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Agrahayan 20, 1420 Muharram 29, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 250

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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The former military dictator now backtracks from polls without consulting party men Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad’s sudden announcement of boycotting the upcoming national elections has surprised everyone, even the senior colleagues in his party, and the cabinet.

“Jatiya Party will not participate in the elections as all political parties did not submit nomination papers,” Ershad announced at a 13-minute-long press conference in his office yesterday noon.

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He said his party would not take part in the upcoming polls as the environment was not election-friendly and all parties had not participated in the polls. He asked party members who had submitted nomination papers to withdraw those.

No party leader accompanied Ershad at the programme. His Press and Political Secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy had communicated to journalists about the event just 40 minutes before.

Interestingly, when the former military dictator was making his surprise announcement, some of the ministers from his party in the present cabinet, including his wife Rowshan Ershad,

At least 10 people, including a schoolboy, were killed and more than a hundred injured in violence around the country yesterday on the fourth day of the opposition’s blockade.

Three deaths were reported from Chittagong and Satkhira each, two from Chandpur and one from Noakhali. Retired madrassa teacher Maulana Abdus Sattar, an arson victim, died at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital after struggling for life for two deaths.

In Chandpur town, police opened fire on a BNP procession near the Kalibari intersection around 10:30am leaving Ratan, 25, and schoolboy Siam, 14, dead. According to witnesses, Ratan was a post graduate student of the

INSIDE News

3 BNP has welcomed former military dictator and Jatiya Party Chairman Ershad’s decision to back off from participating in the parliamentary election.

National

7 Over 1.5m people in five upazilas of Chapainawabganj in Rajshahi region are at risk of arsenic poisoning due to contaminated tube well waters.

Quitting polls is Ershad’s personal decision: JP leaders n Emran Hossain Shaikh

were in their Secretariat offices. Ershad’s adviser Ziauddin Bablu and the party’s Presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud were accompanying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on a visit to the burnt Standard Group garment factory in Gazipur.

Bablu was recently appointed the PM’s adviser and Mahmud the water resources minister.

No one in the party could give any clue about the reasons behind Ershad’s sudden change of mind. Ershad himself was untraceable since after the press conference as of 10:30pm and his mobile phone was also switched off.

When contacted, Jahangir Alam, a domestic help at Ershad’s residence, also said his sir had had no communication with home since holding the press conference.

In the press conference, Ershad said if all political parties joined the elections, Jatiya Party would also participate in it.

In reply to a question, he said: “The decision on the Jatiya Party leaders in the current cabinet will be taken soon.”

Talking to party leaders, it seemed certain that Ershad took the decision without discussing with them.

Two Jatiya Party leaders, who feature the election-time government, have said quitting the polls is their party chief’s “personal” decision and they want to take part in the polls.

Anisul Islam Mahmud, JP Presidium member and water resources minister of the polls-time cabinet, and Zia Uddin Ahmed Bablu, adviser to the prime minister, “informally” met with Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban late last night.

Earlier yesterday, JP Chairman and former military ruler HM Ershad said he would not contest the upcoming national polls and asked his party leaders and activists to wait for his signal for the next move. He also asked the party leaders to withdraw their nomination papers.

In reply to the prime minister’s query about Ershad’s apparently unexpected decision, the two JP leaders said it was not a unanimous decision of the party.

They also assured the premier that they would try to convince Ershad to revoke his decision.

Anisul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune: “It was not a formal meeting. We met with the prime minister because she called us. She wanted to know

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Blockade: Ten killed on day four n Tribune Report

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Chameleon Ershad takes new colour n Manik Miazee

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Chandpur Government College while Siam was an eighth grader of a Shibir controlled madrassa. Siam’s father Mojibur Rahman claimed that his son had gone out to have breakfast. Local Shibir claimed that Siam was their supporter.

BNP’s volunteers’ wing Swechchasebak Dal leader Shariful Islam Rasel, who was critically-injured after police opened fire during a clash on Monday night in Sitakunda of Chittagong, succumbed to his injuries yesterday. Police said party men took away Rasel to a secret place and left his dead body in a private hospital.

In another incident, a covered van hit a banyan tree as its driver Mahbub lost control after pro-blockade activists hurled several petrol bombs at it at the Cement Crossing of the EPZ area in Chittagong around 1:40am. Mahbub

died on the spot while helpers Mijan and Suman Das received burn injuries.

Mijan succumbed to his injuries at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital around 5:30pm.

Seven-year old schoolboy Minhaj Hossain Belal’s left eye was badly injured when a crude bomb exploded near him while he was going to school at Saraipara Biswa Road. He was undergoing treatment at the CMCH. In Satkhira, Shibir activist Hossain Ali, 17, was killed as police and Border Guard Bangladesh members, after being attacked, opened fire in Debhata upazila around 7am.

Azizur Rahman, publicity secretary of district unit Jamaat claimed that another Shibir activist named Arizul Islam, 20, was also killed during the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

AL and JP candidates face 252 rebels n Emran Hossain Shaikh At least 252 candidates, most of them from the ruling Awami League including former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, submitted nomination papers to contest the upcoming polls as independent candidates.

Abul, allegedly involved in the Padma bridge corruption scam, submitted nomination papers for Madaripur-3 constituency. He has been elected as the lawmaker for the seat four times since 1991. He will fight against AFM Bahauddin Nasim, an organising secretary of the Awami League.

Expelled from the Awami League for

sheltering armed cadres, Joynal Hazari submitted nomination papers in Feni1, 2 and 3 constituencies. The party had nominated Khairul Basher Majumder, Nizam Uddin Hazari and Abul Bashar.

Former army chief KM Shafiullah, a member of the Awami League’s advisory board, will compete against Golam Dastagir Gazi, the current MP who got the Awami League ticket for the January 5 polls, for a Narayanganj constituency.

Besides them, current and former lawmakers, upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen – all belonging to the Awami League – have been contesting  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

A made-up arson story that almost worked n Mohammad Jamil Khan The story is sensational on multiple levels.

Firstly, it is about a husband, who wanted to earn some money using the 40% burns on his pregnant wife’s body. Secondly, it is about how someone clever, who made up a story so good that it almost deceived the media.

Thirdly, even the girl with that many burns on her body was an accomplice.

The Dhaka Tribune, besides some other leading media houses from home and abroad, ran a story yesterday about 18-year old garment worker Shirin, who was said to have suffered burn injuries in an “arson attack” on a bus on the third day of the opposition’s blockade on Monday.

However, police later confirmed that six months’ pregnant Shirin was actually burnt in a fire that caught her body from the stove in her kitchen.

Shirin’s husband Shahin, a human hauler driver, made up the story of the “arson attack” because he thought it could be profitable for him if he could prove that his wife was a victim of political violence.

“We staged the drama so that we could avoid paying for the treatment and also get some attention because we had seen in the media that people who got hurt in political violence got special treatment,” said Shirin, who had been undergoing treatment at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Awami League’s effort to woo other parties fail n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla All efforts of the Awami League to convince smaller political parties to participate in the upcoming election have failed as the ruling leadership could not woo them to leave the opposition alliance.

Even some of the Awami League allies in the alliance also stayed away from the polls procedure, embarrassing the ruling party who are determined to hold the 10th general elections.

Awami League leaders admit it could not woo the smaller parties now in the fold of opposition alliance, such as Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

PM: Arsonists, inciters to face the music

Hasina urges workers to build resistance against subversive activities taken steps to improve by giving the n Tribune Report workers a better life and necessary supPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said those involved in arson, destruction and acts of sabotage in the name of movement and their instigators would be dealt with an iron hand.

The evil elements, which belong to the anti-liberation force and have no faith in the existence of this country, are playing with fire, she alleged.

“We have information that they are now hatching conspiracy to sink ferries and steamers,” the prime minister told a gathering of garment owners and workers during her visit to the gutted garment factory of Standard Group at Konabari in Gazipur, according to BSS. Unruly garment workers, hearing a rumour of death of two fellow workers, set fire to two 10-storey factory buildings on November 28, killing two staff and causing a massive damage to property.

The premier claimed that the “evil force” resorted to damaging the garment sector when the government had

port for the sector’s sustenance in the competitive world market.

'We have information that they are now hatching conspiracy to sink ferries and steamers' She assured that the affected owner of the factory would be given all support from the government to rebuild his factory and the culprits responsible for the arson would be brought to the book.

Hasina also urged the workers to build up resistance against such subversive activities to stop recurrence of such acts and assist the law enforcers with information.

President of BGMEA Atiqul Islam, President of FBCCI Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, PM’s Adviser Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, and Chairman of Standard Group Mosharraf Hossain were present. l

News

Day labourers' move to besiege Khaleda Zia's residence foiled by police n Kailash Sarkar Police yesterday stopped several hundred day labourers from marching on the residence of opposition leader Khaleda Zia in Gulshan to protest against the ongoing nationwide blockade by the BNP-led alliance.

The workers, under the banner of “Khete Khaoa Shromojibi Manush” (hard-working people), started their protest march around 12:30pm from the capital’s Mohakhali area.

But when the procession reached Gulshan-2 at 1pm, it was intercepted by a large number of police in riot gear.

The protesting workers then sat down on the road behind the police barricade and held a rally on the spot.

The protesters said they wanted to lay siege on Khaleda’s residence as the opposition’s non-stop blockade programme had left them without any work, depriving them of a living.

Chanting various slogans, they demanded immediate withdrawal of the ongoing shutdown so they could go back to work.

The workers also urged the BNP leader to refrain from calling “such destructive” protest programmes in the future.

They then left the area peacefully.

Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gulshan police station, said the law enforcers resorted to putting up barricades to stop the agitated workers from moving towards Khaleda’s house.

“We stopped them as part of

Chameleon Ershad takes new colour  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

His brother and minister GM Quader, who is also a Presidium member of the party, told the Dhaka Tribune that he did not know anything about the decision.

Claiming that the concept of the “all-party” government was his, Ershad said in the press conference: “As I am not going to participate in the elections, there is no necessity of this government.”

But, Mujibul Haque, state minister for youth and sports, said: “We have not been asked to resign from the cabinet yet. I do not know what is happening. We cannot reach sir [Ershad].”

Party leader Salma Islam, state minister for women and children affairs in the present cabinet, and Presidium member and state minister for youth and sports Mujibul Haque Chunnu told the Dhaka Tribune that they did not know why the party chief had taken the decision and he had not instructed them to leave the cabinet.

Ershad’s announcement of joining the polls earlier was also dramatic. He had reiterated that his party would not take part in the elections and withdraw

from the ruling alliance. But all of a sudden, he announced on November 18 that he would not be in the ruling alliance anymore but would take part in the “all-party” cabinet and the upcoming national elections.

A number of politicians termed Ershad’s stance a new drama to bargain with the Awami League.

Awami League leader and Communication Minister Obaidul Quader said: 'It is not yet time to say the final word about Ershad' Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Moinuddin Khan Badal said: “Ershad’s stance does not depend on any principle.

"He has some issues to negotiate about – either it is about seats [in parliament], his accommodation in the future government, or other matters.”

Some sources said Ershad wanted the Awami League not to nominate any candidate in a few seats as Jatiya Party candidates could win without any significant competition. But it did not happen, which disappointed Ershad.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

In the press conference, the Jatiya Party chief said there were allegations against him about taking Tk1,000 crore from the Awami League to participate in the elections.

“If I had taken the money, I would not be announcing now that I will not participate in the polls,” he said.

Meanwhile, as journalists gathered in front of Jatiya Party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader’s residence at Gulshan 2 in the evening, Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, president of the party’s youth front, came out of the house and said 38 party candidates could not submit their nomination forms because of the opposition’s blockade.

Submission of nomination ended on Monday.

Interestingly, when the Dhaka Tribune contacted JP Presidium member SMM Alam on Monday, he said he had been in front of the local election office but had not submitted the nomination form for his Chandpur 3 constituency because the election atmosphere had yet to be created.

“I cannot participate in polls being

The public administration ministry yesterday issued orders appointing a new divisional commissioner for Dhaka and a new deputy commissioner for Khulna.

Zillar Rahman, additional secretary of the health ministry, was assigned as Dhaka’s new divisional commissioner, while Anis Mahmud, deputy project director of the Identification System for Enhancing Access to Services, was made Khulna’s new deputy commissioner.

Ministry officials said Zillar Rahman, a former deputy commissioner of Dhaka, was a trusted officer of the incumbent government.

Meanwhile, AM Shamsuddin Azad Chowdhury, the outgoing divisional commissioner of Dhaka, was transferred to the health ministry as an additional secretary. l Day labourers demonstrate in the capital’s Gulshan Avenue yesterday after submitting a memorandum to opposition chief Khaleda Zia to stop arson attacks and vandalism in the name of political programmes DHAKA TRIBUNE cautionary measures, so that no untoward incident could happen,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, security measures were intensified around the opposition leader’s house with the deployment of additional forces ahead of yesterday’s planned protest.

On Moday, a similar procession by hundreds of transport workers from Mohakhali bus terminal towards

held on dead bodies,” he said.

Alam is known as loyal to Kazi Zafar, who was recently expelled from the Jatiya Party and later claimed himself, not Ershad, to be the party chairman, and announced a 21-member ad hoc committee.

Kazi Zafar is known as pro-BNP among his party colleagues. A number of party leaders said many of Zafar’s followers, including Vice-Chairman Nawab Ali Abbas Khan, had not submitted nominations even after getting party ticket.

Abbas told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “Although Ershad had instructed me to submit my nomination paper, I did not submit it because I do not like his frequent shifts on stances.”

Abbas said he had sided with Kazi Zafar.

On Friday, Jatiya Party announced its candidates for 299 constituencies for the 10th national parliamentary elections.

Awami League leader and Communication Minister Obaidul Quader said: “It is not yet time to say the final word about Ershad.” l

Quitting polls is Ershad’s personal decision: JP leaders  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

about our party chief’s decision to quit polls. We explained our position to her.”

Hasina reportedly told her cabinet colleagues that there would be no rescheduling of polls.

Environment and Forest Minister

Hasan Mahmud, who also attended the meeting, told the Dhaka Tribune that those who attended were all in favour of taking part in the polls.

Awami League Joint Secretary Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif said those who had submitted nomination papers would contest the elections.

Awami Leauge Advisory Council Member and Land Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed, ruling party Presidium Member and Communication Minister Obaidul Quader, Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbubul Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Bangladesh Workers' Party

President and Post and Telecommunications Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Shamajtantrik Dal President and Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu and Adviser to the Prime Minister and the chairman of a faction of Jatiya Party Anwar Hossain Manju also attended the meeting. l

A made up arson story that almost worked  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

“Please forgive us for what we have done. We did this only to save our child and get special treatment.” That was what Shahin had to say.

Dhaka Tribune correspondent yesterday visited the place in the capital’s Demra where the “arson attack” took place.

Sirajul Islam, the owner of a hotel near the Demra Bridge and also a witness, said it was true that a bus had been set on fire in the Tarabo Bazar area near the bridge.

But except for the driver, there

was nobody inside the bus when it was torched by blockaders in the morning.

The driver just got the bus out of the garage and was about to start the day’s work, Sirajul described.

“The driver managed to come out of the bus soon after pickets started vandalising it. We did not see any passenger inside the bus,” he said.

This correspondent also visited the couple’s rented house at Mohakash road in Borobhanga area of Demra yesterday.

Badrul Hassan Rasel, owner of the

house, said: “Shirin was warming herself in front of the stove after taking a bath.

Suddenly she realised that her cloth had caught fire and within a minute her whole body was burning.

“I rushed to the kitchen after I heard her cry and tried to cover her up with a blanket. By the time the fire was doused, her body was badly burnt,” Rasel narrated.

Shahin had another accomplice named Josna, their neighbour. Shahin said he, Shirin and Josna made up the story on their way to the Dhaka Medi-

cal College Hospital.

Although she knew everything, Josna did not tell this correspondent on Monday that Shirin actually got the burn from the fire in the gas stove.

Narayanganj police super Syed Nurul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune that after having seen the story in the media, police went to investigate the matter and learnt that there was no passenger inside the bus.

Police later came to the DMCH, talked to the couple and their neighbour and finally learnt that the case of Shirin was not related to political violence. l

Awami League’s effort to woo other parties fail  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

the Liberal Democratic Party, even after offering ministerial posts in the interim government.

A number of ministers have also claimed on different occasions that many BNP leaders would participate in the polls, but none from the opposition alliance have joined the election race.

“What else can we do if anyone announces to boycott the polls?” Suranjit Sengupta, a member of the Awami League’s advisory council, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Suranjit refused to call the polls without the BNP and other parties a one-sided election. “More than 1,000 candidates are contesting the polls in 300 seats. So, why will it be a one-sided polls?” he said.

The main opposition BNP, which in 1996 held an election boycotted by all

the parties, including its staunchest ally Jamaat-e-Islami – which sided with the Awami League, alleges that the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections will be one-sided.

A total of 1,107 candidates from at least 14 out of 41 registered political parties, including the Awami League, Jatiya Party and the newly formed Bangladesh Nationalist Front, have submitted their nominations.

The last parliamentary polls in 2008 had 1,567 candidates from 38 political parties while 1,450 competed in the controversial February 15 polls of 1996.

Andaleeve Rahman Partha, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party, said the ruling Awami League’s bankruptcy was projected before the nation as all parties, even a number of Awami League’s alliance partners, had boycotted the polls.

“The government tried to split the 18-party alliance but failed because they failed to understand the public pulse. Now Awami League’s own existence is threatened,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Interestingly, among the 11 registered religion-based political parties only two are contesting the polls – Tarikat Federation and Bangladesh Islamic Front, which have close tie with the ruling party. Jaker Party and Islamic Front Bangladesh have stayed away.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, Jamiyat Ulamaya Islam and Khelafat Majlish – all allies of the BNP – have boycotted the polls.

Other religion based parties – Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish – are also boycotting the next election.

Dhaka gets new divisional commissioner n Mohosinul Karim

Khaleda Zia’s residence was stopped by police near Gulshan-2.

The transport workers, led by Ali Hossain, president of Chalak League, complained that they were the victims of continuous hartals and blockade programmes. They also sought protection from vandalism and arson attacks on vehicles by picketers that have led to the deaths of several transport workers recently. l

President in Singapore for checkup n BSS President Abdul Hamid’s medical checkup began at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore yesterday.

“Honourable President’s eye treatment is going on at the Singapore National Eye Centre,” President’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS. l

EC slows down following Ershad’s announcement n Mohammad Zakaria Following Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad’s announcement of non-participation in the upcoming polls yesterday, the Election Commission has reportedly slowed down polls preparations.

Since the announcement of polls’ schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections on November 25, officials and employees at the EC have been working overtime every day.

However, yesterday there was less workload while officials and employees left the office around 8pm, unlike the last couple of weeks when most of them would leave around 10pm.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, officials and employees at the EC said the work rate there slowed down following Ershad’s announcement, which formed clouds of uncertainty over the next parliamentary elections.

The main opposition BNP and its 18-party alliance has already rejected the schedule and said it would not be participating in the polls.

