funded by the UAE royal family, runs a demanding regime with students encouraged to aspire to successful careers despite their troubled backgrounds.

There is no television or Internet, and entertainment is restricted to the occasional film shown on a projector.

Classrooms are full to bursting with pupils squashed onto wooden benches, and teachers expect complete attention from the boys. Poor results can mean being thrown out of the orphanage.

“I want to be a doctor,” said Mujahid, 13.

His father was killed outside their home in Uruzgan province by a Nato air bombardment four years ago.

Among the most ambitious students is Sayad Wali, 14, who walks on two artificial legs.

He wants to work in television or radio, and admits with a grin to loving Afghan pop music despite the teachers’ stern disapproval.

“I was feeding animals in my village when someone was carrying a rocket propelled grenade out of a mosque where it had been left,” Wali, from volatile Zhari district in Kandahar province, said.

“The man bumped the rocket on a tree and it exploded. My nephew died and I was taken by the Nato force to their Kandahar hospital for treatment.”

Wali, whose father died of natural causes, lost both his lower legs and one knee, but he walks well despite suffering bad skin abrasions during the summer heat.

About 220 orphans, aged between

seven and 20, board full-time at the school, with other orphans and local boys pouring in by the day for the two shifts of lessons.

All wear white skull caps and plain shalwar kameez robes – brown for the morning shift and blue for the afternoon.

Lunch of rice, meat and dal is served from huge steel pots to noisy queues of pupils carrying steel trays, and afterwards desert is a single apple.

“We are full beyond capacity,” said director Mohammed Shafiq.

The bitter world of revenge killings, blood feuds and insurgent warfare in the Pashtun heartlands of Afghanistan is kept safely outside the orphanage’s gates.

But Shafiq knows his pupils face many difficulties and dangerous temptations once they leave – including the risk of recruitment by the Taliban.

Even with the education the orphanage provides, the future for the boys is not certain. Some go on to university, become teachers or take low-level government jobs, but many others struggle to find regular work.

“We have a responsibility to teach them and guide them,” Shafiq said. “Afterwards they must choose how to live their lives.” l

Indonesians on trial over 'evil' Myanmar embassy plot n AFP, Jakarta Two suspected Indonesian extremists went on trial Monday accused of an "evil conspiracy" to bomb the Myanmar embassy to avenge the killing of Rohingya Muslims in that country.

Rokhadi, 28 and Achmad Taufiq, 22, could face the death penalty over the plan to attack the mission in May, amid anger in Muslim-majority Indonesia at persecution of the stateless Rohingya in mainly Buddhist Myanmar.

Rokhadi, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, allegedly raised funds for the attack while Taufiq is accused of helping assemble bombs.

Police say they foiled the plot when they arrested Taufiq, who was carrying a backpack full of pipe bombs.

"The accused carried out an evil conspiracy," prosecutor Okto Ricardo told the South Jakarta District Court.

The men "wanted to bomb the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta so that there would be casualties, injuries and damage" to put pressure on the government in Myanmar, whom they blamed for the attacks on the Rohingya, Ricardo said.l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

ACC must be independent

The madness of hartals

A case against hartal

A local English daily’s front page top two lead articles of November 7 sums up Bangladesh today: having one of the worst political scenes in the world. The mindless, belligerent and brutal hartals imposed through killings, burnings and looting and all other forms of unspeakable violence has become the name of the game for the opposition, and the party leader is responsible for it all of it. And no wonder, she is more worried with coming to “power;” come hell or high water.

I am sure all citizens are fed up with such mindless political violence, which has become the bitter truth in Bangladeshi opposition politics today. Today the killers and robbers, under the label of ‘political activist’; are having the ‘time of their life’! They are the most undesired persons in the country; and must be eliminated from such criminal acts and deeds.

The time has come that they ‘sow as they reap’; and the parliament passes strong, fool-proof and ‘water tight’ laws to eliminate all types and such forms of political activities that is ruining the country! That is the crying need of the day! The sooner this is done; the better for all peace loving citizen of Bangladesh.

Unfortunate citizen

Hartals should be banned.

November 7

November 9

P

arliament has passed the Anti-Corruption Commission Bill 2013 updating the previous 2004 law. Inexplicably, it contains a provision requiring criminal courts to seek permission from the government before pursuing criminal charges against judges, magistrates and public servants.

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman M Bodiuzzaman says the new law curtails the freedom of the commission to act independently as it forces the ACC to seek government permission before filing cases against public servants.

The new law curbs This controversial provithe powers of a body sion was first mooted in 2011 which by its very with the argument that it was nature needs to be needed to bring the previous independent law into line with the code of criminal procedure. The then ACC chairman Golam Rahman warned that changing the law in this way would turn the commission into a “toothless tiger.”

In response to this concern, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed gave assurances that any amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 would not require the commission to need the government’s consent to file corruption cases against government officials.

However, in September this year, the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry dropped its opposition to this provision to curtail the ACC’s authority.

Analysts agree with the present commission chairman’s view that the new law’s provision does little to dissuade public servants from indulging in corrupt activities.

It is self-evident that the new law curbs the powers of a body which by its very nature needs to be independent. As the government and standing committee had previously acknowledged this concern, it is surprising that this provision should now be passed.

There is no reasonable justification for this move. The limitation on the independence of the Anti-Corruption Commission should be removed.

Is BT Brinjal a mistake?

November 6

GMOfreeGuy It’s so bad that Bangladesh has made this decision to allow BT Brinjal. The variety is now going to end up all over the place. afia Being a biotech student, I feel there is no harm in consuming Bt brinjal as per my knowledge.

Quamrul: BNP perpetrated BDR carnage on ISI fund November 6 If the minister has any proof, he should share it with the nation. ruwal

Minimum wage Tk5,300 proposed, owners unhappy

Three cheers for Siddikur

S

iddikur Rahman has emerged as the winner of the Indian Open, his second Asian Tour title. We congratulate this remarkable golfer on his success and share his joy.

In these trying times of violence, of tragedies, and madness on the streets, it is news such as this that uplifts our spirits and reminds us that not all is doom and gloom in the country.

Siddikur’s triumph reminds us of what an individual can accomplish by being persistent and hard-working, intent He is an exemplar on improving oneself, and of the best of focused on one’s goal, despite Bangladesh, and is all the odds and difficulties in a shining example one’s way. Equally important, to us and the rest of he is an exemplar of the best the world of what of Bangladesh, and is a shinBangladeshis are ing example to us and the rest capable of of the world of what Bangladeshis are capable of.

It is a lesson we would do well to learn and emulate, in all we hope to accomplish.

Bearing in mind that golf does not enjoy much popularity or support, in comparison to, say, cricket, and that it is extraordinarily difficult for a Bangladeshi to pursue much less succeed in such an endeavour, it is refreshing to see a young man such as Siddikur defy all the norms and come out on top.

As he prepares to compete at the Australian Open later on the 14th, and then the World Cup golf tournament later this month, we wish him continued success. And we hope that Siddikur, and other remarkable individuals like him, will be an example for the rest of us to follow.

CROSSWORD

November 5 Yet, they had promised to accept whatever minimum wage the board fixes. rutland waters

DOWN 1 Main point (4) 2 Baking chamber (4) 4 Time period (3) 5 Rescues (5) 6 Level (4) 7 Looks after (5) 10 Venture (4) 11 Of the kidneys (5) 13 Climbing plants (5) 16 Pleased (4) 17 Footwear (5) 18 Stringed instrument (5) 20 Annoying child (4) 22 Naming word (4) 23 No more than (4) 25 Laundry item (3)

IGW and ICX services: State to lose Tk1.41bn in revenue November 4 I would like to add to this report as a member of the industry. It should be noted that the number of licensees added 5bn taka towards government revenue when these licenses were awarded. This revenue would not have been achieved if the licenses were not awarded. Also once in operation these operators had to contend with grey operators who were selling routes at less than half the official rate, not to mention a few unruly operators. This industry has also provided job opportunities to over 2000 highly skilled people. Furthermore, it is difficult to regulate an international free market, where lower cost options are available.

The whole point of awarding IGW and ICX & VSP was to reduce the illegal VoIP trade; this illegal VoIP resulted in an even higher loss of revenue and foreign currency earning. Therefore, the BTRC and MoPT should take a lenient attitude towards these IGW, ICX operators and investors who wanted nothing more than to set up good businesses. However, a couple of companies have also contributed towards this mess and actions should also be taken against those. Those persons against empowering IGW, ICX operators are probably more inclined towards ensuring that the profitable illegal grey VoIP business thrives more than the legal channels. howladar chowdhury

Taynul Islam Any kind of violence created by the calling party would be a criminal offence. On the other hand, an attempt to foil the hartal would also be unlawful. So why are the law enforcement agencies supporting one and protesting another? The law should be impartial.

Ashik Alom

Earthquake jolts Sylhet November 6 That’s a pretty good tremor. Wonder where the epicentre was at Assam and at what depth. Nice place for India to build its dams to generate hydro-electricity! And a tremor of that size could do some damage, if it occurs close to Dhaka.

Waziuddin Chowdhury

Editorial: We need to end hartal violence now November 6

Great article. Yes, peaceful protest, that is democracy. But murder, injuries and vandalism in the name of politics should not be tolerated.

Malcolm Arnold

Mueen Uddin: Tribunal verdict ‘corrupt’

November 5 Coward! If he is innocent, then why doesn’t he come to Bangladesh?

Azwad Rahman

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CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER ACROSS 1 Virtuous (4) 3 Assail (5) 8 Utter wildly (4) 9 Hurried (4) 11 Bird (5) 12 Part of a church (4) 14 Finish (3) 15 Circles (5) 18 Corruptly mercenary (5) 19 Kimono sash (3) 21 Dash (4) 24 Seasons’ yields (5) 26 Soft feathers (4) 27 Kind of cabbage (4) 28 Raised platform (5) 29 Desire with rivalry (4)

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The first duty of a man Buyer beware n Muhammad Eusha

A

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

B

n Ikhtisad Ahmed

ritish comedian Russell Brand has recently discouraged the disenfranchised youth from voting. His has been a call for a revolution, based on the premise that votes are worthless, especially in relation to bringing about much-needed real change.

Brand is not saying anything new.

Non-voting is an age-old strategy, propagated by past libertarians and anarchists for the implementation of a free society based on high morals and ideals.

The strongly held belief that voting does not make a positive difference was summed up best by Emma Goldman, who said: “If voting changed anything, they’d make it illegal.”

It is easy to see why Brand’s words have resonated with so many. For the first time ever, people in their twenties have a lower standard of living than an 80-year-old pensioner in a nation where highly qualified young people with huge debts are forced to accept the worst-paid jobs on offer.

The current economic climate is blamed. It would be, since the alternative is pointing fingers at the political bullies presiding over the land whose policies are so geared towards the benefit of the rich that they have stopped masking their hatred for the common

man, for the poor. Poverty is a disease, a weakness, and it is the fault of those who choose that lifestyle.

Poverty is one of the pillars upon which the established order in Bangladesh rests its house. In a country where people are prepared, without a moment’s hesitation, to risk their lives for a day’s pay, the lengths to which they will go for three square meals a day is the silver bullet for the politicians.

put themselves in the position of the people on whose backs their careers, like the careers of politicians, have been built. They, like Brand, can say that a person’s vote is worthless when measured against the ability to effect change, because they have given birth to and nurtured such a situation.

They are responsible for elevating politicians, members of parliament, ministers and prime ministers from

People should not vote, not because their votes are worthless, but because, in a democracy, their votes are their most prized possessions The few thousand who continuously talk about change, and the few hundred amongst them who would use Brand’s logic, are grossly outnumbered by the tens of millions who are only too happy to throw their support behind anyone who will feed them for a few days.

Statisticians find clever ways of turning the misery of poor people into large numbers that make Bangladeshis cheer about the strides made by the country. GDP, NPL, RPL and other acronyms hide the disdain with which the poor are viewed, and the complete lack of will or action on part of the leaders to improve their situation.

Those writing and talking from the comforts of their armchairs do not

the position of public servants serving at the pleasure of the common man to chieftains and potentates.

Now, these proponents of democracy talk about its preservation, its necessity. They fail to back their talk with the only action that can serve democracy: that of giving the power back to the populace.

People should not vote, not because their votes are worthless, but because, in a democracy, their votes are their most prized possessions, worth more than their lives.

In a political landscape where decency, sense and values are absent in the leaders, people should not cast their votes for anyone. Politicians are servants of the population, their

slaves.

That natural order of things has been reversed by the latter-day ideologues the world over who assist the leaders in playing God. That is why the British prime minister travels to Sri Lanka to attend the Commonwealth heads of government meeting amidst calls to boycott. His response to the claims that the end of the civil war in the fledgling democracy has seen oppression of minorities and human rights abuses has been to RSVP six months before the summit and include his foreign secretary in his entourage.

China supposedly aided in the preservation of democracy and destruction of the insurgents in Sri Lanka.

Considering that even one life is far too high a price to pay for a deeply flawed system of government, seeking the assistance of its antithesis in the name of protecting it is farcical.

The UK endorses it, however, as it is sure to do if something similar were to follow suit in Bangladesh, whose prime minister will also be in attendance. These leaders have taken Churchill’s words to heart: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.” l Ikhtisad Ahmed is a writer and an erstwhile lawyer. He can be contacted on Twitter via @ikhtisad.

fter struggling for months, a student had to cancel his subscription to one of the wireless internet service providers in the city.

The connection had not lived up to the promises advertised.

The portable USB modem hardly allowed him the mobility one expects from such devices and the data speed was erratic and unreliable. The internet service provider had allured him with the deceitful promise that it would provide him a speed of “up to x Mbps” which in reality is hardly ever achieved.

That there will be fluctuations in the speed was actually mentioned by this company in the tedious document containing the terms and conditions, which nobody bothers reading.

Because the public is gullible, and no one has the time to go through the interminably long clauses in these documents, some unscrupulous companies get the opportunity to hoodwink clients.

If you call up the notorious helplines of these companies, they will tell you things which will never solve the problem. It is doubtful if the helpline people even know that restarting the laptop or plugging-unplugging the modem is hardly a logical solution to the problem of slow internet.

The reason you have slow and inconsistent performance is that your service provider is probably serving more people than it has the capacity for. Just like a tap meant for ten cannot provide water for twenty at the required rate, if a service provider with the capacity to serve a hundred has twice the number of clients, the quality of the connection for each drops drastically.

If you file a formal complaint against such an unscrupulous service provider, it will immediately produce its meticulously prepared terms and conditions and show you that it mentions “up to x Mbps” and not “x Mbps all the way.”

The truth is, clients do not really concentrate on the “up to” part and even in advertisements, you would notice that there is a tendency to try heart and soul to make sure that it escapes your attention through magnification of the “x Mbps” part.

This is only one of the innumerable cases of deliberate deprivation of consumers’ rights in Bangladesh.

The mango juices that the beautiful models in television commercials convince us to try in most cases contain little more than chemical flavours and sugar.

One would not have considered this to be a case of immorality had the advertisements made it clear that the consumers are going to drink some chemical compounds and sugary

water. The focus is therefore on consciously trying to dupe the consumers through claims which cannot be substantiated on moral grounds.

Most advertisements on television these days feature storylines which give you an imperfect impression of the advertised product. There is also the need to consider more seriously their intentional departure from reality.

Does that brand of hair oil really help in alleviating your headache?

Does using that soap really give you head-turning good looks? You also wonder if using the service of a certain mobile phone operator is so good that it makes you dance on the streets in euphoria.

If you were from another planet, you probably would have questioned innocently how much these advertisements conform to the real world. They show you a world that does not exist at all.

Does that brand of hair oil really help in alleviating your headache? Does using that soap really give you headturning good looks?

Considering how the Indian television channels have overwhelmed us, it would not be impertinent to mention that the advertising trends in the neighbouring country are also characterised by remarkable lack of respect for reality and the real world.

So, as it is shown, if you use a particular body spray, you have all the women in the world having lecherous thoughts about you, or that it is a praiseworthy accomplishment if you manage to steal a girl from another person by wearing that scent.

Those who claim that these efforts to distort reality have no real influence on how people think are deeply mistaken. You just have to look around to witness the manifestations of “lessons” these nefarious advertisements teach.

How do we resist these harmful transformations? It is by having stringent, practical and effective regulations. But, how do you ensure their implementation?

That really depends on the sincerity of the government and its willingness to make sure that consumer rights are upheld, and we do not breed generations that cannot distinguish reality from fiction. l Muhammad Eusha is an HVAC specialist and a DT columnist.

Let’s be honest n A Baten

T

he lack of honesty and integrity is hurting our nation. Bangladesh would have a stronger economy if we minimised corruption and became more honest. We could then increase our foreign investment.

We could reach double digit GDP growth in five years.

If something takes more money, time, and proper planning, it will last longer and yield more returns in the long run. It will ensure everlasting good will for the organisation

It is not just the government’s responsibility, as citizens we have to play a role too. Integrity and honesty are essential principals for a nation’s economic and moral growth. Corruption, dishonesty, and lack of integrity not only lie within the government, they are also part of private sectors, and universities.

Integrity means wholeness, from

being honest and truthful to oneself, to greater consistency of character.

According to Transparency International, corruption in Bangladesh is a continuing problem, and we ranked as the most corrupt country in the year 2005.

Bangladesh ranked 120 and 144 in the years 2011 and 2012 respectively.

When a foreign investor wants to invest in Bangladesh and looks at these numbers, think for a moment what goes through his or her mind. Do they get encouraged to invest in Bangladesh after looking at these numbers? I don’t think so. Some foreign investors are still investing here, and that can increase if the nation keeps corruption under control.

Why don’t we stop and think for a moment and ask ourselves where this vicious cycle is taking us. What are we leaving behind for our future generation? Is peer pressure forcing us to choose the wrong path? Our greed is stronger than our values.

Our country has tremendous potential, but we are not fully capitalising on it. We have a hard-working labour force. Our RMG sector is making a mark worldwide. After the Rana Plaza and Tazreen Garments incidents, this

industry has been under tremendous pressure from around the world.

Rana Plaza was one of the biggest industrial disasters of the world. Because of labour and compliance issues, the RMG sector will have a bumpy ride ahead. These incidents should have taught us a lesson but I think it didn’t.

It showed us again that we are very short-sighted, and we tend to want to become rich overnight.

Because of these incidents, our RMG sector is under pressure to increase the minimum wage. In the current situation, business owners have to be very cautious. They are responsible for a huge labour force under one roof. But they are probably thinking the opposite. They do not even think their poor decisions may cost so many lives. This disaster has been under scrutiny from European, and American buyers. Currently this sector is bringing in a huge amount of foreign currency every year, and creating jobs for so many people.

It is human nature to want to become rich overnight when we smell money. We tend to forget that higher investment yields higher returns. If something takes more money, time, and proper planning, it will last longer

and yield more returns in the long run.

It will ensure safety and security for others and earn everlasting good will for the organisation.

I cannot resist sharing a personal story

Their honesty and integrity will make us proud, and they won’t just accept the corrupt system, they will change the system for the better

here. Several months ago, I lost my pen drive and I thought I dropped it somewhere at work. A few weeks after losing the pen drive I got an email asking: “Did you lose your pen drive?”

As usual my pen drive had important data on it, so I replied right away with my phone number but didn’t get any reply for a few weeks.

One fine evening, I got a phone call from an unknown number and at the beginning I was hesitant to answer the call. A few days after that phone call my pen drive was sent to me in an

envelope with a business card in it. I was very happy to see that there were still honest and ethical people around in Bangladesh.

The person who found my pen drive found it on a rickshaw he was riding. He had a computer at home, but it was not working so he had to go to his aunt’s house to use their computer and find my email address from my pen drive to locate me.

