December 02, 2013

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Agrahayan 18, 1420 Muharram 27, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 248

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Long Form Cheesy wars and trade connectivity

International

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Stop destructive brinkmanship, UN warns European Union expresses concern over confrontational politics n Tribune Report The United Nations has asked Bangladesh political leaders to stop “destructive brinkmanship” cautioning that perpetrators of political or election related violence – including political leadership – had faced prosecution in other situations.

“Whatever their differences, political leaders on both sides must halt their destructive brinkmanship, which is pushing Bangladesh dangerously close to a major crisis. Instead, they must fulfil their responsibility and use their influence to bring this violence to an immediate halt and seek a solution to this crisis through dialogue,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement yesterday.

Pointing out that Bangladesh was a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, she said: “In other situations, we have seen cases

2 killed, 50 injured in blockade clashes n Tribune Report At least two people were killed in Chittagong and Faridpur and 50, including 10 policemen, injured in violence in different districts yesterday on the second day of the opposition’s countrywide rail, road and waterway blockade.

An upazila level leader of Jatyatabadi Jubo Dal, youth front of main opposition BNP, was beaten to death in Chittagong early yesterday. Abdul Gafur, 45, was a resident of Paschim Rasidabad in Patiya upazila.

P2

FAKHRUL AND 14 SUED

Chittagong district unit BNP called a dawn-to-dusk strike at the upazila for today protesting the alleged killing.

Mafiz Uddin, OC of Paitya police station told the Dhaka Tribune that Gafur had been attacked by a group of miscreants while he was returning on a motorbike from a temple after attending a festival of the hindu community around 11:30pm.

Later he died at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Police detained four people for interrogation in connection, said the OC.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

INSIDE News

3 The BNP on Sunday branded the polls-time government ‘illegal’, alleging that the government is in violation of the constitution and was still taking policymaking decisions like signing treaties.

Nation

7 Vegetable prices have dropped sharply in Sherpur due to the shrinking availability of transport amid the ongoing political turmoil. Hartals and bloackades have been causing severe losses to farmers.

Op-Ed

11 Someone born in 1990 is now a fullgrown young person, capable of leading a new generation.

of political or election related violence where the perpetrators of such acts – including political leadership – have faced prosecution.”

In a separate statement EU High Representative Catherine Ashton expressed concern about intimidation and confrontation in the form of hartals and about the arrest of politicians and human rights defenders.

The European Union had also urged to end violence and find a political solution through dialogue which is essential to allow a peaceful, inclusive, transparent and credible election to take place, the statement said.

“This can only happen if all sides can agree to move ahead in the interests of the country’s future,” Ashton said on the preparation for general elections in Bangladesh.

The statements came as the ruling Awami League and the opposition  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

A system engineer, Moklesur Rahman Sharif, 35, is being taken to the DMCH emergency yesterday after he was hit by a crude bomb in Mohakhali

DHAKA TRIBUNE

No extra time for submitting nomination paper: CEC

5 more blockade victims admitted to DMCH

n Mohammad Zakaria

Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Aminul Islam Babu

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said the commission would not increase the stipulated time for submitting nomination papers.

“The date is unchanged. Jatiya Party asked for increasing the time along with other demands. We will consider their other demands,” he told reporters at the EC Secretariat last night.

He also said they would not extend the time as the EC needed to prepare for holding the polls, slated for January 5.

The CEC, however, hinted that the polls schedule could be altered in the

event a political consensus emerges.

“We earlier requested the president to take initiative for consensus. We have announced the polls schedule at the last moment. We will need more time for printing the ballot papers,” the CEC also said.

He thinks many doors may be opened if the parties reach a consensus.

“The commission has always advocated for consensus. But it cannot take such initiatives as per the constitution. It may create misunderstanding,” he said.

Candidates of different political parties have continued collecting and submitting nomination papers in different districts as the last date of filing nom-

ination forms is today. Scrutiny of the forms will be held on December 5 and 6, while the deadline for withdrawal of candidature is December 13.

Meanwhile, Jatiya Party (JP) yesterday demanded the Election Commission extend by 10 days the time for submitting nomination papers for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

A 12-member delegation of JP’s election steering committee, led by presidium member Masud Parvez Sohel Rana, handed a written six-point demand to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad at his office yesterday.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

BNP leaders scared into hiding

The party plans to extend blockade until Thursday morning n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla With the government adopting a hard line on the opposition, top leaders of the BNP-led alliance have gone into hiding.

Most of the senior leaders including acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir have been holed since the announcement of the rail-road-waterways blockade on November 26.

Even grassroots leaders are keeping a low profile to avoid arrest, keeping their mobile phones switched off.

Police also claimed they had failed to trace the top BNP leaders.

“Even during the 1/11 changeover the entire rank and file of the party did not go into hiding. The party has never before faced such a leadership crisis,” said a top leader.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

At least five persons were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with burn and splinter injuries on the second day of the 72-hour rail-road-waterways blockade yesterday.

Four of the victims sustained severe burn injuries while one suffered splinter wounds to his head, said doctors at the government hospital in the capital.

While visiting the hospital’s high deficiency unit yesterday afternoon, this correspondent found Shaheda Begum whimpering by the bedside of her son Mehedi Hassan, a truck driver, who sustained 64% burn injury when pickets hurled a petrol bomb at his vehicle in Faridpur on Saturday night.

Mehedi, 27, was brought to the DMCH burn unit in the early morning of yesterday.

Narrating the horrific attack Mehedi said he was on his way to Faridpur from Kutubpur when pro-blockaders hurled a petrol bomb through the window of his truck near Horishova.

“It hit my lower abdomen and my whole body caught fire before I could come out of the truck,” he said in a muffled voice. “I lost my consciousness as the pain from sizzling wounds was unbearable.”

Mehedi, from Kamlapur in Faridpur district, is married with two minor daughters. His mother said she had repeatedly requested him not to go out to work but he did not heed as he had to earn money for his family.

In a similar attack, Mohammad Milu, 40, sustained burns when pickets set fire to his truck with a petrol bomb at Gazipur on Saturday night as he was going to Sylhet from Kaliganj.

Milu’s assistant, Mohammad Rubel, 32, also received burn injuries as he was sitting next to the driver. They were both admitted to the DMCH burn unit around 2:30am yesterday.

Milu’s wife, Laili Begum, said she came to the capital from their village in Bogura as soon as she heard about the attack. The couple has two young sons aged 12 and 7 back at home.

Another victim of a petrol bomb attack Abdus Sattar, a retired madrasha teacher, was rushed to the DMCH from Barisal in a critical state yesterday evening.

The patients, suffering from up to 35% burns, were identified as Rahajul, Nurnabi, Jahangir, Abu Talha and Babu Sattar, 65, sustained burns over 64% of his body when pickets torched the three-wheeler taxi he was travelling in near the Badarpur Darbar Sharif at Patuakhali on Saturday evening.

His nephew, Rezaul Karim, said Sattar was first taken to Barisal Shere-Bangla Medical College Hospital but when his condition deteriorated, doctors referred him to the burn unit at DMCH. Furthermore, Mokhlesur Rahman Sharif, 38, was taken to the hospital around 2:30pm after he was wounded in the head by splinters from a crude bomb that exploded in front of Titumir College at Mohakhali in the city.

Sharif, who works at a telecommunication centre in the area, was returning to his office after offering prayer at a nearby mosque.

Doctors, who operated on him to  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Cabinet lets major foreign investment deal slip n Asif Showkat Kallol The country has missed the opportunity to get rid of a losing concern and accept $50m foreign investment because the cabinet could not make a policy decision at the eleventh hour of the previous government’s tenure.

According to documents seen by the Dhaka Tribune, The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), based in Atlanta, Georgia in the US, was ready to pay $16m to clear off all the outstanding dues of Tabani Beverage Co Ltd of Bangladesh, one of the franchisees of Coca-Cola in this country.

After all the dues with Tabani were

cleared, the TCCC wanted to invest another $50m (Tk3.89bn) to freshly start the production of Coca-Cola in Bangladesh.

However, sources said despite being acknowledged by the prime minister and approved by the finance minister, and even though there was still time before the polls-time government took over, the cabinet could not make a decision to give the go ahead to the TCCC proposals.

As a result, the lucrative deal for the country had been plunged into uncertainty, especially amid the political turmoil, sources said.

Tabani Beverage, a concern of the

Muktijoddha Kallyan Trust (the freedom fighters’ welfare trust) under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, ceased manufacturing and bottling Coca-Cola in Bangladesh in 2008 due to heavy losses and after failing to meet global standards.

Sources also said the cabinet could not decide on the deal, especially before the elections, because it was connected to the highly sensitive national issue of the freedom fighters, who might have thought that their property was being sold off to a foreign company.

Pran RFL, in addition to Abul Monem Group, which has been the other

franchisee of Coca-Cola since 1978, has been manufacturing and bottling Coca-Cola. Although Tabani has not been in operation, the government has kept on duly paying the salaries of the employees and staffs of the company for three years.

Sources said the TCCC had registered a Tk50m investment proposal with the Board of Investment of Bangladesh in 2010. Before making the investment, the company expressed its willingness to pay Tk16m to clear off the outstanding debts of Tabani.

According to documents, in March 2010, the cabinet committee formed a three-member review committee

headed by Mashiur Rahman, the then economic affairs adviser to the prime minister. The committee was tasked with giving recommendations about how to best use the money that the TCCC intended to pay.

According to the minutes of a meeting held on October 23, 2013, the review committee gave the go ahead to the investment proposal and set out specific recommendations about how the initial $16m could be used for the welfare of the freedom fighters, and rejuvenating the Muktijoddha Kalyan Trust and its subsidiaries.

In line with the committee’s  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 2, 2013

14 arrested as a case was filed over Standard factory fire Government forms 3 probe bodies n Tribune Report A case was filed with Joydebpur police station yesterday, implicating hundreds of people in connection with the devastating arson attack on Standard Garment Factory last Thursday.

Police had already arrested 14 workers of different garment factories for their alleged involvement in the incident.

Meanwhile, the government yesterday formed three probe committees to detect the cause and the culprits behind the attack.

Md Saidur Rahman of Human Resources Department of Matrixport, a concern of the Standard Group, filed the case with Joydebpur police station, implicating many, including workers of the Standard Group and different factories located in Kuddus Nagar, Jarun and Konabari areas.

Following a rumour about the death of two RMG workers in police shooting last Thursday, hundreds of workers went on the rampage through Amotex Limited, Amex Limited, Standard Stitches Limited, Gazipur Fashions Limited, Matrixport (Bangladesh) Limited, Tulagoan Fashions Limited, and International Trading Co Limited – all concerns of Standard Group.

They set fire to packaging materials on the ground floor of the factory and the fire quickly spread to other floors of the 10-storey building. They also vandalised 20 vehicles parked on the factory premises. The outsiders set fire to 19 covered vans and four microbuses belonging to the Standard Group, causing a loss of Tk12.02bn, said the case statement.

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Nurul Islam formed a seven-member inquiry committee headed by additional district Magistrate Md Mohsin to investigate the matter, reports our correspondent in the district.

Assistant Deputy Director of Gazipur Fire Station Aktaruzzaman Liton said the fire service also formed a separate three-member probe committee headed by its Dhaka division Deputy Director Jaharul Amin.

A section of the burnt Standard Garment Factory Officer-in-Charge Abul Khayer of the Detective Branch of Gazipur police said they were investigating the case.

Fourteen people, including former and current workers of different factories in the area, had so far been arrested, he said.

Apart from this, the Imam and Khatib of a mosque in Konabari were also detained for quizzing about who used the mosque’s loudspeaker to announce the false news of workers’ deaths.

The probe committees had been asked to report its findings within a week, Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said yesterday, adding that the law enforcement agencies had been trying to find the attackers.

“Exemplary punishment to the culprits responsible for the fire will be en-

sured,” he told reporters after a meeting with senior members of the law enforcement agencies.

The government probe committees are led by the Gazipur deputy commissioner, home ministry’s Additional Secretary Main Uddin Khondoker and labour ministry’s Deputy Secretary Aminul Islam.

The minister came up with the statement a day after the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) had alleged that impunity in previous attacks on RMG factories had encouraged the latest acts of sabotage.

The presence of all relevant stakeholders, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, National Security Intelligence, BGMEA, labour ministry and representatives of the factory, were

Today is the last date for filing nomination papers for the elections, scheduled for January 5.

The party’s other demands include the reshuffling of local administrative and police officials to ensure a level- playing field during the polls, immediate deployment of the army with magistracy power, ensuring security of every candidate, accepting minor errors in nomination papers and the allocation of at least 45 minutes on TV and radio for broadcasting JP Chairman HM Ershad’s speech to the nation.

After the meeting with the CEC, JP presidium member SM Faisal Chisti told reporters that more time was needed for submitting nomination papers due to the main opposition’s countrywide blockade programme.

Meanwhile, EC Secretary Muhammed Sadique yesterday held a meeting with M Hamid, director general of state-run BTV, to discuss airing of different types of programmes during election campaigning to increase awareness among voters. l

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recommendation, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs sent a summary to the prime minister on November 6 which said the road for the government was clear for accepting TCCC’s investment proposals.

That summary contained a handwritten recommendation from Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

On November 11, KH Masud Siddiqui, secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, sent a summary to the cabinet committee on economic affairs for considering the investment proposal.

Although the cabinet committee sat three times from November 11 to the swearing in of the polls-time cabinet on November 21, it could not make any decision on the investment proposal.

The committee sat several times after the swearing in, but since the interim cabinet was not supposed to make any policy decision, the deal virtually sled into oblivion.

Coca-Cola started business in Bangladesh with an agreement with Tabani Beverage, owned by a Pakistani national, in 1965. After independence, Tabani was put under the freedom fighters’ welfare trust. l

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed her grave woes over victimising common people through arson and bomb attacks on buses and other transports during opposition hartal and blockade programmes.

“It is neither politics nor any movement. It is sheer terrorist activities,” Hasina said. “BNP and Jamaat are now carrying out genocide in the name of movement,” she added.

The PM made the comments to reporters yesterday afternoon after visiting burn victims, who were critically injured in petrol bomb attacks during the latest hartal and blockade programmes of the BNP-led 18-party alliance, at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Terming the burning of people alive a genocide, Hasina called upon opposition leader to stop such hateful politics, and not to play with the lives of people.

n Ashif Islam Shaon

Stop destructive brinkmanship

Cabinet lets

n BSS, Dhaka

“In the past, we were (involved) in a long movement for democracy and other national issues. But, never did we experience such brutality as BNP and Jamaat are unleashing now,” she said.

“I express my absolute hate towards such politics,” Hasina said, adding, “I don’t know what BNP and Jamaat are gaining from those barbaric acts.”

Hasina said the government had softened its stand to resolve the ongoing political crisis. “But, BNP did not pay heed to our request, and opted for politics of killing,” she said.

The PM added that the government would go tough, as required, against such brutality. The instigators would be brought to justice, she assured.

Hasina urged the media, particularly television networks, to focus on the perpetrators of bomb attacks, instead of going for indiscriminate publicity of the terrorist activities, which, she said, only encouraged the culprits. l

Fakhrul among 15 sued for ‘provoking’ arson

No extra time  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

PM: It’s not politics, it’s genocide

BNP are still at loggerheads over the arrangement of election now slated for January 5.

At least 28 persons were killed in political violence in the past two weeks during countrywide blockades enforced by the main opposition BNP and its allies.

The UN official Pillay said she was deeply worried by the rising levels of political violence in Bangladesh as the major parties “fail to resolve their differences over the conduct of elections.”

In recent weeks, supporters of both parties have been clashing with each other and with the security forces. Scores of people have been killed, hundreds injured, and there has been extensive destruction of property, she said.

“In the past week, we have seen acts as extreme as protesters throwing Mo-

lotov cocktails onto public buses without allowing the occupants to escape, leaving women and children with horrific burns,” the high commissioner said. “Such levels of violence are deeply shocking for the Bangladeshi people, the vast majority of whom want – and deserve – a peaceful and inclusive election.”

Pillay also expressed concern about the ongoing arrest and detention of key opposition leaders by the law enforcement agencies. “This can further inflame the situation and rule out any possibility for engagement and dialogue between the main political parties.”

Earlier, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote to the two top leaders several times and sent his emissary to broker a deal between the two political camps over election-time arrangement.

US Secretary of State John Kerry

RAJIB DHAR

ensured in all the probe committees.

The BGMEA urged the government to bring those responsible for the arson attack to book within seven days.

“We want exemplary punishment of the culprits so that nobody dares to carry out such kind of heinous attacks on our readymade garment sector,” said BGMEA President Atiqul Islam at a press briefing held at its office.

Shamsul Haque Tuku, state minister for home, said the law enforcement agencies had already started working and detained at least 20 suspects.

Labour Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said such attacks were totally unacceptable as the government had settled the issue of the workers’ minimum wage a few days ago in consultation with the BGMEA and the leaders of workers’ associations. l

Five more victims also wrote to two leaders to find a solution through a dialogue.

In his latest effort, Ban Ki-moon is sending, one of his top deputies, UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco to Bangladesh and he is expected to arrive on December 6.

A foreign ministry official said there was indication that EU representative Ashton might also come in the first half of December.

Ashton in her statement said the EU was ready to consider sending election observers as it did in 2008 but this would “depend on the political and security situation in Bangladesh”.

The EU called on the leaders of all political parties to agree on a mutually acceptable formula so as to facilitate the holding of elections which fully reflect the wishes of the people. l

2 killed, 50 injured in blockade clashes  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

Idris Mia, chairman of Patiya upazila parishad and also a BNP leader, alleged that ruling party activists lodged the attack.

In Faridpur, Jillur Sarder, 36, from the Sottajitpur village of Pangsha upazila of Rajbari district, died at the Faridpur Medical College Hospital yesterday.

Jillur was hurt in an explosion when he was reportedly making crude bombs inside a house at Char Adampur area of the Faridpur district township.

He died around 9pm at the hospital from excessive bleeding.

Kamruzzaman, Faridpur senior assistant police super, told reporters that Zillur was hired by the local unit of Swechchasebok Dal, volunteers’ unit of BNP, for making bombs.

In the capital, on the second day of the 72-hour blockade, a Titumir College student and a trader sustained injuries from bomb explosions in front of the college.

Incidents of violence were also reported from the capital’s Khilkhet, Karwan Bazar, Hatirjheel, Mirpur, Lalbagh areas and the older part of the city.

Law enforcers picked up four activists of Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, from Azimpur.

Police rounded up 38 pickets from the capital, four of whom had been given three to six months’ imprisonment.

According to the fire service, 10 vehicles were burnt around the country yesterday, three of them in the capital.

In the capital, blockaders torched a bus by hurling crude bombs at the Bangshal intersection. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the blockade supporters. The opposition activists set a bus on fire at Dhanmondi 15, while another in front of the Kakoli High School in Banani, using petrol.

In Mirpur, 15-20 activists of Jubo Dal blasted several homemade bombs at the Bazar Road. The activists set rail tracks on fire at Karwan Bazar.

The BNP-led 18-party alliance enforced the blockade for the second time in a span of one week protesting the announcement of schedule of the 10th parliamentary elections and the “false cases” against its leaders and “torture and repression” on its activists.

Outside Dhaka, Gazipur district unit BNP called a daylong hartal protesting “police attack on its activists” for tomorrow in the district.

Our Gazipur Correspondent report-

Police have sued several opposition alliance leaders including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for allegedly instigating activists to torch a bus at Malibagh in the capital on Saturday night, killing one and injuring three.

Assistant Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Shibli Noman said the case was filed by Sub-Inspector of Ramna Police Station Johirul Islam around 12:30am yesterday.

In the case, 15 persons have been named for execution of the attack while a bunch of BNP’s top- and mid-level leaders named for provoking the incident. Some unidentified 15 activists have also been made accused in the case.

The alleged instigators are Fakhrul; Vice-Chairman Sadek Hossain Khoka; Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas; joint secretaries general Aman Ullah Aman, Salauddin Ahmed, and Barkat Ullah Bulu; Executive Committee member Salauddin Ahmed; and city

unit Member Secretary Abdus Salam.

Acting secretary general of Jamaat Dr Shafiqur Rahman, former Chhatra Shibir president Masud and a number of Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal leaders have also been made accused of instigation, giving support and proving money for the arson attack. A total of 15 local-level Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and BNP leaders and activists have been named as the executors, Shibli Noman said.

The case statement says at least 20 unidentified miscreants carried out the arson attack around 7:30pm on Saturday, the first day of BNP-led 18-party alliance’s 72-hour countrywide blockade.

Chased by pickets, the bus driver lost control and crushed Habibur Rahman to death and injured a rickshaw-puller.

Two passengers of the bus also suffered burn injuries in the bomb attack.

The case is filed only two days after Shahbagh police had lodged a case against Fakhrul and 15 other senior BNP leaders in connection with an arson attack on a bus near Matsya Bhaban. Nineteen passengers sustained burn injuries, of who two later died at hospital. l

ed that at least 30 people, including a policeman, were injured when they locked horns with law enforcers in Kaliakoir.

Witnesses said local BNP brought out a procession, led by district BNP Secretary Kazi Saydul Alam Babul, on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the morning. Clashes ensued when police intervened in the bypass area. Five policemen were among the injured. Four other injured, who sustained bullet wounds, were sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Prior to the clash, the blockaders exploded four crude bombs in the area.

In Sylhet’s Bianibazar, miscreants torched the election office in the morning. Local residents later doused the fire.

In Barisal, pro-blockade activists torched a drug supplying covered van and ransacked a truck, a minibus and two three-wheelers in the Kashipur area on the Barisal-Dhaka highway Saturday night.

In Rajshahi, activists of Chhatra Dal, student wing of BNP, vandalised the Chamber of Commerce and Industries building and a branch of the Dutch-Bangla Bank at the Alaka Intersection. They also hurled seven crude bombs at police, triggering a clash. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

remove the splinters said he was in a critical state and was running the risk of brain damage.

The doctors also said the condition of Golam Kibria, a lawyer who was injured in a petrol bomb attack on a bus at Malibagh Chowdhuripara on Saturday night, was not good as he was still unconscious.

Kibria was later transferred to Nitor, a state-run orthopaedic hospital, for proper treatment as his left hand was badly broken.

Another patient who is also in a critical state was Dulu Mia, a policeman who received splinter injuries in Joypurhat.

Meanwhile, five bus passengers, who were severely burned in a fire at-

tack at Shahbagh on Thursday evening, were undergoing treatment at the burn unit’s intensive care unit.

The patients, suffering from up to 35% burns, were identified as Rahajul, Nurnabi, Jahangir, Abu Talha and Babu.

Shamanta Lal Shen, coordinator of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that members of a specialised medical board were doing their best to treat the patients, and they were hopeful that the victims would recover from their horrific injuries.

Since October 27, at least 38 victims of fire and crude bomb attacks, carried out during opposition-called hartals and blockades, have been undergoing treatment at the DMCH. Ten of them are still in critical condition. l

BNP leaders scared into hiding  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

Fakhrul on Friday after the gayebana janaza held in front of the BNP Nayapaltan office scurried off the spot on the back of a motorbike incurring wrath of the party leaders and activists.

Arrest phobia became so acute after the detention of Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi that newly-assigned party spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed has not yet ventured to the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters.

He is relaying the party message to leaders and activists through video recordings from the hideout, a move which has already drawn flak from within the party.

However, a close aide of Salahuddin said he is doing so as per the direction of party Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Meanwhile, the opposition is planning to stretch the ongoing 72-hour nationwide road-rail-waterways blockade to Thursday morning to send a message to the government that they would not backtrack from the movement until their demand is met, said party insiders.

They said Khaleda Zia herself is now planning the programmes while Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and two standing committee members are monitoring the implementation of the programmes.

Most of others leaders are in the dark about the programmes.

“We have no way but to wage a nonstop movement. The more the govern-

ment gets hard the tougher the programme will be. The government has to understand that the BNP is a large political party and it cannot do anything excluding BNP,” Abdullah Al Noman, vice chairman of the party, said.

A senior leader, however, said they might give a short pause for two to three days as UN Envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco will arrive in Dhaka on Friday and if there is no progress in resolving the crisis the party will again go for the non-stop programme.

When a number of her advisers last night went to talk to Khaleda Zia she expressed her frustration over the imminent visit of Fernandez-Taranco saying that she did not think that the visit would yield any positive result.

“No matter whatever the government is thinking or doing to suppress the opposition our movement will continue till the demand is met,” said Andaleeve Rahman Parth, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a statement on Friday alleged the government had unleashed its law enforcers, intelligence agencies and party cadres on peaceful protest programmes.

Apart from this, cases were filed against the opposition men one after another and even Fakhrul was not spared.

A case was filed against Fakhrul in connection with an arson attack on a bus in Shahbag and another case was filed against him on Sunday in connection with setting fire to a bus in Malibag. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Monday, December 2, 2013

Election Commission cautions against appointing controversial officials n Mohammad Zakaria The Election Commission has asked returning officers to be cautious when appointing officials to conduct the polls, in an attempt to keep the polls free from controversy.

Yesterday, the EC issued two circulars directing the returning officers not to appoint controversial and partisan persons.

The circulars say if any candidate gives false information or hides any information in the affidavit copy of their submitted nomination paper, the returning officer will have to cancel his or her candidacy.

The commission has set up 37, 711 primary polling centres with 189,553 booths in which to cast votes.

It will appoint 37,711 presiding officers and 189,553 assistant presiding officers. There will need to be two polling officers for each polling booth.

The returning officers have already finalised the primary list of election officials.

SQC lawyer’s bail plea rejected n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday rejected the bail plea of AKM Fakhrul Islam, accused in the leaking of a verdict of the war crimes tribunal.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahurul Haque passed the order after a hearing.

On November 26, Fakhruls’ lawyer Md Jahedul Islam Koyel filed a petition before the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions’ Judge Court against the bail rejection order of the CMM court on November 24.

The High Court On November 25 stayed the lower court remand order for Fakhrul, counsel of war criminal and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

Fakhrul was charged under the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 on November 21. The day before he was arrested at his office in the capital’s Kakrail area.

Later on November 24 a metropolitan magistrate court allowed the police four days to question him.

The Detective Branch of police arrested Fakhrul on November 20.

The tribunal sentenced Salauddin Quader to death on October 1 for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. l

The EC will also appoint 20% more election officials.

The commission has asked the returning officers to appoint female election officials for female polling centres and booths. The EC will train these officials 20 days before the voting day.

Transfer order for Khulna returning officer The EC has sent a letter to the public administration ministry to transfer the returning officer of Khulna, Mesbah Uddin.

Earlier, the EC decided to delimitate the Khulna 3 constituency, originally comprising Daulatpur and Khalishpur.

Two unions of the constituency have, however, been included in the Khulna 4 constituency. Mesbah, who is also the deputy commissioner, was disappointed and the matter was later taken to court.

The returning officer told the EC that the complexity of administration would increase if the two unions were not kept under the Khulna 3 constituency. l

Business leaders who think recent arson attacks on garment factories were “politically instigated” yesterday urged the two major parties to stop violence and come up with a “compromise formula” so that they can continue their businesses smoothly.

They said the present political situation – continual shutdowns and blockades enforced by the main opposition BNP – had “halted” the economic activities in the country for the past few months. They also said the business community had lost interest in taking the two parties to a discussion table.

“Please, do your politics in a way that does not harm the country’s economy,” said Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), yesterday, urging both the Awami League and the BNP. If the present situation continued, the country’s economy would be destroyed, he said. The FBCCI reaction came following the arson attack on the

Mahfuz Ullah appears before tribunal

n Udisa Islam

After three times order from the war crimes tribunal, Mahfuz Ullah, secretary general of Centre for Sustainable Development, finally appeared before it yesterday over his alleged contempt and submitted an application seeking exemption from personal appearances in future.

Mahfuz was present when the judges entered the courtroom yesterday. But as he was sitting down like everyone else, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir asked him to be upstanding. Mahfuz apologised and stood up again.

Justice Jahangir Hossain then reminded him about the norms that say an accused or someone who is facing contempt charge has to keep standing at the time of hearing. The International Crimes Tribunal 1 will hear the plea of Mahfuz on December 24 when it will also hold a hearing on the contempt matter against Mahfuz, Zafrullah Chowdhury and six others. Mahfuz moved the petition through his counsel Rumeen Farhana.

On September 26, the tribunal served a notice on Channel 24 authorities including its managing director to state

A prosecution witness yesterday said war crimes accused AKM Yusuf ordered the killing of 5,000 unarmed Hindu people in Khulna in 1971.

Shudhangshu Mandal, 59, the 13th witness, said he had heard this from Shahadat Kazi and Siddique Master, members of the Peace Committee, which collaborated with the Pakistani occupying army during the war.

He also held Yusuf responsible for many other killings, arson attacks and forced deportations of people; as Yusuf had addressed meetings of the Peace Committee and instigated the collaborators to commit crimes against humanity.

Shudhangshu, who was a freedom fighter in 1971, also told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 how he and the villagers fled to India.

Following his testimony, junior defence counsel MH Tamim began cross examining the witness, as his senior colleague was not present. The questioning remained incomplete and the tribunal set today for further proceedings.

When Tamim pleaded for a one-day

Standard garment factory on Thursday night, in which valuables worth Tk1.2bn were claimed to have been destroyed.

Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said RMG factories were suffering for political violence, which was unacceptable.

The business community should not be the victim of political vengeance and the political leaders should solve the existing crisis through discussions among them, he said.

Atiqul said both the ruling and the opposition parties should reach a compromise formula for resolving the present political crisis.

Former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the business community was getting more frustrated every day because of the vindictive attitudes of the two major political parties and that the present political crisis was leading the national economy towards uncertainty.

Businessmen had already lost the enthusiasm for taking the two political parties to a table for a dialogue, he said. l

adjournment, the tribunal said the defence had to complete the cross-examination by today or it might close the questioning. As the defence counsel continued pleading for an adjournment, the tribunal expressed its disappointment and criticised the defence for their repeated absence during hartals and blockades.

On May 21, thousands of Hindu people took shelter at Dakra Kaliabari in order to go to India. Yusuf ordered Razzab to kill them and more than 5,000 Hindu civilians were killed The tribunal indicted Jamaat-e-Islami leader Yusuf on 13 war crimes charges including murder, genocide, arson, religious conversion and the deportation of people.

Shudhangshu in his deposition claimed that after March 7, 1971, he had become a member of the Sangram Committee (pro-liberation resistance committee) under the leadership of Commander Zayed.

He said: “I came to know later that

AKM Yusuf, at a Peace Committee meeting on April 19, said ‘this country is led

by Muslims, not Hindus. You can enjoy their belongings including the women.’”

The witness said Yusuf had created razakar groups in different areas. He said: “On May 21, thousands of Hindu people took shelter at Dakra Kaliabari in order to go to India. That day, Yusuf ordered [Peace Committee member] Razzab to kill them and more than 5,000 Hindu civilians were killed. Narayan Chowkidar, who somehow escaped the massacre, told me about the incident.”

