November 17, 2013 0

Agrahayan 3, 1420 Muharram 12, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 233

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

Dialogue drama back on track with Biswal's visit BNP sends letters to diplomatic missions The drama over dialogue between Awami League and BNP has unfolded again after a short interval just ahead of the Dhaka visit of US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal.

Biswal arrived in the capital early afternoon yesterday and she is scheduled to meet Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia this evening. She is also expected to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday claimed that he had made a phone call to AL General Secretary but failed to reach him.

The BNP leader’s claim courted controversy as the same day AL general secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Asharful Islam firmly denied getting any phone call from Fakhrul.

Amid claims and counterclaims leaders of both the major parties have in fact expressed their desires again to hold dialogue over the last couple of days to end the prevailing political crisis centring the polls-time cabinet.

Interestingly, much the same way a positive intent to hold dialogue was expressed by the leaders of both major

parties when United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez Taranco held a series of meetings on May 14 with various political parties including Awami League and BNP to create a favourable atmosphere for dialogue.

Meanwhile, Pankaj Saran, Indian high commissioner to Dhaka, told reporters yesterday that they had been in discussion on the developing political situation in Bangladesh with different

Pankaj: India discussing Bangladesh with US n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran yesterday said they were discussing Bangladesh political situation with other countries including the USA. “I can say definitely that we are discussing the situation in Bangladesh with different countries who have an interest in peace and stability in Bangladesh. So we have discussed these issues with the American government,” Saran said.

When asked about Indian media reports on a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which they discussed issues relating to Bangladesh, he did not make any comment on the media report.

“If you want confirmation on whether we have discussed with America, yes we have,” he told reporters while replying to a question after inaugurating the Dharmarajika dining hall-cum-library building at the Basabo Buddhist monastery in the capital yesterday.

He did not elaborate as to what level or with whom the discussions took place. “I don’t want to go into detail about what level and with whom [the discussion took place].”

Indian government news agency PTI on November 8 published a news report stating that the US president had instructed his officials to ramp up consultation with Indian officials as he took the concern raised by the Indian prime minister seriously during a meeting at the White House.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

‘Most popular’ Ershad wants to exploit ‘fame’ in polls

BNP: Tarique trial a conspiracy

n Manik Miazee

idle leaving the nation in the labyrinth.

“How will the government hand over power unless the elections take place? The only way we have to come to power is by defeating [the other parties] through polls,” he said.

The former autocrat claimed that the people wanted a “relief” from Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, who both did not recognise the citizens as “human beings.”

“We want the country to be free…

We will free the people by winning the fight of ballot,” he said.

Ershad said people would term him a “traitor” if his party took part in the polls with the Awami League-led grand alliance.

“On the other hand, an unconstitutional government will come to power if there is no election. We are facing a dual problem,” said the Jatiya Party chairman.

BNP has alleged that a conspiracy is being hatched against the party’s Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman to convict him in a money laundering case.

“There is no end to the government’s conspiracy against the BNP. A verdict will be delivered against Tarique Rahman in a false case on Sunday [today]. We do not know what will be the verdict. But we can understand that he will be convicted upon the government’s order,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the party, said at a discussion at the National Press Club yesterday.

A Dhaka court is set to deliver verdict today in a money laundering case against opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s eldest son Tarique Rahman and his close friend Giasuddin Al Mamun.

When Khaleda Zia’s youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko was convicted

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Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, who had previously announced on several occasions of boycotting the upcoming polls without the BNP’s participation, has now said the elections were the only way of power transfer, hinting his desire to take part in the 10th parliamentary elections.

While addressing the council of his party’s youth front Jubo Sanghati in Dhaka yesterday, Ershad said his party was in a “dilemma” on whether to contest or boycott the polls.

Claiming himself to be the country’s most popular leader, the former military dictator said: “What will I do with this popularity unless utilised? I can win the polls by exploiting the popularity. Using this popularity in the polls, I can make the tortured-people free.”

Saying the nation was now directionless, Ershad said: “I cannot sit

kar Ali Manik and n Julfi Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

countries including US, especially with those who have interest in peace and stability of Bangladesh.

“I have come to know that both Awami League and BNP now want to sit across the table as an US official is visiting Dhaka,” said a senior lawyer barrister Rafique-Ul Huq, who has always been optimistic about holding polls with the participation of major stakeholders.

“This is unfortunate; we all have  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

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

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Two more hartal arson victims die n Mohammad Jamil Khan All their attempts to survive came to naught as two more burn victims succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The two are Montu Chandra Pal, 35,

a goldsmith by profession, who died around 7:45am Friday while Asadul Gazi, 40, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver, breathed his last around 1am Saturday at the hospital’s intensive care unit.

DMCH residential Surgeon Partha Shankar Pal told the Dhaka Tribune about the death of the two.

Montu was admitted to the hospital

with 90% burn injuries on November 10 when pickets hurled a petrol bomb at a human hauler in old Dhaka.

On November 3, Asad was admitted after the hartal supporters set fire to his vehicle in Savar area.

Hailing from Mirzapur of Tangail district, Montu resided in Pagla of  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Factory inspection directorate awaits massive overhaul

Election as per constitution: PM n Tribune Desk

Vacant posts to be filled by yearend to improve safety monitoring as government expects review of US GSP decision

n Asif Showkat Kallol The government will overhaul the factory inspection directorate and increase its human resources to 2,291 from only 314 now to ensure factory safety—a must for getting US generalised system of preferences (GSP) for Bangladesh, official sources said.

The secretary committee on administrate development on Thursday approved the labour and employment ministry’s proposal to strengthen the factory inspection system.

The committee also approved the ministry’s proposal to create posts for 679 employees and gave its consent for upgrading 107 posts and changing the name of 144 posts of the factory inspection directorate.

The secretary of the ministry Mikail Shipar said the enhanced capacity of the inspection directorate will help minimise industrial disasters like the collapse of Rana Plaza in future.

The move aims to bolster the capacity of the state-run agency responsible for inspecting factories and establishments in the country to avoid industrial disasters after Rana Plaza collapse at Savar on April 24, which killed 1,133 people, exposed the apparel industry’s poor safety standards and sparked

worldwide concerns.

At present, there are 84 safety inspectors against the permanent posts of 103 for 29,000 registered factories and over 200,000 unregistered factories across the country, according to the Department of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Establishments.

The US scrapped the trade privilege on June 27, citing serious shortcomings in labour rights and working condition after Tazreen Fashions fire and Rana Plaza building collapse.

Of the major progresses, the labour and employment ministry has taken preparations to publish an advertisement in newspapers to appoint 200 factory inspectors within the next 10 days, labour ministry sources said.

As per the requirement in the action plan agreed by the government, it might not be possible to appoint all the 200 inspectors by December, but many of the formalities could be completed by the yearend, the labour secretary said.

He said the ministry might be able to make related rules and regulations

by December to apply the amended labour law that allowed full-freedom of trade unionism by workers at the factory level.

The US is expected to review the GSP status of Bangladesh next month. l

Hefazat not linked to any political party or alliance: Shafi n Tribune Report Shah Ahmad Shafi, ameer of Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, has said Hefazat has been a non-political organisation since the beginning and it will not be associated with any political party or alliance.

“Hefazat will continue its activities for the Islam and the country keeping its non-political stance unchanged,” he said in a statement yesterday urging the media people not to link Hefazat to

any political party or alliance.

He said people’s lives and property are at a great risk due to uncertainty and a chaotic situation created by the differences among major political parties.

“The conspirators from home and abroad are active in this situation, which is a threat for the interest of the country and its independence,” he said urging the political parties to reach an acceptable solution ending the path of anarchy. l

Two more hartal arson victims die  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Narayanganj with his wife Sanju Rani Pal. He used to work as goldsmith in Tantibazar since he was 15 and his 20-year-long experience established him as a well-trained goldsmith.

“My husband dreamed to set up an ornament shop, but because of fund crunch he failed to do so,” said the victim’s wife Sanju.

He never lost his hope, the widow said, adding that her husband was always optimistic about starting an ornament business on his own and that was why he was working hard.

However, hearing the news of her husband’s death, Sanju stopped talking and became mentally sick.

Poresh Pal, father of Sanju, told the Dhaka Tribune, three years ago, his daughter gave birth to a beautiful babe, but it died three days after birth.

“Now, she lost her husband and I do not how my daughter would survive after receiving such sock,” he added.

Bijay Pal, elder brother of the victim, said: “Of what use is to inflict punishment on those who created such violence that claimed my brother’s life?

He, however, said if there was anything to do, it should be done in such manner that none dared to create violence and no family members lost their lives.

Visiting DMCH Saturday morning, this correspondent also found that Asadul’s family members were shedding tears sitting on the hospital floor.

The victim’s wife Morjina Begum was going unconscious hearing the news of her husband’s death.

On November 3, Asad was admitted to the hospital after pickets set fire to his CNG-run auto-rickshaw when he was going to Savar with two-passengers.

He had been undergoing treatment with 35% burn injury to his entire body and later shifted to ICU for better treatment.

Morjina managed around Tk1,00,000 for her husband’s treatment selling property.

Two days ago, she told the Dhaka Tribune she felt happy that she could manage the amount of money and hoped that her husband would come round soon.

“Please pray for us,” said the widow.

The couple’s elder daughter Tamanna Tani, 10, and only son Ashik, 5, came to hospital to bring their father back home only a day ago, but destiny turned cruel to them.

Tani with tears rolling down her eyes told the Dhaka Tribune now they had none to support their family and she would have to stop going to school.

Including the latest two dead, the number of bodes now stands at six and some 60 patients have been receiving treatment from DMCH since October 26.

On November 4, Monir Hossain, 12, succumbed to injury while on November 5, Mostafiz, an employee of Biswash Group, and on November 14, Nasima Begum, 30, and Abul Kashem died at the hospital.

At present, 18 patients are under treatment at the burn unit. Of them, three are in intensive care.

Partha Sanakar Pal, residential surgeon, said they were trying to provide the patients with best possible support to help them recover. l

BNP: Tarique trial a conspiracy  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

in a similar case two years ago, the party said that too was a “conspiracy” against the Zia family. On June 23, 2011, Koko was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and fined Tk190m in another money laundering case.

Regarding today’s scheduled verdict, a senior leader of the party said they have plans to stage demonstrations around the country protesting the verdict. “Tarique will be convicted by the court. So tough street demonstrations will be organized tomorrow [Sunday],” the BNP leader said seeking anonymity.

This will be the first judgment in any

of the 16 cases against Tarique. According to the case statement, Tarique and Mamun siphoned off Tk204m to Singapore during the last tenure of the BNPled alliance.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case in October 2009 and trial started in July 2011. The duo was indicted in August last year under the Money Laundering Act. Tarique was arrested in 2007 during the immediate past caretaker government’s tenure. He secured bail in 2008 and went to London for treatment and since then has been living there with his family. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hands over a cheque to the relative of a April 11 Fatikchhari mayhem

PMO

Democracy not a business for a few: Biswal Shahariar Zaman and n Sheikh Muktasree Chakma Sathi The United States wants a credible and inclusive election in Bangladesh, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal said yesterday.

She made the remark in a meeting with a select group of the civil society members at US Ambassador Dan Mozena’s residence.

She said democracy does not mean serving only a few; it rather should serve all, particularly those at the grassroots.

During the meeting, she discussed political, economic and human rights situation in Bangladesh and also the recent amendments to the constitution, Supreme Court lawyer Fawzia Karim Firoze, also a member of the National Human Rights Commission, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Regarding the prevailing political situation, Nisha said solution to the

existing turmoil should be framed out by the citizens and the political parties.

“The political turmoil that we face after every five years just before the election, we need to overcome it. Political parties should not hold any sort of vengeance against each other no matter who is in power. They need to be more tolerant towards each other,” Fawzia said quoting Nisha.

The US assistant secretary also made it clear that Washington did not have any political party preference, said Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shujan, after the meeting.

“They have a position on holding a free, fair and credible election in which the people of Bangladesh will elect their representatives. As far as we understood from our discussion with her [Nisha], they [USA] do not have any [political] preference,” Majumdar said.

Former foreign secretary Farooq Sobhan, journalist Mahfuz Ullah and Odhikar general secretary Adilur Rah-

man Khan also attended the dinner at the US envoy’s Dhaka residence.

Earlier, the junior US foreign minister arrived in Dhaka around 12:30pm yesterday after having attended the fifth US-India-Japan trilateral consultation in Tokyo.

She is scheduled to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia tonight and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tomorrow.

Biswal will also hold meetings with Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, other government officials, political leaders, labour groups and civic leaders before leaving Dhaka Monday night, diplomatic sources said.

This will be her first bilateral trip in the capacity of assistant secretary. She was sworn in on October 21 to replace Robert O Blake.

According to a US Embassy press release, Nisha visited Dhaka in November 2010 as USAID’s assistant administrator for Asia and met the prime minister and other ministers. l

Dialogue drama back on track with Biswal's visit  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

urged them to hold talks but they have never paid any heed,” he retorted.

Barrister Rafique, however, said: “Dialogue has to take place to solve the crisis. The solution can be found only if BNP takes part in the all-party polls time administration and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina steps down from the post of the head of the government.”

Before the latest move the possibility of dialogue began to fade away three weeks back when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina phoned Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia and invited her to join a dinner but this move failed to make any headway towards a constructive dialogue.

BNP’s frequent call for shutdowns, a total of 204 hours violent hartal in the past three weeks, and the recent arrests of five senior BNP leaders, have exhausted all possibilities of dialogue.

BNP on Thursday sent letters to some influential foreign missions in Dhaka informing them about the latest political situation and explaining its stance on dialogue with the government, said party insiders.

The letter reads that BNP will sit for a dialogue if the government comes forward with sincerity.

A week ago, Khaleda at a rally blamed the government for not holding talks: “We have not yet shut the door to dialogue. It was the government that moved away from dialogue by putting conditions beforehand.”

Earlier, Khaleda however said the dialogue could only be held if the government agreed to meet her demand for a non-partisan government.

On October 21, Khaleda proposed a non-partisan government while Hasi-

na, earlier, offered all-party polls-time government headed by her.

Fakhrul sent a letter to the AL general secretary to inform him about the Khaleda’s proposal formally. In response, Ashraf made a phone call to Fakhrul acknowledging that he received the letter.

On October 23, BNP placed the same proposal in parliament but the treasury bench asked it to do so as per the parliament’s Rules of Procedure.

BNP later said they would not join the elections if Hasina remained as the head of the interim government.

The dialogue issue took the centre stage again on Friday while Fakhrul told media that he tried several times to reach Ashraf over phone to talk about holding dialogue but failed to reach him. Hours after, Ashraf ruled out his claim.

“Yesterday (Thursday) his (Fakhrul) leader (Khaleda) said there was no scope for dialogue. He should talk to his leader first. If his leader says there is a way to hold dialogue then it can take place,” Ashraf told reporters on Friday.

Responding to Ashraf, Fakhrul yesterday said: “I am taking the consent of the leader of the opposition. Do not waste time anymore. Do not create any more confusion; take dialogue initiative.”

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday, however, said the initiative to launch dialogue was not at the general secretary level anymore. “Now it lies with the party chiefs. It can never go back to general secretary level.”

Meanwhile, Hasina yesterday at the Ganabhaban reiterated that her invitation to BNP for dialogue was still valid.

Though BNP has repeatedly said it would not budge an inch from its stance Fakhrul’s voice yesterday softened. He dropped a hint about a compromise on the polls-time government.

“We are cordial but the dialogue should be based on polls-time government and nothing beyond that,” Fakhrul said at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club. Though earlier BNP said dialogue should be focused only on its demand for a non-partisan interim administration.

Khaleda, also the former premier, on Thursday reiterated that her party would not compromise on non-partisan government: “compromise means allowing injustice.”

Meanwhile, some political observers view Hasina’s recent remark as a hint of shifting her strong position from being the head of the polls-time administration.

In the wake of recent bloody shutdowns Hasina, on November 9, at a programme said: “I want peace and development, not the premiership.”

Amid violent political whirlpool the ministers submitted letters to the prime minister expressing their intents to resign to “pave the way for forming an all-party polls-time cabinet.”

However, Fakhrul said ministers’ resignation would not resolve the crisis. Problems could be solved only if the prime minister resigned, he said.

On October 18, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a televised address to the nation proposed the formation of an all-party government to hold polls and appealed to the opposition to give names of their lawmakers for the interim cabinet. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called the opposition leader bloodthirsty and wanted to know how much blood she actually needs to quench.

“She (Khaleda) is not happy with the way the hartal hooligans engaged in burning innocent people, she needs more destruction, more bodies and more human blood… actually I don’t know how much human blood she needs to quench,” the Prime Minister said, reports UNB. Hasina was speaking at her official residence Ganobhaban on the occasion of a cheque-distribution programme among the victims of BNP-Jamaat’s April-11 mayhem that had left three people dead and over 200 injured in Bhujpur, Fatickchhari.

The havoc took place when Jamaat-Shibir and Hefajat-e-Islam attacked an anti-hartal rally of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League at Kazirhat in Fatikchhari upazila, Chittagong, leaving three AL men – Forkan, 24, Md Rubel, 22, and Faruk Iqbal Bipul, 40 – dead.

The premier said the BNP chief did never want to see Bangladesh as an independent country as she always patronised the killers of 1975 and the war criminals.

She (Khaleda) wanted to bring back those elements again, Hasina added.

Deploring the recent acts of the opposition party to kill people through arson attacks, Hasina urged all to hunt down those culprits and hand them over to the law enforcing agencies.

The Prime Minister also requested the media not to sit idle when pro-hartal activists go on arson attacks. “It’s also your duty to help out a person from any danger. I’ll request you to focus on those people who are engaged in destructive activities rather than focusing on the victims, as it’ll help the government bring the culprits to book.” l

GM Quader to skip today’s cabinet meeting n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Commerce Minister GM Quader yesterday said he would not join the “last meeting” of the cabinet today as his Jatiya Party thinks ministers’ handing over of letters to the prime minister expressing intent to resign has vacated the entire cabinet.

“I also resigned along with the other ministers. And our position is: resignation means resignation. I have not attended office since.

“I will not attend Sunday’s meeting either,” Quader told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday after meeting his brother and party chief HM Ershad.

Quader said Ershad was in talks with former president Badruddoza Chowdhury (Bikalpadhara Bangladesh), Dr Kamal Hossain (Gonoforum), Bangabir Kader Siddiqui (Krishak Sramik Janata League) and ASM Abdur Rob (Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal) to form a new alliance.

“But we are yet to decide whether to align with them,” claimed the minister, also a presidium member of Ershad’s Jatiya Party.

He added that his party was out of the Awami League-led grand alliance.

“According to the terms of alliance, the Jatiya Party jointly took part in the polls and formed government. As I, the lone Jatiya Party representative, have resigned from the cabinet, we are out of the alliance now,” he said.

Quader said party chief Ershad had been working on choosing a new alliance to take part in the polls.

“We have three options: joining the Awami League-led coalition or siding with the BNP-led alliance or looking for another new alliance. Our chairman will decide about it,” he said.

“Why should we look for an alliance other than contesting the polls?” he posed a counter question when asked what would the goal of the new alliance.

He also said the new alliance would be an election alliance rather than anything else. l

Pankaj: India discussing Bangladesh with US

‘Most popular’

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When asked if India and the US are on the same page on Bangladesh’s issues, he declined to make any comment.

The Indian envoy said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy discussed the forthcoming elections with him and updated him on the on-going political situation in Bangladesh.

“Well he (Joy) actually had come with a view to updating us on the situation in Bangladesh and the views of his party, the Awami League, on the forthcoming elections and so on,” He said the talks were part of the dialogue that India maintains with all political parties in Bangladesh whilst keeping the diplomatic norms in mind.

Joy met the Indian high commissioner and US Ambassador Dan Mozena last week.

Regarding the public statement posted on the Indian High Commission website on Bangladesh situation, he said: “The statement is not anything which is new from what our ministers have already been saying to the Bangladeshi audience during the visits to Bangladesh.“ Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and a number of India’s senior ministers visited Bangladesh during the past one year and said more or less the same thing as was said in the statement.

Saran said: “I think there is a certain view we had and it was appropriate that we convey our views to the stakehold-

ers concerned in Bangladesh, whether it is the political parties or anyone else who might be interested in our view.

So it was only intended as a matter of clarification.”

The Indian High Commission statement said it supported free and fair elections in Bangladesh and it is for the people of Bangladesh to decide their own future.

“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 and development in Bangladesh,” the statement said. l

Saying the Jatiya Party would form an alliance to compete in the polls, Ershad claimed that people across the country had been waiting to vote for his party if it aligned with other parties (excluding the Awami League and the BNP).

GM Quader, Ershad’s younger brother and party presidium member, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had been in talks with former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Dr Kamal Hossain, Kader Siddiqui and ASM Abdur Rob to form an alliance.

Quader said their party chief would hold meetings with other parties and announce a new alliance for competing in the elections. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Sunday, November 17, 2013

Media can help uphold human rights: Dialogue n Muktasree Chakma Sathi Lawyers, former diplomats and rights activists at a dialogue yesterday stressed that media should use national and international mechanisms in reporting human rights issues and for protection from any kind of harassment by the state.

They also pointed out that pressuring the government by international mechanism and pressure groups, such as diplomats and international media, could help improve the human rights situation in the country.

Former ambassador Harun Ur Rashid, Dhaka Tribune editor Zafar Sobhan, Sayeed Ahmad of Forum Asia, Tahmina Rahman of Article 19, lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua, Nur Khan of Ain o Salish Kendra were the panelists at yesterday’s dialogue.

The dialogue titled “Journalists as human rights defenders working together for the promotion and protection of human rights” was organised by rights group Ain O Salish Kendra.

Ambassador Harun ur Rashid said the media played an important role in creating awareness as well as acting as a pressure group to uphold human rights.

“Individuals are now recognised not only in the national law but also in the international laws, so when his/her rights are violated, both state and the

UN can intervene to protect the individual,” Harun ur Rashid added.

Dhaka Tribune Editor Zafar Sobhan said the government had a tendency to act unresponsively on human rights violation until the issue was being picked up by international media or watchdogs.

“Still, the media is playing a great role here. Ultimately the international watchdogs and media mostly gather information from news published in local media,” he said, adding that mediapersons also have the duty to respect victim’s privacy and rights .

Lawyer Jyotirmoy said most of the time media is vocal in protecting human rights. “It is always politicians, bureaucrats and institutions who rarely respect human rights of individuals. I even doubt how far their understanding goes when it is about human rights.”

Sayeed Ahmad of Forum Asia observed that accountability was much more needed than creating awareness on human rights among the government institutions and law enforcement agencies such as Rapid Action Battalion, police and armed forces to ensure human rights.

Echoing Syeed, Tahmina of Article 19 said if such groups always enjoy exemption from the laws in the country, culture of impunity is hard to eliminate. l

A Bengal Tiger is about to jump onto the ground after crossing a canal in the Sundarbans. The photo is taken recently

COURTESY: MD MODINUL AHSAN

JS sitting likely to end November 20 Islamist groups blamed n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The ruling Awami League has finally decided to end parliament session on November 20, presumably because the Election Commission will announce the schedules of the parliamentary polls after that.

According to parliamentary practices, the president would prorogue the last session, but not dissolve the House, chief whip Abdus Shahid told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Unless there was a national crisis such as war or disaster, the House would not meet between November 21 and January 24 next year, he said.

On November 20, Leader of the House and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will deliver her closing speech, which she had earlier decided to give on October 24.

On September 12, the highest committee of the Jatiya Sangsad decided to end the ongoing 19th session on October 24, with Sheikh Hasina disclosing her plan to form an interim government comprising “elected” represent-

atives for overseeing the polls, which must take place by January 24.

“The honourable prime minister and leader of the house has decided to run the session up to November 20. I think the prime minister in her November 20 speech will present an account of our government’s development works in the last five years,” Shahid told the Dhaka Tribune.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on November 10 adjourned the ongoing session of parliament until November 18.

According to the constitution, the next parliamentary polls must take place within 90 days before the completion of the five-year tenure of parliament.

The first sitting was held on January 25, setting January 24, 2014 as the date for completion of tenure of the House.

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on September 12 ruled in parliament that the “elections must take place between October 25 and January 24.”

Main opposition BNP claimed that the current parliament must be dis-

solved on October 24 – 90 days ahead of the mandated tenure of the parliament and the government.

The opposition urged its leaders and activists to pour on to the street with “traditional weapons” on October 25 to force the Awami League accept the demand for restoration of “non-party caretaker” government system in the constitution for holding the next polls.

The government shifted from its stance on ending the current parliament.

The Awami League strategists said dissolving the 9th parliament after October 24 would mean “government exit” that would create political havoc.

The prime minister changed her mind saying the House would continue beyond October 24, but no “usual sitting” would be there after the announcement of the polls schedules.

The country’s constitution has no mention whether the legislature should be dissolved before or during the 90-day countdown to polls.

The BNP and its allies say the government must restore the provision for

a non-party caretaker government that arranged the last three general elections starting in 1996.

The Awami League on June 30, 2011 annulled the constitutional provision of the non-party caretaker government that used to take office after the completion of a five-year parliament.

The unelected administration, which both the parties blame for rigging in the last three polls, would hold the elections in 90 days, without taking any policy decision.

But the last caretaker government stayed in office for about two years January 11, 2007 to January 6, 2009.

Both BNP and Awami League alleged that the last caretaker government was out to purge the politicians in the name of launching anti-corruption drives.

Sheikh Hasina said she would form an all-party interim government with the elected representatives to assist the Election Commission to hold the next polls.

But the BNP apprehends a “blue print” of the government to “rig” the polls. l

for hartal anarchy n Tribune Report Eminent citizens of the country has condemned several Islamist political groups for the latest wave of violence in the country, saying these clashed were aimed towards achieving a country driven by communal strife and religious fanaticism.

They also called on the government to slap ban on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its other organisations, under the Anti-terrorism Act 2009.

The observations came in a written statement issued by a recently formed civil platform, Bangladesh Rukhe Darao which was signed by 24 eminent citizens of the country.

Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman, Academic MM Akash, Ajoy Roy, Sarwar Ali and Salahuddin Ahmed, former advisor to the caretaker government Akbar Ali Khan, Rasheda K Chowdhury, Sultana Kamal, Journalist Kamal Lohani and Abed Khan, lawyer Rana Dash Gupta, Artist Kaiyum Chowdhury and actor Ramendu Mazumder were among the

notable signatories of the statement.

The statement claimed it was clear that Jamaat-e-Islami, its students’ wing Shibir, and Hefazat-e- Islam activists were the main forces behind the atrocities carried out during the recent countrywide shutdowns.

“The recent attack on minorities, particularly in Sathiayaan, Sirajganj, Lalmonirhaat, Lakshmipur, and Barisal show such attacks took place, with an aim to force the minorities out of the country, and foil the war crimes tribunal’s activities.”

They demanded exemplary punishments to the perpetrators, who were creating such anarchy, and said their “deepest concern” regarding the current situation, arises because of the confusion over the polls-time government.

Repeated strikes called by the opposition were not only creating havoc in public life, but also pushing the country towards an economic crisis. It was also putting the thousands of JSC and JDC candidates’ educational life towards uncertainty, the statement read. l

Polls schedule likely in the Blood test confirms Mirza Fakhrul meets last week of November ‘Chikungunya’ in Dhaka Kazi Zafar at hospital n Mohammad Zakaria

The Election Commission has made preparations to announce the schedules of the 10th parliamentary election by the last week of November.

The commission on Thursday sent a letter to the president seeking appointment for a meeting to inform him about the overall preparations and getting suggestion about a suitable date of announcing the schedules, said an EC official.

The chief election commissioner and the four election commissioners might meet President Abdul Hamid this week, the official also said.

Meanwhile, the commission yesterday sent another letter to the BG Press asking it to print nomination forms for the polls.

In a closed door meeting held on Thursday, the full commission discussed the possible options of announcing the polls. The commission reportedly thought that the last week of November would be appropriate for announcing schedules.

“The third week of November is very important. By then it will be clear what will happen and what we will do during this time. We will let

people know about our decision,” Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The election commissioner added that the countdown to election had already started on October 27.

EC officials said the commission would send around 40,000 nomination forms to its field-level offices this week after the printing was done.

Meanwhile, Suratuzzaman Selim, director general of the EC’s National Identity Registration Wing, claimed that the preparations for the technicalities had been nearly complete. He said the printing of voter lists and distribution of around seven million national identity (NID) cards were at its last stages.

However, the Dhaka Tribune ran a story on November 13 which said more than six million newly registered voters in the country well still to get their NID cards.

Selim said the remaining work would be completed before the announcement of the poll schedule.

The EC has also finished distributing an additional 40,000 transparent ballot boxes and 1.2 million locks to its 10 regional offices. l

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Rehabilitation (IEDCR) under the DGHS have recently confirmed the prevalence of the Chikungunya fever, widely known as Lengra Jor (Limping Fever) in the capital, after testing blood samples of 440 city dwellers, sources said.

The findings came in the dengue prevalence survey, administered between the months of September and October, in four thanas in Dhaka, to find out the prevalence rates of dengue and chikungunya fever.

The samples were randomly collected from the city’s Mohakhali, Dhanmondi, Mothijeel and Kamrangirchar

area. The Aedes aegypti mosquitos were pointed out as the main vector of both Dengue and Chikungunya fever in the survey. Its findings though, has not been made public yet.

Professor Dr Mahmudur Rahman, director at the IEDCR told the Dhaka Tribune that “There have been confirmation of dengue and chikungunya fever bearers having been found in the survey.”

However, he would not reveal the actual number of patients, before officially announcing the findings of the survey.

West Bengal of India has observed one of the recent Chikungunya outbreaks, which can be deadly if not diagnosed properly. l

Malaysian PM Najib Razak due today n UNB Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives here today on a three-day official visit.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at about 7:40pm, sources at the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The Malaysian Prime Minister will then be taken to Sonargaon Hotel in a motorcade.

Najib Razak and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate ‘Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Memorial Specialised Hospital and Nursing College’ in Gazipur on Monday morning.

After the inauguration, Razak will visit the Prime Minister’s Office in the afternoon. Later, he will meet

President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban at 5:45pm on Monday.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain will also meet Razak at his hotel suite on the same day separately.

The Malaysian premier arrives here after attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo.

Issues relating to manpower export from Bangladesh and Malaysian investment here are likely to dominate the agenda of official talks during Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit.

The two countries are likely to sign two agreements on cultural exchange and technology transfer. l

n Manik Miazee Jatiya Party Presidium Member Kazi Zafar was admitted at the United Hospital in the capital after he fell sick yesterday.

He was now undergoing treatment under heart specialist doctor Maminuzzaman.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, duty doctor Abdullah Al Mamun said Kazi Zafar was under close observation, refusing to make further comments.

In the evening, BNP acting secretary general Miza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir went to the hospital to see the ailing Jatiya party leader and former prime

minister. BNP leader stayed with Zafar for about an hour.