That’s why it took him a while to call me back after I emailed him. I thank him for going through all the trouble to return my pen drive. The person who went through all this trouble is a 14-year-old boy name Rifat.

I hope one day individuals like Rifat will become leaders of our country in the political and business arena. Their honesty and integrity will make us proud, and they won’t just accept the corrupt system, they will change the system for the better.

You might say that I am too optimistic, but I would call myself positive, because I know like you do too, that there are more Rifats throughout our nation. All we have to do is find and nurture them. l A Baten is an assistant professor at ULAB.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, November 11, 2013

Photography exhibition Kinetic Priyana Gope’s duet album with Mamun launched on at EMK Center n Entertainment Desk

n Shadma Malik A two week long photography exhibition titled Kinetic by Gazi Nafis Ahmed is going on at EMK Center and will continue till November 17. This is the first time EMK Center is hosting a photography exhibition with director MK Aaref as the curator.

The title of the exhibition Kinetic refers to energy of an object, it possesses due to its motion. The exhibition kinetic relates with urban life and the collisions that are apparent in a widespread and complex society that is in a continuous motion of change.

Nafis is a documentary photographer, where he sees Bangladesh as a place with many social challenges and feels compelled to use the lens to document the constant changes and impact of the collective state of mind of the people. His portraits dissonantly expresses human emotions and he has done an outstanding job in capturing human emotions with chilling accuracy.

Nafis took photos during religious practices that portray human philosophy, belief and rituals. A photo was taken during Chorok Puja, where youngadult males are hooked from the skin of their abdominal back that shows their sacrifice and endurance power to satisfy Kali, a Hindu deity. In another piece, he captured a dance in motion, all his photographs have a quality of restlessness that will be evident to acute observers.

The curator Aaref said: “We want to demonstrate the energy of urban life.

The photographs will take a viewer from comfort zones, and their deliver them to a thought provoking state of

Kata Nitey Keno Keu Ashena, a duet album from famed classical singer Priyana Gope and Adhunik singer Mamun Jahid launched on November 9 at Sevenhill Restaurant. The album was published by the label Laser Vision.

The overall musical arrangement and tunes of the songs have been composed by Ajay Mitra and the lyrics are by Ziaun Nasir. The melodious album consists of nine tracks featuring Amonto Oneke Ashe, Janalai Dekha

from Pt Arun Bhaduri at ITC Sangeet Research Academy. She also learnt Thumri from Pt Urmi Das Gupta and Pt Purnima Chowdhury, and Dhrupad from Falguni Mitra.

Besides classical music, Priyanka renders songs of Nazrul and Rabindra Sangeet and, the singer shared the stage of the Bengal-ITC SRA Classical Music Festival in Dhaka in 2012 along with the gurus of Hindustani Classical Music.

Her latest solo album Sur-e Sur-e Dekha Hobey was released on 2011. l

German pianist Justus Zeyen’s concert today Photographs by Gazi Nafis Ahmed is on display at EMK Center

mind. Nafis captured the moment of an individual’s pain, restlessness, anxiety and passion throughout different events of the daily travails of life.

“The black and white photos on display, filters the reality and goes beyond the imagination.” He also adds “Nafis is a young photographer with potential. Being as architect I can relate to Nafis’ exploration of the concept of urbanisation. His photos channel that specific energy required to make a vierwer feel restless.

Besides, it was good to perceive a wide range of emotions and landscapes that are generated by the constant interaction of human, which collectively creates the vibe and spirit of his work.”

About his photos, Nafis said: “I try to relate to my subjects while taking a photograph. This helps me capture an image and its emotion with accuracy.” l

Gems of Indian cinema inaugurate 19th Kolkata Int’l Film Festival n Entertainment Desk Bollywood mega stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Mithun Chakraborty and Kamal Haasan came together on Sunday, November 10, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to inaugurate the 19th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF).

Big B, Jaya, Kamal Haasan, Mithun and SRK led the ceremonial lamp lighting and veterans from Bengali cinema, including actor and guest of honour Prosenjit Chatterjee, followed suit at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Distinguished guests, including filmmaker Sandip Ray, Bengali film actress Sabitri Chatterjee and Supriya Devi, Dipankar Dey and music director Dwijen Mukherjee, also participated in the lamp lighting ceremony that concluded with Big B releasing the brochure of the much awaited festival.

Seen in the star-studded audience were actors Konkona Sen Sharma, singer Usha Uthup, actor/filmmaker Aparna Sen and former Indian football captain PK Banerjee.

Actors from the regional film industry Dev and Koel Mallick felicitated Big B with an uttariya (scarf) and a metal-cast memento. The other luminaries were welcomed subsequently in a similar manner.

Gracing the occasion were noted

Mukh, Chokher Aral, Hashitey Tomar, Bhalobasha Jodi Morey Jai Shokhi and many more. Music director Ajay believes that the album will be appreciated by all as it encompasses some very soulful and thought-provoking songs.

At the launching event, AKM Arifur Rahman, chairman of Laser Vision, singer Sharmeen Rashid and Ziaun Nasir were present along with the singers.

Priyanka Gope studied at Rabindra Bharati University of Kolkata, India, and took Khayal lessons exclusively

n Entertainment Desk A solo classical piano concert by Professor Justus Zeyen will be held today at the Berlin Hall, Goethe-Institut in Dhanmondi at 7pm.

Professor Justus Zeyen is a celebrated pianist who has performed at various prestigious venues in Europe, US and Asia, as a soloist as well as a pianist for chamber music. He has also been playing at various important festivals around the world. For his work with physically challenged world-class bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, he was rewarded with several awards and Grammy nominations.

Moreover, Zeyen teaches at the University for Music, Theatre and Media in Hannover, Germany.

In today’s event, Zeyen will perform pieces of the famous German composers Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Schumann and other world-famous classical artists from Europe.

An entry fee of Tk200 will be charged and tickets can be purchased at the Goethe-Institut’s reception as well as the German Embassy’s main gates. The entire revenues from the show will be given to the Bangladeshi-German NGO German Doctors. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Kinetic Photography Exhibition Gazi Nafis Ahmed Time: 10am – 8pm EMK Center, H-5, Road- 27(old), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 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

Festival

Arabian food festival Time: 6pm The Westin Dhaka Plot1, Road45, Gulshan2 Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Prasenjeet, Kamal Haasan and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the inauguration of the 19th Kolkata International Film Festival Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai, Turkish director Reha Erdem and other international delegates. As the 19th KIFF will highlight south-east Asian cinema, the majority of delegates were from the region.

The star-spangled evening was pepped up by Bengali stars June Maliah

and Jisshu Sengupta’s energy infused emceeing.

Injecting a dose of nostalgia into the evening was creative dancer Sukalyann Bhattacharya with his entourage relaying the evolution of a century of Indian cinema through the 10-minute opening act Down Memory Lane. l

Kareena launches app for women’s safety

7:00pm Fox Movies Premium

n Entertainment Desk

9:30pm Star Movies

With the amount of reports coming in about harassment of women in cities and small towns across India, there has been a sudden spike in the number of apps being launched to help them feel safer as they commute.

A new app for women’s safety, which was launched a few days ago, saw Kareena Kapoor Khan step out to support the initiative.

“This is an easy way to connect with your family when you are in trouble,” says Kareena, adding that it will make calling for help handier at wee hours of the day. She is part of a growing crowd of celebrities who wants the country to become safer for its female citizens.

In the past, actor-film-maker Farhan Akhtar started an organisation to create awareness amongst men to instill gender equality and respect towards women. Recently, Jacqueline Fernandez too took part in an initiative marking the safety of ladies across Mumbai.

Like several other apps in the market, one just needs to press a power button to send automatically generated messages to four numbers. Location details are tracked via GPS and also sent. Kareena says: “I’m happy to be associated with such an initiative. I’m happy that it has received great response. I hope with this can keep the women in our country a little safer.” l

ON TV MOVIE 2012

The Bourne Supremacy

COMEDY 2:00pm Z Cafe Mike & Molly

9:30pm Comedy Central Two Guys And A Girl

NEWS 4:30pm Rtv

Jelar Shongbad

5:30pm Independent Tv Purba Pashchim

MISC 8:30am TLC

Namaste Yoga

10:00pm Channel V Superstar Preview

Film

Planes in 3D Riddick Purno dhorgho prem kahini Monsters University in 3D Titanic (3D) Bullet to the Head Udhao Level 8, Bashundhara City, Panthapath, Dhaka

Lady Gaga unveils flying dress at album celebration n Entertainment Desk The Applause singer unveiled a hightech, white vehicle she bills as the world’s first flying dress. The contraption lifted her up inside a mammoth building at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where she held a launch party for her new album on Sunday.

The battery-powered dress has six propellers in a hex formation. The 27-year-old New York entertainer said later that this was “maybe a small step for Volantis” — as she calls the metal dress — but “a big-time step” for Lady Gaga.

“Volantis is essentially a vehicle,” she told the crowd, standing in front of the floral-shaped craft topping a curvy, female silhouette that acts as a fiber-optic body piece.

It has multiple motors with a calculated payload - Gaga herself. She created it as a symbol of the future and its youth.

“I wanted to make today about something even more important to me, and that something is the youth of the world,” Gaga said.

“Their minds are just so boundless.

They’re just so inspiring.” l

Freida Pinto bags detective film n Entertainment Desk

Looks like detective movies are the order of the day. So, even as Ranbir Kapoor, Vidya Balan and Sushant Singh Rajput get ready to play private eyes, desi export to Hollywood, Freida Pinto, will play the love interest of one. The Mumbai girl will be seen opposite Guy Pearce, who is best known for his roles in movies like Memento (2000) and LA Confidential (1997), in Mis-Fits. Guy plays a Brooklyn detective and his job is to find dead relatives.

“Freida has been trying to move out of her safe zone lately. That’s why she has been experimenting with directors like Woody Allen, Tarsem Singh, Julian Schnabel and Terrence Malick (for upcoming Knight of Cups). Also, a few days ago, she surprised audiences with a complete departure in look and appeal with her bold appearance in Bruno Mars’s single Gorilla.

That’s why she wants to try her hand in a comedy,” says an insider.

The comedy film will mark the debut of writer-director LD Napier. It is likely to go into production in 2014. Next year, besides the Christian Bale-Natalie Portman starrer Knight Of Cups, Freida will also be seen in Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer.

The movie is based on the true story of Iranian dancer Afshin Ghaffarian, who risked his life for his dream to become a dancer despite a nation-wide dancing ban. While Freida couldn’t be reached for a comment, her spokesperson confirms the news. l

Did you know?

The last team to stop Arsenal from scoring in a league match was David Moyes’ Everton on April 16th; 16 games ago

Sport

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

14 Juventus stun Napoli to close gap on Roma

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

14 Fabregas shines for 15 Consistent Siddikur Barcelona, Atletico in hunt for EurAsia held by Villarreal Cup honours

CCDM ‘s holy act?

Qualifying entry fee increased to Tk 100000

n Mazhar Uddin

Sheikh Jamal midfielder Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan dribbles past Abahani players during a friendly match at the Sk Jamal Club ground yesterday

MUMIT M

Sheikh Jamal maul Abahani in friendly n Shishir Hoque Top title contenders in the upcoming football season Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club once again staged their strength by registering their 3rd preseason friendly victory, a 5-1 win over local rivals Abahani Limited yesterday.

Played at their club ground, it took Jamal just 10 minutes to literally push their opponents out of the game as they had already scored three goals by then.

As a practice match, the 90 minutes were broken down and the match was played in three 30min halves with both coaches trying out different options.

The Abahani defense was in shambles and struggled to show any resistance against Haitian attacking duo

Sony Norde and Wedson and Nigerian Ameka. Ameka, who is still under trial and yet to sign for the club, impressed all by slamming a hat-trick in his first outing. Wedson showed glimpse of his brilliance and scored one goal while Shakhawat Hossain Rony netted one in the final half. Sohel Rana registered the consolation goal for the sky-blues against his old club.

Abahani’s Australian coach Nathan Hall accepted the opponent’s strength and admitted they are not prepared enough. “We have been training seriously for probably three weeks so I think it was a good test for us. They (Sheikh Jamal) have been training for nearly two months, their foreign players are set, their team is set. They

Kruif chalks out future plan n Shishir Hoque The Dutch coach of Bangladesh national football team Lodewijk de Kruif said yesterday that along with his compatriot Rene Koster he chalked out a plan for the national team for the next few months.

Kruif arrived in Dhaka on Friday after spending a seven-day vacation and he was present at the Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club ground yesterday afternoon to watch the friendly between Sheikh Jamal and Abahani Ltd. “I’m very happy that I can see matches like this because it gives me good view where my players are at this moment. I have 60-70% of my players here (Sheikh Jamal and Abahani), so it’s good to see them,” said Kruif after the game.

“We are ready, we want to work and we want to do something. But at this mo-

ment, not everybody is ready to start,” said Kruif.

“The problem is we don’t have a real program for the national team. Rene and myself, we made a program for next months. We made a schedule for minute to minute. Everything is ready, but the final call has to come from Salahuddin.

He gives us a budget so that we can work.

We can’t do this if there’s no budget and no money. We have to wait for that,” added the Dutch.

Team like Sheikh Jamal roped in more than 10 national players and most of them don’t get much playing time. While asked if it’s a matter of concern for Kruif, he replied, “Of course I’m concerned.

When the players (national) don’t play regularly, I can’t use them. The only solution for them is to move to another club.

I can’t select players who never play.” l

will be a very tough opposition in the coming season. Their foreign players are very very strong. We still have long way to go and lot of work to do,” he said.

Hall appeared to be disappointed with the trial of new foreign players who showed below-par performance yesterday. Abahani are expected to play another practice match on Wednesday, and Hall said they will take a decision on the foreigners on Friday. Abahani manager Satyajit Das Rupu informed they are bringing more foreign players and a Brazilian is due today.

In the final half, Hall rested all his foreign players and termed the performance put by the local players ‘Fantastic’. “I have local players in the last 30 to 40 minutes and the score

Cricket board plans BCL next month n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), the first franchise based first-class cricket competition of the country, is what the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has their eye on. Bangladesh national team’s next assignment is the home series against Sri Lanka in January followed by the Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20. No competitive cricket in the next two months for the Tigers made the BCB brainstorm and invite Zimbabwe for a bilateral series.

However, cricket experts turned down the strategy saying it will be a bad idea to play against a team against whom we Bangladesh will have confidence at stake right ahead

World Vision to start CNP through football n Raihan Mahmood

Bangladesh is all set to be a part of World Vision International Asian Football Confederation Child Nutrition Programme (CNP) scheduled to start next year.

A two-member delegation of the World Vision Bangladesh visited Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) to exchange views about the project and met BFF general secretary Abu Naeem Shohag. “It’s a child nutrition and awareness programme based on football activities, we earlier expressed our interest to be involved in the programme and Bangladesh

has been included,” said Shohag.

Shohag said the program will have tenure of 10 years and World Vision will chalk the detailed programme later.

Presently World Vision Bangladesh operates through 65 ADPs in 62 sub-districts, city and town located in 27 districts of Bangladesh and serves around four million people directly and indirectly with various human development activities.

Currently Plan Bangladesh is conducting a nationwide girl’s football tournament and has taken a number of awareness programme’s for the participating girl footballers.

Zakia, Rani beat Indian opponents n Raihan Mahmood

WFM Zakia Sultana earned 4.5 points, WIM Rani Hamid earned 4 points, Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly and Masuda Begum earned 3.5 points each while Jahanar Haque Runu earned 3 points at the end of the 8th round of the Women Grandmasters Chess Tournament at Chennai yesterday.

Both the 7th and 8th round games were held yesterday and in the 7th round Masu-

was 1-1 or 2-1. It’s not a problem for me to play with 11 local players. The local players today in the last 30-40 minutes were fantastic. Considering that we have been training for only few days, our condition is 70-80%. First 15 minutes in today’s game we were awful,” said the 29-year-old. Hall said he is not concerned about the team at the moment as they have enough time to improve.

Meanwhile, Jamal’s Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi said, “No matter how much quality we have in our team, we also need the favour of luck to ensure success. I’m really happy with the team and I need them to win trophies this season, not for Sheikh Jamal only, also to improve my CV too.” l

The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis’ (CCDM) decision to increase the registration fee of the Third Division qualifying cricket teams from Tk25,000 to Tk100,000 had brought out mixed reaction among the cricket community.

Due to the decision it has been observed that many of the local sports organisers, who were earlier, interested in participating in the qualifying league, stepped back for the hike in the fee. Few were also found blaming the decision to hamper the opportunity for young cricketers.

“They have just scratched the opportunities for many cricketers to come up.

There are many cricket academies and clubs who wants to be in professional leagues but suffers for financial crisis.

The decision has pushed them further back, many now will not even think of getting into professional leagues because they won’t be able to afford it,” said a former Bangladesh national skipper requesting anonymity.

CCDM informed the decision was taken to prevent the teams from involving themselves in wrongdoings.

The qualifying tournament is played by the fresh cricketers, who are not registered under the Bangladesh Cricket Board, and the top two teams from the qualifiers gets promoted to the third tier.

It is a platform for the young aspiring cricketers to display their talent from the teams, usually area based small clubs, whose participation are mostly possible for the minimal entry fee.

However, though a significant reduction in the number of participating teams is likely Rakib Haider Pavel, the member secretary of CCDM, informed

the decision was made for the betterment of cricket.

“Earlier when the entry fee was Tk25,000 and a huge number of teams registered for which we had to face a lot of problems,but that’s not the main issue. The main problem is most of the clubs take the advantage of this and asks for donations from their area that doesn’t even have a registered club ororganization. They do not even any permanent tent of their clubs,” said Rakib.

The member secretary of CCDM also informed that most of the teams get involved with match fixings and the clubs don’t have any further interest when the league starts, “As you know lot of match fixings took place in the qualifying league and the standard of the game also decreases which ultimately affect the cricket.”

He also said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) runs the age-level cricket tournaments where the young cricketers have the opportunity to display their talents and the clubs can choose the players from these tournaments and there should be no issue for increasing the registration fee if anyone gives the reason of less opportunities for the young cricketers.

However, Pavel said the decision was made by the CCDM and BCB had no involvement in it before adding, “We want the teams to have a strong financial background so that the players get the benefit from this league.Already there are many teams showing interest to participate in the league despiteincreasing the registration fee.”

He also said that some of the clubs, who earlier participated in the league but somehow got relegated, are likely to be welcomed by the CCDM. l

da beat Srimathi of India, Zakia drew with Harivardhini of India, Runu drew with Supriya Shanbhaga of India, Rani Hamid lost to WFM Lakshmi of India and Moly lost to Saranya of India.

In the 8th round Zakia beat Putluri Saye Srreezza of India, Rani Hamid beat Tejasvi of India, Masuda drew with Kavya Sristhi of India, Runu drew with Krishnaa Jahagirdar Sudhakar of India and Moly lost to Sneha of India. l

of a busy schedule and also while the country is experiencing a political unrest.

Taking the concern into account it was learnt that the BCB cricket operations had advised the BCB tournament committee to plan the BCL during December-January.

The slot was initially planned for the third edition of Bangladesh Premier League, but unsolved issues regarding payment and fixing charges will keep the Twenty20 tournament on hold.

“It is always good for a side to have a domestic competition right ahead of an international series. We have informed the tournament committee that it will be wise to hold BCL from the third week of December,” said the

BCB cricket operations manager Sabbir Khan to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Starting in the third week of December the month long four-day cricket competition is likely to end by mid January, a week before the Sri Lankans arrive.

BCB informed that the four franchises have been asked for their concern over holding the tournament in December.

High-ups from Islami Bank, the franchise of the East Zone, told the media yesterday that participating in the tournament as per the BCB’s plan will not be an issue, but they are yet to receive any official letter from the board.