They said one-sided polls would not

be acceptable in the country and all around the world. This type of election was not accepted before as well. A number of officials and employees said they were dreading attacks, which was taking place all across the country.

“Our field-level officials were in more danger. Yesterday one of our Dhaka election office staff was found dead,” one of them, seeking anonymity said.

Meanwhile, a senior assistant secretary said the commission would not issue any letter or circular regarding the elections.

Yesterday at an informal commission meeting, election commissioners expressed their opinions saying the country would not accept a one-sided polls.

One of the election commissioners, however, seeking anonymity yesterday said:“The EC has nothing to do because of the present political situation. The commission is bound to hold the election as per the constitution.”

“We can’t suspend the polls, if we want. But if the political parties reach a consensus, anything is possible,” he said. l

Blockade: Ten killed on day four  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

clash, although, Joydeb Chowdhury, additional police superintendent of Satkhira, who confirmed the death of Ali, could not confirm the latter claim.

Blockaders hacked to death an activist of Jubo League, youth front of Awami League, at Mahmudpur of Satkhira sadar around 4pm. Gias Uddin, 38, who was riding a motorbike to Satkhira from Bhomra land port, was stopped and dragged down by the blockaders and indiscriminately hacked to death.

In Noakhli district town, blockader Abdus Salam, 65, drowned in a pond after being chased by police in the Maizdicourt area.

In Sirajganj, at least 15 people were injured after BNP men allegedly pounced on a rally of Tanvir Imam, Awami League candidate from Sirajganj 4 constituency, at Ullapara upazila.

In Hajiganj upazila, BNP men torched the residence of Khorshedul Islam Khusu, Jatiya Party candidate from Chandpur 5 constituency, at Naohata village.

In Dinajpur three policemen were injured, one critically, as BNP-Jamaat activists attacked law enforcers.

Rail communications of Chittagong with the rest of the country remained halted for three hours as blockaders uprooted a 30-foot stretch of railway track at Baratakia in Mirsharai upazila.

Rail communication of Dinajpur with Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Parbatipur remained suspended since 1pm Monday as blockaders removed fishplates at different points.

In the capital four people, including three and a half year old Lima, sustained injuries in cocktail blasts at Kafrul and Jatrabari. l

AL and JP candidates face 252 rebels Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury, chairman of Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jote, told the Dhaka Tribune that are boycotting the polls as the BNP are not participate in the polls. “If all parties take part in the elections, we will extend our support to the Awami League but as it is going to be lopsided, we will boycott the polls and instructed our leaders and activists not to go to polling centres on voting day,” he said.

The ruling party also tried to bring Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Gonoforum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) and Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League into the elections.

When contacted, Communist Party Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim said they had told the ruling Awami League that they would not participate in any election if all political parties did not take part. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

the elections, in defiance of party orders.

The filing of nomination papers ended on Monday when 1,107 candidates from the ruling Awami League, HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party and some other small parties and independent candidates turned in their nomination papers to the Election Commission. However, Ershad yesterday said his party would not contest the polls.

In Sherpur-2, Vice-President of Krishak League Central Committee Badiuzzaman Badsha will compete against Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury.

Incumbent MP Nilufar Zafarullah and independent candidate Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury (alias Nixon Chowdhury) both filed nomination papers for Faridpur-4. Nilufar is the wife of Awami League-nominated candidate Kazi Zafarullah, whilst Nixon is a

relative of the prime minister.

Former AL lawmaker Md Selim, better known as Haji Selim, submitted nomination paper for Dhaka-7 constituency whereas the party had selected incumbent MP Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin.

Among other rebels, former APS to the prime minister Dr Awlad Hossain will contest the polls in Dhaka-4 constituency, Saidur Rahman Shahid (Shahid Commissioner) in Dhaka-5, Sarder Mohammad Mannan in Dhaka-16, Benzir Ahmed in Dhaka-20, incumbent MP Shafiqul Azam Khan Chanchal and Shazzattuzuman in Jhenidah-3, running MP Azizur Rahman in Dinajpur-6, Sultana Torun in Kushtia-4, Motiur Rahman in Sunamganj-4.

In the 19 constituencies of the Sylhet division, there are nine rebel candidates who did not get a ticket from the ruling party. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

BNP welcomes Ershad but can’t bank on him n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BNP has welcomed former military dictator and Jatiya Party Chairman Ershad’s decision to back off from participating in the parliamentary election.

The main opposition, however, cannot put its trust in Ershad as he is “highly unpredictable in politics.”

Some senior BNP leaders said they wanted two more days before making any official comments as the period for nomination papers withdrawal ends on December 13.

The main opposition party’s Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed in a press release welcomed Ershad’s announcement and asked the government to suspend the polls schedule.

Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad on Tuesday said his party would not participate in the upcoming elections as all political parties did not submit nomination papers. He asked his party men to withdraw their candidature.

Mahbubur Rahman, a BNP standing committee member, said if he made the announcement from his realisation that the “one-sided and farcical election” would not bring any result to the national politics, then it was a positive gesture

in the politics.

“Better to leave than never. If he sticks to his words then it is a positive approach to politics,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Mahbubur Rahman, also a former military chief, said Ershad is lacking credibility and he now has to restore it “not by words but by deeds”.

Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, adviser to the BNP chairperson, said Ershad’s decision is a realisation of the reality and he has a pressure from the party not to contest the polls.

“I think he has realised that if he contests the polls he might lose the support base and the one-sided election will not be accepted both at home and abroad,” he said.

When asked about whether he could believe in Ershad, he said: “Let us see two more days.”

Osman Farruk, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, said Ershad had taken a mature decision and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should come to the sense that she has been isolated.

“Ershad’s decision to quit polls is the last nail in the coffin of the Awami League’s stage-managed election,” he said. l

A BGB member kicks a picket, who was caught while torching a vehicle in the capital’s Jatrabari during opposition enforced countrywide blockade yesterday

Tribunal irked with prosecution, defence FBCCI concerned over n non-stop blockades Udisa Islam

The two war crimes tribunals yesterday had to adjourn proceedings as conducting defence counsels and witnesses were not present on the ground of ongoing blockade programme.

The International Crimes Tribunal 1 asked the prosecutors not to mix up politics with the profession since their remarks might hamper the trial proceedings while the tribunal 2 expressed dissatisfaction over the defence counsels for their repeated absence.

Both the tribunals adjourned and closed the proceedings within 15 minutes.

As the tribunal 1 started the day’s proceedings with the trial of Mobarak Hossain, defence counsel Tarikul Islam submitted a petition seeking adjournment for three days, saying conducting lawyer Ahsanul Huq had not returned from Chittagong because of the blockade.

He also said the defence witness could not come to Dhaka from Brahmanbaria for the same reason.

Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman vehemently opposed the petition saying that the defence had brought the plea only to delay the trial, and that ad-

journment could not be given on the ground of hartals or blockades as those were regular phenomena.

Led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, the tribunal 1 reacted sharply: “Keep your politics outside court. You guys are talking too much.”

Referring to a prosecutor’s remarks made in media that the verdict in Motiur Rahman Nizami case would be pronounced before Victory Day, the tribunal said: “In this month, we will go slow.”

Prosecutor Mohammad Ali made the comment recently.

The tribunal then accepted the defence’s adjournment petition and deferred the proceedings until December 8. It also reminded that the statement of accused Mobarak would be recorded on that day even if the defence remained absent.

Mobarak was indicted on April 23 on five charges of crimes against humanity.

In the case against Zahid Hossain Khokon alias “Khokon Razakar,” the tribunal deferred the proceedings until December 9 as the 10th prosecution witnesses failed to appear before it.

Prosecutor Sabina Yesmin Khan Munni submitted an adjournment pe-

tition saying that the witness could not come from Faridpur because of the nationwide blockade.

Meanwhile, the tribunal 2 was also annoyed with the defence of war crimes suspect AKM Yusuf as one single senior counsel continuously skipped appearing at the court on the ground of blockade.

Yesterday was fixed for cross-examination of 14th prosecution witness Bablu Kumar Mistri. But a junior defence counsel appeared at the court with an adjournment petition.

Rejecting the petition, the tribunal closed the cross-examination. Bablu is the third witness whose questioning was closed by the tribunal as the conducting defence counsel did not appear.

In his submission, the defence counsel argued that during hartals, even the Appellate Division and the High Court benches did not function.

Irked, the tribunal said: “We are not under anyone. The tribunal is independent. We will continue its proceeding in every hartal or blockade. When all witnesses, prosecutors and junior defence counsels are present, only for a senior counsel the court cannot be continued. Is it possible?” l

n BSS The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday expressed deep concern over the serious bleeding of national economy as a result of the non-stop hartals and blockade enforced by the BNP-led 18-party opposition combine.

Describing the export sector as a driving force of the country’s economy, they said those strikes were not only hurting the economy but also affecting the country’s image abroad and the flow of foreign investment.

The views came at an emergency meeting at its office with FBCCI President Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed presiding, said a statement.

They said arson, destruction, acts of sabotage and uprooting of railway fishplates in the name of peaceful hartal and strikes were leading the country’s economy to stagflation-like situation.

Political problems could not be resolved through killing of common people but politically, they said.

“It will be hard to offset the irreparable loss the businessmen have been suf-

fering from the frequent demonstration, strikes and hartals,” the statement said.

Producers of perishable products, small businessmen, transport sector business people and day labourers have been the worst victims to the current political unrest.

arson, destruction, acts of sabotage and uprooting of railway fishplates in the name of peaceful hartal and strikes were leading the country’s economy to stagflation-like situation Given the situation, the FBCCI decided that it would urge the Bangladesh Bank not to consider entrepreneurs as classified if they failed to repay bank loans due to the political unrest. The apex trade body would also call for keeping bank interest static until the unstable political situation came to an end.

It also took a decision that all business establishments would hoist white flag in their respective establishments across the country as a token demonstration, the statement added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

CEC: Time running out for political consensus n Mohammad Zakaria Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad has expressed concern as the political parties were yet to reach a consensus on polls while “time is slipping away.”

“We are yet to see any development towards reaching a consensus,” he told reporters at the commission secretariat.

The CEC also hoped that the ongoing violence would calm down with endeavours to forge an understanding.

Asked if the polls would become one-sided now that the Jatiya Party was not contesting, the CEC said the commission would observe the situation until nomination papers were withdrawn.

He also said eight candidates’ being elected without contest depended on when nominations were withdrawn.

According to polls schedule, the 10th general elections will be held on January 5, while the deadline for withdrawing nominations is December 13. 19 political parties are participating in the polls along with the independent candidates.

319 Awami League candidates, 243 from Jatiya Party and 241 independent candidates. l

US calls for empowering ‘trusted lieutenants’ for talks n Tribune Report

Relatives of Monowara Begum, 65, wait at the Kamalapur railway station to take the sick elderly woman to Sylhet as no ambulance was available during the countrywide blockade. They have waited at the station for three hours before the photo was taken yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The USA yesterday said both major political parties should empower “trusted lieutenants” to undertake constructive dialogue in order to hold elections that were credible in the eyes of Bangladeshi people.

The US Embassy in Dhaka in a statement made the call in the backdrop of the ongoing violence and political stalemate over the polls-time government.

“We believe all parties should have space to freely and peacefully express their views. The government bears responsibility to provide such space; the opposition parties bear responsibility to use such space in a peaceful manner,” the US embassy statement said.

Washington believed that with goodwill, the two parties could still find a way to stage free, fair and credible elections that the Bangladeshi people want and deserve, the statement said.

The statement also said: “As Assistant Secretary Biswal made clear dur-

BNP rejects government’s claim of holding dialogue n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP yesterday rejected some ministers’ claim that a process for holding a dialogue was on to resolve the existing political impasse, alleging that the government was spreading the propaganda to mislead people.

“This immoral and illegal government does not want an understanding and it is not cordial about reaching one.

The government is talking about this

so-called dialogue, which is completely baseless, only to mislead people,” BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a statement.

That is why the movement has spread across the country in demand for elections under a non-partisan government He said the whole nation, including other political parties, professionals

and social organisations, wanted an inclusive, free, fair and acceptable election. Even the United Nations and the international community had expressed similar opinions.

“That is why the movement has spread across the country in demand for elections under a non-partisan government,” Fakhrul said.

The BNP leader alleged that the government was following the strategy of disseminating propaganda as it had

been weakening every moment.

He also said most political parties had not taken part in the “so-called farcical” polls and proved that most of the people would not accept such polls.

“But the government and the subservient Election Commission want to hold a one-sided election.” Fakhrul demanded suspension of the election schedule and demanded resignation of the government to hold the election under a non-partisan government. l

ing her visit to Bangladesh, violence is not part of the democratic process, is not acceptable and must stop immediately.”

The senseless violence of past days was particularly reprehensible as it intentionally targeted innocent people with bombs and by burning them alive in vehicles, it added.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena yesterday called on several ministers including Public Works Minister Tofail Ahmed, Information Minister Hasanul Haq and Environment and Forest Minister Hassan Mahmud at their offices.

Mozena told reporters at the secretariat that the upcoming visit of the UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez Taranco was a great opportunity for Bangladesh to break the impasse centering the election.

The US envoy also emphasised on the participation of all parties in the 10th national elections.

After the meeting with Mozena, Tofail told journalists: “The US envoy expressed his concerns over the ongoing violence and stressed the participation of all parties in the upcoming polls.”

Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Heather Cruden in a statement urged all parties to end violence and work towards a peaceful resolution.

“It is still possible for all parties and political organisations to find a negotiated solution, if there is political will, to ensure that the upcoming general election is transparent, inclusive, credible and peaceful,” the statement said.

Canada “is dismayed” by the continued escalation of violence in Bangladesh, which has led to innocent people being killed and injured.

The current instability damaged the commercial environment, particularly for small businesses, and might have long term consequences for the national economy that might not be easily reversed, the Canadian envoy added. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

‘Sound above tolerable levels in most of Dhaka’ n Tribune Report Pro-environment group Poribesh Bachao Andolan (Poba) has said the level of sound pollution in Dhaka has reached alarming levels because of the authorities’ negligence in implementing controlling measures.

A study conducted by Poba throughout Dhaka in November shows that in most places, the level of sound generation is two to three times higher than tolerable limits.

This has in turn been resulting in

time, it is 40 decibel. The study shows that current levels are 76 and 87.

Same are the cases with commercial areas, mixed areas and silent areas.

The law prohibits honking within 100m radius of hospitals, educational institutions and offices and use of brick and stone breaking machines within 500m radius of residential areas. First time offenders can be fined up to Tk5,000 and the second-timers two months’ imprisonment alongside Tk10,000 fine, while an offender can be fined Tk10,000-Tk7 lakh.

Data of Poba study on sound pollution Permissible Level (decibel)

Area

Daytime

Current Level (decibel)

Nighttime

Daytime

Nighttime

Residential

50

40

76

87

Commercial

76

60

71

107

Mixed

60

50

73

102

Silent

50

40

75

97

increasing cases of hearing loss, insomnia, loss of concentration, irritation, high blood pressure, headache and retarded fetal growth, said a Poba press release yesterday.

Although a law was enacted in 2006 for controlling sound pollution, the government was yet to implement it, the release said.

According to the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules 2006, 50 decibel is the permissible level of sound in residential areas during daytime. During night-

Poba also made some recommendations: raise awareness about the side effects of noise pollution, banning import high volume horns, taking actions against factories, repairing vehicles regularly, conducting mobile courts, advertisement in media on the effects of noise pollution, restricting shops from playing music in high volume, setting up signboards to display the permissible limits in silent, industrial, commercial and residential areas, and so on. l

‘Shahingsata Protirodhe Janata,’ backed by left political parties, organises a procession at Shahbagh in the capital yesterday, protesting the ongoing political unrest across the country RAJIB DHAR

BISHWAJIT MURDER CASE Pro-opposition professionals’ memo to SC registrar

n Nazmus Sakib

Pro-opposition professionals yesterday handed over a memorandum to Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam demanding a stop to police remand against journalists, lawyers and human rights activists.

They want it placed before Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, who they said could take steps to halt such remands as he was the head of judiciary.

They also demanded that administrative steps be taken to hear the case pending at the High Court for the reopening of the daily Amar Desh.

In the memo, the professionals mentioned the remand orders of the lower court against two journalists of Rtv; BNP leaders Moudud Ahmed, Rafiqul Islam Miah, and Shimul Biswas; Amar Desh Editor Mahmudur Rahman; Sangram Editor Abul Asad; and Odhikar Secretary Adilur Rahman Khan.

The professionals were Zainul Abedin, BNP chairperson’s adviser; Shaukat Mahmood, BNP chairperson’s adviser; Sanaullah Miah, party mass education secretary; Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of BFUJ and chief reporter of the daily Sangram; Abdul Hai Shikdar, president of a faction of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ); Jahangir Alam Prodhan, secretary of DUJ. l

WEATHER

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

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:11pm today and rises at 6:27am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 31.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Sandwip and lowest 13.3 degrees at Chuadanga yesterday.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29.0 27.6 29.3 28.4 29.3 29.0 30.0 29.8

17.6 19.4 14.4 16.8 16.5 15.5 17.5 20.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:07am 6:26am 11:49am 3:35pm 5:11pm 6:31pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Verdict date in Bishwajit case likely today n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday initiated recording the argument of the last defence counsel in sensational Bishwajit Das murder case.

Judge ABM Nizamul Haque of the Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 fixed today for hearing the rest of argument on behalf of Rafiqul Islam Shakil, the key accused. Following the argument, the court is likely to declare a date for delivering the verdict.

Earlier, all defence counsels and also the state defence lawyer completed arguments on behalf of 20 other accused.

On October 24, the court had completed recording of statements of the prosecution witnesses. The court recorded the statements of 33 out of 60 prosecution witnesses.

Public prosecutor of the tribunal SM Rafiqul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune:

“The court may fix date for the judgement tomorrow [today].”

He said: “The prosecution produced proper witnesses in the case, and I expect that the accused will be punished according to the law.”

Old Dhaka tailor Bishwajit, 24, was hacked to death in public by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists of Jagannath University unit during the opposition’s countrywide road-blockade programme on December 9 last year.

Trial of the case against 21 accused began on June 14 with deposition of the complainant, Sub-Inspector Jalal Uddin of Sutrapur police station.

Following investigation, DB Inspector Tajul Islam on March 5 pressed the charges before the court which indicted the accused on June 2. Of the 21 accused, detained eight were produced before the court yesterday. The other 13 have been on the run since the incident. l

JU VC asks minister to publish probe report n JU Correspondent Confined again at his residence by the agitating teachers of Jahangirnagar University, Vice-Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain yesterday said he had asked the education minister to publish the investigation report on the allegations against him.

He was confined on Monday night by the protesters who are demanding a quick implementation of the chancellor’s directives, which were given on November 6 with a view to solve the ongoing crises on the campus.

President Abdul Hamid had asked the VC to hold senate elections immediately, and to select a VC panel through the senate in the line with the JU Act. The chancellor also asked him to withdraw the writ petitions filed against three teachers of the university.