Mirza Fakhrul went to the hospital around 11pm again and talked to Kazi Zafar for about 15 minutes in the presence of BNP vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman.

“We have gone there and inquired about his health,” Mirza Fakhrul told the Dhaka Tribune.

BNP standing committee member Brigadier (retd) Hannan Shah and Islami Oikya Jote leader Abdur Rab Yusufi also went to see Kazi Zafar.

Jatiya Party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader also went to see the Jatiya Party leader. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 17, 2013

2,500 secretariat staff feel left-out Their associations plan campaigns to end ‘job discrimination’ n Mohosinul Karim About 2,500 employees working as computer operator, data entry operator and steno typist-cum-computer operator in different ministries and divisions have brought allegation of job discrimination.

Three associations of those employees are taking preparation to start a peaceful campaign to amend the recruitment rule, which is now awaiting scrutiny at the legislative and drafting division of the law ministry, to ensure their promotion.

The leaders of those associations alleged that a section of office assistants were trying to convince the officials of the division to delay in amending the proposed new rules.

Despite being more qualified than MLSS and office assistants they had to face discrimination getting promotion because of the existing rules.

Anisul Haque, president of computer operator welfare association, Nizamul

Hasan, president of data entry operator welfare association and Enamul Haque, president of steno-typist-cum computer operator welfare association on Saturday said the delay caused dissatisfaction.

“If the new rules are not amended within the period of this government around 2,500 employees will not get promotion. And if the legislative division delays in giving their opinion, they will be compelled to launch a movement,” they warned.

“Some of the pro-opposition employees leaders are insisting that the legislative division officials should not give positive opinion on the new rules as it may not be executed in this tenure of the present government,” Secretariat Computer Employees Welfare Association’s General Secretary Nazrul Islam said.

He said after the approvals the legislative division has nothing to change to the rules. They can only correct the mistakes at this stage. But, the officials of the division are delaying in finalising

Bus driver with Babar’s nephew earphones runs held in city n over woman Kailash Sarkar

n Mohammad Jamil Khan A garment worker was run over by a bus in the capital’s Tejgaon yesterday morning because the driver was wearing earphones while driving and could not hear the scream of the victim.

Kohinoor, 26, worked in the factory of Posh Garments in the Tejgaon industrial area. The mother of two children was originally from Barisal.

According to Kohinoor’s family members, she came to her workplace around 9am yesterday.

She was walking past the car garage of the factory when the driver of a stuff bus was trying to park the car inside the garage.

Kohinoor, who fell on the ground after being hit by the bus moving backwards, started screaming loudly after a part of her body came under the wheels of the bus.

But the driver, who had earphones plugged on, could not hear her desperate screams and continued to drive the bus backwards towards the parking garage and ran over the victim.

Badly injured, Kohinoor was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where the on-duty doctors declared her dead around 11:30am.

Inspector Mozammel Haque of the DMCH police outpost endorsed the information.

Kohinoor was a resident of the Natunbazar area of Badda in the capital.

Sources said the factory had announced that it would donate Tk100,000 to Kohinoor’s family as compensation for the accidental death. l

WEATHER

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

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:12pm today and rises at 6:15am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 33.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Sitakunda and lowest 12.2 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

32.1 30.2 31.3 29.2 32.6 32.2 32.5 31.6

17.9 21.0 15.8 15.3 17.6 17.1 17.2 24.2

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:56am 6:16am 11:45am 3:36pm 5:12pm 6:30pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Police arrested a nephew of detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar along with one of his aides from a flat in the capital’s Uttara Friday night for their alleged involvement in a plan to carry out subversive activities.

Police said they arrested the duo around 10:30pm on Friday during prior to their holding a meeting in the rented flat of house 3 on Road 14 in sector-12.

A source, however, said police could arrest only those two after the meeting was held while the others had left the flat before police reached there.

Of the detainees, Babar’s nephew was named as Atiqul Islam Bipul, 50.

Son of Mostafizur Rahman, Bipul is also the assistant personal secretary to the former BNP state minister for home.

Nizarul Arif, deputy commissioner of Uttara Division, said police arrested the duo during their preparation to hold a meeting with some specific people of Jamaat-Shibir and BNP. Meanwhile, both Bipul and Alam were shown arrested in an explosive case filed with Uttara West Police Station on November 12 during a hartal.

Police also produced them before a Dhaka court seeking 10-day remand. The court fixed November 18 for hearing. l

the draft as a part of conspiracy of office assistants’ leaders.

“The employees of these three categories have been appointed with at least graduation while most of the office assistants with a qualification of maximum HSC. They start jobs as MLSS but get promotion as administrative officer and personal officer while the computer operators, data entry operators and steno-typists are deprived,” he added.

He further said according to the existing recruitment rules, the office assistants are promoted within five years of their appointment while computer operators, data entry operators and steno-typists have been waiting for much more than that and in some cases it is beyond 25 years.

Abdus Sobhan Sikdar, senior secretary of public administration ministry said they had already finalised the amendment proposal. “It’s now waiting in the law ministry. It will be amended within shortly.” l

The Shia Muslims bring out a mourning procession in the capital’s Hosnidalan area to mark the Ashura on Friday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

BNP stages demos, clashes with police n Tribune Report Main opposition BNP’s nationwide demonstrations yesterday was marked by clashes and vandalism in different parts of the country, disrupting the everyday life and communication system.

The opposition staged the demonstrations across the country, protesting the remand of its senior leaders, and demanding their immediate and unconditional release.

Issuing a note of warning, the BNP threatened that it would not leave the streets until victory in its ongoing movement against elections under a non-partisan government.

“Police arrested a huge number of opposition leaders and activists ahead of Saturday’s preannounced demonstrations. Law enforcers opened fire on a rally in Sitakundu. We are yet to get exact details of the clash,” Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint secretary general of the party, said at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital.

Party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, however, said the different government agencies were involved in the subversive acts, to thwart the opposition’s movement.

In Chittagong, at least 15 were injured in clashes between BNP-JamaatShibir and law enforcing agencies

around 15-20 points on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Sitakunda upazila yesterday (Saturday).

The protesters blasted about a hundred crude bombs, torched eight vehicles and vandalised 20 others at different areas on the highway, said police and local sources.

Due to the violence and random barricades at 15-20 points on the highway, about 30-kilometres long traffic jam formed on the both sides of the highway, said Syed Zakir Hossain, officerin-charge of Baro Awalia Highway police outpost, around 8pm.

While police tried to disperse them, the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men swooped on police, hurling bricks and blasting crude bombs, he said.

Police lobbed tear shells, fired rubber bullets and gas gun shells in reply, added said OC SM Badiujjaman of Sitakunda police station.

Local sources at the opposition alliance said at least 14 people injured due to police action. Out of 14, two – Mohammad Kaiyum and Abdur Rashid – received bullet injuries and were admitted at the Sitakunda health complex, said Syeda Akhter, medical officer at the health complex.

Due to clashes and unrest on the highway, vehicular movement on the highway was halted from 4:30pm to 8pm.

In Gazipur, the local BNP unit called daylong hartal in Kapasia upazila, protesting Chhatra League’s attack on their procession. They claimed, at least three BNP leaders had sustained injuries in the attack.

District BNP Vice-president Khondakar Ajijur Rahman Pera sustained injury along with Sonmania union BNP President and union parishad Chairman Siraj Uddin BSC. Witnesses said a group of Chhatra League activists attacked BNP activists when they were preparing to bring out a procession at Torgao hospital intersection yesterday afternoon.

In Jhalakati, at least 11 BNP activists were injured in a clash with police at the district town, as police tried to deter them from organising a programme, demanding general elections after restoration of caretaker government.

Jhalakathi police detained Barrister Shahjahan Oman Bir Uttam, advisor to the BNP chairperson and former state minister for law, but freed him after half an hour at Barisal-Jhalakathi border.

After hearing the reports of Shahjahan Omar’s arrest, BNP activists ransacked vehicles and engaged in clashes with the police. Police charged batons and fired teargas shells to bring the situation under control. l

Death anniversary of Moulana Bhasani today n Tribune Desk The 37th anniversary of death of veteran politician Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani will be observed today.

Popularly known as “Majlum Jananeta”, the leader of the downtrodden, Moulana Bhasani, passed away on November 17 in 1976.

To mark the day, different organisations including Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP Bhasani), Moulana Bhasani University of Science and Technology, Bhasani Foundation and other organisations have chalked out various programmes at Santosh in Tangail and in the capital. The programmes included placing of wreaths at Bhasani’s grave, discussion meeting, art competition and poetry recitation.

Bhasani was a popular leader in his fight against imperialism and oppression of Pakistani rulers. He led the historic Farakka March in 1976 to ensure Bangladesh’s just rights over the share of the Ganges River waters.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia gave separate messages recalling the late leader’s long political career and paying rich tributes to Moulana Bhasani. l

Local govt representatives urged to DC Nazrul gets posting after being cleared of pressure AL, BNP into talks n Tribune Report Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called upon local government representatives to work as pressure groups to persuade the leaders of the two main political parties to sit for a dialogue to resolve the stalemate over the form of an election-time government.

They also said a one-party election would create uncertainty and hamper the country’s democratic future.

The programme was arranged by Municipal Association of Bangladesh (MAB), comprising of representatives from 319 municipalities of the country.

Members of Bangladesh Union Parishad Forum and Upazila Parishad Association were also present.

Saying Bangladesh now needs “procountry” pressure groups, the discussants urged the elected local representatives, who embody a lion portion of the country’s population, to take a lead.

“We want to see you meet the prime minister and the opposition leader within this week. They will take your voice into consideration, if you can

present yourselves strongly,” said Hossain Zillur Rahman, a former caretaker government adviser.

Indicating the two party chiefs, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, he said their inflexibility was the main reason for the ongoing political crisis.

Tofail Ahmed speaks at a roundtable “They don’t bother about the people,” Zillur said. “Those who want to create instability have created such a situation that (they believe) there is nobody beyond them and there could be nothing beyond the political parties. We have to help them change this

view,” he said, urging the local representatives to do something about it.

Tofail Ahmed, a local government expert, criticised the local government representatives, saying they never played a role during a crisis in national politics.

“There are over 7,000 elected representatives in the country who enjoy the people’s mandate. They could have been the ‘third power’ during a moment of crisis, but it did not happen,” Tofail said.

Tofail also opined that the government should not bar Jamaate-e-Islami or Hefazat-e-Islam from politics.

The country should have liberal views about all political parties, he said, adding that someday, the views would merge and turn Bangladesh into a “liberal democracy”.

He also criticised the 15th amendment to the constitution that abolished the caretaker government system to oversee parliamentary polls.

Taleya Rahman of Democratic Watch, Mahbubur Rahman Tulu of Union Parishad Forum and Fayjur Rahman Fakir of Upazila Parishad Association also addressed the roundtable. l

graft charges n Kailash Sarkar Former deputy commissioner of Detective Branch (DB-North) Mollah Nazrul Islam has been given posting, after remaining closed to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters for over six months, on charges of extorting Tk10m from a businessman.

Besides, SM Mehedi, additional deputy commissioner of DMP’s Motijheel division, has been transferred to the Wari division, allegedly for detaining three women lawmakers of BNP without the higher authorities’ consent during the hartal on November 13, said DMP sources.

Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of the DMP, said: “As per the order of DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed on Thursday, DC Mollah Nazrul Islam has been posted to the Planning, Research and Human Resources Development Department at the DMP and SM Mehedi, ADC of Motijheel division, has been transferred to

the Wari division.”

He said ADC Mehedi has been replaced by Wari division ADC Kazi Shafiqul Islam.

Sources said Nazrul was given the posting on Thursday, a day after the AntiCorruption Commission dropped Mollah’s name from Tk10m extortion charge levelled by a ruling party law maker, Kabirul Haque, and pressed charges against DMP Sub-Inspectors Abul Hasnat of the DB and Jewel Miah of Bongshal police station.

According to the allegation, a businessman named Syed Abidul Islam was picked up from Gulshan at gunpoint on April 7 by a police team and was forced to pay Tk10m after being threatened with death by crossfire.

Following allegations, the ACC in July formed a body to investigate the matter. The DMP also formed another committee led by DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam to investigate the claims, although its report is yet to come to light. l

Yunus Centre Social Business Lab promotes new ideas n Mushfique Wadud

Social business experts and stakeholders have assured that they would invest into the new ideas generated by a group of aspiring entrepreneurs.

Six aspiring social business entrepreneurs presented their ideas at the ninth Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab at the capital’s Yunus Centre yesterday.

Nobel Laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, experts, heads of social business

departments, representatives from aid organisations, commercial banks and social business practitioners listened to the ideas, discussed their potentials and gave suggestions.

The lab is structured in a way to train, brainstorm and involve its participants in social business and as well as develop new ideas. The first Design Lab was held on January 5, 2013. Since then Yunus Centre has been organising the programme every month.

Ram Prosad, a young entrepreneur

from Raujan of Chittagong presented an idea about creating a factory where rice husk would be used to produce briquettes.

Ram has a Higher Secondary Certificate degree and his mother was a borrower of the Grameen Bank. He said he had Tk200,000 capital and would need another Tk700,000 as loan to carry on with his business plan.

He also said he was confident that he would be able to repay the loan in four years. The noted personalities present at the event welcomed his idea and as-

sured of arranging finance.

Sarkar Ardhendu, a mechanical engineer, presented an idea about making bricks from the fly ash generated from rice husk power plant.

Suzon Kumar Saha from Rangpur said he wanted to start a telecom and servicing centre. He sought Tk200,000 loan for his business.

Lt Col (Rretd) Mohammad Didarul Alam presented an idea about setting up a social business company in Urir Char focusing on animal farming.

Abdus Salam from Satkhira said he aspired to start a bee-keeping business while Shamimul Haque from Kurigram said he wanted to set up a clothing shop in the village market near his house.

Speaking at the programme, Muhammad Yunus said in the recently concluded social business summit in Malaysia, he had seen many people had been getting interested in the business.

He also informed that the next social business summit would be held in Mexico in November next year. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

Searching for the palace

5

Sunday, November 17, 2013

The entrance to Panam City PHOTO: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

A hunt for the palace of the Sultan of Bengal in Sonargaon, the historical capital of the ‘Golden Province’ Overview of Panam City

“W n Tim Steel

e started from the Kingdom of Sumatra ... sailed with the wind for twenty days and anchored in Chittagong. From there we took small boats for over 500 li to Sonargaon.

“The Sultan’s palace was tall and spacious with pillars in the colour of brass and decorated with flowers and animal carvings. There were long corridors on both sides with thousands of armed cavalry squads inside and extraordinarily strong and dignified soldiers equipped with swords, bows and arrows outside. On left and right of vermillion steps there were over a hundred parasols made of peacock feathers. Hundreds of elephant squads lined up in front of the palace.

“The Sultan wore a crown studded with eight gems and sat on the throne with a sword on his knees. Two men

Entering Panam City, as the modern remnant of Sonargaon is known, the sight that greets the visitor first is a palace. This, however, without doubt, is a 19th century palace

with silver staffs came and guided the emperor’s envoy forward. They gave a shout every five steps till they finished half way to the throne. Then another two with gold staffs came and guided as the previous two did.”

None of which sounds, even vaguely like anywhere in Bangladesh today.

Nor, indeed, the following piece that describes how “some men wrap their foreheads in white cloth and wear long white shirts. Others are wrapped in colourful cloth from the waist down.”

Now, that sounds more familiar!

The year was 1414, and Zheng He,

Tomb of Sultan Giyasuddin Azam Shah in Mograpara

Baro Sardar Bari, now known as the folk art museum in Sonargaon the Chinese admiral, was visiting the Sultan of Bengal, at his palace in Sonargaon, just outside Dhaka. This palace would be just great to find!

Sonargaon was once the capital of Bengal, the “Golden Province,” described by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb as “The Paradise of Nations” for its wealth and trade. It’s on the Chittagong Highway, which is a mid-16th-century extension of India’s famous 3rd century BCE Grand Trunk Road that stretches from Kabul in the west to Sonargaon, and probably all the way to Chittagong in the East. But, fighting a way out of chaotic modern Dhaka, that is hard to imagine.

Entering Panam City, as the modern remnant of Sonargaon is known, the sight that greets the visitor first is a palace. This, however, without doubt, is a 19th century palace, whatever the half informed, “guides” may say. No one with any appreciation of architectural styles could suppose otherwise.

Pressing on, the visitor, today, finds themselves in a narrow roadway, lined by 19th century mansions in styles varying from Mughal, via provincial French, through British neo classical, to a touch of Italianate. But none that are 15th century.

And none are in the least bit reminiscent of Ralph Fitch’s description of Sonargaon in the mid fifteen eighties.

This English merchant is the first recorded British visitor to the lands that are now Bangladesh. It was his report of the flourishing trade he found, and explored, around the Ganges Delta, and about which he reported to his associates in London on his return there about 1591, that motivated the formation of the East India Company, chartered by the great Queen Elizabeth the First, in 1600. His visit was, indeed, one of great future significance to these lands, but his report makes no mention of the palace.

Indeed, his description of Sonargaon is, rather, of “small wooden houses with thatched roofs, with doors to keep out the tigers and foxes,” with inhabitants who, “ wore no clothes, except a small piece of cotton in front,” and “would eat no flesh,” which seems to suggest that the merchants might be Jains.

The earlier visitor to Sonargaon, however, the great Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan, who visited Sonargaon about 60 years before Zheng He,

whilst describing an evidently lavish lifestyle of the Sultan, and his rewarding of converts to Islam with gifts of gold bangles and cloaks, also fails to describe such palatial arrangements as those Zheng He found.

With those thoughts in mind, the visitor may still find, at the south end of the street, an unmistakeably Mughal period bridge, somewhat poorly maintained, spanning a canal, leading to a forbidding building identified as an East India Company warehouse, and nearby, a small palace that might well have been the Honourable Company’s representative’s residence.

Not 15th century, either!

Less than a mile away, however, there stand two mosques. One, unquestionably, Mughal, the other, identified as early 16th century, bringing the visitor, in terms of time scales, possibly closer to the palace being sought.

Re-crossing the Chittagong Highway, the village of Mograpara is said to have been where the first of the 13th century Pathan invaders, the Khilji, set up shop, dominating the Brahmaputra River, the Southern Silk Road.

Here, surely, it must be possible find the Palace?

A current map of Sonargaon one of the few Zaminder palaces of Bangladesh that seems to have been constructed with garaging for motor vehicles, and for a double decker toilet block! Also, definitely, not early 15th century.

Travelling on, hopefully, along the country road that passes by this more

The 13th century mosque, and a ruinous, enigmatic building, described by locals as a library, with a basement prayer and meditation room, but which looks as though it may have begun life as a Jain Temple

The 13th century mosque, and a ruinous, enigmatic building, described by locals as a library, with a basement prayer and meditation room, but which looks as though it may have begun life as a Jain Temple, offer up a period prospect of success. Taken together with what seems likely to be an ancient gate house of brick and stone, possibly the defensible entrance through the familiar mud ramparts that characterise most ancient cities in Bangladesh, there seems some prospect of success.

But the only palace in Mograpara is another 19th century, or early 20th century, wreck. Interesting, in being

modern palace, the visitor comes across a large, beautifully carved, basalt block, marking the last resting place of the grandfather of the Sultan whose palace is being sought.

Sikander Shah, the second Sultan of his family, was great grandfather of the Sultan visited by Zheng He. His son, Ghiyasuddin, the third Ilyas Shah dynasty Sultan, murdered him.

His grandson, Giyasuddin, was the Sultan who caused a sensation in China by sending, as a gift to the Emperor, Zhu Di, an African giraffe. An interesting gift, at the best of times, not only because his possession of such an African native animal speaks volumes

COURTESY: DR ABU SYED M AHMED

for the trading activities around him, but also for the sensation the animal caused in the Chinese court.

The giraffe closely resembled a mythical Chinese creature called a “Qilin,” a famous omen of prosperity, that, it was said, would only show itself with the arrival of a sage in a peaceful world, symbolising a flourishing age. It is not hard to imagine how the Emperor’s followers made capital out of the animal’s arrival!

None of which, of course, does more than simply feed the appetite to find the palace which, even allowing for flattery, and attempts to impress a new Emperor of China, must surely have been a building of some size and splendour, and of which, surely, despite everything, some trace, somewhere, must survive.

Search, as anyone may, however, no palace, no peacocks, no elephants, no guards: just rolling, evergreen, riverside fields. And narrow waterways, thronged with fishing boats, where once the mile-wide waters of the Old Brahmaputra flowed, the ancient Silk Road to China.

But not, it seems, a wasted journey.

Not even a disappointment. The visitor has explored part of the rich heritage of the most recent, half millennium, in this extraordinary, largely unexplored country, Bangladesh. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, November 17, 2013

GAZIPUR VIOLENCE

40 injured as factory workers clash with police At least 50 vehicles vandalised as workers block highway to press for 10-point demand chant Limited, Meritex One, Shohan, tyres and hurled brickbats at vehicles. n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Officer-in-charge at Joydebpur police Asif Sweaters and Titas Sweaters at At least 40 people were injured in a clash between sweater factory workers and the police at Nawjor and Konabari area in Gazipur yesterday The workers, agitating to press a 10-point demand, including increasing the production charges for each piece of sweater, vandalised factories, at least 50 vehicles and blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway for about one and half hour, resulting in a huge traffic jam in the area.

To avoid further deterioration of the situation, most of the sweater factory authorities closed down their factories for the day.

Jahid, a worker at DotCom Sweaters in the Nawjor area of Gazipur, said: “The factories were scheduled to pay our salary for the month of October on Thursday night. But, the authority did not pay till 11pm that day. As a result, the workers became angry and ransacked the factory.”

Police had arrived at the factory immediately, and took the situation under control. However, following the weekend on Friday, the workers returned to the factory Saturday to find a notice at its gate, announcing that the authority had the closed the factory for an indefi-

nite period, he claimed.

At this, the workers became even angrier, and started demonstrating in front of the factory.

At one stage, around 9am in the morning, the agitated worker blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway by burning

station, SM Kamruzzaman said they had to resort to charging baton, fired rubber bullets and lobbed tear-gas canisters to disperse the agitating workers.

Witnesses claimed at least 15 were left injured in that clash.

DotCom Sweaters’ Production Manager, Emdad Hossain said the police intervened to bring the situation under control. He said that the factory has been closed temporarily.

He claimed, the worker had ransacked the factory Thursday night after the salary amount arrived late at the factory.

Sub-inspector Md Rabiul Islam at Konabari police outpost, said: “Over 500 workers from different sweater factories in the Konabari area joined to press their 10-point demand, including increasing the production charges, and the daily attendance bonus at minimum 200 taka.

Workers from different sweater factories, including JL design, Global Mer-

Konabari area started to protest around 8:30am in the morning.

Later, the authorities of the factories declared their units shut for the day.

The protesting workers subsequently blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway when the police baton charged and fired rubber-bullets to disperse them.

The protesters set fire to a human hauler at the area.

At least 25 people were injured, according to witnesses and police. The injured were taken to nearby clinics and hospitals.

Traffic on the highway resumed around 11:30am, after being stopped for one and a half hours.

One of the agitated worker said though wages for garment factory workers have been decided to be increased, there has been no announcement regarding sweater factory or knitting section workers. l

Ensure social protection Ruet admission tests held amid clash to RMG victims: SNF between Shibir-police n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman

n RU Correspondent

Razia Fayez dies n Tribune Report A prayer session will be held for the departed soul of former minister Syeda Razia Fayez at her Gulshan residence in the city tomorrow, says a press release.

She died at a city hospital Friday.

She was 78.

Razia Fayez, who was a member of Pakistan National Assembly, was also elected to Bangladesh Parliament in 1979. l

Woman killed for dowry in city

Five people, including three admission seekers, were injured as Shibir activists, student wing of the Jamaat-eIslami, locked into a clash with the law enforcers on the Rajshahi University Engineering and Technology campus just after the admission tests of the university ended yesterday.

The admission test was held between 10am-12:30pm and a tense situation was prevailing on the campus as different students’ political organisations were taking preparation from the morning to welcome the freshers.

Witnesses said the clash ensued while the police barred a procession brought out by the Shibir activists welcoming the admission seekers at 12 noon.

Later, Shibir activists hurled bricks

at the police who fired back tear shells and rubber bullets to disperse them, leaving five injured.

The injured were identified as admission seekers Sadad Hossain, Sawkat Hossain and Mujibur Rahman and two others were guardians of the students who were not identified.

Contacted, Abdul Mazid, officer-incharge of Motihar police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that Shibir activists were trying to create an untoward situation during the admission test, adding that police dispersed the procession by firing rubber bullets.

Meanwhile, the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of the BNP, also brought out processions on the Ruet campus welcoming the admission seekers. l

Sramik Nirapotta Forum (SNF), a platform for organisations working for workers’ rights, said bringing all the victims of the tragedies at Tazreen Fashions, Smart Fashion, Rana Plaza and Aswad Garment Factory under social protection for a year was a necessity.

Speakers from the SNF made the call at a press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital yesterday.

Hameeda Hossain, convenor of the SNF and chairperson of Ain O Salish Kendra, they do not know about the government’s preparation in this regard and alleged that nothing was implemented despite the High Court ordering them to submit a report regarding the Spectrum building collapse and a committee being formed after the Tazreen tragedy.

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, member secretary of the SNF and assistant executive director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, said: “We

n Mohammad Jamil Khan A garment worker was killed allegedly by her husband in the capital’s Mirpur area on Friday, just three months after their marriage.

Shamsun Nahar, 18, originally from Kishoreganj, was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Her mother Swarupa Begum alleged that her son-in-law Kabir Hossain killed her for dowry. “My daughter married Kabir Hossain, a garment worker, three months ago. It was an affair-marriage,” She also alleged that after the first “happy” month of their marriage, Kabir and his family started torturing her and demanding money from her.

“On Wednesday, they demanded Tk15,000 and as we failed to give the money, they killed my daughter.”

Quoting DMCH doctors, SI Rasel of Pallabi police station said the details of the incident would be clear only after the autopsy report.

The victim’s husband admitted her to a local hospital on Friday, saying that she tried to commit suicide, the SI said, adding that the victim’s husband and family members went into hiding. l

Members of Dhaka Taxicab Owners Welfare Association forms human chain in front of National Press Club yesterday, demanding amendment in taxicab import rules, including other demands FOCUS BANGLA

NEWS IN BRIEF Two killed over land dispute in Comilla

One killed over land dispute

Two person were killed and three others critically injured in an attack by their rivals over a land- dispute at Daulatpara under Laksam in Comilla on Friday evening. The deceased were Haji Abdur Rahim, 55, headmaster of a local primary school and his nephew Sagar, 22. Witnesses said two brothers – Imam Hossain and Shah Alam – had been got into a dispute over the ownership of a piece of their ancestral land. Following an altercation over the issue, Imam Hossain stabbed Shah Alam, his sons Sagar and Shamim, and their neighbour Abdur Rahim leaving them critically injured. Sagar and Rahim succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital. On information, Laksam police visited the spot and recovered the bodies. – UNB

A man was beaten to death at Malikanda village, Uzirpur upazila of Barisal over land dispute with his brother’s family on Friday night. Locals said Aynal and Joynal, two brothers, engaged in an altercation over land dispute on Friday morning and in-laws of Aynal attacked Joynal on his way home from a local market around 7pm. He was left beside the road by the attackers and on duty doctor declared him dead after he was brought to local Upazila Health Complex.

Anwar Hosen, officer-in-charge of Uzirpur police station, said the victim was murdered over land dispute and family rivalries. Police sent the body to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for autopsy and a murder case was lodged by Taslima Begum,

wife of the victim, yesterday against eight of her in-laws, the OC said.

No one was arrested till filing the report. – Our Correspondent

Woman held with arms, ammo in Natore Members of the Narcotics Control Department in a drive arrested a woman with three pistols, six magazines and 112 rounds of bullet from a bus in Natore sadar upazila’s Ekdala area on Friday.

The arrestee was Lucky Begum of Muladuli in Pabna. Nazim Uddin, Natore circle inspector of the Narcotics Control Department, said acting on secret information, a team of the department officials intercepted a Pabna-bound bus from Rajshahi and arrested Lucky along with the arms and ammunition in the afternoon. Later the arrestee along with

the recovered arms and ammunition was handed over to the Rapid Action Battalion. – UNB

Bombs, explosives recovered in Chuadanga Chuadanga police recovered two bombs and a huge quantity of explosive substances from the PoranpurLoknathpur roadside at Damurhuda on Friday afternoon. Ahsan Habib, officerin-charge of Damurhuda Police Station, said being tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in the area and recovered two bombs, some gunpowder and other bomb making equipment from a bush around 12pm. Miscreants might have hidden the items there to carry out subversive activities in the area, he added. However, no one was arrested in this connection. – UNB

know nothing regarding the fund and how many workers got compensation and the amount.”

He urged the government to take initiative in this regard, asserting that “assistance is not compensation at all.”

He also urged the government to implement ILO convention 121, saying compensation should be given to the injured in line with measurements of their losses.

Momtaj Begum, vice-chairman of Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We want the injured and deceased workers to get compensation and rehabilitation.”

The SNF also said everybody connected to the RMG sector was bound to abide by the standard of compensation and stressed the need the families of deceased and missing workers to be given their loved ones’ due salaries and over time.

The forum also demanded that punishment of the responsible people be ensured. l

BNP front body calls hartal in Laxmipur n Tribune Desk Local unit of Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, an associate body of the main opposition BNP, on Saturday called a daylong hartal in Ramgati and Kamalnagar upazilas of the district for Sunday demanding the release of its central leaders including Shafiul Bari Babu.

Convener of the Ramgati upzila unit of the BNP’s volunteer wing Abu Saiyem M Shahin announced the shutdown from a press conference at BNP office in the upazila headquarters in the morning, reports UNB. JSC and JDC examinations will remain out of purview of the hartal, the leader added.

On November 13, Detective Branch of police arrested Swechchhasebak Dal general secretary Mir Sharafat Ali Sapu and Shafiul Bari Babu from Bangla Motor area in the capital.

On Friday, a Dhaka court placed the two leaders on a five-day remand each in a case field for allegedly creating violence and obstructing cops from discharging their duties. l

Chhatra League vows to resist Jamaat-Shibir n Arif Ahmed Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, yesterday staged a rally and brought out a procession, protesting the recent killings of BCL leaders by JamaatShibir men and the opposition group’s terrorist activities across the country.

Shibir members killed the BCL President of Shah Makhdum Hall at Rajshahi University on November 14 and the President of Baro Aulia Degree College’s BCL unit in Chittagong on November 10.

The Dhaka University BCL unit brought out the procession around 12pm from near the Madhur Canteen and marched down a number of streets on the campus, eventually staging a rally in front of the Aparejeyo Bangla.

Speaking at the rally, BCL central unit President HM Badiuzzaman Sohag asked the BCL activists to resist Jamaat-e-Islami and its student body Islami Chhatra Shibir.