On the other hand, Prime Bank South Zone are ready to participate

in the tournament informed its coach and a BCB director Khaled Mahmud Sujon.

“I have also been informed that the board is planning to have a BCL soon.

As a team we will have to take part whenever the tournament happens, but we are yet to receive an official letter,” said Sujon yesterday.

The East Zone is owned by the BCB itself so there is no issue with their participation. Nearly all the sides are willing to participate and now all depends on the BCB tournament committee as whether they will be able to arrange the competition.

Another BCB director and chairman of the tournament committee Naimur Rahman Durjoy could not be reached for a comment. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Juventus stun Napoli to close gap on Roma n AFP, Turin Juventus pounced on a costly blunder by Roma earlier Sunday to close the gap on the Serie A leaders to just one point after turning on the style to rout fellow title challengers Napoli 3-0 in Turin.

League newcomers Sassuolo stunned Roma at the Olympic Stadium by levelling in second-half injury time for a 1-1 draw to leave Rudi Garcia’s leaders with just a four-point lead ahead of the top-of-the-table clash in Turin.

RESULTS Fiorentina

2-1

Juventus

3-0

Rossi 11-p, 17 Llorente 2, Pirlo 74, Pogba 80

Sampdoria

Gabbiadini 74

Napoli

It gave both sides incentive, but Juve seized on home advantage to produce a dominant display and claim their 10th win of the campaign to close the gap to one point.

Spain striker Fernando Llorente tapped home for Juve in the second minute in somewhat controversial fashion and from then on Napoli struggled to find any rhythm.

Napoli coach Rafael Benitez hinted that Llorente’s early goal had shellshocked his side, but admitted he could not argue with the Bianconeri’s two other “quality” goals.

“When you concede a goal so quickly in this stadium, it’s never easy to get back into the match,” Benitez told Sky Sport Italia. “But in the second half Juve scored two quality goals.”

Juve missed several clear chances

but made the difference in six secondhalf minutes when Andrea Pirlo curled a free kick past Pepe Reina and Paul Pogba beat the keeper with a stunning volley from at least 20 metres out 10 minutes from the whistle.

Llorente admitted Roma’s blunder had given Juve the extra spur.

“Seeing Roma draw earlier, we knew it was a big opportunity for us. Even though the race for the scudetto is long, winning against Napoli tonight became crucial,” the Spaniard said.

Roma’s draw and Napoli’s second defeat of the season, following their reverse to Roma last month, could turn out to be one of the turning points of the season.

Inter Milan, 2-0 winners over Livorno on Saturday, remain in fourth just three points adrift of Napoli and with a onepoint lead on Fiorentina after La Viola’s shaky 2-1 home win over Sampdoria thanks to a double from Giuseppe Rossi.

Rossi gave Fiorentina an 11th minute lead from the penalty spot after Gaetano Berardi fouled Alberto Aquilani at a set piece and doubled La Viola’s lead six minutes later with a stunning curling shot from the edge of the area which took his league-leading tally to 11 from 12 games.

Fiorentina, however, suffered a late scare when Manolo Gabbiadini reduced the arrears late on for Samp and Vincenzo Montella admitted: “We risked finishing with a 2-2 draw and it wouldn’t have been the first time this season, but we were lucky.”

Roma looked to be on their way to a six-point lead over Napoli and Juventus despite spurining a host of chances having taken a 19th minute lead when Alessandro Longhi turned inot his own net. l

Juventus' Andrea Pirlo (centre R) celebrates with teammate Angelo Ogbonna after scoring their second goal against Napoli during their Italian Serie A match at the Juventus stadium in Turin on Sunday REUTERS

Fabregas shines for Barcelona, Atletico held by Villarreal n Reuters, Madrid A Cesc Fabregas double helped Barcelona maintain their unbeaten start to the season with a 4-1 win at bottom side Real Betis to move three points clear in La Liga on Sunday although they lost Lionel Messi to injury.

Barca now have 37 points from 13 games ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid, who were denied a couple of hours on the summit when Juanfran put the ball into his own net late on in a 1-1 draw at Villarreal, who also scored an own goal.

Barcelona midfielder Fabregas struck twice in the second half after quickfire goals from Neymar and Pedro in the 35th and 37th minutes had settled the champions, who required three top class saves from Victor Valdes before they took control.

Messi had been replaced by Andres Iniesta after 21 minutes as the World Player of the Year called for a change with a hamstring injury before Fabregas squared for Brazil forward Neymar to sidefoot the opener into an empty net.

Pedro’s goal two minutes later was outstanding as the Spain forward burst

forward from his own half, raced into the area and curled a shot inside the far post.

Betis struck the post early in the second half, but a sublime pass from Iniesta saw Marc Montoya set up Fabregas to score a third after 63 minutes and the former Arsenal captain then headed a fourth goal in off the post in the 79th.

A Betis penalty at the end from Jorge Molina was little more than a consolation.

Diego Simeone’s Atletico side were on course for a victory after a Villarreal own-goal in the second minute.

Juanfran’s cross forced Mario to head into his own net under pressure from Koke, and the visitors then put in a typically abrasive performance in an intense tussle.

Villarreal were finally rewarded for their endeavour when Jeremy Perbet got to the line and crossed to the near post where striker Ike Uche slid in with Juanfran, and the Atletico defender poked the ball over the line in the 79th.

Real Madrid sit third with 31 points after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hattrick in their 5-1 home rout of Real Sociedad on Saturday. Promoted Villarreal

RESULTS Espanyol

1-3

Valencia

2-2

Villarreal

1-1

Real Betis

1-4

Sergio Garcia 24

Pabon 29, Feghouli 76 Juanfran 79-og Jorge Molina 90+2-p

Sevilla

Fazio 3, Vitolo 10, Bacca 59

Valladolid

Javi Guerra 9, Alcatraz 50

Atletico Madrid

Mario 2-og

Barcelona

Neymar 35, Pedro 37, Fabregas 63, 79

are fourth with 24.

There were whistles at the Mestalla where Miroslav Djukic’s Valencia had to come from behind to draw 2-2 against his former club Real Valladolid with a 75th-minute strike from substitute Sofiane Feghouli.

The hosts got off to a woeful start, Ever Banega hoofing a penalty over the bar after only five minutes, and they then conceded a ninth-minute Javi Guerra header.

Quick goals from Federico Fazio and Vitolo gave Sevilla the advantage and Carlos Bacca made sure of the points with an impressive third in the 58th minute, running from the halfway line to fire home. l

Messi out for 6-8 weeks due to torn hamstring

United’s RVP is Arsenal’s nemesis again

n AFP, Barcelona

n Reuters

Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks due to a muscle tear in his left hamstring muscle, the Spanish giants said Monday.

The 26-year-old limped off after just 20 minutes of Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday, the third time this season that he has been forced off with a muscular problem following hamstring and thigh injuries in his right leg earlier in the campaign. “The club’s medical services confirmed after tests this Monday morning that Leo Messi has a torn hamstring muscle in his left thigh and is expected to miss the next 6 to 8 weeks,” Barcelona said in a statement.

“The first phase of Messi’s recovery will be covered in Barcelona and he will then travel to Buenos Aires,” it added.

After Sunday’s match Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino said Messi’s injury troubles were not related and the absence of the four-time World Player of the Year could never be used as en excuse for the team to not perform. “We have the best player in the world, but we also have four or five of the next six or seven best players in the world. Therefore, as a coach, the absence of Messi should never be used as an excuse for not winning. l

Arsene Wenger said before Sunday’s visit to Old Trafford that he would always think of Robin van Persie as an Arsenal man.

Whether the Frenchman still feels that way, having watched his former striker’s jubilant celebrations after scoring the winner in Manchester United’s 1-0 triumph, remains to be seen.

Van Persie followed up his header by racing away in open-mouthed delight, skidding to a halt on his knees and being swamped by team mates.

Then, fists clenched and arms raised, he turned to the home fans and let off some more steam.

It was hardly the gesture of a player missing North London, any more than it was likely to mend broken fences with Arsenal’s travelling faithful whose colourful chants had been far from complimentary.

Sold by a reluctant Arsenal to United for 24 million pounds ($38.39 million) in 2012, he has made a point since then of rubbing in just what Arsenal let go - and are still missing up front - every time he plays against them.

Sunday’s 27th minute header, his seventh league goal of the season, kept

Away day blues worry City boss Pellegrini n AFP, Sunderland

Barcelona's midfielder Cesc Fabregas (3R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring against Real Betis during their Spanish league match at the Benito Villamarin stadium in Sevilla on Sunday AFP

Manuel Pellegrini has said Manchester City must improve their faltering away form if they are to stand a chance of winning the Premier League title this season.

Sunday’s shock 1-0 loss at relegation-threatened Sunderland saw City miss a chance to climb into the top three as their wretched run away from their Eastlands fortress continued.

Pellegrini’s side have a 100 percent record from five home games in the league so far this season, but away from the Etihad Stadium it’s a different story.

Despite posting recent wins on the road in the Champions League and League Cup, City have now taken just four points from a possible 18 in the Premier League after suffering a fourth successive single-goal defeat at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

“I’m concerned with the away form,” City manager Pellegrini said.

“We’re losing too many points away, and if you don’t win away from home, that makes it difficult to fight for the Premier League.”

After seeing his side plunder 12 goals in their previous two home games, the Chilean refused to paint a totally bleak picture regarding the club’s chances of repeating the 2012 title success under his Italian predecessor Roberto Mancini.

“I have to repeat that despite losing against Sunderland, we’re not playing badly as a team,” Pellegrini added.

“We had lots of possession and created plenty of chances. I think Sunderland created one chance and scored from it.

“I really can’t believe we lost, but that’s football. We were a little bit rushed at times, but what would I change? Nothing, I think we’re playing really well at present.” l

up the Dutchman’s record of scoring in every match against Arsenal since his departure - with three goals in three games.

Last April he returned to the Emirates with the champions and was clapped on to the pitch by the Arsenal players in a guard of honour. He returned the favour by scoring from the penalty spot in a 1-1 draw.

In November, he netted in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford but was more restrained in his celebrations. l

Toure hopes its fifth time lucky with BBC African award

n AFP, London

Yaya Toure has another chance to win his inaugural BBC African Footballer of the Year award after making the shortlist for the fifth straight year.

Also joining the Manchester City and Ivory Coast star among the five nominees for the 2013 edition announced Monday were Nigerians Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel, Burkina Faso’s Jonathan Pitroipa and PierreEmerick Aubameyang of Gabon.

The winner, who will be announced on December 2, will be chosen by a fans’ text and website vote after the shortlist was drawn up by 44 journalists from across Africa.

None of this year’s five contenders have yet won the award, while Pitroipa and Aubameyang are the first nominees from their respective countries.

Meanwhile Mikel and Moses both starred for Nations Cup winners Nigeria as the Super Eagles lifted the trophy for the first time in 19 years. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Quick Bytes Romania captain Chiriches ruled out of Greece playoffs Romania captain Vlad Chiriches will miss the team’s 2014 World Cup playoffs against Greece with a fractured nose, coach Victor Piturca said on Monday.

The 23-year-old centre back suffered the injury during his team Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 home loss to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday and has been replaced by Dinamo Bucharest defender Dragos Grigore. The absence of Chiriches, capped 22 times

by Romania since making his debut in 2011, is a big blow for the team’s bid to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. “Chiriches is very important for us, not only because he’s our captain,” Piturca told a news conference. “But as I said many times, no team is dependent on only one player.” Piturca added 11 home-based players, including five from champions Steaua Bucharest, in his 24-man squad for the matches at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Athens on Nov. 15 and at home four days later. Piturca has already left out Ajaccio’s Mutu, Romania’s all-time joint leading scorer with 35 goals in 77 internationals, and Manchester City keeper Costel Pantilimon despite his impressive performances in recent weeks.

– Reuters

England not too old, says Swann Ageing off-spinner Graeme Swann insisted Monday that England are not too old to defend the Ashes, saying the team’s mix of youth and experience is an asset. More than half of the touring side to Australia are older than 30, including key players Ian Bell (31), James Anderson (31), Kevin Pietersen (33) and Swann (34). But Swann, who has 248 Test wickets from 57 matches, said any “Dad’s Army” jibes were misplaced. “I don’t think we need to worry about the age of the team -- I think I’m the oldest,” he said on the England and Wales Cricket Board website. “It’s not like we’re all pushing the boundaries. If the oldest player is that age, it’s not like you’re all ready for the Home Guard yet.” Yorkshire trio Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance, Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes and Steven Finn add a youthful edge to the squad and Swann said: “I think we’ve got an exciting blend of youth and experience at the minute.

– AFP

Kenya sets up task force to probe doping allegations

Sport

Consistent Siddikur in hunt for EurAsia Cup honours n Asian Tour Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman has put himself in contention for a place in Team Asia which will face Team Europe for the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM in March, 2014.

The leading available four Asian players from the final 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit will earn automatic places in the Ryder Cup-style showdown at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club from March 28-30, 2014.

Three more spots are available from the Official World Golf Ranking while there will also be three captains’ picks to complete Team Asia.

Siddikur claimed a long-awaited second Asian Tour title at the 50th Hero Indian Open on Sunday, which propelled him into third place on the latest Order of Merit behind runaway leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand and second-placed Australian Scott Hend.

Siddikur, who turns 29 next week, has been a revelation since bursting onto the Asian Tour scene in 2010.

With his victory in India likely to guarantee another top-10 finish on the final

Order of Merit for the third time in four years, Siddikur has now set his sights on qualifying for Team Asia in the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM. “Yes, that’s definitely my goal which is to qualify for the EurAsia Cup. I

think it is going to be an exciting event.

I hope I will be able to play. It looks like I’m in a good position to qualify,” said Siddikur.

The EurAsia Cup presented by DRBHICOM will be played over three days with five Fourball, five Foursomes and

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Australian cricket team captain Michael Clarke speaks at the launch of his book titled 'The Ashes Diary' in Sydney yesterday REUTERS

Clarke says Test team a ‘no-brainer’ n AFP, Sydney

we are at right now, whether it be batters or bowlers, individual players have stepped up and performed.”

Australia’s position is in stark contrast to the Ashes tour of England earlier this year when their preparations were badly disrupted after coach Mickey Arthur was sacked just 18 days out from the first Test and opening batsman David Warner was suspended for ill discipline.

Clarke said all the players in contention for the five-Test series had done exactly what coach Darren Lehmann had asked of them as they attempt to reverse their 3-0 defeat in England and prevent their old rivals winning a fourth successive Ashes.

“Whether it be in the one-day format in India, the Ryobi Cup or the Sheffield Shield, the players have picked themselves which is a really impressive thing for our team,” he said.

“And it is what Lehmann and myself asked the guys to do: go back to state cricket and take wickets and score runs to be in the front of the selectors’ minds.” l

Islami Bank Indoor Corporate Cricket Tournament is all set to roll at Shaheed Sohrawardi Indoor Stadium from November 15. The three-day long tournament will be participated by 16 leading corporate houses of the country.

Divided into four groups they will battle it out in the tournament for the championship title worth Tk500,000.

The teams will get to play three games each in the group stage and the top two sides from each group will move to the next phase of the tournament.

The opening ceremony of the tournament will be held on November 14 at the venue. Renowned Bollywood singer Monali Thakur will perform in the opening ceremony. The Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul

Confident captain Michael Clarke said Monday there will be no surprises in Australia’s team for the first Ashes Test with players in such good form they were “no brainer” selections.

Australia are due to announce on Tuesday a 13-man squad for the opening clash against England from November 21 and Clarke likes what he has seen so far in the recent one-day tour of India and Sheffield Shield games.

“We are in a good place,” he said as he launched his book, The Ashes Diary, in Sydney after attending a Remembrance Day service with England captain Alastair Cook.

“I honestly think that if they pick 12 players, then 11 of them are no-brainers for Test number one at the Gabba.

“I would imagine the majority pick themselves from the form they have displayed in all forms of the game,” added Clarke.

“The exciting thing about where

Villas-Boas confident Lloris will be fit for France

Marquez seals MotoGP world title

Day’s Watch Ten Cricket 3:00PM New Zealand Tour of Sri Lanka 2nd ODI

10 Singles matches. The Team Captains for both Asia and Europe will be announced in due course.

From humble beginnings where Siddikur worked as a ballboy at the Kurmitola Golf Club to support his studies and played around with a make-shift seven iron clubhead stuck onto a metal rod, he has now become one of Asia’s brightest stars.

Siddikur was picked by his club, which he is now an honorary member, to receive training and he subsequently represented his nation in the Asian Games before turning professional in 2007. It took him only three years to achieve a career breakthrough when he became the first Bangladeshi winner on the Asian Tour with a memorable triumph at the 2010 Brunei Open.

“I think golf is getting bigger in Bangladesh. I have a lot of fans on Facebook and I received a lot of messages from my fans. I think my win will really impact golf in Bangladesh and in Asia,” said Siddikur, who will write another small slice of history by becoming the first Bangladeshi to play in the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf in Australia next week. l

ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT Pos Player

Earning (US$)

1. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA)

1,117,074

2. Scott Hend (AUS)

569,464

3. Siddikur Rahman (BAN)

449,167

4. Anirban Lahiri (IND)

387,608

5. Gaganjeet Bhullar (IND)

327,378

6. Baek Seuk-hyun (KOR)

323,743

7. Liang Wen-chong (CHN)

263,798

8. Shiv Kapur (IND)

263013

9. Thongchai Jaidee (THA)

248,991

10. Wade Ormsby (AUS)

213,349

SIDDIKUR IN 2013 Tournament

Pos Score Earnings (USD)

Myanmar Open

39=

IFQ-Asia

281

1,687

MC

0 18,900

SAIL-SBI Open

3

277

Avantha Masters

48=

281

9,778

Malaysian Open

70=

221

4,790

Chiangmai Classic

5=

274

22,305

Panasonic Open

10=

285

5,280

Ballantine’s C’ship

26=

285

26,603

Indonesian Masters

90=

MC

0

Queen’s Cup

8=

279

7,038

287

3,329

Selangor Masters

26=

Omega Masters

135= MC

Yeangder TPC

41=

292

Asia-Pacific Panasonic 27=

287

10,200

Taiwan Masters

3=

291

36,000

CJ Invitational

91=

MC

0

Macau Open

7=

276

21,200

CIMB Classic Hero Indian Open

1

0 2,728

MC

0

271

225,000

Indoor corporate cricket set to roll from Friday

Kenya on Monday named a task force to probe doping allegations, a day before the distance running giant was expected to come in for criticism at an anti-doping summit. Sports minister Hassan Wario said the 12-member body had been asked to carry out extensive investigations and report its findings within two months. Last year the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) asked Kenya to investigate after an undercover German television journalist reported that the blood-boosting drug EPO and other doping products were readily available to local athletes. The allegations have cast a shadow over Kenya, famed for its record-breaking runners who hold world records from the 800m through to the marathon and where running is a major source of national pride and, in some communities, an important source of income.

– AFP

Andre Villas-Boas expects Hugo Lloris to play for France in this week’s World Cup play-off despite being told by medics not to play for Tottenham Hotspur on the eve of the international break. Lloris failed an impact test, which assesses reaction speed and memory, and missed the 1-0 Premier League defeat by Newcastle at White Hart Lane on Sunday, one week after he was knocked unconscious against Everton. Villas-Boas insists he was right to allow Lloris to continue playing at Goodison Park despite the goalkeeper being unfit for selection seven days later. “The medical department felt it was a bit too soon probably,” said the Tottenham manager. “If the game was one day later he would’ve played and I expect Hugo to play for France this week,” Villas-Boas added. “They’ve made different tests. In my opinion and obviously the club agree, it would be welcome if the medical department speak up about this situation.