Prof Anwar told the Dhaka Tribune: “I cannot do anything, including the execution of the directives of the honourable chancellor, simply because of the teachers’ irrational movement which is hampering the university’s discipline.”

The VC said he again had extended his leave for his physical illness until tomorrow. During this time, Pro-VC (education) Prof MA Matin would be the acting VC. Prof Anwar reached the campus on Monday afternoon after a 12-day-long medical leave. Hearing the news, the agitating teachers released Prof Matin and Pro-VC (administration) Prof Afsar Ahmed at around 9pm and then went to the VC’s residence to meet Prof Anwar.

They took positions in front of the two gates of the residence around 10pm installing several tents, on the grounds that the VC had denied paying a visit to the teachers who are now agitating under the banner of “JU Teachers-Students and Officers-Employees United Forum.”

Backed by ousted VC Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir, who is now a member of the Public Service Commission, and pro-BNP teachers, they have been demanding the removal of the sitting VC. Prof Matin and Prof Afsar had been

confined to the administrative building for 12 days since November 20.

Secretary of the forum Prof Kamrul Ahsan said: “We will not leave the VC’s residence until the directives of the chancellors are fulfilled.”

He alleged that the VC had been meeting teachers, students and officers loyal to him, but was avoiding the agitating teachers.

He said the VC was yet to withdraw the petitions.

Prof Anwar yesterday claimed that his cable network connection was disconnected by the agitating teachers, and they were not allowing any employees to enter his residence.

The authorities also sent a letter in this regard to Prof Kamrul. However the forum’s secretary denied the allegation and said he did not know anything about the matter.

Prof Matin was not available for comment despite several attempts to contact him.

The forum members held a torch procession on the campus yesterday evening. l

n DU Correspondent

Eagle Tower inaugurated n Tribune Report

Dhaka University Information and Technology Society yesterday arranged a roundtable titled “Campus Wi-Fi: Limitations and Possibilities” at the university’s Senate building.

The DUITS asked the authorities to provide Wi-Fi services on the whole campus so that students could enhance their knowledge of IT. DU Pro-VC Prof Saheed Akthar Hossain, BTRC Director General Jakir Hossain, IT specialist Munir Hossain, Banglapedia Administrator Norunnabi Chowdhury and DUITS Moderator D Shafiul Alam Bhuayan spoke at the programme. l

The Bangladesh Air Force yesterday unveiled a monument in remembrance of the Liberation War operation “Kilo Flight” and the valiant freedom fighters who took part in it.

Air Commodore M Mafidur Rahman inaugurated the “Eagle Tower”, a square concrete structure with a clock face and a sculpted eagle on top, installed on the western side of Tejgaon runway in the capital.

The courageous pilots of the historic “Kilo Flight” of the newly-formed Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) started daring air attacks against the Pakistani occupation forces on December 3, 1971. l

DUITS asks for Wi-Fi services on campus

German Cooperation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNDP and USAID jointly organise a stakeholder workshop on ‘Which Kinds of Social Safety Net Transfers Work Best for the Rural Ultra Poor?’ in the capital’s Spectra Convention Centre yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Nutrition education key for the poor

Computer Science Education Week to n Abu Bakar Siddique begin on Dec 9 Scaling up nutrition education in the government’s social safety net pron Tribune Report gramme will be the most effective way Computer Science Education Week will be held across the country on December 9-15 and to mark the occasion, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and BASIS Institute of Technology and Management (BITM) are jointly organising the first “BASIS Hour of Code” in the country’s history.

To preview the event, the BASIS held a press conference at its Karwan bazar office on Monday. BASIS Hour of Code is an hour-long introduction to computer programming. Its objective is to remove fear about coding and make it enjoyable to the students. l

to improve food security and child nutrition among very poor families, a study says.

It observes that whilst the majority of safety net interventions are foodbased, cash transfers are becoming increasingly important.

Findings of the study entitled “Which kinds of social safety net transfers work best for the rural ultra poor?” were revealed at a stakeholders’ workshop on mid-term process evaluation at the city’s Lakeshore Hotel.

The study suggests that nutrition education is important in delivering benefits from food- and cash-based

safety net initiatives including Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF), Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) and Test Relief (TR).

The two-year-long study was conducted jointly by the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Policy Research Institute (IFFRI).

Under the research, 400 families of Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Rangpur, Gaibandha, and Rangpur districts were provided with support through five different types of transfer – food, cash, food and cash combined, food and nutrition education combined, and cash and nutrition education combined. The value of each type of transfer is equivalent to Tk1,500 per month.

Participating households in the northern districts showed a signifi-

cant reduction of chronic malnutrition among children of those households which received the intensive nutrition education, said Akhter Ahmed, chief of IFFRI Bangladesh.

Social safety nets are designed specifically for the poor who are living near the poverty line. In Bangladesh, a wide range of institutions, including the government, assist the poor through social safety net programmes.

The government is in the process of finalising a comprehensive social protection strategy. It allocated about Tk25.4bn in the 2013-14 fiscal year – more than one-tenth of the budget – to cover about 90 safety net programmes.

Around 38m people are covered by such programmes, said Mesbahul Alam, secretary of the disaster management and relief ministry. l

CU probes female student harassment n CU Correspondent Chittagong University authorities yesterday formed a probe committee to investigate the alleged stalking of a female student by an activist of BCL. Ifthekhar Uddin Chowdhury, pro vice-chancellor of CU, said CU Proctor Khan Tawhid Osman, and its two assistant proctors were made members of the committee.

A second year student of Philosophy Department filed a general diary with Hathazari police station and submitted a written complaint to the proctor on Monday after she said she had been harassed by Rubel Dey, a student of English department and a BCL activist. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

5

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The Economist and Lancet view on Bangladesh: What’s missing?

A

n Hassan Zaman bout a year back the Economist had a piece titled “Out of the basket” (published on November 3, 2012) and subtitled “Lessons from the achievements – yes, really, achievements – of Bangladesh.”

The magazine appeared somewhat bemused at how a country once labelled a “test case for development” could have made such striking gains in development outcomes over the past two decades, especially when compared with its wealthier neighbours (see table reproduced from the Economist).

These gains were hard to reconcile amidst Bangladesh’s natural and Rana Plaza-type disasters, volatile politics and unfavourable rankings on governance indicators – themes which the Economist has often covered before, and after, this “achievements” piece.

Recently the prestigious Lancet journal has come out with a special issue on Bangladesh which the journal’s editors say is in order to “investigate one of the great mysteries of global health.”

Bangladesh’s development achievements have been surprising despite man-made disasters and natural calamities

Bangladesh has averaged over 6% growth over the past decade, its GDP of around $150bn has more than tripled since 2000, and as Lant Pritchett and Larry Summers show, the volatility of its growth is one of the lowest among low and middle income countries

Specifically, the published papers are meant to explore how “Bangladesh has made enormous health advances and now has the longest life expectancy, lowest fertility rate and lowest infant and under-5 mortality rates in south Asia despite spending less on health care than several neighbouring countries.”

Both these publications help explain the various “Bangladesh paradoxes” but they also overlook, or underplay, a few critical factors.

Some of the drivers of these gains in health outcomes summarised in Amartya Sen’s and Mushtaque Chowdhury’s Lancet contributions are also identified by the broader Economist “achievements” story.

First, they both argue that the manner by which women have been at the centre of development gains is unprecedented – whether as community-based health care workers con-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

tributing to the halving of fertility in one generation, or as girls outnumbering boys in school, or as recipients of micro-credit loans or as the backbone of the $25bn garments industry.

Second, there is general agreement in both the Lancet and Economist view, as well as many others, that a pluralistic approach to the design and delivery of services is particularly unique in Bangladesh and has contributed to these outcomes.

Specifically the role of NGOs, including some such as BRAC which are among the largest in the world, in working as partners with government and the pioneering role of the Grameen Bank are highlighted.

On a more optimistic note, and if history is any guide, it is likely that the country will continue to pursue its mix of orthodox macro and unorthodox micro policies and come up with ways to overcome its odds

Pluralism also includes the local private sector pharmaceutical companies, which, protected from foreign competition during their infancy, have also provided access to low-cost generic drugs and are now a significant part of Bangladesh’s export basket.

Self-sufficiency in food through sharp increases in rice yields and multi-cropping (Economist) along with significant improvements in disaster management (Cash et al in the Lancet) and the role of made-in-Bangladesh innovations in health delivery (Adams et al in the Lancet and a subsequent issue of the Economist (May 16, 2013 “Safer childbirth in Bangladesh: mat red”) describing a new “birth mat” which has significantly reduced childbirth complications) are other factors which are examined.

However, there is an element which is either missing or under-stated in both these review pieces and that relates to the role and pattern of economic growth. The summary article in the Lancet is titled “The Bangladesh paradox: exceptional health achievement despite economic poverty.”

The November 3 Economist article says “Bangladesh has shown that countries can transform the lives of the poorest without having to wait for economic growth.” This last statement is particularly bizarre. Bangladesh has averaged over 6% growth over the past decade, its GDP of around $150bn has more than tripled since 2000, and as Lant Pritchett and Larry Summers show, the volatility of its growth is one of the lowest among low and middle income countries.

So when the average growth over

the past ten years for “emerging market and developing economies” according to IMF data is 4.6% while Bangladesh’s is 6.2%, it seems odd to suggest that economic growth has been slow.

One reason behind the steady growth and limited volatility is that macro-management has been sensible, with fiscal deficits typically averaging around 4% of GDP, steadily declining public debt to GDP ratios along with the build-up of macro buffers with a current account surplus and international reserves close to six months import cover.

Counter-cyclical policies have also shielded the economy from exogenous shocks such as in the immediate aftermath of the global food and financial crisis in 2008/09 using a mix of short term export subsidies and expanded safety nets for the poor along with an easing of credit conditions for the private sector.

The ability to react to natural disasters highlighted in the Lancet extends to the ability to react to macro shocks which is less well known. Not only is aggregate volatility low, but growth has been equitably distributed with inequality (measured by the consumption Gini) unchanged since 1995.

Poverty fell from 58% in 1990/91 to 32% in 2010 with almost 17 million people moving out of poverty in the 2000-10 period. As the latest World Bank Poverty Assessment report shows, the pattern of growth has led to greater convergence across regional divides.

One key difference with other countries is that household income fluctuations are smoothed by the wide availability of reasonably priced credit, in the form of micro-finance, as shown by a paper by Santos et al (Santos I, I Sharif, H Rahman, H Zaman [2011] “How do the poor cope with shocks in Bangladesh: Evidence from Survey Data” Policy Research Working Paper 5810, World Bank).

These economic gains have meant that a larger share of the population can afford better quality food, sanita-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

in this respect as they help reshape a prevailing narrative.

The only issue is that both appear to overlook the importance of careful macro management, as well as the enabling environment that has generated reasonably high pro-poor economic growth with low volatility, with their consequent impact on social outcomes.

Hassan Zaman is Chief Economist, Bangladesh Bank.

POOR BUT IMPRESSIVE Wealth and health

Bangladesh

India

Pakistan

Income per person, $PPP*

1990 2011

540 1,909

874 3,663

1,200 2,786

Life Expectancy at birth, years

1990 2010

59 69

58 65

61 65

Infant (aged <1) deaths per 1,000 live births

1990 2011

97 37

81 47

95 59

Child (aged <5) deaths per 1,000 live births

1990 2011

139 46

114 61

122 72

Maternal deaths per 100,00 live births

1990 2010

800 194†

600 200

490 260

Infant immunisation rate, %

1990 2008

64 94

59 66

48 80

Female (aged 15-24) literacy rate, %

1991 2009

38 77

49 74

na 61

Underweight children, % of total

1990 2007

62 36†

60 44

39 31

SOURCES: WORLD BANK; UNICEF; WHO; national statistics Source: The Economist

Looking forward there is no room for hubris for Bangladeshi policymakers as the challenges of maintaining, and ideally accelerating, these socio-economic gains are not straightforward.

Economic growth requires a conducive environment for businesses to flourish and experience from many countries show that prolonged

The only issue is that both the magazine pieces appear to overlook the importance of careful macro management, as well as the enabling environment that has generated reasonably high propoor economic growth with low volatility, with their consequent impact on social outcomes

tion, shelter and access to education and health – all of which are confirmed empirically in the 2013 World Bank Poverty Assessment report for Bangladesh.

Reflective pieces on the steady process of improvements in the lives of the 150 million or so ordinary Bangladeshis are unlikely to make headlines.

These Lancet and Economist magazine pieces are important contributions

of orthodox macro and unorthodox micro policies and come up with ways to overcome its odds, make the most of its current demographic dividend, raise economic growth, further reduce poverty and strengthen social outcomes. l

uncertainty can lead to a sharp drop in growth which is not easy to reverse.

Moreover, given the clear links between overall growth, rising incomes and social outcomes it is clear that we do not want to jeopardise this unique development story which has caught the world’s attention.

On a more optimistic note, and if history is any guide, it is likely that the country will continue to pursue its mix

* Purchasing-power parity † 2011

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Mosquito menace on the rise in city Little or no measures have been taken by the authorities to check the insect during its breeding season in November n Abu Hayat Mahmud In the absence of steps to check their breeding, the mosquito menace has worsened in the capital in recent days.

Residents of different areas in the city claimed that the problem has intensified, hampering their daily lives.

Few measures have been taken by the authorities to deter the insects during their breeding season.

The two city corporations of Dhaka, however, claimed that they run anti-mosquito drives under their yearly routine programme during the breeding season, which begins in November and continues until January.

Ekram Hossain, a resident of

Sutrapur near Dholai Khal claimed: “The city corporation and Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) are being negligent by not cleaning water bodies and drains, which are the breeding grounds for mosquitoes in the capital.”

Ekram criticised the city corporation for the irregularity of anti-mosquito drives, and added that he has not seen city corporation staff spraying insecticide regularly in his area this season.

Tamanna Khandakar, an inhabitant of Mirpur 11, said: “I have been using mosquito-net to protect myself. It seems they cannot be controlled with other options, such as mosquito coils and aerosols.”

Tamanna also claimed that she had not observed any recent mosquito killing drives by the city corporation in the area.

“After evening, we have to keep our windows shut because of excessive mosquitoes, but they still come in when we open door,” said Aminul Islam, a resident of Nakhalpara.

When contacted, DSCC Chief Health Officer, Brigadier General M Abdullah-Al-Harun told the Dhaka Tribune, they have received few objections to the mosquitoes from city residents.

“The corporation is continuing its routine anti-mosquito programme, and before the breeding season starts

we will spray pesticides,” he said.

He said two types of pesticides - larvicide and adulticide are being used to control mosquitoes.

“Larvicide is being used between 8am and 11am to interrupt the development of mosquito larvae while adulticide is being sprayed in the evening to control the adult mosquito population.”

Meanwhile, DNCC Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Afjalur Rahman said, “Our larvicide has finished.

But, we have already sent orders to a few pharmaceuticals companies. Spraying will begin as soon as we get the insecticide.” l

1,667 mobile phone sets seized at Shahjalal Internation Airport n Kailash Sarkar Officials of Customs Department at Hajarat Shahjalal International Airport seized 1,667 mobile phone sets from import cargo yesterday.

Worth around Tk7 crore, the seized consignment included 176 iPhones, 70 Samsung Galaxys, 10 Blackberrys and 200 handsets made by htc company.

Qamrul Hasan, an assistant commissioner of the Customs Department, said the huge number of high-priced mobile phone sets had been imported from Hong Kong by an agency named Shah Sharif Associates, of Purana Paltan area of the capital.

“Md Sharif Uddin, the owner of the Shah Sharif Associates has imported the phone sets with a fake declaration

of computer accessories,” said the customs official.

Acting on a tip-off, officials of the customs department seized the phone sets.

The sources said to evade government taxes and other duties, in most cases, valuables are imported with either fake declarations or mentioning less amounts or quantities in the declaration documents.

Syndicates of importers release the import items in exchanges for bribes to officials and employees, said a source seeking anonymity.

Around 40 syndicates are active in smuggling through the airport in support with a section of officials and employees of different government and private agencies, the sources said. l

Hindu locality in Barisal protest shifting of police camp n Our Correspondent. Barisal The only makeshift police camp built at the Nomo Para of Charkawa village under Barisal sadar upazila was shifted yesterday, causing unease as Hindu residents returned to their torched homes.

Following the murder of a Muslim college student, a mob attacked and torched houses of the Hindu community on November 15.

At least 15 houses and two temples were fully gutted while seven others were partly damaged in the incident.

Two cases were filed in this connection.

Later, five out of 13 accused in the murder and 23 out of 1,600 unnamed accused in the arson case were arrested.

The police camp was shifted to Barisal Irrigation Project at Char Aicha, about half a kilometre away from the village.

Babul Das, one of the victims of the arson attacks, said the affected people were reconstructing their torched homes and had started returning to the village. In this state, shifting the police camp as well as reducing the number of manpower in the camp, have left them in a helpless and unsafe state.

Bubul Das, Krishna Das, Kalyan Adhikari, Narayan Mistri, Indra Sarkar, and Dhiren Shikder, yesterday visited the Barisal Metropolitan Police com-

Abducted college girl rescued in Jhenidah border n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat After being abducted five months ago, a female college student was rescued from the border area near Moheshpur in Jhenidah district yesterday.

Police and family members of the victim said after being rescued she described to a magistrate, in detail, the torture she had been through.

The victim Shima Saha [not her real name], 17, hailed from Dhonbari village in Tangail.

Police said Saha was abducted from Mymensingh while on her way to tuition for medical school admission exams on July 2 this year.

She was kept at the abductor’s residence in the basin area of the Teesta river in Kisamot Chinatuli village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

The victim’s mother lodged a case with Mymensingh Kotwali model police station, accusing Shah Sultan Ahmed Raju, 26, and his parents Abdul Jabbar, 56, and Sahera Begum, 46, all residents of Kisamot Chinatoli village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

A team, led by Lalmonirhat sadar police station Sub-Inspector Zahurul Islam, raided the abductor’s residence to rescue Shima on the night of August 25. The abductor managed to flee the scene.

Mymensingh district police arrested the abductor’s mother, Sahera Begum, near Rowmari in Kurigram district on November 27.

Following her statement, police rescued the girl from a house near Moheshpur in Jhenidah district on Sunday.

The victim’s brother in-law Krishna Chandra Saha said they were happy to get Shima back.

He demanded police arrest the abductor and ensure his punishment.

Additional Superintendent of Police Aslam Khan said police were trying hard to arrest the absconding abductor as soon as possible. l

missioner as representatives of the minorities of the village.

Quoting the commissioner, they said the investigation was still ongoing.

The administration had earlier assured them of establishing a permanent police camp in the minority populated Nomo Para of Charkawa to ensure their security.

Moreover, such movement has intensified panic among the locals turning them hostile against the victims as police filed cases against more than 1,600 unnamed for the arson attack, they claimed.

Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Islam of Barisal Bandar Police said the police camp had been shifted to a more structured spot due to an accommodation crisis.

He said a team of seven under an assistant sub-inspector would remain deployed at the camp, which had consisted 20 policemen as per order of higher authority.