BCL General Secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam demanded a ban on Jamaat-Shibir politics. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

7

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Lalmoni Express Train runs off schedule Sufferings of individuals know no bounds

n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha The Lalmoni Express Train always falls behind its schedule, putting the journey of passengers to and from Dhaka in great disarray.

The inhabitants of Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogra and Natore districts bear the brunt of the off-schedule.

Sources said Lalmoni Express Train was introduced in 2005 aiming to ease people’s journey to the capital and develop rail communication between north Bengal and Dhaka.

The train runs between Lalmonirhat and Dhaka six days a week except Friday, but fails to maintain its timetable creating untold sufferings to passengers.

As per its schedule, the train is supposed to leave for Dhaka from Lalmonirhat at 10:40am every day except Friday and reach Kamlapur at 9:05pm.

It is then scheduled to start for Lalmonirhat from Dhaka at 10:10pm and return at 8:20am.

After a weekly interval on Friday, it maintains its schedule only on Saturdays.

At least, a two-three hour delay on five other days is very usual for the express train, ultimately losing its image to people.

But it gets worst on Wednesdays and Thursdays when passengers face a delay of at least three-four hours, said an employee of the railway department on condition of anonymity.

The authorities could run the train timely if they desire to do so since the vehicle had been plying between Dhaka and Lalmonirhat keeping its schedule during the army-backed caretaker government in 2007 and 2008, he added.

M Shajahan Miah of Gaibandha town said: “I like train journey in comparison with that of buses, but the delay discourages me and others as well from boarding the train.”

Since the train runs off schedule, it gets to Kamlapur Railway station at midnight very often and passengers cannot go to their city houses, afraid of being mugged on the way.

Asked about the delay of the train, Gaibandha rail station master Abdul Wahed Mondal expressed his helplessness.

He on the contrary advised the correspondent to communicate with the higher authorities of the railways to get the answer of the query.

However, contacted, Divisional Traffic Superintendent of Lalmonirhat Rail Division Mostafizur Rahman technically avoided answering the query about the reasons for the delay.

He said they were trying to run the train on schedule.

However, the train journey loving people of northern districts urged the authorities concerned to take needful steps as quick as possible to facilitate journey between the district and the capital. l

AL leader killed in Jessore n Tribune Report

Schools charging extra fees for SSC exams in Narsingdi

CU ‘Gha’ unit admission test held

A local ruling party leader was killed on Thursday after unidentified miscreants hurled bombs and shot at him down at Shikirhat Kheyaghat under Abhaynagar upazila in Jessore.

The deceased was Jahidul Islam, 30, president of Shubharara union’s ward number 2 unit of Awami League.

Faruk Hossain, a councilor of Nawapara municipality told the Dhaka Tribune that Jahidul died on the spot when five to six miscreants hurled around seven crude bombs at him.

However, the reason behind the killing could not be known immediately.

Meanwhile, Kazi Abdus Saleq, officer in-charge of Abhaynagar police station, was closed to Jessore police line after the Awami League leader’s death, the third murder in the upazila in the last four days. l

n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

n FM Mizanur Rahaman

Allegations of extra fees being charged for SSC examinations have continued to mount against various private schools in Narsingdi, with some examinees’ parents saying they had to sell their household items to provide the extra amount.

Fees being charged are much higher than the government-fixed rate and more than triple in most cases. The Dhaka Education Board had fixed the examination fee for humanities and commerce students at Tk1150, while for science students the fee was fixed at Tk1,250.

The fee covers costs related to written and theoretical examinations, practical examinations, academic transcripts and other services, sources at the education board said.

An overloaded shuttle train heads to Chittagong University with university admission seekers as yesterday was scheduled for admission tests

However, most private schools are defying the government directive and charging arbitrarily, to the obvious chagrin of low and middle income parents.

“This is nonsense. They cannot charge as they please. There is a clear government directive,” said Gopal Das, whose son is sitting for the exam at a school in Narsingdi town.

He alleged that even students whose fees had been exempted by the government from paying fees were also being compelled to pay fees at higher rates.

The board fixed November 18 as the last date for submitting exam fees without incurring fines. Those paying fees between November 21 and November 28, the final date for submissions, will be accepted but will incur fines.

A board official, wishing to remain anonymous, said some parents had ap-

Road crashes kill 9 in 3 districts n Tribune Report

Nine people were killed and five others injured in separate road accidents in Gazipur, Brahmanbaria and Magura districts yesterday.

In Gazipur, two people were killed and two were left injured in a road accident on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in the district’s Shreepur upazila.

The accident took place after a truck and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw collided head-on at Nayanpur around 11:15am, reports our correspondent.

Police said the deceased Shohag, 26, was son of Khorshed Alam hailed from Goforgoan of Mymensingh, and the other dead, who was aged around 30, could not be identified immediately.

The injured were Motuza Ali, 28,

and Obaidullah, 32. Sanwar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Mauna highway police, said the dead and the injured were passengers of the auto-rickshaw.

On information, police went to the spot and seized the truck, but the driver managed to flee, the OC added.

A case was filed with Shreepur police station in this connection.

In Brahmanbaria, six people were killed and three others were left injured after a tractor had hit two CNG-run auto-rickshaws on the Comilla-Sylhet highway at Uttar Shuhilpur in sadar upazila.

The dead were identified as Shah Alam, Madan Mohan Sarker, 50, Nandalal Sarker, 48, Jagadish Sarker, 25, Ratindra Sarker, 30 and Illias Miah, 25, reports UNB. According to witnesses, the two au-

to-rickshaws fell into a ditch after being hit by a tractor around 12pm, leaving four people spot dead and five others injured. Among the injured, two of them died at sadar hospital.

Vehicular movement on Comilla-Sylhet Highway was disrupted for almost an hour following the accident.

The police seized the tractor but its driver had managed to flee.

In Magura, a man was killed in a road accident at Shalikha upazila of the district.

The dead day labourer Billal Hossain, 35, was son of Fazlul Haque of Shatakhali village at Shalikha upazila.

Syed Abdullah, officer-in-charge of Shalikha police station, said he was hit by a bus on the Magura-Jessore Highway of the upazila, leaving him dead on the spot around 9am. l

A tractor and two CNG-run auto-rickshaws fell in a roadside ditch after an accident in Brahmanbaria yesterday

FOCUS BANGLA

proached the board with complaints of high charges.

“We will take action against any schools found guilty of collecting extra fees. Some guardians complained to us that they had to borrow money from private lenders to pay the fees.”

Other parents had to either mortgage their land or sell household valuables to pay their children’s exam fees, he added.

Rashida Begum, a domestic worker, said she had paid a Tk3,500 exam fee for her daughter after borrowing the money from a moneylender. “I do not know how I would repay it,” she said. Azahar Uddin, another parent, said he had to sell his bullock to pay his son’s fee.

There are around 100 private schools operating in Narsingdi. l

House torched, lives threatened n Our Correspondent, Kurigram

In a dispute over a piece of land at Raumari in Kurigram, a group of people on Friday allegedly torched a house, threatening the residents of the house and telling them to vacate the land within three days.

Mohammed Ali and Khadem Ali of Phulbari village had a long standing dispute over the land.

Previously, a local court handed down a verdict, finding in favour of Mohammed Ali after the wranglers lodged a case in this connection.

After getting the verdict, Mohammed, along with his family, started living on the land after building a house.

However, a group of 20-25 men led by Khadem Ali yesterday set the house on fire.

The victim’s family members said the loss caused by the fire was approximately Tk200,000.

A written complaint was lodged with Raumari police station in this connection.

Mokhlesur Rahman, officein-charge of Raumari police station, said they have received a written complaint and will look into the matter. l

Chittagong University admission tests for 2013-2014 academic session under eight faculties began yesterday with the “Gha” unit examinations under Social Science faculty amid political uncertainty.

A total of 28, 266 applicants fought for the 888 seats available under the faculty and the tests were held at six centres in the city and upazilas.

However, during the examinations, the aspirants were puzzled as there were errors in the serial of questions.

The examinees and their parents, worried over the issue, said it might affect the results.

Professor Hossain Kabir, dean of Social Science Faculty and also the member of admission committee

DHAKA TRIBUNE

told the Dhaka Tribune that the error would not affect the results and claimed that the breaking of serials was not an error.

On the other hand, the aspirants faced severe crisis of transports in reaching the university.

Campus sources said the space inside the CU shuttle train was not enough for the campus bound people and alleged that a local syndicate charges extra fare from the aspirants and students during the admission days.

When asked about the matter, Prof Khan Tawhid Osman, proctor of CU, said they would look into the matter as soon as possible.

He also said they have arranged three BRTC bus services which trips between the campus and the city. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A journey From Finite to Infinite n Punny Kabir Shadhona has always been a forerunner of creating experimental productions. On the stage of the Hay Festival on November 15, Shadhona staged its latest production From Finite to Infinite and again the group of multitalented personas received kudos from a houseful audience.

Besides a number of spectacular dance recitals, From Finite to Infinite presents a precise description of different philosophies which lie behind various mystical performances in the deltaic region of Bengal.

The show began with an exposition of Charya dance—an ancient ritual dance which dates back over more than 1000 years and is a religious discipline

of the priests of Kathmandu, who perform the dance as part of their esoteric meditation practices, ceremonies, and rituals.

With dazzling orange attire, a lady with the avatar of Bajrayogini, the deity of wisdom, presents a graceful recital and later four dancers accompany her synchronised to a song depicting the distinctiveness of the goddess.

Various segments of Shadhona’s production From Finite to Infinite

AMIRUL RAJIV

Bangladesh Inter University Photo Exhibition begins at DAC n Afrose Jahan Chaity The first Bangladesh Inter University Photography Exhibition (BIUPE-2013), organised by the American International University Bangladesh Photographic Society (AIUBPC) has begun from November 14 at the Dhaka Art Centre. The exhibition will continue till November 18.

It showcased the works of armature photographers of fifty public and private universities of Bangladesh. A total of 81 selective photographs from 2275 photographs and total number of 262 participants have participated in the exhibition in 9 categories.

The exhibition is an initiative of AIUB Photography Club to promote interest in photography among the young generation. The oraganisers hope to encourage the young talented photographers of their own university as well as other universities of Bangladesh to use their creative skills, share their knowledge and participate in a technical discussion.

In the Architecture category, Fatima Rasul Munira from East West University captured a black and white photograph which is titled Future, with Unknown Destiny!!!, shows the practical life of human desires. The photograph got the second position in this category.

Most of the photographs reflected their armaturish skills; however, their eye of photography and concern has been praise worthy. The subjects of the photos vary from unusual portraits, landscapes, lifestyles, wild life to conceptual. It is a very versatile show that offers a wide range of different photographs for onlookers to appreciate.

Judges of the photography exhibition were Andrew Biraj (Photojournalist, Reuters), Mishuk Ashraful Awal (Faculty of Photography at Pathshala South Asia Media Academy) and Kudrat E Khoda (Litu) (Conservation Photographer).

The exhibition will open from 3pm to 8pm until November 18 and it’s open to all. A documentary movie on photography is scheduled to be screened today. l

The segment featured a special solo performance of by Rajendra Shrestha from Kalamandapa of Kathmandu.

With a golden tiara and outstanding wear, the veteran entertained the dance lovers with his controlled moves.

Well-known artistes from the Manipuri community of Moulvibazaar, Sylhet – Sri Gaurhori Chatterjee, Ojha Kanung and Babu Chand Singh—performed traditional music of the community which was enriched with a charming dance recital by Sweety Das and her team.

Two duet dance pieces on Tagore songs Anondoloke and Aji Nahi Nahi Nira Akhipate were displayed presenting the spiritual practice of Brahmo Somaj, a religious movement which played a significant role in the renaissance of India and the roots of much of the modern thinking in India can be traced back to the movement.

Unlike the typical Rabindra dance, the soothing recitals which fuse western styles and eastern expressions simply captivated the audience.

The final segment demonstrated the mysticism of Bauls, the most familiar and perhaps, the strongest spiritual practitioners of the region.

A bunch of young and energetic dancers performed with two songs of Lalon, considered as the greatest leader of the wandering minstrels. With contemporary dance moves and music consisting powerful western beats, the show ended up spreading a magical energy. l

ON TV MOVIE 3:30pmFox Movies Premium The Proposal

11:26pm WB Cop Out

DRAMA 10:30pm Colors Uttaran

8:30pm Sony Aadalat

COMEDY 11:30am Star World The Simpsons

10:00pm Z Cafe

The Big Bang Theory

NEWS 6:00pm Boishakhi Tv

Evening news bulletin

10:00pm BTV News at Ten

MISC 2:30pm Travel XP Tracking Royalty

10:30pm TLC

World’s Weirdest Restaurants

Photos displayed at the Dhaka Art Centre

Get close and personal with Britney Spears n Entertainment Desk Britney Spears is getting up close and personal in her new TV documentary, I Am Britney Jean, which focuses on the singer’s personal and creative challenges as she prepares for her two-year residency in Las Vegas.

The 90-minute special, which features intimate interviews with Spears, will air on E! on December 22 at 8 pm EST. In a statement, the network promised that the doc will provide “an intimate look at one of the most overexposed yet under-revealed stars of today as she faces one of her biggest challenges ever while finishing her album, shooting videos, doing press - and being a mom.”

I Am Britney Jean is perfectly timed:

Spears’ eighth studio album, Britney Jean, will be released on December 3.

Her upcoming residency at the Las Vegas Planet Hollywood – which includes 50 shows over a two-year period - will commence on December 27th, five days after the documentary airs.

Last night, Spears rallied against “sneaky hackers” by tweeting the “true” tracklist for her new album, which features the singles Work Bitch and Perfume, along with a variety of noteworthy collaborations with producer will.i.am, rapper T.I. and Spears’ younger sister, Jamie Lynn.

Last month, Spears released a campy music video for Work Bitch, which features the singer dancing in the desert and singing within a pool of circling sharks. l

TODAY IN DHAKA

Mukti staged in London n Entertainment Desk

Theatre (Bailey Road), a leading theatre troupe of Bangladesh, staged its acclaimed play Mukti, at the Studio Theatre of Brady Arts Centre, London on November 9.

A houseful audience gave a big ovation to the artists at the end of the performance. The play was staged as a part of the festival A Season of Bangla Drama organised by Tower Hamlets Council.

This is the 11th season of the festival which started on November 2 and will continue till 24th. The festival features seven Bangla and six English plays along with three seminars and an exhibition.

Directed by Tropa Majumdar the story is an adaptation of Lee Blessing’s famous play Independence that portrays mother-daughter relations on the backdrop of urban milieu.

Seasoned actress Ferdousi Majum-

der plays the protagonist as mother while Tamanna Islam, Tanjum Ara Poly and Tanveen Sweety play the roles of three daughters.

Translated and scripted by Mizarul Kayes, Mukti maintains the authenticity of Blessing’s play.

The story of the play begins with the homecoming of Rojoni, the eldest of three daughters who left home for job.

Rojoni returns home for a short visit at the request of her younger sister Damini.

As the story unfolds, the mother and daughters come to know that Damini— the most favourite child of the mother —is pregnant by her boyfriend, Shimanto. He refuses to marry her and thus emerges a complex situation.

Shohini, the third daughter, is an outspoken and rebellious teenager and her dialogues represent the thought of the progressive youth.

A 10-member group of Theatre visited London for this performance. l

The Lunchbox reaches Zurich n Entertainment Desk One of the most acclaimed movies of recent times, The Lunchbox, has been released in Zurich, a unique event indeed for a Hindi film.

“It’s freezing over here. But Zurich is gorgeous. We’re promoting the film here for a weekend release,” lead actress Nimrat Kaur said from Zurich.

The Swiss media and movie lovers are reportedly agog about this unconventional love story between two bereft souls in Mumbai who never meet.

“It’s amazing over here,” said Nimrat, adding: “After The Lunchbox releases here in Zurich this week, we are off to Berlin to promote the film there.

We’ll be in Germany for a week. Then we proceed to France to promote the film in French cities for a week.”

Speaking on the film’s journey, director Ritesh Batra said: “The love for the film has been very overwhelming beyond anything I expected. All the love that the film got outside India would not have meant anything if it didn’t succeed at home.

“I think it worked in India because it’s a sincere attempt to look at Mumbai and its people.”

The Lunchbox was made with French and German collaboration, hence the

wide release in Europe.

“Only 50 percent of the money for the film came from India. The rest we had to generate from outside India.

There was also a German and a French producer. So that money which was raised from France and Germany had to be used in those countries. That is the rule. The film stars Irrfan Khan as the male lead, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a supporting role. l

Dispute over James Bond’s rights settled

Exhibition

Kinetic Photography Exhibition Gazi Nafis Ahmed Time: 10am – 8pm EMK Center, House 5 Road 27 (old), Dhanmondi, Dhaka

n Entertainment Desk Ending a copyright dispute that has lasted more than 50 years, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc and Danjaq LLC have acquired all the rights and interests related to the debonair super-spy James Bond.

MGM, the longtime distributor of the Bond movies, and Danjaq, the franchise’s producer, reached a settlement with the estate of Kevin McClory, who collaborated with 007 author Ian Fleming on the script for the movie Thunderball.

Terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but the companies said it brought the copyright saga to an “amicable conclusion.”

The legal duels began when Fleming turned the first James Bond script - which he wrote with McClory and writer-for-hire Jack Whittingham - into the novel Thunderball. McClory sued in 1961 over ownership rights. The parties settled, and McClory was able to produce Thunderball, which was eventually released in 1965 and was the franchise’s fourth 007 film.

In 1983, a London court held that McClory had the right to produce James Bond movies, allowing the release of Never Say Never Again, which brought Sean Connery back as the dashing spy for the last time.

A California court delivered McClory a setback in 2001 by rejecting McClory’s claims to royalties from 007 movies, arguing he had waited too long to make his case.

McClory died in 2006 at the age of 80.

Baker Hostetler LLP partner William Kane, who represented McClory’s estate, said in a statement: “The 50-year intellectual property row involving James Bond was settled because of a great deal of hard work by the attorneys for the Estate of Kevin McClory, MGM, and Danjaq and will benefit James Bond film fans throughout the world.”

The 24 James Bond films - including Never Say Never Again have grossed a total of more than $1.91bn domestically, according to Box Office Mojo, and the latest, 2012’s Skyfall, took in more than $304m. l

Pater Gaan Banglar Bagh Nazir Hossain Time: 11am -8pm Gallery Cosmos-2, Villa de Anjuman, Flat No 5A, Road No 6, House No 115, New DOHS, Exotic Jute II Time: 3pm – 8pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, 26 Mirpur Road (corner road n.3) Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205

Discussion

A Conversation with Tariq Ali Time: 4:30pm University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) Road 4A, Satmasjid Road

Festival

Urban Youth Festival Goethe Institut 11am - 8pm Dhanmondi 9

Film

Planes in 3D Udhao Level 8, Bashundhara City, Panthapath, Dhaka Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again

Hay Festival

9

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Syed Zak

ir Hossa

in

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Syed Zakir

Fun and games at the Imagination Tent

Hossain

Syed Zakir Hossain

Amirul Rajiv Syed Zakir Hossain

While the grown-ups attended serious sessions in pursuit of literary discourse and culture, the young attendees of this year’s Hay Festival were seen at the Imagination Tent, where detailed programmes were scheduled especially for children and teenagers.

On the second day of the three-day long event, the programme marking the start of children’s events kicked off with an interactive puppet show and storytelling session, which was followed by poetry recitations, featuring the works of Shukumar Ray and Rabindranath Tagore.

Children between the ages of six to 12 were in attendance and filled the tent with their cries of delight and laughter.

On the concluding day of the festival, there were slots in the morning for

youngsters, but this time aimed at a slightly higher age group, 11-18 year olds.

The event of note was “Upcoming Misfits” session where a discussion about comics and graphic stories by Nuhash Humayun drew large crowds. The young creator of the comic strip “#esh”, and Samir Rahman, whose studio Mighty Punch has released two comic books “Shabash” and “Legend of Zooey” this year entertaining the audience.

The children’s programme wrapped up with a special session with Zafar Iqbal on how to “Write a Story”.

In the stalls there were books, magazines and varied content especially for young readers, which showed that the literary event took a comprehensive approach towards including the young book lovers as well as adults. l Amirul Rajiv

Amirul Rajiv

Nazrul and Tagore on tolerance On the small stage we saw Sonia Nishat Amin, Professor of history at the University of Dhaka, joined by writer and Supernumerary Professor Niaz Zaman and the poet and academic Kaiser Haq discussing tolerance in Tagore’s works, and celebrating a new translation of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s Bandhon Hara, with Perween Hasan moderating.

Speaking before the event Kaiser Haq said: “I’m very excited, Nazrul has never really been well translated before”. l

syed latif hossain

Dhaka Translation Centre under the aegis of the University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) was launched on November 15. The centre will translate and publish translated works from Bangla to English under the imprint of Bengal Lights Books. Seen above from left Chris Heiser, Kaiser Haq, Eliot Weinberger and David Shook

don’t miss history and fiction with tariq ali Today at 4:30pm ULAB Auditorium Campus-A

Amirul Rajiv

Mahmud Hossain Opu

Amirul Rajiv

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Remands raise new concerns

Strike and studies

How many more hartals?

After a week full of strikes, the opposition declared another week’s strike. This has become intolerable. We have seen that the government has shifted the Bengali medium’s JSC exam because of the strike. But the same situation does not arise for the English-medium students.

Recently the October-November session O and A level exams were hampered because of the unwanted strikes. The students studying in English medium have had to miss school because of the weeklong strikes. Because of these strikes, the school cannot progress with their regular working plan. Now this is really bad for the O and A level students. If they cannot finish their syllabus, they will have to take the exams in later sessions, causing a year’s gap. If both the opposition and the ruling party can settle their issues without strikes then it would be a blessing for everyone.

Rafi

Abdur Rahim Miah The two women are merely trying to beat the other. They want to keep themselves and their families in power. But, as both of them need power and money, what we have to do ignore them.

O

ver the past week, the high profile arrests of BNP activists and leaders have caused widespread concern.

We have previously opined on how the arrests harm hopes for constructive dialogue and risk undermining the duty of law enforcers to remain non-partisan. Last week, Ain o Salish Kendra was among rights organisations urging law enforcers to refrain from arresting opposition leaders and activists without any specific charge.

The granting of remand orders, ranging in length from five to twenty days for eight key BNP figures on Thursday Placing remand orders and Friday, adds to public on eight key BNP concerns. figures add to public In the past, bail has typicalconcerns ly been granted to politicians arrested in cases relating to inciting political violence. The nature of the charges being alleged and the age of many of the accused parties is such that bail would normally be expected or appropriate in these cases.

The placing of so many political leaders into remand understandably raises added concerns. It does not mitigate fears that a concerted attempt is being made to muffle the opposition, nor does it add to public safety or reduce new calls for hartals.

We support due process in all cases. The law must be followed with full regard to the need to act consistently and be impartial. If past precedent has been bypassed by placing senior leaders on remand, then their cases need to be reviewed. This is especially so because the country is not benefited by actions which deepen the political divide.

Government crackdown a challenge for BNP November 10

Democracy in Bangladesh is in real danger. Democracy does not mean just holding an election and afterwards, the winner takes all. It means that after an election, the winner respects the opposition and allows the opposition to participate and practice. In a democracy, the opposition too plays a significant part in taking the nation forward. So, winning an election cannot be the only goal. The purpose is to serve the country and its people.

In Bangladesh the party in power needs to realise that without the active participation of the opposition, they have become as tyrants.

Dr Hasanat Husain MBE

City billboards showcase government successes again

Crop experiments needed for food security

A

number of different genetically modified crop varieties are being tested as part of the country’s efforts to modernise our agriculture.

The jury is still out on the risks. Worldwide, the reception has been mixed and concerns have been expressed about detrimental effects on crop diversity or the development of new dependencies on particular fertilizers and pesticides.

Potentially however, they are an important part of efforts to increase farmers output and resilience. Recent reports on the successful flood-tolerant paddy cultivation experiment in Gaibandha represent good news on this front.

They are an important It is only right that the part of efforts to department of agriculture increase farmers extension (DAE) should take output and resilience all necessary steps to confine trials of modified varieties of rice and potatoes before such crops are put to production.

Extensive piloting and testing have to be conducted, so the DAE is right not to act hastily.

The DAE should take as long as it needs, and be absolutely certain about whatever good and bad effects these products will have, as we must be absolutely certain of the benefits before we proceed.

If the DAE needs a case for why it should take more time before releasing these crops, the uncertainty surrounding BT Brinjal should serve as a pretty good example.

We support the DAE in its efforts to continue to supplement our agriculture with innnovations that increase output in a cost effective and sustainable manner.

CROSSWORD

November 8 If they had really achieved much, they wouldn’t have had to go for such a cheap publicity stunt. Also, the armed forces are supposed to be neutral and work for the people, yet at the entrance to Dhaka cantonment, there are huge billboards with Hasina’s pictures promoting various divisions. That only shows their bias toward a certain party. rutland waters

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LETTER OF THE WEEK

NU teacher jailed for Facebook defamation of PM November 13

There is probably no other precedence of such imprisonment anywhere in the world for criticising a premier. We cast our vote for her with a hope that she would bring about a qualitative change in the political culture of the country but she has utterly failed to fulfill our expectations. When dreams are broken, people have the right to give vent to their disappointment. She should be more matured and tolerant or she should not be the prime minister.

Habibur Rahman

Muhith gives consent to Polli Sanchoy Bank

Talukder Intezar Abdur Rahim Miah: You are 100% right!

MD Easir Arafat Siddik It should be named “virus of the society,” not hartal! People, why don’t you try to understand that we are the only nation still following hartal propaganda. We should recover from this, but not with more politics or government! Oh, nation, please wake up from your dream! The sun is shining!

PM says her invitation to BNP chief still valid November 8

Invitation for what? All-party interim government or non-partisan interim government? This ought to be clarified before pressing for the invitation to materialise. A simple invitation for dinner without any formal agenda may be a good idea to start with!

Waliul Haque Khondker

Wednesday’s JSC, JDC exams rescheduled November 10

For how many more days will they continue to play with the lives of these innocent children? Awful!

MD Easir Arafat Siddik

November 8

The Polli Sanchoy Bank is in the pipeline to be approved and established, which no doubt is a good initiative. But the report says that the number of beneficiaries of the project is now Tk1.038m and their deposits have already exceeded Tk1.3bn! Where do they make this deposit and become beneficiaries?

WK

Be Heard

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, November 17, 2013

What Washington wants The third gender n Syeda Samara Mortada

O Is the US state department backing the right horse?

I

n Tamim Choudhury

s Washington betting on the right horse in the most turbulent political race in South Asia? As buses are burned, passengers are killed, and citizens are held hostage to nationwide strikes that completely disregard their livelihood and safety, Bangladesh is at a crossroads as election turbulence hits a critical threshold.

In this scenario, the nation seems to have become a pawn in the great game between regional power India and superpower United States.

Upon US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan Mozena’s India visit to hold meetings with the foreign secretary and other senior officials, unnamed Indian government sources have voiced their disagreement with the US. India is openly aligned with Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League, which has provided it with unprecedented connectivity to its eastern region and counterterrorism cooperation against separatists and Islamists.

Sources have revealed to The Times of India that US is favourable to opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Moreover, former Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Chakravarty has remarked that there is a convergence among US, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia in leaning toward BNP and consequently its junior ally Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party.

In its October 30 edition, India’s century-long, leading English newspaper reports that the US tilt is due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s harassment of Nobel-laureate Mohammad Yunus, the World Bank bridge loan cancellation, and International Crimes Tribunal.

Can two banks and a court bring the downfall of the party that led Bangladesh to its independence? Is this a three-strikes-and-you-are-out policy

by Washington? If so, why is BNP in its current state the chosen racehorse?

As BNP spokespeople have repeatedly asserted that heir apparent Tarique Rahman will lead the party in the future, what is America’s longterm interest?

A US Embassy Dhaka cable from November 3, 2008, seeks advice from State Department on suspending Tarique Rahman’s entry into the US. The cable notes, “The Embassy believes Tarique is guilty of egregious political corruption that has had an adverse effect on US national interests.

Embassy Dhaka has three key priorities for Bangladesh: democratisation, development, and denial of space to terrorists.

Tarique’s audaciously corrupt activities jeopardise all three. Much of what is wrong in Bangladesh can be blamed on Tarique and his cronies.”

A comprehensively reformed political party would ensure that US objectives of democracy, development, and counterterrorism are fulfilled

The cable describes him building a multimillion-dollar empire from extorting businessmen and demanding bribes from government procurement and political appointments. How is the heir apparent going to move US interests forward?

The International Crisis Group notes that BNP’s administration “had been marked by the rise of violent Islamist militancy, unprecedented levels of corruption, and election rigging.”

During her 2001 - 2006 regime, the nation witnessed Islamist fundamentalists going on an explosive rampage. Terrorists simultaneously detonated 500 bombs in 63 of the nation’s 64 districts, in a spectacular display to demand an Islamist state.

This was the masterpiece amidst recurring attacks on non-governmental organisations, cinemas, and cultural organisations.

A US Embassy, Dhaka, cable from March 14, 2005, reports that Begum Zia’s principal secretary stated, US government pressure combined with an upcoming World Bank meeting

made Prime Minister Zia arrest Islamists running the terror campaign.

No arrests were made earlier as Islamists were aligned with some BNP members of parliament. If it takes coordinated pressure from the world’s greatest economic/military power to receive this much cooperation from BNP, how much pressure is necessary to have a valid democratic party?

In an ideal scenario, US would only back BNP upon promised comprehensive reformation by second-tier leaders. This means removing Begum Zia and Tarique Rahman from the National Executive Committee, its highest policymaking body, and into the Chairperson’s Advisory Council.

BNP will no longer be an elitebased, cadre party with top-down structure. Proper internal democracy will ensure that key personnel such as the secretary general would no longer be appointed by an all-powerful chairperson; concerns of all members and supporters will be manifested with newly-elected leaders.

Upon electing competent, relatively-clean, second-tier leaders, the party leaders would thank Begum Zia and her family for their years of service, but would clearly indicate to the public that a new era has begun for BNP. This party would break the alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist parties that never supported an independent Bangladesh, realising that this high-risk, low-reward strategy has not helped in gaining significant parliamentary seats, but has only led to terrorists gaining more power through supporters in the halls of governance.

BNP would evolve from the current feudal governance where patrons monopolise political/economic power, and provide clients security and government services access in return for loyalty.

Members of parliament would no longer be the sole gatekeepers for their constituencies; monetary allocations for local development would automatically go to locally elected officials, no matter what party they are from.

Although Bangladesh will continue to operate in a patron-client network, where the party leaders distribute na-

BIG STOCK

tional resources to clients in exchange for their support, BNP would no longer tolerate armed thugs murdering and assaulting citizens in the name of student politics.

If any member of parliament is found guilty of patronising armed thugs, he/ she will be suspended from the party, no matter how much funds they have brought into the organisation.

On the same note, armed opposition activists will no longer be tolerated. All security agencies of the government, including the army, will be utilised to halt enforced strikes that kill civilians and burn property in the name of democracy.