– AFP

15

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

n AFP, Valencia

Spaniard Marc Marquez at 20 years of age became the youngest rider to ever win the MotoGP world championship as he finished third at the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday.

Two-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo claimed his eighth victory of the season, but it wasn’t enough to overturn Marquez’s 13-point lead which he held heading into the race as the Honda rider held on to take the title by just four points.

Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa finished second to end the season third in the championship standings, a further 30 points behind Lorenzo.

“It was the longest race of the year for me, I was very nervous before the start,” said Marquez.

“Jorge tried to slow the race at the beginning and I didn’t know what to do, to go for it or not, it was very rigid and I didn’t feel comfortable.

“But the most important thing is that we have made the dream come true, perhaps a little quickly because I didn’t expect it.

“I want to thank everyone because I am very happy.”

The championship was just reward for an incredible season by the man in

his maiden year in MotoGP. Marquez announced his arrival on the circuit in just the second race of the season in America as he became the youngest ever winner of a Grand Prix.

However, it was a mid-season

Repsol Honda Team's Spanish rider Marc Marquez celebrates becoming World Champion after the MotoGP at Ricardo Tormo racetrack in Cheste on Sunday AFP

Hasan will inaugurate the tournament in presence of all the teams on the same day.

The event is organised by The 3 Crics, who earlier gained huge recognition after holding the indoor university cricket in Bangladesh.

“After holding the university cricket successfully we were requested by many corporate houses to hold a similar tournament for them too,” said former Bangladesh national skipper and director of the 3 Crics Khaled Mashud Pilot at a press conference yesterday.

“The corporate houses in Bangladesh are the reason why the cricket in the country has flourished over the years and we are grateful to them.

Thinking that they also need leisure recreation besides their regular office duties we stepped up to hold the tour-

nament,” said Mashud.

Other two directors of the 3 Crics – Bangladesh Cricket Board director Akram Khan and former national cricketer Athar Ali Khan were also present at the presser. Title sponsor of the tournament Islami Bank’s senior principle officer Nazrul Islam was also present in the event.

AB Bank, Trust Bank, Rangs Group, Grameenphone, Uttara Finance, Dhaka Tribune, Suvastu Development, Computer Source, Acme, Bangla Lion, Novo Com, Robi, Gazi Group, Partex and Akiz Group will participate in the inaugural edition of the event.

Co-sponsored by Akiz Ceramics, Clemon, AB Bank, Ispahani and Bangla Lion the tournament has GTV and Dhaka Tribune as media partners. All the matches will be televised live on GTV. l

Former Bangladesh captain and a BCB director Akram Khan speaks while another former captain Khaled Mashud (R), former cricketer Athar Ali Khan (2L) and Islami Bank’s Nazrul Islam look on at the press conference of Indoor Corporate Cricket tournament yesterday COURTESY

stretch of four straight wins whilst Lorenzo and Pedrosa struggled with injuries that put the Catalan well in charge of the championship standings.

And despite a wonderful end to the season from a fit-again Lorenzo, Marquez’s consistency saw him cling onto the lead as he made the podium in every race that he completed throughout the campaign.

Needing just to finish in the top four to seal the title in Valencia, Marquez started on pole but was immediately overtaken by Lorenzo heading into the first corner.

Pedrosa then also moved past Marquez and an incredible battle between Pedrosa and Lorenzo ensued as the latter tried to bunch the leading pack in an attempt to increase Marquez’s chances of sliding down the field.

However, his plan backfired as both Lorenzo and Pedrosa ran wide and allowed Marquez to briefly move in front.

Lorenzo then retook the lead with unerring ease, but Marquez cruised round in second before allowing Pedrosa to pass with five laps remaining to ensure there was no late drama.

And in the end Lorenzo was happy just to seal his third consecutive win to end the season. l

Djokovic books Nadal title showdown in Tour Finals n AFP, London

Novak Djokovic set up a final showdown with Rafael Nadal as the defending champion cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka in the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday.

Djokovic extended his winning streak since the US Open to 21 matches and will bid for his third Tour Finals crown when he faces world number one Nadal in Monday’s final at London’s O2 Arena.

After losing out to Nadal in the race to finish the year top of the world rankings, world number two Djokovic has a golden opportunity to get a measure of revenge against the Spaniard.

The Serb has now won his last nine matches at the O2 Arena and will seek to avenge his recent US Open final defeat against Nadal, who holds a 22-16 edge in their 38 meetings.

Djokovic had won the last 14 of his 16 meetings with Wawrinka dating back to 2006, including nine of their 10 clashes on hard courts.

Two of those victories were among the most enthralling matches of 2013, with Djokovic emerging victorious from five-set encounters with Wawrinka in

the Australian Open fourth round and US Open semi-finals, but this routine win never threatened to reach those breathtaking standards.

Wawrinka showed no signs of nerves in the early stages and earned the first two break points of the match in Djokovic’s second service game The Serb got out of trouble once, but Wawrinka pounced at the second attempt, racing to the net to punch home a volley and take a 2-1 lead.

Djokovic produced a typically defiant response as he pressured Wawrinka into conceding a break point in the next game and took it when the Swiss missed his forehand.

Now the momentum was with Djokovic and, forcing Wawrinka into some rash groundstrokes, he broke again to move 5-3 ahead and took the set after staving off one more break point.

There was little Wawrinka could do to stem the tide and he was swept away as Djokovic broke in the opening game of the second set.

Wawrinka was going for his shots in a bid to make a late comeback, but Djokovic showed all his class and quality to break again and close out the win in one hour and 24 minutes. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Bapex finds new gas reserve at Begumgonj n Aminur Rahman Rasel

Hartals, arrests won’t help dialogue: Canada n Tribune Report

State-run Petrobangla’s exploration wing Bapex (Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company) has discovered new gas reserves in one of the development wells at Begumgonj in Noakhali.

“We have found new gas reserves at a depth of 2900 metres from the ground. There is gas in three zones of the well area. Currently, we are exploring gas in the second zone. In the first zone we did not find gas which can be commercially be viable.” Abdul Halim, director of the well-drilling project at the Bapex told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Including Begumgonj, Bapex has so far discovered six gas fields.

“After completing a transmission pipeline, we hope to add at least 20 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas to the national grid every day from the gas field within May next year.”

He said, however, the authorities were yet to confirm the quantity of gas in the reserve.

“After analysis we will disclose about the actual gas reserve,” he said.

Gazprom, the Russian state-run gas exploration company had started drilling at Begumgonj at the end of July this year to confirm availability of viable gas reserve. The well’s drilling ended in October, at 3565 metres.

Petrobangla sources said currently more than 2,300 million cubic feet gas was being supplied every day against a daily demand of 2,700-3,000 million cubic feet.

The government in April last year signed a deal with Gazprom on drilling 10 gas wells, spending $193.55 million across the country without any tender under the Power and Energy Quick Supply (special provision) Act. According to the deal, four wells were to be drilled in Titas gas field of BGFCL, one in Rashidpur gas field of (SGFL), two in Shahbazpur, and one each in Semutang, Begumganj and Srikail of (Bapex). l

Canada has said hartals and arrests were not conducive to a constructive dialogue between the government and opposition.

“Constructive dialogue between the government and the opposition is essential for free, fair and credible elections,” Heather Cruden, Canada’s High Commissioner in Bangladesh, said in a statement.

“Canada remains deeply concerned by the mounting and deadly political violence that has exacted a high cost to Bangladesh in terms of injuries and lives lost,” she said.

Canada also noted with dismay recent attacks on religious communities, she added.

“The impact on the most vulnerable members of society cannot be underestimated.”

All parties and political organisations should engage in dialogue to address ongoing political issues, peacefully exercise rights to freedom of expression and assembly, Cruden said.

“While Canada supports peaceful protest as fundamental to the exercise of democratic rights, use of violence by any political party or group is against both Bangladeshi and Canadian values such as respect for human rights, democracy and pluralism.” l

Politics likely to punctuate Nisha Desai’s talks in Dhaka n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Political situation, upcoming election, Bangladesh-US partnership dialogue, labour issues and Grameen Bank would be the major areas of discussion when US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Desai Biswal would meet Bangladesh officials during her three-day visit, officials have said.

Nisha, the newly appointed US assistant secretary responsible for South Asia, is expected in Dhaka on November 16.

The US assistant secretary would hold an official meeting with Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque on November 18 where she is likely to discuss the third partnership dialogue to be held next year in Washington, Mahfuzur Rahman, director general of the Americas Desk at the foreign ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Labour, readymade garment sector and Grameen Bank are the interest areas of Washington and she is expected to raise the issues during her meeting with the foreign secretary,” said a diplomat.

She is also likely to hold meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni where she is expected to discuss politics and election issues, he added. “She will also meet members of the civil society.”

When asked if she would meet BNP chairperson Khaldea Zia, the diplomat said it was a practice of senior US officials to meet the leader of the opposition.

Her predecessor Robert O’ Blake, during his visits to Dhaka, met Khaldea Zia. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also met Khaldea at her Gulshan residence in 2011. l

CU suspends classes for 15 days n FM Mizanur Rahaman Chittagong University (CU) suspended its classes from November 15 to 30 as the university is set to take its admission test for 2013-2014 academic session during this time.

Farhad Ahmed, deputy registrar said they issued a statement in this regard.

However, the shuttle train service would continue from the Sholashahar railway station. l

No truck and container ply on road on the second day of 84-hour hartal. The photo has taken from Tejgaon truck stand

RAJB DHAR

Health ministry promotes Girl lured to capital confi ned, tortured 400 doctors n Muktasree Chakma Sathi

Promoted doctors have been asked to submit joining letters tled “DPC approves mass promotions sources said. n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Seeking anonymity, several for medical college teachers,” stated The health ministry yesterday mass promoted 411 doctors to the posts of assistant and associate professors in line with the recommendations of the ministry’s Departmental Promotion Committee.

Two separate notifications, signed by the deputy secretary of the ministry upon the president’s order, were published on the same day with the list of names of the promoted doctors.

Among the 411 doctors, 343 were promoted to assistant professor posts and 68 to associate professor’s. The promoted doctors had been asked to submit joining letters to the secretary of the health ministry and the heads of the respective institutions they had been posted to.

Until further notice, these promoted doctors will be working in their previous workplaces. The promotions of those doctors, who are currently taking training or education courses at home or abroad or are working at other places, will be effective after they finish their studies.

A report, published on November 6 in the Dhaka Tribune and ti-

that more than 400 doctors had been promoted against only 200 vacant posts.

According to tradition and existing arrangements, assistant and associate professors must have certain years of teaching experience and publications in international journals to become associate and full professors respectively.

However, there are allegations that a large number of the recently promoted doctors lacked both the proper teaching experience and the publications.

Sources said the country currently has 1,034 assistant professors for 74 subjects and 702 associate professors for 59 subjects.

The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) was introduced last year because the previous process of promotions through the Public Service Commission was very lengthy.

During the current government’s tenure, the DPC promoted around 2,000 teachers, most of them belonging to the ruling party-backed Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, to the posts of assistant and associate professors,

high officials of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and the health ministry told the Dhaka Tribune that the latest promotion spree included a big chunk known for their affiliation with the opposition parties.

They said the fact that the opposition supporters had been preferred for promotion had frustrated many Swachip doctors.

Asked why more promotions had been given compared to the number of vacancies, DGHS Director General Dr Khandakar Sifayetullah said it was more of a compensation because traditionally, doctors had to wait for literally decades for promotions.

Pointing at the fact that the officials of the other cadres of the government services got promotions even when there were no vacancies, Sifayetullah said this issue was raised with the DPC in the presence of the representatives of the other ministries. The DPC then gave consent for promoting the doctors.

He, however, said the promoted doctors would only enjoy the financial benefits, and not the posts. l

Twelve-year old Mechainu Marma bears the scars from scalding all over her shoulders, chest and the left cheek.

She cannot recall when boiling water was poured on her, but she remembers the incident vividly.

“One day, I was carrying hot curry from the kitchen to the dining room.

My employer’s four-year-old son suddenly pushed me. I lost balance, some gravy spilled on him and he started crying. Ume [her employer] then poured boiling water on me. She said I should feel the same pain as her son.

“I ran to the bathroom to pour some cold water on the burn. But Ume and her brother dragged me out and started beating me,” the traumatised girl told this correspondent.

Mechainu was left out on a balcony without any treatment for a week. Ume Rakhain got her some ointment only when her burn wounds got infected and started giving out bad odour.

Two weeks later, Ume’s sister took the girl back to her village in Bandarban. Mechainu’s father, Mong Me Marma, took her to a local hospital in serious condition.

After more than a month, Mong finally came to Dhaka with his daughter two weeks ago and filed a case with Mohammadpur police station against

Ume and her brother George Rakhain.

“We could not come earlier, because we did not have money and we knew nobody here,” jhum farmer Mong told the Dhaka Tribune on October 29.

Police SI Jahangir Alam claimed that they had failed arrest the accused as they had secured from the High Court.

The suspects could not be reached as their phones were switched off.

However, Ume’s husband Khi Mong told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday that they were yet to get bail because of hartal. Khi Mong admitted that “an accident happened” after their son was hurt.

“We would have appreciated an offer for arbitration and if we were asked us to cover Mechainu’s medical expenses. But now, we are offended since they filed a case,” said Khi, an engineer.

About six years ago, Mechainu’s parents sent her to live with Ume Rakhain.

Ume told them that their daughter, who was six at the time, would receive a good education in Dhaka.

But Mechainu said she was made to do housework and never saw a book.

“Soon after I came to Dhaka, I had to get used to abusive words and beatings,” Mechainu said.

Mechainu was neither allowed to see or talk to her parents over phone.

“I never got the chance to tell my parents that I was being tortured.” l

CLIMATE CONFERENCE

Concrete decisions expected at COP19 in Warsaw n Probir K Sarker from Poland The 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) on climate change began yesterday in Warsaw, Poland with a hope to decide on how to support the nations vulnerable to climate change impacts before it was too late.

Also considered as the finance COP, the Warsaw meet is likely to take specific decision on the proposed Green Climate Fund (GCF), loss and damage mechanisms, compensation and adaptation funds so that those could be finalised at the Paris climate conference next year.

They also stressed that the developed nations which are mainly responsible for global warming should phase out fossil fuel gradually, adopt energy efficient technology, shift towards renewable energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions with a view to lead the other nations towards cleaner world.

The conference may encourage ratification of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol agreed in Doha last year. Yesterday, parties held a preliminary discus-

sion on the protocol. The issues of loss and damage and carbon trading are likely to get momentum at the meet.

Before government delegations representing groups of some 195 countries had taken part in the opening plenary session, other small groups of indigenous people, NGOs, farmers and women held meetings at the conference venue Warsaw National Stadium held under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The newly elected president of COP19/CMP9, Marcin Korolec, Poland’s environment minister, said climate change was a problem “if we can’t coordinate our actions.

It becomes opportunity where we can act together. One country or even a group cannot make a difference. But acting together, united as we are here, we can do it.”

Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UNFCCC, in her welcome speech at the opening session, said there was no doubt that climate change had created an unlevel playing field for future generations. Previous generations unknowingly had an advantage;

and “now we know that the next generations face a monumental uphill struggle.” She suggested that through political will and public support “parties can lead the momentum for change and move together towards success in 2015.”

Nepal represented the least developed countries (LDCs) at the opening session yesterday and the ninth Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to Kyoto Protocol (CMP9).

One of the most vulnerable countries to climate change, Bangladesh hopes that future of the GCF will be decided at the conference. The government would highlight the issues of compensation funds and rehabilitation of the climate-induced people by the industrialised nations responsible for global warming.

Ahead of the meet, the UNFCCC Adaptation Committee on Thursday launched a new report, which is designed to increase awareness of the Convention’s evolving adaptation agenda and to encourage enhanced contributions to the global effort of responding to the adaptation challenge. l

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B2 Draft Palli Sanchay Bank bill okayed

B3 RMG minimum wage to be declared on November 21

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

MOBILE BANKING SEES FASTER GROWTH IN BANGLADESH

WB report urges policy makers to design pro-poor products n Tribune Business Desk As mobile banking and other technological innovations fuel the expansion of financial services in many developing countries, a new World Bank Group report urged the policy makers to focus on products that benefit the poor, women and other vulnerable groups the most.

No-frills savings and automatic payment accounts, for example, offer a safe place for people to store and transfer money and help them maintain a relatively stable living standard. Evidence, however, is mixed on microcredit and micro-insurance products.

“When well designed, efforts to foster financial inclusion can be an effective way to empower people,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on the release of the report mid-night yesterday. “Whether you are a public sector financial regulator or a private sector bank, it is in your interest to get everyone access to financial services. This is good for the world and will help us end poverty.”

“The 2014 Global Financial Development Report: Financial Inclusion” is a comprehensive report yet on the topic. It comes as policy makers are pushing to reach the world’s unbanked – 2.5 billion people who make up about half of the world’s adult population.

More than 50 countries recently set targets to improve financial inclusion. Last month, Kim announced a new initiative to provide universal financial access to all working-age adults by 2020 – with the help of technological innovations such as e-money accounts and e-mobile wallets.

The report released at a time when mobile banking in Bangladesh was growing fast - the number of customers in the country exceeded five million, according to latest Bangladesh Bank figures.

Mobile financial services began in the country in 2010 to spread banking services among poor people, and to help villagers receive remittances from expatriate relatives securely and without trouble, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman said earlier, marking the milestone of 5m customers.

The number of clients reached 5.25m in April this year with a total transaction of Tk1.2bn daily through mobile banking. The total number of transactions by mobile banking was more than 15m in April, compared to about 14m in March.

The total transaction value stood at Tk36.4bn in April, which was Tk33.3bn in March.

The central bank has so far approved 26 banks to provide mobile banking while 17 of them have already started the service.

Meanwhile, BB has plans to bring garment workers under the mobile banking system, and is discussing the issue with trade bodies like the BGMEA and BTMEA.

Progress in financial inclusion

According to the World Bank report, mobile banking has played a key role in expanding financial inclusion among low-income popu-

accounts, waiving onerous documentation requirements and using electronic payments to deposit government assistance into bank accounts. South Africa, with a public-private framework, increased the number of bank accounts by six million in four years. Brazil’s regulatory reforms led to a dramatic expansion of places offering financial services – now in every municipality in the country.

wide originated a loan from a formal financial institution, but those in developing countries are three times more likely to borrow from family and friends than from banks.

“Financial services are out of many people’s reach because market and government failures pushed the costs of these services to prohibitively high levels,” said World Bank Director of Research Asli Demirguc-Kunt, who co-authored the report. “In many cases, the services are unavailable because of regulatory and legal hurdles.”

Addressing market and government failures

A customer seen using mobile banking service to collect cash in Dhaka lations in countries such as Kenya, the Philippines and Tanzania. Brazil increased financial access to people living in remote areas by promoting technology-based “correspondent banking” – financial services provided on behalf of banks by retails stores, gas stations, and agents on motorcycles and boats on the Amazon River.

The poor benefit the most from technological innovations, which make financial services cheaper and easier to access, the report says. Low-income economies, especially those with remote, sparsely populated areas, have much to gain from allowing the provision of financial services outside of established bank branches.

Many countries have made progress in expanding account use among the poor, women, youth, and rural residents, even without tapping into advanced technology. Some policies have proven to be especially effective, such as requiring banks to offer low-fee

RAJIB DHAR

Challenges in expanding financial inclusion

But challenges remain. While several countries have quickly rolled out basic bank accounts for the unbanked, in some cases, millions of those accounts have remained dormant. Even more troubling, without healthy competition and effective regulation, credit is often overextended to people not qualified to receive it.