After the incident, Shudhangshu said Narayan had gone to their house and asked them to leave the country.

“Then I with all my villagers went to India and we took shelter at Bashirhaat. I left Bashirhaat to join training to be part of the Liberation War.” He said razakars had captured many freedom fighters and took them to Chulkathi Bazar where they killed at least seven people including Bijoy Das and Sunil Bishwas.

After his deposition, the witness did not identify Yusuf in the dock as he had never seen him before. l

Two journalists of Rtv, a private television channel, were arrested and sent on four days’ remand yesterday for allegedly persuading blockade supporters to blast cocktails.

Rtv reporter Syed Tanjib Ahmed alias Tanjib Roni and videographer Proshanta Modok were arrested in the morning while covering a procession brought out by the

opposition in support of the 72-hour blockade programme in Kamrangir Char area.

According to the case statement, the two journalists instigated some opposition men to blast cocktails from the procession in front of a hospital in the area.

Locals said the pickets had exploded a cocktail but the journalists could not capture the blast. The journalists asked the pickets to blast another one so

n Udisa Islam

by October 10 why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for deliberately criticising the trial process by making false and fabricated statements in a talk-show named “Muktobaak.”

It also directed two discussants of the show – Mahfuz and Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra – to appear before it physically and explain their position, if any.

The tribunal on November 6 and 28 again asked the respondents to explain their stance. But Mahfuz never appeared.

Meanwhile, the same tribunal yesterday deferred the trial proceedings in the case against Mobarak Hossain, an alleged razakar commander from Brahmanbaria, until tomorrow as the defence lawyer could not come to Dhaka from Chittagong due to blockade.

Yesterday was set for beginning testimonies of defence witnesses. The defence also placed another petition on review of the indictment order against ATM Azharul Islam and seeking privilege communication with him.

The tribunal set today for privilege communication and will pass order on the indictment issue. l

BNP terms polls-time government ‘unlawful’ n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP on Sunday branded the pollstime government ‘illegal’, alleging that the government is in violation of the constitution and was` still taking policy-making decisions like signing treaties.

“The Awami league-led alliance government has no moral right to govern the country. It has announced the election schedule illegally,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a press release.

Asking the election commission

to postpone the election schedule, Fakhrul urged the commission to take the necessary steps to hold an inclusive and meaningful election.

“Otherwise people of Bangladesh will not accept any stage-managed election. People will ensure their voting and democratic rights through movement,” he said.

The spokesperson of the party alleged that the government was obstructing their peaceful democratic movement.

“Our party office is cordoned off.

Under such an undemocratic situation,

there is no scope for holding any election. Awami League is doing so to cling to power forever.”

Fakhrul claimed that the whole nation had been pushed into a deep crisis through the announcement of the election schedule, ignoring the people’s demand for election under a non-partisan government.

“The nation has voiced its protest against the government’s undemocratic decision. As people are sacrificing their lives for their democratic rights…law enforcers and Awami League’s armed cadres are

resorting to murder, repression and arrests to stop the movement.”

Earlier, BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed issued a video message, in which he urged the prime minister to step down from the office with honour.

“Repression, killing and false cases will intensify the movement,” said Salahuddin, “Still there is time, withdraw false cases, release the arrested leaders and activists, and accept the demand for an election under a non-partisan government.” l

BB seeks information on loan defaulters n Jebun Nesa Alo

Bangladesh Bank sent letters yesterday to scheduled banks asking them to provide information on loan defaulters by the end of the day.

The letter also instructed those banks to stay prepared to give information to presiding officers, if asked.

Earlier, on Thursday the central bank also sent the same letter to those

banks asking them to provide the information by Sunday.

“Following an instruction from the Finance Ministry on November 28 the central bank sent the letter yesterday to remind the banks to prepare the list of loan defaulters,” said Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mahfuzur Rahman.

According to the letter, central bank asked the banks to provide information about those who are in default on loans

Two journalists held for ‘encouraging’ explosion n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Razakars killed over 5,000 on Yusuf’s order: Witness

Do your politics without harming economy: Businesses n Abu Bakar Siddique

Firefighters participate in a drill at the Shahjalal International Airport yesterday

that they could record the action for broadcast.

Tipped off, police went to the spot and arrested them.

“The two journalists instigated the blockade supporters for exploding the cocktails,” the case statement read.

A Dhaka court allowed police to take them on a four-day remand for quizzing in a case filed with Kamrangirchar police station under the explosives substances act.

Metropolitan Magistrate Tareq Mainul Islam Bhuiyan passed the order after the investigation officer of the case Sub-Inspector Rasul Samdani Azad had produced them before the court seeking a 10-day remand for interrogation.

Defence lawyer Abdullah Mansoor filed a bail plea with the court, also seeking cancellation of the remand.

The court rejected the bail plea and sent the two on remand. l

above Tk 50,000 up to the month of October. The banks will be fined if they fail to submit the information before the deadline.

The letter said a person shall be disqualified for election if he being a loan recipient, other than a loan recipient who has taken a small loan for agricultural purposes, has defaulted in repaying within seven days from the day of submission of nomination paper

any loan or an installment he took from a bank or financial institution.

If he is a director of a company or a partner of a firm and has defaulted on the repayment after seven days of the nomination paper’s submission, he shall be disqualified from taking part in the election. Punitive action will be taken against the respective officer for his failure to provide the right information, said the letter. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 2, 2013

‘Peace unlikely if CHT accord not executed‘ n Tribune Report The slow implementation of 1997 CHT accord that had ended a two decadelong insurgency, armed conflict and bloodshed in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region has frustrated the indigenous people.

President of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samity (PCJSS), Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, better known as Santu Larma, claimed that the ruling Awami League government was not sincere or interested in implementing the accord which it had signed on December 2, 1997.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at Rangamati Hill District Council yesterday on the occasion of 16th anniversary of signing the accord between the PCJSS and the government.

Santu Larma said although the accord had been signed in 1997, “progress remains the same like before.”

“One more period of the present government is about to expire but no effective steps were taken to fully implement the accord,” he said, criticising the government’s repeated claim of working on it.

He mentioned that there was no other solution but executing the accord to make the CHT region comprising Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandar-

Santu Larma speaks at a press conference yesterday ban districts secure and peaceful.

He said the government had altered some committees and appointed indigenous people in some important posts including state minister for CHT affairs, Taskforce on Rehabilitation of Repatriated Indigenous Refugee, chairman of CHT Development Board, CHT Land Commission and recasting of CHT Accord Implementation Committee. He also mentioned about the withdrawal

DHAKA TRIBUNE

of a brigade and 35 temporary military camps from the CHT. Santu Larma demanded that the three hill district councils made fully functional, amendment to the land commission law, withdrawal of around 150 permanent and temporary military camps and immediate ban on United People Democratic Front (UPDF), better known as the “anti-accord group.”

Other present included PCJSS Press

and Publication Secretary Mangal Kumar Chakma, Convener of MN Larma Memorial Foundation Bijoy Keton Chakma, Member of CHT Regional Council Toimra Sing Chowdhury, and President of Parbatya Chattagram Mohila Somity Jurita Chakma.

UPDF Press and Publication Secretary Niron Chakma alleged that the accord was just a “mockery with the indigenous people of the CHT. The hill people are not getting anything that may create hope among them.” He added that most of the indigenous families remained landless.

Leaders of all indigenous groups have identified land dispute as the main obstacle behind implementing the CHT accord and ensuring peace in the region.

Secretary of the CHT land commission Abdul Hamid said they had received around 5,000 land dispute cases, of which around 3,000 were at final stage.

Refuting the claims, Secretary General of CHT Jumma Refugee Welfare Association Santusito Chakma Bakul said there were 9,780 cases only from the India-returnee refugees. The number of land dispute cases might be 10 times higher if the internally displaced people had been considered.

CHT affairs Taskforce on Rehabilitation of Repatriated Tribal Refugee

Chairman Jatindra Lal Tripura said the government had rehabilitated 64,335 India-returnee refuges at different villages in Khagrachhari while 277 families rehabilitated in several areas of Rangamati.

“There is a list of 146,972 internally displaced people. But the taskforce is working on a fresh list upon a call by the PCJSS.” Jatindra claimed that the government had been providing 1,287 tonnes of food grains to India-returnee refugees and 2,230 tonnes for the internally displaced people every month since signing of the CHT accord.

PCJSS Information and Press Secretary Mongal Kumar Chakma alleged that there were three full-fledged cantonments, four brigades, one naval base, 525 base (temporary) camps of army, Ansar, APBn and VDP camps with around 150,000 personnel defying the accord.

In the name of “Operation Uttaran,” the army still continues to interfere in the functions of the civil administration including law and order, he added.

PCJSS Secretary Tatindra Lal Chakma said the hill people were also frustrated as the government was yet to make a fresh voter list in line with the accord and the Khagrachhari Hill District Council Law. Currently, only the permanent residents of the CHT are entitled to be enlisted as voters. l

Weather likely to remain dry n UNB Weather is likely to remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country until 6pm today.

Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met office said. The sun sets in the capital at 5:11pm today and rises at 6:26am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 29.8 degree Celsius was recorded yesterday at Sylhet and Bogra and lowest 14.5 degrees at Dinajpur and Srimongal.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29.4 28.2 28.6 28.6 29.5 28.6 29.8 29.5

18.8 19.2 16.1 16.2 17.4 17.0 18.0 20.2

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

The Canadian High Commission and Plan International Bangladesh (PIB) on Saturday jointly celebrated this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women at the residence of the Canadian high commissioner in the capital.

The day was celebrated through an event that featured the screening of a film entitled “Girl Rising” – a feature film highlighting the power of education to change a woman’s prospects in the world.

The Government of Canada has made it a priority to fight violence against women, and early forced-marriage in particular

Pickets set a bus on fire on English Road near Nayabazar yesterday during the opposition’s 72-hour countrywide blockade programme

5:05am 6:24am 11:48am 3:35pm 5:10pm 6:30pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Low-income groups worst victims of blockade n Ashif Islam Shaon

WEATHER

A legal notice was served yesterday, seeking departmental action against the officer-in-charge of Kafrul police station for misusing power and allegedly taking Tk350,000 in bribes in exchange for releasing a detainee.

Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Halim sent the notice on behalf of victim Md Mozammel Haque to the home affairs secretary, inspector general of police, additional IGP (security cell), Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, deputy commissioner of Mirpur 2 police and OC Wazed Ali. The notice asked the authorities concerned to take steps to return the amount and suspend the OC during inquiry within seven days, otherwise the notice recipients would face serious legal consequences, said Abdul Halim.

Mozammel alleged that OC Wazed Ali detained him on September 28 when he went to Kafrul police station after hearing that his nephew had been arrested without any charge. Mozammel was later implicated in a rape case, which was filed after his detention.

The notice says Wazed took Tk350,000 from the relatives of Mozammel to release him from police custody. l

International Day for elimination of violence against women observed n Tribune Desk

DU blue panel teachers protest political violence n Arif Ahmed A group of Dhaka University teachers yesterday formed a human chain to protest the ongoing political violence as another group brought out a silent procession demanding the cancellation of the polls schedule and restoration of caretaker government.

The Awami League-backed blue panel teachers formed the human chain around 11:30am at the foot of the Aparejeyo Bangla.

Panel Convener Dr Abdul Aziz said urged the BNP to stop violence and take part in the next national polls to continue the flow of democracy.

Farid Uddin Ahmed, president of Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA), said the BNP-led alliance was “carrying out violence to foil the war crimes trials.” He urged the government to ensure punishment to those responsible for vandalism of and arson attack on public transports and killing scores of innocent people.

Dr MA Aziz, convener of the blue panel, presided over the programme while Dr Shafiul Alam Bhuayan, chairperson of Film and Media Studies, spoke at the programme.

The procession of the BNP-backed white panel teachers marched different streets of the campus before arriving at the National Press Club.

Participants included Dr Sadrul Amin, convener of the white panel; Dr Mamun Ahmed, secretary general of DUTA; Dr Tajmeri S A Islam; and Dr Akthar Hossain. l

Departmental action sought against Kafrul OC n Nazmus Sakib

The sufferings of city dwellers reached a peak on the second day of the latest 72-hour blockade programme enforced by the opposition alliance yesterday.

People who ventured onto the streets of Dhaka in defiance of the risk of vandalism and arson attacks faced an acute shortage of public transport.

Like the first day, the roads were almost empty of vehicles.

Although several bus counters remained open at Sayedabad and Gabtoli terminals, no bus left from the capital on the long distance routes.

The staffs who are paid on a daily basis said they had no other option

but to depart on the highways at night.

Drivers said they were compelled to bring out the buses in a desperate bid for earnings.

A good number of day labourers were seen thronging the capital’s Mohakhali, Karwan Bazar, Azimpur, Uttara and Amin Bazar area in the faint hope of being hired for the day.

“We are left with two choices: either we stay at home and starve, or we get going to earn for the day,” said Md Rafique, the driver of a human hauler.

A number of commuters, transport drivers, and day labourers said they had seen the arson attacks, vandalism and explosions by pro-blockade activists on television in the last few

days and they feared they could become the next victims, but they had no alternatives but to keep on plying their businesses.

“I have a six-member family to look after of whom three are students. Usually I stay at home during hartal and blockades to stay safe but this time the programmes are lingering chronologically,” said Mukid Sheikh, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver.

He said his income fell by half during the blockade.

Many passengers at the Gabtoli bus terminal were found hiring human haulers, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and tempos.

They said they might have to change

the small vehicles several times to reach destinations. The same scenario prevailed at Mohakhali Bus Terminal.

A staff at the Rajlaxmi Paribahan counter said they would set off one or two Barisal-bound buses in the evening if the situation seemed better.

The Sadarghat launch terminal was found almost empty.

Saiful Haque Khan, senior deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said the number of incoming and outgoing vessels declined for lack of passengers yesterday.

“Although the law and order situation seems okay here, passengers are not pouring in as expected,” he said. l

Globally the day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was observed on November 25.

At the event, the Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Heather Cruden said: “The Government of Canada has made it a priority to fight violence against women, and early forcedmarriage in particular.”

About the film she said: “Girl Rising is a powerful reminder that courageous girls, including Nishat Majumder [the first Bangladeshi woman to have scaled Everest] and Arzina, [a youth from Nilphamari promoting girls’ education in her community] here in Bangladesh, are leading the change around the world. As Keshob Roy [the winner of UN Youth Courage Award for Education] demonstrates, men and boys also play a critical role in ending violence against women.”

Elena Ahmed, interim country director of the PIB, said: “Tonight’s screening shows the impact we can have when we partner together in a cause that has the potential to truly change the world: educating and empowering girls.

“The film highlights that girls are powerful and strong and that they deserve to have equal rights— rights they are often denied because of their gender.”

The event was attended by members of civil society, international organisations and government representatives. l

4 sentenced to death for killing engineer JSD delegation urges n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday handed down the death penalty to four defendants in the murder case of Suman Kumar Dutta, an engineer based in Dhaka.

Suman was murdered on October 5 in 2011 at his office in the capital’s Dhanmodi area.

He used to work for A Tech Corporation, a business institution situated in Dhanmondi. According to the case statement, the six accused hit him with an iron rod and later strangled him to death.

The four convicts are Md Abdul Karim Sardar, Md Deen Islam (alias Deena), Md Nasir Hossain Gazi and Md Rashed Sarkar Raju. Of them, Md Rashed Sarkar Raju and Md Abdul Karim Sardar used to work as peons at

the A Tech Corporation.

The court handed them down five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined them Tk5,000, to serve six more months in jail in the case of a default.

Raju is currently absconding.

Md Asaduzzaman Khan Sajib was given two years imprisonment and fined Tk2,000, to serve three more months in jail in the case of a default.

The court acquitted Md Shamim Fakir, the other accused in the case.

Judge ABM Shajedur Rahman, of the Speedy Trial Tribunal 3, handed down the verdict.

The victim’s father Shushil Kumar Dutta filed a murder case with Mohammadpur police station on October 9, 2011.

The Investigative Officer in this case

pressed the charge sheet before the court on February 29, 2012. The court framed charges against the accused in September of this year.

After examining 16 prosecution witnesses out of 21, the court handed down the verdict.

Earlier the four convicts gave confessional statements before the court.

Shushil Kumar Dutta told to the Dhaka Tribune that his son’s soul would rest in peace after the verdicts were carried out.

He hoped that the sentence would not be changed by the High Court.

Special public prosecutor of the tribunal Md Mahbubur Rahman prosecuted for the government, while Advocate Tapan Kumar was the defence counsel. l

president to hold talks n Tribune Report To resolve the existing political crisis, a delegation from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, led by its President ASM Abdur Rob yesterday requested president Abdul Hamid to take initiative to hold a national dialogue with all political parties, professional bodies and civil society members.

Rob made the request during the six member delegation visited Bangabhaban, said a JSD press release.

During the meeting, the delegation discussed on country’s current political situation and portrayed a scenario on the losses of lives and

properties in the ongoing political violence.

They also pressed a five-point suggestion to the president, including formation of an 11-member cabinet committee consisting distinguished and neutral members from the society.

The president would take steps following provision of the constitution, Abdul Hamid assured the delegates.

Earlier, a delegation from the opposition 18-party alliance and a delegation from civil society members had held meetings with the president and sought his intervention to resolve the current political crisis. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 2, 2013

SECOND DAY OF 72-HOUR BLOCKADE

Clashes, blasts, vandalism rampant across districts Pickets go on the rampage and also exploded four crude bombs to create panic among people BNP-led 18-party alliance in the disn Our Correspondent trict town Sunday over bringing out a The second day of the 72-hour ongoing countrywide blockade enforced by the 18-party alliance passed off amid sporadic clashes, chases and counter-chases between police and blockaders, arson attack, blasts and arrests in different districts across the country.

At least 10 persons including two policemen were injured in chase and counter-chase between police and problockade activists in Bhaluka bridge area on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, reports our correspondent.

A group of BNP activists vandalised three CNG-run auto-rickshaws on the highway.

On information, police rushed to the spot to tame the situation. A case and counter-chase took place between the lawmen and the protesters.

The lawmen fired seven rounds of rubber bullets and three teargas shells to disperse the troublemakers.

10 persons were reported to be injured and five BNP men sustained bullet injuries during the incident.

Police also arrested two BNP activists from the spot.

Our Gaibandha correspondent adds: at least 23 individuals including three police members were injured in a clash between police and activists of the

procession demanding cancellation of the election schedule and immediate release of their detained leaders.

The injured lawmen were Badsha Mia, Maznu Mia and Manzurul Islam.

Police arrested one BNP activist, Ripon, from the spot.

The angry activists went on the rampage and also exploded four crude bombs to create panic among people.

Police fired at least 20 rounds of rubber bullets and threw five teargas shells in a bid to disperse the troublemakers.

The 18-party alliance enforced hartal in the district yesterday and extended it till Monday in protest against what they said “police oppression”.

In Lalmonirhat, the railway tracks near Lalmonirhat and Mohendranagar were uprooted by the blockaders yesterday morning.

The rail communications were disrupted between the district and three other routes including Parbatipur, Bogra, Kurigram and Dhaka, said our correspondent.

Train movement was halted for three hours from 6am to 9am. Additional BGB members and police had been deployed in the senstitive areas of Lalmonirhat and Mohendranagar to keep guard over the railway tracks. l

Police fire rubber bullets to disperse pickets at Kachari Bazar in Gaibandha yesterday

WORLD AIDS DAY OBSERVED

370 new HIV cases detected in the country n Tribune Report

This year 370 HIV infections have been detected in the country, along with 95 AIDS cases and 82 related deaths.

The information was disclosed by Health Secretary MM Niazuddinin at an exhibition programme held yesterday at the Bangladesh International Conference Centre (BICC) to mark World AIDS Day. He said the number of new HIV infections was 338 in 2012, while the number of patients with AIDS was 103 – with 65 dying from the disease.

The first HIV case diagnosed in Bangladesh was in 1989.

He stressed the need to create awareness to counter the stigma attached to the disease, and said its prevalence in Bangladesh was still low, with a recent figure putting the number of

people living with HIV at 3,241.

However, the UN estimates the actual number to be between 8,000 and 16,000, which means many cases are left undetected and untreated.

World AIDS Day was observed yesterday in the city with an elaborate programme to raise awareness of HIV. The programme is aimed especially at youths, to help prevent the spread of the disease in the country.

In a joint initiative of the National AIDS/STD Programme, the Health Ministry and various NGOs, a procession was brought out on Manik Mia Avenue and an exhibition was held at the BICC, reports BSS. The theme this year was “Three Zeros: zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS related deaths.”

Health Minister Rowshan Ershad, who inaugurated the day at the BICC as

the guest of honour, also emphasised the need for awareness in order to control HIV infections.

She said: “Most of the people in Bangladesh do not have enough knowledge regarding AIDS and HIV, in particular married women and the younger generation should be educated about the disease to enable its prevention.” The minister urged all people to work together to achieve the target of ‘the three zeros’ by 2015.

President of the network PLHIV Habiba Akhter said very few HIV patients have been given Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment, and that many have remained without treatment because of the social stigma.

She said intensive campaigns to increase awareness are needed across the country in order to remove the social stigma and misconception about HIV.

Speakers at the programme also called for regular blood tests for sex workers and drug addicts.

Other speakers were Director General of the Health Service Prof Dr Khandaker M Sefayetullah, UNAIDS Country Coordinator Dr Leo Kenny, WHO Representative to Bangladesh Dr Tushara Fernando, and Bangladesh Medical and Association Secretary General Dr Iqbal Arsalan.

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 every year to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, and to show international solidarity in the face of the epidemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to disseminate information about the disease, and to encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment around the world, particularly in high prevalence countries. l

FOCUS BANGLA

10 held over police-pickets clash in Monirampur n Our Correspondent, Jessore Police arrested 10 people at Monirampur upazila in Jessore on Saturday night for their alleged involvement in a clash between law enforcers and picketers at Begaritala on Saturday, the first day of the 72-hour blockade.

Three police men and several others were injured during the clash.

A case was lodged with Monirampur police station accusing over 1,200 BNPJamaat men.

Later, combined forces comprising police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard of Bangladesh personnel conducted a raid at Chalkidanga village and arrested 10 people.

Meanwhile, Syed Saberul Haque Sabu, general secretary of Jessore district unit BNP, alleged that the combined forces harassed innocent people

at several villages of Monirampur in the name of a drive.

Master Noor-un-Nabi, secretary of Jessore district unit Jamaat-e-Islami, alleged that the combined forces tortured several people at Chalkidanga village.

“The forces beat up at least 50 innocent people, including women, and looted 10 tolas of gold, cash and valuables and ransacked televisions, computers and furniture worth Tk4m,” he said.

The law enforcers also vandalised five shops, two motorbikes and a microbus during the raid, he added.

Reshma Sharmin, assistant superintendent of police, however, denied the allegation of 18-party leaders.

At least 10 people were arrested during the operation, she said.

Asked about torture and looting, she said: “I did not hear such information.” l

Two bodies found on tracks in Gazipur n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

A human chain was formed in front of the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city yesterday, marking the World AIDS Day

Housewife beaten to death in Comilla n Tribune DEsk A housewife, who was beaten allegedly by her nephew (son of husband’s brother) at Sarkarpur village in Daudkandi upazila on Friday, died at a hospital in the capital yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Sharmin Akhter, 35, wife of Nazim Uddin of the village.

Police said Nazim had picked a quarrel with his brother Mantu Miah over the ownership of a piece of land on Friday evening.

At one stage, Mantu’s son Mizan beat Nazim mercilessly. When Sharmin tried to resist Mizan, he also beat her, leaving her critically injured, reports UNB. Sharmin was rushed to Gouripur hospital and then shifted to a hospital in Dhaka where she succumbed to her injuries yesterday morning.

Mohammad Ashikuzzaman, sub-inspector of Gouripur police station, said a case was filed against five people in this connection. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two unidentified bodies were recovered from railway racks in Tongi in Gazipur yesterday.

Md Nazrul Islam, security guard of Nimtoli Rail Gate on Tongi-Bhairab rail route, said a man aged around 3032 fell from the Kishoreganj-bound ‘Kishoreganj Express’ train that was leaving Dhaka at Majhukhan bridge of Tongi around 11:30am.

After rescuing him local people took the man to the nearby Tongi hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

Separately, Adam Ali, sub-inspector of GRP police out post in Narasingdi, said they recovered the unidentified body of a man aged around 30 from Banmala of Tongi yesterday.

Police could not confirm any detail except saying that the man may have died after falling from a train roof. Police were also suspecting that the man might have been pushed down from train roof, either by muggers or someone else.

The bodies were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for post mortems and separate cases were field in this connection. l

Hartal in three districts, four upazilas observed peacefully n Tribune Desk Separate daylong hartals enforced by the BNP and the 18-party alliance passed off yesterday almost peacefully in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Dinajpur districts and four upazilas of Sylhet.

In Chittagong, a chase and counterchase took place between hartal supporters and police in Bahaddarhat area of the city around 8am.

Three people were arrested from the area.

The opposition activists also clashed with police in AK Khan road, Colonel Hat and Sagorikas area of the city in the morning.

Meanwhile, the opposition men halted the train service by putting barricade on the rail tracks in Ispahani area of Pahartali in the morning.

Train communications between Chittagong and Dhaka and Sylhet remained halted from 7am.

Local BNP called the dawn-to-dusk shutdown in the district protesting the arrest of BNP leaders, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and BNP central organising secretary Ghulam Akbar Khandakar.

In Chittagong, a chase and counter-chase took place between hartal supporters and police in Bahaddarhat area of the city around 8am Police arrested Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin from in front of Shah Amanat International Airport Thursday night while seven BNP leaders, including Ghulam Akbar Khandakar, from Kazir Deori area on Thursday morning.

In Cox’s Bazar, hartal was observed peacefully as no incidence of violence was reported in the early hours of hartal.

No long-route bus left the town in

the morning.

Additional law enforcers were deployed in the town to avoid any untoward situation.

The main opposition on Thursday night called a daylong hartal in the district protesting the killing of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader Abdul Halim in police beating.

In Dinajpur, Hartal supporters brought out a procession in the town in the morning and set fire on the road in Jalroad area.

Later, police doused the fire.

Shops and educational institutions remained closed in the town.

The BNP-led 18-party combine on Friday called a daylong hartal in the district protesting the Thursday’s attack on the alliance men.

At least 50 people were injured as the opposition men clashed with the cops and the ruling party activists in the Government College intersection

on Thursday noon.

In Sylhet, a daylong hartal in Dakshin Surma, Companyganj, Jointapur and Gowainghat upazilas, called by 18-party alliance protesting Thursday’s police attack on party men, progressed peacefully yesterday.

Matiur Rahman Dudu, vice-president of Dakhkhin Surma unit BNP, announced the shutdown in the upazila at a rally in the upazila headquarters Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Dildar Hossain Selim, vice-president of district unit BNP, called the daylong hartal in Companyganj, Jointapur and Gowainghat upazilas.

Besides, a 36-hour shutdown, called

by BNP, in Bogra district demanding inclusion of BNP leaders, including its senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, in the voter list, was withdrawn on Sunday because of the 72-hour blockade of the opposition alliance. l

Najma Banu passes away n Tribune Report Najma Banu, wife of Haidar Ali, retired assistant secretary of ministry of public administration, died of brain hemorrhage at the Square Hospital in Dhaka on Saturday morning. She was 66.

She hailed from Rajbari. She is survived by husband, one son, two daughters, grandchildren and well-wishers.

Her namaze-e-janaza was held at the Sukrabad Mosque on Saturday and was buried at Mirpur Intellectual Graveyard after Johor prayers. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

7

Monday, December 2, 2013

Vegetable growers suffer for blockade n Our Correspondent, Sherpur

A huge quantity of cauliflowers are stockpiled at kitchen market in Bogra yesterday. Cauliflowers growers are counting huge loss for non-availability of transport because of continuous hartals and bloackades. Now, they are selling one maund cauliflower at Tk400 to 500 while the same quantity was Tk1,100 to Tk1,200 two weeks ago FOCUS BANGLA

Rabindra, Nazrul commemorated in Faridpur n Tribune Desk Commemorating hundred years of receiving the Nobel Prize by poet Rabindra Nath Tagore for ‘Gitanjali’ and 90 years of famous poetry ‘Bidrohi’ of rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, a programme styled as ‘Robir Alo-Droher Bina’ was held on Saturday under the sponsorships of Faridpur Shilpokala Academy at Kabi Jasimuddin hall.

Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Abu Hena Morshed Zaman was the chief guest in the function while Additional Deputy Commissioner M Jahangir Hossain attended as the special guest. Educationist Prof M Shahjahan chaired the function.

The colorful programme was divided into three sessions including presentations of keynote papers on Tagore and Nazrul, discussions, poetry recitations, dances and songs.

Professor Abdul Motaleb and Professor Rezvi Zaman presented the keynote papers on Tagore and Nazrul respectively where they highlighted their genius, creativities and contributions.

DC Morshed Zaman said the two great poets had curved out a very distinctive and significant place in the then world literature reflecting prominent identity of the Bangla speaking people.

Though Tagore and Nazrul composed their immortal creations many years back still those are very much pertinent in our life in present days, he said.

Morshed Zaman said romanticism, humanism and secularism were the key ingredients in their creations for building a happy and prosperous society.

Speaking on ‘Bidrohi’ he said Kazi Nazrul Islam who is our national poet inspired the people to shake of shackles of subservience under the British colonial rule that sought to keep it in bondage.

Professor M Shahjahan said Tagore and Nazrul gave enriched cultural and literary identity by their writings while Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ensured our political identity in polity of nations. Cultural activist and Freedom fighter Abul Faez Shahnawas also spoke at the function. l

Massive plan taken for Boro farming in southern region

n Tribune Desk

Department of Agriculture Extension has taken up a massive plan to cultivate Irri-Boro paddy in 11 southern districts during the current Irri-Boro season.

Office sources said the DAE has set a plan to cultivate 347,503 hectares of land with the production target of 1.35m tonnes of rice in the region, reports BSS. The districts are Barisal, Pirojpur, Jhalokathi, Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Rajbari, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur and Shariatpur. Officials of DAE are motivating farmers to cultivate Irri-Boro paddy on a large scale for ensuring food security and making growers economically benefited.

Necessary steps have been taken to ensure supply of adequate quantity of improved quality seeds, fertilisers, insecticides and other agricultural inputs among the growers in fair prices to boost Irri-Boro production, said DAE Additional Director of the region Khandaker Sirajul Karim. l

The price of vegetables has dropped sharply in Sherpur due to the shrinking availability of transport amid the ongoing political turmoil. Hartals and bloackades have been causing severe losses to farmers.

Fearing vandalism and arson attacks during the political programmes, transportation owners are reluctant to allow their vehicles to carry vegetables to the capital.