A corruption-free land is a distant thought in a society that has enabled unbridled corruption for decades.

Most party members will want a return on their investments, but there will be clear redlines: A party leader will not be known as Mr Ten Percent for his cut in almost every major government contract.

Murdering rivals and calling it business as usual will not be the norm. Decimating opposition party workers with false court cases and imprisonment will be of the bygone era.

The reformed party will foster a stable political climate. Known criminals will be ousted from membership, public meetings will not be where ministers talk at the audience with pie-in-the-sky promises, but for meaningful engagements on welfare-oriented solutions, and power will be decentralised into the nation’s 494 sub-districts.

Ultimately, this party would build the institutional framework for a modern, viable democracy.

A true grand strategy would serve long-term interests of the power implementing them. A comprehensively reformed political party would ensure that US objectives of democracy, development, and counterterrorism are fulfilled in this South Asian nation that supplies the second-largest UN peacekeeping forces and readymade garments across the world. l Tamim Choudhury is a communications analyst based in greater Washington, DC, USA.

n November 11, the cabinet passed a law which declared hijras a separate gender. Hijras, a formal term that will be used to address them, will be given similar rights as any other man or woman residing in the country, in terms of education, job facilities, housing and health.

This decision of the government was passed days before their term was about to end, and one worth appreciating. At present, there are 10,000 hijras living in Bangladesh. They already have voting rights, now they can get passports as well.

Humans, as a species, refrain from accepting anything or anyone outside their comfort zone, astray from what is defined as “normal.” We tend to stick to the obvious and don’t voice out our opinions even if we do not agree with the majority.

Like transvestites, lesbians, gays, etc, hijras are another entity that are condoned by most, and as such, live a half-life without acceptance, and without self-respect. Hijras are treated as objects of ridicule or sometimes looked at with fear.

They usually earn a living by performing in auspicious occasions at people’s houses, but with the advent of technology, this is also a dying phenomenon. As such, prostitution amongst hijras has been on the rise.

The death of a hijra also proves to be a difficult situation, as up until now, they have not been given proper rights. As they did not belong to either the male or female gender, burial ceremonies became cumbersome.

There is a lot of confusion centring the term “hijra” itself. While some are born this way, others (who may be impotent) emasculate themselves, meaning they cut off their genitals through a ceremony, which according to them emancipates them.

In most cases, they are sent away from their homes right after birth, and receive no formal education. As such, they earn a living by harassing people in various ways and collecting money from them, formerly known as “chadabaji,” along with prostitution.

While we complain about the rough behavior of hijras and their constant pestering, do we at all take notice of the hardships they go through in their lifetime? Can we begin to understand what life must be like for them?

If not properly educated, how can we expect them to earn a decent income any other way? Have we ever offered them jobs or made any other effort to help them? This group is one that is rejected firstly by their parents who give birth to them, and then by the entire society.

Consequently, they have no one other than those like them to rely on. Furthermore, they do not even have properly functioning sexual organs. Can one imagine a more painful life than this, and more importantly, are they truly to blame for their condition?

While some lack the capacity to understand why hijras have been given a separate gender, (saying that they possess men’s bodies and female characteristics, which does not make them a separate gender), others have argued that this law only encompasses transsexual people and not transgender.

To the former group, I can only say that they need to do some more research before passing swathing comments. The latter group although has a point, but needs to appreciate this move and not criticise the government at every opportunity they get.

While we complain about the rough behavior of hijras and their constant pestering, do we at all take notice of the hardships they go through in their lifetime?

For us as a nation, perhaps we need to be more accommodating to change, to break free of conventional thinking, and actually work to establish equality for all. What can be the next big step then?

For Bangladesh, it could definitely be accepting and addressing the rights of the LGBT community (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) , groups whose presence are completely ignored. Not just that, we also need to be sensitive to them, teach others to do the same and accept them in our community.

In an interview in one of the leading TV channels, a journalist asked a few hijras what gender they would want to be born as in their next lifetime. One of them said male, the other said female, while another said male or female, but not something in between.

Let’s stand up together and make them feel like a part of our world, so that they too can become first class citizens of Bangladesh and not struggle constantly for mere survival. Surely this is not too hard to achieve? l Syeda Samara Mortada is the Associate Editor of ICE Today, a lifestyle magazine.

Fighting for democracy in South Asia n Nisha Biswal

F

or the first time in post-colonial history, all of the countries of South Asia are democracies.

From Bhutan to Bangladesh, Kabul to Kathmandu, democratic institutions are taking hold and giving people a voice in how they are governed. But these historic gains could be shortlived if troubling trends in some impending political transitions go unchecked.

Over the next six months, more than one billion voters across South Asia will choose leaders of some of the most diverse and vibrant countries in the world. Coming elections in India and Afghanistan and successful recent elections in Pakistan and Bhutan illustrate the depth of passion voters across the region have shown for electoral democracy.

Yet, major setbacks in Bangladesh and the Maldives, and worrying signs in Nepal underscore just how fragile and vulnerable these democracies are and why the international community must remain engaged in supporting democracy in South Asia.

In Bangladesh, as the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP dispute how to hold constitutionally mandated elections this winter, there has been increasing political instability — with rallies and general strikes

that have at times turned violent. The longer the two sides cannot agree on a framework for an interim government to oversee the next election, the more likely Bangladeshi citizens will take to the streets to express their frustrations.

In the Maldives, the island nation is on the edge of a political crisis. After weeks of political bickering and dubious stalling tactics, including a rejection of the first round of voting, which most observers deemed free and fair, the Maldives faces one last chance to salvage its democracy — with runoff elections this Saturday.

Any further delay or derailing of the elections process will thwart the democratic aspirations of the Maldivian people and erode their right to elect a leader of their choice. The election on November 16, and then the prompt inauguration of a new president, is crucial to averting a dangerous setback. The Maldives’ political leaders and institutions must show they can deliver on the hopes and needs of their citizens.

The United States and the international community call on all political leaders and institutions of government to act in the interest of the people and in safeguarding the democratic process.

One bright spot is Nepal’s November 19 elections, where thousands of

candidates are vigorously contesting to replace the country’s Constituent Assembly, disbanded in May 2012. The new Assembly’s primary responsibility will be to draft a permanent constitution, establishing a political structure that reflects the diversity of Nepal’s people. Yet, despite growing enthusiasm among Nepali voters, a collection of fringe opposition groups are fomenting unrest and strikes in an effort to undo this hard-won progress.

The reality is that no democracy — including the United States — is immune to political infighting and partisan politics. With the recent government shutdown, Americans experienced the far-reaching and damaging consequences that ensue when politicians are unwilling to put the good of the country above ideological differences and political partisanship. But ultimately, we also witnessed our political leaders finding ways to compromise to move the country forward.

What happens in South Asia matters to the United States. Much of the story of the 21st century will be written in this region. With a sixth of the world’s population, a third of the world’s Muslims, and 800 million youth under age 30, the choices South Asians make will have significant consequences for the their countries, the region and the world.

This is why the United States has actively supported electoral reform, institution building, parliamentary strengthening and rule of law across the region. Successful political transitions are critical for consolidating democratic and economic gains and bringing people out of poverty.

Perhaps nowhere will this be more evident than in Afghanistan, where presidential and provincial elections in April 2014 will either support a successful security transition or undermine the gains of the past decade.

Though election preparations are on track, Afghans must remain vigilant to ensure a political process that allows citizens to freely choose their leaders without manipulation, vote-rigging or other forms of fraud.

In India next spring, 600 million citizens will embark on one of the world’s largest electoral processes when they vote in parliamentary elections. A vigorous and open public debate is already underway.

There are successful lessons to be learned from each of these countries’ histories and from the recent election successes in Pakistan and Bhutan. For the first time, Pakistan’s national elections culminated in the transfer of power from one democratically-elected civilian government to the next, and Bhutan’s successful National Assembly elections in July also led to

a peaceful transfer of power to a new prime minister. These marked historic steps of democratic evolution in the region.

The longer the two sides cannot agree on a framework for an interim government to oversee the next election, the more likely Bangladeshi citizens will take to the streets to express their frustrations

The key now is for citizens across South Asia to demand a credible, free and fair electoral process that validates their voices and choices in a peaceful manner. At its core, democracy is about protecting the rights of individuals, especially their right to vote and express themselves freely.

These are not American values; they are universal values. And the United States will continue to champion them across South Asia so that all societies achieve their full potential — and enhance the stability and prosperity of their region and the world. l Nisha Biswal is Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. This article has been syndicated from Reuters.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Israel and US hit troubled European and US media face new patch over Iran nuke plans tests with NSA spying n AFP, Jerusalem Israel and its US ally have hit a troubled patch in their close relationship, caused by differences over Iran’s nuclear plans and peace with the Palestinians.

In a highly public spat, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama are each seeking to directly address the other’s public.

At the moment, Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett is campaigning in Washington, while the US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, has been making his case in the Israeli media.

“I’m not telling the Americans what they should do; I just give them the information, it’s for them to decide,” Bennet, who heads the far-right Jewish Home party, told Israeli public radio by telephone on Friday.

“It’s not really lobbying, more a dialogue between friends,” he said of his meetings on Capitol Hill and a speech to the Brookings Saban Centre for Middle East Policy.

Meanwhile, Shapiro told public radio the high-profile war of words over a nascent deal Western powers are negotiating with Iran, which would see some easing of sanctions against the Islamic republic, was regrettable.

“It would be preferable if our differ-

NASA poised to launch Mars probe

n AFP, Washington

What happened to the water on Mars?

How did the Red Planet’s atmosphere become so thin over time? NASA’s MAVEN probe is scheduled to launch Monday on a mission to find out.

The unmanned spacecraft aims to orbit Mars from a high altitude, studying its atmosphere for clues on how the Sun may have influenced gas to escape from the possibly life-bearing planet billions of years ago.

The probe is different from past NASA missions because it focuses not on the dry surface but on the mysteries of the never before studied upper atmosphere.

“There’s a puzzle piece, I’ll say, that’s been missing with what’s happening in that upper atmosphere,” said David Mitchell, project manager of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland posted on its website an artist’s video rendition of what Mars might have looked like in a long-gone era when its atmosphere was thick enough to support surface water.

The green lakes and white clouds it depicts offer a stark contrast to the barren desert planet of today, coated in reddish-pink grit and dry except for traces of briny subsurface streams.

Jim Green, director of the planetary science division at NASA headquarters said MAVEN, which cost $671m, will reveal clues about what happened to make Mars’ atmosphere too cold and thin to support water. l

Fresh clashes in Libya’s Tripoli as toll tops 40

n AFP, Tripoli

Fresh clashes erupted in a Tripoli suburb on Saturday, witnesses and the Libyan government said, as the death toll from violence at an anti-militia protest topped 40.

More than 400 people were also wounded when Friday’s protest degenerated into armed clashes in the capital that continued through the night, Justice Minister Salah al-Marghani said.

He said in a government statement that the death toll was expected to rise.

The new clashes broke out as vehicles loaded with fighters from Misrata, whose militia headquarters in the capital were at the centre of Friday’s fighting, headed to Tripoli from the eastern suburb of Tajura.

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan appealed for “restraint and a halt to the clashes,” warning the entry of more armed groups into the volatile capital could only “further complicate the situation.”

On Friday, a demonstration calling for the Misrata militia made up of former rebel fighters to leave the capital turned into a deadly confrontation between rival gunmen.

The militias are holdovers from the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi and are a powerful force in the increasingly lawless North African country. l

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

AP

ences were addressed in private, but sometimes that’s not possible,” he said.

In a speech to North American Jewish leaders in Jerusalem this week he said Obama “has made it crystal clear that he will not permit Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, period, and is prepared to use all elements of our national power to ensure that we are successful.”

Despite such reassurances, Israeli media speak of a trans-Atlantic crisis of confidence over what Israel and the US say are Iran’s plans to develop a nuclear weapon. A second element involves increasingly fragile peace talks with the Palestinians amid an Israeli West Bank settlement drive, which has come in for sharp US criticism.

On Friday, left-leaning daily Haaretz

cited an unnamed senior Israeli minister saying that Secretary of State John Kerry “can no longer serve as an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Israeli Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan lashed out at Kerry on Thursday for slamming Netanyahu’s intensive campaigning against the emerging nuclear deal with Iran.

“I was astounded to hear John Kerry’s remarks about why the prime minister is criticising the agreement being formulated in Geneva without waiting for it to be signed,” Erdan told an Institute for National Security Studies conference in Tel Aviv.

“When we’re dealing with a country that wants to destroy Israel and the conditions that will enable it to carry out its wishes, what do they expect from the Israeli prime minister? Not to cry out when they’re holding the knife, but only when it’s at our throat?” he asked.

On Monday, Kerry had said Washington had Israel’s interests at heart and that he shared Netanyahu’s “deep concerns” about Iran.

“But I believe the prime minister needs to recognise that no agreement has been reached about the endgame here that’s the subject of the negotiations,” he said. l

n AP, Madrid

The spying revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden have made it a high-pressure, high-stakes time to be a top media executive.

In Britain, the editor of the Guardian pulverised entire hard drives of data leaked by Snowden to keep the government from seizing them.

In the United States, The New York Times pointed out in a major NSA expose this month that it agreed to self-censorship of “some details that officials said could compromise intelligence operations.”

And in Spain, the El Mundo newspaper said last week it would turn over Snowden documents to prosecutors inquiring whether the privacy rights of Spaniards had been violated.

As revelations about the staggering scope of the NSA’s surveillance have leaked out, newsroom leaders around the world have been weighing ethical decisions over how much they should reveal about intelligence-gathering capabilities. Their decisions are guided, in part, by media protection laws that vary widely from country to country.

“It’s a new era. There are new questions coming up and there are no clear answers here,” said Robert Picard, a specialist on media policy and direc-

Chief editor of Le Monde newspaper Natalie Nougayrede tor of research at the University of Oxford’s Reuters Institute. The huge number of Snowden documents has generated a barrage of exclusive stories in the Guardian and The Washington Post, along with a stream of revelations about the NSA surveillance in countries such as France, Germany, Spain and Brazil. In some cases, publications that normally compete on stories have teamed up to get the news out.

Britain’s Official Secrets Act guards against the dissemination of confiden-

AP

tial material, and the government’s response to the Snowden leaks has become stormier and stormier. When Britain’s deputy national security adviser warned that agents would confiscate the Guardian’s hard drives containing Snowden files, editor Alan Rusbridger made the deal to have them destroyed.

The fact that other copies of the material existed in the United States and Brazil meant he could delete the data held in Britain without fear that the story would die with it, he added. l

Japan sending 1,200 troops to Philippines Russia hands long-awaited n aircraft carrier to India AFP, Tokyo

Japan will send almost 1,200 troops to join relief efforts in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines along with three warships, 10 planes and six helicopters, in the single largest aid deployment by the country’s military.

About 1,170 members of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces (SDF) will provide medical support and quarantine services, and transport relief goods, the ministry said in a statement posted on Friday.

Ten or so others will be based in Manila to coordinate relief operations with the Philippines and other countries.

The aircraft include seven C-130H transport planes, two KC-767 tanker planes and one U-4 multi-purpose support plane.

Japan initially dispatched 50 SDF members on Tuesday to assist in medical support and transport operations and said on Wednesday it was readying as many as 1,000 troops to go to the Philippines.

It is the first time Japanese troops have been active in Leyte since the island turned into one of the biggest battlegrounds of World War II, when US forces counter-invaded in 1944.

Many of the reinforcements were scheduled to leave Japan on Monday and arrive in the Philippines around Friday.

n AFP, Moscow

A paramedic examines Typhoon Haiyan survivors at a field hospital in Tacloban The 1,180-strong contingent will be the largest single relief operation team ever sent abroad by Japan’s defence forces.

The previous record number was 925 sent in January 2005 to Sumatra after the Indonesian island was ravaged by a massive earthquake-triggered tsunami.

Previous overseas missions by the SDF, which adheres to the country’s post-war pacifist constitution, have usually numbered in the hundreds.

They included UN peace-keeping missions in Cambodia and East Timor

AP

as well as logistical activities in Iraq and naval refuelling operations in the Indian Ocean to back the US military in Afghanistan.

In June this year, about 1,000 members from Japan’s land, sea and air defence forces took part in joint amphibious landing exercises with US forces in the US state of California.

The drills were widely seen as aimed at coping with China’s naval expansion while Tokyo was locked in a simmering row over a group of Japan-controlled Senkaku islands which Beijing also claims and calls the Diaoyus. l

Brotherhood offers talks to ‘exit’ crisis n AFP, Cairo An Islamist coalition led by the Muslim Brotherhood on Saturday offered negotiations to end the deadly tumult since Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi’s overthrow, without explicitly insisting on his reinstatement.

The coalition “calls on all revolutionary forces and political parties and

patriotic figures to enter a deep dialogue on exiting the current crisis,” it said in a statement.

The coalition, which has organised weekly protests despite a harsh police crackdown, insisted on keeping up “peaceful opposition” but said it wanted a “consensus for the public good of the country.”

It proposed conditions to enter the

dialogue, including the release of Islamist prisoners and the reopening of Islamist broadcasters shut down after Morsi’s July 3 overthrow by the military.

Unlike previous proposals, which all hinged on the Islamist leader’s return prior to negotiations, the Islamists were pointedly vague on their end goals. l

Russia on Saturday ceremonially handed over a refurbished ex-Soviet aircraft carrier to India after a refit that overran by five years and went vastly over budget, damaging ties between the countries.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and Indian Defence Minister AK Antony took part in a ceremony at the Arctic port of Severodvinsk on Saturday morning, Russian television reported.

“What happened today is a demonstration of the readiness and restored ability of our country to build warships of such a class,” Rogozin told journalists in televised comments from the shipyard.

Russian sailors lowered their national flag on the ship and the new owners raised the flag of the Indian navy in its place as the Indian crew in full parade uniform stood on board on a chilly blustery day. The wife of the ship’s captain broke a coconut against the side of the carrier.

Russia, which is India’s largest arms supplier, carried out a major refit of the aircraft carrier, which joined the Soviet navy in 1987 as the Admiral Gorshkov.

It has now been renamed the INS Vikramaditya after an Indian emperor.

The original deal signed in 2004 saw Russia agree to modernise the mothballed carrier for $771m (571m euros) by 2008. But costs ballooned to $2.3bn, according to Indian media reports, as the deadline was regularly extended.

Russia says that the original deadline was based on an incorrect assessment of the amount of work that needed to be completed by its Sevmash shipyard, which specialises in nuclear submarines. The refit included extending the flight deck.

The ship’s captain, Suraj Berry, and the deputy director of Russia’s arms

export agency, Igor Sevastyanov on Saturday signed the final papers handing over the ship.

The ship is due to set sail on November 30 and arrive in India early next year. It will have a team of Russian experts on board who will monitor and assist their Indian counterparts during the home journey.

Five warships will escort the unarmed Vikramaditya due to security issues as it passes through a classified route, an Indian defence ministry official who did not want to be quoted, told AFP. The refurbished ship is 284 metres long and is designed to carry 30 aircraft including MiG-29K fighters. Its crew numbers 1,600 and the 44,500 ton-carrier has even been adapted to dish out Indian food.

Five warships will escort the unarmed Vikramaditya due to security issues as it passes through a classified route, an Indian defence ministry official who did not want to be quoted The aircraft carrier will become India’s second, intended to shore up the country’s defence capabilities as it seeks to counter a military build-up by an increasingly assertive China.

India in August unveiled a domestically produced carrier that is under construction.

Russia’s long-delayed upgrade could damage its prospects as a supplier to India, the world’s largest arms buyer, which has recently turned to Israel, France, Britain and the United States.

India’s already depleted naval force received a major setback in August when a Russian-made submarine the INS Sindhurakshak exploded in a Mumbai dock, killing all 18 crewmen on board.l

Fukushima operator TEPCO Karzai calls on Taliban to participate to cut 1,000 more jobs elders assembly on US deal n AFP, Tokyo

The operator of Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant plans to slash more than 1,000 jobs through voluntary retirement in addition to its ongoing streamlining scheme, a business daily said Saturday.

The move is aimed at demonstrating cost-cutting efforts by Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) at a time when the government is considering using public funds to decontaminate areas around the plant and lenders are demanding the company review its business turnaround programme, the economic daily Nikkei said.

The utility has been cutting its workforce by 3,600 to 36,000 to the end of next March under a business plan approved in mid-2012.

This reduction was estimated to have been already achieved through increases in early retirement and restraint

on new recruitment, the report said.

TEPCO will propose the new plan to slash more than 1,000 jobs between April and September next year to its labour unions shortly, Nikkei said.

The new job cut programme will be

The move is aimed at demonstrating cost-cutting efforts by Tokyo Electric Power incorporated in an updated business turnaround plan to be compiled in December, the daily said.

A massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 ravaged the Fukushima plant’s cooling system, sparking a reactor meltdown in the world’s worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

TEPCO has been effectively nationalised by a huge injection of public cash to help it survive the vast costs of the clean-up at Fukushima. l

n AFP, Kabul Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday called on the Taliban and their allies to join an assembly on a security pact that could allow some US troops to stay in the country after 2014.

Around 2,500 tribal elders and civil leaders are expected to take part in an assembly known as a “loya jirga” next Thursday, to decide whether to accept the draft Bilateral Security Agreement between Afghanistan and the US. “We invite them, please come to this national jirga of Afghanistan, raise your voice, raise your objection... and share your views,” he told a news conference in Kabul.

The draft pact was hammered out in Kabul last month during a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry. But he left without a final deal as Afghan President Hamid Karzai said only a jir-

ga had the authority to decide the contentious issues.

These include a US demand to retain legal jurisdiction over its troops in Afghanistan, which would give them immunity from Afghan law. The request emerged as the main sticking point after Kerry’s visit.

‘We invite them, please come to this national jirga of Afghanistan, raise your voice, raise your objection... and share your views,’ he told a news conference in Kabul The Taliban, whose government was toppled by a US-led invasion in 2001, has rejected the jirga and warned members its that they would be punished as “traitors” if they endorsed the deal.

Hezb-e-Islami, a Taliban affiliate has

also refused to send members to jirga calling it “legalising the US occupation.”

“This security agreement has supporters who support it without reasoning and also has oppositions who oppose it without reasoning,” Karzai said.

If the agreement is passed by both loya jirga and parliament, between 5,000 and 10,000 US troops would stay in Afghanistan to help fight Al-Qaeda remnants and train the national army.

Washington had been pushing for the agreement to be signed by the end of October to allow the US-led NATO coalition to plan the withdrawal of its 75,000 combat troops by December 2014.

The collapse of a similar security agreement with Iraq in 2011 led to the US pulling all its troops out of the country, which is currently suffering its worst sectarian violence since 2008. l

Did you know?

Australia pace great Dennis Lillee rejected Tendulkar at the MRF Pace Academy at Chennai in 1987, before Tendulkar created waves with his batting

Sport

Sunday, November 17, 2013

14 France facing exit, Ronaldo sinks Sweden

14 Italy ride luck to snatch draw against Germany

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Tendulkar set to remain a man in the middle

Tendulkar to be awarded Bharat Ratna

Goodbye

n Reuters, Mumbai

n AP, Mumbai

Sachin Tendulkar will become the first sportsperson to receive a Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, the country’s government announced hours after the batting great’s 200th and final test ended on Saturday.

Cricket’s most prolific run-scorer bid an emotional farewell to the game at his home ground in Mumbai, ending a glittering 24-year career during which he bagged almost every batting record.

“Sachin Tendulkar is undoubtedly an outstanding cricketer - a living legend who has inspired millions across the globe,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s office said in a statement.

“During the last 24 years, since the young age of 16 years, Tendulkar has played cricket across the world and won laurels for our country.

“He has been a true ambassador of India in the world of sports. His achievements in cricket are unparalleled, the records set by him unmatched, and the spirit of sportsmanship displayed by him exemplary. “That he has been honoured with several awards is testimony to his extraordinary brilliance as a sportsman.”

A perfect role model for the country’s youth and the sport worldwide with his impeccable image on and off the field, Tendulkar was nominated to the upper house of the Indian parliament last year.

He left the game after playing more test matches (200), scoring the most test (15,921) and one-day international (18,426) runs, and compiling more test (51) and one-day (49) hundreds than any other player in cricket history. l

Sachin Tendulkar made a tearful but self-effacing farewell as his glittering 24-year career came to an end on Saturday at his home ground of Wankhede Stadium.

Tendulkar embraced teammates as the test against the West Indies ended, but as they tried to give him a guard of honor on his way off the ground, the most prolific batsman in international cricket history rushed past them, quickly making his way into the pavilion wiping away tears.

But he could not avoid the outpouring of emotions as he came back to the field for an awards ceremony and went on to give a passionate speech in which he thanked everyone who helped him over his long career, holding a list of names to ensure he did not miss anyone.

“All my friends, settle down and we’ll talk or else I’ll get more and more emotional,” he said to calm the enthusiastic crowd. “My life’s been between 22 yards for 24 years and it’s hard to believe that such a wonderful journey is coming to an end.”

Tendulkar then went on to thank his parents, relatives and friends who had helped him grow over the years but made special mention of wife Anjali, elder brother Ajit and coach Ramakant Achrekar for their support.

He called his marriage to Anjali the “best partnership of his life”, thanked Ajit for “living the dream together with him” and coach Achrekar for “taking him around town on his two-wheeler” to play matches in his early years.

An emotional Sachin Tendulkar carrying a stump as he walks out of the ground after India beat WI at Wankhede in Mumbai yesterday

Brothers bring back Naeemuddin as coach n Raihan Mahmood Brothers Union will rely on their former coach Syed Naeemuddin again for the upcoming season that starts on November 20 with the Federation Cup. Brothers Union manager Amer Khan expressed confidence over the appointment of Naeemuddin. “Though he is an old man but still he is full of energy. He worked with the footballers for an extended period of time the day of his arrival, that is how committed he is,” said Amer.

Brothers Union completed their players’ registration formalities on Friday along with other clubs.

Brothers Union

Roghu, Sujan, Shahenshah. Pronob, Akter Babu, Salahuddin, Ashraful, Krishna, Yusuf, Moni, Anni, Mintu.

Isah Yusuf (Ghana). Komol, Shafiq, Abul, Anik, Sohel Rana, Mesbah, Rubel, Rabbi, Javed, Faisal Mahmud, Yusuf, Malek, Jewel Rana, Shahin, Kester Akon.

Chittagong Abahani

Piaruzzaman Piru, Zahiirul Islam, Javed Khan, Md. Nasiruddin, Faisal Ahmed, Mahfuzur Rahman, Monsur Alam, Bijoy Krishna Das, Nazrul Islam, Abdul Hannan, Nahiduddin, Atikur Rahman, Salimullah, Ismail Jahed, Masuk Mia Johnny, Mohammed Ali, Ashik Ahmed, Al Amin, Palash Samanta, Sohel Mia, Ahsanul Hoque Milon, Safautur Rahman, Napoleon Gabriel, Wilson Chinedu Doh, Gyari Nas Namtor, Mohammed Conte, Agbonso Kossi Romaric

Uttar Baridhara

Osman Goni, Sony Dutta, Saeedur Rahman, Khalekyour Jamen, Rocky, Khaled Ahmed Shimul, Mustafizur Rahman, Saiful Alam Khokon, Sohel Rana, Emdadul Hoque Monu, Shohidul Islam, Ahsanul Kabir, Md. Jibon, Sujon Biswas, Dulal Hasan, Nazrul Islam Shumom, Sajal Ahmed, Shamim Mia, Abul Kalam Azad, Mustafiz Shawon, Jasim Mehedi, Dalim, Rohit Sarker, Shomu, Kosoko Olasukanmi, Obafunsho Qadri Lanre, Akindele Olubowale, Imtiaz Quasim, Faiz Alam, Rakibul, Ziaur. l

Fed Cup draw today n Shishir Hoque The draw ceremony of the first professional tournament of the season Federation Cup will be held today at the BFF House. The tournament is scheduled to kick-off at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on November 21.

A total of 12 clubs - 10 Bangladesh Premier League sides and Rahmatganj MFS, who finished third in Bangladesh Championship League last season - will be taking part in the meet. The other participant will be decided after tomorrow’s play-off match between BKSP and Bangladesh Police.

“12 teams split into four groups will play in the group stages. The final will be held in the first week of December and there will be two matches played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on every matchday,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, chairman of Professional Football League Committee yesterday.

Meanwhile, it was also decided to hold the BPL at the middle of next month, one to two weeks after the Fed Cup. The Bangladesh Championship League will kick-off in the first week of January, 2014 and the deadline of players’ transfer window for the second tier has been extended to Dec 31. l

AP

Abahani, MSC complete formalities n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh Premier League giants Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited completed their players’ registration formalities on the deadline day of the transfer window at the BFF House on Friday.

With a mixture of experience and new faces, four-time professional league champions Abahani submitted a total of 34 forms including nine foreign players while Mohammedan formed a better squad than last season registering 29 players including five foreign footballers.

The Sky-Blues signed two players who played for Mohammedan last season - defender Shariful Islam and Ghanaian striker Osei Morrison.

Apart from their existing Ghanaian duo Awudu Ibrahim and Samad Yussif Abahani also roped in four new foreign recruits in Brazilian born Italian attacking midfielder Andre Luis De Souza and Luiz Rumolo De Castro, forwards Mbenoun Ekele Patrick (Cameroon) and Onyekachi Daniel (Nigeria).

Abahani submitted national forward Mithun Chowdhury’s registration

Lee Yan, Umarova in BIJT girls final n Raihan Mahmood

Han-Chi CHEN and Yang LEE of Chinese Taipei in action in the girls doubles semifinal at the NTC, Ramna yesterday

MUMIT M

Tendulkar, whose entire adult life has been spent in an intense spotlight as an icon to India’s fanatical fans, said he would now spend more private time with his 16-year-old daughter Sara and 14-year-old son Arjun, who was also a “ball boy” for this match and plays for the Mumbai junior team.

He also thanked his senior cricketers, doctors, sports officials and the media before moving his attention to the crowd.

“Time has flown by very quickly, but the memories will remain with me forever, especially the ‘Sachin, Sachin’,” he said, prompting the crowd let out the chant once more.

Tendulkar, waving the Indian flag, was then taken around the ground by team-mates on their shoulders in similar fashion to the victory lap after the 2011 World Cup victory at the same venue.

After a lap of the ground, he went out to the pitch alone, bent down to touch it with his right hand and then touched his eyes and forehead in a traditional Indian sign of reverence before moving back to the pavilion.

Earlier, Tendulkar bowled a couple of overs on the final day of his career amid roaring applause, bowling both leg-spin and googly on the third day of the second test against the West Indies, which he declared last month would be his last game.

Tendulkar, who has already retired from limited overs internationals, had earlier in the game struck a neat 74 with 12 fours which comprised several of his trademark shots like the straight drive, cover drive and paddle-sweep. l

Lee Yan of Taipei and Umarova Komola of Uzbekistan will fight for the girls’ singles title at the Bangladesh International Junior Tennis tournament at the National Tennis Complex at 9:00 am today.