And promoting credit without regard to cost actually exacerbates financial and economic instability, the report shows low-income countries face particularly daunting challenges. Thirty percent of the adults there saved in 2011, compared with 58% in high-income countries, according to analyses of the World Bank’s Global Findex database included in the report. And 11% of adults there saved using a bank account, compared with 45% in high-income countries.

In addition, about 9% of the adults world-

To promote financial inclusion responsibly, the report urges policy makers to improve the standards for information disclosure and support innovative, well-designed financial products that address market failures, meet consumer needs and overcome some behavioral hurdles. For example, commitment savings accounts, where access to cash is possible only after a period of time or after a goal has been reached, can promote savings.

And if well designed, index-based insurance, which links payouts to a well-defined index, such as the amount of rainfall or commodity prices, reduces moral-hazard problems, because payouts reflect a measurable index beyond the control of the policyholder.

Policy makers can also improve financial access by embracing new technologies, which not only include mobile banking, but other innovations such as borrower identification based on fingerprinting and iris scans, the report says.

They should, however, strike a balance between providing incentives for the development of new payment platforms and requiring them to be open to competition.

Responsible financial inclusion also requires consumers to better understand finance. The study finds that standard, classroom-based financial education aimed at the general population has little impact. But financial education can be effective during key moments of a person’s life, such as when starting a new job or when applying for a mortgage loan. People also learn better when financial messages are delivered though social networks and engaging channels, such as soap operas, according to evidence highlighted in the study.

The World Bank Group is committed to supporting countries in their efforts to bolster access to finance. It currently conducts financial inclusion projects with public and private partners in more than 70 countries. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Draft Palli Sanchay Bank bill okayed n Mohosinul Karim The proposal to establish a specialised bank for the government’s “One House, One Farm” project was approved at the cabinet meeting on Monday.

The draft of the Palli Sanchay Bank law was approved after necessary vetting by the law ministry. It is now waiting to be tabled in parliament.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed the media about the development after the cabinet meeting held at the secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The move comes as the current government’s term draws to a close.

Bhuiyan said a 15-member board, eight government-appointed men and seven representatives from all the divisions in the

country, will be at the helm of the specialised bank.

The position of the seven will be filled by the division level associations of the “One House, One Farm” project each represented by individuals.

Though the bank initiated to establish like the Grameen Bank, the basic difference of the proposed bank is that no individual would be the member of the bank. Only the societies will be the member of the proposed bank.

Out of eight members of the board who would be appointed by the government, four will be experts on micro economic sector and the rest will be government officials such as representatives of rural development and cooperative division, finance division and Bangladesh Rural Development Board and the registrar of the cooperatives department.

The government will own 51% of the bank and the associations would own the remaining 49%. The approved capital of the bank will be TK10b while the paid up capital of the bank will be TK2b.

The members of the societies that are the member of the bank would get loan from the bank. The borrowers of microcredit system would not need to submit any security to get loan.

However, the borrowers who would like to get huge amount of loan will have to provide collateral.

The initiative has been taken to deposit the savings of rural societies and utilise it properly for the development of the rural areas of the country.

The cabinet also approved a draft act for establishing “Bangladesh Power and Energy Research Council.” l

Pepsi plans $5bn investment in India by 2020 n AFP, New Delhi US soft drinks giant PepsiCo announced Monday it would invest more than $5bn with its partners in India to raise production, saying it had only “scratched the surface” of the Asian giant’s potential.

PepsiCo said the investment by 2020 in India, one of its largest markets globally, would strengthen its capabilities in such areas as manufacturing, infrastructure and agriculture.

“India is a country with huge potential and it remains an attractive, high-priority market for PepsiCo,” said PepsiCo chairman Indra Nooyi.

“We’ve built a highly successful business in India over the course of many years, and we believe we’ve only scratched the surface of the long-term growth opportunities that exist for PepsiCo,” she said.

“This investment is PepsiCo’s vote of confidence in India’s future,” she said in a statement.

The announcement is welcome news for the embattled Congress-led government, which has been struggling to attract foreign direct investment in the face of corruption scandals, a weakening rupee and slowing economic growth.

PepsiCo and its bottling partners aim to more than double production capacity in India by 2020.

They currently have some 38 bottling plants and three food plants in the country.

Last year rival Coca-Cola Co said it would spend $5bn in India over the next seven years to increase its operations.

PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are competing to woo consumers in emerging markets including India and other parts of Asia, as well as the Middle East and Africa.

India’s increasingly affluent population of 1.2 billion is attracting global consumer companies despite the need to overcome bureaucracy and other hurdles. l

10 companies win state recognition n Tribune Report The government has awarded ten companies for their contributions to increasing productivity and maintaining best quality in their respective products for the first time in the country.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua handed over the awards to the representatives of the companies at a function in Dhaka yesterday.

National Productivity Organisation arranged the award-giving ceremony.

The award is given in six categories – three in small industries and state-owned enterprises, and one each in micro, medium and large industries categories.

The three winning companies in small industries category are Pabna Principale Chemical Company Ltd, Chittagong Hifs Agro Food Industries and Satkhira Ms Rony Agro Engineering.

Under state-owned enterprises categories, the companies are Care and Co (Bangladesh) Ltd, Ashuganj Fertiliser and Chemical Company Ltd, and Bangladesh Bay-D Factory Ltd in Gazipur.

BRB Cable Industries Ltd of Kustia has been selected as the best company in large industry category, Bengol Windsor Thermoplastics Ltd of Dhaka in medium industry category, Spedix Ltd of Dhaka in handcraft industry category and Rang Handicrafts of Jessore in micro industry category. l

Robi deposits profit to workers’ trust n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

DCCI, ICCB teams to attend Commonwealth Business Forum n Tribune Business Desk Teams from two trade bodies- DCCI and ICCB yesterday left Dhaka for Colombo to attend the Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) to be held in the Sri Lankan capital on November 12-14.

The three-day forum is a premier business event in the Commonwealth, aimed at bringing together heads of governments, ministers and top business leaders from around the world.

The delegations from the Bangladeshi trade bodies will have several meetings with local chambers in Sri Lanka on bilateral trade and investment, said a press release.

At the event, they will mainly explore market opportunities for the Bangladeshi products.

The ICCB and DCCI members will participate in seminars on renewable energy, RMG,

textile, agriculture, infrastructure, education and skill development on the sidelines.

In addition, DCCI President Md Sabur Khan will present a keynote paper on “Digital Growth and ICT” at the forum.

The team of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) is comprised of 21 members.

The team includes among others DCCI’s senior vice president Nessar Maksud Khan, directors Khairul Majid Mahmud, Humayun Rashid, convenor Raquib Md Fakhrul, co-convenors Syed Almas Kabir, Md Nurul Haque and Sumon Talukder.

The members of the delegation from International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB) are its executive board members Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, Bengal Fine Ceramics Limited chairperson Rashed Maksud Khan and president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mahbubul Alam. l

The mobile phone operator Robi yesterday deposited Tk10.2m from the 2012 profit to the government’s Workers Welfare Trust.

With the deposit, Robi has become first mobile phone operator to contribute to the fund.

Labour Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu received a cheque worth the money from Robi’s Chief Human Resources Officer Matiul Islam Nowshad.

According to Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Act 2013, the companies are required to share 5% of their profit with the workers.

Robi made Tk991m profit in 2012 and it would have to share Tk45.5m.

From the shared amount it deposited Tk10.2m to the Workers Trust as per the law while the permanent employees will get the rest of the money.

“We always try to be the first in terms of compliance, which requires us to take much care of our workers and their privileges,” Mahmudur Rahman, Executive Vice President of Robi, told the Dhaka Tribune.

According to the high officials of Robi, the profit was shared to establish a “right to have profit” in the company.

The provision of companies’ 5% profit sharing was taken from the Statutory Rules and Order (SRO) 2010.

High officials at the labour ministry hoped that other operators would share profit shortly. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

RMG minimum wage to be declared on November 21 n Tribune Report The minimum wage for the readymade garment (RMG) workers is scheduled to be announced on November 21.

“The government and the wage board will finally announce the minimum wage for the entry level RMG workers on November 21, where the government will mention what would be there for both the workers and owners,” Labour and Employment Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju said in Dhaka yesterday.

He disclosed the schedule after a meeting with the leaders of BGMEA and BKMEA at Bangladesh Secretariat. “I think the decision would be good for both the workers and owners.”

The minister called upon the workers to join works, saying that RMG factories, which are closed due to labour unrest will reopen today.

“We are losing market due to hartal and labour unrest. That’s why we have to be cautious,” said Raju. “We should think what would happen if the sector employing 4.2m workers is destroyed.”

About the proposed minimum wage of Tk5,300 per month, the minister said big fac-

tories would be able to implement it, but the small ones may not afford to do that.

The leaders of the workers have agreed the proposal of the wage board while the owners did not agree it. Wait and see the decision would be good for both the parties, Raju said.

The board proposed Tk3,200 as basic salary, with an extra of Tk1,280 for house rent, Tk320 for medical allowance, Tk200 for transport and Tk300 as food allowance

As per the wage board, owners could appeal against the wage board decision within 14 days and today, the owners made their appeal with some opportunities, he added.

“We have placed a set of recommendation to the government to increase the industry capacity,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

“It would not be possible to implement the new wage structure without the support of government and that’s why we sought government cooperation,” said Arshad Jamal Dipu, a BMGEA director.

At the meeting, the RMG sector leaders sought lowering bank interest rate, tax at source, separate exchange rate against US dollar for the garment sector and cash incentives for the new destination of RMG products, said a meeting source.

On November 4, the minimum wage board set Tk5,300 for entry-level workers, a 76.6% rise over the existing consolidated wage of Tk3,000. This was decided through voting after both the owners and labour leaders had failed to reach a consensus.

The board proposed Tk3,200 as basic salary, with an extra of Tk1,280 for house rent, Tk320 for medical allowance, Tk200 for transport and Tk300 as food allowance.

BGMEA President Md atiqul Islam, Second Vice President SA Mannan Kochi, Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Reaz Bin Mahmood, former President Absus Salam Murshedy, Annisul Haq, Tipu Munshi, BKMEA President Selim Osman and labour secretary Mikail Shipar were present, among the others. l

Hotel law gets cabinet nod

Union info centres serve 40m in 3 years

The cabinet approved the draft Bangladesh Hotel and Restaurant Act keeping the punishments of three-month imprisonment and Tk500,000 fine for violation.

The regular meeting at the Secretariat yesterday gave the approval. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.

According to the official sources, the draft law will be sent to the parliament for passage at the present session.

The proposed law will replace the Bangladesh Hotel and Restaurant Ordinance, 1982.

The ordinance was made during HM Ershad’s military regime in 1982.

The ordinance became invalid as the High Court ruled that HM Ershad’s takeover of state power was illegal, said Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan while briefing journalists following the meeting.

He said: “The new law provides clear definitions of hotel and restaurant.”

“The motels, resorts and other relevant business organisations will also be regarded as hotel and restaurant under the proposed law.”

It also has a provision for the registration of hotels and motels, the secretary added.

“The authority for registration will be mentioned in the regulation which will be made soon after the law comes into effect.”

Bhuiyan said the repeated violation of law will lead to doubling of punishment as per the law.

Previously, the punishment for it was only Tk5,000. l

n Tribune Business Desk

n Mohosinul Karim

The union information service centres (UISCs) provided service to 40m rural people in last three years since the launch.

A2I programme of prime minister’s office introduced the service on November 11, 2010 and completed three years yesterday.

PMO’s Access to Information (A2I) sources said the UISCs across the country earned a total of Tk1.3bn in three years serving millions of rural population.

The total earning of UISC in the first two years was Tk1.2bn that shows growth in total earning in the third year has fallen sharply in spite of increased number of services.

The officials said since launching of 4,501 UISCs across the country on November 11, 2010, the centres have been providing services to 45m people and also successfully added 15 more UISCs, reports BSS. Consultant of the A2I programme, Manik Mahmud said Bangladesh is wit-

nessing a sea-change in the public service delivery system due to setting-up of various services like district e-service and UISCs that have ensured people’s access to public service.

He added the union parishad-based information centres are equipped with computers and wireless internet that is offering various online and offline services at a nominal charge.

“Over 25 hassle-free speedy services are being provided to the rural people through the UISCs and more will be added in the days to come,” Manik said.

He mentioned a total of 9,002 entrepreneurs are now self-employed in the USICs across the country as they found jobs that pay reasonable wage for living.

Sources involved in A2I programme said UISC is being able to bring various types of information related to government, livelihood and private services to the doorstep of citizens in rural areas through ICT. l

3

Profit taking ends 7-day stock rally n Tribune Report Stocks fell yesterday, breaking seven-day long rally, as cautious investors went for booking profits.

After rising for a while in the morning, the benchmark DSEX index finished 46 points or 1% lower to close at 4,198, scaling back from previous session’s four-month high.

However, the blue chip index DS30 remained almost unchanged at 1,436, rising fractionally of 0.05 points. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, declined 74 points to 8,190.

Profit booking on heavyweight banking stocks dragged down the market as the sector lost 3.8% after rally over the several session with seven banks featuring in the top ten loser’s list.

Market was under pressure as the sellers booked profit, outpacing the cautious buyers throughout the trading session, said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

Market went down after rallying straight one week as large-cap stocks lost 2% to 7% market capitalisation, it said.

It said, after a weeklong rally in index, market showed up some natural correction, creating some scope for traders to pour some fresh fund and reposition their investment.

IDLC Investment said after crossing 4,300-mark at the initial hours, natural correction kicked in.

It said participation remained healthy and reached Tk5bn-mark after one and half months.

Textile sector gained highest 2.51% as the market participants showcased their renewed interest in the sector. It also registered a 59% growth in turnover.

Other sectors including telecommunications, power and engineering closed flat.

Gainers took lead over the losers as out of 292 issues traded, 148 gained, 124 dropped and 20 remained unchanged. The total turnover at DSE stood at Tk5bn, which was 1.2% higher than the previous session.

RN Spinning Mills was the most traded stock of the session with a turnover of over Tk180m, followed by United Commercial Bank, One Bank, Meghna Petroleum, National Bank, United Airways and Mercantile Bank. l

AIBL business conference held n Tribune Business Desk A “Business Development Conference” of Al-Arafah Islami Bank Limited (AIBL) was held at the bank’s headquarters on Saturday.

Managing Director Md Habibur Rahman presided over the Conference, said a press conference.

Among others, Deputy Managing Director Kazi Towhidul Alam, Deputy Managing Director Md Golam Rabbani and Executive Vice President Abul Hossain Md Rafique were present.

Zonal heads of seven zones and managers from selected branches participated. The bank management discussed about acquired achievements and future plans to achieve the year-end targets of the bank. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

China’s cautious land-reform tests cast doubt on big urban vision n Reuters

An employee fills diesel in a public bus at a fuel station in Kolkata

REUTERS

India targets $2.3bn asset sales n Reuters India has revived plans to sell stakes in two state-owned companies to raise about $2.3bn to boost public finances, aiming to push through a sale by mid-December to take advantage of a share market rally.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the matter said investor roadshows will be launched in the United States today for a 10% stake in state refiner Indian Oil Corp (IOC).

mid-December, but not sure if we will be able to do that,” one of the sources said.

The government’s planned sale of stakes in Indian Oil and other state companies including Coal India is critical to relieving pressure on public finances that could put the country’s investment-grade credit rating at risk.

India has targeted raising $6.4bn from selling stakes in state companies in the fiscal year ending March 2014, but has so far managed only $233m, as ministries squabbled

India has targeted raising $6.4bn from selling stakes in state companies in the fiscal year ending March 2014, but has so far managed only $233m, as ministries squabbled over the timing of the issues and the rupee fell against the dollar

The government’s Department of Disinvestment (DoD), which oversees stake sales in state companies, has also completed most of the overseas roadshows to sell a 5% stake in state miner Coal India, which could fetch about $1.5bn, the sources told Reuters.

The department hopes to launch the stake sales in the two state companies before December 15, they said, after which overseas investors typically start to wind down for Christmas and New Year holidays.

“We would like to launch both before

over the timing of the issues and the rupee fell against the dollar.

IOC’s share sale had been set for October, but planned roadshows were cancelled after the oil ministry pulled out, citing the weak share price and uncertainty over a new fuel-subsidy formula.

The Coal India stake sale has been halved from 10% to 5% after union opposition.

“IOC roadshows are starting from the 12th (of November), even though it is a difficult issue to market because of the sector problems,”

the source said, referring to losses that state oil retailers incur because of selling diesel, kerosene and cooking gas at state-capped rates.

The sources declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. DoD officials, as well as officials at Indian Oil and Coal India could not be reached for comment.

Indian Oil, India’s largest refiner and fuel retailer, on Friday reported an 82% fall in net profit on account of foreign exchange losses and lower compensation from the government for losses on fuel sales.

India’s oil ministry has forecast revenue losses of 803bn rupees for state fuel retailers IOC, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum in the second half of this fiscal year, up from 623bn in the first half.

The divestment department is keen to push through the stake sales to take advantage of a share market rally that sent India’s benchmark stock index BSESN to a record high this month on the back of strong foreign inflows. The index is up 6.4% this year.

The Indian Oil investor roadshows will be held in New York and Boston. The Indian cabinet cleared the sale in August.

At current market prices, the 10% stake sale in Indian Oil could fetch New Delhi around $800m. The government owns nearly 79% in Indian Oil, and 90% in Coal India.

So far, officials have pitched the Coal India offering to investors in the United States and Britain, and will proceed to Australia and South East Asia this week, a third source said. Roadshows for local investors will be held after that, he added. l

Tan Yingyu is one of China’s 200 million migrant workers and like many he is stuck: he does not want to return to his village but also cannot become a legal resident in the city of Chengdu, where he has worked for nearly 20 years.

His dilemma highlights a key issue for China’s reformist leaders as they look for ways to encourage more people to move to cities to help turn a credit- and investment-driven economy into a consumer-powered one.

If rural Chinese are given formal rights to their land, they could cash in its value and feel more secure about moving to work in cities. If they are given residency status in cities, rather than having it tied to their home village, they would have access to social welfare, making it more likely they would spend more or move their family to live in the cities too.

Without reform of land and residency rights, a government urbanisation drive may fall behind, endangering broader economic reform and even risking social unrest.

“I won’t go back to work the land, but I cannot afford to buy a property here - prices are too high,” said Tan, pointing to towering apartment blocks in the southwestern city of Chengdu.

Top leaders are meeting in secret in Beijing to plot an economic agenda for the next decade, and will be looking at pilot schemes in Chengdu and elsewhere that are testing land and residency reform for clues on what changes to make.

But the Chengdu pilot programme and others that allow farmers to lease or sell their land have shown the process is slow and tangled with problems, raising questions about how quickly they could be scaled up nationally.

Reforms in the 1980s assigned farmland to households but reserved formal ownership to the village collective. Land certificates are imprecise at best and many rural households lack documentation, although Beijing has tasked the provinces with registering title to land nationwide over the next five years.

The lack of clear land rights makes many farmers vulnerable to land grabs by local administrations for development, a major source of government revenue and equally a major source of discontent among farmers who say they are not compensated fairly.

“Pilots in Chongqing and Chengdu are slow,” said Tao Ran, an economist at Renmin University in Beijing. “It’s not an ideological problem, but a problem of interests,” he said.

“Local governments still want to monopolise land sales and repay their debt.”

Although Chengdu’s model and others offer farmers a cash-out option, they still have their limitations.

First, only the state can designate farmland for construction use, which is where big profits lie, under a national policy to ensure a minimum of 120 million hectares is put aside for farmland.

Transferring farming rights to someone else is more likely to generate an income stream, rather than big profits. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

5

CHINESE STATE FIRMS

More private investment to be allowed n AFP, Beijing China will open its state-owned firms to greater investment by private companies, a state-run newspaper reported Monday, as media raise expectations over a top Communist Party meeting on economic reforms.