Many of the vehicle drivers are charging high fares, stating that they would have to risk their lives to bring the goods to the capital.

Locals cultivate vegetables on chards in Dikpara, Chuniyar, Satpaik and other villages under Charmakkhipari union of Sherpur Sadar Upazila.

Sometimes the farmers get a bumper produce of different vegetables like, aborigines, gourds, cauliflowers, cabbages, tomatoes, and radishes.

Farmers have been making profits by selling these produce to the city for the last five to six years. Most of the locals find employment by taking up farming as their profession.

However, the local traders allege that they are not able to carry their produce to the capital, due to the hartals and blockades. The vegetables are

Char people adapt to climate change impact n Tribune Desk

Thousands of distressed women have successfully adapted them with adverse impacts of climate change in remote char villages after struggling with natural disasters and abject poverty for decades together.

Side by side adapting with adverse situations in the riverine island chars on the Brahmaputra basin, they have achieved socioeconomic success to lead better life with their family members through various income-generating activities, reports BSS. All these became possible following successful implementation of the comprehensive Chars Livelihoods Programme (CLP) aiming at improving life standard of the extremely poor people living in the char areas since 2004.

Under the programme, thousands of the have-nots group landless families have adapted with adverse situations to achieve self-reliance bidding good-bye to

the century-old seasonal ‘monga’ during the past nine years.

The UKaid through the Department for International Development and Australian Government through Australian Agency for International Development have been funding implementation of the programme.

Under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, CLP is being executed by the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division with the management through Maxwell Stamp Plc. According to official sources, the CLP has been working with the extremely poor households living on the riverine island chars to improve their livelihoods through raising plinths and providing assets and other assistances.

Agriculture and Environment Coordinator Mamunur Rashid of RDRS Bangladesh, an implementing partner of CLP, said plinth-raising helps the char people effectively to escape the wrath of floods

during the rainy seasons.

“The CLP is being implemented in collaboration with the GO-NGOs on the chars in Kurigram, Bogra, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Pabna and Tangail districts successfully,” he said.

The sources said 55,000 poorest households have been benefited under CLP phase-I during 2004-2010 and 60,000 households out of 67,000 so far under phase-II (2010- 2016) to improve livelihoods of 1.9 million extremely poor char people by 2016.

Under the programme, plinths of the beneficiary families have been raised, grants, assets, training and other assistances provided to improve their livelihoods through income generation activities to boost the char economy.

Rahela Begum, of village Purbo Char Gunai on the Teesta riverbed under Kawnia upazila said she first raised the plinth of her house under the CLP to become safe from the wraths of floods.

rotting due to the lack of arrangements for their storage. Seeing no other option, the farmers are being compelled to accept whatever price the traders are offering them.

Many of the vehicle drivers are charging high fares, stating that they would have to risk their lives to bring the goods to the capital Sujon, a farmer of Dikpara village, said: “It costs Tk1,20,000 to cultivate aborigines on four bighas of land. I cannot make a handsome profit as the retailers are unable to come here fearing the political violence. Moreover, I have a surplus produce this year.”

Habibor, a cauliflower cultivator, said: “I have spent Tk30,000-Tk35,000 to cultivate cauliflowers on my land.

But, I had to sell them at Tk16,000. We have to sell vegetables at a much lower price as they are rotting away.”

“We have been sitting idle as the traders are not coming in to buy our produce,” said another farmer called Farhad.

Motaeb Bapery, a retailer of Kulur Char, said: “We cannot carry produce to the capital due to a lack of transportation during the blockade. Truck drivers have been charging extra fares so we cannot even make profit.” l

Scrapped ship detained for evading tax

Later, she started cultivating vegetables, fruits and roof gardening, animal husbandry, poultry, set up compost heaps in her raised homestead and established sanitary latrine to get rid of water borne diseases. “Rahela has now achieved economic self-reliance, her two sons go to school and she now understands how to cope with and reduce adverse impacts of climate change,” Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha said.

Similarly, CLP beneficiaries Akhtera Banu, Shyamoli Rani and Julekha, said they have achieved success through sewing handloom garments, animal husbandry, poultry, dairy, selling labours, homestead gardening, farming vegetables and agri-activities.

Taramon Bibi, Bir Pratik, and UNO of Chilmari upazila Mamun-Ul-Hassan said the CLP has changed life style of char people improving their livelihoods side by side building their capacities to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. l

n Tribune Desk

Customs Intelligence today detained a scrapped ship, illegally imported from Singapore by evading taxes of worth about TK15m.

Officials of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department detained the ship ‘MV Swift Crew’ from ‘Sunrise Ship Breaking Yard’ at Kadamrasul area of Sitakunda upazila, reports BSS. Assistant Directors of CIID, Chittagong Safiur Rahman and Nahid Nowshad Mukul detained the ship imported by Ahmed Mustafa Ship Breaking Yard while it was being cut at the Sunrise Ship Breaking Yard’.

CIID sources said on the basis of information provided by National Board of Revenue, CIID officials detained the ship which was imported illegally by evading taxes of worth about TK1.54m. Two cases- one for smuggling and another for dodging taxes-were filed in this connection, the sources added. l

BNP-backed panel leads Jessore Bar Association polls n Our Correspondent, Jessore Defeating the Awami League-backed panel, the BNP-backed team bagged 10 positions out of 17, including the posts for president and general secretary, in the Bar Association election of the district held on Saturday.

The Awami League-backed panel got only 7 posts in the bar polls.

According to the Election Commission, BNP-backed Debashish Das and Abu Murtoza Chhoto were elected as president and secretary respectively, beating Sharif Abdur Raqib and Abul Hossain, who were backed by the Awami League.

The other elected office bearers

from the BNP-backed panel were: Borhanuddian Jakir as vice-president, Ruhul Ahmed Kochi as joint secretary, and executive members Mahmuda Khanom, Nargis Nahar, Madhabendra Adhikary, BM Jafar Altaf, Gazi Abdullah Al Mamun Nannu and Dezina Yeasmin.

The winners of the Awami Leaguebacked panel were: Abu Selim Rana as vice-president, Asaduzzaman Babul and Saiful Karim Mukul as assistant secretaries, Samir Uddin Dulal as library affairs secretary, and executive members Shahnaz Parvin, Golam Rasul Khan and Idris Ali. The results came out on Saturday at midnight. l

Members of Border Guards Bangladesh remove logs kept by pickets to block a road in Chandpur town yesterday, the second day of the 72-hour blockade DHAKA TRIBUNE

Four murdered in three districts n Tribune Report

Four persons were killed in separate incidents in Jessore, Rajshahi and Khulna yesterday.

A young man was stabbed to death in Carpeting Jute Mills area under Nawapara industrial town in Jessore Saturday night.

The deceased was Shahidul Islam, 20, son of Altaf Hossain of Rajghat area under Nawapara industrial town in Jessore.

Police said the youth had been stabbed suddenly by one of his friends centring feud over taking drugs.

The victim was rushed to Abhaynagar upazila health complex soon after the incident and then shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital, but he died on the way to hospital. No case was filed.

In Rajshahi, police recovered the body of a man at Debpara in Poba upazila yesterday morning. Identity of the deceased could not be known immediately.

Local people found the body in a

roadside bamboo cluster around 7am and informed police about the matter, reports UNB. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

The deceased are Jesmine, 20, daughter of Rashed Morol, resident at Boyra women college road in Khalishpur police station in the city and Yasin Molla, 32, son of Latif Molla of village Bagmara under Rupsha upazila in the district Akbar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Poba police station, said they were suspecting that the man was killed somewhere else on Saturday night and then the body was dumped in the area.

In Khulna, two bodies were recovered from two different areas yesterday.

The deceased are Jesmine, 20, daughter of Rashed Morol, resident at Boyra

women college road in Khalishpur police station in the city and Yasin Molla, 32, son of Latif Molla of village Bagmara under Rupsha upazila in the district.

On receiving information, police recovered the body Jesmine from Goalkhali graveyard around 11am.

The veil clad body of Jasmine was wrapped in a sack with her two legs tied with a rope, police said.

She was missing for the last three days police said, adding that she might have been killed by miscreants and her body was dumped there.

Meanwhile, officer-in-charge of Rupsha police station Robiul Islam said they had recovered the body of Yasin Molla, 32, from a beel at village Pathorghata under Rupsha upazila.

Severe marks of injury were found in his body police said, adding that he might have been strangulated and lynched by miscreants.

The two bodies were sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Two separate cases were filed. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Cotton factory gutted in Gaibandha A cotton factory located at BSCIC state at Dhanghara area near the district town, was gutted in a fire yesterday morning. According to sources the fire originated from an electric short circuit around 7:30 am and soon engulfed the Nushrat Akter Jahan Cotton Factory of the estate and burnt the goods to ashes. On receiving information, the fire fighters unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after half an hour, said M Moynul Islam, station officer, Fire Service and Civil Defence Gaibandha. The loss caused by the fire could not be ascertained immediately, he said. BSS

Farmer chopped to death in Rajshahi

A farmer was chopped to death by his rivals at Auchpara in Baghmara upazila on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahman, 55, son of Bhudai Mandal of the village. Officer-in-charge of Baghmara police Station Abdul Hamid said Abdur Rahman had locked into an altercation

with local Awami League leader Jahanagir Alam, of Hatkhujipur village, over irrigating a potato field at about 10am. At one stage, Jahangir chopped Abdur Rahman with a spade indiscriminately, leaving him dead on the spot. Jahangir went into hiding after the incident. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed in this connection. UNB

40-day employment programme begins in Panchagarh A 40-day employment programme began for the poor people of five upazilas of the district yesterday. Deputy Commissioner Saleh Uddin formally inaugurated the programme. The government has allocated Tk7.73m for the district. A total of 9,413 beneficiaries, including poor women, will get benefit from this programme. Each labourer will get Tk. 200 as wage each day under the programme. The work will include repairing bridges, culverts, roads and educational and religious institutions. BSS

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

100,000 Ukrainians rally over leader’s EU snub n AFP, Kiev, Ukraine Some 100,000 Ukrainians chanting “Revolution!” swarmed a central Kiev square Sunday in a mass call for early elections meant to punish President Viktor Yanukovych for rejecting a historic EU pact.

The crowd, with many waving the gold-and-blue flag of the European Union, took control of Kiev’s iconic Independence Square and steered a bulldozer within striking distance of metal police barricades protecting the presidential adminstration building on a nearby sidestreet.

Footage broadcast by a private Ukraine television station also showed a few dozen people breaking into an empty Kiev city hall building and reading speeches demanding an immediate break in relations with Russia.

“The government and president must resign,” world boxing champion turned opposition leader Vitali Klitschko said to loud cheers and cries of “Yes!” “A revolution is starting in Ukraine,” added nationalist opposition leader Oleh Tyagnybok.

“We are now launching a national strike,” he said in dramatic scenes aired live on television stations in both Ukraine and Russia.

The ex-Soviet nation of 46 million was thrown into its deepest crisis since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution when Yanukovych snubbed EU leaders at a Vilnius summit on Friday and opted to keep Ukraine aligned with

Femen members urinate on Ukraine leader’s photo in Paris

Thousands of Ukrainians march to Independence square in downtown Kiev its former master Russia.

The government’s decision – first announced a week before the EU meeting – sparked mass demonstrations that turned violent in the early hours of Saturday when hundreds of rubber baton-wielding police drove about 1,000 protesters from Kiev’s focal Independence Square.

A few hundred of them spent the night at the nearby Mikhailovsky Monastery, burning wood in metal barrels to ward off the freezing temperature and receiving food from the monastery’s monks.

The protesters vowed to form a “national resistance task force” and called for early elections as well daily rallies

AP

aimed at blocking the entrance to the Ukrainian government seat.

Sunday’s demonstration was held in defiance of a sudden ban imposed late Saturday by Kiev’s main administrative court on all protests on the square and its surrounding streets until January 7.

But dozens of police officers quickly gave way when the crowd overwhelmed the area and knocked down metal barriers surrounding a huge Christmas tree that authorities had put up.

AFP reporters estimated the size of Sunday’s crowd at about 100,000 people while some protest leaders and Ukrainian media put the figure even higher. There was no immediate official police estimate. l

Monday, December 2, 2013

Germany urges Ukraine to protect peaceful protesters

New York train derails, four killed n Reuters, New York

n AFP, Berlin

At least four people were killed and 63 injured on Sunday when a commuter train derailed in New York, with at least five cars from a Metro-North train sliding off the tracks, officials said.

The train derailed on a large curved section of track at 7:20 a.m. in New York about 100 yards (meters) north of Metro North’s Spuyten Duyvil station in the Bronx borough, said Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for Metro North, a subsidiary of New York State’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

A spokesman for the city fire department confirmed the number of dead and injured and said victims were being transported to local hospitals.

At least one rail car was lying toppled near the Hudson river and police and other rescue workers were searching for survivors along the shoreline and the waterway.

Dozens of firefighters were on the scene helping pull people from the wreckage. l

Germany’s foreign minister called on Ukraine Sunday to protect peaceful demonstrators and ensure the people’s right to assembly, as pro-EU Ukrainians vowed to defy a protest ban.

“I vigorously call on the Ukrainian government to ensure freedom of assembly and to protect the peaceful demonstrators from any kind of intimidation and violence,” Guido Westerwelle said in a statement.

Truncheon-wielding police early Saturday dispersed protesters in Kiev calling for President Viktor Yanukovych to resign after he walked away from a key political and free trade deal with the European Union that had been years in the making.

The opposition has said it will defy a sudden ban on protests in central Kiev and rally Sunday in support of early elections.

Westerwelle said people in Kiev and

other towns had taken to the streets “for a European Ukraine,” as was their right. “We share their wish to quickly bring Ukraine closer to the European Union,” he said. “Our offer for that stands.”

‘I vigorously call on the Ukrainian government to ensure freedom of assembly’ He added that Ukraine’s current presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe where it hosts a foreign ministers’ meeting on December 5 and 6 should be “a particular incentive for the government in Kiev to respect our common European values.”

Yanukovych has condemned the use of force against the opposition protesters in which several dozen were wounded. l

20 killed in air raids on Syria’s Al-Bab n AFP, Beirut

At least 20 people, including four children, were killed Sunday in a second day of deadly air strikes on Al-Bab in northern Syria, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based monitoring group said they were killed when regime helicopters dropped explosives-laden barrels on a market area of Al-Bab, a day

after similar attacks killed at least 26 others in the same town.

“The toll is likely to rise as dozens were wounded, some of them critically, and there are reports of victims trapped under the rubble,” said the Observatory.

The Syrian regime has regularly been accused by the opposition, foreign governments and rights groups of using so-called “barrel bombs” against

Children escape as mortar hits French school in Damascus n AFP, Damascus

STILL WATERS RUN DEEP

n AFP, Paris Topless women from the Femen feminist movement on Sunday urinated on photos of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Paris to condemn a crackdown on protesters angry about his rejection of a key EU deal.

Five women from the group gathered in front of the Ukrainian embassy in the morning, bared their breasts and then took off their knickers to defile the photographs they placed on the sidewalk.

The slogan “Yanukovych piss off !” was painted on their torsos. They then left and there were no arrests.

The protest came after policemen armed with truncheons broke up a 1,000-strong protest in Kiev on Saturday calling for Yanukovych’s resignation after he suspended work on a trade and partnership agreement with the European Union that had been years in the making.

Dozens were wounded in the crackdown and more than 30 protesters were detained.

Despite a ban on protests in the heart of the Ukrainian capital, tens of thousands gathered again on Sunday to call for early elections.

The EU deal would have opened borders to goods and set the stage for an easing of travel restrictions but Yanukovych reneged at the last moment, saying his country could not afford to sacrifice trade with Russia. Moscow was opposed to the agreement.

Inna Shevchenko, the head of the Femen movement in France, said: “We came to say to Europe that we need help.” l

Israel’s new opposition chief meets with Abbas n AP, Ramallah Israel’s new opposition leader says he told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that a clear majority in Israel supports a peace deal with the Palestinians and that his Labor Party will back any future agreement.

Isaac Herzog was elected Labor leader on Nov. 21, replacing a party chief who had made domestic issues such as economic inequality a chief concern. Herzog’s meeting with Abbas on Sunday signaled a shift back to Labor’s traditional priorities. In the 1990s, Labor led Israel into ultimately unsuccessful negotiations on the terms of a Palestinian state.

Talks resumed in July, but there’s been no apparent progress. Tensions are high over Israel’s continued settlement building on lands sought for a Palestinian state.

Herzog says Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should meet to advance negotiations. l

Clouds reflect in the Maschsee lake in Hanover, Germany on November 25

Egypt’s army powers in focus as panel votes on charter n AFP, Cairo An Egyptian panel Sunday focuses on the army as it votes on a new constitution, the first step in a “democratic transition” pledged after the military ousted president Mohamed Morsi. If adopted, the charter will be put to a popular referendum early next year, followed by parliamentary and presidential elections by mid-2014. On Saturday’s first day of voting, the 50-member panel approved 138 of the 247 articles of the draft.

These included one stipulating that Islamic sharia law will be the main source of legislation, as was also the case during the regime of toppled ruler Hosni Mubarak. The other main article approved forbids the formation of religious parties or parties based on religious grounds. On Sunday, articles 204 and 234 are in the spotlight. These concern the military which removed the Islamist Morsi in July after millions of people called for his resignation following a turbulent single year in office. l

HRW urges Saudi to probe violence n AFP, Riyadh Human Rights Watch on Sunday urged Saudi authorities to launch a probe into violence that accompanied a crackdown launched last month against illegal migrant workers.

It also warned of a “humanitarian disaster” if the workers remain held in deportation centres across the Gulf kingdom.

Saudi authorities had announced the death in November of four people – two Saudis, a Sundanese and another foreigner – in clashes with illegal workers.

Addis Ababa had said three Ethiopians were killed in clashes.

The campaign, which started on November 4 after a seven-month amnesty for illegal workers to formalise their status or leave Saudi Arabia, had aroused tensions between the authorities and communities in the country.

On Friday, police said a group of Ethiopians held at a deportation centre in the western city of Jeddah escaped to a highway in the city where they gathered briefly before authorities recaptured them.l

civilians.

The US State Department has described the weapons as “incendiary bombs which contain flammable material that can be like napalm.”

Elsewhere, the Observatory said at least five regime forces were killed overnight in a suicide car bomb attack at a police checkpoint on the Damascus-Homs highway near the contested town of Nabuk.l

AFP

WORLD WATCH Croatia votes on move to ban gay marriage

Croatians voted on Sunday in a controversial referendum that could outlaw same-sex marriage in the mostly Catholic country, an issue that has split the EU’s newest member state. The Churchbacked measure being put to the vote would amend the country’s constitution to include a definition of marriage as a “union between a woman and a man.”

Passions have run high in Croatia ahead of the vote, with the ‘yes’ camp citing the defence of traditional family values, and their opponents accusing them of anti-gay discrimination. The centre-left government, rights activists and prominent public figures have all spoken out against the measure.

Namibian military transports plane crash victims

A Namibian report says the remains of 33 people who died in a Mozambique Airlines plane crash are being transported to the Namibian capital, Windhoek. The Namibia Press Agency reported Sunday that a Namibian military plane is carrying the remains, which are to be kept at the police mortuary. The Angola-bound plane crashed Friday in a Namibian national park near the border with Angola and there were no survivors. Searchers found the wreckage on Saturday. Mozambique Airlines says the aircraft was carrying six crewmembers and 27 passengers, including 10 Mozambicans, nine Angolans, five Portuguese, and one citizen each from France, Brazil and China.

An investigation of the cause is underway.

At Least Five Dead In Italian Factory Fire

At least five people were killed and three injured when a clothing factory in the Italian town of Prato near Florence burned down, fire service officials said on Sunday. The factory, in an industrial zone known for a number of Chinese-owned textile businesses, caught fire on Sunday morning and five badly burned bodies were recovered from what appeared to be a form of improvised dormitory on the site. “At the moment, it seems there are five dead,” an official from the Prato fire service said, but a search of the site was continuing. Footage posted on the website of the local Il Tirreno newspaper showed fire crews battling the flames in a warehouse-like structure while smoke poured out of the building.

Iraq funeral bomb kills 12

A suicide bombing at the funeral of an Iraqi anti-Qaeda fighter killed 12 people Sunday as figures showed nearly 950 people died last month in spiralling violence ahead of elections. The violence, Iraq’s worst protracted period of unrest since it emerged from a gruesome Sunni-Shia sectarian war, has sparked fears the country is slipping back into all-out bloodletting. Officials have adopted an array of measures aimed at halting the attacks, focussing their efforts on resurgent Al-Qaeda front groups emboldened by the war raging in neighbouring Syria. On Sunday, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the funeral of an anti-Al-Qaeda fighter who had been killed just a day earlier near the restive confessionally mixed city of Baquba.

A mortar shell hit the French school in the Syrian capital Damascus on Sunday without causing any injuries to children in class at the time, officials said.

“A mortar shell landed on the chimney of a classroom around 9:00 am (0700 GMT). No one was hurt but the windows shattered and the walls cracked,” school receptionist Bashir Oneiz told AFP. Aline Farah, a nurse at the Charles de Gaulle school in the upscale central district of Mazzeh, said students were in class when the mortar struck.

“It was a miracle that no one was hurt, neither students nor teachers nor employees,” she said.

“They were all crying. They were terrified. We took them to an underground shelter,” said Farah, adding that the sound of the explosion had been “very strong.” “When the blast hit, the parents came to pick up their children,” she added. Only the school’s staff remained behind after the parents left with their children, said an AFP photographer at the scene.

The only foreign school still open in the Syrian capital, the Charles de Gaulle currently has about 220 students, down from a pre-war population of 900. l

Sniper kills three as clashes Lebanon’s Tripoli n AFP, Tripoli A sniper killed three men Sunday in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli, bringing to nine the toll in 24 hours of sectarian clashes linked to the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

A security source said the three men were in a truck when they were shot dead.

Lebanese soldiers deployed in the area to try to retrieve the bodies of the unidentified men.

Their deaths came after a day of fierce clashes that lasted into the night, leaving 33 wounded by fighting that included the use of rocket-propelled grenades.

The fighting pits residents of the city’s Alawite Jabal Mohsen district against Sunni residents of the neighbouring Bab el-Tebbaneh.

The source said fires had broken out in buildings along the dividing line between the neighbourhoods as a result of the fierce clashes.

Tensions between the neighbouring areas date back to Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war but have been exacerbated by the conflict across the border in Syria, where Alawite President Bashar al-Assad is battling a Sunni-led uprising.

The Lebanese army remained deployed in the coastal city in the north of the country on Sunday, responding to sporadic sniper fire. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Anticipation builds for China’s first moon rover mission n AFP, Beijing

The Indian spacecraft is due to reach Mars on 24 September next year

Indian craft leaves Earth’s orbit on way to Mars n AP, New Delhi India’s Mars orbiter mission left Earth’s sphere of influence early Sunday after performing a maneuver to put it on its way to orbit the red planet.

The spacecraft fired its main engine for more than 20 minutes to reach the correct velocity to leave the Earth’s orbit, the Bangalore-based Indian Space Research Organization said.

“The Earth orbiting phase of the spacecraft ended. The spacecraft is now on a course to encounter Mars after a journey of about 10 months around the sun,” the statement said.

It said that all systems onboard the spacecraft are performing normally.

India launched its first spacecraft bound for Mars on Nov. 5, a complex mission that it hopes will demonstrate and advance technologies for space travel.

The 1,350-kilogram (3,000-pound) orbiter Mangalyaan, which means

“Mars craft” in Hindi, must travel 780 million kilometers (485 million miles) over 300 days to reach an orbit around Mars next September.

If the mission is successful, India will become only the fourth space program to visit the red planet after the Soviet Union, the United States and Europe.

Some have questioned the $72 million price tag for a country of 1.2 billion people still dealing with widespread hunger and poverty. But the government defended the Mars mission, and its $1 billion space program in general, by noting its importance in providing high-tech jobs for scientists and engineers and practical applications in solving problems on Earth.

Decades of space research have allowed India to develop satellite, communications and remote sensing technologies that are helping to solve everyday problems at home, from

BBC

forecasting where fish can be caught by fishermen to predicting storms and floods.

The orbiter will gather images and data that will help in determining how Martian weather systems work and what happened to the large quantities of water that are believed to have once existed on Mars.

It also will search Mars for methane, a key chemical in life processes that could also come from geological processes. Experts say the data will improve understanding about how planets form, what conditions might make life possible and where else in the universe it might exist.

The orbiter is expected to have at least six months to investigate the planet’s landscape and atmosphere.

At its closest point, it will be 365 kilometers (227 miles) from the planet’s surface, and its furthest point will be 80,000 kilometers (49,700 miles) away.l

China’s state media and people eagerly awaited the launch early Monday of the country’s first lunar rover mission, the next step in an ambitious space programme. The Chang’e-3 rocket carrying the “Jade Rabbit” rover to explore the moon is set to blast off at 1:30 am (1730 GMT Sunday).

It will be the third such rover mission to the moon but will boast more sophisticated technology than US and Soviet missions decades earlier.

“The news channel will begin live coverage tonight at midnight... Spread the word!” state broadcaster CCTV said on its official account on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter.

The background of its Weibo page showed the moon’s surface in black and white with the gold-coloured rover bearing the national flag of bright red with yellow stars. China National Radio on one of its Weibo accounts promised two hours of live coverage starting an hour before the launch.

“Gonna stay up tonight to watch the

live coverage! Go Chang’e! Go Jade Rabbit!” wrote one Weibo user.

“The news on TV about Chang’e 3 has made me incredibly proud,” said another. Only a few “narrow windows” of time are available for the launch over the coming days, some lasting only a few minutes, mission spokesman Pei Zhaoyu told Xinhua news agency on Friday.

If successful, the mission, aimed at exploring the moon’s surface and looking for natural resources, will be a milestone in China’s space exploration programme.

It is “the most complicated and difficult task yet in China’s exploration of space” and incorporates lots of new technology, Xinhua quoted Wu Zhijian, a spokesman with the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, as saying last week.

Unlike previous American and Soviet versions, the Chang’e-3 could “accurately survey landforms at the landing site and identify the safest spots on which to land,” Xinhua has said. l

India hardliner Modi pledges unity rally n AFP, Jammu India prime ministerial candidate and Hindu hardliner Narendra Modi promised unity and development on Sunday during a rally in the restive Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi, a popular but polarising figure, told a rally of thousands of people that he would work for the good of the whole state through increased development if he wins a general election due next May. The rally was the first for Modi in the region, racked by years of separatist violence, since he was named as candidate for the opposition Hindu

nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in September.

“I am not here to talk about Hindus and Muslims. If you want progress then you need to have politics of unity and that will ensure progress,” Modi, 63, said in a speech in the Hindu-majority city of Jammu.

“We should have only one religion – nation first. There should be only one religious text – our constitution,” he said to cheers. Security was tight in Jammu, the winter capital of India’s only Muslim-majority state, with several thousand police and paramilitary forces deployed, according to local police sources. l

Iran’s Zarif reassures Gulf Political violence shakes Thai capital Arabs over nuclear deal n AFP, Bangkok

n AFP, Kuwait City Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif assured Gulf Arab states Sunday his country’s nuclear deal with the West is in their interest and also announced plans to visit Saudi Arabia.

“The solution to this issue serves the interests of all countries in the region. It is not at the expense of any state in the region,” Zarif said at a joint news conference after meeting Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Sabah.

“Be assured that the nuclear deal is in favour of the stability and security of the region,” Zarif said on what was his first official visit to a Gulf Arab nation.

The Islamic republic last Sunday struck a landmark deal in Geneva with Western powers on Iran’s disputed nuclear programme.

Both world powers and Israel suspect Tehran’s nuclear ambitions include acquiring a nuclear weapon, a charge Iran vehemently denies.

The Geneva deal was welcomed by the Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab states, which have long been concerned about Shia Iran’s regional ambitions.

But Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers, meeting in Kuwait City last week, also hoped the interim deal will lead to a permanent agree-

ment on Iran’s nuclear programme.

Relations between the six GCC nations and Tehran have deteriorated further because of Iran’s support for Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad.

The GCC consists of energy-rich Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

After his election, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said he hoped to improve relations with neighbouring countries, especially Gulf states.

Zarif said in Kuwait City that Iran was looking to open a new page in relations with the Gulf.

He is also visiting Oman during his current tour and confirmed plans to visit regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia although no date has yet been set.

“We look at Saudi Arabia as an important and influential country in the region,” he said. He also praised the outcome of a visit last week by the UAE foreign minister, saying Tehran would continue to hold discussions with UAE over disputed islands in the Gulf.

Zarif said the Geneva deal does not satisfy all of Iran’s demands or “the goals of the other party, but it is important to implement it.”

“We will implement the deal and are convinced that implementing it will build the trust,” he said. l

Thai police fired tear gas and water cannon Sunday at protesters trying to storm the government headquarters to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, after violence in the capital left four dead and dozens wounded.

The bloodshed is the latest in a series of outbreaks of civil strife in the kingdom since royalist generals ousted billionaire tycoon-turned-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s brother, seven years ago.

The street rallies, aimed at replacing Yingluck’s government with an unelected “people’s council,” are the biggest since mass pro-Thaksin protests in Bangkok three years ago left dozens dead in a military crackdown.

Police repeatedly fired tear gas and water cannon as protesters tried for hours to breach barricades and cut barbed wire protecting Government House, which was heavily guarded by security forces including unarmed soldiers, according to an AFP reporter.

Yingluck was not present at the time. The government denied rumours that she had fled the country but her whereabouts were unknown. Tear gas was also fired at protesters near the metropolitan police headquarters several kilometres (miles) away.

Demonstrators marched on major television stations while several large

An anti-government protester cleans his eyes with salt water solution after riot police fired tear gas to the protesters in Bangkok AP shopping malls, including one that was set ablaze during political unrest in 2010, were closed as a precaution.

Violence broke out late Saturday in the area around a suburban stadium where tens of thousands of pro-government “Red Shirts” had gathered in support of Yingluck, who has faced weeks of street protests.

Four people were killed and 57 wounded, according to Bangkok’s Erawan emergency centre. The dead

and injured suffered a range of wounds including gunshots and stabbings.

At least two of the dead were believed to be Red Shirt supporters.

The circumstances were unclear but the violence came after an anti-government mob attacked Red Shirts arriving to join the rally in Ramkhamhaeng district.

They were the first deaths since the mostly peaceful demonstrations began a month ago. Both sides blamed each other for attacking their supporters. l

Family: American detained in N Korea in good health

Philippine survivors flee false tsunami alert

n AP, San Francisco

n AFP, Manila

The family of an elderly US tourist detained for more than a month in North Koreasaid Saturday the Swedish ambassador has seen the man and found him to be in good health.

Merrill Newman’s family in California said in a statement that the State Department told them that the Swedish ambassador to North Korea had visited the 85-year-old at a Pyongyang hotel.