In the semifinals yesterday Lee Yan beat Fawzy Nancy of Egypt 6-2, 6-1 while Umarova Komola , the third seed outplayed Angeline Devi Devanthiran of Singapore the second seed 6-2, 4-6, 6-1.Meanwhile Melisa Bekirova (UZB) and Luciana Rabines (USA) beat Medhira Samarasinghe (SRI) and Rukshika Wijessoriya (SRI) in three sets in the first semifinal of the girls doubles.

The top seed of boy’s section Shamael Chaudry (GBR) beat Zhansultan Chembotayev (KAZ) 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, Ko Shao Min (TPE) beat Allaf Kareem 6-2, 6-0, Chen Tin (TPE) beat Alex Sonalika (IND) : 6-3, 6-3, Ballekere Ravikumar (IND) beat Prajwal Dev (IND) 6-3, 6-4 in the four quarterfinals of the day.l

form that created a new controversy as Sheikh Russell also has his name in their squad. Abahani claimed Mithun, who played for Russell last season, took money from the club.

“There were some problemsespecially injury- for why we didn’t win anything last season. This time we give the top priority to that by signing more back-ups,” said team manager Satyajit Rupu.

SQUADS

On the other hand, last year Super Cup winners Mohammedan signed five national stars - Wahed Ahmed, Zahid Hossain, Zahid Hasan Emily, Ariful Islam.

Named captain of the team Emily said, “The team we have formed with quality local and foreign players is capable of winning the league this season. I’m positive that we could all the silverwares as well.” l

Abahani

Mohammedan

Goalkeepers Shahidul Alam, Uttam Barua, Sultan Ahmed

Goalkeepers Mamun Khan, Titumir Tito, Ahsan Habib

Defenders Samad Yussif, Sujon, Waly Faisal, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Shariful Islam, Abdul Hamid Vashani, Saikat Bhowmik, Kazi Mofazzel Saikat, Nasirul Nasir, Obaidur Rahman

Defenders Ariful Islam, Minto, Arup Kumar, Nahidul Islam, Tapu Barman, Monsur Alam, Imran Hassan, Nurul Alam, Bayebeck Fombagne

Midfielders Arman Aziz, Pranotosh Kumar, Abdul Baten, Yoko Samnick, Towhidul Alam, Jamal Hossain, Shahedul Alam, Didarul Alam Forwards Osei Morrison, De Souza, De Castro, Ekele Patrick, Awudu Ibrahim, Otofe Lucky Paul, Onyekachi Daniel, Sohel Rana, Rony, Rajon Miah, Mithun Chowdhury

Midfielders Zahid Hossain, Tawhidul Alam, Emon Mahmud, Mesbahul Haque, Yousuf Sifat, Habibur Rahman, Faisal Ahmed, Hemanto Vincent, Owadokum Idowu, Demion Forwards Zahid Hassan Emily, Wahed Ahmed, Chuka Charles, Mostafa Seddik

Tigers rewarded for stand-out performances n Minhaz Uddin Khan The youth and sports minister Ahad Ali Sarkar handed over monetary awards to the members of the Bangladesh national cricket team yesterday. The ministry earlier declared the awards for their excellent performance against West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the last one year.

Gazi was awarded with Tk300,000 for becoming the first cricketer in the history to have a century and a hat-trick in a Test In November last year, the Tigers registered a 3-2 victory in the fivematch ODI series against West Indies for which they receive Tk100,000 each.

National speedster Abul Hasan was awarded Tk200,000 for his memorable Test century while opening batsman Anamul Haque also received the same amount for a century.

Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and suspended cricketer Mohammad Ashraful were awarded for their individual performances against Sri Lanka in the Galle Test earlier this year. Mushfiqur received Tk400,000 for becoming the first Bangladeshi to score a double century while Ashraful was rewarded Tk300,000 for his 190 in the same Test. Another centurion in the match Nasir received Tk200,000.

Sohag Gazi was awarded with Tk300,000 for becoming the first cricketer in the history to slam a century and bag six wickets including a hat-trick in a Test against New Zealand recently.

Meanwhile, Mominul Haque received Tk200,000 for registering centuries in both the Tests against the Kiwis.

Youth and sports secretary Noor Mohammad presided over the ceremony while Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan and other dignitaries of National Sports Council and the cricket board were also present. l

14

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sunday, November 17, 2013

UAE, Bahrain, Saudis reach Asian Cup n AFP, Doha

The UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia booked their tickets to the 2015 Asian Cup in Australia with victories in their qualifying group games on Friday.

Goals by Salem Saleh, Walid Abbas, Omar Abdulrahman and Ismail Hamadi saw the UAE ease past Hong Kong 4-0in their Group E clash in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE, who led 2-0 at half-time, maintained their 100 per cent win record to qualify for their fourth consecutive Asian Cup. Bahrain too sealed their spot in the quadrennial tournament, grinding out a 1-0 win over Malaysia in Manama.

Saudi Arabia also ensured their passage, beating Iraq 2-1 in their Group C clash. The Saudis took the lead through Tayseer al-Jassim in the 18th minute before Younis Mahmoud equalised for the Iraqis seconds before the end of the first half.l

RESULTS Syria

4-0

Singapore

Thailand

0-3

Iran

China

1-0

Indonesia

Yemen

Malki 10, Aldouni 83, Jaffal 86, Al Agha 90

Wu Lei 45

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (C) celebrates beside team mate Nani after scoring the winning goal against Sweden during their 2014 World Cup first leg qualifying playoff match at Luz stadium in Lisbon on Friday

REUTERS

France facing exit, Ronaldo sinks Sweden n AFP, Paris France were facing World Cup elimination on Friday after slumping to a 2-0 play-off first-leg defeat in Ukraine while Cristiano Ronaldo kept Portugal’s hopes alive with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sweden.

Former European champions Greece were left sleeping comfortably on their hopes of making the finals in Brazil after beating Romania 3-1.

Meanwhile, Iceland’s dream of becoming the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup was left on a knife-edge after a 0-0 draw at home with Croatia.

France have it all to do in the second leg in Paris on Tuesday after defeat in Kiev meant they face missing out on

the World Cup for the first time in two decades.

Roman Zozulia gave Ukraine a deserved lead in the 61st minute at the 70,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in Kiev and Andriy Yarmolenko made it 2-0 from the penalty spot with eight minutes left after Laurent Koscielny had brought down Zozulia inside the area.

Arsenal defender Koscielny was then sent off following a clash with Oleksandr Kucher, before the Ukrainian defender was also dismissed as tensions between the two teams spilled over.

Ukraine were worthy of their win and, having denied France an away goal, can now consider themselves strong favourites to go through to their

second World Cup finals.

At Lisbon’s Stadium of Light, Cristiano Ronaldo edged Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the battle of potential World

RESULTS Portugal

0-0 1-0

Sweden

Ukraine

2-0

France

Greece

3-1

Romania

Iceland Ronaldo 82 Zozulia 61, Yarmolenko 82-pen Mitroglou 14, 66, Salpingidis 20

Croatia

Stancu 19

Cup superstars, scoring a late diving header which gave Portugal a 1-0 win over Sweden.

The Real Madrid star headed past Sweden goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson in the 82nd minute from six yards out after a fine left-wing cross from Miguel Veloso.

Ronaldo, who now has 29 goals for club and country this season, almost made it 2-0 moments later when another header thundered back off the crossbar.

But the Portuguese had to settle for a one-goal edge ahead of the second leg in Stockholm, where star striker Ibrahimovic will be key to helping Sweden to the finals in Brazil next year after a lowkey performance on Friday.

In Piraeus, two goals by Olympiakos striker Kostas Mitroglou lifted Greece to a 3-1 win over Romania.

A packed crowd of 32,000 at the

Karaiskakis Stadium saw coach Fernando Santos’s team enjoy a convincing victory which provided a comfortable cushion for the return match on Tuesday.

Mitroglou scored one goal in each half and PAOK forward Dimitris Salpingidis added another in the first half.

The lone goal for Romania was scored by Genclerbirligi forward Bogdan Stancu in the first half.

In Reykjavik, Iceland were reduced to 10 men for the final 40 minutes but managed to thwart relentless waves of Croatian attacks.

Home defender Olafur Skulason was red-carded in the 51st minute after bringing down Ivan Perisic.

Iceland coach Lars Lagerback criticised the officials.l

Dejagah 31, Reza 42, Alireza 90+4

Ala Al Sasi 25

1-4

Soria 3, Abdelkarim 31, Al-Radaei 55-OG, Jeddo 67

Qatar

Vietnam

0-3

Uzbekistan

Shodiev 40, Sergeev 46, Rashidov 89

Ecuador hold Argentina in friendly n AFP, East Rutherford An Argentina side without superstar striker Lionel Messi played Ecuador to a goal-less draw on Friday in an international football friendly between World Cup qualified teams. Both South American squads are set for the global football showdown next year at Brazil, but they advanced in very different fashion.

Argentina was without Messi because of a torn left hamstring suffered Sunday by the 26-year-old playmaker in a 4-1 Barcelona victory over Real Betis in a Spanish League match. Messi is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Right hamstring and thigh issues had sent Messi to the sidelines earlier this season.l

Sri Lanka level series in the rain n AFP, Dambulla

Sri Lanka’s spinners spun a web around New Zealand’s batsmen to win the rain-hit third and final one-day international in Dambulla on Saturday and draw the series 1-1.

The Black Caps, set a DuckworthLewis target of 216 in 33 overs, were 1266 in 25 overs when bad light ended play early in this central Sri Lankan town.

The tourists, who should have been 162 at that stage, were declared losers by 36 runs as per the D/L method to determine rain-affected matches.

The match had initially been trimmed to 43-overs-a-side, before more rainfall halfway through Sri Lanka’s innings abbreviated it further. The scheduled 6pm finish, though, was wildly ambitious for a venue lacking adequate lighting, at this time of year.

If light-meters had been the final word

on play, the match might have stopped around New Zealand’s 21st over, but the umpires allowed the game to continue until they deemed it unsafe.

Sri Lanka, sent in to bat, had made 211-8 from 33 overs after the start was

BRIEF SCORE

Sri Lanka 211 for 8 (Dilshan 53, Jayawardene 46) beat New Zealand 126 for 6 (Neesham 42*, Herath 3-25) by 36 runs (D/L method) delayed by 90 minutes and a further rain interruption reduced the game to 33 overs each. New Zealand had won the second match in Hambantota on Tuesday after the first match was rained off.

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath claimed three wickets and off-break bowler Sachithra Senanayake took two as the tourists slumped to 63-6 by the 19th over. James Neesham and Nathan

South Africa beat Pakistan to take T20 series 2-0 n AFP, Dubai South Africa sparked another Pakistan batting collapse to win the second Twenty20 international by six runs in Dubai on Friday, taking the two-match series 2-0.

It was another batting failure for Pakistan, who, chasing 151, were cruising along nicely at 101-3 in the 14th over before being restricted to 144-9 in their 20 overs.

Paceman Wayne Parnell took 3-25 while leg-spinner Imran Tahir claimed 2-21 and spearhead Dale Steyn finished with 2-20 to rock Pakistan who lost seven wickets in the space of 43 runs.

Sohaib Maqsood top-scored with 37 while Shahid Afridi (14) tried valiantly but failed in the end.

Pakistan lost Ahmed Shehzad (21) and Mohammad Hafeez (nought) in quick succession but Maqsood carried on in style, hitting two boundaries and

a six off 26 balls before Pakistan lost three wickets at 112.

Tahir bowled Shoaib Malik (15)and Abdul Razzaq (nought) off successive deliveries while Quinton de Kock held a smart catch off Parnell to dismiss Maqsood as Pakistan slump from 112-4 to 112-7.

South Africa won the first match by nine wickets on Wednesday.

BRIEF SCORE

South Africa 150 for 5 (du Plessis 58*, Amla 48, Ajmal 3-25) beat Pakistan 144 for 9 (Maqsood 37, Parnell 3-25) by six runs

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis hailed his team’s comeback.

“It’s a great achievement by the team. We played really well under pressure and Pakistan were in a position to win but we pulled it back remarkably,” said Du Plessis.l

McCullum smashed 63 for the seventh wicket in just 36 deliveries to lead a fightback before the umpires called off play.

Neesham was unbeaten on 42 and McCullum was on 35 off 19 balls.

Earlier, Tillakaratne Dilshan hit 53 and put on 91 for the first wicket with Mahela Jayawardene, before Sri Lanka slipped to 146-6 against the steady Black Caps attack.

Nathan McCullum removed Jayawardene (46) and Kumar Sangakkara in three balls, before left-arm seamer Mitchell McClenaghan dismissed Dilshan and skipper Angelo Mathews off successive balls.

The ninth-wicket pair of Senanayake and Herath boosted the total by smashing 18 runs in the final over bowled by seamer Andrew Ellis. New Zealand will round off their short two-week tour with two Twenty20 internationals in Pallekele on November 19 and 21.l

Chile's Alexis Sanchez (C) scores past England's goalkeeper Fraser Forster while Chris Smalling (L) looks on during their international friendly at Wembley Stadium in London on Friday REUTERS

Italy ride luck to snatch draw against Germany, Chile defeat poor England

Injury could rule Germany’s Khedira out of World Cup n Reuters, Berlin n AFP, Milan Germany and Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira’s World Cup hopes hang in the balance after he was ruled out for around six months with a torn cruciate ligament suffered in Friday’s 1-1 draw against Italy, team doctors said on Saturday.

Khedira, who also tore another ligament in his right knee during the incident, will undergo surgery.

“He will need to be operated on but we are hopeful he could be fit in time for the World Cup,” team doctor HansWilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt said.

Germany take on England at Wembley in another friendly international on Tuesday.

“This is a bitter setback for Sami.

But he always thinks positively and that is why I am optimistic he will be ready and fit when the World Cup starts,” coach Joachim Loew said.l

Italy survived a late scare to snatch a 1-1 friendly draw at home to Germany on Friday when Ignazio Abate’s maiden Azzurri goal cancelled out Mats Hummels’ early opener at the San Siro.

Italy were dominated early on and paid the price when Hummels’ header went past Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy goal before bouncing off the post and into the net for an eighth minute opener.

However Cesare Prandelli’s men, looking to protect an unbeaten record against Joachim Loew’s side that stretched back to 1995, were back on level terms thanks to Abate’s wellworked equaliser just before the half hour.

But the final 10 minutes of the match were tense, following an ugly exchange between Toni Kroos and Thiago Motta, who was lucky not to see

red after poking Kroos in the eye with his finger, which led to both players receiving cautions.

England’s World Cup preparations

RESULTS South Korea

2-1

Russia

1-1

Belarus Italy

0-0 1-1

England

0-2

Chile

Swaziland

0-3

South Africa

Scotland

0-0 3-0

USA

Lee 85, Hong 56 Samedov 30

Abate 28

Republic of Ireland

Switzerland

Kasami 7

Serbia

Djordjevic 31

Albania Germany

Hummels 8

Sanchez 7, Sanchez 90 Letsholonyane 48, Zungu 49, Nthethe 63

Keane 22, McGeady 67, Long 79

Latvia

began with a whimper on Friday as Alexis Sanchez scored twice to give Chile a 2-0 victory in a low-key friendly game at Wembley Stadium.

The in-form Barcelona forward struck in the seventh minute and again in injury time, taking his tally of goals to 10 in nine games for club and country and condemning England to defeat for the first time in 11 matches.

Martin O’Neill’s career as Republic of Ireland manager got off to a winning start courtesy of a 3-0 friendly international win over Latvia at Dublin’s Lansdowne Road on Friday.

O’Neill’s first team contained few shocks given he was picking from a squad chosen by interim boss Noel King, but he did cause a minor ripple by starting Wes Hoolahan behind skipper Robbie Keane, Marc Wilson in central defence and Stephen Ward at left back.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Tendulkar set to remain a man in the middle

India win Sachin’s final Test by innings and 125 runs n Agencies The legendary Sachin Tendulkar got a memorable gift in his emotionallycharged farewell Test which lasted just about two and a half days as India crushed a hapless West Indies by an innings and 126 runs to complete a 2-0 whitewash in one of the most lopsided contests in recent history.

There was an outpouring of emotions when the moment arrived as a teary-eyed Tendulkar left the playing arena, which he dominated for 24 long years. Amid standing ovations from his teammates as well as the fans who had thronged the stadium to see the champion for one last time, Tendulkar walked into the sunset of his glittering career.

Starting the day at 43 for three, the West Indies were skittled out for a paltry 187 in their second innings as Pragyan Ojha completed a match-haul of 10 wickets taking his second five-for. l

n Reuters, New Delhi

SCORE CARD West Indies 1st innings: 182 India 1st innings: 495 West Indies 2nd innings (Resuming on 43 for 3) Chris Gayle c Dhoni b Ojha Kieran Powell c Shami b Ashwin Tino Best lbw b Ojha Darren Bravo c Vijay b Ashwin Marlon Samuels st Dhoni b Ojha Chanderpaul lbw b Ashwin Deonarine c & b Ojha Dinesh Ramdin not out Darren Sammy lbw b Ojha Shillingford lbw b Ashwin Shannon Gabriel b Shami Extras (B-4, LB-5) Total (all out in 47 overs)

35 9 9 11 11 41 0 53 1 8 0 9 187

Fall of wickets 1-15, 2-28, 3-43, 4-74, 5-87, 6-89, 7-157, 8-162, 9-185, 10-187.

Bowling Bhuvneshwar 3-0-4-0; Shami 7-0-28-1; R Ashwin 17-4-89-4; Ojha 18-6-49-5; Tendulkar 2-0-8-0

QUICK BYTES

No activities in hockey transfer market Abahani signed midfielder Shoyeb Ali from Azad Sporting Club and defender Khorshedur Rahman from Usha KC in the first day of inter-club players’ transfer window on Friday. Only three players changed their clubs in the opening day while there was no transfer activity in the second day yesterday. Prasanta Kumar Sarkar joined Ajax SC from Sadharon Bima. Three premier league clubs Mohammedan SC, Wari Club and Mariner Young’s Club - are not taking part in the transfer which will end on November 21.

-SH

Del Bosque signs Spain contract extension until 2016

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque said Friday he has signed a two-year extension to his contract which was set to run out at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The new deal means Del Bosque will be in charge for Spain’s qualifying campaign for the 2016 European Championships in France. “I can confirm that I have renewed until 2016,” he told reporters in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, ahead of Spain’s friendly match against the the west African nation on Saturday.

Sports daily Marca had earlier reported that he had extended his contract.

- AFP

Del Potro turns down Argentina

Juan Martin del Potro has declined to play in Argentina’s Davis Cup tie against Italy next year and said efforts by the country’s tennis association (AAT) to get him back on the team were “two-faced”.

The world number five said on Friday he was tired of receiving invitations by email and messages from the AAT and that he would not be available for the Jan. 31Feb. 2 world group first round tie at home on clay. “I won’t be (available) in this first tie to be played against Italy,” Del Potro said in a statement sent to AAT president Arturo Grimaldi and Davis Cup team captain Martin Jaite. “I’m tired of being invited by email or messages and being pressured at the same time through certain media with stories about whether or not I’ll play the Davis Cup, trying to make me look bad to public opinion.

- Reuters

Sachin Tendulkar of India bids farewell at the end of his career on day three of the second Test match against West Indies held at The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India yesterday AP

Indoor corporate cricket promises exciting finish n

Minhaz Uddin Khan

Rangs Group, Acme, Dhaka Tribune and Clemon have confirmed their progress to the knock-out stage of the Islami Bank Indoor Corporate Cricket tournament as their respective group champions yesterday.

12 matches took place yesterday.

Rangs beat Novocom by 5 wickets in the first match while Trust Bank outplayed Uttara finance by 7 wickets.

Partex won their first match against Robi by 4 wickets before losing to Apollo Ispat by 23 runs.

Computer Source confirmed their quarter-final berth with two convincing wins against Grameenphone by 70 runs and Gazi Group by 25 runs. The team comprising of former national stars like Hannan Sarkar and Alamgir Kabir, Clemon also picked up big wins

over Banglalion and Suvastu.

The last day of the tournament today will see the four quarter-finals followed by the semis and final at Mirpur’s Shaheed Sohrawardi Indoor Stadium.

Group A champions Rangs will lock horns with Group C runners-up Apollo Ispat in the first quarter-final at 10am while inspired by former national cricketers Javed Omar and Jahangir Alam Group B champions Acme will face the dark horse of the tournament AB Bank, who secured their last eight spot with a nail-biting 11-run win over Banglalion yesterday, at 11am.

Dhaka Tribune will fight for a berth in the semis against Group A runnersup Trust Bank at 12pm followed by the last quarter-final between Clemon and Computer Source. The two semifinals will be held at 4pm and 5pm respectively followed by the grand finale at 8pm. All the matches will be televised live on Gazi Television. l

Beximco Pharma, Square win bigs n Raihan Mahmood Beximco Pharma and Square Group registered convincing victories over Confidence Group and IDLC in the Marcel 3rd T20 Corporate Cricket at the Military Museum Ground on Friday. Beximco scored 1798 before restricting Confidence Group to 103.

Square Group beat IDLC by six wickets after they successfully chased their target of 150 losing four wickets.

Aminul received the man of the match award.

At the Residential Model School ground, Walton registered an 87-run win over ICDDRB. Batting first, Walton scored 173-7 while ICDDRB made 86-8.

In the other matches of the day Apollo Hospital (86/1) beat Santosh Sangu (80/10) by nine wickets while DBL Group (97/7) outplayed Spot Light (96/7) by three wickets. Arifuzzaman of Apollo Hospital and Faisal of DBL were the winners of the MoM silverwares. l

Djokovic fires Serbia ahead n Reuters, Belgrade Novak Djokovic gave Serbia a 1-0 lead over the Czech Republic in the Davis Cup final by beating Radek Stepanek 7-5 6-1 6-4 in the opening singles rubber on Friday.

World number two Djokovic had to work hard to take the opening set, but

after he saved three break points early in the second it was plain sailing for the 26-year-old in front of a 17,000-strong home crowd.

Having come out on top in several long rallies in the opening stages, Stepanek faded as his more resourceful opponent began tormenting him with stinging baseline shots at the Kombank Arena.

Retrieving like a terrier everything Stepanek threw at him, Djokovic broke the Czech in the ninth game of the third set and then held serve to seal the match and draw a standing ovation from the fans. Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic, a late replacement for the injured Janko Tipsarevic, takes on world number seven Tomas Berdych in the day’s other singles rubber. l

After spending nearly a quarter of a century shouldering the burden of a cricket-crazy nation’s expectations, Sachin Tendulkar should not expect life to get any easier following the last of his 200 test match appearances on Saturday.

Since his 1989 debut as a mophaired, shrill-talking teenager, Tendulkar has been required to win matches, save them or at least lend some respectability to potentially embarrassing defeats.

His 34,000-plus international runs and countless batting records suggest the ‘Little Master’ more than lived up to those expectations.

Scores of companies have reaped handsome reward from ‘Brand Tendulkar’ over the last two decades.

Given that quite a few of those associations will continue after his retirement speaks volumes of the stylish batsman’s almost invincible aura.

Bonded to his prowess with the bat came an additional responsibility to act as the perfect role model for an expanding population disillusioned with the nation’s politicians.

Tendulkar’s largely controversyfree, even inscrutable image would indicate he conducted that aspect of his duties with skill and aplomb.

It would be fair to assume that after three decades of relentless cricket, Tendulkar is entitled to a life away from the glare of publicity, without any further pressure, but that alternate future appears remote to say the least.

Already, many are predicting a smooth transition into the role of a sporting administrator.

“He should become the Sports Minister, only then sports will benefit

(from his experience),” wrestler Sushil Kumar said at a recent India Today Group programme to celebrate Tendulkar’s career.

“He has given 24 years to the country... He knows what sportsmen need and what they should get,” added the double Olympic medallist, whose opinion was echoed by former cricketer Chandu Borde.

Tendulkar, who has remained apolitical throughout his playing career,

FACT BOX ON TENDULKAR Nicknames: Tendlya, Little Master.

Coach: Ramachant Achrekar.

First international captain: Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

First-class debut: Mumbai vs. Gujarat, Mumbai, 1988.

Test debut: vs. Pakistan at Karachi, Nov. 15, 1989.

ODI debut: vs. Pakistan at Gujranwala, Dec. 18, 1989.

Maiden test century: 119 not out vs.

England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1990 (9th test appearance).

Maiden ODI century: 110 vs. Australia, Colombo, 1994 (79th ODI appearance). has already heard the call of a political future beckoning him when was nominated to the upper house of the Indian parliament last year.

However, former team mate Javagal Srinath believes Tendulkar will take a break before returning to cricket as an administrator.

“He will feel a huge void the moment he wakes up (after his final test).

It’s like a big part of his life has been taken away and this void won’t be filled in a hurry,” the former pace bowler

TWITTER REACTIONS ROGER FEDERER (tennis great) “What a remarkable career @sachin_rt. Wish you the very best moving forward #ThankYouSachin”

SANIA MIRZA (India tennis player) “So emotional...the whole country is...we will miss u #RESPECT #SACHIN #LEGEND”

MICHAEL CARRICK (England footballer) “A true great of sport @sachin_rt retiring, had some innings!! The little master will be missed.”

GRAEME SMITH (South Africa captain) “Sorry I missed @sachin_rt last game.what can you say about a man that did so much for our great game! all the best in retirement & thank you!”

MATTHEW HAYDEN (former Australia cricketer) “Chase dreams and no short cuts, be a good person #dad patience, prayers and sacrifices #mum whatever you do, do it 100%#brother #Sachin”

BRETT LEE (former Australia cricketer) “Congrats to the legend @sachin_rt well done mate on everything you have achieved. A phenomenal career”

DARREN LEHMANN (Australia coach) “Congratulations to Sachin on a magnificent career! One of the best of all time in the world of cricket, plenty of memories from him!”

DAMIEN FLEMING (former Australia cricketer) “Well done on a great career #Sachin And #ThankYouSachin all the headaches bowling to you in your prime”

TOM MOODY (former Australia cricketer) “Moving & classy speech by the “little master” composed & graceful to the very end. #ThankYouSachin”

GRAEME SWANN (England cricketer) “I’m not sure if you heard but Sachin Tendulkar retired today! What a great little player and lovely bloke #ThankYouSachin”

LUKE WRIGHT (England cricketer) “Such a honour to have watched and played against Sachin. He is a different class and yet still a great person. #ThankYouSachin”

CHRIS GAYLE (West Indies cricketer)

Army lift Intex Rugby title n Raihan Mahmood

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 4 12:00AM Formula One World C’ship United States GP, Raceday

15

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Jubilant Bangladesh Army team celebrates their Intex Federation Rugby at the Paltan Ground yesterday COURTESY

Bangladesh Army emerged as the champions of Intex Federation Cup Rugby beating J-Sports Rugby Academy by 38-10 points in the final held at the Paltan ground yesterday.

In the road to the final, Bangladesh Army beat Victoria Sporting Club 28-0 while J-Sports overpowered Dhaka Wanderers 21-17. Obaidul of Army was adjudged as the best player of the tournament.

Asaduzzaman Kohinoor, the general secretary of Bangladesh Handball Federation, distributed the prizes as the chief guest. Engineer Md. Mohiuddin Sikder, the chairman of the Intex Buiolders was the special guest on the occasion. l

“Was absolutely a pleasure being a part of history Sachin Tendulkar 200 Test Match. #legends”

VIRENDER SEHWAG (India cricketer) “Been an emotional time for me since the announcement #SRT. Can’t articulate what he means to me, it’s so personal! #ThankYouSachin”

SANJAY MANJREKAR (former India cricketer) “He was the first to reach the ground & last to leave for 29 yrs. Don’t think any cricketer will miss the game as much as Tendulkar will.”

AAKASH CHOPRA (former India cricketer) “Damp eyes...lump in my throat. A final goodbye. #ThankYouSachin”

HARBHAJAN SINGH (India cricketer) “Let’s salute the master. Cricket won’t be the same without u. For me u r cricket. Thank u paji for everything”

IRFAN PATHAN (India cricketer) “Most emotional retirement of world cricket but Sachin Tendulkar isn’t retiring from our heart, #ThankYouSachin”

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

SSC REGISTRATION

Schools charging much higher fees Board warns errant schools of stern action told the Dhaka Tribune they were not n Mushfique Wadud charging higher than the fees fixed by

Back Page

Law men slammed for failing to prevent mob attack 25 held over arson attacks on houses of Hindu community and murder of a youth n Our Correspondent, Barisal At least 25 people have been arrested so far in Char Aicha village in Barisal in connection with the death of a college student on Thursday, and the subsequent retaliatory arson attacks on the houses and temples of the local Hindu community on Friday morning.

Till filing of this report, no case had been lodged in connection with the killing or with the incidents of arson at the Hindu community in Nomo Para.

Most of the local residents in the affected area have left their houses, fearing police harassment and avoiding the tense situation prevailing in the area.

Five of the arrestees - Santo, Pijush, Biren, Samir and Pavel – were detained on Friday after the killing and were presented before the court on Saturday.

Twenty others who were arrested are still under interrogation, said Rezaul Islam, officer-in-charge at Bandar police station.

The district administration started relief and rehabilitation activities soon after the incident and a three-member probe committee, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Abul Kalam Azad, has already submitted a report, said Deputy Commissioner Shohidul Alam.

The head of the probe committee said a total of 15 houses were fully gutted and seven were partly burnt, while properties worth Tk10m had been damaged during the attacks.

The probe report quoted locals and victims as saying that strong steps by the law enforcement agencies could have prevented the atrocities.

The probe report also suggested deploying additional law enforcers in the area until the situation in the area returns to normal again, the probe committee chief said.

On Thursday night, college student Parvez Gazi, 20, was hacked to death, while Jahirul Haoladar, 22, Pavel Gazi, 18, and Shamim Reza, 22, were injured following a disputes over badminton

The schools across the country are realising almost four times higher than the fees prescribed by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education for registration of Secondary School Certificate examinations.

Though the education board has fixed Tk1,100 as registration fee for students of Humanitarian Group and Tk1,200 for Science Group, most schools are overcharging – sometimes amounting to Tk5,000.

The school authorities are realising extra fees in the name of coaching classes and model tests.

“Even if we do not do coaching classes and take model tests in schools, we have to pay extra fee,” said a student of Ideal School and College in Motijheel.

The guardians from low-income group are struggling to manage extra fees and also worry about their children’s registration for SSC examinations.

The city’s Ideal School and College in Motijheel is charging Tk4,500-Tk5,000 for SSC registration depending on students’ result in Test examinations.

Contacted, college Principal Shahan Ara Begum admitted that the school was charging extra, but attributed the realisation of additional fees to coaching classes and model tests prior to SSC examinations.

“We charge Tk3,000 for coaching classes and model tests. If students do coaching classes and sit for model tests elsewhere, they will also have to pay higher than the amount,” she said.