Md Shamsuddin, BMP commissioner, said the police camp was not shut down, but transferred with a fewer number of policemen.

The place where the camp had been shifted was not far away, and police patrol in the area would be intensified to assure safety of the minorities, the commissioner told. l

A boy with disabilities presents a painting drawn by him to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city yesterday

Gang grabs freedom fighter’s land in Lalmonirhat n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat An organised gang allegedly grabbed a small piece of land belonging to a late freedom fighter in Rajpur village, under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila, earlier this week.

Yesterday, a case was filed accusing five people at Lalmonirhat sadar police station.

Jamir Uddin, officer-in-charge of the station, said police would act after investigating the case.

The accused were identified as Sirazul Islam, 28, Chhabul Islam, 26, Abbas Uddin, 52, Rafiqul Islam, 51, and Ataur Rahman, 53. All are residents of Rajpur village near the Teesta River.

Police said the gang illegally occu-

pied the land of the late Ram Charan Roy, a freedom fighter, on Sunday afternoon.

After Ram Charan’s death a decade ago, the 10 decimal (0.04 hectares) of cultivable land went to his grandson, Dinesh Chandra Roy. Dinesh Chandra said he harvested wheat from the land on Sunday morning, but, later in the day, the suspects claimed possession of the land, showing false registry papers.

“My relatives and I did not dare protest against them, as they carried lethal weapons in their hands,” Dinesh said.

However, one of the suspects, Rafiqul Islam, said he and his brother had purchased the land from Ram Charan while he was alive. l

GWTUC: garment workers lead squalid lives

n Tribune Report

The Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, a national federation of garment industry workers in Bangladesh, yesterday claimed garment workers have been leading squalid lives as they lose their jobs and face false cases.

In a pre-statement, the organisation alleged that false cases were being lodged against the garment workers who participated in the movement to demand wage increases, adding that these workers were also being attacked at their residences. The organisation leaders also said eight garment factories in the country were being kept shut “illegally,” and they demanded these factories be opened soon. The eight garment factories are Liberty Knitwear Limited, Midland Knitwear Limited, Metro Knitwear Limited, Beacon Knitwear Limited, Ruposi Knitwear Limited, Sadia Knitwear Limited, Soeb Knitwear Limited and Miswar Hosiery Limited. l

Farmers at loss during blockade n Tribune Report

US ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena meets Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu at his secretariat office yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Farmers are incurring grave losses due to the decline in sales of their vegetables and other crops during the continuous blockade, said a press statement issued

by Bangladesh Krishok Samity.

Farmers are not getting transport to send their produce to the capital and other cities.

The leaders of the samity have urged the opposition party to keep agricultural commodity-carrying transports out of the purview of the blockade, said a press release. The call came at a central executive committee meeting held in its office yesterday in the capital’s Purana Paltan.

Bangladesh Krishok Samity will hold demonstration and form a one-hour long human chain in front of the national press club on December 6. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Be more sympathetic to persons with disabilities: PM n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday called on people to be more sympathetic to those with disabilities, in a speech to mark International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD).

“It is the responsibility of the state to take care of the guardianless physically-challenged children.

So, we have a plan to set up such organisations which will take responsibilities of the guardian-less disabled children for life as guardians,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina asked teachers and students to be more careful about the physically challenged children so they do not become victims of negligence in any way.

“You will have to stand beside the children with disabilities like friends,” she said.

The prime minister was addressing a discussion and cultural function as the chief guest at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the morning.

The Social Welfare Ministry arranged the discussion and cultural function on the occasion of the 22nd IDPwD and the 15th National Disabled Day, held under the theme this year of “Break barriers and open doors for an inclusive society and development for all.”

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith was present at the function as the special guest with State Minister for Social Welfare Advocate Promod Mankin in the chair.

The premier said the persons with disabilities were the citizens of this country and they are an integral

part of the society. “So, the national development is not possible by excluding them,” she said.

She said as a democratic country, Bangladesh has been working to remain committed to all priority and development programmes of the United Nations.

Sheikh Hasina mentioned that the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is being observed in Bangladesh every year by responding to the call of the UN.

‘It is the responsibility of the state to take care of the guardian-less physicallychallenged children for life.

So, we have a plan to set up such organisations which would take responsibilities of the guardian-less disabled children for life as guardians’ “This day has special significance to me as I wait for the day to meet with the disabled persons. Despite my busy schedule in the last five years, I joined your programme twice in a year,” she said.

The prime minister said the negative outlook of the society towards them is a big barrier which will have to be removed with the participation of all disabled people.

To ensure participation of the disabled persons in the mainstream, Sheikh Hasina said the government incorporated their activities in education, employment, communication, disaster and the Information and Technology Policy. l

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Nation

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

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Arsenic a threat to 1.5m people in Rajshahi region Arsenic contamination are found in 80% tube-wells in Chapainawabganj Baset and Programme Facilitator of n Tribune Desk NGO Forum for Public Health Sabit ZaOver 1.5m people in five upazilas of Chapainawabganj in Rajshahi region are at risk of arsenic poisoning due to contaminated tube well waters.

The people of Volahat upazila, bordering the Indian state of West Bengal, are the worst sufferers as they use arsenic contaminated ground water for drinking.

However, the arsenicosis could be prevented if the patients are ensured with safe drinking water and proper healthcare at initial stage.

“The government and the NGOs with the help of Unicef are trying to mitigate the problem and find alternate sources of safe drinking water, but the measures still remain at micro level,” said Dr Ali Akbar Sarker, upazila health and family planning officer of Volahat.

He was addressing a day-long upazila-level discussion on arsenic contamination and its mitigation held at Volahat Upazila Health Complex on Monday.

Upazila Health Complex and Grameen Multipurpose Development Organisation jointly organised the discussion.

A project titled “Enhancing Governance and Capacity of Service Providers and Civil Society in Water Supply and Sanitation” supported the programme.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kazi Ziaul

han Shishir addressed the discussion as chief and special guest respectively.

Dr Ali Akbar stressed the need for massive research by the government, adding that Unicef, World Bank, and other donor agencies should come forwards to assist the government as it requires a big fund to face the challenge.

He sought cooperation of the media people to project the hazards of arsenic and bring changes to behaviour and habits of the people in their search for alternative safe drinking water.

Dr Akbar said: “We have detected 20,541 tube-wells out of 92,000 infected by arsenic contamination in Chapainawabganj. We have tested the tube-wells and found arsenic contamination in 80% of the tube-wells in five upazilas.”

“The fight against arsenic is very tough. Coordinated efforts of different government and non-government organisations are essential to stem the arsenic contamination,” he said, while emphasising the need for creating mass awareness in the vulnerable areas to aid prevention.

Over 50 people, including government officials, public representatives, NGO activists, health practitioners and other stakeholders attended the discussion. l

Ulema League leader’s tendons severed in Satkhira n Tribune Desk

Harvesting of Aman paddy progressing fast in Khulna

Tendons of a hand and a leg of a local Ulema League leader were severed allegedly by Jamaat-Shibir men at Mallikpara intersection in Satkhira sadar upazila yesterday.

The victim was identified as Maulana Abdul Wahab, former president of sadar upazila unit of the ruling party’s associate body and Principal of Mohammad Ali Alim Madrasah, reports UNB. Witnesses said the activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir swooped on Wahab around 8:30am while he was going to his madrasah and beat him mercilessly. Later, the attackers cut off the tendons of the right hand and the left leg.

He was rushed to Satkhira Sadar Hospital in a critical condition, said Raufuzzaman, general secretary of the district unit Ulema League. l

n Tribune Desk Harvesting of Aman paddy is progressing fast in 10 districts of Khulna division during the current season with much enthusiasm among the farmers, Department of Agriculture Extension sources said.

Farmers of the 10 southwestern districts cultivated Aman paddy on a total of 675,978 hectares of land this year with the production target of 17.48 lakh tonnes of rice, the sources said.

The 10 districts are Jessore, Narail, Jhenidah, Magura, Khustia, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Satkhira, Khulna and Bagerhat, reports BSS. Farmers are expecting a bumper production of Aman paddy this fiscal year as they are getting at least 25-26 maunds of paddy from an acre of land thanks to proper monitoring by the authorities, DAE sources said.

A portion of rail track uprooted by blockaders at Mirersarai upazila that may cause accident at any time

Housewife killed by in-laws in Bagerhat n Tribune Desk

Local sources said the cutting of early varieties of Aman paddy had almost been completed and the harvesting of other varieties was in full swing.

DAE officials and local farmers of the region expressed their similar hopes to get a bumper Aman production as climatic conditions are so far favourable.

The officials of DAE - particularly sub-assistant agriculture officers in field level - motivated the farmers to cultivate Aman on their land on large scales for ensuring food security and to benefit the growers economically as well.

Additional Director of Jessore regional DAE, Abdul Mannan, said necessary steps were taken to ensure the supply of adequate quantity of improved quality seeds, fertilisers, insecticides and other agricultural inputs among the growers in fair prices to boost Aman production. l

A young housewife was brutally killed, allegedly by her husband and in-laws over a dowry-related dispute, in Sunagar village under Sadar upazila of the district on Monday night.

The victim was identified as Zakia Begum, 24, wife of Hasan Kha of Sunagar, and daughter of late Abdul Motaleb Sheikh of Sontulia village under Rampal upazila, reports UNB. Sadar police yesterday morning recovered the body, which bore several injury marks.

They said Hasan killed his wife at night and hung the body from a tree to make it appear as if she committed suicide.

The law enforcers arrested Hasan’s mother and sister in connection with the killing.

Hasan has gone into hiding following the incident.

Zaheda Begum, the victim’s mother, said they married Zakia off to Hasan, the son of Mohammad Kha of Sunagar, nearly five years ago.

After the marriage, Hasan, a cosmetics vendor by profession, tortured his wife for a dowry.

Unable to bear the torture, the young girl returned to her father’s house 8-10 times.

Zaheda gave Hasan Tk 30,000 in phases, out of consideration for her daughter’s happiness.

They said Hasan killed his wife at night and hung the body from a tree to make it appear as if she committed suicide

Locals bring out a procession in Bogra town yesterday, protesting attacks on the Hindu community

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Hartal called today in C’nawabganj n UNB

Pirates kidnap three schoolboys in Khulna

The BNP-led 18-party alliance has called dawn to dusk hartal for today in Chapainawabganj, protesting the killing of Rubel claiming him to be a BNP activist.

President of Chapainawabganj district unit of BNP Professor Shahjahan Miah declared the hartal in a press conference at Shibganj upazila BNP office. l

Pirates kidnapped three schoolboys for ransom from Koyra village adjacent to the Sundarbans in Koyra upazila on Monday night.

The victims were identified as Abu Saleh, nine, son of Azizul Gazi; Abul Hasan, 10, son of Nur Bakhs; and Muzahid, 12, son of Golam Mostafa Dhali of the village, reports UNB. Locals said a gang of pirates picked

n Tribune Desk

up the three schoolchildren at gunpoint while they were returning from tuition at about 9 pm, and fled into the deep forest.

Later, the hoodlums called Golam Mostafa Dhali over his mobile phone around 11pm and demanded ransom to set the boys free.

Parvez Alam, in-charge of the local police camp, said they have launched a drive to rescue the kidnapped boys and arrest the culprits. l

However, Hasan found the amount inadequate and continued to torture her innocent daughter.

Two years after the marriage to Zakia, he married another girl (his second wife) who he subsequently divorced.

About one and a half months ago, Hasan put pressure on Zakia’s family to meet his dowry demand by selling land.

When his demand was not met, Hasan severely beat up his wife.

Following the incident, Zakia, along with her two-and-a-half-year-old son, returned to her father’ residence in Sontulia village.

On Sunday, Hasan went to his inlaws house. He claimed to regret his past actions and brought Zakia back to his house.

On the fateful night, Hasan, along with others in his house, killed Zakia by crushing her throat with an iron rod, having already bound her legs with a rope.

Zaheda, who was in shock after learning of Zakia’s death, demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of the killers. A case is being filed in this regard. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Zero tolerance against violence against women and children stressed n BSS Zero tolerance against all sorts of violence and repression against women is very important for the sake of mainstreaming women in society, some women leaders in a press conference said in Rajshahi yesterday.

They viewed that influential leaders along with journalists should come forward and play a vital role to attain the goal.

Rajshahi unit of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad (BMP) organised the press conference at Public Library conference hall in Rajshahi city to mark the International Women Repression Prevention Fortnight and World Human Rights Day 2013.

Rajshahi unit BMP General Secretary Kolpona Roy, who read out the written statement, stressed the need for taking women forward by enrich-

ing them with proper and modern education.

She said emphasis should be placed on empowering women for the greater interest of fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the nation to make its hard-earned independence meaningful.

The speakers mentioned various social factors like early marriage, dowry, poverty, illiteracy, social stigma, polygamy, lack of economic emancipation and marriage without registration as major reasons behind the violence.

Terming these factors “social diseases,” they underscored the need for forging social resistance against these factors and said the media could increase the effort through repeated objective reporting.

They also put forward a set of recommendations on how to address the problems at the press conference. l

‘End discrimination against persons with disabilities’ n Tribune Desk International Day of People with Disability was marked in Rangpur yesterday with a call to end repression and discrimination against persons with disabilities to enable them to lead a decent life.

Terming physically-challenged people as an “integral part of the society”, speakers at a post-rally convention said the time had come to bring them into the mainstream of society for the overall development of the nation.

The Department of Social Service and District Administration organised the discussion at Collectorate Bhaban premises in Rangpur city, reports BSS. With Deputy Director of the department Begum Hamida Begum in the chair, Deputy Commissioner Mejbah

Uddin Chowdhury addressed the discussion as the chief guest.

The speakers emphasised the need to establish a sound and friendly atmosphere for physically challenged persons to ensure a dignified position for them in society. They said all concerned should make the best use of all facilities in the greater interest of these people.

They urged the affluent section of the society as well as the philanthropists to come forward with their helping hands to supplement the government’s efforts to properly place the disadvantaged people in the society.

The children with disability must be given an equal opportunity in institutional education like the privileged ones so that they could grow as worthy citizens of the country. l

A procession is taken out in Barisal town yesterday, marking International Day of Persons with Disability DHAKA TRIBUNE

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ukraine PM apologises for police crackdown on protests n AFP, Kiev Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov apologised on Tuesday for a brutal police crackdown on Kiev protests over the weekend that drew firm Western condemnation and sparked even bigger rallies.

“On behalf of our government, I would like to apologise for the actions of our law enforcement authorities on Maidan (Independence Square),” Azarov told an emergency parliament session to chants of “resignation” from pro-EU opposition lawmakers.

Protests over the Ukrainian government’s decision to abandon a historic political and trade agreement with the EU has sparked the largest wave of protests in the ex-Soviet nation since the 2004 pro-democracy Orange Revolution.

More than 30 protesters were injured when police used tear gas and batons to push hundreds of angry Ukrainians off Kiev’s iconic Independence Square early Saturday.

The action prompted more than 100,000 people to turn out for another demonstration on Sunday that degenerated into bloody violence outside the presidential administration building. l

International

Ukraine government survives no-confidence vote n AFP, Kiev Ukraine’s government survived a no-confidence vote Tuesday after Prime Minister Mykola Azarov apologised for a police crackdown on protests, while demonstrators massed outside parliament protesting the ex-Soviet state’s rejection of a historic EU pact.

Azarov also promised the emergency session of parliament that he would reshuffle his cabinet.

“I can guarantee lawmakers one thing – I will draw firm conclusions from what happened and make serious personnel changes in the government,” he told the chamber, speaking in Russian.

Following his mea culpa, the opposition’s no confidence motion against the government failed, gathering only 186 of the 226 votes required to pass in the parliament dominated by the ruling party.

The co-confidence measure was seen as a way to channel the protesters’ anger after a police crackdown on weekend demonstrations in which more than 100,000 people turned out in Kiev – the largest protest since the pro-democracy 2004 Orange Revolution.

There had been little prospect of the motion passing, however, because Yanukovych’s ruling Regions Party dominates the 450-seat parliament.

Although the violence had subsid-

NATO seeks Afghan accord as it looks for new role n AFP, Brussels Nato foreign ministers were set to try Tuesday to nail down an accord with Kabul on the alliance’s new role in Afghanistan as pressing problems in Ukraine, Syria and beyond all call for attention.

The immediate issue is Nato ‘s planned training and advisory mission in Afghanistan after it ends its biggest ever combat operation there next year, clearing the decks for leaders to set a new course for the alliance at a summit in late 2014.

Officials say the focus of the two-day meeting in Brussels is to build on Nato ‘s active military role since the early 1990s, from the Balkans to Afghanistan and Libya, safeguarding gains in inter-operability and capability at a time when defence budgets are under strain.

The aim is a Nato which remains relevant and effective in a changing world where the challenges are as much military as political and economic, threatening to boil over into conflict and social upheaval.

“We have got to ensure that we sustain Nato ‘s military edge,” a senior US official said.

“In the context of extreme budgetary constraints ... it is incumbent on us all to do more with (the money) that we have.”

The 28 allies, plus Nato’s partners and sometimes adversaries such as Russia, will review issues such as how to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.

Missile defence, a hugely sensitive

issue for Moscow, is on the agenda given US and European concerns of a threat from Iran despite the recent signing of an initial deal on its contested nuclear programme.

Relations with Ukraine and Georgia provide another difficult issue for Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Secretary of State John Kerry as Nato seeks to maintain and boost ties with former Soviet states.

Continued and growing protests in Ukraine after the government ditched a planned association accord with the EU are likely to test ties.

Following the Nato meeting, Kerry will travel to Moldova which did sign up with Brussels last week despite intense Russian pressure not to.

“We are making this brief stop to demonstrate US support for the important choice that Moldova made,” the US official said.

On Afghanistan, the sticking point is President Hamid Karzai who is refusing to sign a Bilateral Security Agreement with Washington until after April’s presidential elections, when he stands down.

The BSA sets the legal and operational framework for the up to 12,000 troops, mostly American, who will train and assist Afghan armed forces post-2014.

Without a BSA, and a parallel accord for the allies, there is “no post-2014 mission,” a senior Nato official said Monday.

In 2011, the US government took the ‘zero option’ of complete withdrawal from Iraq when it could not get a troop status deal. l

WORLD WATCH Japan police find 80 reptiles in oneroom apartment Venomous lizards and snakes up to three metres long were among 80 reptiles police found crammed into a one-room apartment in Japan, an official said Tuesday. Officers were called by a frantic neighbour who saw a huge snake slithering along a wall outside the apartment in the western hub city of Osaka. When police raided the apartment they found dozens of snakes, including a three-metre boa constrictor, as well as a number of lizards. All were being kept in individual containers in the 10-square-metre room.

Officers seized 25 of the creatures, which were being kept without the necessary permits, the official said. The owner, a man in his 40s, was not arrested, but the case was sent to the prosecutors’ office on suspicion he had violated the law on the welfare and management of animals, police said.