“We were very pleased to hear that the Ambassador was allowed to pay this first visit to Merrill,” the statement said. “As a result of the visit, we know that Merrill is in good health. ... Merrill reports that he is being well treated and that the food is good.”

An Obama administration official

Merrill Newman, a retired finance executive and Red Cross volunteer AP

called for his release, urging North Korea to consider his age and health conditions.

Sweden handles consular issues for Americans in North Korea as the US and North Korea have no diplomatic relations. Newman’s family said the ambassador’s visit eased their concerns about his health, and pleaded with North Korean authorities to take his health and age into account and let him go as an act of humanitarian compassion.

The family’s report came hours after North Korea state media released video showing Newman reading an apology for alleged crimes during the Korean War and for “hostile acts” against the state during a recent trip.

Pyongyang has been accused of previously coercing statements from detainees. l

About a thousand traumatised survivors of the Philippines’ deadliest typhoon fled their homes in one central province following false rumours of a tsunami, civil defence officials said Sunday.

Officials in the province of Antique were visiting upland villages where people had fled overnight to convince them there was no danger and it was safe to return to their coastal homes, said Broderick Train, the civil defence chief for the province.

“These are people who have been traumatised by their experience with Typhoon (Haiyan). When the false information began spreading yesterday they immediately fled,” he told AFP in a telephone interview.

He said the provincial government

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Monday, December 2, 2013

was trying to convince them to return home as there had been no earthquake to trigger a tsunami.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it had not recorded any big earthquakes over the weekend and had not issued any tsunami alert. Train said officials had yet to find out who spread the false alert that triggered evacuations in the small coastal towns of Laua-an, Culasi, Sebaste, Barbaza, Tibiao and Pandan.

“I would say there are about a thousand people who fled their homes overnight,” Train said.

Leck Benitez, spokesman for Antique’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, told AFP it was likely criminals had spread the rumours by mobile telephone text messages. l

Indian magazine editor remanded in custody over sexual assault

n AFP, Panaji Indian news magazine editor Tarun Tejpal was remanded in custody on Sunday after appearing in court on allegations of sexually assaulting a colleague in a hotel in the holiday state of Goa. A court in Goa ordered Tejpal remain in custody to allow police time to question the 50-year-old editor, who faces a possible rape charge over the allegations that could see him in jail for 10 years.

“The police had asked for 14 days’ remand but after hearing our arguments, the court gave them six days of custody,” Tejpal’s lawyer Sandip Kapoor told reporters outside the court in Panaji, the capital of Goa. Tejpal, the founder of top investigative magazine Tehelka, was arrested late Saturday after earlier flying into the state and pledging to cooperate with police over the allegations.

The editor, whose magazine is responsible for some of India’s hardest-hitting undercover journalism, did not apply for bail on Sunday, after earlier being refused, and has denied the allegations.

The woman, who has quit the magazine since the scandal broke, has told police her former employer molested her twice in a hotel elevator during a magazine-sponsored event in the seaside holiday hotspot last month.

Police have filed an initial case against Tejpal under sections of the criminal code including rape.

A stronger law introduced after outrage over the fatal gang-rape of a student last year included a wider definition of rape, and Tejpal could be jailed for 10 years if charged and convicted, lawyers say. The fatal gangrape of the student on a Delhi bus last December sparked sometimes-violent demonstrations and a long period of introspection in India about rising crime against women and gender inequality.

With India’s media newly sensitised to sexual assault cases after a further string of widely publicised gang-rape cases this year, the case has been frontpage news for more than a week. l

Earthquake hits near Indonesia islands

n Agencies

An earthquake of at least 6.3 magnitude has struck off eastern Indonesia’s Tanimbar islands, but there was no tsunami alert, seismologists said.

The quake struck at 10:24 am local time (0124 GMT) on Sunday, 351 kilometres (217 miles) east-northeast of the East Timor capital Dili at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km, the US Geological Survey said.

The AFP news agency reported the quake’s magnitude as 6.3, where as Reuters reported that it was 6.9.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue any alerts following the tremor in the remote region at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago between the islands of Timor and New Guinea.

In an initial assessment, the USGS said there was a low likelihood of damage or casualties.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. A 6.1 magnitude quake that struck Aceh province on Sumatra island in July killed at least 35 people and left thousands homeless. l

Nine killed in Indonesian landslide n AFP, Jakarta Nine people were killed after flooding and a landslide hit Indonesia’s Sumatra island, an official said on Sunday.

“Heavy rains from Saturday evening till night triggered a landslide in the hilly area of Berastagi sub-district in North Sumatra,” National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

“Nine people were killed,” he said, including four children aged between two and 10. Local military official Meyer Putong, who was involved in rescue operations, said nobody was reported missing.

“They lived close to the river so the rush of rain water last night broke the riverbanks. The victims were either buried under their houses or swept by the surging waters,” he added.

Indonesia is regularly affected by deadly floods and landslides during its wet season, which lasts for around six months. Environmentalists blame logging and a failure to reforest denuded land for exacerbating flooding. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, December 2, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Bus highjackings!

Statesmanship the need of the hour

November 27

A staff correspondent’s front page report published on November 23 indicates a new hazard for all bus passengers. In this case, a bus was high-jacked after dark at the end of a hartal!

The report made it clear that this was done by robbers who are literate, and knowledgeable about ATM cards, which were also taken, including passwords from the helpless passengers.

Bus passengers need to be aware of this new mode of theft. Many passengers, in the early part of the month, are paid in cash by their employers, and carry the money back with them, on late evenings. As much as possible, the employees should ask their employers to pay them by crossed a/c payee checks, since their loss or theft will not harm the persons concerned. It will only result in some delay, while the check is cancelled and a fresh check is reissued. This will avoid any risk if the bank check is lost or stolen in any manner.

SA Mansoor

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oth Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia have twice been elected prime minister by the people of Bangladesh.

Both head political parties that are supported by tens of millions. Both have shown themselves capable of sacrifice and statesmanship in the service of the country.

Now is the time that Bangladesh needs them both to once again demonstrate the statesmanship that has won both these women the loyalty of millions of voters and the support of their respective political coalitions.

The political crisis over the country’s next election is continuing to cost lives and place the economy in jeopardy.

Bringing it to a close must be the The political crisis priority of anyone who has the over the country’s country’s best interests at heart. next election is The BNP has indicated it continuing to cost would participate in an election lives and place the if Sheikh Hasina were not economy in jeopardy head of the interim polls-time government. The prime minister has an opportunity to provide true leadership by stepping down and handing over the reins of government to someone else.

However, if Khaleda Zia wishes to be taken seriously as a negotiating partner, then she, too, must show a willingness to compromise. She must assure the nation that BNP will start earnest negotiations on the shape of the interim government, and participate in the elections, if reasonable conditions are met.

Most importantly, BNP must call off all protests that involve or lead to violence. As soon as they do, though, the government must also release senior BNP leaders to create an environment that is conducive to dialogue.

Make no mistake, the current crisis is resolvable. But it calls for statesmanship on both sides.

Shadows of Camelot November 25

Himal When someone admits that a lot has been said about a person or a subject and then goes on to write something about it, the minimum expectation is that it will be good. Don’t think the writer knows what he is trying to say. He just wanted to write something about JFK just for the sake of being able to say “JFK.” Unclear, uninteresting, unneeded.

Z The Camelot myth was too grand an idea for America. Jackie O invented the Camelot legend after JFK’s death when she gave an interview to Life magazine.

Since then mythology has taken hold and there-

All but an all-party government?

November 27 The author gives a rundown of what has happened already. He ought to have given some solution within the constraints of the present constitution of Bangladesh. One of which could be the clipping of the prime minister’s executive powers and giving it to the cabinet ministers, where an 18-party alliance would hold some important portfolios.

WaliulHaqueKhondker

The right way to protest

Hefazat rally at Motijheel again

November 25 They better not get permission this time. rutland waters

A

group of young people have begun a 48-hour hunger strike and sit in at Shahbag to demand an end to the use of violence in political protests.

Under the banner “Jagroto Jonota,” the group is asking that no more innocent people fall victim to violence. The group states that it is non-political and has no objection to the right of political parties to protest, but wishes to end violence by In the face of the drawing attention to the agony violence and political suffered by victims of the fires intractability that is and attacks caused by blockades harming the nation, and hartals. it is easy for people In the face of the violence to feel ignored and and political intractability that is harming the nation, it is easy powerless to shape for people to feel ignored and events powerless to shape events.

This sit-in protest gives voice to ordinary citizens’ feelings by providing a good example of peaceful protest.

It is not as if the major political parties never use peaceful means to make a point, as they sometimes do, for example, via cultural celebrations and festivities. However, such approaches are drowned out by their constant resort to confrontation, hartals and intimidation.

The fast at Shahbag is a refreshing change from the way political protests are often held in the country. The participants are first and foremost focused on one simple goal and are practicing what they preach by sitting down peacefully and not causing harm to others.

This is the right way to protest. Peacefully and within the law.

This is an example that everyone wishing to protest a political point should follow.

50 hurt in workers-police clash in Savar

November 24 The reason seems legitimate though – overmuch teasing of a female worker!

Avinno Param Satta

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

November 25

Ishtiaque Hussain Prices of commodities are going up, while the prices of human lives going down. An awesome equation! Thanks to our “leaders!”

Sharif Ahmad Shabbir I want to adopt him as my son!

Mia Dodson Me too. He can come and live here in New Zealand with me.

Khadija Rehma If the leaders of our great digital Bangladesh have taken some time off their busy campaign schedules to pay any attention to this, please take some action to protect children! This needs to be a priority!

Shahnaz Parveen Where is humanity? Where is child protection?

Who will answer for this? We feel insecure.

Rowshan Begum This is just over the roof, but what makes me rage more is the fact that people want to adopt this one kid. Why, because he is cute? Why, because he was being sold for a mere few bucks? Hey, don’t get me wrong. I am all for adoption but you know there are like a thousand orphan kids in our city who need some loving, some food, a decent roof over their head, maybe a parent? Why and how is it that it never crosses your minds to go out and adopt one of them poor kids and give them a better life?!?

Mia Dodson I would love to adopt one of those kids, if only I knew how. I live in New Zealand, so I have no idea how to do it to bring a child here to give that child a better life Agha Quayum Mia Dodson: You have to go through the adoption process of New Zealand. If you qualify, then you have to contact the Bangladeshi authorities if the boy is up for adoption.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Door fitting (5) 4 Young horse (4) 7 Anger (3) 8 Passing craze (3) 9 Classifies (5) 12 Object of worship (4) 13 Game of skill (7) 15 Armed conflict (3) 16 Long-leaved lettuce (3) 18 Perform (3) 19 Bath (3) 21 Rests (7) 24 Employ (4) 26 Pollute (5) 27 Numeral (3) 28 Beverage (3) 29 Cast off (4) 30 Poor (5)

fore it is difficult to isolate the true history of the Kennedy era. Americans by virtue are particularly prone to it, an expert in intertwining myth with JFK presidency.

The conflation of Camelot and the Kennedys persists till this day. Camelot keeps people from the whole story of JFK era because it created an inaccurate view of the history and the assessment of the Kennedys. But Jackie had everyone believed in the Camelot myth and people were and still are mesmerised by her. I was at the Arlington cemetery on the day of JFK’s 50th death anniversary and witnessed the outpouring of love for this late president; it was an unbelievable sight.

Police find six-month old boy in Badda: Sold for Tk3,000

DOWN 1 Sibilate (4) 2 Seemingly mocked by fate (6) 3 Wicked emperor (4) 4 Impartial (4) 5 Strange (3) 6 Lounges (5) 10 Pull along (3) 11 Kind of ray (5) 14 Break out (5) 17 Laid bare (6) 18 Burnt remains (5) 20 Serpent (3) 21 Tear (4) 22 Location (4) 23 Remain (4) 25 Fish eggs (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Monday, December 2, 2013

Let’s talk about AIDS n Leo Kenny

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The much-hyped evolution of democracy

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Democracy overpowered

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n Towheed Feroze

omeone born in 1990 is now a full-grown young person, capable of leading a new generation. Taking the matrimonial credo of the nation into perspective, a woman of that age is either married or deemed to have reached the physical plus mental maturity for tying the knot.

And Bangladesh now has a large population who was born after the mass uprising of 1990, which saw an autocrat fall.

These new faces grew up with democracy evolving, but today, as the atmosphere of burn units of the hospitals are heavy with the perplexing looks of victims of street arson linked to politics, the dearly held belief that democracy has progressed in the last 23 years, simply falls flat.

Reportedly, in many areas, passengers of buses, targeted by arsonists, were prevented from leaving the vehicle during the setting of the fire. In the Shahbagh incident, the bomb was hurled at the running bus but common sense states that the damage would not have been so grave unless there was someone inside the bus to aid the arsonists outside.

Whatever the case, the fact remains: Public transport used by working class people was targeted with the aim of discrediting a political opponent.

I am not mentioning names of any political party here, though it’s very clear that those who were behind the incident had a nefarious political motive.

To cut out the rhetoric, people from the mid and lower middle classes became victims of a nasty ploy.

As the victims now writhe in pain, the political mud-slinging goes on in full swing.

Despite the fiery platitudes by socalled seasoned politicians that our democracy has moved ahead since 1990, this writer feels that whatever change that we so proudly publicise, has been cosmetic.

Beyond a façade of democratic progress there is a revolting core, which, sorry to say, has become more rotten over the years.

ocratically elected” government.

There is so much talk on how political parties uphold democracy, yet there is very little focus on how certain acts are done undemocratically.

That the scrapping of the caretaker system would eventually explode into anarchy was a given. When it was annulled, there wasn’t any pandemonium, though the action clearly suggested that one day this issue would severely upset the preelection situation.

There is a statement in support of the revoking of the caretaker government which refers to the High Court

When people talk so assertively about how democracy has developed in Bangladesh, the real picture on the streets actually wake us up from a reverie

Back in 1987, when Noor Hossain was shot and killed for heading a pro-democracy march, sporting democracy slogans on his chest and back, the country’s combined conscience was outraged.

One would not be wrong in stating that the death of Noor added momentum to the anti-autocracy movement, with ordinary citizens taking to the streets, forgetting their political allegiance to demand an end to totalitarian rule.

Regrettably, after the grisly bus incident, we did not see the masses coming out to press for public safety – the first and foremost duty of a “dem-

ruling, but as far as we know, democracy means taking the opinion of the masses first.

Did the people of Bangladesh want this to be struck out?

As civilians burn and become collateral casualties, we look at the major political parties and feel like asking for an explanation as to how democracy has progressed in Bangladesh post 1990.

Back in 1990, there was a public opinion against the government which later saw the regime step down in the face of mounting opposition.

Shockingly, as the country slides into a vortex of confusion, that public

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voice is missing.

Our political parties have always been known for their dogged recalcitrance, yet when election time arrives, voters blithely forget that these parties are least concerned about the welfare of the public.

With the country becoming an example of politics driven by blind hubris, the blame rests upon all sides because no party has ever managed to rise above pettiness and vindictive moves.

When people talk so assertively about how democracy has developed in Bangladesh, the real picture on the streets actually wakes us up from a reverie.

On what ground can we say things are better than it they were back in 1990?

We resort to blatant lies, cover our mistakes with shocking shamelessness, relentlessly exploit a human disaster to demonise the other side, refuse unashamedly to see the presence of rampant corruption and, while defending our position, state vociferously that the nation (the beleaguered jaati) is supporting us.

But there is still hope because hope never dies; one party has to stand back and say: Okay, in the interest of public safety, we are willing to compromise.

To be frank, that would not be a defeat but a strategic “moral” victory.

Remember the frayed word “moral”? It may seem outmoded to modern day politics, though embracing it at times can offer huge benefits, including political brownie points. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

orld AIDS Day 2013 is about ending stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV and people who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Everyone has a right to live a full and productive life with dignity. No one should experience discrimination because of who they are, what they do, or whether they are HIV positive or not.

The challenge for the HIV prevention program now is to overcome stigma and discrimination and reach those in need of HIV testing and treatment.

Presently, only 27% of 3,000 adults estimated to be eligible for anti-retroviral therapy (ART) are receiving it, despite an estimated 8,000 people living with HIV in Bangladesh.

However, the new WHO guidelines recommend that treatment of people living with HIV starts earlier, when the patient’s CD4 cell count is at 500 cells per cubic millimetre of blood, instead of a CD4 count of 350. CD4 cells are the white blood cells that the virus attacks, and are an indicator of health and immune system status.

This means that people living with HIV can access treatment earlier when they are healthier and their immune system is stronger, which gives better treatment results and reduces the risk of opportunistic infections. Hence, those people living with HIV who are eligible for treatment (ie CD4 count of 500 or lower) will double to approximately 6,000.

The key to HIV prevention efforts in Bangladesh is to identify those people who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Yet the attitudes and behaviour of people towards others plays a major factor in the success of the program

Effective ART reduces the number of viral particles in body fluids to undetectable levels, minimising the risk of further transmission. The new WHO guidelines recommend treatment as prevention for couples where one of the partners has HIV; the infected person should start ART irrespective of CD4-count in order to prevent transmission to the uninfected partner.

This could be further extended to include all people with HIV with a high risk of transmitting the infection.

Therefore, the current efforts to find, test, and treat people who are at risk of contracting or transmitting the virus must be scaled up immediately.

The key to HIV prevention efforts in Bangladesh is to identify those people who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Yet the attitudes and behaviour of people towards others plays a major factor in the success of

the program. Stigma and discrimination hinder the HIV/AIDS response in Bangladesh, and around the world, because individuals who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV fear that identification as a person at risk will cause them to be judged, feared, hated and discriminated against.

Stigma and discrimination disproportionately affect those most vulnerable, including those who are sex workers, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, transgenders, women and girls.

Stigma and discrimination must be addressed so that those at risk can feel safe in participating in HIV prevention programs and accessing support services and treatment. HIV is everyone’s business

As a result, people are less likely to engage in safe sex practices, such as using a condom, or seeking education or support services.

Therefore, those who are at risk of becoming infected are more vulnerable to infection, those who are already infected don’t know their HIV status and continue to spread the virus, and those who know they are infected may forego potentially lifesaving treatment, care and support.

Stigma and discrimination must be addressed so that those at risk can feel safe in participating in HIV prevention programs and accessing support services and treatment.

HIV is everyone’s business, and so is ending stigma and discrimination. Recognising and challenging the myths and misconceptions that surround HIV and its transmission is crucial. Education campaigns help to create awareness, but challenging deep-seated value judgments of gender roles and behaviours is crucial to creating safer, more accepting environments.

In order to reach the thousands of Bangladeshis living with HIV, and those at risk of becoming infected with HIV, the HIV prevention program must drastically scale up efforts to find, test, and treat key affected populations.

Support from the Government of Bangladesh, civil society organisations, communities, religious organisations, schools, and others is vital in helping to spread the HIV prevention message and creating an environment where those who are at risk no longer fear stigma and discrimination.

Everybody has a role to play in getting to zero discrimination and supporting the HIV prevention efforts so that Bangladesh will one day be free of HIV/AIDS. l Leo Kenny is country coordinator, UNAIDS.

What about the farmers? n M Abdul Latif Mondal

T

he recent media reports suggest that the government has decided to procure 200,000 tonnes of Aman rice from the country’s domestic production this fiscal year. The procurement price of each kilo of rice has been fixed at Tk30, which is up by 15.38% from the previous year. The procurement drive will start in December and continue until February 28.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC) on November 27 at the Ministry of Food. Chaired by Food Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, the meeting was attended by Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Matia Choudhury and Commerce Minister GM Quader, among others.

Factors that have been influencing successive governments in the domestic procurement of rice, both Aman and Boro, for a long time include providing incentives to farmers by arresting the fall of prices during the harvesting seasons, building up government food security stocks in order to implement the targeted food distribution programs such as food for work, test relief, gratuitous relief, selling rice through fair price cards among those who are not included in the government’s safety net programs, and intervening in the mar-

ket through open market operations to help stabilise the price of rice when it shows an upward trend.

While talking to reporters the food minister said the present procurement target had been fixed at 200,000 tonnes, but depending on the market, the government might revise that later. He added that the higher procurement rate would benefit farmers.

Aman is the second biggest rice crop in the country, Boro and Aus occupying the first and third respectively. Actually Aman was the biggest rice crop in the country till the end of the nineties when its place was taken over by Boro.

The government generally takes into consideration certain factors to fix the price of rice to be procured internally. These are production, cost of production, stock position of food grains in government warehouses, the price of rice in international markets, and import of rice.

Last year, the government decided to procure 300,000 tonnes of Aman rice from domestic production when food grain stock in government warehouses stood at about 1.5m tonnes.

Questions may arise as to why the government has decided to procure less Aman rice (200,000 tonnes) this season when the food stock position in government warehouses, according to food ministry sources, has come down to around 1m tonnes. This happens at a time when, according to the food

minister, production of Aman this year will exceed that of last year by more than 200,000 tonnes.

It has been a longstanding policy that the government will procure both paddy and rice from the domestic market during the harvesting seasons of Aman and Boro.

Besides, farmers’ organisations have been demanding for years that the government procure a substantial quantity of paddy, both Aman and Boro, directly from farmers during harvesting seasons in the interest of farmers.

Although the government has been purchasing small quantities of Boro paddy directly from farmers, it has been ignoring the farmers’ demand for procuring Aman paddy from them for the last few years. This has also been repeated this year.

The procurement price of each kilo of Aman rice has been fixed at Tk30 this year against last year’s price of Tk26. The rice-millers, hoarders, and big farmers will be the beneficiaries of this price hike. The marginal and small farmers sell paddy in the market.

They sell their products immediately after the start of the harvesting season to pay back their loans and meet the urgent needs of their families.

Taking advantage of the absence of the government program to procure Aman paddy, the rice-millers, who always want a low price for paddy, will

be its sole buyers in the market. As a result, the marginal and small farmers will be deprived of the right price for their products.

A visit to the website of the food ministry shows that on November 26, the total stock of food grain in government warehouses stood at over 10m tons against almost 14.5m tons on the same date last year. The quantity of rice in particular stood at 664,000 thousand tonnes against last year’s 11.8m tonnes.

What prompted the government to procure only 200,000 tonnes of Aman rice when the food grain stock in government warehouses is not satisfactory? Bangladesh is a disaster prone country and that is why experts have suggested that the government’s food grain security stock should be maintained at approximately 20m tonnes.

This also prompted the government to go for crash programs to raise the food grain stock in government warehouses. While presenting the national budget for fiscal year 2013-14, Finance Minister Muhith informed that with the completion of the under-construction silos and warehouses, the government food grain storage capacity would be about 20m tonnes against 14m tonnes in 2009.

For procurement of both Aman and Boro, the government is entirely dependent upon the rice-millers. We saw

in 2010 how the rice-millers refused to supply contracted Boro rice on the plea of the high price of paddy, and the government had to accept their demand to increase the price from Tk25/ kg to Tk28/kg.

The time has come for the government to find additional sources for the procurement of rice. As suggested by the National Food Policy-2006, the government may, in addition to following the existing system, purchase rice from the domestic market through open competitive tenders.

Although the government has been purchasing small quantities of Boro paddy directly from farmers, it has been ignoring the farmers’ demand for procuring Aman paddy from them for the last few years To conclude, in the absence of any program to procure paddy from farmers, the newly announced Aman procurement policy cannot safeguard the interest of farmers. Increasing the procurement price of Aman rice by Tk4/ kg will serve the interest of rice-millers.

The Aman procurement policy should have been designed in such a way that it serves the interest of the farmers, and not of the middlemen who now rule the roost. l M Abdul Latif Mondal is a former government secretary.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, December 2, 2013

Fast and Furious actor dies in car crash

BENGAL CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2013

n Entertainment Desk Actor Paul Walker, best known for his roles in the Fast and Furious action movies, died on Saturday, in a car crash in Southern California, his publicist said.

Walker, 40, who was in five of the six films about illegal street racing and heists, was a passenger in a friend’s car and was attending a charity event, according to a message linked to his Twitter account.

“Sadly, I must confirm that Paul did pass away this afternoon in a car accident,” Ame Van Iden, Walker’s publicist, said in an email.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department said in a statement that two people were killed in a car accident in Valencia, a community in the city of Santa Clarita, at about 3:30 pm.

Deputies arriving at the scene found the vehicle engulfed in flames. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the statement said. The office did not provide the identities of the dead, and said the cause was under investigation.

In the Fast and Furious pictures, the blond-haired, blue-eyed actor played Brian O’Conner, a law enforcement official.

The first movie in the series, which stars Vin Diesel, was released in 2001, and a seventh was in development at the time of his death, Universal, the studio behind the franchise, said in a statement. The most recent film, released in May, was one of this year’s biggest box office hits.

“Brother I will miss you very much,” Diesel said in a post on Instagram, adding “I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has gained a new angel. Rest in peace.”

According to the IMDb.com movie website, Paul William Walker IV was

born in Glendale, California, in 1973 and began acting at a very young age, appearing in many commercials.

He played Professor Bennet in the 1987 movie Monster in the Closet and starred in the television series Throb, IMDb said.

Walker also made guest appearances on television shows, including Charles in Charge and Who’s the Boss? and had a role in the soap opera, The Young and the Restless. Other film appearances include Timeline, Into the Blue, The Lazarus Project and Hours, which is slated for release in December.

Universal conveyed its condolences to Walker’s family, saying, “All of us at Universal are heartbroken. More tributes flowed on social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

Pacific Rim in 3D, Riddick, The Conjuring Titanic (3D), Step Up Revolution in 3D Level 8, Bashundhara City Hindustani classical music mesmerised a crowd of over 31,000 on the third day of the Bengal Classical Music Festival 2013

Piprabidya to premiere at Dubai

n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment desk

After Rani Kuthir Baki Itihash, director Samia Zaman’s will be releasing her second film Akah Koto Dure on December 6 at Balaka Cineworld, Bashundhara Star Cineplex and Jamuna Blockbuster.

The story and screenplay of the film has been written by lyricist Zufiqer Russell. Produced by Impress Telefilm Ltd, the film features Rajjak, Sharmila Ahmed, Mostafa Prokash, Lux Channel i superstar Fariya Hossain, Misha Showdagar, Ankon and child artists from Tokai Nattodol. The music directors are Ibrar Tipu and Belal Khan.

Akash Koto Dure, is about an orphan name Bicchu. Till the age of ten, the boy resided in an orphanage. Although the orphanage is an institution for care, Bicchu was unfortunately tortured in the house. He could not resist anymore and makes an attempt to change his life by running away to Dhaka.

Left to his own devises without any money, Bicchu meets two other orphans Bullet and Jasim. He gets involved with a criminal gang where children are involved in criminal activity.

About the film, director Samia Zaman mentions: “I would not tag this movie solely as a children’s movie, though vital character in the film are played by child actors. It has romantic elements as well. More emphasis is put on portraying human emotions.

“The film features both veteran and debut actors. Rajjak is a prominent actor and had a significant role to play and Mostafa and Fariya, both are two new faces in the film industry. It is always my effort to give chances to promising actors. Also, tell a unique story in every film I make. I have the urge to make my next film on folk stories such as the famous Mymensingh Geetika.”

Fariya Hossain states that: “It was a great stepping stone for me to enter the film industry with Impress Telefilm, and director Samia Zaman. Although, I have worked in several dramas, working in film certainly provides a wider platform. I learnt extensively from Samia.”

Zulfiqer mentioned: “This is the first time, I am writing a story for a film. Since, it is my debut, I was enthralled to get government approval for the film.” l

Farooki’s fifth feature film Piprabidya starring Noor Imran Mithu, Sabbir Ahmed and Indian actress Sheena Chohan is ready for its world premiere at the 10th Dubai International Film Festival. It is competing with nine award winning films such as Lunchbox by Ritesh Vatra, Fish and Cat by Sahara Makkah, Stay Drugs by Tsai Ming Liang and GriGris by Mahamat Saleh Haroun.

The festival will start from December 6 and continue on till December 13. A total of 174 movies in various catagories will be screened, with the opening film Omar by Abu Asad and the event will close with David O’ Russell’s American Hustle. On the last day of festival, winning films will be declared with huge festivity. Cate Blanchett, Jim Sheridan, Martin Sheen, Priyanka Chopra and many other celebrities will attend the programme.

The film Piprabidya, an Impress Telefilm Limited production, is about unemployed young people who live in Dhaka, which they think of as a “big pie” and become desperate to have their share. Faridur Reza Sagor, Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Shina Chouhan will attend the festival with celebrated actors, directors and producers.

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) was launched 9 years ago and its impact on the region’s film industry has been enormous.

This week-long film festival serves as a platform where local and international directors, film-makers, writers and actors come together to

New drama series Jogajog Golojog stars airing from today on NTV n Entertainmengt Desk

ON TV MOVIE 7:00pm Fox Movies Premium

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

11:15pmWB The Town

NEWS 4:30pm Rtv

Jelar Shongbad

6:00pm Boishakhi Tv

Evening news bulletin A scene from drama series Jogajog Golojog He celebrates each day of the week by giving them special titles, such as Tension Free Day. Gulam also expects his family to praise him on a continuous basis. Gu-

Very Graphic: The Art of Storytelling in Graphic Detail, Group Exhibition Time:12pm – 6pm Bengal Art Lounge, 60 Gulshan Avenue

AMIRUL RAJIV

Akash Koto Dure hits the theatre this week

Family drama series Jogajog Golojog airs from tonight on NTV at 8:15pm. It will be telecast on Monday and Tuesday, every week. The drama is written and directed by Ezaz Munna. Popular soap actors Afzal Sharif, Khalikuzzaman, Azad Abul Kalam, Saju Khadem, Mir Sabbir, Sumaiya Shimu and many more stars can be seen in the drama.

The story revolves around an opportunistic and selfish man named Gulam Ali Mirza and he is the main hero. The family runs under the strict supervisions and instructions from Gulam Ali Mirza.

Nobody within his household has any right to speak their minds. No one in his family is independent, his wife and four sons are all dependent on him.

Exhibition

lam’s brother Nawab Ali Mirza who also maintains a safe distance from him.

They become close when a missing news published in a newspaper creates a crisis for both brothers. l

DRAMA 8:15pm Banglavision Nij Grihey Porobashi

8:20pm ETV

Three Comrades

share ideas and inspiration through workshops and seminars to help each other achieve success in the regional market. l

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame displays belongings of Elvis n Entertainment Desk Elvis Presley’s fans now have another reason to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. On Friday, November 29, more than 40 items of the late singer were added to the museum located in Cleveland, Ohio.

Among the King’s personal belongings which are displayed at the museum are his stylish ID bracelet, custom-made motorcycle, eye-catching rings and military mementos. They are loaned by his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn.

The new exhibit opened in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises, a corporate entity created by The Elvis Presley Trust to conduct business and manage its assets, including Graceland. Presley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He was also inducted into three other music halls of fame: Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998, Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001, and Rockabilly Hall of Fame in 2007. l

Did you know?