Viqarunnisa Noon School and College realises Tk4,100 from students of Humanitarian and Commerce Groups and Tk4,250 of Science Group.

College Principal Manju Ara Begum

the board.

“For registration, we take the amount of money prescribed by the education board, but the extra is realised as tuition fee,” she said.

Students of Monipur High School and College told the Dhaka Tribune the school was charging Tk4,200 for registration.

Despite repeated attempts, college Principal Farhad Hossain could not be reached for comments yesterday. Shaheed Smrity High School in Mirpur is charging Tk4,000 for SSC registration.

School headmaster Shahjahan Chowdhury admitted taking extra fees for registration, but said those were considered bill for coaching classes.

The Dhaka Tribune Barisal correspondent reported that Mathuranath and Kawnia Girls’ Schools are charging Tk2,000-2,500, Sareswat Girls’ and A Wahed Girls’ Schools Tk2,500-Tk2,800, Collegiate School Tk2,545-Tk2,600, Udayan (missionary) Tk2,255-Tk2,390 and Halima Khatun Girls’ School Tk2,210 -Tk2,400.

Halim Ahmed, a guardian whose child goes to Ideal School and College, Motijheel told the Dhaka Tribune the school continued charging extra for different academic purposes.

“We do not see effective measures from the government to stop school from charging extra from the guardians,” he said.

Contacted, Taslima Begum, chairman, Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, told the Dhaka Tribune schools were not allowed to charge higher than the fees prescribed by the board.

“If we get complaints from the guardians, we will take action against those schools charging extra,” she said. l

AL ends nomination form sale today n Tribune Desk

When weddings are a hartal casualty

Awami League aspirants from seven divisions of the country collected a total of 510 nomination forms on the 6th day yesterday to contest the ensuing election to the 10th Jatiya Sangsad.

With this a total of 2,743 nomination forms have been distributed among the party aspirants, which included 678 on Sunday, 476 on Monday, 322 on Tuesday, 293 on Wednesday and 464 on Thursday, reports BSS. Distribution and submission of AL nomination forms remained suspended due to Holy Ashura on Friday.

Awami League aspirants have also submitted over 700 nomination forms over the past six days with the respective booths for seven divisions opened up at the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city.

The distribution of AL nomination forms that started on Sunday (November 10) will continue till 5pm today, the last date also for submission of party nomination forms.

The AL aspirants collected and submitted nominations forms in a festive mood prevailing in and around the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.

AL Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das said prominent among those senior party leaders who have collected nomination forms today included party presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Mohammad Nasim. l

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Nouman gets Gusi Peace Prize n Tribune Desk AHM Nouman, a Bangladeshi rights activist, won the Gusi Peace Prize International-2013 for his outstanding contribution to ‘poverty alleviation and humanitarianism’ in Bangladesh.

Nouman, founder and secretary general of Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP), a national NGO, is the lone Bangladeshi to get the prestigious award, which is being awarded since 2002 to the world’ s distinguished personalities, says a UNB report.

The award will be handed over to the winners at a colorful award giving ceremony in Manila, capital of Philippines, on November 27, said a press release.

Gusi Peace Prize International Foundation is an international organisation of Philippines. Barry Gusi, a renowned internationalist, is the chair of the foundation. l

Tahsinur Rahman, a young banker, completed his marriage registration but couldn’t hold a post-marriage reception because of the consecutive hartals enforced in the past weeks by the opposition. He had fixed November 12 as the date for a party at the Officers Club and then had to cancel it.

Like Thashin, many people had to reschedule their weddings thanks to escalating political unrest and violence in the country.

“We had planned to host a reception after our marriage, for our families, friends and colleagues, but the date of the programme had to be pushed back because of hartal,” Tahsinur, an executive at Bank Asia, said.

“There was nothing we could do about it. What can we do if politicians continue to enforce such disruptive street programmes in the name of democracy?”

The situation has not only affected would-be-couples, but also all those involved in wedding businesses, including marriage registrars, wedding planners, caterers and community centres.

“People usually hold weddings when they feel secure and are at ease. But frequent hartals have understandably created a sense of insecurity in them,” said Yousef Chowdury Nayeem, a marriage

Sunday, November 17, 2013

A woman bursts into tears after miscreants burnt her house along with 15 other houses of minority people in Barisal sadar upazila DHAKA TRIBUNE following the death of one and rumour of another in a clash with other youths, most of whom were allegedly from the local minority community.

On Friday morning, rumors that Jahirul had died from his injuries lead a mob of over a thousand people to attack and set fire to the houses and temples of Pandit Bari, Dhopa Bari, Napit Bari, Master Bari, and Shiali Bari in the Hindu community at Nomo Para.

Meanwhle, a police camp has been opened at the local Matri Govt Primary School in the area.

“We are trying to convince the people to return to the area and maintain peace, law and order, and assuring that there will be no harassing of any innocent peo-

ple,” said Md Shamsuddin, commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP).

However, local residents blamed the police for failing to prevent the burning of the houses and temples belonging to the Hindu community.

Azizul Huq Akkas, BNP leader and Sadar upazila chairman, and Monirul Islam Chhobi, local UP chairman, said members of different communities had a peaceful coexistence in the area and insisted that the incident was not communal, but rather an outburst over the killing and attack on youths who were playing badminton.

Dr Sudhanshu, a local resident who fled the area, said there were still fears

about the repetition of such incidents, as the law enforcement agencies had yet to prove their competency.

However, BMP Commissioner Md Shamsuddin and Bandar police station officer-in-charge Rezaul Islam said police had been deployed to the area on Thursday night after the killing of the youth. They said only four police officers remained there on Friday morning, as the situation was assumed to be normal and because there was a shortage of forces at the police station.

The police officials confirmed that the mob attack took place after a rumor spread in the area that another injured youth had died from his wounds. l

registrar in the capital’s Lalmatia area.

Nayeem usually performs 8-10 wedding ceremonies each month but business usually picks up between November and January, when he gets upwards of 20 calls a month on average. “But, up till mid-November this year, I only had one call and have two more at the end of the month.”

“One of my clients cancelled his reception party and instead arranged a private programme because of hartals.”

Hartals or shutdowns are also taking their toll on the business of organising wedding ceremonies.

“In the past weeks, most of our contracts had to be reworked because of security concerns. People are afraid.

It’s unfortunate that we are facing this problem during the peak wedding season,” Zakir Hossain, owner of Prianka Community Centre in Dhanmondi, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Almost two-thirds of all weddings held each year are organised during these three months, he said. “It is bad time for business. Usually we have 3040 advance bookings for December, but this year, we have only 12 so far.”

Jahangir Hossain, manager of the Victoria Convention Centre, said most of the incidents of parties being postponed had taken place in the last couple of weeks.

“There is an intense feeling of fear among people holding them back from marrying or holding weddings now.” l

2.2kg of gold seized at Dhaka airport n Kailash Sarkar Armed Police Battalion (APBn) personnel arrested a Saudi expatriate Bangladeshi with 2.2kg of smuggled gold in his possession soon after he arrived at the Hajarat Shahjalal International Airport from Saudi Arabia on Friday afternoon.

Identified as Md Delwar Hossain, 30, hailing from Bogra, the man was arrested with the gold around 4:10pm.

“The gold includes 16 bars, around 100 chains and two rings,” said Alamgir Hossain Shimul, senior assistant superintendent of the APBn, adding that the seized gold is worth around Tk10m.

“Acting on information, we searched the youth and found the gold hiding inside his shoes, underwear and money-

bag,” the official said.

The APBn official also questioned how the man could have crossed the green channel with the gold as his body was searched by officials and scanned by a machine.

A case was filed with the Airport police station in connection with the find and Delwar was handed over to police.

Smuggling of gold through Dhaka’s airport has reportedly intensified recently and a record quantity of around 450kg of gold has been seized in recent months, while the country’s biggest ever seizure of 124kg of gold was made in July.

Airport sources alleged that several smuggling rings were involved in practice, which is done in association with a section of unscrupulous officials and employees at the airport. l

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B2 Upgrade RMG industry to global standard

B3 Buyers’ compensation for Rana Plaza victims far from reality

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

Slew of new funds hit capital market n Kayes Sohel A slew of new funds offering special features and giving investors multiple investment avenues hit the capital market.

Analysts say operation of such funds will increase the variety of products in the market that is still limited in the range of vehicles it offers to investors.

The Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has already come out with a detail regulatory framework for governing such funds. Last month, it made guidelines on conversion of closed-end fund to open-end fund because of growing popularity in the new-look funds.

Open-end fund can issue and redeem units any time during the life of the scheme while close-ended fund cannot issue new units except in case of bonus or rights issue.

New investors could join the scheme by directly applying to the mutual fund at applicable net asset value related prices in case of open-ended schemes while that is not the case in case of close-ended schemes, where new investors can buy the units from secondary market only.

Funds like Prime Financial First Unit Fund, Sandhani Life Unit Fund and MTBL

Unit Fund are already in operation.

A dozen of such types of funds, including Alif Islamic Income Fund, Alliance S&P Shariah Index Fund, VIPB Accelerated Income Fund, IDIC-50 Unit Fund, IFIC Infrastructure Fund, Prime Bank Infrastructure Fund and UCBL Infrastructure Fund are in the offing.

Alliance Capital Asset Management Limited is going to start “Alliance S&P Shariah Index Fund” – the first of its kind in Bangladesh to bring diversification in the stock market.

The Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) has already received regulatory approval to convert its eight closed-end mutual funds into open-end ones after the expiry of their tenure on December 31 this year.

At present, it manages three open-end unit funds sponsored by the government.

The eight mutual funds are: First ICB Mutual Fund, Second ICB Mutual Fund, Third ICB Mutual Fund, Forth ICB Mutual Fund, Fifth ICB Mutual Fund, Sixth ICB Mutual Fund, Seventh ICB Mutual Fund and Eighth ICB Mutual Fund.

More companies are preparing to join the bandwagon to sponsor new variety of funds, after getting positive response from the investors, industry insiders said.

The structure of the fund would be like mutual funds but its exposure, by nature, will be broader than the stock market. Such fund, which is open-ended fund, is a professionally managed collective investment scheme.

The fund manager pulls money from investors through its sales agents and invests it in stocks, infrastructure projects, real estate, bonds and short-term money market instruments, and pays out dividends to the unit holders annually.

“Such funds will provide alternative investment options that lacks in the market,” said analyst Mahmood Osman Imam, a market analyst. “Most investors are not sophisticated. They do not know how to invest. Through investment in these funds, managed by professionals, they will hedge their risk”.

Moin Al Kashem, CEO of Prime Finance Asset Management, said: “The fund is a less risky investment tool for the people and institutions who want to avoid a highly volatile market.”

The first privately sponsored open-ended unit fund titled “Prime Financial First Unit Fund” was managed by his company that got overwhelming response from the investors.

“Variety of funds will open up new investment avenues for the investors. It will provide investors an effective hedging tool against volatility. Launching of such funds should be backed with adequate awareness programme to make it popular among retail investors,” he said.

Wali-ul-Maroof Matin, managing director of Alliance Capital, said: “There are too many retail investors who do not really know how to invest. Retail investors make up almost lion’s share of the daily trading volumes. This type of fund will be one way to absorb them.”

He said one major setback in Bangladesh capital market is lack of good products. “We want to offer to the real investors of home and abroad a trustworthy product in the share market.”

At present, a total of 48 mutual funds are in operation in the country managed by nine asset managers. Out of these funds, 41 are closed-end and 7 are open-end funds.

The market capitalisation of the closedend funds is more than Tk34.5bn, which is 1.32% of the total market capitalisation of Dhaka Stock Exchange. The total asset under management of the closed-end funds is over Tk44.7bn. l

Demand for foreign loans rises n Jebun Nesa Alo The rise in foreign loans inflow has put pressure on local banks to cut their lending rates as entrepreneurs are being attracted to the overseas financiers, said official sources.

Bangladesh Bank data shows that the foreign loan inflow increased by 400% to $1.49bn in 2012 from $302m in 2010. In 2011, the figure was $819m.

In the past four years as of October 2013, the central bank allowed private firms to borrow $3.64bn from foreign sources at a lower interest rate of around 5%.

The central bank said most of the borrowed money were invested in the sectors like telecommunication, power and textile.

In September, the average lending rate of private commercial banks decreased by 0.19% to 14.25% while the deposit rate was 9%, from that of 14.44% and 9.1% respectively in June.

“Borrowing from foreign sources at lower interest rates made the entrepreneurs reluctant to take loans at high rates from the country’s financial market,” said NCC Bank Managing Director Nurul Amin.

He observed that the banks of the country have already started lowering rates and the trend will continue further.

The country’s private sector received foreign

loans of $80m in January, $84m in February, $322m in April, $154m in June, $59.7m in July and $238.6m in September this year, , according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The figures were respectively $10m, $200.7m, $402.8m, $40m, $248.6m and 48.6m in the corresponding months of the last year.

Bangladesh Bank is in positive mode to approve foreign loan applications as it has policy decision to put pressure on banks to bring down lending rate by raising competition, sources said.

“Bankers are now under an unwritten pressure to bring down the interest rate against lending

due to increased availability of foreign loans,” said Nabhash Chandra Mandal, Executive Member of Board of Investment Bangladesh.

He said banks have already reduced their lending rate slightly from 15% facing the pressure.

“Big entrepreneurs are more interested to take foreign loans as they are getting it at lower rate which as low as 5%.”

The entrepreneurs will soon become interested to take loan in local currency if the trend of reducing lending rate continues, said Nabhash Chandra.

On a similar note, he mentioned the correla-

tion between increased foreign currency reverse and foreign loans. “Our foreign reserve is growing at a sustainable rate for which dollar rate remained stable and the local currency flow wasn’t interrupted either.”

The total foreign loan stood at $1.03bn up to September this year as compared to $1.04bn in the same period of the last year according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The lending rates would soon come down further due to continued cut in deposit rates by the commercial banks and falling inflation, said Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman.

“Borrowing from foreign sources at lower interest rate will also help interest rate in the country’s financial market come down as the competition will increase resulting in higher efficiency,” said governor.

The excess liquidity of the country’s banks increased by Tk240bn or 40% during January-September period of the current year and stood at Tk840bn from Tk600bn in January, according to the Bangladesh Bank data.

The credit growth of the banks was 13.39% in January with surplus liquidity of Tk600bn, followed by 10.29% growth in March with Tk660bn in excess liquidity. The growth was 8.97% in June when the liquidity was Tk790bn and 7.40% in September as the liquidity rose to Tk840bn. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Upgrade RMG industry to global standard Bangladesh Bank Governor makes the call to stakeholders n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman stressed the need to upgrade the country’s readymade garment sector to global standards by ensuring workers’ rights and workers-friendly environment.

He was addressing a discussion on “Responsible Business Lessons for the Bangladesh Ready Made Garment Sector” in Dhaka yesterday.

The governor particularly mentioned about the occupational health, safety issues and capacity building of workers.

“Post Rana Plaza calamity has revealed that in order to create a sustainable RMG sector in the countries in Asia, there have to be proper implementation and concern on aspects of human rights, worker friendly environments through occupational health and safety issues,” he said.

According to Dr Atiur, the steps would “create a win-win situation for both workers and owners.” The discussion aimed to explore how partnership with buyers in the garment industry could help bring about much needed reforms to the RMG sector.

Responsible and Accountable Garment Sector (RAGS) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Center jointly organised the event.

The RAGS Challenge Fund has been working in Bangladesh in partnership with major UK buyers, such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Mothercare and NGO’s. It said it has found practical ways to improve working conditions and safety in the garment sector.

“With the lion share in export and transforming itself as the top producer in South Asia, garments sector deserves to be our

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman speaks at a discussion in Dhaka yesterday prime driver of change,” said Bangladesh Bank chief. He cited Bangladesh Bank efforts to improve fire safety in the country’s garment factories.

Sarah Cooke, country representative of UK government’s international development agency DFID, and Reaz Bin Mahmood, vice president of BGMEA, among others also participated in the discussion.

“The RMG sector has brought about radical social challenges in Bangladesh by providing large number of rural women with their own income and allowing them to contribute to family finance,” she said.

About her visits to some Bangladeshi RMG factories last year, Cooke observed:

“While some factories are truly first class, others are clearly substandard and pose real threats to the people work those premises.”

She put emphasis on a comprehensive approach to reform of the sector and combined efforts of government, factory owners, buyers, unions and civil society to drive necessary reforms.

Reaz Bin Mahmood said although there has been improvement in the overall situation of the sector, some unrest in Savar still continued, which led factories there to remain closed.

“We will be able to make the RMG sector a developed one if the government and workers cooperate,” he hoped. l

Most of Tk10 farmers’ accounts not active n Tribune Business Desk A special fund is likely to be introduced soon by the Bangladesh Bank for making the ‘Taka 10’ bank accounts effective, especially for the marginal farmers who do not have enough savings to keep their accounts moving.

‘Size of the fund would be reasonable to offer financial help to most of the Tk10 account holders who will be capable of using the money in farming and in other profitable agro-based sectors’ Only 30% of the over 13m such accounts are now active in real terms with regular transactions by their holders, according to a senior official of the central bank.

“Yes, most of the Tk10 accounts are not active as expected, but we are planning special fund, which will soon take place to make the accounts more dynamic and beneficial,” Governor Atiur Rahman told BSS recently.

He did not detail about the size of the fund and the conditions to get a share of it, but said a directive would soon be given to the respective banks to introduce the fund.

The official, however, said the size of the fund would be reasonable to offer financial

help to most of the Tk10 account holders who will be capable of using the money in farming and in other profitable agro-based sectors.

Introduced in 2010, farmers, freedom fighters and the persons who get allowances under the social safety net programme were offered to open and maintain a bank account by depositing only Tk10.

Later, cleaning staff of different cities and towns were also brought under the scheme. l

Oil prices rise in Asian trade n AFP, Singapore Oil prices rose in Asian trade Friday, buoyed by hopes the US Federal Reserve will wait longer before scaling back its stimulus programme, analysts said.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for December delivery, was up 44 cents at $94.20 a barrel in afternoon trade, while Brent North Sea crude for January gained 18 cents to $108.46.

Prices tracked gains in Asian equity markets as investors welcomed testimony from Fed chief nominee Janet Yellen at her confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Banking Committee.

Yellen defended the bank’s $85bn a-month bond-buying programme, and rejected suggestions that it had generated fresh bubbles in property or stock markets.

Her comments “spurred expectations that any form of tapering would not occur anytime soon”, said Vanessa Tan, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore.

The upbeat sentiment over a continuation of the easy money policy offset concerns over ballooning US crude stockpiles, indicating soft demand in the world’s number one economy.

US inventories rose 2.6 million barrels in the week ended November 8, the US Department of Energy reported on Thursday, representing the eighth consecutive rise.

European benchmark Brent was being supported by uncertainty over Libyan supplies, Tan said. A Libyan oil official told AFP last week that production outages related to political protests had reduced output to 250,000 barrels a day, from 1.5 million barrels a day before they erupted in July. l

MasterCard opens office in Dhaka n Tribune Business Desk MasterCard has announced the opening of a local representative office at Gulshan in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman opened the office on Wednesday, said a press release yesterday.

MasterCard’s decision to open an office in Bangladesh is due to the growth potential of the market driven by the growing middle class and e-commerce, it said.

The office will be headed by Syed Mohammad Kamal, country manager of MasterCard Bangladesh.

Bringing global expertise in technology and payments processing to local partners at affordable costs is one of MasterCard’s key priorities in Bangladesh along with the aim to deliver financial services to the under-banked segment of the society. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Buyers’ compensation for Rana Plaza victims far from reality n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi A meeting among the world’s apparel retailers on proposed compensation for Rana Plaza victims ended inconclusive in Geneva on Friday, but they are scheduled to meet again on November 28.

The meeting was rescheduled as the brands refused to sign an agreement in finalising the proposal – an initiative by the IndustriALL with support from the International Labour Organisation.

“The long overdue final agreement on compensation to Rana Plaza victims is still not finalised as brands continue to hesitate,” said a statement of IndustriALL. Walmart, Carrefour, Bonmarché, Mango, Auchan and Kik refused to sign the arrangement.

The next compensation meeting is scheduled on November 28, where further discussion will be held on how to incorporate the increased minimum wage, scheduled to be announced in a week’s time, into the compensation figures, said the statement.

The arrangement has been signed by four brands Primark, Loblaw, Bonmarche and El Corte Ingles. “This Arrangement will establish the independent fund in Bangladesh into which the brands will pay, as well as lo-

cal actors.”

On November 14, at a meeting the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the various parties involved in compensation negotiations once again discussed establishing a fund to pay survivors and families of the dead workers of Rana Plaza.

The meeting had participation via teleconference from ILO Dhaka with the Bangladeshi government, BGMEA, IndustriALL Bangladesh Council and the NCCWE Bangladeshi workers’ body.

The situation for many of the Rana Plaza survivors and their families is extreme and around 90% of all employees of the five collapsed factories are still unable to work due to the psychological damage the collapse caused, IndustriALL said quoting a survivor.

“How can the brands that sourced from Rana Plaza continue to refuse to pay? What they are obliged under international employment standards and ILO Convention 121,” said IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Monika Kemperle.

“We are expecting to disburse compensation to the victims by January 14 next year,” IndustriALL Bangladesh representative Roy Ramesh Chandra told Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We have identified 29 brands, which

sourced from the Rana Plaza factories, of which 9 joined the meeting and four signed the agreement, he added.

“All brands need to step up – and stop hiding or presenting excuses. No brand can go it alone on compensation – by doing so they will fail the majority of workers and any compensation paid out will be partial, limited and unpredictable,” said Ineke Zeldenrust of the Clean Clothes Campaign.

The arrangement will ensure that ALL the victims of this terrible disaster finally get the compensation they deserve in a transparent manner with independent oversight, said Zeldenrust. The government of Bangladesh is under pressure to soon sign the MoU, following minor amendments to the text, and BGMEA will follow.

Meanwhile, the Clean Clothes Campaign and IndustriALL Global Union urged all brands and retailers linked to the disaster at the Rana Plaza building to work together to sign up to a credible and collaborative process for delivering compensation to the victims of the disaster.

On 24 April 2013, Rana Plaza, an eight-story commercial building, collapsed in Savar killing over 11,00 workers and 2,500 sustained injuries. l

‘Bring scrap import under PSI scheme’

Indian farmers warn on WTO agriculture subsidy rules

Chittagong Customs Authority has urged National Board of Revenue (NBR) to bring the import of “scraps” under the mandatory Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI) scheme to tighten the rampant import forgery of raw materials used in rerolling mills for manufacturing structural rods.

The scraps – both iron and steel made – being imported in containers have made it difficult for the customs officials to get clear images from scanning tests at import level due to its different sizes and non-existence of uniformity, said Chittagong Customs Commissioner M Masud Sadiq in a letter to the NBR last week.

“Banned items like arms, explosives or alcohol are imported in scrap containers,” he said.

Sadiq has strongly suggested to bring import of scraps under the headings of 7204 and 7602 of the mandatory PSI scheme, reports UNB. Officials at Chiitagong Customs said a group of unscrupulous importers have been resorting to undervaluation, mis-declaration and importing poor quality of goods in absence of any pre-shipment inspection arrangement in the country. The department is not yet prepared to handle any import regime without a PSI system, said the officials.

“It’s not possible for the customs department to detect banned items like arms, explosives or alcohol in the containers carrying scraps.” reads the letter, adding that it is in the interest of the government and revenue perspectives of the NBR to bring the scrap import under the mandatory PSI scheme. l

n AFP, New Delhi

n Tribune Business Desk

India’s powerful farmers’ unions have told the Congress government not to compromise on food security in exchange for a global trade agreement at Bali.

The demand comes as the World Trade Organization’s 159-member economies strive to bridge gaps between rich and poor nations over concessions needed to yield a deal for a ministerial summit on December 3-6 on the Indonesian island of Bali.

“India should not trade-off its food security concerns and the livelihood security of millions of farmers against the trade facilitation agreement,” said a letter signed by 15 farm unions and sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The farmers said India should stand firm against US and EU demands for any proposal that leads to a “dismantling of the famine-avoidance strategies. India cannot be forced to go back to the days of ship-tomouth existence”.

The letter was sent to Singh on Thursday and was received by AFP on Friday.

Members of the G-33 of developing countries led by India are demanding changes to the Agreement on Agriculture under the WTO so that they can offer greater subsidies to farmers.

According to the agreement, subsidies cannot total over 10% of the production. As food prices and the number of poor in developing countries have risen since the pact was

framed two decades ago, these subsidies have gone up substantially.

India’s ruling Congress party fears especially that its new multi-billion-dollar landmark scheme to distribute subsidised grains to two-thirds of the country’s 1.2-billion population, will push it over the WTO food subsidy cap. The farmers’ demand comes after Indian trade minister Anand Sharma warned earlier in the week that “protecting the interest of the farmers and vulnerable sections of society is a key political imperative for a country like India”.

He told US Trade Representative Michael Froman in a letter that a proposal to give developing nations a temporary reprieve from any penalties under the Agreement on Agriculture “falls well short of our requirements”.

Sharma, who will represent India at Bali, said that the “interim plan” would still place “onerous conditions which would restrict its use significantly and circumscribe our domestic policy space”.

India’s Congress government, which faces general elections by May 2014, is insistent that nothing interfere with the food subsidy programme which it views as a key vote-getter.

The Bali summit is seen as perhaps the last chance to revive the WTO’s so-called “Doha Round” of talks, launched in 2001 in Qatar.

The round’s goal is to design a broad global accord on opening markets and removing trade barriers with the aim of harnessing international commerce to develop poorer economies. l

3

Stocks stay flat last week despite increased participation n Tribune Report Stock market stayed flat in the past week with increased participation in trading despite the ongoing political unrest.

During the week that ended Thursday, the benchmark index (DSEX) gained nearly 41 points or 1% to settle at 4,242, while the blue chip index DS30 went down 6 points or 0.5% to 1,447.

“Market is showing strong resilience amid all the political uncertainties. Investors are probably booking their places in the market gradually as they feel once these uncertainties are over market will move to a positive direction,” said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

Market was mainly being driven by bellwether banking sector that posted rise of 2% in the past week after gaining 10% in previous week.

Textile sector also rose 3% as most of the textile companies posted significant growth in earnings in the latest reported quarter as there was around 24% growth in export of knitwear and woven garments.

Among the major sectors, top gaining sectors of the week were life insurance that gained 17%, textile 3%, miscellaneous 2% and mutual fund 2%.

Conversely, top losing sectors were cement, telecommunications and general insurance, which shed 3% each.

The DSE turnover registered a 21% growth, crossing Tk5bn-mark twice during the past week due to growing investor confidence fueled by apparent stability in the market, according IDLC Investment.

The maiden session of the week presented a robust movement, gaining about 44 points in spite of the looming crisis in the political frontier.

However, the rally ended at the very next session, as investors started ripping profit from their bank holdings, which deflected DSEX from its seven-session long gaining streak.

But turnover crossed Tk5bn-mark in that session, the highest in one and half months.

But, this healthy level of turnover could not sustain in third session. Cautious investors withdrew to the sideline, causing a sharp drop of more than 24% in turnover.

As the surge in bank sector took a break, the fourth session of the past week observed redistribution of funds, much of which flowed into textile sector, registering Tk1.25bn turnover.

However, profit booking spree forced a negative ending for textile on the fifth session of the past week.

The prime bourse ended positive riding on renewed enthusiasm over banks and impressive earnings declarations from fuel and power sector.

Top gaining companies of the past week were Delta Life Insurance, Northern Insurance and First Lease International while top losing companies were Style Craft, Rahim Textile, Zahin Textile and Tallu Spinning. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Invoking the voice of youth at the AsiaPacific Youth Forum 2013, Nepal n Arup Barua

A

ccording to global population dynamics, youths constitute more than half the world’s population yet very few international organisations have incorporated their concerns or have facilitated their participation in addressing emerging global challenges. One organisation has embarked on a remarkable initiative to engage youth in sustainable development activities: International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

ICIMOD is an international, independent mountain learning and knowledge centre committed to improving the sustainable livelihoods of mountainous communities in the extended Himalayan region. Established in 1983, it operates in eight regional member countries of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Realising the importance of proactive participation from youth in discussions related to sustainable development and the challenges facing the mountain regions, ICIMOD has initiated Asia Pacific Youth Forum (APYF). This year the theme of the APYF was Post-2015 Development Agenda and Mountain Issues.

Through a panel of independent judges, ICIMOD selected forty-five young representatives from 15 countries of Asia and the Pacific including university students and professionals. The selected youths attended the Asia-Pacific Youth Forum-2013 from September 30 to October 4. The participants were selected from over 1,150 applicants who submitted their application through the ICIMOD website highlighting their qualities, work experiences and commitment to the issues of the forum.

The APYF 2013 was inaugurated on October 1 at ICIMOD Headquarters with a welcome speech by ICIMOD Senior Manager Anja Møller Rasmussen. Presentations were delivered by ICIMOD Theme Leader Dr Golam Rasul, Government of Nepal Joint Sec-

COURTESY

retary Purushottam Ghimire and LDC Watch Dr Arjun Karki representing mountain, government and civil society perspective. These presentations unveiled the paradigm shift in development planning from – Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and issues related to the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Technical presentations were delivered by esteemed experts at ICIMOD in two consecutive sessions including one on issues related to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and science application in development activities and nationalregional-global processes interface in thematic areas.

CEO of Mega Bank Kathmandu Anil Shah delivered a motivational speech, delineating his tenacious career, and discussing the role of human beings in building peace and happiness in the greater society. Miss Global Nepal-2012 Neelum Chand inspired the youth to be confident and motivated under all circumstances.

The third day covered a field visit to ICI-

Participants learnt about technologies and practices related to renewable energy, water management, sustainable agriculture, soil management, ecotourism and livelihood options MOD Knowledge Park, Godavari, situated at southern slopes of Kathmandu valley. This Knowledge Park covers an area of 30 hectares of land provided by the Government of Nepal in 1992 where more than 5,000 people from all walks of life including students, researchers, farmers, development practitioners, entrepreneurs and many others visit every year to learn about new technologies, approaches and practices for sustainable land use, natural resource management and livelihood enhancement.

At the site, participants learnt about tech-

COURTESY

nologies and practices related to renewable energy, water management, sustainable agriculture, soil management, ecotourism, livelihood options etc. The Knowledge Park includes technologies and practices that could contribute to better livelihood opportunities and conservation of natural resources in Hindu Kush-Himalayas (HKH).

Following the visit to the technology and activities demonstration stalls, all the participants were divided into a team of two to learn knowledge-sharing through an activity named “1-1 Interview Your Friend.” Each participant was asked to interview the other teammate about the MDG’s achievement status of their native country, success stories and pitfalls from multidisciplinary context and prepare a video of the interview. In accordance with the interview of the partner, each participant had to present each partner’s position.

One of the most amazing sessions was World Cafe for prioritising issues in the context of Post-2015 Development Agenda. Participants split into five groups to discuss five thematic areas. Based on the discussions the declaration of APYF 2013 was drafted in order to convey the expectations of the youth from Post-2015 Development Agenda.