New Zealand MP to face charges in Dotcom donation row A New Zealand MP allied to the government was Tuesday ordered to stand trial over fraud allegations involving donations from Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, and will have to leave parliament if found guilty. John Banks, who resigned as a minister in October when initially committed by a District Court to stand trial over the allegations, had his bid for a judicial review of the ruling tossed out by a High Court judge. Banks is the sole MP of the ACT Party, which is in coalition with the

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

National Party-led government.The case centres on donations he received from Dotcom and the Sky City Casino in 2010 to help bankroll a failed bid to become Auckland mayor.Banks had argued there were inaccuracies in the original judgment, but High Court judge Paul Heath found no basis to overturn the District Court decision.Dotcom told the October hearing that he donated NZ$50,000 ($42,000) to Banks, but the politician asked him to make two NZ$25,000 installments so the source of the funds could remain anonymous under campaign funding laws.

Wife of China Nobel winner pleads for eased house arrest The wife of China’s jailed dissident Nobel peace laureate is pleading for authorities to ease the conditions of her house arrest, fellow activists said Tuesday, adding her mental state was “very bad.” Liu Xia’s husband Liu Xiaobo was jailed in 2009 for 11 years and won the international prize the next year, and she has been under strict surveillance at their flat in Beijing but has not been charged with any offence. In a brief and rare public statement Liu Xia said she sought three rights: to consult an independent doctor, to access letters she and her husband exchanged, and to earn an income. The note was posted on the blog of Zeng Jinyan, the wife of another prominent dissident, Hu Jia. Hu confirmed to AFP that his wife obtained the information but declined to say how for fear of possible consequences.

Ukrainian national flag waves as protesters rally at the central Independence square in Kiev, Ukraine

AP

Speaking in a television interview late Monday, Yanukovych defended his decision to walk away from the deal.

“What kind of an agreement is that when they take and bend us over?” he asked.

The EU had set the release of Yanukovych’s top rival Yulia Tymoshenko -- who in 2011 was sentenced to seven years on abuse-of-power charges -- as a key condition for signing the deal with Ukraine. She remains imprisoned.

Yanukovych was not in Ukraine for the no-confidence vote Tuesday afternoon, having left on a three-day trip to China.

The abandonment of the EU pact has energised the opposition.

“Millions of Ukrainians have lost their faith in the future because of you,” former economy minister turned opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk told pro-Yanukovych lawmakers in parliament.

“You face historic responsibility for this,” added ultra-nationalist leader Oleh Tyahnybok. “The situation is catastrophic, both politically and economically.”

Opposition leaders including former heavyweight world boxing champion Vitali Klitschko say the government betrayed the Ukrainian people by scrapping plans to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union under pressure from Russia.

They hope to turn Ukrainians’ anger over corruption and economic woes into what they have called a new “revolution”. l

ed on Tuesday, there was no let-up in demonstrators’ demands that Yanukovych resign over his failure to sign

key political and free trade agreements with the EU at a summit in Vilnius on Friday.

Abbas warns of action against Israel

We will remain steadfast in our alliance’s commitment: Biden

n AFP, Ramallah President Mahmud Abbas has warned the Palestinians will take action against Israel through international bodies if peace talks fail, ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

“The talks are going through great difficulties because of the obstacles created by Israel,” Abbas told visiting Arab journalists late Monday at his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

“If we don’t obtain our rights through negotiations, we have the right to go to international institutions,” he said.

“The commitment to refrain from action at the UN ends after the ninemonth period agreed for talks.”

US-brokered peace talks, which resumed at the end of July after a threeyear gap, have already hit a deadlock over Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank on land the Palestinians want for their future state.

The Palestinians agreed to suspend action against Israel through international bodies for the duration of the talks, including at the United Nations, where they won non-member observer status in a landmark General Assembly vote in November last year.

Kerry is to return to the region later this week for talks with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his eighth overnight visit to the region since he took office in February.

It will be the US top diplomat’s first visit since Israel backed down on plans to build some 20,000 new settler homes in the West Bank. l

n AFP, Tokyo Japan and China need more sophisticated communication strategies if they are to work through their territorial row, US Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday as he vowed Washington would stand by Tokyo.

Biden, in Tokyo at the start of a three-nation tour of Asia, said he will be talking “in great specificity” with Chinese leaders about Beijing’s sudden declaration last month of an air defence zone, including over islands disputed with Japan.

“We, the United States, are deeply concerned by the attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the East China Sea,” Biden told reporters in a joint press conference with Japanese

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “This action has raised regional tension and increased the risk of accidents and miscalculations.”

Tensions in the region are at their highest in years, with China and Japan squaring off over a chain of uninhabited islands in a feud that has some observers warning of the danger of an armed confrontation.

The US, bound to Tokyo by a security treaty, is looking on alarmed at the growing chances of limited hostilities between the world’s second largest economy and Washington’s chief ally in the Asia-Pacific.

Observers say rising China, buoyed by its surging economy, is becoming more confident and the dispute with Japan is part of a larger effort to stamp

its authority on a region long dominated by the US. Nerves are particularly frayed after Beijing’s proclamation of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), in which it says all aircraft must obey its instructions or risk unspecified “defensive emergency measures”.

The move was flatly rejected by the governments of the US, Japan and South Korea.

“This underscores the need for crisis management mechanisms and effective channels of communication between China and Japan to reduce risk of escalation,” Biden told reporters.

“I will be raising these concerns in great specificity directly when I meet with the Chinese leadership the day after tomorrow,” he said. l

Guardian editor grilled by British MPs over Snowden leaks n AFP, London The editor of Britain’s Guardian newspaper, Alan Rusbridger, is to appear before lawmakers Tuesday to defend his newspaper’s publication of intelligence documents leaked by former US intelligence analyst Edward Snowden.

Parliament’s home affairs committee is questioning Rusbridger as part of its investigation into counter-terrorism, amid claims the newspaper

endangered national security by publishing details of US and British spying.

Britain’s top spy chiefs warned last month that Al-Qaeda and other enemies were “lapping up” Snowden’s revelations and were using them to change the way they operate.

The Guardian counters that its stories sparked an important debate about intelligence, privacy and freedom of speech. It insists it has handled all the information sensitively.

Ahead of the parliamentary hearing, Rusbridger, 59, tweeted a “v nice letter” of support from Carl Bernstein, the veteran US journalist who helped break the Watergate scandal.

Bernstein said the hearing appeared to be “an attempt by the highest UK authorities to shift the issue from government policies and excessive government secrecy in the United States and Great Britain to the conduct of the press”. l

Egyptian blogger arrested in crackdown n Reuters A prominent Egyptian blogger said on Tuesday he had been arrested, the latest political activist to be detained in a widening crackdown on dissent by the army-backed government.

Egyptian authorities have extended a crackdown on Islamists, in which they have killed hundreds and arrested thousands since President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July, to cover political activists who have become more vocal against the military.

In a recent tweet referring to the detention of another activist, the blogger, Ahmed Douma, described the govern-

ment as criminal and said it would fall.

“I am now present in Basateen police station. I still don’t know the accusation against me or the reason for my arrest,” Douma said on Twitter.

The state news agency said Douma was detained in connection with violence at a protest outside a courthouse on Saturday where Ahmad Maher, a symbol of the popular uprising that ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, turned himself in.

An order had been issued for Maher’s arrest for defying a new law restricting demonstrations.

A Cairo prosecutor issued on Tuesday warrants for the arrest of 10 other

activists, including Mohamed Adel, a top leader in Maher’s April 6 youth group, which helped lead the revolt that ousted Mubarak. Under Mursi’s rule, Douma was detained over accusations of insulting the president in what activists called an example of the government using the courts to target its liberal and secular opponents.

On Thursday, police arrested activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, also known for his role in the anti-Mubarak uprising.

The new protest law has deepened unrest in the most populous Arab state.

It gives the Interior Ministry the right to ban any meeting of more than 10 people in a public place. l

Nigerian lecturers face down government n AFP, Abuja Nigerian university lecturers on Tuesday vowed to press on with their fivemonth strike over pay and conditions, on the eve of a government ultimatum to go back to work or be sacked.

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) walked out on July 1 in opposition at what they claimed was the government’s failure to implement a 2009 agreement to improve their welfare and upgrade crumbling infrastructure.

Education minister Ezenwo Nyesom

Wike has ordered an immediate end to the dispute, warning that teachers who were not back at their desks by Wednesday this week would lose their jobs.

But ASUU president Nasir Fagge said there would be no resolution unless the government honoured its pledge to pump 200 million naira ($1.2m) into a development fund by the end of this year.

“Our members are saying that for 2013, we don’t have more than one month to the end,” he told Nigeria’s Channels television.

“So, why won’t the government make available this money so that we

know the money is there and then the universities commence drawing from this money to address the problems of rot and decay?

“Once that is done our members will suspend the strike action.”

An advisor to President Goodluck Jonathan at the weekend called the refusal to return to work “a pre-conceived and calculated, treacherous plot” and those behind it “enemies of the state”.

The government has ordered security to be beefed up at universities, prompting fears that lecturers who fail to comply will be victimised. l

Egypt’s Negm dies n AP, Cairo Ahmed Fouad Negm, Egypt’s “poet of the people” whose sharply political verses in colloquial Arabic skewered the country’s leaders and inspired protesters from the 1970s through the current uprisings, has died. He was 84.

Known as the “poet of the people,” Negm’s use of colloquial Egyptian Arabic endeared him to his countrymen who saw in his verse an unvarnished reflection of how they felt about milestones in their nation›s recent history like the humiliating defeat at the hands of Israel in 1967, the 1979 peace treaty with Israel and the authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak. Negm shot to fame in the 1970s and the 1980s when his poetry was sung by blind musician Sheik Imam Issa who played the oud. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

India’s capital votes in litmus Maoist attack kills 7 in eastern India n test for national polls AP, Patna

n AFP, New Delhi India’s capital heads to the ballot box on Wednesday in the last of five state elections seen as a barometer for upcoming national polls and a first test for hardline opposition leader Narendra Modi.

Modi, who was named the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate for prime minister in September, has campaigned relentlessly in all five states, seeking to gain momentum for the much bigger battle of general elections due by May. A popular but divisive chief minister of western Gujarat state, Modi has waged a fierce fight against Rahul Gandhi and his scandal-hit Congress party, which has been in power nationally for almost 10 years.

The pair have criss-crossed the country, holding opposing mass rallies that have attracted tens of thousands of people.

In the capital, campaigning has now ended ahead of voting on Wednesday.

Results for Delhi and the four other states which voted earlier are to be published after counting on Sunday.

“This is the first time Modi has campaigned on the national stage, outside of his Gujarat, so the big question is how well will he do as we head towards general elections?” said political analyst Subhash Agrawal.

“The campaign has been a presidential-style contest, pitting one person against another, whereas previous state polls have been fought between parties over mostly local issues,” Agrawal, founder of the think-tank India Focus, told AFP. During the often personal campaign, Modi has regularly mocked Gandhi, referring to him as “shehzada” or prince

of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty that has dominated Indian politics since independence in 1947.

Modi, 63, has sought to draw a contrast between Gandhi, 43, tipped to be premier should Congress win, and his humble beginnings as the son of a tea vendor in Gujarat which he has governed since 2001.

Although focus in four of the polls has been on Modi and Gandhi, the contest in Delhi has been upstaged by civil servant turned anti-corruption campaigner Arvind Kejriwal.

Modi’s appeal stretches beyond the urban, middleclass. People everywhere want change. They are so fed up with Congress, that they are willing to give Modi a chance The former tax official and his newly formed Aam Aadmi (“Common Man”) Party are threatening a political earthquake on Wednesday when the city of 16 million elects a state assembly.

Kejriwal has campaigned against corruption, which permeates almost every aspect of life in India, and promises a clean sweep of India’s rotten politics.

“He has attracted a range of different voters, many of whom are disillusioned with traditional politics,” said Sanjay Kumar, an analyst at the Center for the Study of Developing Societies.

“He has made tall claims of clean, corruption-free government which appeals to the ideals of young, educated people,” he told AFP. Support for his party fluctuates wildly according to pollsters, from an impressive six to eight seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly to an extraordinary 30 or

more. Kumar predicts less than 10 seats, a “fantastic achievement for any newcomer”, but not enough to gain traction for the national elections.

The BJP is tipped to hold power in the central states of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Chhattisgarh, in elections that were held last month.

The main opportunity for Modi to send a signal is in the western state of Rajasthan, where the ruling Congress adminstration is tipped to lose, and the ruling party’s bastion of Delhi.

Congress is seen as holding onto Mizoram in the country’s far east where voting also took place at the end of last month.

Like Kejriwal, Modi too has campaigned for clean, efficient government, highlighting Congress’s reputation which has been battered by claims of corruption and mismanagement amid faltering economic growth.

The bachelor, tarred by his association with religious riots in 2002, has promoted his record in business-friendly Gujarat, which supporters hope can be replicated at the national level.

A Hindu nationalist hardliner, he has also stressed unity, in an attempt to reassure religious minorities concerned about his record against Muslims who form some 14 percent of the Hindu-majority nation.

“Modi’s appeal stretches beyond the urban, middle-class. People everywhere want change. They are so fed up with Congress, that they are willing to give Modi a chance,” Agrawal said.

“But he still rouses suspicions, reservations among religious minorities,” he added. Modi’s critics claim that he turned a blind eye to riots on his watch in Gujarat in 2002 when as many as 2,000 people, mainly Muslims, were killed.

Modi has denied any wrongdoing. l

Suspected Maoist rebels detonated a roadside bomb in eastern India on Tuesday, killing six police officers and their driver, police said.

The team was patrolling an area of Aurangabad district in Bihar state when the rebels set off the bomb, which was planted near a culvert, senior police officer S.K. Bhardwaj said.

All seven men in the vehicle died instantly, he said. The blast occurred near Tandwa village, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Bihar’s capital, Patna. There are many rebels in the area.

No other details were immediately available.

The rebels say they are inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. They have been fighting the government for more than four decades, demanding land and jobs for tenant farmers and the poor.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the rebels are India’s biggest internal threat. The rebels are present in 20 out of India’s 28 states. l

Police kill three militants in Indian Kashmir n AFP, Srinagar Indian government forces killed three suspected rebels in Kashmir overnight following a lengthy gunbattle near the de facto border with Pakistan, police said Tuesday.

The three were killed after heavy firing erupted between security forces and rebels on Monday afternoon at Handwara, a village in a forest 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the state’s main city of Srinagar, a local officer said.

Four officers from the police special operations group were injured in the gunbattle that broke out near the heavily

militarised border that divides the Himalayan region between India and Pakistan.

“We had specific inputs about the presence of three militants in the area.

All three were killed in the encounter,” inspector general of police Abdul Gani Mir told AFP. The deaths come after suspected militants shot dead a counter-insurgency police officer who was on patrol at a market just outside Srinagar on Monday.

About a dozen rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 for Kashmir’s independence or for its merger with Pakistan.

The fighting has left tens of thou-

Tensions ease as Thai police remove barricades n AP, Bangkok

An anti-government protester blows a giant whistle to a riot police officer outside the headquarters of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s ruling Pheu Thai Party in Bangkok AP

Indonesian militant recaptured in Malaysia

Charity accuses Sri Lanka over ‘heinous’ aid workers massacre

n AFP, Jakarta

n AFP, Paris

An Islamist militant who broke out of jail during a prison riot in western Indonesia has been recaptured in Malaysia and handed over to Indonesian authorities, police said Tuesday.

Fadli Sadama was among 200 inmates who in July fled the Tanjung Gusta prison in Medan city after prisoners set the overcrowded facility ablaze in a riot that left five people dead.

“With the recapture of Fadli Sadama, all four terrorists who escaped have now been rearrested,” national police spokesman Agus Rianto told reporters, saying Sadama was recaptured “several days ago”. Sadama was detained in a joint operation between Indonesian and Malaysian police, Rianto said, adding he had been brought back to Indonesia and was being questioned.

“We are also investigating whether he was involved in the riots,” he said.

Malaysia had initially deported Sadama in December 2010. He was jailed in Indonesia for 11 years in 2011 under anti-terrorism laws for his role in several bank robberies to finance terrorist activities, including one in 2010 in which a policeman was shot dead.

Anti-terror officials also accuse Sadama of having links with the Pattani United Liberation Organisation separatist group in southern Thailand. l

France’s Action Against Hunger (ACF) on Tuesday accused Sri Lankan security forces of killing 17 aid workers in cold blood and then organising a cover-up of what it termed a “heinous” war crime.

In a report due to be made public later in the day, the charity said it has proof that Sri Lankan army, navy and police personnel were implicated in the August 4, 2006 massacre in the city of Muttur, in the mainly Tamil north of the island.

ACF considers it to be its moral duty to publicly denounce the perpetrators of this crime “In one of the most heinous crimes ever committed against humanitarian workers, the 17 aid workers were lined up, forced to their knees and each shot in the head,” ACF said in a statement.

The aid workers, 16 ethnic Tamils and one Muslim, were killed as Sri Lankan government forces, then engaged in a civil war against Tamil Tiger separatists, took over Muttur.

ACF’s report into what happened is entitled “The Truth Revealed about the Assassination of 17 Humanitarian Aid Workers in Sri Lanka.”

It alleges that the killers were protected by the Sri Lankan authorities at the highest levels and describes an official investigation into the killing as a “farce” characterised by the systematic destruction of evidence and multiple irregularities.

“Every day we and other humanitarian organisations work in war zones,” said Mike Penrose, Executive Director of ACF-France. “It is paramount that those who do not respect humanitarian aid workers are brought to justice and that these crimes do not go unpunished.”

ACF said it had been prepared to wait for the outcome of the official investigation but had finally lost hope of Sri Lanka acting to bring those responsible to justice.

“Now that relevant domestic mechanisms have been exhausted, witnesses have been silenced and the internal Sri Lankan investigation has become a farce, ACF considers it to be its moral duty to publicly denounce the perpetrators of this crime.”

The organisation said only an independent international investigation could now lead to prosecution of the killers.

Sri Lanka government officials did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment on ACF’s accusations. l

The political crisis that has engulfed Thailand’s capital for more than a week eased suddenly Tuesday after the prime minister ordered police to stop battling anti-government protesters.

The move was timed to coincide with celebrations of the king’s birthday later this week, a holiday that holds deep significance in the Southeast Asian nation.

In a sharp reversal in strategy that followed two days of increasingly fierce street fighting, riot police lowered their shields and walked away from heavily fortified positions around Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s office at Government House.

Shortly afterward, thousands of jubilant demonstrators waving the red, white and blue Thai flag swarmed across the compound’s grassy lawn, snapping photos of themselves with cellphones and screaming “Victory belongs to the people!” Yingluck was not there at the time.

The government move was widely seen as offering demonstrators a face-saving way out, and the govern-

‘Turkish police allowed Armenian journalist’s murder’

n AFP, Istanbul

A former Turkish police informant accused of instigating the 2007 murder of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink claimed in court Tuesday that he had warned police of the plot but they failed to act.

Erhan Tuncel is being retried in an Istanbul court over the high-profile murder after initially being acquitted of all charges in 2012.