Gareth Bale is the 1st player to score a perfect hat-trick in La Liga this season (right-footed, leftfooted and headed)

Sport

Monday, December 2, 2013

14 Perfect Bale hits first Real hat-trick

n Mazhar Uddin

n Raihan Mahmood

Muktijoddha forward Nkwocha Kingsley celebrates scoring a goal against Brothers Union during their Federation Cup quarter-final match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

The job will be tough and we are looking forward to it: Mushfiq n Minhaz Uddin Khan Hosts Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in the ICC World Twenty20 opener in March next year. The first round groups and fixtures of the ICC event were confirmed yesterday after the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 concluded in Abu Dhabi.

Ireland emerged as the champions of the 16-day tournament and retained its title by defeating Afghanistan by 68 runs, while Nepal beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by five wickets to finish third. On Friday, the Netherlands claimed fifth position by defeating Hong Kong by seven wickets.

According to the schedule, Bangladesh will face Afghanistan, Nepal and Hong Kong in the first round and will have to emerge as the group champion to move onto the Super 10 stage of the event.

Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim believes his team has the ability to be the champions but the journey will be challenge for the Tigers as they are still learning about the format.

“I always wanted to see the matches from the qualifiers to see the quality

FIXTURE Sunday, March 16 Bangladesh v Afghanistan Nepal v Hong Kong Monday, March 17 Zimbabwe v Ireland UAE v Netherlands Tuesday, March 18 Afghanistan v Hong Kong Bangladesh v Nepal Wednesday, March 19 Zimbabwe v Netherlands Ireland v UAE Thursday, March 20 Afghanistan v Nepal Bangladesh v Hong Kong Friday, March 21 Zimbabwe v UAE Ireland v Netherlands

at Mirpur at Chittagong at Sylhet at Sylhet at Chittagong at Chittagong at Sylhet at Sylhet at Chittagong at Chittagong at Sylhet at Sylhet

13

15 Siddikur finishes Indonesia Open in style

Muktis march with Kingsley

Twenty20 series on the cards The Bangladesh national team and the Bangladesh “A” side will play a threegame Twenty20 series this month as the BCB is planning to keep the national team’s players in touch with cricket through the month of December, said the chairman of the cricket operations committee Akram Khan.

“We are planning to hold the Twenty20 series between two teams,”said the newly elected BCB director.

The board is hoping to play the matches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on December 12, 14 and 16.

Meanwhile, the National Cricket League is all set to start from December 26 as the national players prepare for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka in January.

After that, the Asia Cup will take place and the Tigers will start their campaign in the ICC World Twenty20 in March.

“We are planning to hold the NCL from December 26,” said a BCB official who requested anonymity.

Earlier, BCBhad planned to bring the Zimbabwe side for a short series but it that was not possible for undisclosed reasons.

The idea to host the Bangladesh Cricket League – a franchise-based four-day tournament - had to be shelved as no franchises were interested in participating in the competition.

Before the NCL gets underway, the players are free from club duty after the Dhaka Premier League finished on November 29. l

15 Rooney rescues United, Hull stun Liverpool

DHAKA TRIBUNE

of cricket which is being played but couldn’t manage the time. However, I was fortunate enough to see the final between Ireland and Afghanistan yesterday (Saturday) and to be honest, they are really good and competitive teams,” said Mushfiq told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“The journey won’t be easy as all the teams in our group play really well and because the format is Twenty20. I have always said we are yet to get acquainted with the Twenty20 format of the game and that we are still learning.

The progress is slow as we hardly get enough to play but then again, this will be the World Cup so we will have to give our best and try to stand up to the expectations of the nation,” he added.

Afghanistan will be the toughest hurdle, he thought, adding that theteam would be mentally prepared to face either Ireland or Afghanistan.

“The format itself is a pressure as we will have to play qualifiers to go into the main round, in spite of being the hosts of the tournament.

So the whole system puts pressure on us because we have to win all three games to make sure that we are on the safe side. The job will be tough and we are looking forward to it. Hope the preparation will be the best possible within the time we have,” said the wicket-keeper batsman.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket operations are working on availing the national side as many Twenty20 games possible ahead of the event. The Tigers’ preparation will start with the three-match Twenty20 tournament against Bangladesh “A” this month.

“The group is not easy to be honest.

It has Afghanistan, a team which have many cricketers with a Pakistan background, and at times they have shown ability to beat high ranked teams in this format of the game,” newly appointed BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan told the media yesterday.“Every effort will be made to get the team (Bangladesh) ready in the best way possible. Pressure will be on us because we will be playing at home, so expectations will be high for us to qualify,” he added. l

ICC delegates arrive for final inspection n Minhaz Uddin Khan

An eight-member ICC (International Cricket Council) inspection team led by Chris Tetley reached Dhaka yesterday evening for the final inspection of the ICC World Twenty20 2014 venues.

The matches of the mega event will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong and the Sylhet Divisional Stadium in Sylhet.

The inspection team will first visit the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, a venue which will be used as a practice ground, today. The ICC delegates will then fly to Chittagong tomorrow and Sylhet on Wednesday. l

Muktijoddha SKS proved to be the nemesis of Brothers Union in the Federation Cup as the red outfits ousted their Gopibagh opponents by 2-0 in the third quarterfinal of this year’s edition at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Last year Muktijoddha prevailed over Brothers Union with the same margin in the last eight duel and this time the result repeated and interestingly both goals were scored by the Nigerian forward Nkwocha Kingsley who played for Brothers last season.

The first-half was rather a dull affair with both the teams concentrating on not conceding a goal while the finishing touches were also missing.

However, things turned different after the interval with Muktijoddha showing more urgency for a win. They scored two timely goals to stamp their superiority and derail Brothers off the track.

A delicate touch from Kingsley broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute. Muktijoddha piled up pressure in their pursuit of the goal and a combined effort resulted in an easy goal in the end. Forward Enamul curved a corner from the left to his attacking partner Biplob who headed the ball to far post only for Kingsley put in a simple side footed tap in.

Kingsley sealed the fate of the match in the 69th minute with a neat

header. Anticipating Shafiqul Islam Bipul’s curling cross from the right flank, the tall Nigerian headed home from the top of the six-yard box.

Brothers rarely threatened Muktijoddha goalie Aminul Haque who just had to punch or fist away a couple of corners and crosses.

Shafiqul Islam Manik, the coach of Muktijoddha is set to take his side to the final. “We were a little disorganised in the first-half and during the break I told my players that they are not playing their normal game. I compared it to the level of second division and they responded to the message and delivered what we needed. We scored two timely goals that made all the difference,” said Manik.

RESULT Muktijoddha

Kingsley 62, 70

2-0

Brothers

Brothers coach Syed Naeemuddin, the Indian football legend, said lack of practice as a team was the cause of his downfall. “The team had practiced for only a week together. The combinations were not formed and the players also lack understanding. That’s why they conceded the goal under pressure and we have to work hard for better results in the league,” said Naeemuddin.

Muktijoddha will face the winner of the last quarterfinal between Sheikh Russell and Team BJMC in the semis on December 5. l

Akram Khan reveals plans n Mazhar Uddin Former chief selector and the new chairman of Cricket Operations of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Akram Khan announced yesterday that he is always ready to take up a challenge and his main goal will be to ensure consistency in the national cricket team’s performance at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

“My target will be to ensure consistent performance of the national team and for that, I will do whatever it takes to make the cricketers comfortable,” said Akram.

The new chairman also said that the Cricket Operations Committee is a very important department and to improve, everyone should contribute. “I have said earlier that I am ready to take up the challenge and the cricket operations is a

very important one. If we the cricket operations, game development and tournament committee can work together we will surely do better,” said Akram.

Akram, who was the chief selector for six years before being elected a director of the board, informed that his experience as a chief selector will help him in future, “I have asked for a position in game development of operations. As I got the cricket operations, it will help me to work as I have worked as chief selector earlier and I am happy that I got the suitable post of mine.”

The former captain of Bangladesh is looking to work on some issues that had been neglected earlier and said that he will try to fix these in future, while also planning to form a backup for the “A” team.

Another matter on Akram’s plate is working on the Future Tour program

(FTP), which he thinks Bangladesh receives less benefit from than other countries. “Before the FTP is published, ICC sends a primary list to all the countries. New Zealand bargained and got more Tests last year and I was shocked to see Bangladesh did not bargain, which they should have done. I will try to work on these issues also in future,” said Akram.

The new chairman is also hopeful about the age level team’s tour to neighboring countries, particularly India. He added that he would also try to maintain good relations with Pakistan and Sri Lanka with an eye to exchange tours in future.

Akram is also looking to tour either Australia or New Zealand after the T20 World Championship and hopes that everyone will contribute to improve Bangladesh cricket. l

Tushar finishes 15th in F4 circuit n Raihan Mahmood

Bangladesh Badminton Federation President Rubaba Dowla (C) speaks at a press conference at the BOA auditorium yesterday

Mahfujur Rahman Tushar, the lone F4 driver of the country, finished 15th in a field of 22 at the 16th JK Tyre Racing Championship at the Buddh International Circuit (Bic) yesterday.

Along with Tushar, his race car team “Team Avalanche” put four cars on the grid - Sumit Maluja, Rohit Khanna, Kapil Khanna, the Delhi based driver.

Sarosh Hataria emerged as the champion while Vishnu Prasad and Kartik Krishn were placed second and third respectively. l

Int’l badminton tournament starts tomorrow n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh sports arena is all set to be enthralled by the swashbuckling smashes and the delicate touches of some of top ranked Asian, as well as Australian and New Zealand shuttlers, in the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh Open International Badminton Challenge that gets underway at the Shaheed Sohrawardi Indoor Stadium tomorrow.

Yonex, a world renowned name in badminton and sports accessories, has stepped up as the sponsors of the meet providing $15,000 for the 92 players on show. There will be 70 males and 22 fe-

males in the five events - men’s and women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

The meet will be graced by shuttlers from India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, Chinese Taipei, Maldives, New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh. Hsu Jen Hao of Taipei (Asian ranking 31) is the top seed in the men’s draw and he is followed by Subhankar Dey of India (105) and Yogendran Khrishnan (156) of Malaysia.

In the women’s draw, Pai Hsiao Ma (24) of Taipei will be the top seed while Saili Rane (77) is second and Sannatasah Saniru (108) of Malaysia is the third.

Bangladesh players, though far

behind at the Asian level, have been preparing hard for the meet and the 20 players - 16 males and four females have been going through a residential camp under a Malaysian coach.

Rubaba Dowla, the president of Bangladesh Badminton Federation, hoped that tournament will open a new door for local players. “I believe Bangladesh players will benefit greatly from the meet, they have the opportunity to prove themselves. I also thank Yonex for sponsoring the meet,” said Rubaba at the press meet held at the BOA auditorium yesterday.

Jubaidur Rahman Rana, the general

secretary of the federation, termed the event as the biggest one in the country’s history. “It is biggest badminton event of the country. In 2011, Bangladesh International Series accumulated US$5,000, now it ten thousand more.

The players will be eager to produce their best as they have the opportunity to improve their rankings,” said Rana.

Cecilia Ecrospe and Katherine Castro, the representatives of Yonex, revealed that their company has also agreed to sponsor the Bangladesh national team for the next four years and hoped Bangladesh players’ potential would be showcased at the meet. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, December 2, 2013

Perfect Bale hits first Real hat-trick

Ronaldo still the best for treble hero Bale n AFP, Madrid

Gareth Bale insisted that Cristiano Ronaldo remains the world’s best player in his eyes as the Welshman ably filled the Portuguese’s shoes with his first Real Madrid hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Valladolid on Saturday.

Ronaldo was forced to sit out a second consecutive game with a slight muscle strain, but his absence proved no problem for Madrid as Bale took his tally to eight goals in his last seven games.

Victory moved Real to within three points of La Liga leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Bale opened the scoring with a simple header before also providing his sixth assist in his last seven outings for Karim Benzema to make it 2-0 before the break.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man added his second of the evening with a neat right-footed finish from Marcelo’s cross before completing the perfect hat-trick by turning home another centre from the Brazilian full-back with his left foot.

However, the 24-year-old insisted he is no way ready to replace Ronaldo as Los Blancos’ talisman.

“It was a massive blow not having Cristiano playing,” he said.

“For me, he is the world’s best player and we had to do a job (without him) and thankfully we did that.

“He has proven that not just with Real Madrid but with Portugal too and under pressure situations. He is a level above everyone else.”

Despite the absence of the favourite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, Bale claimed to have not felt any extra burden on his shoulders to keep Real on the heels of Barca and Atletico. l

RESULTS

Celta Vigo

3-1

Almeria

Real Madrid

4-0

Valladolid

Espanyol

1-2

Real Sociedad

Orellana 26, Oubina 49, Charles 59 Bale 33, 64, 89, Benzema 36 Cordoba 31

n Reuters

Suso 9

Griezmann 69, Stuani 88-og

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring his third goal against Real Valladolid CF during their Spanish league match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Saturday AFP

Wenger envious of match-winner Ramsey n

EPL clubs pay out $160m in agent fees n

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left feeling his age after Aaron Ramsey scored twice against former club Cardiff City to stretch his side’s lead in the Premier League.

Ramsey, a Cardiff academy graduate, scored with a 29th-minute header and an injury-time drive, either side of an 86th-minute Mathieu Flamini strike, in a 3-0 win at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

Victory left Arsenal seven points above their nearest rivals ahead of Sunday’s fixtures, and Wenger was once again indebted to 22-year-old Ramsey, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions for his club this season.

“He has matured as a player and a person,” said Wenger.

“I was a midfield player and I would have loved to have had what he has. He can attack, defend, and he scores goals.

He is also young, which is not a quality I have!

“I think he can still develop. He has developed so much over the past three

years, so why stop now? If he continues to play like that, he has a good future.”

Ramsey cost Arsenal £5 million ($8.2 million, six million euros) when he signed from Cardiff at the age of 17 and Wenger refused to countenance how much it would take for the London club to sell him now.

“It was a good price at the time,” Wenger said.

“But we have to put that into perspective a little bit because the prices have gone up. As far as selling, we don’t want to sell anyone. We want to keep our team together.”

Wenger described Ramsey’s opening goal, scored from a Mesut Ozil cross, as “a very convincing header”, while the Welshman’s second effort was an emphatic finish set up by substitute Theo Walcott.

Ramsey chose not to celebrate either effort and his actions drew a standing ovation from large sections of the home crowd after the first goal.

“I thought that was fantastic,” Wenger said. “I have a lot of respect for that and I would like to see it more often.” l

All Boys all but bury Newell’s Old Boys with 3-1 win

Rodriguez’s first goal helps Monaco to victory

n Reuters, Buenos Aires

n Reuters, Paris

Newell’s Old Boys’ chances of retaining the Argentine league title hung by a thread after a crushing 3-1 defeat at All Boys on Saturday. San Lorenzo can snatch the title with a match to spare if they beat Estudiantes at their Nuevo Gasometro ground on Sunday and Lanus drop points at home to Boca Juniors.

The Saints lead the ‘Inicial’ championship with 31 points from 17 matches while Newell’s are joint second with Velez Sarsfield, both on 30 from 18, after Velez won 2-0 at bottom team Colon.

Lanus have 29 points from 17 matches and Arsenal 29 from 18 after their 4-1 home defeat by Belgrano. Boca have 27.

All Boys, fresh from a 2-0 upset victory over Boca at La Bombonera last weekend, overran Newell’s in the first half on their tight Islas Malvinas pitch and had the ball in the net three times in the opening 10 minutes. l

Colombia forward James Rodriguez made up for the absence of compatri-

AFP, Cardiff

RESULTS Saint-Etienne

4-0

Reims

Monaco

2-0

Rennes

Guingamp

1-0

Nantes

Lorient

3-0

Nice

Toulouse

5-1

Sochaux

Valenciennes

0-1

Bayal Sall 62, Perrin 76, 78, Erding 87 Rodriguez 19, Martial 44 Sankharé 63 Monnet-Paquet 17, Amavi 71-og, Aboubakar 90+4

Ben Yedder 28, 45, 62-p, Sirieix 47, Zouma 90+4-og

Mayuka 7

Lille

Rodelin 46

Reuters

English Premier League clubs spent almost 100 million pounds ($163.81 million) on agents fees for brokering player transfers in the past 12 months, an increase of almost 20 million pounds on the previous year.

The figures were released on Saturday by the league, who have compiled and made the figures public since the 2009/10 season.

The total spent by the 20 Premier League clubs was 96.67 million pounds ($158.35 million) in the year from Oct. 1, 2012 until Sept. 30 2013. They spent 77 million pounds in 2012.

London club Chelsea, who signed several new players including Demba Ba, Willian and Samuel Eto’o and brought in manager Jose Mourinho, paid 13.7 million pounds in agents’ fees, almost double what they spent in 2012.

Manchester City were the second highest spenders, paying 11.18 million pounds, up from 10.54 million in the previous year.l

ot Radamel Falcao by scoring his first Ligue 1 goal to lead Monaco to a 2-0 home victory over Stade Rennes on Saturday.

Rodriguez, who joined from FC Porto for 45 million euros ($61.27 million) in the close season, opened his account with a 19th-minute free kick after being fouled just outside the box.

Striker Anthony Martial then celebrated his first start in the top flight, at the age of 17, by doubling the score from close range one minute before the break.

Monaco are third on 32 points, two behind leaders Paris St Germain, who host Olympique Lyon on Sunday, and one behind Lille, who won 1-0 at struggling neighbours Valenciennes later on Saturday thanks to a 47th-minute Ronny Rodelin goal.

Big-spending Monaco were without joint league top scorer Falcao for the first time after he picked up a thigh injury and was rested. l

Gareth Bale struck his first Real Madrid hattrick and set up another goal in a thumping 4-0 La Liga victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday.

With the injured Cristiano Ronaldo still absent, the Welshman knocked home two rebounds and slid in the third for a perfect treble at the Bernabeu having also set up their second goal with a cross for Karim Benzema to head home.

It was only the second hat-trick ever in La Liga by a British player, with Gary Lineker scoring three for Barcelona in 1987.

“His period of adaption is now over.

He now is confident and doing well,” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.

“We are on a good run and playing with personality and consistency.

I don’t know whether it was our best game because recently we have been playing very well.”

Real are third and three points behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, and second placed Atletico Madrid.

Atletico have 40 points from 15 games after a 2-0 victory over Elche with Diego Costa returning from injury to continue his fine scoring run.

Koke netted from close range after 63 minutes against a battling Elche and Costa struck 11 minutes later.

Real managed a 4-1 Champions League win over Galatasaray in midweek without hamstring victim Ronaldo and his replacement Angel Di Maria, who scored in an impressive second half performance, continued that good form against Valladolid.

The Argentine hit the bar with an excellent volley from distance after

five minutes and frequently delivered dangerous crosses from the left.

Valladolid played three in midfield with the inclusion of Fausto Rossi as they looked to provide extra cover for the backline but they could do little to stop the dominant Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric.

Real peppered the goal early on without luck, Di Maria having several shots saved by Diego Marino while Benzema and Sergio Ramos missing opportunities.

Chess world champion Magnus Carlsen (R) shakes hands with Sergio Ramos after taking an honorary kickoff on Saturday They eventually turned their dominance into goals after 33 minutes when Marino could only parry a Di Maria shot into the path of Bale, who headed home.

Real struck again within three minutes when Bale’s cross found Benzema, who nodded in.

Bale grabbed his second goal just after the hour when Carlos Pena’s clearance fell to him, and Real’s world record signing scored his third late on, finishing off a Marcelo cross.

Earlier, Celta Vigo eased their relegation fears with a first home win of the season as they came from behind to beat Almeria 3-1. Fabian Orellana, Borja Oubina and Charles Dias scored for Celta after Suso put the visitors ahead. l

Balotelli, Kaka steer Milan, Roma held n Reuters

Mario Balotelli rifled in a second-half free kick and Kaka was also on target to lift troubled AC Milan to a 3-1 win at bottom club Catania in Serie A on Sunday, ending a chaotic week for the seven-times European champions.

AS Roma salvaged their unbeaten record when Kevin Strootman scored in the last minute to give them a 1-1 draw at Atalanta and Inter Milan were on the wrong end of a late goal in another 1-1 draw at home to Sampdoria.

Roma’s fourth successive draw pulled them level on 34 points with leaders Juventus, who host Udinese in a later match (1730).

Milan’s first away win in Serie A this season ended a winless five-match run in the league, although they had to come from behind to do it.

Catania stunned Milan when Lucas Castro scored with a shot which deflected off Daniel Bonera’s back in the 13th minute but Riccardo Montolivo levelled six minutes later for the injury-plagued visitors.

Balotelli missed a free header on

the hour but atoned three minutes later when he blasted a low free kick through the Catania wall to put Milan ahead.

Kaka made the game safe when he broke down the right and lashed a right-foot shot into the roof of the net with nine minutes left.

Catania had Panagiotis Tachtsidis sent off for a wild lunge at Balotelli who

RESULTS Catania

1-3

Atalanta

1-1

Cagliari

2-2

Chievo

3-0

Livorno

Inter

1-1

Sampdoria

Parma

1-1

Bologna

Genoa

1-1

Castro 13

Brivio 51

Nene 73, Sau 87 Rigoni 36, Thereau 56, Paloschi 79 Guarin 18

Milan

Montolivo 19, Balotelli 63, Kaka 81

Roma

Strootman 90

Sassuolo

Marzorati 14, Zaza 19

Renan 89

On Saturday Cassano 23 Biondini 69

Kone 10

Torino

El Kaddouri 7

shortly afterwards was also involved in a furious row with Nicolas Spolli, angrily pointing his finger at the Argentine before being restrained by his team mates.

Neither player was booked and Balotelli was substituted shortly afterwards.

Milan endured a troubled week off the field with chief executive Adriano Galliani announcing angrily on Friday that he was resigning after nearly 28 years at the club.

On Saturday, he changed his mind and agreed to stay on, sharing his role with club president Silvio Berlusconi’s daughter Barbara.

Roma, who won their first 10 matches, fell behind when Davide Brivio’s free kick found its way under the wall and caught and caught Roma goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis napping.

They were saved when Adem Ljajic got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Dutch midfielder Strootman to score from close range.

Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin gave Inter a first-half lead, only for Renan to level for Sampdoria who have drawn both their games under new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic. l

AC Milan forward Kaka, of Brazil, right, celebrates next to Mauro Balotelli after scoring during the Serie A match against Catania at the Angelo Massimino stadium in Catania, Italy yesterday AP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Bring it on, Root tells Johnson

QUICK BYTES

Nets nab needed win in Memphis

n AFP, Adelaide

The struggling Brooklyn Nets seized a much-needed NBA victory Saturday with a 97-88 triumph over the Memphis Grizzlies. Brook Lopez, in his second game back from an ankle injury, took charge in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 20 points in the final period to help the Nets seal the win. Lopez, who was sidelined for seven games, added nine rebounds, Joe Johnson scored 27 points and Andray Blatche chipped in 21 for the Nets, who showed renewed energy in bouncing back from a 114-95 loss at Houston on Friday. Coach Jason Kidd benched most of his starters for the entire second half of that game, but Brooklyn came out strong against the Grizzlies, taking a 48-37 halftime lead and thwarting Memphis’ efforts to rally.

“Some of us, man, we have to look in the mirror,” Johnson said of the Nets’ earlyseason struggles. They had lost seven of the previous eight games.

–AFP

Schalke hand teenage star Meyer five-year deal

Bundesliga side Schalke 04 have given 18-year-old rising star Max Meyer a fiveyear extension to keep the attacking midfielder at the Royal Blues until 2018.

The Germany Under-19 talent, who reached the European Under-17 championships final with his country in 2012, has scored three goals in 10 Bundesliga games this season and is tipped as a future star. He came on for the final 15 minutes of Schalke’s 3-0 win at home to VfB Stuttgart on Saturday to go fifth in the league. “It is excellent news for the club,” said Schalke general manager Horst Heldt. “Many professionals in the game have predicted a great career in football for him. “His development in the past few months has been almost breathtaking.”

–AFP

NGO urges IOC chief to probe homophobia in Russia

A Russian non-governmental organisation on Saturday called on International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach to launch an independent investigation of Russia’s anti-gay legislation ahead of the Sochi Winter Olympics. “We are deeply worried about the absence of a clear statement and action by the IOC that would support the values of non-discrimination and the respect of human dignity,” the Russian LGBT coalition said in a statement received by AFP. The group which met Bach in Paris on Saturday added that every member of the Olympic movement should be aware of Russian legislation that does not guarantee the key rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Russia’s LGBT coalition has rejected as insufficient statements by President Vladimir Putin that there would be no discrimination against homosexuals in Sochi during the February 7-23 event.

–AFP

Pakistan women break new ground at Kabaddi World Cup

Sixteen young Pakistani women will make history this weekend as they compete in the kabaddi world cup -the first time the conservative Muslim country has ever fielded an international women’s team in the sport. The traditional tag-wrestling sport involves players trying to tag an opponent before making it back to their half of the field.

Kabaddi is hugely popular in the Punjab provinces of India and Pakistan, where it originates, and is played in countries around the world with South Asian populations.

–AFP

Stevenson stops Bellew to retain WBC title Canadian southpaw Adonis Stevenson retained his World Boxing Council lightheavyweight world title Saturday with a sixth-round technical knockout of Britain’s Tony Bellew. Stevenson dropped Bellew in the sixth with a heavy left to the jaw. Bellew beat the count, but Stevenson landed another left that sent the challenger staggering into a corner.

The champion was unloading again on the defenseless Bellew when referee Michael Griffin called a halt at 1:50 of the round. Haitian-born Stevenson improved to 23-1 with 20 knockouts.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 4 Italian Serie A 12:00AM Fiorentina v Hellas Verona 2:00AM Lazio v Napoli

15

Monday, December 2, 2013

Manchester United's English striker Wayne Rooney celebrates after scoring his second goal from the penalty spot during their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane in London yesterday AFP

Chelsea, Man City close on Arsenal n AFP, London Both Chelsea and Manchester City capitalised on Liverpool’s shock defeat by Hull on Sunday to leapfrog the Merseysiders and close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea recovered from conceding a goal inside the first minute at Stamford Bridge, when Jay Rodriguez pounced on a poor backpass from Michael Essien, to beat high-flyers Southampton 3-1.

Second-half goals from central defenders Gary Cahill and John Terry, on his 400th league appearance, put

Chelsea in front before substitute Demba Ba sealed victory with a 90th minute effort.

The win took Chelsea, now in second place, to within four points of Arsenal while City, who went third, were six points adrift of the leaders after another impressive home display saw Swansea beaten 3-0.

Samir Nasri scored twice after Alvaro Negredo broke the deadlock in just the eighth minute at Eastlands.

Earlier, Hull beat Liverpool for the first time in their history with a 3-1 win at the KC Stadium.

Liverpool started the match in second place but this result dropped them to third, even before Chelsea had

kicked-off and City’s win meant they finished the day in fourth place.

Hull took a 20th minute lead when Jake Livermore, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, scored his first Premier League goal with a deflected 25-yard shot But Liverpool were level seven minutes later when England captain Steven Gerrard swept in a 20-yard free-kick.

Hull though put the result beyond doubt with two goals inside the final 20 minutes, David Meyler capitalising on a defensive lapse by Kolo Toure before Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel turned Tom Huddlestone’s shot into his own net.

Earlier, champions Manchester United needed two goals from Wayne

Rooney to help them twice come from behind in a 2-2 draw away to Tottenham.

Spurs went ahead through a Kyle Walker free-kick and then made it 2-1 thanks to a stunning strike from Sandro.

But Rooney hit back on both occasions, although the draw left United nine points adrift of Arsenal.

“We’re concerned that we’re not as close as we’d like to be but it’s a long season,” said David Moyes, given the daunting task of succeeding Alex Ferguson as United manager following the Scot’s retirement last season.

“Hopefully we’ll be there or thereabouts.” l

England batsman Joe Root Sunday challenged Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson to “bring it on” in this week’s second Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Root, a contender to be promoted to the number three batting spot in the absence of Jonathan Trott, said it was exciting to face Johnson’s thunderbolts at the first Gabba Test.

The 22-year-old Yorkshireman said he was putting faith in his ability to prepare as well as possible for another barrage from the left-arm speedster.

“It was probably close to it, yeah,” Root told reporters when asked if Johnson’s 150 kmh (93 mph) offerings were the quickest he had encountered.

“It’s great. That’s why you play Test cricket, is to get into battles like that, to get into confrontations like that and try to be successful in those situations.

“Bring it on on Thursday. It should be good fun.” Johnson was the man of the match in Brisbane with nine match wickets for 103 and scores of 64 and 39 not out.

The departure of Trott with a stressrelated illness leaves number six Root and number five Ian Bell as possible firstdrop players for England in Adelaide.

Uncapped pair Gary Ballance and all-rounder Ben Stokes are pushing for the vacancy in the top six, with Ballance appearing to have the edge after his 55 for England against the Chairman’s XI in Alice Springs on Friday. l

RESULTS Chelsea 3-1 Southampton Cahill 55, Terry 62, Rodriguez 1 Ba 90 Man City 3-0 Swansea Negredo 8, Nasri 58, 77 Hull 3-1 Liverpool Livermore 20, Gerrard 27 Meyler 72, Skrtel 87-og Tottenham 2-2 Man United Walker 18, Rooney 32, 57-p Sandro 54 On Saturday Newcastle Gouffran 36, Sissoko 57

2-1

West Brom Brunt 53

Test series against West Indies could define McCullum’s future n Reuters, Wellington New Zealand’s test series against West Indies could define captain Brendon McCullum’s future with the aggressive batsman battling a chronic back injury and reports suggesting he is contemplating retirement.

The 32-year-old McCullum returned home early from the tour of Bangladesh to receive treatment on his back, which has bothered him for more than two years.

The Dominion Post reported earlier this week that McCullum had two protruding discs in his back and was suffering from arthritis and taking painkillers to get through games.

The first match of the three-test series on his home ground at University

Oval in Dunedin begins on Tuesday and will be his 80th test since he made his debut against South Africa in 2004.

Apart from the physical discomforts McCullum faces, the series should define his first year in charge of the team and whether they have moved forward under his leadership.

He was promoted to the captaincy late last year when coach Mike Hesson replaced Ross Taylor, which resulted in a highly embarrassing public relations crisis for New Zealand Cricket.

The former wicketkeeper impressed with his aggressive and inventive tactics against England at home earlier this year and resolute batting that solidified the lower-middle order as the side came within one wicket of sealing a series-clinching victory in the third

test at Eden Park.

New Zealand, however, have failed to win a test under McCullum’s captaincy though they have drawn five of their nine tests under his watch, which suggests they are becoming more competitive.