On the fourth day the group visited innovative projects sites focusing on sustainable development. The first project site was the office and workshop of Foundation for Sustainable Technologies (FoST), a non-profit organisation that endeavours to create awareness to counter wide-spread deforestation, harmful pollution, heavy dependence on fossil fuels by providing low-cost, sustainable technologies, that is easily adaptable and locally-built. It also focuses on better education and capacity building to improve the quality of life of the rural people.

FoST is the brainchild of Sanu Kaji Shrestha, a retired World Bank official and solar energy hobbyist. He has promoted several biomasses to energy, waste to energy and solar energy technologies through FoST.

Following the visit to FoST, the participants visited the project site and office of Women Environment Preservation Committee (WEPCO). WEPCO is the first Nepali community based organisation to deal with Solid Waste Management (SWM), initiated by a group of housewives. Since its establishment in 1992, it has gained popularity for their innovation and initiatives in SWM. WEPCO activities include community composting, home composting, vermi-composting, paper collection for recycling and bio-gas production from organic waste.

The final day was devoted to developing the final declaration of the forum. At the knowledge session Founder of Youth for Environmental Stewardship Ms Judy Fainstein shared her experiences of engaging youth in North America for sustainable policy formulation and promotion of sustainable technologies.

The final Outcome Document of APYF took three hours of debate amongst 45 participants through editing each sentence by simple majority vote. Ultimately participants developed the Declaration of Asia-Pacific Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Post-2015 Development Agenda through a participatory process incorporating concerns of all members present.

ICIMOD Director General Dr David Molden said: “Many people address the youth as the future leaders. Why the future? No, you are not the future leaders. Tomorrow never comes. You are the leaders of today.”

ICIMOD Youth Initiative Coordinator Tek Jung Mahat concluded the forum by saying: “Working with the youth always gives us happiness. Carry the knowledge, share your experiences, talk to policy makers, talk about the future you want.”

The APYF-2013 was funded and supported

by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). l The writer is a student of Department of Development Studies, DU, and a participant of AsiaPacific Youth Forum 2013, Nepal

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Snack towards a high octane workday Our eating habits at work can dictate how we feel throughout the day. Certain foods may be making you more fatigued, slowing down your efficiency past YOUR CUP midday and thus adverseOF TEA ly affecting your output.

Foods can provide two types of energy. Those with a high glycemic index are often higher in sugar and carbohydrates, flooding the body with insulin causing a brief boost of energy, followed by drowsiness and hunger. Proteins, fats and fiber rich foods which have a low glycemic index release sugar at a slower rate and provide longer periods of sustained energy.

Following is a list of 5 high energy snacks which are easy to eat at work and will leave you feeling attentive and wound up: Almonds: Almonds are packed full of healthy fats, fiber and protein. They not only deliver a host of nutrients but provide you with energy and keep your appetite sated until your next meal. However, while snacking on al-

monds, it pays to remember that a little goes a long way with these calorie dense nuts.

Yogurt: Yogurt gives you a big energy boost while the protein in it keeps you feeling full for longer. These days there are a number of local and affordable single-serve yogurts available in a variety of flavours which are easy to store and eat at work. They can be a real treat for the post-lunch hunger pang.

Bananas and apples: Loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber, fruits are great if you need a small energy burst in between tasks, and bananas and apples are the easiest to carry to and eat at work.

Popcorn: With popcorn you get a lot of volume and fiber which makes you feel full for longer. You can find them in low fat and single-serve packs which are low in calories and will take you at most 3 minutes to make, if your workplace has a microwave. The drawback with this snack is you may have to share it with colleagues. l

Certain foods may be making you more fatigued, slowing down your efficiency past midday and thus adversely affecting your output.

BIG STOCK

Passionate Presenter: We are currently working on a big pitch at work which is over a month away. Since before I was employed, my ASK MENTOR supervisor has been doing all the big presentations for our firm, and as usual she is doing this one too. However, this pitch is on something I feel truly passionate about and I know I can do a better job than her. Would it be a terrible move for me to go to her senior and tell him that I can do a better job and that I’m better prepared? Or should I approach her with it first?

Mentor: Yes, it will be a terrible move. You are still new there. No matter how passionate you are, you should respect that she has already done things like this before. Usually, new entries to an organisation are over-zealous and desperate to prove a point. She might have worked with this same client earlier, or maybe she knows the pulse well and knows how to handle the client.

Coconut water: This tropical fruit is low in calories, naturally fat free, contains more potassium than four bananas, packed full of electrolytes and super hydrating.

There’s no dearth of coconuts in Dhaka and a single glass of coconut water can instantly pick you up.

BIG STOCK

n Ahsan Sajid

Accidental Teacher: I have a job at a school teaching kindergarten children, and while I don’t love it, I also don’t hate it. I’m just killing time before I go for my Masters next year. However, I have recently found an opening for another job, and the pay is definitely better. But the job requirement states that they don’t require a university degree. I’m confused – what kind of job does not even require a university degree? I want to switch because of the higher pay, but is it worth doing a job that doesn’t even require a degree, which I have from a reputed university?

Mentor: Every blue collar job in this country requires a minimum degree. We do not have a Google or a Facebook which are open to drop outs. Since you did not share what kind of job this is, I am assuming it is of a call center or IT outsourcing. The former will not help you and will not give you a good recommendation to your master’s degree. As for IT outsourcing, it will be such a good pay that you might lose interest to do your masters.

Email us at career@dhakatribune.com for your opinions, feedback and career-related queries.

5

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Follow this career expert on Twitter to stay on the edge of your career

Bangladesh to celebrate GEW with StartUpBash

n Career Desk To celebrate “Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW)” in Bangladesh, ‘’Startup Bash’’ has organised an exclusive week of exciting events. Designed with diverse components for aspiring entrepreneurs, the “Startup Bash” will take place at several venues including EMK Centre, BASIS, NewsCred and American Club in Dhaka.

“Global Entrepreneurship Week’’ has been observed worldwide since 2008. Since inception, around 10 million people in 125 countries have participated in GEW programmes. A number of initiatives have been taken up in Bangladesh on the occasion of GEW to motivate budding entrepreneurs during the week-long festival.

The programme includes areas such as creating the bridge between entrepreneurs and investors, working with business models, showcasing the stories of successful entrepreneurs, solving different problems through business and achieving success by using technology.

Organiser of “Startup Bash’’ and CEO of Fortuna Fayaz Taher said: “At present, entrepreneurs are not only creating jobs, but also working to solve social issues. Our goal is to drive the young entrepreneurs in Bangladesh to formulate new and innovative ideas and lead them to create more jobs for the national economy and solve social problems as well.”

Those willing to be an entrepreneur can register and participate in ‘’StartupBash’’ at: startupbashbd.com ‘’Start-up Bash’’ has been organised in conjunction with Shetu, Startup Dhaka, Magnito Digital, Volunteer for Bangladesh, Team Engine, Empty Ventures, G & R Ad Network, NewsCred and BdTech Social. The event is supported by Popular Life Insurance Company Ltd, akhoni.com, EMK Center, Fortuna Fried Chicken, Olympic T-20 Biscuit, Fortuna Bangladesh, Appy Fizz, Barnali Fabrics Ltd, Orchid Printers, Dell, Mohammadi Group and Multimode. l

Confusion with contracts

n Career Desk

Arbitration (noun) – settlement of a dispute by a person chosen by both parties

Greg Savage @greg_savage

Greg is the founder of leading recruitment companies Firebrand Talent Search, People2People and Rec ruitment Solutions. He is an established global leader of the recruitment industry and a regular keynote speaker worldwide. Greg provides specialised advice for recruitment, professional services and social media companies.

An early adopter of social media for recruiting, Greg’s industry blog – The Savage Truth – is a must-read for recruitment consultants, while his Twitter feed similarly attracts thousands of followers from around the world.

BIZ VOCAB

Article (noun) – a particular statement, or stipulation in a contract; clause

Force majeure (noun) – unforeseeable event excusing one party form fulfilling contract Null and void – invalid; without legal force; not binding Hereto (adverb) – to this (document etc.)

Heretofore (adverb) – up until now; until the present; before this Stipulate (verb) – to specify as an essential condition Warrant (verb) – to give formal assurance; to guarantee Appendix (noun) – additional or supplementary material at end of contract

6

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4241.54 ⇑ 0.97%, Turnover: 23716.36 M.Tk ⇑ 19.76%, PE: 12.82 Turnover: 26,338.99 MTk. ⇑ 21.48% 10-14 November 2013 MarketCap. 2,031.21 BTk. ⇑ 0.75% CSE All Share Index: 13172 ⇑ 1.87%, Turnover: 2623.62 M Tk. ⇑ 39.60%, PE: 12.68 Combined Turnover Leader Generation Next Fashions-A

1,328.37

% of TTL

Avg. P

5.04

28.14

23361943

767.62

2.91

UCBL - A

31240369

762.87

2.90

One Bank -A

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 4341072 D: 28.00 ⇓ 2.10% | 28.21 | 32.80 / 25.70 C: 28.10 ⇓ 1.40% | 28.31 | 30.20 / 27.60 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 18170229 D: 22.30 ⇑ 0.90% | 22.15 | 25.00 / 20.00 C: 22.20 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.00 | 24.00 / 20.50 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 15053691 D: 35.90 ⇓ 0.83% | 36.03 | 39.00 / 31.00 C: 35.70 ⇓ 1.92% | 36.07 | 37.50 / 33.80 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 942494 D: 36.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 36.12 | 37.00 / 33.90 C: 36.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 36.26 | 37.50 / 33.00 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 35159600 D: 12.90 ⇑ 5.74% | 12.94 | 14.00 / 11.20 C: 13.00 ⇑ 6.56% | 13.00 | 14.00 / 12.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 2346192 D: 31.60 ⇓ 1.25% | 31.33 | 33.00 / 28.50 C: 31.70 ⇓ 0.94% | 31.55 | 33.60 / 30.00 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 485041 D: 67.50 ⇓ 6.12% | 68.17 | 73.70 / 64.00 C: 70.30 ⇓ 2.77% | 70.32 | 75.00 / 66.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 31240369 D: 24.50 ⇓ 1.21% | 24.29 | 26.50 / 21.50 C: 24.40 ⇓ 2.01% | 24.26 | 25.90 / 23.10 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 7425835 D: 33.00 ⇓ 5.17% | 33.61 | 36.70 / 30.00 C: 33.30 ⇓ 5.13% | 33.85 | 36.80 / 32.80 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 2637200 D: 6.20 ⇑ 3.33% | 6.12 | 6.60 / 5.80 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 1783582 D: 29.70 ⇓ 2.94% | 29.77 | 33.40 / 27.00 C: 29.60 ⇓ 2.63% | 29.55 | 33.50 / 29.00 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 2523164 D: 23.70 ⇓ 5.20% | 23.66 | 27.50 / 22.00 C: 23.70 ⇓ 4.82% | 23.72 | 25.90 / 23.40 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 16026275 D: 19.40 ⇑ 2.11% | 19.30 | 20.70 / 16.80 C: 19.40 ⇑ 2.11% | 19.35 | 20.50 / 18.00 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 3369960 D: 19.50 ⇓ 2.01% | 19.52 | 22.00 / 18.00 C: 19.60 ⇓ 2.49% | 19.66 | 21.60 / 19.30 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 20565161 D: 15.20 ⇑ 10.95% | 15.12 | 16.50 / 12.40 C: 15.30 ⇑ 10.87% | 15.19 | 16.10 / 13.50 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 15735722 D: 14.40 ⇑ 12.50% | 14.34 | 15.40 / 12.00 C: 14.30 ⇑ 11.72% | 14.38 | 15.30 / 12.70 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 187000 D: 101.5 ⇑ 0.00% | 102.75 | 108.0 / 99.00 C: 109.0 ⇑ 9.00% | 109.00 | 109.0 / 109.0 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 1529730 D: 16.00 ⇓ 3.03% | 16.18 | 18.30 / 14.50 C: 16.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.86 | 18.60 / 16.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 13897152 D: 16.30 ⇑ 8.67% | 16.21 | 17.20 / 13.50 C: 16.30 ⇑ 8.67% | 16.22 | 17.20 / 14.60 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 33322755 D: 18.10 ⇑ 16.03% | 18.02 | 19.10 / 14.50 C: 18.20 ⇑ 16.67% | 18.02 | 18.50 / 15.30 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 5634382 D: 19.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.31 | 21.80 / 18.00 C: 20.00 ⇓ 0.50% | 20.12 | 21.00 / 19.00 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 30322516 D: 17.60 ⇑ 6.02% | 17.58 | 18.70 / 15.00 C: 17.60 ⇑ 5.39% | 17.68 | 18.40 / 16.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 21261086 D: 13.70 ⇑ 13.22% | 13.80 | 15.00 / 10.90 C: 13.80 ⇑ 12.20% | 13.78 | 15.00 / 12.00 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 4323818 D: 16.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 16.44 | 19.00 / 14.50 C: 16.50 ⇓ 1.20% | 16.67 | 18.80 / 15.90 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 5118910 D: 32.90 ⇑ 0.92% | 32.80 | 35.00 / 29.50 C: 32.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.80 | 34.80 / 29.70 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 10466139 D: 18.90 ⇑ 8.62% | 19.07 | 20.10 / 16.00 C: 18.90 ⇑ 7.39% | 19.04 | 20.00 / 17.00 PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 14066301 D: 12.80 ⇑ 7.56% | 12.87 | 14.00 / 10.90 C: 12.90 ⇑ 8.40% | 12.92 | 14.00 / 11.60

47213560

TO M. Tk.

R. N. Spinning-A Meghna Petroleum -A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

2762878 33322755

32.86 24.42

C%

A%

CP

C%

A%

CP

Delta Life Insu.-Z

DSE Gainer

33.81

48.61

459.10

Janata Insur-A

-89.54

-89.33

27.30

-10.93

1149.00

Northern Jute-Z

29.17

29.17

31.00

Stylecraft-A

-10.93

ICB Sonali Bank 1 MF-A

23.94

27.45

8.80

Rahim Textile-A

-10.46

-6.95

260.30

Zahintex Ind.-N

-9.51

-10.26

25.70

Tallu Spinning -A

-8.54

-4.88

37.50

736.07

2.79

266.41

Popular Life Insu.-A

20.98 22.79

574.25

2.18

17.23

GN Fashions-A

19.44

TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 3814823 D: 20.80 ⇑ 7.77% | 20.72 | 21.70 / 17.50 C: 20.70 ⇑ 6.15% | 20.69 | 21.50 / 18.80 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 15862034 D: 16.50 ⇑ 10.74% | 16.42 | 17.00 / 13.50 C: 16.70 ⇑ 11.33% | 16.48 | 17.20 / 14.60 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 1196114 D: 61.30 ⇓ 1.13% | 61.68 | 64.00 / 58.00 C: 61.00 ⇓ 1.93% | 61.19 | 63.70 / 60.10 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 2859488 D: 31.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.37 | 33.00 / 28.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 1062781 D: 81.90 ⇓ 2.27% | 81.87 | 86.00 / 74.00 C: 81.10 ⇓ 2.64% | 80.91 | 86.00 / 73.50 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 28254 D: 30.00 ⇑ 1.01% | 29.98 | 31.60 / 29.00 C: 29.70 ⇑ 3.13% | 29.70 | 29.70 / 27.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 7930782 D: 31.70 ⇓ 1.55% | 32.54 | 35.00 / 28.00 C: 32.00 ⇓ 0.31% | 32.35 | 34.60 / 30.30 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 7324959 D: 24.90 ⇓ 1.58% | 25.22 | 28.50 / 22.50 C: 24.90 ⇓ 1.97% | 25.29 | 27.30 / 24.40 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 2389541 D: 25.00 ⇓ 3.85% | 25.30 | 27.50 / 24.00 C: 25.30 ⇓ 3.07% | 25.36 | 27.70 / 25.00 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 976612 D: 10.30 ⇓ 1.90% | 10.38 | 11.00 / 9.50 C: 10.40 ⇓ 1.89% | 10.34 | 10.80 / 10.00 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 5095175 D: 16.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.03 | 18.20 / 15.30 C: 16.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.06 | 18.20 / 16.60 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 6082201 D: 35.90 ⇑ 7.49% | 36.46 | 37.50 / 31.00 C: 35.50 ⇑ 5.65% | 36.21 | 37.40 / 33.00 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 3114781 D: 14.10 ⇓ 1.40% | 14.26 | 15.60 / 13.20 C: 14.20 ⇓ 1.39% | 14.38 | 15.50 / 13.90 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 194850 D: 55.50 ⇓ 4.31% | 55.82 | 59.00 / 53.00 C: 56.20 ⇓ 2.77% | 56.20 | 58.00 / 55.10 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 2032975 D: 30.40 ⇓ 2.25% | 30.76 | 33.30 / 28.00 C: 31.00 ⇓ 0.32% | 30.72 | 33.00 / 29.50 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 2013932 D: 30.30 ⇓ 2.57% | 30.62 | 33.00 / 27.00 C: 30.20 ⇓ 3.21% | 30.49 | 32.50 / 29.20 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 29315 D: 1450 ⇑ 1.35% | 1452 | 1480 / 1431 C: 1473 ⇑ 1.20% | 1469 | 1546 / 1450 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 1032473 D: 26.20 ⇓ 2.60% | 26.46 | 28.00 / 24.30 C: 26.70 ⇓ 0.74% | 26.60 | 28.20 / 24.00 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 4369000 D: 14.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.14 | 15.00 / 13.70 C: 14.10 ⇑ 0.71% | 14.15 | 14.80 / 13.70 INVESTMENT 1STICB | 75.63 | 942.30 | Vol. 250 D: 900.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 900.00 | 920.0 / 900.0 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 7250 D: 248.3 ⇑ 9.87% | 248.24 | 252.9 / 230.0 3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 3450 D: 191.0 ⇑ 5.52% | 191.00 | 199.0 / 185.0 4THICB | 29.24 | 229.24 | Vol. 5800 D: 182.1 ⇑ 4.06% | 182.00 | 185.0 / 175.0 5THICB | 23.45 | 188.92 | Vol. 15100 D: 146.2 ⇑ 4.21% | 146.58 | 152.8 / 140.5 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 300900 D: 53.60 ⇑ 17.54% | 53.60 | 60.60 / 46.30 C: 58.20 ⇑ 26.80% | 57.44 | 58.60 / 48.50 7THICB | 13.53 | 98.60 | Vol. 6500 D: 80.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 80.00 | 85.80 / 78.00 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 86000 D: 53.50 ⇑ 6.15% | 53.67 | 56.00 / 51.00 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 2055500 D: 39.90 ⇑ 0.76% | 39.99 | 41.50 / 38.90 C: 40.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 39.96 | 41.20 / 36.70 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 803500 D: 19.70 ⇑ 12.57% | 19.97 | 20.10 / 17.20 C: 18.00 ⇓ 13.88% | 18.00 | 18.00 / 18.00 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 1771250 D: 45.10 ⇓ 4.65% | 45.28 | 47.60 / 44.20 C: 45.10 ⇓ 5.65% | 45.08 | 47.90 / 44.80

DSE Loser

20.31

ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 102000 D: 26.10 ⇑ 4.82% | 26.15 | 26.20 / 24.10 C: 26.10 ⇑ 7.41% | 26.10 | 26.70 / 25.50 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 1910500 D: 10.50 ⇑ 6.06% | 10.55 | 10.80 / 9.80 C: 10.50 ⇑ 7.14% | 10.50 | 10.50 / 9.60 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 6452500 D: 16.90 ⇓ 2.31% | 17.03 | 17.70 / 16.00 C: 17.00 ⇓ 1.73% | 17.02 | 17.70 / 16.80 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 6021000 D: 23.40 ⇓ 1.68% | 23.95 | 25.00 / 22.20 C: 23.60 ⇓ 0.42% | 23.70 | 25.00 / 22.50 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 2819555 D: 7.10 ⇑ 1.43% | 7.22 | 7.60 / 7.00 C: 7.20 ⇑ 2.86% | 7.16 | 7.80 / 6.80 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 710000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 8.47% | 6.41 | 7.00 / 6.00 C: 6.50 ⇑ 10.17% | 6.55 | 6.80 / 6.00 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 991500 D: 6.30 ⇓ 3.08% | 6.44 | 6.70 / 6.30 C: 6.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 6.51 | 6.80 / 6.50 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 5829655 D: 7.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.77 | 8.40 / 7.00 C: 7.90 ⇑ 2.60% | 7.84 | 8.40 / 7.20 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 1483000 D: 5.70 ⇑ 7.55% | 5.72 | 6.00 / 5.20 C: 5.80 ⇑ 7.41% | 5.75 | 5.90 / 5.30 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 2918000 D: 6.10 ⇑ 3.39% | 6.14 | 6.50 / 5.90 C: 6.10 ⇑ 5.17% | 6.21 | 6.50 / 5.70 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 2471995 D: 7.10 ⇑ 4.41% | 7.09 | 7.60 / 6.20 C: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.02 | 7.50 / 6.30 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 2796000 D: 5.90 ⇑ 5.36% | 6.02 | 6.30 / 5.50 C: 6.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 6.02 | 6.10 / 5.60 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 3548500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 7.69% | 5.66 | 6.10 / 5.20 C: 5.60 ⇑ 7.69% | 5.67 | 6.00 / 5.20 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 4243000 D: 6.50 ⇑ 4.84% | 6.50 | 6.70 / 6.10 C: 6.40 ⇑ 6.67% | 6.42 | 6.60 / 6.10 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 3371500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 1.82% | 5.65 | 5.90 / 5.40 C: 5.60 ⇑ 3.70% | 5.61 | 5.80 / 5.20 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 11261037 D: 6.50 ⇑ 3.17% | 6.49 | 7.00 / 5.70 C: 6.50 ⇑ 3.17% | 6.57 | 6.70 / 5.70 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 5609500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 12.73% | 6.34 | 6.60 / 5.50 C: 6.20 ⇑ 12.73% | 6.34 | 6.50 / 5.30 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 13571000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 6.04 | 6.40 / 5.80 C: 6.10 ⇑ 5.17% | 6.10 | 6.50 / 5.70 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 730500 D: 6.90 ⇑ 2.99% | 7.00 | 7.20 / 6.60 C: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.95 | 7.10 / 6.70 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 1454000 D: 6.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.59 | 6.90 / 6.30 C: 6.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.30 | 7.00 / 6.30 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 3086250 D: 8.40 ⇓ 1.18% | 8.43 | 9.00 / 7.70 C: 8.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 8.29 | 9.30 / 8.10 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 411500 D: 8.20 ⇑ 5.13% | 8.20 | 8.40 / 7.80 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 4814050 D: 9.10 ⇓ 1.09% | 9.28 | 9.80 / 8.50 C: 9.10 ⇑ 1.11% | 9.18 | 9.90 / 9.00 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.47 | 11.18 | Vol. 1220500 D: 7.40 ⇓ 2.63% | 7.42 | 7.70 / 7.20 C: 7.30 ⇓ 6.41% | 7.39 | 7.90 / 7.20 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 6293672 D: 7.50 ⇑ 5.63% | 7.68 | 8.00 / 7.20 C: 7.60 ⇑ 10.14% | 7.56 | 7.90 / 7.20 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 4610350 D: 9.40 ⇓ 2.08% | 9.47 | 10.10 / 9.00 C: 9.40 ⇓ 1.05% | 9.43 | 10.20 / 9.30 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 43000 D: 9.00 ⇑ 1.12% | 9.03 | 9.10 / 8.70 C: 8.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 8.00 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 245500 D: 8.90 ⇑ 3.49% | 8.90 | 9.80 / 8.60 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 8062500 D: 8.80 ⇑ 23.94% | 8.96 | 9.40 / 6.90 C: 8.90 ⇑ 23.61% | 8.83 | 9.60 / 6.90

254.90 30.10

EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 56000 D: 7.90 ⇑ 3.95% | 8.00 | 8.40 / 7.90 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.29 | 52.65 | Vol. 1472382 D: 100.6 ⇑ 0.50% | 101.44 | 103.3 / 89.00 C: 100.8 ⇓ 0.40% | 101.74 | 103.3 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 46650 D: 17.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.21 | 17.60 / 16.80 C: 18.10 ⇑ 4.02% | 18.06 | 18.10 / 15.70 OLYMPIC | 7.85 | 22.10 | Vol. 816768 D: 209.6 ⇑ 0.77% | 209.34 | 215.0 / 185.0 C: 209.1 ⇓ 0.29% | 209.02 | 213.8 / 197.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 60750 D: 131.2 ⇑ 2.50% | 132.59 | 135.0 / 123.2 C: 127.5 ⇓ 0.47% | 129.15 | 133.0 / 124.0 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 10620 D: 73.60 ⇓ 5.03% | 73.60 | 84.70 / 73.10 C: 72.10 ⇓ 2.57% | 72.09 | 75.00 / 72.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 4350 D: 277.9 ⇑ 5.38% | 278.33 | 287.0 / 256.5 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 976057 D: 33.30 ⇑ 2.46% | 33.82 | 35.00 / 30.00 C: 32.80 ⇑ 0.61% | 33.16 | 34.60 / 32.10 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 79100 D: 157.3 ⇑ 12.12% | 155.40 | 161.0 / 136.5 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 528612 D: 71.50 ⇑ 2.44% | 72.79 | 75.00 / 68.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 2018165 D: 26.60 ⇑ 7.69% | 27.33 | 28.40 / 22.60 C: 26.50 ⇑ 6.43% | 27.21 | 28.60 / 24.10 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 615000 D: 23.60 ⇑ 8.76% | 24.09 | 25.80 / 20.80 C: 23.70 ⇑ 8.22% | 23.96 | 25.00 / 20.70 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 64000 D: 16.20 ⇑ 7.28% | 16.21 | 17.30 / 14.60 C: 16.00 ⇑ 8.84% | 16.00 | 16.00 / 16.00 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 212000 D: 85.50 ⇑ 4.14% | 87.01 | 89.10 / 80.00 C: 84.50 ⇑ 5.36% | 84.50 | 85.50 / 80.50 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 1476280 D: 40.90 ⇑ 0.25% | 41.26 | 41.80 / 36.00 C: 41.00 ⇑ 1.23% | 41.36 | 42.00 / 39.90 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 5622683 D: 46.50 ⇑ 4.73% | 47.37 | 48.40 / 40.00 C: 46.50 ⇑ 5.20% | 47.53 | 48.40 / 42.00 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 916469 D: 68.00 ⇓ 2.30% | 68.55 | 69.80 / 60.00 C: 67.60 ⇓ 2.73% | 68.70 | 69.30 / 66.20 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 751254 D: 66.30 ⇑ 2.31% | 65.85 | 71.20 / 58.20 C: 66.40 ⇑ 2.63% | 65.91 | 66.50 / 62.00 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 2426910 D: 17.00 ⇑ 4.94% | 17.13 | 17.30 / 15.00 C: 17.10 ⇑ 5.56% | 17.23 | 17.60 / 15.70 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 1175800 D: 45.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 45.72 | 46.30 / 40.00 C: 45.70 ⇑ 0.88% | 45.66 | 46.50 / 43.00 BENGALWTL | 4.16 | 26.24 | Vol. 5375200 D: 50.00 ⇑ 7.76% | 49.33 | 51.50 / 44.70 C: 50.00 ⇑ 8.23% | 49.91 | 51.00 / 44.20 BDBUILDING | 1.33 | 12.70 | Vol. 3046000 D: 41.10 ⇑ 1.73% | 41.09 | 41.10 / 35.60 C: 40.90 ⇑ 2.00% | 40.88 | 40.90 / 36.00 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 761949 D: 46.90 ⇑ 3.08% | 47.63 | 50.90 / 42.00 C: 47.00 ⇑ 2.62% | 47.49 | 51.80 / 43.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 138250 D: 90.00 ⇑ 1.47% | 90.68 | 91.80 / 86.90 C: 89.10 ⇑ 2.65% | 89.03 | 93.70 / 85.00 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 194071 D: 414.7 ⇑ 5.74% | 421.71 | 428.7 / 380.0 C: 412.0 ⇑ 5.34% | 423.37 | 432.0 / 380.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 27700 D: 1634 ⇑ 1.60% | 1635 | 1665 / 1600 C: 1668 ⇑ 8.92% | 1668 | 1685 / 1625 GEMINISEA | 10.88 | 9.69 | Vol. 2750 D: 171.5 ⇑ 5.34% | 172.50 | 178.0 / 161.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 10750 D: 799.4 ⇑ 0.08% | 799.46 | 810.0 / 792.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 5700 D: 7.90 ⇑ 9.72% | 7.50 | 8.30 / 7.50

AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 335740 D: 188.3 ⇑ 3.58% | 192.38 | 205.0 / 178.0 C: 188.4 ⇑ 4.55% | 191.74 | 204.0 / 178.3 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 5400 D: 7.50 ⇑ 7.14% | 7.69 | 7.70 / 7.50 FUWANGFOOD | 1.03 | 13.51 | Vol. 2237473 D: 22.60 ⇑ 1.35% | 22.77 | 23.20 / 20.00 C: 22.70 ⇑ 0.89% | 22.88 | 23.30 / 21.00 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 37000 D: 6.20 ⇓ 3.13% | 6.27 | 6.50 / 5.80 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 85500 D: 6.90 ⇓ 2.82% | 6.96 | 7.20 / 6.90 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 2892447 D: 20.20 ⇑ 3.06% | 20.55 | 21.50 / 17.90 C: 20.30 ⇑ 3.05% | 20.53 | 21.40 / 18.90 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 1486830 D: 16.30 ⇑ 0.62% | 16.49 | 17.10 / 15.00 C: 16.30 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.48 | 17.00 / 15.60 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 3268286 D: 21.90 ⇑ 0.92% | 22.26 | 22.70 / 19.50 C: 22.10 ⇑ 2.31% | 22.28 | 22.60 / 19.50 GHAIL | 2.31 | 24.36 | Vol. 2538420 D: 37.20 ⇑ 1.09% | 37.45 | 37.90 / 31.40 C: 37.30 ⇑ 1.08% | 37.33 | 37.70 / 35.20 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 73000 D: 608.9 ⇓ 2.50% | 611.85 | 650.0 / 608.0 PADMAOIL | 27.62 | 79.74 | Vol. 1319780 D: 296.7 ⇓ 1.56% | 295.37 | 317.0 / 271.1 C: 295.4 ⇓ 2.09% | 294.88 | 320.0 / 276.0 EASTRNLUB | 5.33 | 71.01 | Vol. 1600 D: 317.3 ⇓ 2.43% | 316.67 | 326.0 / 281.1 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 2038617 D: 20.00 ⇑ 2.04% | 20.49 | 21.00 / 17.90 C: 20.10 ⇑ 2.55% | 20.46 | 21.20 / 18.90 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 4160832 D: 35.50 ⇑ 2.31% | 35.97 | 37.80 / 32.00 C: 35.40 ⇑ 1.72% | 36.07 | 36.60 / 34.20 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 1751857 D: 59.10 ⇓ 7.66% | 59.16 | 66.00 / 56.60 C: 59.80 ⇓ 7.72% | 59.87 | 70.90 / 58.00 POWERGRID | 2.19 | 63.69 | Vol. 433611 D: 53.20 ⇓ 1.48% | 53.25 | 55.40 / 48.00 C: 52.20 ⇓ 3.33% | 52.20 | 53.00 / 50.20 JAMUNAOIL | 22.78 | 50.24 | Vol. 1173830 D: 229.1 ⇑ 1.42% | 227.99 | 232.0 / 215.0 C: 228.5 ⇑ 1.69% | 228.05 | 237.0 / 219.3 MPETROLEUM | 25.61 | 71.11 | Vol. 2762878 D: 273.3 ⇑ 3.09% | 270.78 | 274.0 / 238.0 C: 272.1 ⇑ 1.68% | 270.42 | 275.0 / 259.0 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 2957376 D: 72.90 ⇓ 2.28% | 73.17 | 76.00 / 67.00 C: 73.20 ⇓ 1.74% | 73.09 | 75.50 / 72.80 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 994693 D: 48.80 ⇑ 2.31% | 49.04 | 50.70 / 43.20 C: 48.70 ⇑ 1.46% | 48.72 | 49.70 / 47.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 2656590 D: 28.60 ⇑ 0.70% | 29.03 | 30.00 / 26.00 C: 28.90 ⇑ 1.76% | 29.10 | 29.50 / 28.10 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 363905 D: 74.30 ⇑ 2.34% | 73.49 | 74.70 / 65.00 C: 73.90 ⇑ 3.36% | 72.93 | 74.20 / 69.20 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 5685320 D: 28.00 ⇑ 3.70% | 28.38 | 29.00 / 24.00 C: 28.10 ⇑ 3.31% | 28.51 | 29.10 / 24.40 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 5874800 D: 60.00 ⇑ 3.81% | 60.46 | 61.80 / 51.00 C: 59.80 ⇑ 2.93% | 60.44 | 62.00 / 56.00 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 38500 D: 64.40 ⇑ 0.63% | 65.94 | 67.40 / 62.00 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 2600 D: 31.00 ⇑ 29.17% | 31.00 | 31.00 / 26.00 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 80630 D: 139.3 ⇑ 8.49% | 137.88 | 142.6 / 124.7 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 409713 D: 83.70 ⇓ 1.99% | 84.45 | 92.00 / 80.00 STYLECRAFT | 20.00 | 287.30 | Vol. 500 D: 1149 ⇓ 10.93% | 1149 | 1209 / 1149 RAHIMTEXT | 4.65 | 56.68 | Vol. 25627 D: 260.3 ⇓ 10.46% | 270.43 | 317.0 / 230.0

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

7

NOV 10-14, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 39,044.39 ⇓ 2.49% NBFI: 20,921.27 ⇓ 1.56% INVS: 4,966.49 ⇑ 1.75% ENGG: 5,884.76 ⇑ 3.01% FOOD: 9,465.29 ⇑ 2.06% F&P: 9,990.31 ⇑ 0.18% TEXT: 3,305.81 ⇑ 5.08% PHAR: 17,154.20 ⇑ 1.26% PAPR: 986.28 ⇑ 6.67% SERV: 2,949.76 ⇑ 5.17% LEAT: 5,133.69 ⇑ 0.58% CERA: 496.96 ⇑ 1.15% CMNT: 4,277.98 ⇓ 0.02% INFO: 7,084.84 ⇑ 6.30% GINS: 9,274.46 ⇓ 2.20% LINS: 141,043.40 ⇑ 21.19% TELC: 1,307.54 ⇑ 0.53% MISC: 6,386.06 ⇑ 5.36% SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 3041900 D: 27.20 ⇓ 5.88% | 27.64 | 29.10 / 27.00 C: 27.50 ⇓ 4.84% | 27.74 | 28.90 / 27.30 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 4750 D: 74.90 ⇓ 1.71% | 74.29 | 79.40 / 71.50 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 200500 D: 60.70 ⇑ 16.73% | 60.47 | 60.80 / 50.30 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 38000 D: 7.80 ⇑ 2.63% | 7.82 | 8.00 / 7.60 TALLUSPIN | 1.75 | 16.17 | Vol. 7375329 D: 37.50 ⇓ 8.54% | 38.42 | 42.00 / 35.90 C: 37.90 ⇓ 6.19% | 38.17 | 40.90 / 37.30 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 42800 D: 67.90 ⇑ 5.11% | 67.71 | 69.80 / 63.50 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 460581 D: 91.70 ⇑ 0.88% | 91.81 | 94.00 / 83.00 C: 92.10 ⇑ 2.22% | 92.34 | 93.90 / 90.10 METROSPIN | 0.62 | 19.48 | Vol. 6618061 D: 20.20 ⇑ 9.78% | 20.29 | 21.00 / 16.90 C: 20.20 ⇑ 8.60% | 20.14 | 20.70 / 16.50 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 9594105 D: 16.20 ⇑ 2.53% | 16.42 | 17.00 / 14.00 C: 16.30 ⇑ 2.52% | 16.42 | 16.80 / 15.00 DACCADYE | 1.02 | 28.44 | Vol. 2821678 D: 26.60 ⇓ 2.56% | 26.50 | 27.80 / 24.00 C: 26.60 ⇓ 0.37% | 26.95 | 27.90 / 26.30 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 23361943 D: 33.10 ⇑ 6.77% | 33.30 | 34.50 / 28.00 C: 33.10 ⇑ 6.43% | 33.33 | 34.40 / 30.80 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 2703777 D: 15.70 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.87 | 16.50 / 14.60 C: 15.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.83 | 16.30 / 15.40 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 10589465 D: 28.10 ⇑ 1.44% | 28.81 | 30.60 / 25.00 C: 28.30 ⇑ 1.80% | 28.98 | 30.00 / 27.00 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 1929750 D: 25.70 ⇓ 9.51% | 25.79 | 26.50 / 24.00 C: 25.80 ⇓ 9.15% | 25.63 | 26.50 / 23.00 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 4008000 D: 24.30 ⇑ 3.85% | 24.52 | 25.00 / 23.00 C: 24.40 ⇑ 3.83% | 24.43 | 25.00 / 23.00 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 47213560 D: 30.10 ⇑ 19.44% | 30.15 | 31.00 / 22.40 C: 30.00 ⇑ 19.05% | 30.09 | 31.00 / 24.70 ENVOYTEX | 3.26 | 39.26 | Vol. 6284340 D: 56.40 ⇓ 1.40% | 56.78 | 60.50 / 50.50 C: 56.70 ⇓ 1.39% | 56.75 | 60.70 / 55.50 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 7479690 D: 68.70 ⇑ 2.08% | 68.42 | 73.40 / 61.00 C: 67.90 ⇑ 1.19% | 68.07 | 73.60 / 67.10 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 2634500 D: 50.40 ⇑ 17.76% | 50.98 | 52.70 / 42.70 C: 50.30 ⇑ 17.80% | 50.55 | 52.50 / 42.70 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 34956 D: 252.6 ⇑ 2.39% | 255.74 | 263.9 / 240.3 C: 262.0 ⇑ 5.60% | 257.95 | 262.5 / 230.0 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 1629583 D: 46.50 ⇑ 3.33% | 46.61 | 48.50 / 40.50 C: 46.60 ⇑ 4.02% | 46.58 | 47.00 / 40.50 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 4050 D: 924.6 ⇓ 0.45% | 924.00 | 938.9 / 907.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 56414 D: 161.7 ⇓ 0.98% | 162.46 | 166.0 / 147.0 C: 161.7 ⇓ 0.55% | 161.59 | 165.5 / 160.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 34624 D: 717.8 ⇑ 0.18% | 717.40 | 726.0 / 670.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 1050 D: 710.0 ⇓ 3.20% | 710.00 | 725.0 / 700.0 PHARMAID | 1.39 | 26.19 | Vol. 154900 D: 154.3 ⇓ 5.22% | 153.79 | 165.9 / 150.0 KOHINOOR | 14.33 | 19.99 | Vol. 8255 D: 413.6 ⇓ 4.37% | 414.30 | 525.0 / 383.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 416015 D: 100.7 ⇑ 4.14% | 101.73 | 103.0 / 90.00 C: 100.0 ⇑ 4.17% | 100.31 | 101.5 / 93.60 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 2800 D: 399.3 ⇑ 3.45% | 399.17 | 405.0 / 386.0 ORIONINFU | 1.27 | 7.00 | Vol. 1040400 D: 39.70 ⇓ 2.93% | 39.82 | 41.70 / 39.20 C: 39.90 ⇓ 5.00% | 40.34 | 41.00 / 39.30 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 1626395 D: 179.3 ⇓ 2.24% | 179.80 | 190.0 / 163.0 C: 179.7 ⇓ 1.86% | 180.03 | 183.0 / 179.1 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 85500 D: 7.40 ⇑ 4.23% | 7.44 | 7.50 / 7.00 C: 7.70 ⇑ 6.94% | 7.65 | 7.70 / 7.00

KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 8837020 D: 26.30 ⇑ 9.13% | 26.22 | 27.00 / 21.60 C: 26.50 ⇑ 9.05% | 26.44 | 27.00 / 23.80 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 37500 D: 851.3 ⇑ 4.38% | 853.21 | 860.0 / 790.2 C: 810.0 ⇓ 5.81% | 810.00 | 838.0 / 800.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 110000 D: 73.70 ⇑ 0.82% | 73.40 | 74.70 / 72.00 C: 74.20 ⇑ 0.54% | 74.02 | 74.20 / 72.20 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 25500 D: 749.0 ⇓ 1.24% | 749.92 | 756.0 / 733.0 C: 745.0 ⇓ 3.99% | 745.00 | 745.0 / 730.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 3232525 D: 11.90 ⇑ 3.48% | 11.96 | 12.60 / 10.50 C: 12.30 ⇑ 7.89% | 12.19 | 12.60 / 11.30 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 2756271 D: 79.90 ⇓ 2.92% | 80.19 | 87.90 / 73.10 C: 79.70 ⇓ 3.28% | 79.72 | 85.20 / 79.20 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 2546557 D: 20.20 ⇑ 5.21% | 20.41 | 21.20 / 18.00 C: 20.30 ⇑ 5.18% | 20.56 | 21.00 / 18.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 1384250 D: 49.90 ⇓ 6.03% | 50.76 | 53.70 / 49.00 C: 49.90 ⇓ 6.38% | 50.57 | 53.60 / 49.40 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 5831690 D: 56.80 ⇑ 6.57% | 57.23 | 61.00 / 48.40 C: 57.00 ⇑ 5.95% | 57.27 | 58.80 / 53.50 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 987000 D: 190.1 ⇑ 5.79% | 197.95 | 206.9 / 167.0 C: 190.7 ⇑ 5.83% | 195.75 | 206.9 / 166.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 3453500 D: 29.90 ⇑ 7.94% | 30.41 | 31.40 / 26.80 C: 30.10 ⇑ 8.66% | 30.64 | 32.00 / 27.00 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 155000 D: 26.90 ⇑ 6.75% | 26.90 | 26.90 / 24.00 C: 27.20 ⇑ 9.24% | 27.23 | 27.30 / 24.10 SERVICE SAMORITA | 3.24 | 74.65 | Vol. 271689 D: 109.0 ⇑ 1.40% | 111.20 | 116.0 / 99.50 C: 107.0 ⇑ 2.29% | 106.00 | 114.0 / 103.0 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 1195451 D: 27.30 ⇑ 1.11% | 27.62 | 28.10 / 24.00 C: 27.30 ⇑ 0.74% | 27.74 | 28.10 / 26.00 EHL | 3.16 | 20.74 | Vol. 1730391 D: 54.60 ⇑ 2.82% | 54.24 | 54.90 / 47.80 C: 54.00 ⇑ 1.50% | 53.95 | 54.60 / 50.00 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 480600 D: 109.8 ⇑ 5.07% | 108.93 | 110.6 / 100.2 C: 109.7 ⇑ 4.88% | 109.03 | 112.0 / 100.1 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 25508 D: 710.7 ⇑ 0.87% | 710.28 | 720.0 / 680.0 C: 700.0 ⇓ 1.42% | 706.67 | 720.0 / 700.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 189200 D: 382.6 ⇓ 1.42% | 375.89 | 389.0 / 362.5 C: 395.0 ⇑ 0.25% | 395.00 | 403.9 / 395.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 35500 D: 13.50 ⇑ 6.30% | 13.50 | 13.50 / 12.70 C: 12.40 ⇑ 2.48% | 12.40 | 12.40 / 12.40 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 1767153 D: 32.30 ⇑ 2.54% | 33.12 | 34.30 / 27.10 C: 32.10 ⇑ 2.23% | 32.88 | 33.90 / 30.00 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 157511 D: 31.40 ⇑ 4.67% | 31.34 | 31.40 / 28.20 C: 31.00 ⇑ 3.33% | 30.98 | 31.00 / 28.00

STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 91000 D: 40.50 ⇓ 6.25% | 40.57 | 43.20 / 37.50 C: 38.90 ⇑ 1.04% | 38.86 | 40.70 / 35.60 FUWANGCER | 0.65 | 12.70 | Vol. 2482340 D: 17.30 ⇓ 4.95% | 17.34 | 18.30 / 16.50 C: 17.30 ⇓ 5.46% | 17.43 | 18.40 / 17.20 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 2399666 D: 16.50 ⇑ 1.23% | 16.61 | 16.90 / 15.00 C: 16.50 ⇑ 1.23% | 16.55 | 16.90 / 14.70 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 692607 D: 51.80 ⇑ 0.58% | 52.43 | 55.00 / 46.50 C: 51.50 ⇓ 0.58% | 52.00 | 56.90 / 46.90 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 559870 D: 385.5 ⇓ 3.60% | 389.67 | 404.0 / 375.0 C: 392.9 ⇓ 1.31% | 387.33 | 400.0 / 384.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 805389 D: 123.3 ⇓ 0.48% | 124.88 | 127.2 / 117.9 C: 124.1 ⇑ 0.08% | 125.18 | 126.5 / 120.0 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 308400 D: 123.0 ⇑ 0.08% | 123.90 | 125.8 / 115.0 C: 122.2 ⇓ 2.16% | 123.87 | 126.0 / 120.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 304500 D: 72.40 ⇑ 2.84% | 72.11 | 73.50 / 67.50 C: 71.20 ⇓ 1.93% | 71.20 | 72.90 / 70.10 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 2203000 D: 31.20 ⇓ 1.89% | 31.26 | 31.90 / 31.10 C: 31.50 ⇓ 1.25% | 31.55 | 32.00 / 31.00 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 811701 D: 84.70 ⇓ 7.43% | 85.32 | 90.00 / 76.90 C: 85.30 ⇓ 6.26% | 85.44 | 88.90 / 77.60 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 506000 D: 99.40 ⇓ 3.02% | 100.36 | 103.0 / 96.50 C: 99.20 ⇓ 2.84% | 100.12 | 99.90 / 97.30 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 831656 D: 16.60 ⇑ 6.41% | 17.03 | 17.80 / 15.00 C: 16.70 ⇑ 7.05% | 16.97 | 17.70 / 14.60 BDCOM | 1.54 | 15.85 | Vol. 2194451 D: 28.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 28.42 | 30.00 / 24.60 C: 28.00 ⇑ 1.82% | 28.04 | 28.50 / 26.50 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 1001135 D: 15.30 ⇑ 3.38% | 15.39 | 16.00 / 13.50 C: 15.40 ⇑ 2.67% | 15.44 | 15.80 / 14.50 AGNISYSL | 0.96 | 14.90 | Vol. 1625318 D: 21.20 ⇓ 0.93% | 21.13 | 21.80 / 19.00 C: 21.30 ⇓ 0.47% | 21.21 | 22.00 / 20.40 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 2367000 D: 13.50 ⇑ 3.05% | 13.54 | 13.90 / 12.00 C: 13.60 ⇑ 3.03% | 13.63 | 13.80 / 12.00 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 3727575 D: 30.30 ⇓ 2.88% | 30.81 | 31.60 / 25.70 C: 30.40 ⇓ 2.88% | 30.85 | 32.00 / 27.80 GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 408604 D: 29.90 ⇓ 2.61% | 30.08 | 32.00 / 28.00 C: 30.10 ⇓ 2.27% | 30.36 | 31.90 / 29.80 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 191715 D: 79.10 ⇓ 4.58% | 79.62 | 83.90 / 74.00 C: 79.20 ⇓ 1.61% | 79.63 | 84.40 / 79.00 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 47825 D: 43.60 ⇓ 4.18% | 43.69 | 46.70 / 40.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 1363462 D: 35.70 ⇓ 2.46% | 36.27 | 39.50 / 33.20 C: 35.30 ⇓ 2.75% | 35.41 | 38.60 / 35.00 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 171390 D: 38.60 ⇓ 5.16% | 38.67 | 41.00 / 35.50 C: 38.20 ⇓ 5.68% | 35.00 | 40.50 / 37.40

JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 1856494 D: 27.30 ⇓ 89.54% | 27.76 | 31.20 / 26.00 C: 27.80 ⇓ 89.24% | 27.88 | 30.90 / 27.30 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 395894 D: 43.80 ⇑ 1.62% | 44.70 | 46.30 / 39.90 C: 45.80 ⇑ 5.77% | 45.77 | 46.50 / 43.90 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 586777 D: 47.90 ⇓ 2.24% | 47.98 | 51.00 / 43.70 C: 48.90 ⇑ 0.41% | 48.90 | 49.40 / 48.00 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 228720 D: 30.80 ⇓ 0.32% | 30.80 | 32.30 / 29.00 C: 29.90 ⇓ 0.33% | 29.90 | 32.00 / 29.90 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 708980 D: 24.70 ⇑ 1.65% | 24.97 | 25.70 / 23.00 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 1426568 D: 34.00 ⇓ 0.87% | 34.40 | 37.00 / 32.00 C: 34.10 ⇓ 0.29% | 34.26 | 36.30 / 34.00 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 2907299 D: 25.10 ⇓ 1.18% | 25.46 | 27.30 / 23.00 C: 25.30 ⇓ 1.17% | 25.46 | 27.40 / 23.90 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 47653 D: 71.40 ⇓ 3.25% | 71.50 | 78.00 / 70.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 1698413 D: 23.80 ⇓ 4.80% | 23.94 | 26.00 / 23.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 108140 D: 57.80 ⇓ 2.53% | 57.72 | 61.70 / 57.00 C: 56.70 ⇓ 3.41% | 56.70 | 56.70 / 56.70 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 346344 D: 32.50 ⇓ 3.85% | 32.78 | 36.00 / 32.00 C: 34.10 ⇑ 10.00% | 34.10 | 34.10 / 34.10 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 301000 D: 67.70 ⇓ 3.01% | 68.33 | 71.90 / 67.00 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 515860 D: 28.30 ⇓ 4.39% | 28.40 | 30.40 / 26.70 C: 28.30 ⇓ 4.07% | 28.30 | 29.50 / 28.30 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 261376 D: 27.10 ⇓ 4.58% | 27.41 | 29.00 / 26.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 386315 D: 28.60 ⇓ 4.35% | 28.86 | 31.00 / 26.10 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 56616 D: 35.30 ⇓ 2.49% | 35.35 | 36.80 / 33.00 C: 35.50 ⇓ 1.39% | 35.50 | 35.50 / 35.50 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 242800 D: 30.60 ⇓ 4.38% | 30.83 | 32.70 / 28.00 C: 33.70 ⇑ 8.36% | 33.66 | 34.50 / 29.00 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 538300 D: 25.00 ⇓ 2.34% | 25.21 | 26.70 / 22.90 C: 25.30 ⇓ 0.78% | 25.23 | 26.90 / 25.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 666176 D: 25.00 ⇓ 0.79% | 25.41 | 26.20 / 24.60 C: 25.10 ⇓ 1.18% | 25.07 | 25.90 / 23.10 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 576426 D: 29.40 ⇓ 3.29% | 29.69 | 31.50 / 26.50 C: 29.70 ⇓ 3.57% | 29.37 | 31.10 / 29.00 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 1215782 D: 30.70 ⇓ 3.15% | 30.95 | 33.20 / 28.60 C: 30.60 ⇓ 4.08% | 30.72 | 33.10 / 30.60 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 1332547 D: 40.90 ⇓ 4.66% | 41.30 | 44.00 / 39.00 C: 41.20 ⇓ 2.83% | 43.32 | 43.80 / 41.00 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 62115 D: 40.50 ⇓ 1.46% | 40.57 | 43.10 / 38.00 C: 42.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.30 | 42.50 / 42.50 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 381819 D: 42.20 ⇓ 3.43% | 42.48 | 44.00 / 38.80 C: 42.00 ⇓ 3.45% | 42.03 | 44.80 / 42.00 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 1373112 D: 43.80 ⇓ 3.52% | 44.16 | 46.20 / 43.70 C: 43.70 ⇓ 4.79% | 44.33 | 46.00 / 43.00 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 373588 D: 27.70 ⇓ 0.72% | 27.75 | 30.00 / 26.00 C: 27.80 ⇓ 1.07% | 27.77 | 29.30 / 26.80 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 201322 D: 33.00 ⇓ 5.44% | 33.07 | 35.70 / 31.50 C: 34.00 ⇑ 2.72% | 33.95 | 34.00 / 31.50 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 365413 D: 29.70 ⇓ 2.62% | 29.73 | 31.30 / 28.00 C: 30.40 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.40 | 30.50 / 28.00 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 568875 D: 40.40 ⇓ 1.22% | 40.49 | 42.80 / 37.00 C: 40.70 ⇓ 1.45% | 40.68 | 44.00 / 40.10 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 109675 D: 259.0 ⇑ 1.57% | 260.42 | 285.0 / 245.0 C: 252.5 ⇑ 1.81% | 251.25 | 263.0 / 250.0

DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 230570 D: 459.1 ⇑ 33.81% | 509.59 | 516.0 / 372.0 C: 476.7 ⇑ 108.80% | 512.27 | 516.1 / 441.0 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 313869 D: 72.30 ⇓ 2.30% | 72.36 | 75.80 / 68.00 C: 73.00 ⇓ 1.62% | 73.29 | 75.20 / 72.10 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 1219817 D: 254.9 ⇑ 20.98% | 253.59 | 258.2 / 209.0 C: 265.7 ⇑ 55.65% | 265.70 | 265.7 / 187.7 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 406797 D: 95.30 ⇓ 1.35% | 95.78 | 101.0 / 86.60 C: 95.40 ⇓ 1.85% | 96.15 | 99.90 / 95.40 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 516710 D: 107.7 ⇓ 0.65% | 108.46 | 114.6 / 100.0 C: 106.7 ⇓ 2.11% | 106.73 | 113.2 / 103.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 47345 D: 106.8 ⇓ 6.40% | 106.89 | 112.0 / 100.0 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 167208 D: 123.5 ⇓ 3.74% | 123.67 | 135.0 / 105.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 139833 D: 93.30 ⇓ 0.96% | 94.17 | 97.10 / 87.90 C: 92.00 ⇑ 0.99% | 92.00 | 98.60 / 92.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 550905 D: 96.90 ⇓ 3.10% | 98.46 | 103.9 / 95.00 C: 99.00 ⇑ 3.88% | 99.00 | 109.7 / 98.00 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 516280 D: 57.90 ⇓ 0.86% | 58.60 | 66.00 / 54.00 C: 58.30 ⇑ 0.52% | 58.30 | 65.00 / 56.00 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 1758200 D: 56.90 ⇓ 5.01% | 57.08 | 63.00 / 53.00 C: 57.50 ⇓ 0.52% | 57.81 | 61.50 / 55.00 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 2212269 D: 195.6 ⇓ 3.36% | 195.39 | 202.4 / 194.1 C: 195.8 ⇓ 3.21% | 195.56 | 204.7 / 194.0 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 1647210 D: 171.6 ⇑ 3.44% | 172.71 | 187.0 / 149.5 C: 171.2 ⇑ 2.95% | 172.53 | 174.9 / 163.3 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 31324849 D: 16.60 ⇑ 4.40% | 16.74 | 17.30 / 15.00 C: 16.70 ⇑ 3.73% | 16.81 | 17.30 / 15.00 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 3459670 D: 81.40 ⇑ 5.85% | 82.21 | 84.00 / 69.00 C: 81.50 ⇑ 5.43% | 81.91 | 84.90 / 75.00 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 167350 D: 343.9 ⇑ 9.56% | 348.16 | 375.0 / 310.0 C: 355.0 ⇑ 16.05% | 355.00 | 356.9 / 329.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 358220 D: 433.0 ⇑ 4.02% | 432.80 | 438.8 / 409.0 C: 432.0 ⇑ 3.29% | 432.40 | 438.8 / 409.5 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 312336 D: 145.6 ⇑ 4.52% | 145.23 | 149.0 / 124.0 C: 145.1 ⇑ 2.91% | 145.80 | 149.0 / 135.3 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 431222 D: 127.8 ⇓ 2.67% | 129.42 | 133.0 / 113.2 C: 127.0 ⇓ 2.76% | 129.65 | 133.8 / 115.0 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 1100 D: 57.00 ⇑ 2.15% | 57.00 | 57.90 / 53.10 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 15835487 D: 32.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 32.26 | 35.60 / 27.70 C: 32.10 ⇓ 0.93% | 32.26 | 33.50 / 30.80 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 996500 D: 21.90 ⇑ 5.80% | 22.27 | 22.80 / 20.50 C: 21.90 ⇑ 6.31% | 22.06 | 22.40 / 20.10 MIRACLEIND | 0.10 | 15.13 | Vol. 875855 D: 14.30 ⇑ 2.88% | 14.42 | 15.00 / 13.40 C: 14.20 ⇑ 2.90% | 14.24 | 15.00 / 12.50 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 1055 D: 989.8 ⇑ 2.86% | 991.30 | 999.0 / 951.0 C: 966.0 ⇑ 1.58% | 966.00 | 966.0 / 960.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 86 D: 881.5 ⇑ 0.00% | 916.67 | 890.0 / 875.0 C: 865.0 ⇓ 1.70% | 865.00 | 865.0 / 760.0 BRACSCBOND | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 10 D: 1030 ⇑ 0.00% | 1030 | 1030 / 1015

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2013

Facebook: Ad policy unchanged, users in control n AFP, New York

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates speaks at a breakfast meeting hosted by Civita, a liberal think tank, in Oslo

Bill Gates: Spend Norway’s $800bn fund in Africa, Asia n Reuters Philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates called on Norway’s $800bn oil fund, one of the biggest investors in the world, to spend more in the poorest countries, gaining the prime minister’s support with his proposal.

Gates, who runs the $37bn Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said Norway should set aside a portion of the fund to invest in infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and buy equity in small enterprises that alleviate agricultural and medical problems.

“Norway is by many measures one of the richest countries in the world and you can afford to take some of that money and help out people in other places,” Gates said on a visit to Oslo.

Norway is working on a complete review of the fund, including its investment strategy. Critics say it has become too big and needs to diversify away from stocks, bonds and real estate, and may even need to be broken up into specialized vehicles.

“It is part of our platform that the oil fund should invest more in developing markets,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who took power last month, said after meeting Gates.

“We will make sure the fund gets a mandate that allows them to invest in companies and maybe also infrastructure in these developing countries,” she said. “We believe it can

give a just as good return as similar investments in developed nations.”

Gates argued that spending in poor countries, primarily on roads, rail and power, would be an investment, not a donation, as it would generate returns over time, even as the spending had a dual role of generosity.

‘There’s no doubt in my mind that a larger part of not only our investments but all investments will and should move into frontier markets with less developed markets and higher risk’

“The area where you may get this dual benefit is ... in sub-Sahara Africa and some of the countries in Asia,” Gates said. “That’s an asset class, which could absorb, if it was well managed, an additional $10bn ... I’m not talking about a gigantic amount.”

Norway has amassed the world’s biggest wealth fund, saving up its surplus oil revenues, and operates it as a sort of endowment, spending only its returns. It is expected to exceed $1 trillion this decade and already owns about 1.25% of all global equities, a huge amount for a country of 5.1 million.

REUTERS

Although the review may result in a new investment strategy, Norway’s consensus based politics means changes are slow and often take several years.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that a larger part of not only our investments but all investments will and should move into frontier markets with less developed markets and higher risk,” Finance Ministry State Secretary Jon Gunnar Pedersen said.

“Government initiatives and agencies will play an important part of this because private investors need someone’s assistance, someone to piggyback to access these markets.”

Norway is spending around $5bn on foreign aid in dozens of countries this year, making it one of the biggest donors per capita.

But the civil sector often criticizes the government, arguing that Norway’s unusual fortunes, which have pushed per capita GDP to around $100,000, warrant even more generosity.

“There’s essentially a lack of long term capital and risk capital (in the poorest countries) ... and Norway happens to own the world’s largest source of long-term capital,” said Anne-Marie Helland, the head of Norwegian Church Aid, a top donor.

“This allows it to be extremely long term and particularly well suited to invest in unlisted and illiquid assets, such as development, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, regrowth, etc, in developing counties.” l

Facebook said Friday that ads on the social network featuring user endorsements and pictures were nothing new, and that members remain in control of their own content and images.

The company’s chief privacy officer Erin Egan, in a blog post responding to complaints about user-picture ads, said the policies of the billion-member social network had not changed but that Facebook needed to explain things better.

The new policy language posted earlier this year by Facebook led to a flurry of protests from privacy activists, who claimed the policy could turn users’ data and pictures into advertising, often without their knowledge.

The policy update noted that when a Facebook member clicks on a “like” button, that could be used in advertising, and could feature a picture of that user endorsing a product or service.

Facebook unveiled the changes as part of a settlement of a class action suit over the use of user names and images in so-called “sponsored stories.”

But Egan said: “We want you to know that nothing about this update has changed our advertising policies and practices. We heard this question a lot so we want to be clear. The goal of the update was to clarify language, not to change policies or practices.”

‘We want to reiterate that you own the content you post on Facebook’

Egan said that Facebook users can control who sees their “likes” and endorsements through their privacy settings.

“We want to reiterate that you own the content you post on Facebook,” she wrote.

“This includes your photos. We don’t share your private posts with others without your permission. When you post, you choose how to share and with whom, and we respect your choice. This has long been key to our terms and policies and has not changed as a result of this update.”

Egan provided an example of a hypothetical user named Krishna who “liked” a merchant called Sweet Stop.

“Once he liked it, her friends were eligible to see that ‘like’ elsewhere on Facebook,” she wrote. “If Krishna only allowed family members to see that he ‘liked’ Sweet Stop – then only his family members could see this ad paired with the ‘like’ story. So, at the end of the day, Krishna – and you – have control over the information sharing on this type of ad. You can also control this by opting out of social advertising.”

In September, several privacy organizations complained in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission that the policy would “dramatically expand the use of personal information for advertising purposes,” and could violate a 2011 consent decree with the US consumer protection watchdog. l