Tuncel testifed on Tuesday that he had informed the former head of police intelligence, Ramazan Akyurek, of the plan to kill Dink but that his warnings went unheeded, according to Turkish press reports.

“I have no connection to the murder. I warned them. The murder could have been prevented,” he said.

Dink, 52, was gunned down in broad daylight by a teenage ultranationalist outside the offices of his bilingual weekly newspaper Agos in Istanbul in a killing that shocked the country.

Dink, then Turkey’s most prominent ethnic Armenian journalist, had incurred the wrath of Turkish nationalists for calling the World War I massacre of Armenians a genocide.

A crowd of demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse for Tuesday’s hearing, chanting “the murderer state will be held accountable”. l

ment expressed hope it would defuse a conflict that has killed four people and wounded more than 256 in the last three days alone. Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, however, vowed to keep up what has become an audacious struggle to topple Yingluck and keep her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, from returning to power.

Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup, and Yingluck’s rivals have repeatedly accused her of being his puppet.

“You can rest assured that this is a victory that is only partial ... because the tyrannical Thaksin government endures,” Suthep said. “We must continue fighting.”

The protests that have convulsed Bangkok this month are part of a deep societal schism that has plaguedThailand for nearly a decade. The conflict pits the majority rural poor who back the Shinawatra family against an urban-based elite establishment that draws support from the army and staunch royalists who see Thaksin and allied governments that have succeeded him as a corrupt threat to their business interests and the monarchy. l

sands of people, mostly civilians, dead.

Tuesday’s incident follows weeks of sporadic firing across the disputed frontier, which has been among the heaviest since a ceasefire agreement in 2003.

India regularly accuses Pakistan’s army of providing covering fire for rebels who infiltrate across the border and then mount attacks in the Indian sector of Kashmir. The Muslim-majority region is divided and administered separately by India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both.

Th two countries have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir. l

Shia leader gunned down in Karachi n AFP, Karachi Gunmen shot dead a Shia Muslim leader and his security guard on Tuesday in the latest sectarian attack in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, police said.

The drive-by shooting took place in the eastern neighbourhood of Gulshan-eIqbal two days after two Shia youths were killed by sniper fire in central Karachi.

“Gunmen riding a motorbike opened fire on the vehicle of deputy secretary general of Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), Allama Deedar Ali Jalbani, killing him and his guard,” senior local police official Pir Muhammad Shah told AFP. He said the latest attacks were part of targeted killings aimed at fuelling sectarian violence.

A Sunni Muslim scholar was gunned down in Karachi’s central district on Monday while he was visiting a doctor, who was also killed in the firing.

An MWM official, Nasir Hussaini, confirmed the incident. The organisation promotes the security and interests of Pakistan’s Shia community, who make up around 20 percent of the population. l

Turkey’s rock ‘n’ roll imam ruffles religious feathers! n AFP, Ankara An imam from a tiny hamlet on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast has run into trouble with the country’s powerful religious authorities – for his other life as a rock musician.

Ahmet Muhsin Tuzer told AFP he is being investigated by the Diyanet, the state body in charge of the country’s mosques, over his activities. “I’m waiting for the results of the investigation but whatever happens I’m going to continue making music,” he said in a telephone interview from Pinarkoy, a tiny community near the Mediterranean beach resort of Kas. The Diyanet is looking to determine whether his form of music is compatible with Islam and whether his work as a musician conflicts with his role as imam, a government-funded post. And it recently sent a group of inspectors to the hamlet to question members of his 40-strong congregation about his activities.

“I want to show that you can be a Muslim, listen to rock music and be modern at the same time,” insisted the 42-year-old.

The imam made headlines in August when he and his band Firock performed for the first time in public at a local festival in his hometown of Kas in front of a crowd of hundreds of curious onlookers. He says his music is steeped in Sufism or mystical Islam and is primarily geared towards Turk-

ish youth “who are distancing themselves from Islam today.”

The probe into Tuzer highlights the ongoing battle in Turkish society between the religious conservatism espoused by the government and the staunchly secular traditions of the modern republic.

The Islamic-rooted government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in power for 11 years, has long called for the young people of Turkey to be more pious and respectful of Islamic values.

Tuzer said he hails from a deeply religious and spiritual family and that his grandfather too was an imam. “I preach the name of God and no-one can criticise me for that. If you do something in the name of God that can only be beneficial.”

He said he wants to work for “tolerance and the love of God”, values he claims have been eroded today, and to distance himself from “detrimental” forms of violent or sexual rock music. Tuzer is active on Facebook and Twitter and a single released by the three-member Firock “Mevlaya Gel” (Come to God) has had over 32,000 hits on YouTube.

Tuzer previously angered religious authorities in Turkey in 1997 when as a prayer leader at a mosque in Istanbul he married a foreign tourist, a Christian woman who later converted to Islam.

They have an 11-year-old son.l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Justice for Pilkhana

Crocodile tears are not enough

November 28

The idea of forming a judicial commission to unearth the truth is a popular one. But commissions of this sort are less capable than the police. Just cite one example where a commission in the country could unearth the criminal liabilities. razzak

B

NP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has told activists enforcing the blockade called by her party to take care not to hurt innocent citizens.

We find the opposition leader’s message to be hypocritical, as her call for sparing innocent people is a case of too little, too late.

Although her sentiment and call on the ruling party to choose the path of compromise has some value, it is not enough on its own. Words must be put into practice. Unfortunately the will to do this appears lacking as political violence is continuing to impose an incalculable toll on the nation.

The death toll from political violence continues to mount The opposition with fresh victims added every leader’s call for day that blockades and hartals sparing innocent go on. people is a case of Despite Khaleda Zia’s words too little, too late of sympathy, instead of withdrawing the blockade, her party has extended it to Thursday, increasing the tension and uncertainty that looms over the nation.

In the light of these events, the BNP chairperson’s statement that the common people were not their opponents, and that they were demonstrating to “save the people,” rings hollow and smacks of insincerity.

If she wishes to show that she is truly sympathetic to those killed and hurt as a direct result of pro-blockade activities, then, instead of shedding crocodile tears, she should demonstrate this through actions that can help end the ordeal which the country is being put through.

The myth of evolution November 26

Excellent article! I totally agree with the need for greater political development and discourse – and I think it is refreshing to see that the suggestion here seems not to be an improvement that still sticks to the established order but an improvement through radical change. Insightful and certainly worth repeated readings.

Ahsan An interesting look at politics. Given how little analysis is made of the subject anyway, it was very innovative to not only consider it in detail but to do so using the natural sciences instead of the social

3 more drivers burned in the city November 27 rutland waters The government is totally responsible for inciting this violence.

SY rutland waters: BNP and Jamat are totally responsible for killing people. They should pay for their deeds.

The state must not enable telecom revenue avoiders

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

T

he Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is at last preparing to take legal action against various telecom service companies in order to recover Tk26bn worth of outstanding revenues.

The past failure of the BTRC to ensure the collection of much needed public revenue points to a serious governance problem in the telecom sector that needs to be addressed urgently.

Both public and private telecom companies owe revenues to the BTRC, but by far the biggest offender is the state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), which owes a staggering Tk16.25bn. Various other public and private mobile phone companies, international gateway operators, and Internet service providers have also defaulted on The slow speed their obligation to pay fees and of the BTRC’s taxes. efforts to collect The slow speed of the BTRC’s revenue reflects efforts to collect revenue reflects the questionable the questionable environment of environment of impunity under which the teleimpunity under com companies operate. There which the telecom have been many allegations of companies operate collusion between politically connected owners of companies and the telecom ministry itself has been accused of undermining the BTRC’s efforts.

It is imperative for the proper functioning and growth of the telecom sector that the BTRC is allowed to do its job without political interference or undue hindrance from delinquent companies. The telecommunication sector is vital part of the economy. The government must act to ensure that the defaulting companies are made to pay their dues and that any individuals responsible for collusion and corruption of the sector are brought to justice.

Taking a scientific approach to discuss current affairs and politics using evolution is a unique idea!

Never thought in my years of reading newspapers in Bangladesh that someone would write something like this and a newspaper would print it. The writer has a good grasp, knows what he is talking about.

Read it a few times and quite sure that there is a lot of hidden meaning in the article.

Sabah

BNP’s 48-hour blockade begins

November 26 What’s wrong with these people? Why don’t they care about us? Why are they so selfish and self-serving? Why are they so narrow-minded?

Lîght-Hearted Ashraful

November 26 TICFA has been signed after 11 long years. It must be some kind of a record. The so called left-leaning parties were primarily involved in blocking TICFA to be signed. We are all aware of the contributions of their leaders, and their contribution to this country for the welfare of the common man of Bangladesh is zero, including their dubious silence during our liberation war.

TICFA is not a non-transparent agreement.

Our neighbour India, which is very patriotic, signed a similar pact with the USA long ago. We have noticed that the US is not prepared to negotiate vital trade pacts with those countries with which they do not have any political agreements.

As far as we know, BAL was in favour of signing this agreement right from the beginning but the left-leaning leaders had been opposing the move ever since the initiative was taken by the USA back in 2002.

We have lost GSP facilities and our main export item, RMG, is out of this concession. We should try hard not only to regain lost GSP facilities for a few items but more importantly include RMG into the GSP facility. In that case, it will not take more than two decades for us to attain China’s present-day feat of earning in excess of $150bn from RMG exports alone. Good luck Bangladesh. surjo dipto

No improvement during the AL government November 30

On November 21, at midday, I reached Kamalapur railway station taking around two hours from Mohakhali by CNG, which is hardly a 25-minute journey. It takes longer at the start or end of office hours, but I wanted to reach there early. However, the driver did not agree to follow the meter, and charged an exorbitant price, which I had to pay.

Then, I could not manage a train ticket. I took an empty seat, and sat there. People crammed into the compartment, and perhaps the passenger of that seat I occupied could not get into the compartment.

I felt uneasy sitting there, as the foam of that seat was uncomfortable. All of the seats were of the same poor condition, and there was no storage compartment or bag in which to put our belongings.

We found toilets to be dirty, and there was no water pot. Yet, the incumbent government has increased the charge of train tickets so that they

have more than doubled.

When I got down from the train at Rajshahi station, I found it to be unbearably dirty; yet, this is the best station in Bangladesh, and was, I believe, built during the BNP regime.

We find polythene bags here and there, mixed in with the soil, in ponds, rivers, and even in the sea, which has a severe impact on our environment.

When the BNP was in power, they enacted a law to prevent people from using polythene (as it is very thin and hazardous for the environment). I can, however, hardly find anything good during the ALled government.

The government should always think for the betterment of the people.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Musical work (4) 4 Lowest point (5) 9 Forefront (3) 11 Tolerable (2-2) (4) 12 Foreign (5) 13 Glide (4) 14 Otherwise (4) 15 Happening (5) 19 Uneven as if gnawed away (5) 21 Sibilate (4) 25 Part of the eye (4) 26 Nimble (5) 28 Not any (4) 29 Metal (3) 30 Joint (5) 31 Cried (4)

sciences. A gripping read from the writer, as always.

Sarika Chowdhury

Bangladesh and US sign Ticfa amid protest

DOWN 1 Egg-shaped (4) 2 Close friend (3) 3 Combine (5) 5 Useful things (6) 6 Puppet (4) 7 Egyptian goddess (4) 8 Strong, thick cords (5) 10 Imply (5) 16 Ship (6) 17 Wanderer (5) 18 Country (5) 20 Select group (5) 22 Press clothes (4) 23 Go down (4) 24 Curved (4) 27 Pouring edge (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

Mawduda Hasnin Rajshahi

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

What Singh’s visit means n Barrister Harun ur Rashid

I

These are not normal times

DHAKA TRIBUNE

The time is out of joint

U

n Shawkat Hussain nder normal circumstances, I could write about lots of small but interesting stories. There is the SUST story about Zafar Iqbal’s resignation and withdrawal, and the surprisingly prompt and prudent action (double somersaults) taken by ministers AMA Muhith and Nurul Islam Nahid to approve the integrated system of admission.

There is the now-boring story of the absentee JU VC on medical leave who refuses to go (it would be good to see the education minister take a quick decision on this too); there is the story about who is now boss of Jatiya Party: Ershad, or Kazi Zafar. Then of course, there is the story of the eight-year-old boy who sucks milk straight from the teats of a bitch. The list could go on.

The last story was shared online over a thousand times by readers of DT, compared to less than 100 shares for the news of six ex-advisers going to the president in search of a solution.

In the meantime, the Awami League has finalised its list of candidates for the next general national election and earned over Tk65m from selling nomination papers alone. Not bad at all, when there are still starving children surviving on dog milk. And of course, there are the intrepid connoisseurs of classical music who passed

T

H

the four nights in the Army Stadium rapt in heavenly music. Life goes on.

But these are not normal times. I’m less confused now than I was a week ago about what this oborodh thing means, and about how much violence to expect from the current one that started on Saturday morning. Now I know better. You are safe until the moment that you become unsafe.

It seems there is no going back, until the government cracks down or BNP cracks up.

As I write this, already 20 people have died, and many more are lying in hospitals with severe burns. Now that Saturdays are no longer blockade-free days, who can ensure that henceforth only Fridays will be our only “normal” days? How many make-up classes can

The 72-hour blockade has been extended up to Thursday. It seems there is no going back, until the government cracks down or BNP cracks up

When a firebomb is hurled at your rickshaw, CNG, car, bus, or train, you know that the blockade has struck you.

That hasn’t happened to me yet, but it has happened to other people.

What guarantee is there that it won’t happen to me when I take my car out later tonight?

Now is the time to hoist danger signal number 8 or 9, for the gathering storm does not bode well for the people. BNP has certainly ratcheted up its agitation against the government; the 72-hour blockade has been extended up to Thursday, a six-day shutdown for the first time in history.

E

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you hold on Friday for all the classes you miss throughout the week? And I’m not even talking about all the other things (not counting politics) that people do for living and a livelihood.

I’m a veteran of many strikes and hartals (yes, blockades too) for over half a century, have lived the first two decades of my life in one nation, lived through the War of Liberation, witnessed the birth of another, and have survived them all. For the first time in my life on Saturday morning when I hopped on a rickshaw I was scared! We have all seen pictures of burn victims bandaged head to toe, one woman with half her skull blown off, many

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with burnt skin peeling off their faces.

These images were in my head as I sat gingerly on my rickshaw, looking left and right, ready to jump off at the slightest signal of danger.

I managed to complete my trip, my battery-powered rickshaw zipping through the thin traffic on Mirpur Road in record time, but my students decided to stay home. One former student from DU wasn’t lucky. Masuma was in the bus that was torched in Shahbagh and is now lying in Dhaka Medical College Hospital with severe burn injuries.

Facebook is full comments on her misery and appeals for help. I was on my way to teach Hamlet, and as I search for words to conclude this piece (and no class to teach) I have lines from Hamlet ringing inside my head about something being “rotten” in the state of Denmark. “The time is out of joint,” said Hamlet, and then went on to say: “O cursed spite/That ever I was born to set it right.”

At least the prince of Denmark knew that it was his responsibility to change things around, a responsibility so burdensome that he even sought escape through suicide. Whose responsibility is it to set things right in the state of Bangladesh? l Shawkat Hussain was Professor and Chair of English, Dhaka University, and now teaches at State University of Bangladesh.

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ndia’s Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh’s visit to Dhaka takes place amid escalating political violence in Bangladesh over the looming general elections. The foreign secretary is expected to meet the politicians including the prime minister The US Assistant Secretary for South Asia Nisha Desai Biswal recently visited Dhaka and spoke with political leaders, apart from meeting the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. On November 18, replying to a question on whether the election would be credible without BNP, Biswal reportedly asked: “Is it credible to your people? The international community will be making a determination based on the assessment of the Bangladeshi people. And that’s the bottom line.”

Observers see Singh’s visit as a crucial development as India watches with concern the political crisis in Bangladesh. It is reported Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has recently said that India is worried over poll-related violence in Bangladesh: “I think there’re some developments that are worrisome.”

The US ambassador to Dhaka also visited New Delhi and consulted with the Indian External Affairs officials including the Secretary Singh about Bangladesh’s political situation. The Indian high commissioner in Dhaka earlier told journalists that they were discussing the political situation of Bangladesh “with different countries who have an interest in peace and stability” of the country. Even the Chinese and Japanese envoys who normally keep quiet in an internal matter also expressed concern on the situation.

The announcement of the poll schedule on November 25 sharply divided the country. Since then BNP and its allies continued to call blockades leading to arson, blasts and deaths of many people all over the country. In October-November alone, 36 people died.

During the last 42 years, the constitution has been amended 15 times and it is a pity that political leaders could not arrive at an agreement on the type of the poll-time government.

In 1996, it was the unrelenting demands of AL which forced Khaleda Zia’s government to incorporate a polls-time caretaker non-party government in the constitution.

After coming to power in 2009, Sheikh Hasina amended the constitution in 2011 and abolished the caretaker non-party polls-time government on the grounds of the verdict of the apex court which declared that such unelected government was unconstitutional.

BNP, on the other hand, strongly argues that the AL misconceived the verdict and that the apex court did not rule out the non-partisan government for another two parliamentary elections, meaning that such government can exist until 2024 in the given political situation in the country.

One of the effects of the political crisis is to make fertile ground for ugly heads of Islamic extremism to rise in the country which may be of security concern to the region.

The talks between Ms Singh and

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her Bangladesh counterpart will provide an opportunity for both sides to take a stock of the progress of implementation of decisions on the issues such as the sharing of the Teesta river water, ratification of Land Boundary agreement and an end to the of killings of Bangladeshi nationals along the border with India.

Whatever India wanted from Bangladesh, Dhaka has moved quickly to address Delhi’s concerns on cross-border terrorism and transit/trans-shipment to the North-East. However it appears the implementation of the bargain on the Indian side has not been met as yet.

In settling the disputes, Bangladesh’s gains do not have to come at India’s expense, or vice versa. Winwin solutions are possible

Since 2009, Bangladesh –India relations have resulted in many positive results in many sectors, such as energy, infrastructure, river dredging, facility of easy travel bus and train, 24-hr access of Bangladeshis to Angorpota and Dahagram enclave and duty free access of Bangladeshi goods to Indian markets. However the non-signing of Teesta Water Sharing agreement, non-ratification of the Land Boundary agreement and border killing of Bangladeshis has overshadowed the positive gains among people Noted Indian columnist Kuldip Nayar in his article in April 2011 after visiting Bangladesh writes: “It (Dhaka) has given the transit facilities to enable northeastern states to have better and quicker connectivity with the rest of India … India is too squeamish when it comes to dealing with neighbours.”

Observers suspect the issues concerning Bangladesh get low priority.

Whether bureaucrats of New Delhi or state governments are responsible for the delay, the ultimate responsibility rests on the government of India to facilitate the smooth implementation of outstanding issues quickly.

Many friends of India in Bangladesh think that India missed an opportunity to create goodwill with people of Bangladesh for non-delivery of promises. In settling the disputes, Bangladesh’s gains do not have to come at India’s expense, or vice versa. Win-win solutions are possible on all the issues, given the comprehensive new vision for bilateral cooperation following the Bangladesh prime minister’s visit to New Delhi in January 2010 Hopefully, the foreign secretary’s visit will make Indian leaders and top bureaucrats realise that India has to generate good will with people of Bangladesh by adopting a pragmatic view of the interests of Bangladesh.