According to the China Daily, private partners will be allowed to take 10 to 15% stakes in state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

The move would give such companies or investors a bigger say in decision-making, it quoted officials of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) as saying.

The agency is a powerful body that oversees large SOEs collectively worth trillions of dollars, many of which enjoy monopolies in

key sectors such as rail and energy.

The change appears to differ from existing partial flotations of SOEs. China’s big four state-owned banks are all quoted in Hong Kong and other overseas markets, as are units of oil giants Sinopec, CNOOC and CNPC, several subsidiaries of conglomerate China Resources, telecom behemoths China Mobile and China Unicom, and scores of other entities.

But partnerships are rare, with the China Daily noting the “rare exception” of a 2003 deal that handed private industrial conglomerate Fosun Group 49% ownership in a joint venture with state-run China National Medicine Corp.

“All kinds of companies could join SOE restructuring,” the paper quoted Bai Yingzi, director of SASAC’s enterprise reform division,

as saying.

The report came on the third day of a fourday gathering known as the Third Plenum at which leaders of the ruling Communist Party are expected to draw up a decade-long blueprint for the world’s second largest economy.

The highly-anticipated meeting, held at a heavily-secured Beijing hotel, has been used in the past by China’s leaders as a launching pad for economic reforms.

But despite much raising of expectations by state-run media, analysts say China is unlikely to embark on major reforms or privatisation of state firms, and that any reforms unveiled after the plenum will likely be limited to broad outlines rather than detailed policy changes.

The China Daily report said that “specif-

ic plans on SOE reforms are expected to be drafted after the third plenum”.

In a major report in March, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said that China’s progress on economic liberalisation had stalled since 2008.

Aside from opening up state-owned enterprises, other topics expected to be taken up at the four-day meeting include land and administrative reforms.

The Global Times, another state-run newspaper, noted on Monday under the headline “’Reform 2.0’ to be unveiled” that urbanisation is among the items at the top of the agenda.

Greater urbanisation is likely to increase pressure for changes to China’s “hukou” residency system, which links social benefits to a person’s registered place of abode. l

EU, US return to trade talks under spy scandal cloud n AFP, Brussels The EU and United States began a second round of talks Monday on the world’s largest free-trade accord despite damaging revelations of US spying on its allies.

Chief negotiators, the EU’s Ignacio Garcia Bercero and Dan Mullaney for the United States, stepped before the cameras for an official handshake but made no statement as they began a weeklong round of negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

This second round was to have been held in October, but due to the US government shutdown had to be postponed just as the spy scandal worsened.

Since then a steady flow of surveillance revelations by US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has angered European nations, prompting demands in some EU quarters that the TTIP talks be halted altogether.

Personal data protection is a hugely sensitive issue in Europe given its history of brutal dictatorship of the left and right, and there have been longstanding concerns that giant US tech companies see it as more of a commercial commodity than a sacrosanct human right.

An EU official close to the trade talks conceded “there may be issues of trust”, but stressed that Europe would not compromise its personal data protection standards even as it must discuss the wider issue of information transfer.

“The transfer of data ... is a key component of a modern economy,” the official said, but as far as personal data is involved, it can “only be done so in compliance with (EU) legislation on data privacy”.

US Secretary of State John Kerry last week urged European leaders not to allow the snooping row to disrupt the TTIP discussions which would create “one of the most powerful economic forces on the planet”.

A third round of talks is scheduled for December 16-20 in Washington as both sides aim for a final accord by late 2014 which would cover some 40% of global economic

European Union chief negotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero (right) and US chief negotiator Dan Mullaney (left) shake hands before a working session output and 50% of trade.

The EU estimates a deal would bring annual benefits of 119bn euros ($160bn) for the bloc’s 28 member states and 500 million people, and only slightly less for the United States.

As important, however, is that it sets the standards for global trade as years of liberalisation talks in the World Trade Organisation look destined to run into the sands.

Brussels and Washington have each engaged in a series of bilateral free trade deals

with other countries given the WTO impasse, and last month Canada and the EU reached a deal hailed as helping pave the way to the TTIP. This week’s talks cover services, investment, energy and raw materials but the key objective is how to harmonise regulatory regimes so as to reduce barriers to trade.

The auto sector is a prime example where standards in such areas as safety and performance could be matched up, the EU official said, noting that regulatory differences can

AFP

add 20% to the cost of a car, much more than current tariffs do.

The aim is not a ‘one-size fits all’ system, said the official who asked not to be named, but rather to get each side to recognise the other’s regulations where possible.

That would mean for example that an EU company could comply with EU rules knowing that US authorities would accept them as valid for their home market too. The chief EU and US negotiators are due to give a press briefing on the talks next Friday. l

6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4198.51 ⇓ 1.09%, Turnover: 5043.85 M.Tk ⇑ 1.20%, PE: 12.91 Turnover 5,657.53 MTk . ⇑ 2.57% 11 November 2013 MarketCap. 2,010.61 BTk. ⇓ 0.67% CSE All Share Index: 12993 ⇓ 0.38%, Turnover: 613.68 M Tk. ⇑ 15.61%, PE: 12.75 Combined Turnover Leader

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 1050961 D: 28.40 ⇓ 5.02% | 29.42 | 32.80 / 27.00 C: 28.40 ⇓ 4.05% | 29.30 | 30.20 / 28.20 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 4946540 D: 21.90 ⇓ 6.01% | 22.60 | 25.00 / 21.00 C: 21.90 ⇓ 6.81% | 22.77 | 24.00 / 21.70 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 3334364 D: 33.90 ⇓ 7.12% | 35.33 | 38.00 / 33.00 C: 34.10 ⇓ 7.34% | 35.49 | 37.50 / 33.80 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 237395 D: 36.20 ⇓ 1.09% | 36.57 | 37.00 / 35.00 C: 36.20 ⇓ 1.90% | 36.55 | 37.50 / 36.00 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 11527330 D: 13.00 ⇓ 0.76% | 13.43 | 14.00 / 12.00 C: 13.10 ⇑ 0.77% | 13.42 | 14.00 / 13.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 326074 D: 31.80 ⇓ 2.45% | 32.34 | 33.00 / 30.00 C: 31.80 ⇓ 3.93% | 32.60 | 33.60 / 31.70 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 110276 D: 66.80 ⇓ 6.57% | 70.13 | 72.80 / 66.00 C: 67.20 ⇓ 9.31% | 71.63 | 74.00 / 67.20 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 6553270 D: 24.00 ⇓ 5.14% | 24.77 | 26.50 / 22.80 C: 24.00 ⇓ 5.14% | 24.79 | 25.90 / 23.90 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 1563343 D: 33.70 ⇓ 6.91% | 34.86 | 36.70 / 33.00 C: 33.60 ⇓ 6.41% | 34.80 | 36.80 / 33.00 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 1054000 D: 6.20 ⇓ 3.13% | 6.40 | 6.60 / 6.00 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 406570 D: 30.00 ⇓ 7.41% | 31.52 | 32.50 / 29.90 C: 29.60 ⇓ 4.21% | 30.49 | 33.50 / 29.50 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 5435771 D: 18.10 ⇓ 4.23% | 19.03 | 20.50 / 17.50 C: 18.20 ⇓ 3.70% | 18.86 | 20.30 / 18.00 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 455359 D: 24.20 ⇓ 6.20% | 24.83 | 26.40 / 24.00 C: 24.20 ⇓ 5.47% | 24.38 | 24.80 / 24.10 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 4194947 D: 18.70 ⇓ 6.03% | 19.41 | 20.70 / 18.00 C: 18.90 ⇓ 5.03% | 19.65 | 20.50 / 18.80 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 748605 D: 19.90 ⇓ 2.93% | 20.48 | 22.00 / 18.50 C: 20.20 ⇓ 1.94% | 20.79 | 21.60 / 20.20 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 5719234 D: 14.70 ⇓ 2.00% | 15.43 | 16.50 / 13.50 C: 14.90 ⇓ 1.32% | 15.38 | 16.10 / 14.70 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 4848588 D: 14.40 ⇑ 2.86% | 14.88 | 15.40 / 12.70 C: 14.40 ⇑ 2.86% | 14.83 | 15.30 / 14.10 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 47500 D: 100.7 ⇓ 5.00% | 102.69 | 106.1 / 100.0 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 334660 D: 16.90 ⇓ 4.52% | 17.76 | 18.30 / 16.00 C: 17.60 ⇓ 0.56% | 17.50 | 18.60 / 17.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 3962644 D: 15.70 ⇓ 4.27% | 16.47 | 17.00 / 14.80 C: 15.70 ⇓ 4.85% | 16.39 | 17.20 / 15.60 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 8679243 D: 16.80 ⇓ 1.75% | 17.46 | 18.80 / 15.40 C: 16.90 ⇓ 1.17% | 17.47 | 18.40 / 16.70 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 1217492 D: 20.00 ⇓ 5.21% | 20.83 | 21.70 / 19.00 C: 20.40 ⇓ 2.39% | 20.64 | 20.90 / 20.30 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 6616240 D: 16.60 ⇓ 7.26% | 17.48 | 18.70 / 16.20 C: 16.80 ⇓ 7.18% | 17.54 | 18.40 / 16.70 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 7668286 D: 13.80 ⇑ 3.76% | 14.31 | 14.60 / 12.00 C: 14.00 ⇑ 3.70% | 14.35 | 14.80 / 13.30 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 602971 D: 16.90 ⇓ 5.06% | 17.62 | 19.00 / 16.80 C: 17.00 ⇓ 3.41% | 17.74 | 18.80 / 16.80 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 1078981 D: 32.60 ⇓ 3.83% | 33.38 | 35.00 / 32.00 C: 32.20 ⇓ 5.29% | 33.26 | 34.80 / 32.00 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 2773139 D: 18.30 ⇓ 2.66% | 19.08 | 20.00 / 17.00 C: 18.60 ⇓ 1.06% | 19.33 | 20.00 / 18.30 PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 4012478 D: 13.00 ⇑ 0.78% | 13.43 | 14.00 / 11.90 C: 13.00 ⇑ 0.78% | 13.39 | 14.00 / 12.90

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL 3.68

Avg. P

R. N. Spinning-A

6468094

208.47

UCBL - A

6553270

162.33

National Bank - B

11527330

154.77

2.74

13.43

One Bank -A

8679243

151.53

2.68

17.46

8607647

140.50

UNITED AIR-A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

2.87

2.48

TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 818649 D: 20.30 ⇓ 3.79% | 21.08 | 21.70 / 19.00 C: 20.20 ⇓ 4.27% | 20.75 | 21.50 / 20.10 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 3194824 D: 15.00 ⇓ 7.41% | 15.95 | 17.00 / 14.90 C: 15.40 ⇓ 5.52% | 16.12 | 17.20 / 15.20 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 439082 D: 61.50 ⇓ 0.32% | 62.88 | 64.00 / 58.00 C: 61.90 ⇑ 0.32% | 62.79 | 63.70 / 61.90 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 522694 D: 31.10 ⇓ 2.20% | 32.04 | 33.00 / 28.70 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 304285 D: 81.30 ⇓ 1.93% | 83.49 | 86.00 / 80.00 C: 81.00 ⇓ 1.46% | 83.60 | 86.00 / 81.00 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 10000 D: 30.00 ⇓ 4.76% | 30.00 | 30.10 / 30.00 C: 27.00 ⇓ 6.25% | 27.00 | 27.00 / 27.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 1880540 D: 31.00 ⇓ 6.63% | 32.12 | 34.00 / 30.00 C: 31.30 ⇓ 5.72% | 31.76 | 34.20 / 30.90 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 2183805 D: 25.30 ⇓ 3.07% | 26.45 | 28.50 / 23.50 C: 25.50 ⇑ 1.59% | 26.28 | 27.30 / 25.10 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 652475 D: 25.60 ⇓ 1.54% | 26.46 | 27.50 / 24.00 C: 25.70 ⇓ 0.39% | 26.73 | 27.70 / 25.60 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 384530 D: 10.10 ⇓ 2.88% | 10.54 | 10.90 / 9.50 C: 10.50 ⇑ 0.96% | 10.53 | 10.70 / 10.40 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 1646471 D: 16.90 ⇓ 1.74% | 17.62 | 18.20 / 16.20 C: 16.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.72 | 18.20 / 16.90 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 1010400 D: 56.90 ⇓ 0.87% | 57.87 | 59.30 / 51.70 C: 56.70 ⇓ 0.87% | 58.14 | 59.50 / 56.10 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 354055 D: 17.40 ⇑ 0.58% | 17.90 | 18.50 / 17.00 C: 17.40 ⇑ 1.16% | 17.86 | 18.30 / 17.40 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 556370 D: 19.00 ⇓ 3.55% | 20.19 | 21.10 / 19.00 C: 18.40 ⇓ 3.16% | 20.43 | 20.90 / 18.30 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 62610 D: 29.00 ⇑ 0.35% | 29.01 | 29.20 / 27.90 C: 27.90 ⇓ 0.71% | 28.07 | 29.00 / 27.90 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 299585 D: 19.40 ⇑ 1.04% | 19.74 | 20.70 / 17.30 C: 19.20 ⇑ 0.52% | 19.84 | 20.50 / 19.10 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 1392500 D: 15.60 ⇓ 1.27% | 16.38 | 16.90 / 15.50 C: 15.60 ⇑ 0.65% | 16.36 | 16.90 / 15.30 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 821630 D: 33.40 ⇓ 5.65% | 35.21 | 36.50 / 33.00 C: 33.20 ⇓ 7.26% | 35.13 | 36.50 / 33.00 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 1148522 D: 14.50 ⇑ 1.40% | 15.06 | 15.60 / 14.40 C: 14.50 ⇑ 1.40% | 14.94 | 15.50 / 14.50 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 68400 D: 55.90 ⇓ 1.93% | 56.50 | 59.00 / 55.80 C: 57.00 ⇓ 0.70% | 57.00 | 57.00 / 57.00 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 637105 D: 31.10 ⇑ 1.97% | 31.78 | 33.30 / 28.00 C: 31.30 ⇑ 4.33% | 31.92 | 33.00 / 31.00 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 370500 D: 30.50 ⇓ 4.09% | 31.72 | 33.00 / 30.20 C: 30.10 ⇓ 2.90% | 31.00 | 32.50 / 30.00 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 7850 D: 1458 ⇑ 0.50% | 1456 | 1469 / 1450 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 460639 D: 26.70 ⇓ 0.74% | 27.42 | 28.00 / 25.50 C: 27.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.35 | 28.20 / 26.00 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 1593000 D: 14.30 ⇑ 3.62% | 14.51 | 15.00 / 13.80 C: 14.30 ⇑ 3.62% | 14.50 | 14.80 / 14.10 INVESTMENT 1STICB | 75.63 | 942.30 | Vol. 50 D: 915.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 915.00 | 915.0 / 915.0 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 2700 D: 248.4 ⇑ 4.68% | 248.52 | 252.9 / 238.2 3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 1350 D: 193.3 ⇑ 3.54% | 193.33 | 199.0 / 187.0 4THICB | 29.24 | 229.24 | Vol. 500 D: 182.6 ⇑ 1.73% | 182.00 | 185.0 / 181.0 5THICB | 23.45 | 188.92 | Vol. 6500 D: 143.1 ⇑ 2.00% | 143.38 | 152.8 / 140.5

32.23 24.77

16.32

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

C%

A%

CP

6th ICB M F-A

9.98

11.70

55.10

Eastern Bank-A

-7.41

1.25

30.00

First Security Bank-A Mercantile Bank-A

-7.41

2.51

15.00

-7.26

0.75

16.60

IFIC Bank-A

-7.12

-3.99

33.90

BD. Autocars -B

-7.05

-6.95

21.10

Northern Jute-Z

9.54

6.22

28.70

Savar Refractories-Z

9.04

9.04

57.90

Sonargaon Tex-A

9.03

5.68

16.90

Delta Life Insu.-Z

8.74

8.74

6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 104800 D: 55.10 ⇑ 9.98% | 54.91 | 55.10 / 52.00 C: 53.30 ⇑ 9.90% | 53.30 | 53.30 / 53.30 7THICB | 13.53 | 98.60 | Vol. 2500 D: 81.30 ⇑ 4.23% | 81.20 | 85.80 / 78.00 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 38500 D: 53.90 ⇑ 1.32% | 53.95 | 55.80 / 52.00 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 863750 D: 40.80 ⇑ 3.82% | 40.86 | 41.30 / 39.00 C: 40.90 ⇑ 4.34% | 40.81 | 41.20 / 36.70 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 85000 D: 17.50 ⇑ 1.16% | 17.64 | 18.10 / 17.40 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 513250 D: 45.70 ⇓ 1.72% | 46.55 | 47.50 / 45.00 C: 46.40 ⇓ 0.43% | 47.04 | 47.90 / 45.70 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 3000 D: 24.50 ⇑ 0.82% | 24.67 | 24.80 / 24.10 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 399500 D: 10.10 ⇑ 2.02% | 10.10 | 10.20 / 10.00 C: 10.10 ⇑ 5.21% | 10.10 | 10.10 / 10.10 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 2071350 D: 17.20 ⇑ 1.18% | 17.36 | 17.50 / 16.00 C: 17.40 ⇑ 2.96% | 17.40 | 17.70 / 17.00 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 1218500 D: 22.90 ⇓ 4.58% | 23.73 | 24.70 / 22.70 C: 23.10 ⇓ 3.75% | 23.40 | 24.20 / 22.90 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 1061779 D: 7.30 ⇑ 1.39% | 7.46 | 7.60 / 7.00 C: 7.50 ⇑ 2.74% | 7.51 | 7.80 / 7.30 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 126500 D: 6.40 ⇑ 6.67% | 6.38 | 6.50 / 6.00 C: 6.60 ⇑ 6.45% | 6.60 | 6.80 / 6.30 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 256500 D: 6.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.63 | 6.70 / 6.50 C: 6.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.51 | 6.60 / 6.50 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 2337765 D: 8.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 8.17 | 8.40 / 7.10 C: 7.90 ⇑ 1.28% | 8.14 | 8.40 / 7.80 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 411500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 7.55% | 5.68 | 5.80 / 5.30 C: 5.70 ⇑ 5.56% | 5.66 | 5.90 / 5.30 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 1062500 D: 6.30 ⇑ 5.00% | 6.33 | 6.50 / 6.10 C: 6.30 ⇑ 5.00% | 6.34 | 6.50 / 5.80 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 787734 D: 7.10 ⇑ 1.43% | 7.38 | 7.60 / 6.40 C: 7.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.19 | 7.50 / 7.10 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 826000 D: 5.80 ⇑ 1.75% | 5.96 | 6.10 / 5.70 C: 5.90 ⇑ 5.36% | 6.07 | 6.10 / 5.80 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 1258500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 7.55% | 5.62 | 5.80 / 5.40 C: 5.70 ⇑ 7.55% | 5.61 | 5.80 / 5.30 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 1723500 D: 6.40 ⇑ 3.23% | 6.50 | 6.60 / 6.40 C: 6.20 ⇓ 1.59% | 6.37 | 6.60 / 6.20 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 721000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.79 | 5.90 / 5.60 C: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.76 | 5.80 / 5.70 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 3901176 D: 6.50 ⇑ 4.84% | 6.58 | 6.80 / 5.70 C: 6.60 ⇑ 4.76% | 6.60 | 6.70 / 5.70 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 968000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.79 | 5.90 / 5.60 C: 5.80 ⇑ 5.45% | 5.79 | 5.90 / 5.30 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 4346000 D: 6.20 ⇑ 5.08% | 6.28 | 6.40 / 6.10 C: 6.30 ⇑ 6.78% | 6.32 | 6.40 / 6.10 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 259000 D: 6.90 ⇑ 2.99% | 7.02 | 7.20 / 6.90 C: 7.00 ⇑ 2.94% | 7.09 | 7.10 / 7.00 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 495500 D: 6.70 ⇑ 4.69% | 6.70 | 6.90 / 6.60 C: 6.90 ⇑ 4.55% | 6.88 | 7.00 / 6.70 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 1158000 D: 8.60 ⇑ 1.18% | 8.71 | 8.80 / 7.90 C: 8.60 ⇑ 2.38% | 8.78 | 8.90 / 8.60 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 278000 D: 8.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 8.15 | 8.40 / 8.00 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 1339050 D: 9.30 ⇑ 1.09% | 9.52 | 9.80 / 9.20 C: 9.40 ⇑ 2.17% | 9.53 | 9.90 / 9.30 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.47 | 11.18 | Vol. 200000 D: 7.40 ⇑ 2.78% | 7.42 | 7.50 / 7.30