The hosts, however, have not won a test series against anyone other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe since they beat the West Indies at home in 2006 and while McCullum has said he is pleased with his side’s progress, the fans’ patience for positive results is starting to be tested.

Hesson’s side do have a handy pace bowling trio in Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner with Doug Bracewell, when fit, a fourth seaming option who could easily be shuffled into the front-line three if required. l

McIlroy shocks Scott to win Australian Open n

AFP, Sydney

Double major-winner Rory McIlroy won the Australian Open on Sunday with a birdie at the final hole, sensationally pipping the home favourite Adam Scott, to secure his first tournament victory of 2013.

Scott was leading by a stroke with one hole to play and looked certain to

become only the second player ever to capture the Australian “Triple Crown”.

However, the world number two dramatically bogeyed the last and McIlroy holed a 16-foot birdie putt for a final day 66 to win with a total of 18-under par at the Royal Sydney course, becoming only the second European to win the event.

Scott said he misjudged the wind and took too much club on the last, blowing his bid to add a home Open title to his victories at the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Masters with a 71 in the final round.

“I am gutted, I felt like I never had a better chance to win the Australian Open,” Scott said afterwards. “It was going to be a tough day, Rory made his move and I just couldn’t get my putts in.”

The US Masters champion’s error on 18 in front of a stunned crowd opened the door for McIlroy, who said the Australian “gave me a couple of lifelines and I was able to take advantage of that on the last”.

“While I am sorry to ruin Scotty’s chance at winning the Triple Crown, I have just felt since September in a better (state) mentally these few weeks, with some things off the course,” McIlroy said. l

Siddikur finishes Indonesia Open in style n Tribune Sport Desk

Racer Romboni dies at Simoncelli tribute event n AFP, Rome Former Italian motorcycle racer Doriano Romboni died on Saturday following an accident at an event in memory of his late countryman Mario Simoncelli, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

The 44-year-old crashed during a training session and was struck by another motorcycle, an accident similar to the one that killed Simoncelli, at the Malaysian Grand Prix two years ago.

Romboni, who won six motorcycling races between 1989 and 1998, died after being transferred to hospital.

Romboni competed as an Aprilia rider in the 500cc category that is now MotoGP and was a race winner in the 125cc and 250cc categories. l

Siddikur Rahman finished the Indonesia Open in style as the Bangladesh star posted a four-under 67 on the final day to finish 4th while Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar shoot a flawless three-under 68 to win his first Asian Tour title in 2013 by three shots yesterday.

Siddikur, who was joint 8th overnight, started the day with four straight birdies but later shot bogeys on the sixth and fifteen holes, before posting another two birdies in the final stages of the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

“I had a really great start today with four birdies in a row. My putting was very good and I was hitting the ball awesome today. I did think of winning after the four birdies. I thought if I can continue the streak, I may be able to win. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my putting going after that but still managed to get birdies on the 16th and 17th to make amends for the two bogeys.

Overall, I think it’s a good round,” said the 29-year-old.

It was the first round’s 71 which cost the first Bangladeshi world cup player his third title. He finished with a fourday total of 12-under 272 (71-65-69-67)

to earn US$37,500 at the Pantai Indah Kapuk Course.

“I have had four excellent days here playing in the Indonesia Open. I’ve been playing very consistently so I’m happy with how I played. Winning the Indian Open a couple of weeks ago has definitely given me a lot of confidence in my game,” he said.

Siddikur is currently 3rd on Asian Tour Order of Merit and clearly heading towards qualifying to represent Asia in the inaugural EurAsia Cup next year.

“One of my goals next year is to qualify for the inaugural EurAsia Cup. It’s great to see such big events happening in Asia. I think I should be able to qualify. It would be an honour if I can represent Asia. I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian rising star Nicholas Fung finished tied second after shooting a 66 with Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, who shot two eagles.

At the end of 18 holes, it was Bhullar who was the last man standing. He got off to a slow start but picked up the pace when the field, which included a fast charging Siddikur, Jazz and Fung, edged closer and threatened to overtake him. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, December 2, 2013

ARSON VICTIMS AT DMCH BURN UNIT

Left: A DMCH nurse attends to truck driver Milu who suffered 7% burn in the face as pickets hurled a petrol bomb on his truck at Ghorashal l Clockwise from top left: Aysha Khatun, mother of Riyad who was burnt in an attack on Saturday, cries as his son undergoes treatment at the DMCH burn unit yesterday l Relatives help Amzad Hossain lie at the DMCH burn unit; 25% of the body of Amzad, a truck driver, got burnt as a picket hurled a petrol bomb on his vehicle at Faridpur on Saturday night l Mother feeds the driver of the bus that was set on fire at Shahbagh on Thursday l On her mother’s lap, 18-month-old Safwan realises nothing of the horror his father went through as a victim of Thursday’s arson attack on a bus at Shahbagh in the capital MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The DMCH burn unit becomes ‘politically important’ Neglected for nearly a decade, the burn unit suddenly becomes the place for politicians to be

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which has historically remained neglected, has recently grabbed a lot of media attention, allowing politicians to use it serve their political interests.

With the escalating political violence and the ever increasing number of arson attacks in recent times, the burn unit has been spending the busiest ever time with its limited resources since its inception in 2004.

The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that although nearly a decade has passed, the burn unit has never even been officially inaugurated. Neither has it been ever given a specific allocation for car-

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ON

3 top diplomats due in a week n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman and Mohammad Zakaria

At least three high-profile foreign dignitaries are due to visit Dhaka in a week or two amid political violence to boost diplomatic efforts to encourage two major political parties in a dialogue to hold inclusive and credible elections.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton is planning to come to Dhaka to this end.

Her visit will coincide with the visit of UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco and Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh who are coming to Dhaka in the first week of December.

Singh will arrive on December 4 and Taranco is scheduled to arrive on December 6.

“There is an indication that Ashton will come in the first half of December,” said a foreign ministry official.

She is expected to supplement the visit of Taranco who is coming to meet all the political stakeholders to have a fair election, he said.

In Dhaka, European Union High Commissioner William Hanna said the decision on sending observers to Bangladesh to watch the next general election was not taken yet.

He made the statement after a meeting with the Election Commission Sunday morning.

“The European Union will take decision on sending observers considering the current political situation,” Hanna said.

Bangladesh Permanent Representative to UN AK Abdul Momen told the Dhaka Tribune that UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon wrote a letter to the prime minister urging her to hold free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election.

“Ban Ki-moon wrote in his letter that he noticed that in the newly formed government, the opposition did not take part,” Momen said.

He also wrote that the secretary general was sending Taranco to discuss with the opposition to encourage them to engage in constructive dialogue to hold free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election, Momen said.

rying its expenses.

Sources said the unit’s monthly expenditure – comprising salary of employees, drugs and food for patients – was around Tk10m, of which Tk500,000 is provided by the health ministry. The huge gap is financed from the DMCH’s fund.

At present, more than 300 patients are being treated at the 100-bed facility.

To accommodate the massive overflow, patients are often laid on the floor of the balcony and sometimes additional beds are brought in from the other units of the hospital.

The Dhaka Tribune has also learnt that even though a number of new doctors and 40 new nurses have been recruited for the burn unit recently,

it had not been given a single fourth class employee, including cleaners and sweepers.

Records show that since the first spell of the opposition’s countrywide blockades began last Tuesday, at least 120 victims of arson attacks have taken treatment at the burn unit.

Of them, 51 were admitted to the hospital while the others were released after primary treatment. Of the 51, nine have so far died, five were transferred to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, seven to the High Dependency Unit and 23 had been taking treatment in the general wards.

After the arson attack on a passenger bus in the capital’s Shahbagh on Thursday night, that left at least two

dead and 17 burnt, ministers and political leaders have started thronging the burn unit.

Yesterday alone, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and four other ministers – including Health Minister Rowshan Ershad, Post and Telecommunications Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader and Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan – visited the victims. Many high official of the government have also visited the facility.

Many of them have promised that the government would ensure the best possible treatment for the arson victims.

A number of high official of the hospital told the Dhaka Tribune that most

of the victims were still not out of danger and so more visitors could raise the danger of infections.

A relative of a victim told the Dhaka Tribune that they were not happy to see the political leaders because the government was to be equally blamed for the arson attacks. He said the political leaders’ visit to the burn unit was nothing but political stunts.

Dr Samonta Lal Sen, chief coordinator of expanded burn unit project, told the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday that the unit was overcrowded by patients.

“There are more burn units in different medical college hospitals and institutes in different districts of the country, including Dhaka; but people prefer the DMCH. It has gained the con-

fidence of the people. Now the government should take the next steps,” Dr Sen said.

The Suhrawardy Hospital and the Mitford Hospital in Dhaka have their own burn units too. But people tend to prefer the DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit.

On Saturday, an 11-member expert committee, headed by neuromedicine specialist Prof Dr Kazi Din Mohamad, has been formed to ensure the best possible healthcare for all the arson victims.

Reportedly, all expensive drugs are being given free of cost to the patients and additional doctors, nurses and supporting staff have been appointed to ensure smooth operations. l

Missing children Railway suffers 50% fall in passengers stranded in lost-andn found centre in Barisal POLITICAL VIOLENCE

Kamran Reza Chowdhury

Railway, considered the safest mode of transport, has seen a drastic fall in passengers because of the recent attacks on trains and tracks, with two more trains having derailed in Rajshahi and Comilla yesterday.

Railway officials said ticket sale had reduced by 50% ahead of the BNP-led opposition alliance’s ongoing blockade programmes.

They said particularly women and children had suffered because of the attacks on and derailment of trains that usually occurred at odd places.

Until Sunday night, 18 incidents of sabotage – removal of fish plates and parts of the tracks – have taken place since the opposition’s blockade started on November 26.

Derailment of trains yesterday suspended the capital’s links with Rajshahi and Chittagong.

The derailment of the Dhaka-bound Dhumketu Express at Nandangachhi station in Rajshahi early yesterday snapped the divisional city’s link with

Dhaka, Khulna, Dinajpur, Syedpur and other places.

“The train was running slow, having started at the right time [11:15am]. I was sleeping. Suddenly, our coach slipped off the track with a big noise,” Sirajul Islam, who was on board the Dhumketu Express, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The inter-city train veered off near Nandangachhi station, 30km off Rajshahi city station, around 1am.

“Nandangachhi is an odd location; you do not get any vehicle to go back to Rajshahi,” a passenger named Maruf said.

Sujit Kumar Biswas, divisional traffic officer of Pakshi, told the Dhaka Tribune that the authorities had to take 20 hours to restore the rail link and the schedules of the train could not be maintained properly because of the ongoing blockade programme.

Five coaches of the Dhaka-bound Mohanagar Godhuli from Chittagong derailed around 7:30pm yesterday as tracks near Rajapur, Comilla had been removed, suspending the Dhaka-Chittagong route, said Mahbubur Rahman, divisional commercial officer (Dhaka).

He said restoration of the link would take time.

Pickets also set fire to railway tracks near Gafargaon around 7:30pm, suspending the Dhaka-Mymensingh rail route for an hour.

Md Khalilur Rahman, an additional director general of Bangladesh Railway, said derailment of trains at odd locations really made people helpless and such repeated attacks would erode people’s confidence on the railway.

Mahbubur Rahman, divisional commercial officer (Dhaka), said the railway had earned around Tk6.4m against 45,397 tickets sold at 21 biggest stations in Dhaka division on November 16.

“On November 27, we earned Tk3.5m, selling 23,070 tickets. This is really frustrating for us,” he said.

Sujit Kumar Biswas said the authorities had intensified patrolling the tracks to avert probable sabotage.

Khalilur Rahman said recent violence damaged at least 16 coaches, each costing over Tk40m. He said his department had been repairing coaches for further use. l

Five coaches of the Dhaka-bound Dhumketu Express got derailed near Nandangachhi station in Rajshahi early yesterday

FOCUS BANGLA

n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal The five-year-old rescued child, Sobhan, weeps for returning to his home in Comilla, but he is now stranded in the district town of Barisal because of the political unrest.

The child was found working in a shop in Vatar Khal area of the city on November 10, 2013 by Alfazur Rahman, field facilitator of the Bangladesh Woman Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA). He rescued the missing boy but the organisation is now unable to hand him over to his family because of the continuous road blockades.

Within a fortnight at least five such victims were rescued from the city by the association members.

Sobhan told the names of his family members - late Mustafa (father), Rabeya (mother), Ibrahim (elder brother) and Nanna (sister). He gave his address as Jhawtala water tank area, Langolkot, Feni.

He said two people had lured him to come to Dhaka by train from Feni.

The pair took him to Barisal by a launch, but left him at the district port when they spotted police officers there.

The boy worked at a “Vangari” shop owned by a man named Liton, near launch ghat area, said Alfazur Rahman of BNWLA. The lost-and-found boy had been sheltering in Chhotomoni Nibas, a safe home for children, under the Department of Social Services at Agoiljhara of Barisal.

The association also sought police help to contact the family members of the child to confirm his identity, but the lawmen failed to do so.

“We attempted three times to go to Langolkot with Sobhan for finding out his guardians, but failed because of hartals and blockades,” said Masuk Kamal, area coordinator of BNWLA. “In recent days, even after identifying the missing children, we fail to hand them over quickly to their legal guardians due to the shutdowns and blockades,” said Masuk.

The ongoing situation added to sufferings of both sides, he added.

The recently-found children could not be defined as typical street-children and so they needed special care in shelter homes and a speedy and safe return to their families, but the political unrest prevented their quick handover, said the BNWLA official.

In another case, Lina Begum, a volunteer of the association, rescued Sajib, 11, a speech-impaired boy, on November 25.

Sajib could only say that he came to Barisal by a launch from Dhaka and failed to return home to the Dhanmondi area of the capital. The 11-year-old has been accommodated at the shelter home of Aparajeo Bangla, said Advocate Nurun Nahar Begum of BNWLA. However, the association succeeded to hand over Shimul, 13, Mukta, 10, and Nasima, 12 - three siblings from Gopalganj - to their families.

As the three came to Barisal Reporters Unity and asked for help, BNWLA was informed and the association gave them shelter, contacted their mother Shirin Begum in Gopalganj and handed them to the family after two days.

“We arrange temporary shelter for the rescued children and contact respective police stations and also use our own sources to verify identities and addresses and trace out their legal guardians for their safe return to their homes,” said Advocate Salma Ali, executive director, BNWLA. Salma said the association rarely receives help from police nowadays since the law enforcers are busy controlling the law and order situation because of the political unrest. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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Continue to the Business section...

Business

B2 BTCL sees rapid drop of users

B3 Application deadline extended

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

NBR to hunt for tax-evading land buyers in metropolis n Syed Samiul Basher Anik National Board of Revenue is going to identify those who have bought a land at over Tk10m in the country’s any metropolitan city but evaded paying taxes.

This type of tax dodgers either did not register with TIN or showed less than actual price of land in tax file, said NBR sources.

The central intelligence cell of NBR has also been involved in the collection of information about those land purchasers without paying taxes particularly in posh areas such as Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara in the capital.

“We are now collecting information from the sub-registry offices about such tax dodgers,” said an official.

BB re-fixes minimum period for term-deposits n Tribune Report

Bangladesh Bank has re-fixed minimum period for term-deposits to financial institutions at three months.

Previously, the minimum period for the deposits was six months.

The re-fixing comes to prevent funding crisis in the financial institutions, said a Bangladesh Bank circular issued yesterday.

We have initiated several steps to collect taxes from some of the uncovered areas to avoid missing target. Hope, the steps will work,

Meanwhile, the deadline for income tax return submission will expire on December 1.

“After December 1, we will cross-check the information the taxpayers provide in their returns. If any fault is found, actions will be taken under the Income Tax Ordinance,” the NBR official said.

For the FY2013-14, the revenue body has set an income tax target of Tk483bn.

However, the officials said there is a huge possibility of missing that target due to ongoing political turmoil.

‘Financial institutions are going through funding crisis. To help them recover from such situation, the period for term-deposits has been re-fixed’

NBR said many land buyers dodge taxes But several steps have been taken to boost and expand revenue collection.

“We have initiated several steps to collect taxes from some of the uncovered areas to avoid missing target. Hope, the steps will work,” said another official.

About the tax evaders, he said they had

already made a primary list of them.

“Identifying them (land purchasers without paying taxes) is a continuous process.”

“Those who give false information in their tax files to evade taxes will also face stern actions as per law,” the official warned. l

The circular said the depositors were previously allowed to have premature encashment after completion of six months of deposit.

After re-fixing, the premature encashment can be done after three months, it said.

“Financial institutions are going through funding crisis. To help them recover from such situation, the period for term-deposits has been re-fixed,” said Mahfuzur Rahman, executive director of Bangladesh Bank. l

ICB plans to buy stake of Active Fine Chemicals n Tahmidur Rahman Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) has planned to buy a portion of stake of Active Fine Chemicals Limited (AFC) in the current market price, subject to the approval of securities regulator.

Analysts say issuing such shares at a price below the market value might result in financial losses for the existing shareholders but financial benefit for the new shareholders.

The company closed at Tk83 per share yesterday at the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

The listed company in a statement issued in the middle of last month said ICB ex-

pressed its intention to subscribe 20m ordinary shares of Tk10 each at an issue price of Tk50, including premium of Tk40, that will be below the current market price.

The proposal from ICB is subject to approval of shareholders in the third extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) scheduled for December 10, 2013 and subsequent approval from Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, said the statement.

After buying new shares of the company, ICB will hold directorship in the board of directors of the company, it said.

Issuance of 20m ordinary shares, which will be sold to the strategic investor like ICB

after regulatory approval, will raise the directors’ shareholdings to 30% from existing 14.78% in line with the regulatory requirements, the company said.

It said this will also help get fresh funds for its expansion plans.

AFC company secretary Md Mahbub declined to make any comment about the issues saying, “I do not want to make any comment before the EGM to be held next month.”

However, he explained that most likely two options can be exercised to meet the regulatory requirements.

“One option can be the directors’ buying back shares from the market but that may

drive up the price abnormally. And eventually the retail investors may turn out to be on the losing side as the price will be adjusted after share buy back.” He said the other option is to bring a sponsor that will offer the best deal among the interested sponsors.

Agreement clauses and other details will be discussed at the EGM where the existing shareholders will get to cast their votes regarding the inclusion of new director.

Market participants said other strategic investors were interested to participate in bidding to buy Active Fine’s shares but they failed to do so as the company did not offer auction to sale its stake. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

BTCL sees rapid drop of users However the availability of connections has picked up

Eastern Refinery to build second unit by 2016

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

The state-owned land phone operator BTCL has expanded its capacity by 7.8% in last two years since June 2011.

But the number of subscribers fell by at least 8.8% during the period, showed data of Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL).

For last nine quarters in a row, the use of BTCL phone has declined.

The data showed the use of BTCL phones compared to its capacity fell to 61.37% from 72.54% in the period.

While the capacity has increased by 106,697 connections, some 87,195 subscribers have withdrawn from the service.

According to the sources, BTCL is going to publish the figures very soon.

“We are very concerned about the future of BTCL. If the trend continues, it is destined to meet the doom shortly,” a high official of the company projected while talking with the Dhaka Tribune.

He blamed the policymakers for not taking any recovery steps.

“Policymakers remain indifferent of the situation,” said the official requesting anonymity. When contacted, BTCL’s managing director SOM Kalim Ullah refused to make any comment on the issue.

Couple of years ago when there was zero demand for BTCL connection outside the capital it was high requirement inside Dhaka.

Business interties always prefer land phone though households have no interests for it. But

The second unit of the Eastern Refinery Limited is likely to be set up by June 2016 with a capacity of refining around 3.5m tonnes of crude oil annually.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is negotiating with a Chinese state-owned firm Wuhun Engineering Company Ltd to implement the project.

The country’s lone refiner Eastern Refinery currently refines 1.3m tonnes of crude oil per year while the capacity is 1.5m tonnes. It is located in Chittagong.

‘BPC saves Tk6-7 per litre by refining crude oil instead of importing refined oil’

Years

Capacity

In Use

Use Rate

June 2011

1.36m

990,494

72.54%

June 2012

1.42m

935,760

65.51%

June 2013

1.47m

903,299

61.37%

currently Dhaka’s capacity also lay unused.

The data showed there were some 571,465 active connections in the capital as of June 2011 with 78.96% of capacity utilised.

During the past two years, capacity use came down to 68.69% in Dhaka. But while capacity availability has increased to 781,481

connections, total connections dropped to 536,807 inside the capital.

BTCL recently doubled its monthly line charge from Tk80 to Tk160. The company also reviewed call rates and introduced peak and off-peak clusters.

According to many BTCL officials, the charge hikes are another reason to prompt many subscribers to leave the service.

In 2010, the government offered land phone connections without any charge, which helped BTCL to see an increased number of new subscribers. l

But the existing one meets only 10% of the country’s demand. “We are negotiating with Wuhum to set up second unit of Eastern Refinery,” BPC chairman Md Eunusur Rahaman told the Dhaka Tribune.

The construction cost has been estimated at Tk76.2bn. “BPC saves Tk6-7 per litre by refining crude oil instead of importing refined oil,” said BPC chief.

A BPC official said the capacity of the proposed unit would be three times more than the existing one. He added that a 30-acre land near the Eastern Refinery has already been acquired for expansion of the refinery.

BPC annually imports about 5m tonnes of crude and refined oil at an average price of Tk500bn, according to official data. l

Jamuna Bank to issue subordinated debt bonds worth Tk2bn n Tribune Report Jamuna Bank plans to issue subordinated debt bonds worth Tk2bn to strengthen its capital base, which aligns with the regulatory requirement.

Subordinated debt is a hybrid (debt and equity) financial instrument which is treated as a component of capital.

The board of directors of the company has decided to raise funds through placement as part of the tier-II regulatory capital under the guideline of risk based capital adequacy for banks, said the company in a statement.

However, the subordinated debt of Tk2bn is subject to the approval of regulatory bodies and by the shareholders.

In 2009, the central bank had issued a guideline allowing the commercial banks to raise capital by issuing subordinated debt in order to meet the Basel-II requirement.

The banks can raise their capital through issuing such debt instrument, generally known as subordinated bonds, instead of

issuing right and bonus shares, according to the guideline.

The subordinated debt eligible to be considered as tier-2 capital if have a maturity period more than five years, said Bangladesh Bank (BB).

The option of such financial instrument can be exercised by a bank once it has composite CAMELS rating at least two and BB rating grade at least two, as mentioned in the guidelines on risk-based capital adequacy for banks.

The Basel-II accord came into effect in Bangladesh on January 1, 2009 alongside Basel-I to consolidate capital base of the banks.

The new Basel accord has been prepared on the basis of three pillars: minimum capital requirement, supervisory review process and market discipline.

Three types of risks - credit risk, market risk and operational risk - have to be considered under the minimum capital requirement. l

First Security Islami Bank opens branch at Gazipur Chowrasta

First Security Bank opens branch in Gazipur n Tribune Business Desk First Security Islami Bank Ltd started operation of its Gazipur Chowrasta Branch yesterday.

The bank’s Banani Branch manager, Kazi Md Rezaul Karim inaugurated the new branch, said a press release.

Among others, Azam Khan, head of marketing, development and public relations division, Md Mizanur Rahman, manager at Savar Branch, Md Rezaul Karim, manager at Zirabo Branch and Md Abu Bakar Siddiq, manager at Gazipur Chowrasta Branch were also present at the launching ceremony. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

STOCKS REFINANCE FUND

Application deadline extended n Tribune Report Deadline for loan application under the Tk9bn capital market refinance scheme has been extended by two more weeks.

The previous deadline expired on November 30.

On behalf of the affected small investors, the merchant banks and brokerage firms can now apply for loans under the scheme till December 15. Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) released a statement yesterday in this regard.

There are around 1m investors who were affected by the share market debacle in 2010.

Only few of them could apply for the loans under the refinance scheme launched in August this year.

Bangladesh Merchant Bankers Association (BMBA) urged the BSEC last week to extend the deadline for more one month.

BMBA it argued that it was impossible to apply for the loans within the previously-announced deadline by meeting all required conditions. A supervision committee of the refinance scheme set the conditions.

The conditions include clearance from Credit Information Bureau (CIB) for all sponsor-directors of a merchant bank or a brokerage house and giving 50% waiver interest on the margin loans against the investors’ accounts.

As per the loan distribution guideline, the state-run Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) will lend to merchant banks and stockbrokers at 7% rate.

ICB already received Tk3bn as first instal-

3

Dubai’s World Expo win may fuel boom, risk bust n Reuters

ment of the Tk9bn fund at 5% interest rate from the central bank. The merchant banks and stockbrokers will then disburse the fund to the retail investors at 9% rate.

Later, the borrowers will have to repay the loans in three-month instalments to ICB which will subsequently deposit the received amount to the refinance fund.

The affected retail investors, who had investment up to Tk1m from January 2009 to

November 2011, are eligible to receive loan from the specialised fund.

The BSEC has identified 954,000 affected small investors to be brought under the facility of refinance scheme.

As a step to heal the wounds of debacle, the government in March 2012 announced a compensation package that included an interest waiver on margin loans to the investors. l

Dubai’s success in bidding to host the 2020 World Expo will trigger billions of dollars of investment in the emirate, but it may risk a repeat of the boom-and-bust cycle which nearly caused financial collapse just a few years ago.

After competing against three cities, Dubai was awarded the world’s fair by the Bureau International des Expositions on Wednesday, setting the seal on a dramatic economic recovery.

Four years ago, the emirate of 2.2 million people nearly defaulted on its debt after a real estate bubble burst, causing property prices to crash over 50% between 2008 and 2010.

Now a boom in trade, tourism and finance is repairing the damage and Dubai again has the resources to plan big projects.

But some businessmen fear the additional investment for the Expo may be hard for the economy to absorb.

Hopes for a successful Expo bid have already contributed to speculation in the property market, where prices are up some 20% over the past 12 months, and the stock market, where the index .DFMGI has soared 79% this year.

Further large rises could start to hurt Dubai’s economic competitiveness by raising its cost base - and conceivably set the emirate up for another crash down the road. l

Stocks drop for 4th day n Tribune Report

Managing Director and CEO of IDCOL Mahmood Malik and Managing Director of BCL Md Wakil Uddin inked a term loan agreement on behalf of their respective organisations in Dhaka on Thursday

IDCOL, BCL ink Tk388m term loan n Tribune Business Desk Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) and Baridhara Corporation Limited (BCL) signed a term loan facility amounting to Tk388m.

The deal was signed on Thursday to set up automatic brick manufacturing projects at Pirujali, Mirzapur, Gazipur, said a press release.

Managing Director and CEO of IDCOL Mahmood Malik and Managing Director of BCL Md Wakil Uddin inked the agreement on

behalf of their respective organisations.

The contract signed was the first project under IDCOL’s endeavour to promote energy efficient technology and reduce pollution in brick manufacturing sector.

The project will use Tunnel Kiln Technology, the most advanced kiln technology, and will have a capacity to manufacture 200,000 bricks per day, said the statement.

IDCOL has a plan to invest Tk4bn to ensure that conversion to environment friendly technology in the brick manufacturing sector is carried out efficiently. l

Stocks dropped for the fourth consecutive session yesterday, as negative sentiment over ongoing political turmoil continued to weigh on investors’ sentiment.

The benchmark index -- DSEX-- ended at 4147 with sharp fall of 83 points or 2%. The DS30 Index comprising blue chips was down 33 points or 2% to 1470.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, was down 174 points to 8108.

“Investors continue to maintain a ‘wait and watch’ policy and looking for a clear direction.

Gloomy political outlook has been a major setback for the market in recent days,” said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

Probably, all the market participants are expecting a slowdown in corporate profitability because of nationwide blockade and

discounting their valuations accordingly, it said.

All the major sectors closed red with textile losing highest 3.8%, power 2.3%, banks 1.9% and financial institution 1.8%.

The total turnover at DSE stood at Tk3.5bn, down by 4.9% from the previous session.

IDLC Investment said following strengthened perception of bleak investment outlook, massive waves of correction prolonged the market.

It said selling frenzy was observed across almost all the sectors and all cap classes, throughout the session, pressuring indices go down.

Delta Life Insurance was the most traded stocks with shares worth over Tk333m changing hands.

It was followed by RN Spinning, Meghna Petroleum, Paramount Textile, Envoy Textile, Generation Next Fashion, Jamuna Oil and Central Pharmaceuticals. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

No quick exit from West’s economic malaise n Reuters Ending the Great Stagnation that is taxing Western policy makers may depend as much on the Chinese Communist Party as it does on the world’s leading central banks.

Six years after the global financial crisis erupted, there is any number of explanations why Europe cannot shake off a Japan-style balance-sheet recession and why the United States is experiencing sub-par growth and high unemployment.

Governments and households racked up too much debt to sustain living standards. Demographic tailwinds have turned into headwinds as baby boomers retire and the surge of women entering the workforce has run its course. Many banks are still ailing and are building up capital instead of lending freely.

But two other factors cannot be overlooked.

Firstly, there is an excess of global savings, which has lowered the natural real rate of interest that equalizes savings and investment.

The result is a liquidity trap. Even with interest rates near zero, monetary policy is like pushing on a piece of string.

Secondly, the share of income accruing to labour has shriveled in most countries. With real incomes stagnant or falling, consumer demand is too weak for Western firms to justify investing their record cash piles, at least at home.

What links these two phenomena is the meteoric rise of China as the workshop of the world after Beijing joined the World Trade Organization in late 2001.

“That changed the world. That for me was basically the start of this globalization process,” hedge-fund manager Stephen Jen told a recent Reuters BreakingViews conference.

At a stroke, he said, the effective size of the world’s labour force doubled.

With Beijing repressing domestic consumption and holding down the yuan’s exchange rate to give it a competitive edge in world markets, foreign direct investment poured into China to take advantage of cheap labour, land and other inputs.

Exports duly exploded. China’s resulting current account surplus, though now declining, contributed to a glut of global savings that depressed US interest rates and helped fuel the fateful boom in sub-prime mortgages.

China’s foreign exchange reserves today stand at an unfathomable $3.66tn.

Tens of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty by the rise of China and other poor countries plugged into global supply chains.

But outsourcing of production has hollowed out skilled jobs in advanced economies in what British financial analyst Tim Morgan, in his book ‘Life After Growth’ calls “a self-inflicted disaster with few parallels in economic history”.

Jen added: “If you are a labourer in the West, you have been hurt. It’s very clear. If you are a capitalist in the West, you have benefited immensely.”

Dominic Rossi, global chief investment officer for equities at Fidelity Worldwide Investment, noted that labour’s share of US non-financial output held steady at between 61% and 65% for half a century.

“Then, something happened. From 2000,

it plummeted and currently rests at an alltime low of 57%,” Rossi wrote in the Financial Times. Over the same period, median US household incomes have fallen in real terms.

“Overall, labour is not participating in economic growth as it has done in the past,” he said.