Given the right spirit and the desire to live together in cooperation, there is no reason why the two countries cannot move on a mature partnership on a political, economic and social level. l Barrister Harun ur Rashid is former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.

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Complicitous Zen n Matthew Islam

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famous reworking of a Tolstoy quote is in order, which today would read something like this: “Politicians are an association of men, who do violence to us.” Time and again, it’s been proven beyond doubt, my fellow readers, that that seems to be the best they can do for us.

Wonder why we tolerate them, let them lead us, or for that matter, decide the way we live? Why do we fight for them? Why do we lose friends, long associations and family for them?

What do they do for us? When was the last time you were directly benefitted from a politician without having to give something in return? While the rest of the world deals with politicians with severe cynical scepticism, we tend to put them on a pedestal and worship them.

This madness has got to stop.

Something needs to happen so that people stop suffering endlessly like this. That something is you pressing the mute button. What is a democracy without your vote? Nothing.

The violence, the criminal damage, the retribution. The claims, counter-claims, and unsavoury justifica-

tions. There is absolutely no reason for this. What is happening now is disgraceful, immature and sickening.

How the nation watches the actions of spoilt kids with power and influence is staggering.

There is no way out of it. You cannot teach those who have tasted power derived from violence the merits on nonviolence and decency.

You are treading a path that leads to a dead end. You can put in front of them many examples of how peace can easily be attained from discussions and nonviolence, and they would still carry on with their constipated blockades, uproot trains and chargrill your fellow countrymen to suit their taste buds.

Whether 10, 20, 100, 500 or even a 1,000 people die, it doesn’t concern those who play this game. It’s for us to recognise the greatest con ever played on man and not participate. It’s time for us to realise that a politician wanting to make your life better is just that, a myth, a con, an age-old snake-charmer selling you premium snake oil by mystifying you. Why be complicit in their game?

What we have seen happen in the past few months is a criminal movement bordering on terrorism that has

demanded, like a spoilt kid, that the exam set for them be reset because the questions will be too hard to answer, even when that is likely not the case in an anti-incumbency country like ours.

BNP’s alleged popularity in all but one opinion polls had them ahead.

Why not just contest polls? Because both our leading parties are suffering from PTSD, and both have reached a level of paranoia that requires medical attention. One suffers from a superiority complex, and the other from an inferiority complex whose brunt we have to bear.

How much rigging can happen in a country like Bangladesh, which has had three internationally monitored fair elections in the past, and is likely to have one going forward, where an immense media presence both international and national will be active?

None. Contrary to previous post-election allegations by both sides, none of the past few elections were rigged. There are no chances of any significant rigging with a voter list that now stands corrected, and by and large, free of ghost voters.

So, fighting a big bad wolf (that doesn’t exist), that BNP and its allies allege to be doing right now, is simply

a case of opposition tantrum-throwing, to get their own way in a game of one-upmanship.

The big brother to this spoilt sibling has shown all the leeway possible, including an offer to share toys amongst each other, yet the small brother won’t play. So, what does the small brother do here? He goes and punches another kid, and tells mom he did it because big brother wasn’t sharing his toys.

When mom says, the younger brother is wrong, he seeks the father’s intervention in the matter. You must be the fair parent and recognise that intention, or forever hold your peace in such incidences in the future.

I know what I said in my last few op-eds, and I stand slightly corrected.

I take back the part where I told you to go vote for AL as the only logical option. After the last month, I have come to realise that if you want to absolutely stop the total desecration of your country, then on election day 2014, do not go out and vote at all.

Stay at home. Treat election day as just another noisy celebration of self-mutilation. At least that will ensure that you don’t have future blood spilled in this game on your hands.

If you absolutely must vote, ensure

that you don’t encourage the smaller sibling here, as it will set a wrong example for all kids in the future. Big brother is in the right this time, and has done as best as he possibly could under the current circumstances.

A politician wanting to make your life better is a myth, a con, an age-old snake-charmer selling you premium snake oil by mystifying you. Why be complicit in their game?

“Violence, even well-intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself,” said Lao Tzu. I think it’s good advice that none of the parties will recognise. So, let Zen deal with bad karma. Cut your complicity out of the equation. Steer clear. Don’t encourage bad behaviour.

Your vote is simply too important to waste on this load of rubbish. l Matthew Islam is a Barrister-at-Law, a textile businessman, and a columnist at the Dhaka Tribune. He can be contacted on twitter via @matthewislam.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Celebrated singers Ferdous promotes Bangladeshi to perform Manna culture in Australia Dey’s songs culture, I will always be affiliated with n Entertainment Desk n Entertainment Desk this cultural organisation in near future.

Alisha in the shooting of Ontorongo

SADIA MARIUM

Alisha ready to set silver screen on fire n Afrose Jahan Chaity Dhallywood’s new face Alisha Pradhan has started shooting for her second film Ontorongo yesterday at FDC. Her first film Bhul Jodi Hoy is now in post-production and both the films feature silver screen’s super star Emon in the lead role. In an interview with Dhaka Tribune, the aspiring actress informed she had also signed two more films.

Alisha began her journey in showbiz as a model and later she appeared in several TV serials. “Since I got the chance to act in films, I immediately quit working in TV. I really wanted to give my 100 percent to the silver screen,” said Alisha.

While talking about her orientation in acting, she revealed: “I had the opportunity to participate in a number of

workshops in Bollywood. I am blessed with a supportive family who helped me take part in such workshops. I also had the chance to watch closely shootings of a number of Bollywood blockbuster movies.”

On the first day of Ontorongo’s shooting, Alisha shot for an item song titled Ami Diyasholai Chhule Agun Hoye Jai. Ontorongo is a love story. The plot of the film revolves around a girl who has led a very rough life and leaves her step mother. She falls in love with a simple fellow, but after an accident she loses her memory. Her stepmother enters the scene and takes her home.

To acquire all her property, Alisha’s stepmother tries to marry her off with a man, to whom she was having an affair with.

One day, Emon who was Alisha’s boyfriend, asked her mother to allow him to spend a single day with her. He wanted to bring back her memory and wants to give it a last push. From there on, the story leads to its climax through display of emotions and various other dimensions.

While talking about the new film, Alisha said: “I am really enjoying working in this film. My character is that of a simple girl, who is from a broken family. I learned a lot from my first film Bhul Jodi Hoy, which is directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam. My second film Ontorongo, is also directed by him. I hope they will appreciate my talent for real, as this role does not have the regular glitzy heroine look in most of the sequences. I hope my fans will love this film.” l

A number of famous singers will perform popular songs of late Manna Dey at a commemorative programme today at the National Art Gallery Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 6:00pm.

BSA has organised the show to pay tribute to the legend Manna Dey, a recipient of enormous awards in music like Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke, who died last October.

At the beginning of the programme, director general of BSA Liaquat Ali Lucky will discuss the legend’s life and works. After the discussion, first performance will be presented by eminent singer Sujit Mustsfa. He will perform Amay Akash Bollo and Ki Dekhle Tumi Amate. Famed singers such us Mamun Jahid Khan, Mostafizur Rahman, Smaran, Sumon Chowdhury, Tanjina Ruma, Moutushy, Rafiqul Alam, Timir Nondi and Tapan Chowdhury will also perform at the programme. Last song of the evening will be Pousher Kachhakachhi. l

Popular Dhallywood big-screen actor Ferdous Ahmed, who emerged as a super hero in the mid 1990s, is going to Adelaide, to inaugurate Adelaid Bangladeshi Cultural Club as chief guest today. Ferdous took this initiative to spread the rich cultural aspects of Bangladesh to the Bangladeshi expatriates residing in Australia.

The cultural club will have opportunities such as introducing Bangladeshi dance, songs and acting to the Bangladeshi children after their school hours.

Dr Farzana Yusuf Lita is holding the position as a president of the club.

Ferdous said: “I was impressed to see such initiative taken for the Bangladeshi children by the president. To uphold our

Besides, I don’t want to confine myself to acting only, to develop my creativity, I would like to get involved in various social movements.” Ferdous will return to home on December 10.

Ferdous’ film Khacha, directed by Raja Sen, featuring Ferdous will be released in Kolkata on December 6.

The producer and actor Ferdous is currently working on his film Ak Cup Cha, directed by Nayeem Imtiaz Neyamul, which is expected to be released on Valentine’s Day. The versatile actor will complete the shooting of Muhammed Zakir Khan’s film Chaar Akhorer Bhalobasha soon. Actor and model of Bangladesh Popy is his co-star in the movie. l

ON TV MOVIE 7:48pm HBO

Paranormal Activity 4

10:35pmFox Movies Premium Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

DRAMA 8:20pm ETV

TODAY IN DHAKA

Chaar Konna

11:30pm NTV

Yes Boss No Boss

Film

3:30pm Comedy Central

Pacific Rim in 3D, Riddick The Conjuring, Titanic (3D) Step Up Revolution in 3D Level 8, Bashundhara City

8:00pm FX

Exhibition

COMEDY Yes Dear

The Simpsons

Graphic Detail, Group Exhibition Time:12pm – 6pm Bengal Art Lounge, 60 Gulshan Avenue Handicraft Exhibition Time: 10am – 7pm Nalini kanta Bhattashali Gallery, National Museum, Shahbagh

Very Graphic: The Art of Storytelling in

Nil Ronger Golpo airs tonight n Entertainment Desk The story of the drama serial Nil Ronger Golpo is a compiled version of the three eternal love stories, Sharat Chandra’s ‘Devdas-Parvati,’ Nizami Ganjavi’s ‘Laily Majnu’ and Shakespear’s ‘Romeo Juliet.’ The series airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:45pm on NTV. In the drama, Devdas, Majnu and Romeo study in the same university and are good friends.

The last descendant of a zamindar family, Devdas becomes calm and quiet after his arrival in the city. Majnu is from the old town in Dhaka and Romeo is from a solvent family and lives in Gulshan.

Devdas is senior to Romeo and is the VP of his university. He does not believe that love exists in this era, so, no one is allowed to fall in love under his domain.

Romeo is a modern day Casanova who changes girlfriends every now and then. The story takes turn when Majnu meets Laily and Romeo meets his Juliet. Devdas’s childhood love story is

Topu on phono-live concert today n Entertainment Desk

Tisha and Nisho in Nil Ronger Golpo very complex. After falling in love, the life of these men changes and the story takes a different turn. l

Vidya Balan has taken one more step to prove her dedication for her work, which is obvious through this picture where she is disguised as a beggar for her upcoming movie role in Bobby Jasoos. The picture surfaced online ever since a leading daily posted it. The photo also managed to impress fans as they saw Vidya in a completely different attire. Vidya sat amongst the beggars outside Hyderabad railway station where a woman even gave some money to her. Not recognising Vidya, the woman even scolded her for begging and not working instead.

Music Club will air today at 11:25pm on Banglavision. Produced by Nahid Ahmed, the phono-live concert features popular singer Topu and his band Yatri. Topu will sing his famous songs such as Ek Payee Nupur Tomar, Meye Tumi Ekhono Amai Bondhu Bhabo Ki, Ekta Gopon Kotha Chilo Bolbaar, Jonmodin and many more that has won the hearts of many around Bangladesh . Alongside Topu, Yatri will present their songs at the studio concert. Besides singing, the musicians will talk about their significant moments in their musical journey, future plans and other facts, which are unknown to the audience. l

Paul Walker’s Hours will be a tribute to his life and work n Entertainment Desk The actor was most famous for playing Brian O’Conner in the hugely popular Fast and the Furious movies, but was in the midst of trying out more complex roles. One of those roles will be seen in Eric Heisserer’s Hours, scheduled for release on December 13.

The film follows Walker as the father of a child born prematurely in New Orleans, just before the onset of Hurricane Katrina. With his wife having died in childbirth Walker’s character is plunged, alone, into a desperate fight to save his newborn baby’s life as the city crumbles around him.

As the description suggests, and the trailer firmly confirms, Hours is a movie heavy with drama, and the entirety of that weight rests solidly on Walker’s shoulders. It is, without question, the most challenging role of Walker’s career. As the CEO of Pantelion Film reveals, it is the role in which Walker was most deeply invested: “It’s Paul’s tour de force. He’s in every frame of the movie.”

The movie was certainly deeply personal to Walker who founded the charity for victims of natural disasters, Reach Out Worldwide in 2010 — just after the earthquake in Haiti. Walker was

at a Reach Out Worldwide event the day he died.

As for the film, Hours already had it’s festival premiere at the South by Southwest film festival earlier this year, allowing journalists to view, and review, the film in an environment not overshadowed by the death of its leading actor. While opinions were mixed as to Walker’s ability to pull of the hefty role, Variety described the film as a one-man show in which “Walker gracefully balances the drama on his shoulders.”

There was debate surrounding Hours regarding the suitability of a release date so soon after the actor’s death, but in the end the decision was clear. Producer Peter Safran said, “Paul would have very much wanted us to move forward. He was incredibly proud of this project …

He really looked to this movie to show people that he is an actor.”

If the intensely dramatic trailer is anything to go by the film will certainly achieve that, with Walker pulling off a powerful, and believable, performance.

The release of Hours next Friday is more than just appropriate. As Walker’s most personal movie, and arguably his most compelling and complicated performance, it will serve as a tribute to his life and work. l

Parineeti and Ranbir in Karan Johar’s next

n Entertainment Desk Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra are reportedly set to team up for Karan Johar’s next film.

Recent report published by a tabloid states that the producer-director was earlier working on a movie based on the Indo-Pak partition.

The leading tabloid quoted Karan as saying, “I am not doing the partition love story at the moment. I am going

to start work on another film, which I will direct. At the moment, I am writing a script for it and once things get finalised I will announce it.”

They also quoted a close source to him as saying, “Karan is still writing the script for his next and most probably he has signed Ranbir for the same project. KJo has been scouting for a new face opposite the Kapoor lad and he is seriously considering Parineeti for the same.” l

Did you know?

Luis Suarez has scored at least 8 with his left foot (10), right foot (29) and head (8) since Aug 2010. (RVP 52-24-5, Rooney 6-44-8)

Sport

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

14 Higuain hits brace as Napoli sink Lazio

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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14 Messi continues 15 McCullum, Taylor recovery from thigh tons put New strain in Argentina Zealand on top

ZACS impresses Tetley n Mazhar Uddin

The ICC (International Cricket Council) venue inspection team headed by Chris Tetley visited the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong yesterday. After showing the green signal for the other two venues in Mirpur and Fatullah, the eight-member team also expressed their satisfaction for ZACS. “We are happy with the preparations of the Chittagong stadium and the work has been finished on time and the newly built dressing rooms are fantastic,” said Tetley. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), however, was relaxed during the Chittagong venue inspection as they knew ZACS earlier hosted the U-19 World Cup matches and also the 2011 ICC World Cup matches successfully.

Meanwhile, the ongoing political unrest in the country has created doubts among many people whether it will be a barrier for the mega event, but one of the BCB directors Mahbubul Anam said, “There is some time before the start of the T20 World Championship and I hope that things will change before that.”

The ICC inspection team had to delay their visit to the practice ground MA Aziz stadium in Chittagong yesterday after few explosions were reported in the city. They later made it to the venue with extra security. The ICC delegates also visited the two hotels, Agrabad and Peninsula, where the international teams are going to stay during the tournament. They are expected to visit the Sylhet Divisional Stadium today. l

Bangladesh shuttler Saleh Ahmed Shamol attempts a return while his partner Md Rahad Kabir Khaled looks on during their men’s double match in the Yonex-Sunrise Bangladesh Open Challenge 2013 at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

Anderson, Amla, Clarke top ICC awards short-list n AFP, Mumbai

Farhad Reza nominated for fair play award n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Bangladesh national discard Farhad Reza earned a nomination in the LG ICC (International Cricket Council) Awards 2013. The middle-order batsman, who also bowls useful medium-pace, got the nomination in the ICC Spirit of Cricket category. The other nomination for the category is former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardena.

Farhad was voted in for confirming he had touched the boundary ropes and signaled a six after catching Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed before the on-field umpires referred the catch to the third umpire during the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012.

“I am happy to earn the nomination.

I was playing a match in Chittagong when I learnt about it from someone in the dressing room.

“What I did that day was a simple gesture and I never imagined that it will have this huge an impact and earn me a nomination in the ICC Awards,” Farhad told the media yesterday.

Farhad played his last game for the national team in 2011 although he was a member of the 15-member Bangladesh squad in the ICC World Twenty20 2012. The 27-year old was the 12th man in the game against Pakistan and fielded for the 20 overs of the Pakistan innings in place of opening batsman Tamim Iqbal. l

ICC SPIRIT OF CRICKET Mahela Jayawardena (SL) For not waiting for umpire’s decision after edging a catch to the wicket-keeper when he was batting on 91 against New Zealand in a Test match in Galle in November 2012.

Farhad Reza (Bangladesh) For confirming he had touched the boundary ropes and signalled a six after catching Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed during the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in 2012.

England’s James Anderson, South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Australia’s Michael Clarke are nominated for top honours in this year’s International Cricket Council awards, it was announced on Tuesday.

The trio will vie for both the cricketer of the year and the Test player of the year categories, according to the shortlist released by the ICC in Mumbai.

Others nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year were England captain Alastair Cook, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka.

In the category of Test player of the year, the other nominees were South Africa’s Dale Steyn and the Indian duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara. The short-list in 10 award categories was drawn up by an independent 32-person panel comprising former players and representatives from the media, match referees and umpires.

The awards are based solely on performances over a 12-month period that ended on August 25, 2013 and included the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, the Champions Trophy in England and the women’s World Cup in India.

Cricketers receiving the highest number of votes from the panel will be

TEAMS OF THE YEAR ICC’S TEST TEAM OF THE YEAR Alastair Cook (ENG, capt), Cheteshwar Pujara (IND), Hashim Amla (RSA), Michael Clarke (AUS), Michael Hussey (AUS), AB de Villiers (RSA), MS Dhoni (IND, wicketkeeper), Graeme Swann (ENG), Dale Steyn (RSA), James Anderson (ENG), Vernon Philander (RSA), 12th Man: Ravichandran Ashwin (IND)

ICC’S ONE-DAY TEAM OF THE YEAR Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI), Shikhar Dhawan (IND), Hashim Amla (RSA), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI), AB de Villiers (RSA), MS Dhoni (IND, capt and wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja (IND), Saeed Ajmal (PAK), Mitchell Starc (AUS), James Anderson (ENG), Lasith Malinga (SRI), 12th Man: Mitchell McClenaghan (NZL)

BCB on verge of fillings positions n Mazhar Uddin The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced the names of 18 chairmen of the Board’s Standing Committees on November 26, with the exception of the Working Committee and decided that the post of senior vice president, vice president, the chairman of the working committee and the new chief selector will be decided at the next meeting, which was scheduled to be held today but had to be pushed back due to political unrest.