DSE Loser

405.70

ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 1914672 D: 7.60 ⇑ 1.33% | 7.80 | 8.00 / 7.40 C: 7.40 ⇓ 1.33% | 7.75 | 7.90 / 7.40 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 1726100 D: 9.60 ⇑ 2.13% | 9.88 | 10.10 / 9.60 C: 9.70 ⇑ 2.11% | 9.91 | 9.90 / 10.00 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 95500 D: 9.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 8.96 | 9.20 / 8.70 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 1579000 D: 7.30 ⇑ 4.29% | 7.50 | 7.70 / 7.00 C: 7.40 ⇑ 5.71% | 7.52 | 7.70 / 7.20 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 15000 D: 8.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 381446 D: 98.40 ⇓ 0.71% | 98.87 | 100.4 / 90.00 C: 98.50 ⇓ 0.61% | 98.94 | 99.90 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 3600 D: 17.00 ⇓ 0.58% | 17.10 | 17.20 / 17.00 C: 17.80 ⇑ 2.30% | 17.83 | 17.90 / 17.80 OLYMPIC | 7.85 | 22.10 | Vol. 157505 D: 198.3 ⇓ 0.95% | 199.38 | 203.0 / 196.1 C: 197.3 ⇓ 2.04% | 198.39 | 199.5 / 197.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 7350 D: 123.9 ⇓ 0.72% | 124.40 | 127.0 / 123.2 C: 126.0 ⇑ 0.40% | 126.00 | 126.0 / 126.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 1100 D: 73.70 ⇓ 6.83% | 74.00 | 77.30 / 73.10 C: 75.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 75.00 | 75.00 / 75.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 1050 D: 262.1 ⇑ 0.73% | 261.90 | 272.0 / 260.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 72274 D: 192.8 ⇓ 0.05% | 195.35 | 201.0 / 190.0 C: 191.5 ⇓ 0.62% | 193.15 | 199.0 / 190.0 ATLASBANG | 11.98 | 207.70 | Vol. 11303 D: 160.7 ⇓ 0.25% | 161.68 | 163.0 / 160.2 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 65100 D: 21.10 ⇓ 7.05% | 21.41 | 22.30 / 21.00 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 201200 D: 32.60 ⇑ 0.93% | 33.19 | 34.70 / 32.00 C: 32.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.69 | 34.00 / 32.30 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 12750 D: 141.9 ⇑ 2.90% | 142.82 | 147.0 / 139.0 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 101552 D: 68.00 ⇓ 2.86% | 68.79 | 70.00 / 68.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 313437 D: 25.00 ⇑ 2.46% | 24.90 | 25.50 / 22.60 C: 25.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 25.12 | 26.70 / 24.80 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 12000 D: 15.90 ⇑ 1.27% | 15.92 | 16.00 / 15.70 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 36000 D: 81.10 ⇑ 0.75% | 80.97 | 82.60 / 80.00 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 339150 D: 40.00 ⇓ 0.50% | 40.39 | 40.90 / 39.90 C: 40.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.59 | 41.00 / 40.20 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 747124 D: 45.20 ⇑ 0.67% | 45.67 | 46.30 / 40.50 C: 45.90 ⇑ 4.08% | 45.88 | 46.10 / 45.10 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 164539 D: 66.50 ⇓ 1.19% | 67.02 | 68.10 / 60.60 C: 66.40 ⇓ 1.92% | 66.62 | 68.00 / 66.20 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 207245 D: 65.00 ⇑ 0.93% | 65.04 | 69.00 / 60.00 C: 65.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 64.83 | 65.10 / 64.00 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 441206 D: 15.90 ⇑ 1.27% | 15.90 | 16.00 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇑ 1.26% | 15.99 | 16.30 / 15.70 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 277500 D: 43.10 ⇓ 5.07% | 43.71 | 45.00 / 43.10 C: 43.00 ⇓ 2.93% | 43.68 | 44.50 / 43.00 BENGALWTL | 4.16 | 26.24 | Vol. 196000 D: 45.20 ⇑ 0.22% | 45.42 | 45.90 / 45.10 C: 45.40 ⇑ 0.89% | 45.37 | 47.40 / 44.20 BDBUILDING | 1.53 | 14.60 | Vol. 927500 D: 39.20 ⇑ 0.51% | 39.45 | 40.20 / 38.80 C: 39.00 ⇓ 0.51% | 39.12 | 40.00 / 38.50 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 200485 D: 43.50 ⇑ 0.69% | 43.86 | 45.00 / 43.10 C: 43.20 ⇓ 2.70% | 43.22 | 44.10 / 43.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 42400 D: 89.50 ⇑ 0.56% | 89.96 | 90.80 / 87.60 C: 88.00 ⇑ 0.92% | 91.14 | 93.70 / 87.70 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 21855 D: 387.9 ⇑ 0.41% | 388.86 | 394.1 / 385.0 C: 381.7 ⇓ 0.47% | 382.04 | 385.0 / 380.0

BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 1300 D: 1616 ⇓ 0.07% | 1616 | 1625 / 1605 C: 1625 ⇑ 6.14% | 1625 | 1625 / 1625 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 600 D: 162.0 ⇓ 3.91% | 161.67 | 164.0 / 161.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 2300 D: 800.1 ⇓ 0.12% | 800.00 | 801.0 / 799.9 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 5100 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.04 | 8.30 / 7.60 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 65710 D: 182.5 ⇑ 0.66% | 180.92 | 190.0 / 179.5 C: 183.4 ⇑ 1.66% | 183.40 | 183.4 / 183.4 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 1700 D: 7.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.65 | 7.70 / 7.50 FUWANGFOOD | 1.03 | 13.51 | Vol. 484960 D: 22.10 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.09 | 22.40 / 21.00 C: 22.40 ⇑ 1.82% | 22.15 | 22.60 / 21.60 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 1500 D: 6.10 ⇓ 4.69% | 6.00 | 6.40 / 6.00 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 29500 D: 6.90 ⇓ 1.43% | 6.98 | 7.10 / 6.90 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 414334 D: 19.50 ⇑ 3.17% | 19.59 | 20.00 / 18.90 C: 19.50 ⇑ 2.63% | 19.68 | 20.00 / 19.00 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 292075 D: 16.80 ⇑ 7.01% | 16.53 | 17.10 / 15.70 C: 16.60 ⇑ 5.73% | 16.37 | 17.00 / 15.60 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 525024 D: 21.40 ⇑ 1.42% | 21.50 | 21.80 / 19.50 C: 21.50 ⇑ 1.42% | 21.44 | 21.70 / 21.10 GHAIL | 2.43 | 25.58 | Vol. 316800 D: 36.10 ⇑ 1.98% | 35.81 | 36.50 / 32.00 C: 36.20 ⇑ 0.56% | 35.88 | 36.80 / 35.20 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 6750 D: 619.4 ⇑ 0.18% | 618.52 | 630.0 / 609.0 PADMAOIL | 16.38 | 43.67 | Vol. 167316 D: 291.8 ⇓ 2.21% | 294.20 | 300.0 / 291.0 C: 292.8 ⇓ 2.27% | 293.83 | 300.0 / 292.0 EASTRNLUB | 6.32 | 68.68 | Vol. 250 D: 314.2 ⇓ 3.38% | 316.00 | 325.0 / 307.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 324398 D: 19.30 ⇑ 1.05% | 19.38 | 19.70 / 17.90 C: 19.50 ⇑ 2.63% | 19.52 | 19.70 / 19.10 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 1685114 D: 35.60 ⇑ 3.79% | 35.68 | 36.30 / 32.00 C: 35.60 ⇑ 2.89% | 35.80 | 36.20 / 34.90 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 238711 D: 64.60 ⇑ 3.19% | 64.14 | 66.00 / 62.00 C: 64.10 ⇑ 1.10% | 63.90 | 64.10 / 63.70 POWERGRID | 2.19 | 63.69 | Vol. 145878 D: 51.30 ⇓ 4.47% | 51.61 | 54.00 / 50.70 C: 51.90 ⇓ 2.08% | 51.85 | 52.00 / 51.70 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 147641 D: 223.9 ⇓ 0.58% | 224.08 | 225.8 / 220.0 C: 223.7 ⇓ 0.97% | 223.47 | 225.0 / 219.3 MPETROLEUM | 25.61 | 71.11 | Vol. 460756 D: 260.2 ⇓ 0.42% | 261.52 | 265.0 / 240.0 C: 261.1 ⇓ 0.27% | 261.43 | 264.0 / 259.0 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 474970 D: 74.60 ⇑ 0.54% | 74.98 | 76.00 / 67.00 C: 74.40 ⇑ 0.40% | 74.95 | 75.50 / 74.30 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 327605 D: 48.50 ⇑ 2.75% | 48.57 | 50.70 / 45.00 C: 48.00 ⇑ 1.48% | 48.36 | 49.00 / 47.20 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 560540 D: 28.30 ⇓ 0.35% | 28.62 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.40 ⇑ 0.71% | 28.73 | 29.10 / 28.20 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 71459 D: 71.70 ⇓ 0.42% | 71.77 | 74.00 / 65.00 C: 70.50 ⇓ 1.12% | 70.48 | 71.00 / 70.40 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 1414978 D: 27.30 ⇑ 2.63% | 27.46 | 28.20 / 24.00 C: 27.20 ⇑ 1.87% | 27.50 | 28.00 / 26.20 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 1071670 D: 57.30 ⇑ 1.24% | 58.00 | 59.70 / 51.00 C: 57.40 ⇑ 1.06% | 58.17 | 62.00 / 56.00 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 11000 D: 64.20 ⇑ 0.31% | 64.55 | 66.00 / 64.00 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 600 D: 28.70 ⇑ 9.54% | 28.33 | 28.80 / 28.60 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 8700 D: 125.8 ⇓ 0.55% | 127.01 | 129.9 / 124.7

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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7

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

November 11, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 38,722.71 ⇓ 3.30% NBFI: 21,044.04 ⇓ 0.98% INVS: 4,980.00 ⇑ 2.03% ENGG: 5,681.29 ⇓ 0.55% FOOD: 9,317.39 ⇑ 0.47% F&P: 9,972.36 � 0.00% TEXT: 3,239.98 ⇑ 2.98% PHAR: 16,962.39 ⇑ 0.13% PAPR: 930.52 ⇑ 0.64% SERV: 2,876.08 ⇑ 2.54% LEAT: 5,179.08 ⇑ 1.47% CERA: 490.51 ⇓ 0.16% CMNT: 4,268.07 ⇓ 0.25% INFO: 6,661.13 ⇓ 0.06% GINS: 9,395.90 ⇓ 0.92% LINS: 133,729.21 ⇑ 14.90% TELC: 1,304.78 ⇑ 0.32% MISC: 6,147.85 ⇑ 1.43% TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 30150 D: 86.00 ⇑ 1.65% | 86.40 | 88.40 / 85.50 RAHIMTEXT | 5.81 | 70.85 | Vol. 3800 D: 306.0 ⇑ 3.52% | 306.58 | 317.0 / 301.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 617500 D: 28.70 ⇑ 1.06% | 28.79 | 29.10 / 28.50 C: 28.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.53 | 28.80 / 28.00 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 2150 D: 73.90 ⇑ 0.96% | 73.95 | 76.00 / 73.00 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 15900 D: 53.70 ⇑ 2.87% | 54.15 | 55.80 / 53.00 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 7100 D: 7.80 ⇑ 1.30% | 7.75 | 8.00 / 7.60 TALLUSPIN | 2.01 | 18.59 | Vol. 1462792 D: 40.00 ⇑ 0.76% | 39.97 | 40.50 / 37.10 C: 39.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 39.79 | 40.50 / 38.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 6400 D: 64.70 ⇑ 0.78% | 64.84 | 66.50 / 64.10 MITHUNKNIT | 3.33 | 23.82 | Vol. 117848 D: 74.30 ⇑ 1.36% | 74.02 | 75.60 / 73.00 C: 73.70 ⇑ 1.94% | 73.75 | 75.90 / 73.00 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 602440 D: 28.20 ⇑ 1.81% | 27.86 | 28.80 / 26.00 C: 28.30 ⇑ 2.17% | 28.11 | 28.70 / 27.50 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 398775 D: 16.90 ⇑ 9.03% | 16.55 | 17.00 / 15.00 C: 16.80 ⇑ 9.80% | 16.53 | 16.80 / 15.80 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 343500 D: 24.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.28 | 24.50 / 23.80 C: 24.20 ⇑ 1.68% | 24.41 | 24.90 / 24.10 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 83000 D: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.26 | 7.30 / 7.10 C: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.20 | 7.30 / 7.10 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 39500 D: 30.90 ⇓ 1.90% | 31.14 | 31.30 / 30.20 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 203975 D: 35.00 ⇑ 4.79% | 35.12 | 36.40 / 33.00 C: 35.70 ⇑ 8.84% | 35.70 | 36.00 / 34.70 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1450788 D: 30.10 ⇑ 4.88% | 30.01 | 30.90 / 26.00 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 348450 D: 23.30 ⇑ 4.02% | 23.48 | 24.00 / 20.20 C: 23.60 ⇑ 4.42% | 23.65 | 24.10 / 22.40 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 97066 D: 91.00 ⇓ 0.11% | 91.42 | 92.50 / 88.20 C: 91.50 ⇑ 1.55% | 91.53 | 93.00 / 91.00 METROSPIN | 0.62 | 19.48 | Vol. 700046 D: 18.20 ⇑ 1.68% | 18.43 | 19.00 / 17.00 C: 18.20 ⇑ 0.55% | 18.35 | 18.80 / 18.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 2134981 D: 15.90 ⇑ 2.58% | 15.94 | 16.40 / 14.00 C: 16.10 ⇑ 3.21% | 15.99 | 16.40 / 15.30 DACCADYE | 1.21 | 31.13 | Vol. 728378 D: 26.80 ⇑ 2.68% | 27.35 | 27.80 / 24.00 C: 26.60 ⇑ 0.76% | 26.82 | 27.40 / 26.40 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 6468094 D: 32.70 ⇑ 5.48% | 32.21 | 33.10 / 30.00 C: 32.70 ⇑ 5.83% | 32.35 | 33.00 / 31.10 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 554255 D: 15.40 ⇓ 1.28% | 15.52 | 16.00 / 14.60 C: 15.50 ⇓ 0.64% | 15.57 | 15.90 / 15.40 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 2318540 D: 28.70 ⇑ 5.13% | 28.36 | 29.00 / 25.50 C: 28.50 ⇑ 5.56% | 28.31 | 28.90 / 27.70 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 371000 D: 24.90 ⇑ 1.63% | 24.89 | 25.10 / 24.00 C: 25.40 ⇑ 2.83% | 25.14 | 25.50 / 24.10 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 501500 D: 23.50 ⇑ 1.73% | 23.55 | 23.90 / 23.00 C: 23.60 ⇑ 1.72% | 23.63 | 24.00 / 23.10 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 4387100 D: 25.70 ⇑ 3.63% | 25.53 | 25.90 / 22.40 C: 25.80 ⇑ 4.03% | 25.63 | 26.00 / 24.90 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 1016950 D: 59.00 ⇑ 2.79% | 58.95 | 60.50 / 54.80 C: 58.60 ⇑ 2.45% | 59.14 | 60.50 / 57.70 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 1531680 D: 71.00 ⇑ 3.80% | 70.11 | 71.60 / 61.60 C: 71.10 ⇑ 5.02% | 69.72 | 71.50 / 68.00 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 460500 D: 44.70 ⇑ 2.52% | 44.84 | 45.30 / 43.80 C: 44.70 ⇑ 3.00% | 44.73 | 45.10 / 43.60 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 8831 D: 247.3 ⇑ 1.98% | 248.17 | 251.0 / 245.0 C: 251.1 ⇑ 2.83% | 249.96 | 252.0 / 250.0

DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 473576 D: 13.10 ⇑ 0.77% | 13.17 | 13.40 / 13.00 C: 13.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.18 | 13.30 / 12.00 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 506050 D: 28.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.68 | 29.00 / 25.70 C: 28.80 ⇑ 0.70% | 28.82 | 29.20 / 28.50

BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 403925 D: 44.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 45.17 | 48.00 / 40.50 C: 45.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 45.09 | 45.60 / 40.50 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 750 D: 929.9 ⇓ 0.60% | 929.33 | 938.9 / 922.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 10722 D: 163.2 ⇓ 0.06% | 162.92 | 164.5 / 147.0 C: 160.7 ⇑ 0.06% | 160.75 | 162.9 / 160.3 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 7100 D: 714.8 ⇑ 0.92% | 713.52 | 718.0 / 710.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 450 D: 702.3 ⇓ 3.01% | 702.22 | 711.0 / 700.0 PHARMAID | 5.06 | 26.30 | Vol. 25300 D: 159.0 ⇓ 1.55% | 160.16 | 164.0 / 158.1 KOHINOOR | 9.52 | 10.49 | Vol. 500 D: 440.0 ⇑ 1.55% | 440.00 | 440.0 / 440.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 69205 D: 95.30 ⇑ 0.53% | 96.18 | 97.30 / 90.00 C: 95.60 ⇑ 1.81% | 95.48 | 96.00 / 95.00 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 400 D: 390.0 ⇑ 0.10% | 390.00 | 390.0 / 390.0 ORIONINFU | 8.72 | 1.73 | Vol. 152000 D: 40.10 ⇑ 0.25% | 40.07 | 40.40 / 39.90 C: 40.70 ⇑ 1.75% | 40.69 | 41.00 / 39.90 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 315316 D: 180.5 ⇑ 0.33% | 181.16 | 183.0 / 163.0 C: 180.6 ⇑ 0.22% | 181.33 | 183.0 / 180.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 21000 D: 7.10 ⇓ 1.39% | 7.10 | 7.20 / 7.00 C: 7.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 7.02 | 7.10 / 7.00 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1008155 D: 24.30 ⇑ 0.83% | 24.34 | 24.60 / 24.00 C: 24.30 ⇑ 1.67% | 24.39 | 24.70 / 23.80 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 10850 D: 797.2 ⇓ 0.87% | 799.45 | 800.0 / 790.2 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 24200 D: 73.00 ⇑ 0.14% | 73.38 | 74.30 / 72.90 C: 73.10 ⇑ 0.83% | 73.14 | 73.80 / 73.00 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 3200 D: 739.5 ⇑ 0.31% | 738.10 | 756.0 / 733.0 C: 730.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 730.00 | 730.0 / 730.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 843375 D: 11.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 11.47 | 12.60 / 11.00 C: 11.50 ⇑ 0.88% | 11.46 | 11.60 / 11.30 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 635625 D: 81.20 ⇓ 2.29% | 81.68 | 83.20 / 74.80 C: 81.70 ⇓ 2.51% | 81.94 | 84.80 / 81.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 484828 D: 19.20 ⇑ 1.05% | 19.34 | 19.70 / 18.00 C: 19.50 ⇑ 2.09% | 19.36 | 19.70 / 18.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 353750 D: 49.80 ⇓ 2.16% | 50.27 | 51.70 / 49.40 C: 49.70 ⇓ 1.39% | 50.25 | 52.00 / 49.40 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 937000 D: 54.30 ⇑ 1.12% | 54.12 | 55.00 / 48.40 C: 54.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 54.11 | 54.90 / 53.60 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 130000 D: 180.4 ⇑ 6.87% | 177.45 | 182.8 / 170.0 C: 181.5 ⇑ 7.97% | 177.89 | 184.0 / 168.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 309500 D: 27.40 ⇑ 1.48% | 27.47 | 28.50 / 26.80 C: 27.60 ⇑ 1.10% | 27.78 | 28.40 / 27.00 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 27500 D: 24.80 ⇑ 0.81% | 24.81 | 26.80 / 24.00 C: 24.10 ⇓ 2.82% | 24.10 | 24.10 / 24.10 SERVICE SAMORITA | 3.24 | 74.65 | Vol. 41000 D: 102.1 ⇓ 3.22% | 104.47 | 107.0 / 101.3 C: 104.0 ⇓ 0.57% | 101.80 | 95.00 / 103.0

SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 312369 D: 26.90 ⇑ 1.51% | 27.05 | 27.40 / 24.00 C: 27.20 ⇑ 2.26% | 27.31 | 27.60 / 26.40 EHL | 3.16 | 20.74 | Vol. 201642 D: 51.50 ⇓ 0.96% | 51.58 | 52.80 / 50.00 C: 52.00 ⇓ 0.76% | 51.69 | 52.40 / 51.40 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 68500 D: 103.8 ⇑ 1.86% | 103.47 | 105.9 / 100.2 C: 105.0 ⇑ 3.24% | 104.20 | 105.5 / 102.0 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 4700 D: 695.5 ⇑ 0.93% | 696.81 | 700.0 / 691.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 34400 D: 371.9 ⇓ 0.51% | 375.19 | 382.9 / 366.1 C: 403.9 ⇑ 2.51% | 403.90 | 403.9 / 403.9 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 9000 D: 13.10 ⇑ 0.77% | 13.11 | 13.50 / 12.70 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 341575 D: 30.60 ⇑ 1.66% | 30.84 | 32.00 / 27.10 C: 31.10 ⇑ 2.64% | 31.00 | 31.80 / 30.00 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 28350 D: 28.60 ⇓ 0.69% | 28.86 | 29.30 / 28.50 C: 28.00 ⇓ 3.45% | 28.00 | 28.00 / 28.00 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 23500 D: 39.60 ⇓ 5.04% | 40.00 | 42.60 / 38.40 C: 37.60 ⇓ 7.62% | 38.04 | 40.20 / 37.50 FUWANGCER | 0.72 | 13.97 | Vol. 498000 D: 17.90 ⇓ 0.56% | 18.01 | 18.20 / 17.90 C: 17.90 ⇓ 1.10% | 18.05 | 18.20 / 17.60 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 507280 D: 16.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.21 | 16.50 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇓ 0.62% | 16.17 | 16.50 / 16.00 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 152302 D: 51.20 ⇓ 1.54% | 51.85 | 53.00 / 49.00 C: 51.90 ⇑ 0.58% | 51.38 | 52.30 / 47.00 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 85010 D: 393.8 ⇑ 1.86% | 396.22 | 401.9 / 388.2 C: 391.3 ⇑ 1.29% | 393.04 | 400.0 / 388.9 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 84235 D: 122.2 ⇑ 0.91% | 123.00 | 125.0 / 121.4 C: 122.0 ⇑ 0.91% | 121.86 | 124.0 / 120.7 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 39400 D: 121.9 ⇑ 0.41% | 122.75 | 124.4 / 121.5 C: 122.0 ⇓ 0.08% | 121.20 | 122.0 / 120.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 62000 D: 70.40 ⇑ 3.83% | 68.92 | 71.80 / 67.50 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 299500 D: 31.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.33 | 31.40 / 31.20 C: 31.50 ⇑ 0.32% | 31.51 | 31.80 / 31.20 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 297688 D: 86.20 ⇓ 5.79% | 86.38 | 90.00 / 82.50 C: 86.10 ⇓ 5.38% | 86.06 | 86.60 / 85.20 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 210400 D: 99.40 ⇓ 3.02% | 99.53 | 101.2 / 98.00 C: 98.50 ⇓ 3.53% | 98.64 | 99.90 / 100.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 222500 D: 16.40 ⇑ 4.46% | 16.10 | 16.60 / 15.50 C: 16.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 15.99 | 16.40 / 14.60 BDCOM | 1.54 | 15.85 | Vol. 572236 D: 27.90 ⇑ 0.72% | 28.08 | 28.50 / 25.20 C: 27.10 ⇓ 3.21% | 27.34 | 28.00 / 27.10 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 269367 D: 14.90 ⇑ 1.36% | 14.95 | 15.20 / 14.00 C: 14.80 ⇑ 0.68% | 14.85 | 15.00 / 14.50 AGNISYSL | 1.06 | 16.39 | Vol. 232791 D: 21.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.20 | 21.50 / 20.00 C: 21.00 ⇑ 0.96% | 20.86 | 21.20 / 20.40

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 104763 D: 30.50 ⇓ 1.29% | 31.11 | 32.00 / 28.00 C: 30.40 ⇓ 0.98% | 30.55 | 31.90 / 30.30 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 18900 D: 81.70 ⇑ 0.49% | 82.39 | 83.90 / 81.30 C: 82.10 ⇓ 2.73% | 83.36 | 84.00 / 82.10 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 20755 D: 45.60 ⇓ 0.44% | 46.16 | 46.60 / 42.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 278550 D: 36.70 ⇓ 2.65% | 37.95 | 39.50 / 34.00 C: 36.80 ⇓ 2.90% | 37.22 | 38.60 / 36.00 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 34800 D: 38.80 ⇓ 2.51% | 39.47 | 40.50 / 38.60 C: 39.00 ⇓ 3.70% | 39.00 | 39.00 / 39.00 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 648360 D: 28.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 29.86 | 31.20 / 28.00 C: 29.00 ⇑ 3.20% | 30.21 | 30.90 / 28.80 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 152550 D: 44.40 ⇓ 0.45% | 45.22 | 46.30 / 44.00 C: 45.00 ⇑ 0.45% | 44.79 | 45.90 / 44.10 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 89600 D: 48.50 ⇓ 2.61% | 49.46 | 50.70 / 48.50 C: 48.80 ⇓ 0.41% | 48.70 | 49.40 / 48.50 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 51000 D: 31.00 ⇓ 2.52% | 31.69 | 32.30 / 30.70 C: 31.40 ⇑ 4.67% | 31.43 | 32.00 / 31.10 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 212800 D: 25.00 ⇑ 1.21% | 25.21 | 25.70 / 24.20 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 369324 D: 35.00 ⇓ 1.69% | 36.02 | 37.00 / 34.80 C: 35.00 ⇓ 1.96% | 35.49 | 36.10 / 34.90 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 939864 D: 25.50 ⇓ 1.92% | 26.36 | 27.30 / 24.00 C: 25.80 ⇓ 2.27% | 26.77 | 27.40 / 25.40 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 24000 D: 73.90 ⇑ 2.92% | 74.17 | 78.00 / 72.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 384500 D: 24.40 ⇓ 1.21% | 25.01 | 25.80 / 24.20 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 39700 D: 58.90 ⇓ 1.01% | 59.22 | 60.00 / 58.90 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 74250 D: 33.80 ⇓ 1.46% | 34.92 | 36.00 / 33.60 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 63306 D: 68.20 ⇓ 1.73% | 69.52 | 71.90 / 68.10 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 109500 D: 28.40 ⇓ 2.07% | 28.80 | 29.90 / 28.40 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 47335 D: 27.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.88 | 29.00 / 27.60 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 141700 D: 29.90 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.20 | 31.00 / 28.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 5000 D: 35.60 ⇓ 2.47% | 35.71 | 35.80 / 35.50 C: 35.50 ⇓ 1.39% | 35.50 | 35.50 / 35.50 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 55500 D: 31.00 ⇓ 2.52% | 31.28 | 32.00 / 30.90 C: 30.80 ⇓ 3.14% | 32.48 | 34.50 / 30.80 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 157000 D: 25.60 ⇓ 0.78% | 26.03 | 26.70 / 25.50 C: 25.90 ⇓ 0.77% | 25.90 | 25.90 / 25.90 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 211765 D: 25.00 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.27 | 26.10 / 24.90 C: 25.10 ⇓ 3.09% | 25.33 | 25.80 / 25.10 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 259694 D: 29.70 ⇓ 1.66% | 30.45 | 31.50 / 28.00 C: 29.70 ⇓ 2.94% | 30.37 | 31.10 / 29.40 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 260000 D: 31.70 ⇓ 1.86% | 32.30 | 33.20 / 31.50 C: 32.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 32.21 | 32.80 / 32.00 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 213765 D: 41.80 ⇓ 1.18% | 42.23 | 43.70 / 41.60 C: 41.60 ⇓ 2.35% | 42.17 | 42.50 / 41.50 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 22832 D: 40.40 ⇓ 0.49% | 40.51 | 43.10 / 38.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 134702 D: 43.00 ⇓ 0.23% | 43.00 | 44.00 / 38.80 C: 44.40 ⇑ 2.07% | 44.40 | 44.80 / 43.10 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 382500 D: 44.40 ⇓ 0.22% | 45.10 | 45.80 / 44.10 C: 44.50 ⇓ 1.11% | 45.23 | 46.00 / 44.30 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 110162 D: 28.50 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.89 | 29.10 / 26.00 C: 29.00 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.84 | 29.30 / 28.40

ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 85000 D: 35.00 ⇑ 0.57% | 34.98 | 35.40 / 33.20 C: 34.00 ⇑ 7.94% | 33.95 | 34.00 / 33.90 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 144229 D: 29.70 ⇓ 1.66% | 29.81 | 30.50 / 28.00 C: 28.70 ⇓ 4.33% | 28.65 | 29.20 / 28.10 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 143750 D: 41.60 ⇓ 0.72% | 42.16 | 42.80 / 41.60 C: 42.00 ⇓ 1.41% | 42.18 | 42.50 / 42.00 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 38945 D: 262.9 ⇓ 2.85% | 272.45 | 285.0 / 260.0 C: 261.4 ⇑ 5.40% | 259.33 | 263.0 / 261.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 11600 D: 405.7 ⇑ 8.74% | 405.70 | 405.7 / 405.7 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 66600 D: 73.40 ⇓ 0.27% | 73.96 | 75.80 / 72.00 C: 74.10 ⇑ 0.14% | 74.13 | 75.00 / 73.10 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 106888 D: 97.10 ⇓ 1.72% | 98.39 | 101.0 / 89.00 C: 96.40 ⇓ 1.33% | 99.22 | 99.90 / 100.0 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 123080 D: 108.9 ⇓ 2.77% | 110.92 | 114.6 / 106.0 C: 107.3 ⇓ 2.28% | 109.34 | 112.0 / 107.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 10500 D: 103.7 ⇓ 2.90% | 103.81 | 112.0 / 102.6 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 38024 D: 121.1 ⇓ 2.26% | 124.16 | 135.0 / 117.5 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 24576 D: 95.10 ⇑ 0.42% | 96.05 | 97.00 / 90.00 C: 97.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 97.00 | 97.00 / 97.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 155726 D: 98.40 ⇓ 2.86% | 100.34 | 103.9 / 95.00 C: 103.2 ⇑ 3.41% | 103.18 | 109.7 / 101.0 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 253300 D: 60.20 ⇑ 2.03% | 61.84 | 64.60 / 56.00 C: 61.20 ⇑ 3.55% | 63.23 | 65.00 / 60.60 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 993600 D: 59.30 ⇑ 1.02% | 59.11 | 63.00 / 53.00 C: 59.10 ⇑ 1.37% | 60.59 | 61.50 / 55.30 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 320869 D: 196.4 ⇓ 0.20% | 196.90 | 199.7 / 195.0 C: 196.4 ⇓ 0.05% | 196.97 | 198.0 / 196.0 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 389092 D: 168.7 ⇑ 2.18% | 166.75 | 170.0 / 149.5 C: 167.8 ⇑ 1.64% | 167.29 | 169.2 / 163.3 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 8607647 D: 16.50 ⇑ 4.43% | 16.29 | 17.30 / 15.00 C: 16.50 ⇑ 3.77% | 16.46 | 17.00 / 15.80 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 551805 D: 77.70 ⇑ 2.37% | 77.33 | 78.80 / 69.00 C: 77.40 ⇑ 1.84% | 77.36 | 78.50 / 75.10 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 13900 D: 318.1 ⇑ 0.98% | 318.49 | 321.0 / 317.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 65435 D: 410.5 ⇓ 0.18% | 411.77 | 414.8 / 409.0 C: 410.8 ⇓ 0.41% | 411.91 | 417.0 / 409.5 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 54294 D: 137.8 ⇑ 0.51% | 138.09 | 139.0 / 124.0 C: 136.7 ⇑ 0.51% | 136.82 | 138.7 / 135.3 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 50750 D: 114.7 ⇓ 0.69% | 116.15 | 118.9 / 113.2 C: 115.9 ⇑ 0.61% | 116.61 | 118.8 / 115.2 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 50 D: 57.90 ⇑ 9.04% | 57.90 | 57.90 / 57.90 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 3028995 D: 30.60 ⇓ 4.08% | 31.25 | 33.00 / 28.80 C: 30.90 ⇓ 3.13% | 31.33 | 32.40 / 30.80 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 155000 D: 20.90 ⇑ 0.97% | 20.96 | 21.70 / 20.60 C: 21.10 ⇑ 2.93% | 21.06 | 21.30 / 20.70 MIRACLEIND | 0.10 | 15.13 | Vol. 191000 D: 13.60 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.75 | 13.90 / 13.60 C: 13.60 ⇓ 0.73% | 13.77 | 13.90 / 13.60 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 655 D: 968.0 ⇑ 1.10% | 965.85 | 970.0 / 954.5 C: 960.0 ⇑ 0.95% | 960.00 | 960.0 / 960.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 34 D: 885.0 ⇑ 0.68% | 875.00 | 890.0 / 882.5 C: 760.0 ⇓ 7.32% | 760.00 | 760.0 / 760.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Denmark defies austerity and debt n AFP, Copenhagen They are the most indebted people in the world, live through long, dark winters and have a shorter life expectancy than several Mediterranean countries.

Yet for the past four decades, the Danes have consistently rated themselves as the happiest people on earth.

Among foreigners in Denmark, theories as to why the host population is so content range from its egalitarian policies to its history to grumblings that some people are simply easier to satisfy than others.

“You can reach a high-ranking politician or a director here even if you are an ordinary person,” said Josephine Hoegh, a woman from the Philippines who moved to the Scandinavian country 40 years ago.

The Danes themselves are more puzzled by their purported happiness, sometimes referring to it facetiously when data paint a less rosy picture - like when the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said they were the third-largest consumers per capita of antidepressants.

Denmark first topped the happiness table in 1973, when a European Union survey found that people there were more satisfied with life than in any other member state.

This year, it held on to the top spot in the United Nations’ annual World Happiness Report even as it suffered through the worst economic crisis of its post-World War II history.

In the study, respondents were asked to evaluate the current state of their lives using a scale of zero to 10, where a top rating signified the best possible life for them, and zero the worst.

Denmark scored an average 7.693.

“One of the most important things making the Danes happy is the security in Danish society,” said Meik Wiking, director of the Happiness Research Institute, a Danish think-tank aiming to improve the quality of life in Denmark and abroad.

“There is a high degree of financial security. If we lose our jobs we get support, when we fall ill we can go to the hospital, and so on,” he added.

Denmark has the highest taxes in the world as a percentage of the overall economy, but many Danes value the social security net they get in return, including subsidised childcare and unemployment insurance that guarantees 80% wages for two years if they

Photo shows the Danish flag flying over Nyhavn canal area in Copenhagen as punters crowd the popular cafe and bar area to soak up the sun ahead of the upcoming Royal wedding which will close down large parts of the city during the ceremony AFP lose their jobs.

The centre-left government has had to cut back on some benefits - including student grants and unemployment insurance, which used to last four years - but it still presides over one of the most generous welfare states in the world.

The second pillar of happiness is a high level of trust between people, even for a stranger on the street, according to Wiking.

This could be a spillover effect from people’s high level of trust in the government, which is underpinned by a low level of corruption.

“We have a belief that our democratic institutions protect us and that the state ... wants what is good for us,” he said.

Always look on the bright side of life Denmark’s welfare state isn’t radically different from other Nordic countries’, but in surveys the nation scores higher than its neighbours on social relationships, another

reason for being happy.

“Danish society is more cohesive. The quality of social relations is somewhat stronger” than in the rest of Scandinavia, Wiking said.

The country has a large number of clubs and associations where membership often transcends class barriers. At a chess club, a chief executive could be playing against someone working in a shop.

Other explanations for the Danes’ self-reported wellbeing can be found in history.

Denmark was a European great power between the 13th and 17th centuries. But as the country’s official website states, today its size and influence “is the result of 400 years of forced relinquishments of land, surrenders and lost battles.”

“They haven’t won anything for the last 200 years, they’ve only lost, and that’s created a mentality in Denmark of looking inward and of valuing what you have left,” said

Michael Booth, a British expatriate who has written a book on his adopted Nordic home called “The Almost Nearly Perfect People”.

Danes also have a knack for denying unpalatable truths, he said.

“They have the highest level of private debt in the world ... but they’re very good at putting their hands over their ears and going la-la-la,” he said.

“One aspect of that is they’re very good at forgiving public figures who transgress. Like Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the prime minister who took them into two terrible wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and also permitted terrible economic policies.

“He’s really wrecked the economy, but you never hear a bad word said about him,” Booth said.

There’s also the fact that the Danes don’t work very much, putting in an average of only 33 hours a week, according to the Rockwool Foundation. l

October trade deficit jumps, but trends seen positive n Reuters India’s trade deficit jumped in October, rebounding from a 2-1/2 year low the previous month, as purchases of gold picked up ahead of the festival season, provisional government data showed yesterday.

Last month’s deficit stood at $10.56bn, compared with $6.7bn in September, the trade ministry said.

Analysts said the October trade deficit came within expectations and continued to

point to positive underlying trends, including a 13.47% year-on-year rise in merchandise exports.

“I would say that the data is good. Exports have risen for the fourth month, while the rise in gold imports is expected due to the seasonality,” said Rupa Rege Nitsure, chief economist at Bank of Baroda.

“The trade deficit will be controlled and $68-$70bn deficit for the whole year may be feasible,” she added.

Although gold and silver imports rose to

$1.37bn in October compared with $800m in the previous month, imports in total fell 14.5% year-on-year to $37.83bn.

India celebrates a slew of festivals in November, which has traditionally sparked an increase in demand for gold.

Still purchases of the yellow metal have been hit this year after the country took steps to curb imports of gold, including imposing a record 10% import duty and requiring that 20% of imports be re-exported.

Falling imports and rising exports have

been cited as a key reason behind the improving outlook for the current account deficit. Finance Minister P Chidambaram said this month the current account gap would be $60bn or lower, well below the previous estimate of $70bn.

S R Rao, India’s trade secretary, told reporters on Monday the government was confident of reaching its export target of $325bn.

“All major sectors having significant contribution to export basket have shown a positive trend,” he said. l