The flip side is that US corporate profit margins stand at 12% of gross domestic product, a record high, yet net corporate investment is only 4% of GDP, Rossi noted.

The picture of corporations awash with cash but reluctant to invest is mirrored in Europe.

So what is to be done?

Bill White, a former chief economist of the Bank for International Settlements, blamed central banks for wrongly analyzing the strong disinflationary impulse imparted by the reintegration of previously isolated economies such as China into the world trading system.

“Globalization constituted a significant, long-lasting and positive productivity shock that should have been met with tighter rather than easier monetary policy,” White said in a speech to Omfif, a London think tank.

By leaning against what they saw as excessive disinflation, central banks have helped to create the imbalances now dogging

People walking through an underground passage are reflected in its ceiling in Moscow Against a background of high debt and depressed incomes and investment, former US Treasury secretary Larry Summers posited at a recent IMF conference that real interest rates consistent with full employment could now be minus 2-3%.

“We may well need in the years ahead to think about how we manage an economy in which the zero nominal interest rate is a chronic and systemic inhibitor of economic activity, holding our economies back below their potential,” Summers said.

He is not alone in worrying about the limits of monetary policy even as the risks of outright deflation grow.

Alan Blinder, a former Federal Reserve vice-chairman, expects inflation to be lower on average over the next half a century than in the past 50 years. As a result, central banks would keep hitting the zero lower bound (ZLB) on nominal interest rates.

“We have just experienced first-hand how difficult the ZLB can make it for a central bank to stimulate its economy out of a recession and, therefore, how large the potential social costs are,” Blinder wrote in a recent essay.

the global economy and have postponed the adjustments needed to achieve sustainable, balanced growth, White argued.

“In short, ‘still more of the same’ monetary policies since 2007 have left us, in my view, with old problems unresolved and some new ones added as well,” he said.

Stephen King, chief economist at HSBC, shares the worry that the world has become addicted to monetary stimulus. He lists three main nasty side effects.

Firstly, manipulating the yield curve carries the risk of misallocating capital and so hurting long-term growth.

Secondly, inequality is rising sharply as ultra-loose policy inflates asset prices, thus favouring the rich at a time when wage earners are under the cosh.

Thirdly, monetary policy is being enlisted to try to generate the economic growth that politicians need to meet spending and entitlement pledges made to voters.

“Long term, it’s not so much a financial crisis that we face.

It’s more a political and social crisis because these promises that we have made for ourselves will be broken,” King told the

BreakingViews conference.

Seen in that light, if the West is in the grip of ‘secular stagnation’, as Summers suggested, the welfare state will have to shrink or taxes will have to rise to pay for it.

The draft agreement by Germany’s coalition partners to lower the pension age for some workers will be the exception rather than the rule.

“We are expecting people to stay much longer in the labour market,” said Stefano Scarpetta, director of employment at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. He said 67, not 65, would be the ‘new normal’ retirement age.

REUTERS

For some the gloom is overdone.

Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank in London, expects the euro zone to emerge stronger from its near breakup thanks to structural and institutional reforms the bloc is belatedly implementing.

“By 2020, Europe could be a more dynamic region with an excitingly diverse culture and a still-strong degree of social cohesion,” he wrote.

And then there is China.

Skeptics insist it is only a question of when, not if, China buckles under the weight of bad loans misallocated by state-owned banks to an overpriced property sector and industries already suffering from overcapacity.

But just as traders learn the adage ‘Don’t fight the Fed’, it could be rash to bet against the Chinese Communist Party given its economic record since the launch of reforms in 1978.

Mark Williams and Qinwei Wang with Capital Economics, a London consultancy, said they felt more upbeat about China’s long-term economic prospects than they have ever been after reading the reform blueprint issued this month by party leaders. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

5

China’s November factory growth clings to 18-month high n Reuters China’s factory growth held at an 18-month high in November on firm domestic and foreign demand, defying expectations the economy faces a modest slowdown as 2013 draws to a close.

The official Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) stood at 51.4 in November, the National Bureau of Statistics said, unchanged from October and ahead of market expectations for a reading of 51.1.

Investors had expected the PMI, one of the earliest pieces of Chinese data released each month, to show China’s economy decelerated in the fourth quarter on slacker credit growth, fragile global demand, and slower restocking of inventories by firms.

“Growth momentum held up in November,” said Louis Kuijs, an economist at RBS in Hong Kong. “The export order data suggests that global demand - key to the outlook for China’s manufacturing - improved a bit.”

A sub-index for export orders nudged higher to 50.6 in November from 50.4 in October, hovering above the 50-point threshold separating growth from contraction.

Experts will welcome the unexpected PMI

strength as a sign that China can press on with sprawling plans outlined last month to cut back central economic planning without fear of endangering growth.

A Reuters poll in October showed China’s economy is forecast to grow 7.5% in the fourth quarter, in line with the government’s 2013 growth forecast, but down from 7.8% between July and September

After three decades of double-digit growth, analysts say China’s economy has reached a turning point where traditional growth drivers of heavy investment and brisk export sales must make way for a more sustainable expansion in consumption.

In the near-term, China’s attempt to remake its economy should foster market confidence and perhaps even offset investor jitters over tighter monetary policy, said Kuijs.

“After a mild slowdown in the fourth

quarter of 2013, we expect China to benefit from improved global growth late this year and in 2014,” he said.

Sunday’s PMI is the latest of a series of data confounding bets that China’s growth engine is losing steam.

Factory production, retail sales and investment had all displayed encouraging growth in October, suggesting the world’s second-largest economy is stabilizing.

Still, analysts cautioned against undue optimism.

The PMI showed new orders, a measure of foreign and domestic demand, edged down to 52.3 from 52.5 in October. The production and business activity expectation sub-index also slid to 54.9 from October’s 57.5.

Liu Li Gang and Zhou Hao from ANZ Bank said China’s tightening credit conditions had lifted borrowing costs and would probably deter firms from investing heavily or expanding quickly.

The PMI survey also showed stocks of purchases fell to 47.8 in November, a low not seen since July. “This indicates that the producers are not rushing to hoard raw materials due to lack of final demand,” Liu and Zhou said.

Worried about brisk credit growth, stubbornly strong record house prices and quickening inflation, which hit an eight-month high in October, China’s leaders have signaled lately that monetary policy may be tightened slightly to cool prices.

But analysts do not expect the mild tightening to cause a sharp fall-off in growth.

A Reuters poll in October showed China’s economy is forecast to grow 7.5% in the fourth quarter, in line with the government’s 2013 growth forecast, but down from 7.8% between July and September.

For the year, economists believe growth may hit 7.6%, impressive by world standards, but still the worst for China in 14 years.

Tilted towards China’s bigger state-owned manufacturers, the official PMI poll is the second of three of such surveys to be published each month.

The final HSBC PMI is scheduled for release on Monday at 0145 GMT. Unlike its official peer, it favours smaller and private companies. A flash HSBC PMI issued last month for November showed factory growth eased to 50.4 from October’s 50.9, though some analysts say the survey is more volatile than the official poll. l

No gold bars but higher salaries for London bankers with bonus cap n Reuters In the 1990s, London-based investment banks rewarded top employees with gold bars, fine wine and oriental carpets to dent the impact of higher payroll taxes.

Now, with public anger at banking excess near all time highs, they are looking at less flashy ways to cope with curbs on bonuses, including a new monthly allowance.

European rules due to take force in January say bankers’ bonuses cannot exceed annual salary, or twice that if shareholders approve, to curb the sort of excessive risk-taking blamed for the 2008-09 financial crisis.

Salaries have not dropped in line with banks’ revenues since the crisis, consultancy McKinskey said this month, despite a series of huge, taxpayer-funded bank bailouts.

At least 10,000 bankers, most of them in London, take home more than half a million euros ($678,700), according to industry sources, more than 10 times the average wage in wealthier European states.

With much of pay currently in bonuses, the biggest banks in London, including Deutsche Bank, Barclays and JP Morgan, look certain to bump up salaries.

Britain and the banks in what is Europe’s financial capital argue the new rules play into the hands of competing financial centres such as New York, Hong Kong and Singapore.

They also say it provides less scope to claw back pay if it turns out an individual had taken too much risk, and limits the ability to pay bonuses in shares awarded in the future.

The cap affects all “risk taking” staff for EU banks and the European staff of those outside the trading bloc, so all major investment banks are affected, including U.S. lenders such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

“There’s absolutely no question that fixed

pay is going to rise,” said Jon Terry, partner at PwC. “But the standard response may not be by increases in salary, by far the most common response will be the introduction of allowances.

“They are a bit more flexible, but it will fundamentally involve a shift of a proportion of variable pay into fixed pay.”

Britain’s Barclays last week said it will increase fixed pay using such a structure. It plans to give bankers in specific risk-taking roles an additional monthly payment, set at the start of the year and to run for 12 months.

The top-up will not be included in pension calculations and could rise or fall depending on demand for a particular role.

Other banks, such as JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank and HSBC, are expected to consider similar plans, and could vary the structure with longer payment terms or by paying it

quarterly.

While raising fixed pay is likely to be the most obvious response to the bonus cap, generous housing allowances and loyalty payments could also be considered.

HSBC Chief Executive Stuart Gulliver said he would “take whatever steps necessary to protect the competitiveness” of his bank, noting that three-quarters of staff affected by the rules work outside the European economic area.

PwC’s Terry said more than 80% of 40 banks surveyed by his firm last month said they planned to use allowances as their primary response to the bonus cap.

The British government has launched a legal challenge to the legislation arguing that it will force up fixed salaries, making the banks riskier rather than safer.

“Firms’ remuneration strategies may be-

A traffic sign is pictured in front of the skyline of the Canary Wharf financial district in London REUTERS

come less flexible which could make adjustment during periods of stress more difficult, undermining financial stability,” the UK’s Prudential Regulation Authority said.

But other countries do not think the EU is going far enough. The Dutch government on Tuesday said it will cap bonuses at banks at no more than 20% of total salary from 2015, although overseas staff could get higher amounts.

The European Banking Authority, the watchdog overseeing the rule, said any staff earning more than 500,000 euros a year are likely to be affected.

It could also include any employee whose bonus is at least 75,000 euros and 75% of their fixed pay, or anyone paid more than the lowest member of senior management. The rules will be finalized early next year.

Some 3,175 bankers earned 1m euros or more in the EU in 2011, indicating at least 10,000 people would be caught by a rule covering any employee earning half that amount, according to published salary scales.

The British Bankers’ Association has said more than 35,000 people could be affected at 10 major banks it surveyed, representing 5.5% of their global workforce.

More than three-quarters of the top EU bank earners were based in London, fuelling the city’s property prices, swanky restaurants and upmarket shops.

In 2011, the bonuses of London’s top bankers were 3.5 times fixed pay, EBA data showed, meaning their employers would need to switch almost 400m euros to fixed pay from bonuses to meet the new rules in aggregate.

The rules come into effect in January, but will not apply to bonuses for 2013, which are typically paid in February and March.

Barclays said it discussed its plan with regulators and shareholders. l

6

Share

DHAKA TRIBUNE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4147.21 ⇓ 1.97%, Turnover: 3486.88 M.Tk ⇓ 4.86%, PE: 12.83 Turnover 3,938.13 MTk . ⇓ 5.09% 1 December 2013 MarketCap. 2,010.24 BTk. ⇓ 1.68% CSE All Share Index: 12826 ⇓ 2.08%, Turnover: 451.25 M Tk. ⇓ 6.71%, PE: 12.63 Combined Turnover Leader

% of TTL

Delta Life Insu. -A

1298200

359.24

5318227

191.32

4.86

Paramount Textile Ltd.-N

2659750

143.57

3.65

Meghna Petroleum -A

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 241451 D: 26.10 ⇓ 2.25% | 26.26 | 27.00 / 24.10 C: 26.10 ⇓ 2.61% | 26.28 | 26.60 / 25.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 485354 D: 19.50 ⇓ 3.47% | 19.65 | 20.20 / 18.20 C: 19.30 ⇓ 4.93% | 19.52 | 20.10 / 19.20 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 1029630 D: 31.30 ⇓ 1.26% | 31.31 | 31.90 / 29.00 C: 31.20 ⇓ 1.58% | 31.26 | 31.60 / 30.90 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 153314 D: 35.10 ⇓ 1.13% | 35.26 | 37.00 / 32.00 C: 35.40 ⇓ 0.84% | 35.48 | 35.70 / 35.40 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 2384456 D: 11.40 ⇓ 5.00% | 11.61 | 12.00 / 11.00 C: 11.60 ⇓ 4.13% | 11.70 | 12.00 / 11.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 211999 D: 31.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.20 | 31.40 / 29.00 C: 30.80 ⇓ 1.28% | 30.76 | 31.10 / 30.50 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 8664 D: 63.10 ⇓ 0.94% | 63.11 | 64.50 / 61.00 C: 63.00 ⇓ 3.08% | 63.08 | 63.50 / 63.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 2279118 D: 23.30 ⇓ 4.51% | 23.78 | 24.40 / 22.00 C: 23.50 ⇓ 3.69% | 23.79 | 24.40 / 23.00 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 438138 D: 30.30 ⇓ 1.30% | 30.25 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 30.10 ⇓ 2.27% | 30.05 | 30.40 / 29.80 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 2941800 D: 6.80 ⇑ 9.68% | 6.78 | 6.80 / 6.00 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 97046 D: 27.90 ⇓ 0.71% | 27.84 | 30.00 / 27.60 C: 26.70 ⇓ 3.96% | 26.70 | 26.70 / 26.70 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 1529817 D: 18.30 ⇓ 2.66% | 18.47 | 19.10 / 17.00 C: 18.50 ⇓ 0.54% | 18.65 | 20.40 / 18.30 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 74519 D: 23.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.04 | 23.40 / 22.10 C: 22.30 ⇓ 2.62% | 22.26 | 22.40 / 21.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 1084982 D: 17.50 ⇓ 2.23% | 17.63 | 18.00 / 16.50 C: 17.50 ⇓ 1.69% | 17.53 | 17.80 / 17.10 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 106183 D: 18.20 ⇓ 3.19% | 18.29 | 18.70 / 17.60 C: 18.00 ⇓ 4.26% | 18.14 | 18.50 / 17.70 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 687504 D: 13.20 ⇓ 4.35% | 13.41 | 14.50 / 12.50 C: 13.40 ⇓ 2.19% | 13.44 | 13.60 / 13.30 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 710674 D: 12.80 ⇓ 3.76% | 12.96 | 13.80 / 12.20 C: 13.10 ⇓ 2.24% | 13.04 | 13.20 / 12.10 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 13160 D: 97.30 ⇑ 1.67% | 97.07 | 97.90 / 90.00 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 43428 D: 15.40 ⇓ 1.28% | 15.43 | 15.90 / 14.80 C: 15.10 ⇓ 3.82% | 15.13 | 15.20 / 14.80 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 700167 D: 14.40 ⇓ 2.70% | 14.53 | 15.00 / 13.50 C: 14.40 ⇓ 1.37% | 14.42 | 14.80 / 14.30 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 1380077 D: 15.70 ⇓ 2.48% | 15.82 | 16.10 / 14.50 C: 15.60 ⇓ 3.11% | 15.70 | 16.20 / 15.10 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 133598 D: 18.20 ⇓ 1.62% | 18.25 | 19.00 / 16.80 C: 18.00 ⇓ 3.74% | 18.34 | 19.00 / 17.80 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 1951166 D: 15.00 ⇓ 3.23% | 15.13 | 15.50 / 14.00 C: 15.00 ⇓ 3.23% | 15.07 | 15.30 / 14.90 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 1222992 D: 12.10 ⇓ 4.72% | 12.25 | 13.00 / 11.50 C: 12.20 ⇓ 3.17% | 12.37 | 13.50 / 11.40 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 174916 D: 16.20 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.19 | 16.40 / 14.80 C: 15.70 ⇓ 0.63% | 15.83 | 16.10 / 15.00 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 251343 D: 30.60 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.66 | 30.90 / 28.00 C: 30.20 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.32 | 30.50 / 30.00 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 404394 D: 16.50 ⇓ 4.62% | 16.73 | 18.20 / 16.00 C: 16.60 ⇓ 2.92% | 16.76 | 18.50 / 16.60

TO M. Tk.

R. N. Spinning-A

Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

597033 1758640

9.12

C%

A%

CP

DSE Loser

C%

A%

CP

Rahima Food -A

9.96

13.16

50.80

Meghna Petroleum-A

-20.65

-19.58

224.00

35.97

Modern Dyeing-B

9.71

8.78

101.70

Dacca Dyeing-A

-13.12

-11.63

24.50

53.98

ICB Islamic Bank-Z

9.68

7.96

6.80

Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

-10.73

-8.24

54.90

Fine Foods-A

9.63

6.09

20.50

Central Pharm-A

-9.30

-6.54

39.00

40.10

Savar Refractories-Z

-7.94

-7.89

53.30

Avg. P 276.72

134.86

3.42

225.89

98.87

2.51

56.22

PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 471952 D: 11.10 ⇓ 3.48% | 11.20 | 11.50 / 10.50 C: 11.10 ⇓ 3.48% | 11.20 | 11.40 / 11.10 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 916743 D: 19.20 ⇓ 1.03% | 19.18 | 20.80 / 18.60 C: 19.20 ⇓ 1.03% | 19.13 | 19.30 / 18.60 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 925633 D: 14.40 ⇓ 5.26% | 14.68 | 15.20 / 14.00 C: 14.60 ⇓ 4.58% | 14.78 | 15.70 / 14.50 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 112300 D: 58.70 ⇓ 2.17% | 58.99 | 60.00 / 54.00 C: 59.20 ⇓ 2.31% | 59.37 | 60.50 / 59.10 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 108532 D: 28.40 ⇓ 1.73% | 28.51 | 29.00 / 26.70 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 59800 D: 78.10 ⇓ 1.01% | 78.37 | 79.50 / 71.10 C: 77.00 ⇓ 2.41% | 77.04 | 77.80 / 76.80 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 5500 D: 29.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 29.00 | 29.00 / 29.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 504088 D: 27.50 ⇓ 4.51% | 27.86 | 30.50 / 26.00 C: 27.80 ⇓ 3.47% | 28.15 | 29.20 / 27.50 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 628968 D: 22.60 ⇓ 3.42% | 22.92 | 23.70 / 21.50 C: 22.50 ⇓ 4.66% | 22.86 | 23.50 / 22.40 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 139166 D: 23.20 ⇓ 2.11% | 23.36 | 23.90 / 23.00 C: 23.30 ⇓ 2.10% | 23.44 | 23.70 / 23.10 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 172000 D: 9.90 ⇓ 1.00% | 9.98 | 10.10 / 9.90 C: 10.00 ⇓ 0.99% | 10.01 | 10.10 / 10.00 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 178060 D: 16.10 ⇓ 2.42% | 16.22 | 17.50 / 15.60 C: 16.20 ⇓ 1.82% | 16.25 | 16.40 / 16.00 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 416315 D: 52.40 ⇓ 1.13% | 52.62 | 53.40 / 50.00 C: 52.10 ⇓ 1.88% | 52.47 | 53.20 / 52.00 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 55300 D: 15.80 ⇓ 1.86% | 15.98 | 16.30 / 15.00 C: 15.90 ⇓ 1.85% | 15.94 | 16.20 / 15.00 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 41115 D: 17.60 ⇓ 2.22% | 17.68 | 18.00 / 16.80 C: 17.60 ⇓ 3.83% | 17.68 | 17.90 / 17.50 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 46754 D: 28.60 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.21 | 29.90 / 26.50 C: 27.60 ⇓ 4.17% | 27.83 | 28.00 / 27.50 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 79330 D: 17.90 ⇓ 1.65% | 17.91 | 18.70 / 16.50 C: 17.70 ⇓ 2.75% | 17.62 | 17.90 / 17.00 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 228745 D: 14.20 ⇓ 1.39% | 14.24 | 14.40 / 13.80 C: 14.20 ⇓ 2.07% | 14.27 | 14.50 / 14.10 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 230104 D: 30.60 ⇓ 2.86% | 31.06 | 32.50 / 28.50 C: 31.20 ⇓ 0.64% | 31.16 | 31.40 / 30.80 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 231999 D: 13.50 ⇓ 2.17% | 13.65 | 14.00 / 12.90 C: 13.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.59 | 13.80 / 13.50 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 31000 D: 52.70 ⇓ 1.50% | 52.71 | 53.60 / 51.50 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 160779 D: 29.30 ⇓ 2.01% | 29.33 | 29.90 / 29.10 C: 29.10 ⇓ 3.32% | 29.34 | 30.40 / 29.00 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 91856 D: 27.40 ⇓ 3.18% | 27.57 | 30.00 / 26.70 C: 28.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 26.67 | 28.00 / 26.00 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 2350 D: 1491 ⇓ 1.73% | 1494 | 1509 / 1487 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 82038 D: 24.80 ⇓ 2.36% | 24.93 | 25.30 / 23.00 C: 24.70 ⇓ 2.76% | 24.86 | 25.10 / 24.50 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 632000 D: 13.60 ⇓ 2.16% | 13.73 | 13.90 / 13.60 C: 13.60 ⇓ 2.16% | 13.64 | 13.80 / 13.50 INVESTMENT 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 300 D: 267.0 ⇓ 3.19% | 266.67 | 270.0 / 265.0 5THICB | 23.45 | 188.92 | Vol. 200 D: 148.1 ⇓ 4.51% | 148.10 | 148.1 / 148.1 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 11700 D: 51.70 ⇓ 2.08% | 51.97 | 52.80 / 51.50

DSE Gainer

Legacy Footwear -A

9.26

4.62

8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 3500 D: 52.60 ⇓ 0.75% | 52.57 | 52.70 / 52.50 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 271750 D: 37.90 ⇓ 2.57% | 38.22 | 39.00 / 37.70 C: 38.40 ⇓ 1.54% | 38.43 | 38.50 / 38.40 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 23500 D: 17.70 ⇓ 1.12% | 17.74 | 17.90 / 17.50 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 93500 D: 42.60 ⇓ 1.16% | 42.83 | 43.00 / 42.50 C: 42.70 ⇓ 1.16% | 42.67 | 43.90 / 42.10 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 1500 D: 25.90 ⇓ 0.38% | 25.90 | 25.90 / 25.90 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 115500 D: 9.80 ⇓ 1.01% | 9.86 | 9.90 / 9.80 C: 9.70 ⇓ 2.02% | 9.74 | 9.80 / 9.60 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 429600 D: 15.90 ⇓ 1.85% | 16.09 | 16.30 / 15.80 C: 15.90 ⇓ 1.85% | 15.99 | 16.20 / 15.80 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 459500 D: 20.50 ⇓ 2.84% | 20.85 | 21.70 / 20.50 C: 20.60 ⇓ 2.83% | 20.83 | 21.30 / 20.50 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 391012 D: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.06 | 7.10 / 7.00 C: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.95 | 7.00 / 6.90 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 52000 D: 5.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.90 | 6.00 / 5.90 C: 5.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.90 | 5.90 / 5.90 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 53000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.00 | 6.10 / 5.90 C: 5.90 ⇓ 3.28% | 5.94 | 6.00 / 5.90 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 299957 D: 7.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.31 | 7.40 / 6.80 C: 7.30 ⇓ 1.35% | 7.31 | 7.40 / 7.20 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 70500 D: 5.30 ⇓ 1.85% | 5.33 | 5.40 / 5.30 C: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.62 | 5.70 / 5.40 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 119500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.60 | 5.70 / 5.60 C: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.52 | 5.60 / 5.50 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 355348 D: 6.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.52 | 6.70 / 6.30 C: 6.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 6.47 | 6.60 / 6.20 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 180500 D: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.54 | 5.60 / 5.50 C: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.50 | 5.50 / 5.50 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 273500 D: 5.20 ⇓ 1.89% | 5.24 | 5.30 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.22 | 5.30 / 5.20 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 120000 D: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.99 | 6.00 / 5.90 C: 5.90 ⇓ 3.28% | 5.96 | 6.00 / 5.90 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 49000 D: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.30 | 5.40 / 5.30 C: 5.30 ⇓ 1.85% | 5.32 | 5.40 / 5.30 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 712717 D: 6.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 6.02 | 6.10 / 5.50 C: 6.10 ⇓ 3.17% | 6.07 | 6.10 / 5.90 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 307000 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.82 | 5.90 / 5.80 C: 5.90 ⇑ 1.72% | 5.87 | 5.90 / 5.80 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 359000 D: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.59 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.56 | 5.70 / 5.50 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 22000 D: 6.90 ⇓ 1.43% | 6.90 | 7.00 / 6.90 C: 6.50 ⇓ 5.80% | 6.50 | 6.50 / 6.50 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 97500 D: 6.10 ⇓ 1.61% | 6.09 | 6.20 / 6.00 C: 6.20 ⇓ 3.13% | 6.20 | 6.30 / 6.10 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 305600 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.97 | 8.10 / 7.50 C: 7.90 ⇓ 2.47% | 7.90 | 8.00 / 7.90 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 1000 D: 7.50 ⇑ 1.35% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 240500 D: 8.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.73 | 8.90 / 8.50 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.45 | 10.78 | Vol. 65000 D: 6.60 ⇓ 2.94% | 6.69 | 6.90 / 6.60 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 149500 D: 7.10 ⇓ 4.05% | 7.14 | 7.20 / 7.10 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 289500 D: 9.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.99 | 9.10 / 8.90 C: 8.90 ⇓ 1.11% | 8.91 | 9.00 / 8.90 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 3000 D: 8.70 ⇓ 1.14% | 8.67 | 9.10 / 8.70

NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 10500 D: 8.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.29 | 8.50 / 8.20 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 315000 D: 7.70 ⇓ 3.75% | 7.88 | 8.00 / 7.70 C: 7.80 ⇓ 3.70% | 7.81 | 7.90 / 7.70 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.03 | 56.91 | Vol. 378107 D: 101.2 ⇓ 1.75% | 101.78 | 103.9 / 92.70 C: 101.1 ⇓ 1.65% | 101.74 | 102.9 / 100.8 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 9400 D: 17.60 ⇑ 1.73% | 17.66 | 17.80 / 17.40 OLYMPIC | 5.23 | 14.73 | Vol. 230975 D: 147.2 ⇓ 4.29% | 148.71 | 152.9 / 140.0 C: 146.6 ⇓ 4.74% | 147.65 | 150.8 / 146.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 13700 D: 126.0 ⇓ 1.02% | 127.85 | 129.9 / 125.7 C: 127.1 ⇓ 3.49% | 129.97 | 131.9 / 127.1 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 1850 D: 304.0 ⇓ 1.20% | 305.41 | 314.2 / 296.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 58000 D: 189.4 ⇓ 1.92% | 190.16 | 192.8 / 188.5 C: 189.5 ⇓ 1.81% | 189.82 | 191.1 / 189.0 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 79050 D: 30.70 ⇑ 5.86% | 30.73 | 31.80 / 28.70 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 123960 D: 34.10 ⇓ 2.85% | 34.46 | 35.40 / 32.00 C: 33.60 ⇓ 5.08% | 34.66 | 38.40 / 33.50 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 11400 D: 144.6 ⇑ 3.29% | 142.72 | 146.5 / 138.0 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 35884 D: 71.10 ⇓ 0.84% | 71.59 | 73.50 / 68.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 131528 D: 25.90 ⇓ 3.36% | 26.23 | 28.00 / 25.80 C: 25.80 ⇓ 4.44% | 26.11 | 26.80 / 25.70 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 298500 D: 25.20 ⇑ 3.28% | 25.30 | 25.90 / 24.30 C: 25.60 ⇑ 4.49% | 25.51 | 26.10 / 24.30 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 1000 D: 14.80 ⇓ 3.90% | 15.00 | 15.10 / 14.60 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 58000 D: 82.70 ⇑ 0.36% | 83.82 | 85.80 / 82.00 C: 83.50 ⇑ 8.87% | 83.50 | 83.50 / 83.50 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 378550 D: 41.90 ⇓ 4.77% | 42.32 | 44.00 / 40.00 C: 42.10 ⇓ 4.10% | 42.41 | 42.80 / 41.90 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 664620 D: 48.20 ⇓ 4.37% | 48.83 | 50.30 / 46.00 C: 48.30 ⇓ 4.36% | 49.19 | 50.00 / 48.00 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 81662 D: 70.20 ⇓ 2.50% | 70.34 | 76.00 / 65.00 C: 70.00 ⇓ 1.55% | 70.14 | 71.00 / 68.00 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 94130 D: 65.50 ⇓ 3.11% | 66.25 | 67.00 / 60.90 C: 65.60 ⇓ 1.35% | 65.49 | 66.00 / 64.00 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 473315 D: 17.90 ⇓ 1.65% | 18.16 | 18.50 / 17.80 C: 17.90 ⇓ 2.72% | 18.04 | 18.40 / 17.80 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 700590 D: 56.30 ⇓ 6.94% | 58.42 | 62.00 / 55.00 C: 56.20 ⇓ 6.80% | 58.60 | 61.00 / 55.00 BENGALWTL | 3.85 | 24.30 | Vol. 1310800 D: 59.40 ⇓ 1.16% | 60.68 | 62.10 / 58.60 C: 59.50 ⇓ 0.83% | 60.64 | 63.50 / 59.00 BDBUILDING | 1.33 | 12.70 | Vol. 1192000 D: 64.20 ⇓ 2.87% | 65.59 | 67.90 / 63.50 C: 64.20 ⇓ 3.17% | 65.39 | 68.00 / 63.60 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 251800 D: 56.50 ⇑ 2.36% | 56.78 | 58.50 / 54.00 C: 56.50 ⇑ 3.67% | 57.33 | 58.50 / 54.90 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 100 C: 73.30 ⇑ 1.38% | 73.30 | 73.30 / 73.30 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 34100 D: 86.10 ⇓ 1.49% | 86.48 | 87.50 / 85.70 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 57022 D: 446.3 ⇑ 0.77% | 448.74 | 457.7 / 415.0 C: 444.0 ⇑ 0.75% | 448.07 | 455.0 / 441.1 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 550 D: 1647 ⇓ 0.87% | 1647 | 1655 / 1635 GEMINISEA | -15.39 | -5.70 | Vol. 450 D: 153.4 ⇓ 4.07% | 153.33 | 155.2 / 152.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 150 D: 803.3 ⇓ 0.73% | 806.67 | 805.0 / 800.0

AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 40400 D: 180.1 ⇓ 0.94% | 181.44 | 185.3 / 179.4 C: 180.0 ⇓ 0.22% | 182.23 | 186.9 / 180.0 RAHIMAFOOD | 0.52 | 4.45 | Vol. 1226500 D: 50.80 ⇑ 9.96% | 50.57 | 50.80 / 48.30 C: 50.80 ⇑ 9.25% | 50.94 | 51.10 / 49.00 FUWANGFOOD | 0.94 | 12.28 | Vol. 288963 D: 22.80 ⇓ 2.98% | 23.04 | 23.40 / 22.70 C: 22.90 ⇓ 2.55% | 23.01 | 23.30 / 22.60 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 18000 D: 6.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 6.50 | 6.70 / 6.50 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 45000 D: 7.20 ⇑ 1.41% | 7.20 | 7.30 / 7.10 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 347270 D: 20.80 ⇓ 1.42% | 21.05 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 21.00 ⇓ 0.94% | 21.16 | 21.70 / 20.60 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 1292760 D: 20.50 ⇑ 9.63% | 20.02 | 20.50 / 18.30 C: 20.60 ⇑ 9.57% | 20.28 | 20.60 / 19.00 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 660574 D: 23.00 ⇓ 3.77% | 23.44 | 24.00 / 22.00 C: 23.20 ⇓ 2.93% | 23.70 | 24.30 / 22.80 GHAIL | 2.31 | 24.36 | Vol. 940140 D: 42.00 ⇓ 3.67% | 42.83 | 44.00 / 39.50 C: 42.00 ⇓ 3.67% | 42.91 | 44.70 / 41.60 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 3656 D: 617.4 ⇓ 0.68% | 616.41 | 620.0 / 600.0 PADMAOIL | 27.62 | 79.74 | Vol. 93912 D: 312.4 ⇓ 0.51% | 312.71 | 316.6 / 300.0 C: 311.5 ⇓ 0.06% | 311.76 | 320.0 / 309.0 EASTRNLUB | 5.33 | 71.01 | Vol. 250 D: 314.3 ⇑ 1.35% | 316.00 | 320.0 / 310.5 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 291443 D: 21.30 ⇓ 2.29% | 21.41 | 21.70 / 20.00 C: 21.40 ⇓ 1.83% | 21.62 | 21.90 / 21.30 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 954032 D: 37.40 ⇓ 5.32% | 38.00 | 39.90 / 36.00 C: 37.50 ⇓ 4.34% | 38.11 | 38.90 / 37.00 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 121406 D: 58.90 ⇓ 1.34% | 59.00 | 59.50 / 56.00 C: 58.30 ⇓ 2.35% | 58.51 | 63.60 / 54.00 JAMUNAOIL | 21.81 | 72.05 | Vol. 406127 D: 237.7 ⇓ 2.30% | 238.75 | 242.5 / 237.3 C: 239.0 ⇓ 1.69% | 241.53 | 245.0 / 238.0 MPETROLEUM | 21.34 | 59.26 | Vol. 597033 D: 224.0 ⇓ 20.65% | 225.94 | 238.5 / 220.0 C: 223.1 ⇓ 20.89% | 225.10 | 229.0 / 220.1 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 496150 D: 73.10 ⇓ 2.01% | 73.29 | 75.00 / 68.00 C: 73.10 ⇓ 2.14% | 73.24 | 73.80 / 73.00 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 274751 D: 48.60 ⇓ 2.99% | 48.85 | 50.10 / 46.00 C: 48.60 ⇓ 3.57% | 48.89 | 50.00 / 48.50 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 920829 D: 31.50 ⇓ 4.26% | 31.88 | 33.00 / 29.70 C: 31.30 ⇓ 4.86% | 31.78 | 32.60 / 31.00 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 73597 D: 72.40 ⇓ 0.82% | 72.31 | 75.00 / 66.10 C: 71.70 ⇓ 0.83% | 71.12 | 72.20 / 68.20 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 623611 D: 28.80 ⇓ 2.37% | 28.81 | 29.70 / 26.60 C: 28.60 ⇓ 3.05% | 28.79 | 29.40 / 28.40 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 1025130 D: 60.00 ⇓ 4.76% | 61.37 | 63.70 / 58.00 C: 59.70 ⇓ 5.69% | 60.89 | 62.80 / 58.00 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 4150 D: 81.70 ⇑ 2.38% | 81.20 | 82.50 / 77.10 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 4400 D: 29.90 ⇓ 6.27% | 30.00 | 30.10 / 29.30 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 7000 D: 134.8 ⇑ 0.67% | 136.71 | 139.6 / 133.1 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 64661 D: 71.00 ⇓ 2.47% | 71.88 | 73.70 / 70.00 RAHIMTEXT | 4.65 | 56.68 | Vol. 1050 D: 224.9 ⇑ 1.58% | 224.76 | 225.1 / 224.0 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 367200 D: 27.90 ⇓ 4.45% | 28.25 | 28.90 / 27.80 C: 27.90 ⇓ 4.45% | 28.23 | 29.00 / 27.70

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

7

December 01, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 35,848.28 ⇓ 2.41% NBFI: 19,586.41 ⇓ 2.33% INVS: 4,748.20 ⇓ 1.12% ENGG: 6,166.10 ⇓ 2.98% FOOD: 9,712.46 ⇓ 0.36% F&P: 10,181.99 ⇓ 2.43% TEXT: 3,393.71 ⇓ 3.60% PHAR: 17,856.38 ⇓ 1.56% PAPR: 1,044.24 ⇑ 1.13% SERV: 2,977.17 ⇓ 2.42% LEAT: 5,355.03 ⇑ 1.16% CERA: 515.21 ⇓ 3.21% CMNT: 4,211.42 ⇓ 1.75% INFO: 7,306.13 ⇓ 1.29% GINS: 9,131.48 ⇓ 1.19% LINS: 118,970.61 ⇓ 0.55% TELC: 1,324.95 ⇓ 0.97% MISC: 6,416.17 ⇓ 1.68% MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 4850 D: 101.7 ⇑ 9.71% | 100.62 | 101.7 / 95.00 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 56800 D: 68.30 ⇑ 2.71% | 68.68 | 70.00 / 66.40 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 2200 D: 7.50 ⇓ 1.32% | 7.73 | 7.80 / 7.30 TALLUSPIN | 1.75 | 16.17 | Vol. 698595 D: 35.10 ⇓ 3.04% | 35.63 | 36.30 / 33.90 C: 35.20 ⇓ 3.03% | 35.55 | 36.60 / 35.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 10000 D: 68.00 ⇑ 0.15% | 68.10 | 69.50 / 67.10 MITHUNKNIT | 2.87 | 20.53 | Vol. 69400 D: 71.10 ⇓ 1.52% | 71.84 | 72.90 / 70.50 C: 71.90 ⇑ 0.28% | 75.29 | 78.00 / 69.00 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 385400 D: 28.80 ⇓ 3.36% | 29.08 | 29.60 / 28.50 C: 29.00 ⇓ 3.33% | 29.17 | 29.60 / 28.80 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 160000 D: 17.00 ⇓ 3.95% | 17.31 | 17.90 / 16.90 C: 17.10 ⇓ 4.47% | 17.35 | 17.60 / 17.00 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 77500 D: 24.30 ⇓ 2.80% | 24.43 | 25.00 / 24.20 C: 24.40 ⇓ 2.40% | 24.44 | 24.50 / 24.40 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 193760 D: 25.60 ⇓ 1.92% | 25.83 | 26.80 / 23.50 C: 25.80 ⇓ 0.77% | 25.90 | 26.20 / 25.70 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 230500 D: 38.40 ⇓ 6.34% | 39.29 | 40.70 / 37.80 C: 38.50 ⇓ 6.10% | 39.08 | 39.70 / 38.20 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1560056 D: 31.30 ⇓ 6.57% | 32.01 | 34.00 / 30.70 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 175961 D: 24.80 ⇓ 3.13% | 25.12 | 25.70 / 23.50 C: 24.90 ⇓ 3.11% | 25.71 | 27.40 / 24.80 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 97187 D: 92.00 ⇓ 0.65% | 91.88 | 93.00 / 90.80 C: 92.00 ⇓ 0.33% | 91.74 | 93.00 / 91.20 METROSPIN | 0.56 | 17.71 | Vol. 846045 D: 21.00 ⇓ 4.98% | 21.32 | 22.10 / 20.00 C: 21.20 ⇓ 4.50% | 21.48 | 22.70 / 21.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 3316945 D: 18.00 ⇓ 4.26% | 18.27 | 19.30 / 17.00 C: 18.00 ⇓ 4.26% | 18.31 | 19.00 / 17.90 DACCADYE | 0.93 | 25.85 | Vol. 582628 D: 24.50 ⇓ 13.12% | 25.01 | 26.20 / 23.50 C: 24.70 ⇓ 12.72% | 24.98 | 26.00 / 24.50 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 5318227 D: 35.30 ⇓ 4.85% | 35.97 | 38.00 / 33.80 C: 35.40 ⇓ 4.32% | 36.01 | 37.00 / 35.00 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 584937 D: 16.30 ⇓ 5.23% | 16.62 | 17.50 / 16.00 C: 16.50 ⇓ 3.51% | 16.63 | 17.10 / 16.40 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 1226800 D: 27.60 ⇓ 4.50% | 28.01 | 28.90 / 26.10 C: 27.70 ⇓ 4.15% | 28.08 | 28.70 / 27.50 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 178600 D: 26.20 ⇓ 3.68% | 26.56 | 27.20 / 25.50 C: 26.40 ⇓ 2.94% | 26.54 | 27.00 / 26.00 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 679000 D: 23.90 ⇓ 5.16% | 24.15 | 25.00 / 23.70 C: 24.00 ⇓ 4.38% | 24.27 | 25.10 / 23.80 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 2880940 D: 31.30 ⇓ 3.40% | 31.86 | 33.40 / 29.50 C: 31.50 ⇓ 2.17% | 31.80 | 32.30 / 31.20 ENVOYTEX | 3.10 | 37.86 | Vol. 1758640 D: 54.90 ⇓ 10.73% | 56.22 | 59.50 / 53.80 C: 54.80 ⇓ 10.31% | 56.14 | 57.30 / 54.10 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 455400 D: 69.60 ⇓ 1.28% | 70.27 | 71.50 / 64.00 C: 69.40 ⇓ 2.53% | 69.31 | 70.20 / 67.90 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 370000 D: 50.70 ⇓ 3.06% | 51.20 | 52.30 / 50.60 C: 50.00 ⇓ 3.47% | 50.27 | 52.00 / 48.00 PTL | 2.25 | 21.72 | Vol. 2659750 D: 52.30 ⇓ 6.77% | 53.95 | 56.20 / 51.50 C: 52.20 ⇓ 7.12% | 54.11 | 56.70 / 51.50 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 15245 D: 267.8 ⇑ 2.14% | 268.29 | 279.9 / 257.0 C: 267.1 ⇑ 4.34% | 272.15 | 278.0 / 266.0 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 300506 D: 45.90 ⇓ 3.97% | 46.40 | 48.50 / 45.00 C: 46.00 ⇓ 2.95% | 46.41 | 47.20 / 45.80 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 400 D: 968.7 ⇓ 0.63% | 970.00 | 970.0 / 960.0

ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 3900 D: 169.3 ⇓ 1.86% | 169.21 | 170.9 / 168.1 C: 169.0 ⇓ 1.74% | 169.00 | 169.0 / 169.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 8062 D: 720.1 ⇓ 1.50% | 724.31 | 732.0 / 700.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 700 D: 890.4 ⇑ 0.04% | 890.00 | 902.0 / 881.0 PHARMAID | 1.39 | 26.19 | Vol. 28900 D: 159.1 ⇓ 0.31% | 160.87 | 163.5 / 156.6 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 33100 D: 100.7 ⇓ 0.49% | 101.33 | 104.3 / 100.0 C: 100.9 ⇓ 0.69% | 102.33 | 103.0 / 100.9 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 3400 D: 418.9 ⇑ 7.41% | 418.82 | 423.0 / 410.0 ORIONINFU | 1.27 | 7.00 | Vol. 111800 D: 39.50 ⇓ 5.73% | 40.40 | 42.00 / 38.60 C: 40.10 ⇓ 4.30% | 40.42 | 41.60 / 40.00 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 264443 D: 191.8 ⇓ 0.78% | 191.91 | 199.8 / 179.0 C: 190.7 ⇓ 0.94% | 191.01 | 192.2 / 190.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 3500 D: 7.40 ⇓ 1.33% | 7.43 | 7.50 / 7.30 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1209854 D: 26.20 ⇓ 3.68% | 26.54 | 27.50 / 24.70 C: 26.30 ⇓ 4.01% | 26.63 | 27.40 / 24.70 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 4650 D: 846.3 ⇓ 0.08% | 846.45 | 849.0 / 830.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 11300 D: 73.60 ⇑ 0.27% | 73.43 | 74.50 / 73.00 C: 74.10 ⇑ 0.41% | 74.06 | 74.70 / 73.00 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 2600 D: 748.9 ⇓ 0.98% | 748.85 | 754.9 / 748.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 379550 D: 13.00 ⇓ 2.99% | 13.12 | 13.40 / 12.10 C: 12.80 ⇓ 2.29% | 12.92 | 13.10 / 12.50 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 250987 D: 83.00 ⇓ 1.07% | 82.77 | 83.60 / 77.00 C: 82.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 82.76 | 83.40 / 81.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 560919 D: 21.50 ⇓ 5.70% | 21.89 | 23.00 / 20.60 C: 21.70 ⇓ 5.24% | 21.95 | 22.50 / 21.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 543750 D: 56.20 ⇑ 1.44% | 57.05 | 59.00 / 54.90 C: 56.30 ⇑ 1.26% | 57.27 | 59.10 / 55.00 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 1166700 D: 60.00 ⇓ 3.85% | 60.79 | 62.40 / 56.20 C: 60.20 ⇓ 3.37% | 60.96 | 62.40 / 60.00 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 216500 D: 196.1 ⇑ 3.37% | 197.16 | 202.0 / 190.0 C: 198.8 ⇑ 3.97% | 198.71 | 202.9 / 193.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 2244825 D: 39.00 ⇓ 9.30% | 40.58 | 43.00 / 38.70 C: 39.20 ⇓ 8.62% | 40.85 | 42.80 / 38.90 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 63500 D: 29.00 ⇑ 5.07% | 28.88 | 30.10 / 27.00 C: 29.20 ⇑ 2.10% | 29.72 | 30.50 / 28.80 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.49 | 57.42 | Vol. 54000 D: 89.30 ⇓ 1.65% | 89.81 | 91.40 / 88.30 C: 91.00 ⇑ 0.89% | 91.00 | 91.00 / 91.00 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 523917 D: 29.20 ⇓ 2.67% | 29.30 | 29.90 / 28.00 C: 29.20 ⇓ 2.34% | 29.44 | 30.10 / 29.00 EHL | 2.81 | 18.44 | Vol. 259093 D: 51.10 ⇓ 2.67% | 51.69 | 52.70 / 50.50 C: 51.20 ⇓ 2.48% | 51.84 | 52.40 / 51.00

LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 58350 D: 117.1 ⇓ 1.84% | 117.24 | 119.6 / 115.0 C: 116.5 ⇓ 1.94% | 116.50 | 117.0 / 116.0 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 26600 D: 743.0 ⇑ 2.60% | 736.00 | 747.0 / 725.0 C: 752.0 ⇑ 2.55% | 752.00 | 752.0 / 752.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 30000 D: 372.1 ⇓ 0.77% | 372.30 | 377.8 / 370.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 3500 D: 14.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 14.00 | 14.00 / 14.00 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 1051889 D: 40.10 ⇑ 9.26% | 38.73 | 40.30 / 35.00 C: 40.40 ⇑ 9.49% | 38.99 | 40.50 / 36.80 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 36050 D: 33.50 ⇓ 0.89% | 33.90 | 34.90 / 32.60 C: 33.80 ⇓ 0.88% | 34.08 | 35.00 / 33.60 FUWANGCER | 0.65 | 12.70 | Vol. 729500 D: 19.80 ⇓ 6.60% | 20.32 | 22.00 / 19.60 C: 19.80 ⇓ 7.04% | 20.29 | 21.70 / 19.70 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 422080 D: 17.90 ⇓ 5.29% | 18.16 | 18.80 / 17.80 C: 17.90 ⇓ 4.28% | 18.07 | 18.70 / 17.80 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 137306 D: 51.10 ⇓ 2.11% | 51.36 | 52.20 / 47.00 C: 51.20 ⇓ 1.73% | 51.22 | 52.00 / 51.00 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 500 C: 35.30 ⇓ 5.36% | 35.30 | 35.30 / 35.30 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 65750 D: 376.7 ⇓ 1.59% | 380.15 | 382.5 / 375.1 C: 377.0 ⇓ 2.66% | 378.66 | 390.0 / 375.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 156142 D: 118.4 ⇓ 2.39% | 119.24 | 122.5 / 117.0 C: 118.7 ⇓ 2.30% | 119.43 | 121.9 / 118.4 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 51100 D: 123.3 ⇑ 0.33% | 123.23 | 124.0 / 122.1 C: 121.5 ⇓ 2.80% | 122.25 | 123.0 / 121.5 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 45000 D: 70.50 ⇑ 1.00% | 70.41 | 70.90 / 69.50 C: 70.20 ⇑ 0.14% | 70.15 | 70.20 / 70.10 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 641500 D: 32.50 ⇓ 0.31% | 32.44 | 32.60 / 32.20 C: 32.10 ⇓ 0.93% | 32.11 | 32.30 / 32.00 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 139732 D: 80.70 ⇓ 2.30% | 81.14 | 85.00 / 75.00 C: 81.10 ⇓ 1.93% | 81.21 | 82.10 / 80.50 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 70600 D: 97.70 ⇓ 2.10% | 98.74 | 101.5 / 96.50 C: 98.70 ⇓ 1.30% | 99.56 | 99.80 / 100.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 196550 D: 17.80 ⇑ 4.09% | 17.71 | 18.30 / 16.60 C: 17.90 ⇑ 4.68% | 18.05 | 18.50 / 17.30 BDCOM | 1.40 | 14.41 | Vol. 174714 D: 25.60 ⇓ 1.54% | 25.79 | 28.00 / 25.00 C: 25.90 ⇑ 2.78% | 25.91 | 26.00 / 25.30 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 236082 D: 15.70 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.80 | 16.00 / 14.20 C: 15.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 16.07 | 16.40 / 15.60 AGNISYSL | 0.96 | 14.90 | Vol. 166000 D: 20.80 ⇓ 2.80% | 20.97 | 21.30 / 20.70 C: 21.20 ⇓ 2.30% | 21.19 | 21.50 / 21.00 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 314551 D: 13.40 ⇑ 0.75% | 13.52 | 14.00 / 13.20 C: 13.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.69 | 14.50 / 13.40 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 789150 D: 33.30 ⇓ 4.58% | 33.90 | 35.00 / 33.00 C: 33.20 ⇓ 4.60% | 33.83 | 34.80 / 33.00

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 28679 D: 29.10 ⇓ 2.35% | 29.24 | 30.00 / 27.00 C: 28.60 ⇓ 3.05% | 28.91 | 30.40 / 28.50 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 172255 D: 88.50 ⇑ 4.36% | 88.14 | 89.80 / 82.00 C: 87.90 ⇑ 4.27% | 88.10 | 89.10 / 87.70 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 1110 D: 43.50 ⇑ 0.69% | 43.62 | 44.30 / 41.50 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 88305 D: 34.50 ⇓ 1.71% | 34.94 | 35.80 / 31.60 C: 34.20 ⇓ 2.29% | 34.20 | 34.20 / 34.20 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 9862 D: 37.60 ⇓ 0.79% | 37.61 | 38.00 / 37.30 C: 39.20 ⇑ 3.16% | 38.95 | 40.00 / 36.00 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 92610 D: 27.50 ⇓ 1.43% | 27.66 | 28.70 / 27.00 C: 27.40 ⇓ 1.79% | 27.66 | 28.80 / 27.30 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 25541 D: 40.80 ⇓ 2.86% | 41.11 | 45.00 / 40.00 C: 40.40 ⇓ 7.55% | 40.61 | 41.00 / 40.40 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 66640 D: 47.80 ⇑ 0.21% | 47.82 | 48.20 / 43.50 C: 47.80 ⇓ 3.82% | 47.97 | 48.00 / 47.80 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 8800 D: 29.00 ⇓ 1.36% | 29.02 | 29.50 / 28.60 C: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.10 | 29.10 / 29.10 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 60600 D: 23.70 ⇓ 1.66% | 23.91 | 24.30 / 23.70 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 52140 D: 33.00 ⇓ 2.37% | 33.29 | 33.80 / 32.50 C: 32.70 ⇓ 2.68% | 32.95 | 33.20 / 32.70 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 141551 D: 23.90 ⇓ 2.85% | 24.05 | 25.00 / 23.00 C: 23.90 ⇓ 2.05% | 24.12 | 24.80 / 23.50 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 5259 D: 70.90 ⇑ 1.29% | 70.90 | 72.00 / 69.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 94000 D: 23.30 ⇓ 1.27% | 23.43 | 23.70 / 23.20 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 1189 D: 56.40 ⇓ 2.25% | 56.37 | 56.50 / 56.40 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 30557 D: 31.60 ⇓ 1.56% | 31.79 | 32.50 / 30.00 C: 31.00 ⇓ 7.74% | 31.00 | 31.00 / 31.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 13500 D: 67.40 ⇑ 0.30% | 67.41 | 67.70 / 67.00 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 22581 D: 27.00 ⇓ 1.10% | 27.01 | 27.50 / 25.90 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 18236 D: 26.90 ⇓ 1.10% | 26.97 | 27.60 / 25.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 17156 D: 28.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 28.04 | 28.60 / 25.90 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 10055 D: 33.30 ⇓ 1.77% | 33.30 | 33.40 / 32.50 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 43500 D: 29.70 ⇓ 2.62% | 29.93 | 30.70 / 29.30 C: 29.90 ⇓ 4.47% | 29.20 | 29.90 / 28.50 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 56500 D: 24.10 ⇓ 2.03% | 24.23 | 24.80 / 24.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 29294 D: 23.80 ⇓ 3.64% | 23.93 | 25.50 / 23.80 C: 23.80 ⇓ 2.06% | 23.74 | 23.80 / 23.70 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 86221 D: 27.00 ⇓ 3.57% | 27.31 | 27.90 / 27.00 C: 27.40 ⇓ 2.84% | 28.14 | 28.90 / 27.40 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 118100 D: 28.90 ⇓ 3.34% | 29.12 | 29.80 / 28.00 C: 29.10 ⇓ 3.00% | 29.29 | 29.90 / 29.00 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 126596 D: 38.00 ⇓ 1.55% | 38.16 | 38.50 / 35.00 C: 38.10 ⇓ 2.31% | 38.05 | 38.20 / 38.00 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 21634 D: 40.70 ⇓ 0.73% | 40.71 | 40.80 / 38.00 C: 40.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.00 | 40.00 / 40.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 10920 D: 41.30 ⇓ 0.96% | 41.23 | 42.00 / 37.60 C: 41.00 ⇓ 0.73% | 41.00 | 41.00 / 41.00 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 41617 D: 41.90 ⇓ 1.41% | 42.07 | 42.40 / 38.50 C: 41.10 ⇓ 3.29% | 41.10 | 41.10 / 41.10 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 31453 D: 26.70 ⇓ 2.20% | 26.90 | 27.40 / 24.60 C: 26.90 ⇓ 2.54% | 26.94 | 27.10 / 26.50 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 6698 D: 32.60 ⇓ 1.81% | 32.70 | 36.00 / 32.20

PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 121013 D: 27.50 ⇓ 2.83% | 27.95 | 31.00 / 27.40 C: 27.40 ⇓ 3.18% | 27.44 | 27.50 / 27.40 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 34500 D: 40.20 ⇓ 2.43% | 40.35 | 41.00 / 40.00 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 3542 D: 247.0 ⇓ 0.24% | 247.71 | 255.0 / 246.3 C: 248.0 ⇓ 0.80% | 248.00 | 248.0 / 248.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 1298200 D: 278.6 ⇑ 5.73% | 276.41 | 283.9 / 259.8 C: 282.1 ⇑ 5.77% | 280.84 | 288.0 / 260.0 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 36707 D: 69.70 ⇓ 1.13% | 70.15 | 71.90 / 68.00 C: 68.80 ⇓ 4.04% | 68.83 | 70.20 / 68.00 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 20551 D: 233.9 ⇑ 1.65% | 233.90 | 237.0 / 217.0 C: 232.0 ⇓ 6.45% | 239.00 | 246.0 / 232.0 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 42967 D: 97.40 ⇓ 1.12% | 97.96 | 100.0 / 88.70 C: 95.30 ⇓ 2.95% | 96.04 | 97.00 / 95.00 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 19560 D: 106.2 ⇓ 0.84% | 106.72 | 108.3 / 100.2 C: 105.1 ⇓ 1.78% | 106.23 | 107.0 / 105.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 2050 D: 111.9 ⇑ 0.72% | 111.88 | 115.5 / 107.0 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 15500 D: 158.3 ⇓ 2.10% | 159.10 | 167.0 / 153.3 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 15145 D: 94.50 ⇓ 1.97% | 95.02 | 97.00 / 90.00 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 55678 D: 105.2 ⇑ 2.63% | 105.74 | 112.0 / 92.50 C: 101.1 ⇓ 3.71% | 101.10 | 101.1 / 101.1 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 63080 D: 57.20 ⇓ 0.35% | 57.54 | 58.40 / 52.00 C: 57.10 ⇓ 0.52% | 57.13 | 57.20 / 57.10 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 115450 D: 55.30 ⇓ 0.90% | 55.72 | 57.40 / 52.00 C: 54.90 ⇓ 1.08% | 55.16 | 57.30 / 54.60 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 252800 D: 200.5 ⇓ 1.33% | 201.04 | 202.9 / 200.0 C: 200.2 ⇓ 0.99% | 200.34 | 201.9 / 199.6 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 210322 D: 169.4 ⇓ 0.88% | 169.85 | 171.5 / 155.0 C: 168.1 ⇓ 0.88% | 169.07 | 171.5 / 167.0 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 3529376 D: 16.40 ⇓ 2.96% | 16.55 | 17.10 / 16.00 C: 16.50 ⇓ 2.37% | 16.58 | 16.90 / 15.30 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 457735 D: 81.70 ⇓ 2.97% | 82.54 | 83.70 / 77.00 C: 81.80 ⇓ 2.73% | 82.53 | 83.50 / 81.30 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 4150 D: 338.9 ⇑ 0.24% | 339.49 | 340.1 / 336.5 C: 310.1 ⇓ 3.09% | 310.06 | 310.1 / 310.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 58835 D: 430.5 ⇓ 0.40% | 431.96 | 439.0 / 426.0 C: 428.5 ⇓ 0.70% | 430.41 | 439.8 / 425.0 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 21310 D: 140.2 ⇓ 0.78% | 140.47 | 142.0 / 138.3 C: 139.1 ⇓ 1.28% | 139.43 | 141.5 / 138.5 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 46250 D: 127.7 ⇓ 0.85% | 128.83 | 131.6 / 126.2 C: 128.0 ⇑ 1.43% | 130.93 | 132.5 / 128.0 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 150 D: 53.30 ⇓ 7.94% | 53.33 | 53.50 / 53.20 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1664200 D: 32.90 ⇓ 4.91% | 33.24 | 35.00 / 31.20 C: 32.90 ⇓ 4.08% | 33.28 | 34.50 / 32.00 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 135000 D: 21.20 ⇓ 2.75% | 21.53 | 21.90 / 21.20 C: 21.60 ⇓ 0.92% | 21.71 | 22.40 / 21.20 MIRACLEIND | 0.09 | 14.41 | Vol. 426000 D: 15.90 ⇑ 3.92% | 15.94 | 16.70 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇑ 3.87% | 16.08 | 16.60 / 15.20 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 35 D: 983.3 ⇑ 0.10% | 971.43 | 985.0 / 981.0 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 1022 D: 880.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 879.65 | 890.0 / 880.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013

Global recovery still too weak, S Korea data shows n Reuters

Exports by industrial powerhouse South Korea showed virtually no growth last month, underlining a still fragile global economy squeezed by a depressed Europe as growth slows in emerging markets.

Overseas shipments by the world’s seventh-largest exporter rose just 0.2% in November from a year earlier in dollar value, government data showed on Sunday, smaller than a median gain of 2.8% tipped in a Reuters survey of 13 analysts.

Growth of sales to China, the United States and the European Union all slowed whereas exports to Southeast Asia’s 10-nation ASEAN bloc posted the worst decline since the 20082009 global financial crisis, the data showed.

“Some of the big economies, such as the United States, are recovering, but are not there yet to spur corporate investment for more production and boost global trade much,” said Park Sang-hyun, economist at HI Investment & Securities in Seoul.

Exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) dropped 11.2% in November from a year earlier, the worst since August 2009, with countries like Indonesia quickly running out of steam, the data showed.

ASEAN takes 18% of South Korea’s total exports, compared with 27% by China and 10% for the United States. South Korea is Asia’s fourth-largest economy and home to the world’s biggest suppliers of smartphones and ships.

“Global trade will likely remain weak, at least through the first two quarters of next year, because any recovery in the big economies will mostly be led by consumption of small items instead of machinery and investment goods,” Park said.

World Trade Organisation (WTO) data shows imports by the United States fell 0.7%

People look at Hanjin Shipping’s container terminal at the Busan New Port in Busan, about 420 km (261 miles) southeast of Seoul for the January-September period from a year earlier, while the European Union countries imported 4.1% less from outside the bloc. Chinese imports grew 7.3%.

Trade ministry data showed South Korea’s imports fell 0.6% in November on an annual

basis, weaker than even the worst forecasts from the Reuters survey and underscoring depressed domestic demand.

Robust exports and imports performance in October, up 7.2% and 5.2% on the year, respectively, had stirred hopes global demand

REUTERS

was recovering ground, thanks to the US recovery and stabilizing confidence in Europe.

South Korea’s economic growth is expected to pick up to 2.8% this year from 2% last year and further to 3.8% next year, the central bank has forecast. l

‘Japan to spend about 1tn yen on public works for stimulus’ n Reuters

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe claps his hands during the Lower House plenary session of the parliament in Tokyo REUTERS

Japan will spend around 1tn yen ($9.86bn) on public works in a stimulus package to be finalized next month, sources said, to help offset the impact of an increase in the sales tax.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet is expected to approve the stimulus package, which will total around 5tn yen, on December 5.

The government plans to raise the sales tax in April to 8% from 5% currently to pay for growing healthcare spending.

Abe wants to use short-term stimulus spending to counter the blow to consumer spending from the tax hike.

The package is likely to contain around 200bn yen for a temporary expansion of payments to families with children, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.

The package will also spend about 300bn yen on payouts to low-income earners and around 150bn yen on subsidies for new home purchases, sources said.

Japan’s government has previously

said that it will fund the stimulus package with budget reserves and higher-thanexpected tax revenue so it does not have to issue new bonds.

The package is likely to contain around 200bn yen for a temporary expansion of payments to families with children, sources with direct knowledge of the matter

Japan’s debt burden is the worst in the world at more than twice the size of its $5tn economy, but the government has taken only minor steps to curb public spending. l