The president of the BCB Nazmul Hasan, who is also busy with personal issues and postponed the meeting which via sms, but did not state the date of the next meeting, indicating there will be no election for the post of vice president in the near future.

Earlier on October 10, the election for the directors took place although no election in the club category was held, and 12 directors were elected without any competition. Elections in category A and C saw the captain of the inaugural Test for Bangladesh Naimur Rahman Durjoy elected as a BCB director and the former captain

judged the winners and the results will be announced on a TV show to be broadcast on December 14.

The ICC also announced India’s Dhoni as the winner of the People’s Choice award voted online by fans, beating other nominees Clarke, Cook, India’s Virat Kohli and South Africa’s AB de Villiers. l

is also taking part in the next national election from Manikganj.

Another newly elected BCB director and also the chairman of the CCDM AJM Nasir will take part in the national election, along with the president Nazmul Hasan.

Meanwhile, a few of the directors showed their interest in the post of vice president. Among them is former senior vice president of the BCB Mahbubul Anam, former vice president Ahmed Sajjadul Alam, CCDM chairman AJM Nasir and the chairman of the disciplinary committee Iqbal Hasan and it was learnt one of them will be the chairman of the working committee.

It was also learnt that the directors are divided into two groups – one backing Ahmed Sajjadul Alam for the post, while another group is in favour of Mahbubul Anam.

Former chief selector and the captain of Bangladesh Faruk Ahmed is likely to become the next chief selector but many board officials are supporting another selector Minhazul Abedin.

Other candidates for the post are Habibul Bashar and Khaled Mashud.l

Bangladeshi’s fall in badminton tourney n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh shuttlers started their YonexSunrise Bangladesh Open Challenge-2013 campaign disappointingly as most of the local participants were knocked out of the tournament on the opening day at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The only shuttler from Bangladesh to reach the second round was Md Rais Uddin in the men’s singles event after earning a hard-fought victory of 14-21, 21-15, 21-19 over Jinn Yee Tin of Malaysia.

In the men’s doubles, Md Anamul Haque and Md Ahsan Habib Parash advanced to the next round by beating Bodhimauwa and Samarasinghe of Sri Lanka 21-8, 21-9. The Bangladeshi duo will face India in the second round.

“Hopefully we will beat India in the doubles next round. I played against Indian national team two years ago.

Our next opponents are not from the

Indian national team but they are seeded second in the tournament,” said Parash yesterday.

Meanwhile, Md. Abdullah Al Masrafi lost to K Dilshad of india 21-12, 21-17, Sri Lankan Dinuka Karunaratne beat Ayman Ibn Jaman 21-9, 21-18, Indian shuttler Arun Kumar Ashok Kumar outplayed Md Anamul Haque 21-9, 21-19, Nathaniel Ernestan Sulistyo of Indonesia downed Chand Lal 21-13, 21-9, Bikash Shrestha of Nepal defeated Tushar Krishna Roy by 2114, 16-21, 21-6, Shahzan Shah Misfahul of Malaysia crushed Md Rahad Kabir Khaled by 21-5, 21-10 and Indian Subhankar Dey thrashed Mohammed Jabed Mostafa 21-4, 21-10 points in the men’s singles.

In the women’s singles, Juhi Dewangan of India beat Rehana Parvin and Mohita Sahdev (India) humbled Aktar Nabila 21-6, 21-3.

“The Indian team is better than ours. They are a standard team. We tried to win last game but we failed,” said Masrafi after being defeated by Dilshad, while Aiman blamed lack of preparation for the loss. l

BCB names challenge series squads n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday declared 13-member squads of Bangladesh national team and Bangladesh “A” team. Both the top string sides will play a three-match Twenty20 Challenge Series as part of the Tigers’ preparation for the ICC World Twenty20 in March.

Nasir Hossain was named captain of the Bangladesh “A” side while Mushfiq will be leading the national side in the matches scheduled on December 10, 12 and 14 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Shakib al Hasan, who suffered from dengue fever during the home series against Nea Zealnd last month, will return to action with the series. However, Tamim Iqbal remains the only frontline cricketer to miss out on the series.

The dashing south paw was earlier ruled out of the lone Twenty20 against New Zealand in November due to a lower abdominal strain, and he is yet to recover from the injury.

It was learnt that the national physiotherapist had advised Tamim to avoid any risk which made the national selectors keep him out of the Challenge series. l

SQUADS Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim (Capt), Anamul Haque, Shamsur Rahman, Shakib al Hasan, Naeem Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Shohag Gazi, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Ziaur Rahman, Rubel Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain Bangladesh “A” Nasir Hossain (Capt), Jahurul Islam, Md Mithun, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque, Marshal Ayub, Shabbir Rahman, Nazmul Hossain, Farhad Reza, Arafat Sunny, Elias Sunny, Muktar Ali, Alauddin Babu

Bangladesh bag seven gold on day two n Shishir Hoque Bangladesh athletes bagged seven gold medals in the second day of the inaugural Special Olympic Asia Pacific Games in

Australia.

After failing to win any gold on the first day, Bangladesh won seven gold, one silver and one bronze while the cricket and football teams also reached

the final of their respective discipline.

Bangladesh cricket team crushed hosts Australia by eight wickets to move to the final. In football, Bangladesh beat Australia and India to reach the final of both 11-a-side and 5-a-side events. All the finals will be held on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the pairs of Ashikul Islam-Mizanur Rahman and Munni Akter-Rabeya Khatun clinched gold in men’s doubles and womne’s doubles of Badminton discipline respectively.

Chaity and Humayan also grabbed gold in the men’s and women’s event respectively in Athletics discipline.

Parul Akter finished first in the 50metre breaststroke in swimming’s women’s event. Mishti won silver in women’s long jump while Ratan earned bronze in men’s long jump.

A 117-member Bangladesh contingent went to the inaugural Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games where athletes from 30 Asia Pacific and East Asia regions are competing. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Higuain hits brace as Napoli sink Lazio n AFP, Milan

Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain (R) celebrates after scoring against Lazio during their Italian Serie A match at the Olympic stadium in Rome on Monday

REUTERS

Gonzalo Higuain hit a brace as Napoli crept closer to second-placed Roma in Italy’s Serie A with a 4-2 win away to Lazio on Monday.

Napoli’s 10th win left them in third spot but after Roma’s fourth consecutive draw on Sunday, Rafael Benitez’s men are now only three points behind the Giallorossi and six off leaders Juventus.

But despite containing Napoli in a balanced first half, the Biancocelesti were punished after the break when Goran Pandev and Higuain struck in clinical fashion to give the visitors a 3-1 lead 18 minutes from time.

Despite reducing the arrears two minutes from time thanks to teenager Keita Balde, slack defending allowed Jose Callejon to hit Napoli’s fourth in injury time to send Lazio down one place to ninth, with AC Milan moving up to eighth.

Napoli broke the deadlock in the 24th minute when Higuain muscled his way into the area and brushed off a challenge from Frenchman Michael Ciani to send a shot past Federico Marchetti at the goalkeeper’s far post.

Napoli’s joy was tempered barely a minute later when defender Valon Behrami rushed in and sent the ball past his own goalkeeper to gift Lazio the equaliser.

Napoli lived dangerously for the rest of the half, a slip-up by Gokhan Inler just inside the area gifting Hernanes possession,

only for the Brazilian to strike off target.

But only three minutes later Napoli restored their lead when Christian Maggio headed down for Pandev near the far post, the Macedonian spinning round to beat Marchetti down low from close range.

In the 73rd minute Higuain collected Pandev’s ball on the right and sped past Lorik Cana to slam the ball into the net.

Napoli were given a scare three minutes from time when Keita was allowed to run across the area before beating Reina with a fine, right-footed strike.

RESULTS Fiorentina

4-3

Lazio

2-4

Valero 5, 14, Vargas 43, Rossi 54-p Behrami 25-og, Keita 88

Verona

Romulo 6, Iturbe 13, Jorginho 72

Napoli

Higuain 24, 72, Pandev 50, Callejon 90+1

However Lazio were guilty of more defensive lapses in injury time, when Callejon ran on to a through ball from late substitute Dries Mertens to leave Marchetti with no chance.

Earlier, Fiorentina beat 10-man Verona 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller to tighten their grip on fifth place and pull level on points with fourth-placed Inter Milan.

Borja Valero scored a brace for the hosts, who also saw Giuseppe Rossi take his league-leading tally to 12 from 14 games from the penalty spot after Bosko Jankovic saw red for handling in the area.l

Szczesny confident Gunners won’t crack

Ronaldo injury free and ready to return to action n AFP, London Reuters, Madrid n

Cristiano Ronaldo has recovered from a muscle strain and is ready to return to action, the Real Madrid and Portugal forward said on Monday.

Ronaldo damaged a hamstring in Real’s La Liga match at Almeria on Nov. 23 and missed last week’s Champions League win over Galatasaray and Saturday’s La Liga success against Real Valladolid.

“I no longer have an injury,” Ronaldo said at an awards ceremony in Madrid. “I have been fine for a couple of days,” added the 28-year-old.

“We preferred not to push things against Valladolid but I will be there for the next game for sure.” l

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is confident the pressure of trying to end the London club’s trophy drought won’t derail their Premier League title bid.

Arsene Wenger’s men have not won a major piece of silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 2005.

But they now top the table by four points and last weekend came through a potentially tricky away match last weekend with a 3-0 win at Cardiff, a match where Aaron Ramsey scored twice against his hometown club.

“We’re in a position that we’d like to be in for as long as possible,” Szczesny

said. “But it really doesn’t matter where we are now,” the Poland international added.

“It matters where we are in May, and if we carry on like we are now, then I’m certain we’ll be top in May. “But we have a lot of work to do, a lot of tough games to win. There’s no point in putting pressure on ourselves. We just want to enjoy every single game, that’s bringing the best out of us and I don’t think that will change.”

Ramsey’s double in Cardiff gave him a tally of 15 goals this season for club and country.

The Wales international has been in scintillating form this season, having been nurtured back to physical and mental top form following a broken leg by veteran Arsenal boss Wenger.

Pirlo out for Messi continues recovery 40 days from thigh strain in Argentina around n Reuters

n Reuters, Buenos Aires

Lionel Messi began the second phase of recovery from the injury that has sidelined the Barcelona forward until next month with a physiotherapy session at Argentina’s training complex on Monday.

The Argentina captain, who suffered a thigh strain playing for Barca last month, was also seen doing a short, light stint with the ball in a video broadcast by TyC Sports.

Messi, winner of four consecutive FIFA Ballon d’Or awards for world player of the year, came home to Argentina at the weekend and will stay until Jan. 2 when he returns to Barcelona.

Having helped Argentina secure a World Cup place with a 5-2 win in Paraguay in September, Messi has since missed all four of their matches, two qualifiers and two friendlies, due to injury. l Argentine striker Lionel Messi jogs during a training session in Buenos Aires on Monday REUTERS

I must do better, says Spurs’ Soldado

n

AFP, London

Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado has vowed that he will prove a success at White Hart Lane after making an underwhelming start to his career in English football.

The 28-year-old Spain international signed from Valencia for a reported fee of around £26 million ($42.6 million, 31.4 million euros) in August, but he has failed to hit the heights so far.

Having scored only three times from open play in all competitions, with a further three goals coming from penalties, he admits that there is room for improvement.l

Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo has suffered sprained knee ligaments and Italian media have predicted he will be out for around 40 days.

Juventus said in a statement that the 34-year-old Italian international, who limped off in the first half of Sunday’s 1-0 win over Udinese, had undergone tests on Monday. The club did not give further details but media speculated that Pirlo would be sidelined until January, missing the top-of-the-table clash against AS Roma on the weekend of Jan 4-5.

Pirlo, whose role as a deep-lying playmaker makes him a rarity in the modern game, has enjoyed a second wind since joining Juventus in 2011 after 10 seasons at AC Milan and inspired them to two successive Serie A titles.

Playing just in front of the defence, he dictates the rhythm of the Juventus midfield with a remarkably unhurried style, threading pinpoint passes through the opposing backline.

He is also one of the game’s greatest free kick specialists and celebrated his 100th appearance for Italy last year. l

“He has been outstanding until now,” Wenger said.

“You want always to jump into the

FIXTURES Arsenal Fulham Liverpool Man United Southampton Stoke Sunderland Swansea West Brom

v v v v v v v v v

Hull Tottenham Norwich Everton Aston Villa Cardiff Chelsea Newcastle Man City

future but we have to enjoy the present.”

The Frenchman added: “I have to treat him like the other players and give

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure was named the BBC’s African Footballer of the Year for 2013 on Monday.

It was the fifth straight year the Manchester City star had made the shortlist but the first time he’d taken the award.

“Thank you to all the fans around the world who continue to support me and who love me a lot,” said Toure in a BBC statement. “I’m very proud, I’m very happy, this award is amazing.

“It’s the fifth time in a row (being nominated) and this time is very special.”

Toure, who has scored 13 goals for club and country this year, was the

choice of the BBC’s global audience.

He held off competition from Pierre-

can limit ourselves from doing that, then I’m sure we will be a lot better in future games,” Welbeck told MUTV. “Coming to White Hart Lane, we had the ability to come and win the game.

“That was on our mind but unfortunately we gave away two goals. Credit to us, we quickly got the goals back afterwards. We are a bit disappointed but we can be happy with a point at the moment.”

Chelsea have a potentially difficult trip to Sunderland while Manchester City will look to improve on a run of poor away results that could yet scupper their title hopes at West Brom.

Elsewhere, former Manchester United assistant manager Rene Meulensteen starts his reign as Fulham boss after replacing fellow Dutchman Martin Jol at home to Tottenham. l

Brazil to probe Fifa in racism case ahead of World Cup draw n Reuters, Sao Paulo Just four days before the draw for the 2014 World Cup, Fifa faced yet another embarrassment when a Sao Paulo prosecutor opened an investigation into possible racism by soccer’s world governing body.

A Sao Paulo state prosecutor has asked FIFA and the company it hired to organise Friday’s draw to explain why it chose two white-skinned actors to present the televised show instead of two black-skinned actors.

Two Afro-Brazilians had been suggested as possible hosts but were overlooked in favour of light-skinned model Fernanda Lima and her white husband Rodrigo Hilbert, a TV presenter, news magazine Veja reported without saying how it obtained the information.

Lima and Hilbert do not represent the racial make-up in Brazil - a country where half the people declare themselves either black or dark-skinned - “and so the change was not justified,” prosecutor Christiano Jorge Santos said. l

Yaya Toure wins 2013 BBC award n AFP, London

him a breather when he needs it. I want him to continue to develop, but he is so young you imagine why should he stop his development now?

“Let’s not forget that one year ago everyone questioned him. That shows you that he deserves credit for that -- he has turned a corner and he can continue to improve.”

Meanwhile Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck urged the team to tighten up defensively if the champions were to close a nine-point gap on Arsenal. They face manager David Moyes’s former club Everton at Old Trafford on Wednesday, having twice had to come from behind in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

“We gave away too many free-kicks which put us under pressure, so if we

Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon and Borussia Dortmund), Victor Moses (Nigeria and Liverpool, on loan from Chelsea), John Obi Mikel (Nigeria and Chelsea), and Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso and Rennes).

Toure now has the chance to complete an awards double having been selected among a 25-man shortlist for the African Football Confederation (CAF) African Footballer of the Year for 2013.

In contrast to the BBC award, Toure has won the CAF equivalent in each of the last two years and winning it for a third consecutive year would see him match the achievement of Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, winner in 2003, 2004 and 2005.l

Spanish clubs fined for TV rights breach n AFP, Madrid Spanish financial regulators on Monday fined four football clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as a big television producer millions of euros for allegedly breaking the rules on the sale of television rights.

The National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC) handed out fines totalling 15 million euros ($20 million) for “a very serious infraction” of the rules on the acquisition of football-

related rights, it said in a statement.

Television production giant Mediapro was fined 6.5 million euros, while Real Madrid were ordered to pay 3.9 million euros and Barcelona 3.6 million euros.

The regulator also fined Sevilla 900,000 euros and Racing Santander 30,000 euros.

It said the clubs all signed four-year contracts with Mediapro to broadcast their domestic league and cup matches, when the maximum duration of such a deal was limited to three years by competition law. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

McCullum, Taylor tons put New Zealand on top

QUICK BYTES

Italians ask for World Cup time-outs The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is to lobby FIFA to implement time-outs during World Cup matches in Brazil next year, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said Tuesday. FIGC is to make the proposal on Thursday in Costa do Sauipe ahead of Friday’s World Cup draw in the same Brazilian town. “I want to ask them to make two time-outs during the matches so the players can rehydrate,” said Prandelli at a press conference in Rome.

“The are two big problems in Brazil, the same ones we encountered during the Confederations Cup in June: the heat and the humidity which, in certain towns, are worrying. “If you want to offer a show to the world then you have to allow the players to be in a condition to offer up such a spectacle.”

–AFP

n AFP, Dunedin

Estonia charges 11 men over fixing The Public Prosecutor’s office in Estonia said on Monday it had charged 11 men for match-fixing in 2011 and 2012. The office said in a statement that the charges related to 12 domestic league games, three Europa League matches and a fixture in Lithuania. The 11 men approached footballers in Estonia, Lithuania and Ukraine who were prepared to fix games for money, the statement read. The accused are alleged to have pocketed 108,000 euros ($147,000) from the scam. Last week two men were charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation into match-fixing in English lower-league soccer. Earlier this year an inquiry by European police forces, Europol and national prosecutors uncovered a global betting scam run from Singapore.

–Reuters

Children used as ‘flare mules’ in EPL Children as young as eight are being used to smuggle banned pyrotechnic devices into Premier League football grounds, according to research published on Tuesday. A survey of 1,635 supporters commissioned by the Premier League found that a third of fans had been directly affected by flares and that 86 percent felt concerned for their safety. There has been a rise in incidents involving pyrotechnics at Premier League matches in recent seasons, with an assistant referee hit by a smoke bomb thrown from the stands during a game at Aston Villa in October. The research also revealed that CCTV footage at one Premier League ground showed a young boy handing out fireworks to adults from a rucksack. The Premier League, the Football League and the Football Association are launching a campaign to remind supporters that it is illegal to bring such items to matches.

–AFP

Ross Taylor (R) of New Zealand celebrates his century with captain Brendon McCullum during day one of their first Test match against West Indies in Dunedin yesterday AFP

DAY’S WATCH Ten Sports 2:00AM French Ligue 1 2013/14 Evian Thonon v PSG Ten Action 1:30AM DFB Pokal (German Cup) FC Augsburg v Bayern Munich English Premier League Star Sports 4 1:45AM Man United v Everton Star Sports HD1 1:45AM Liverpool v Norwich Star Sports HD2 1:45AM Arsenal v Hull City Star Sports 1 6:00AM (Thursday) Australia v England Second Test, Day 1

New Zealand’s Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor tamed the toothless West Indies attack on the opening day of the first Test on Tuesday, both scoring centuries as the home side reached an imposing 367 for three.

At close of play McCullum was 109 not out off just 122 balls, with Taylor unbeaten on 103. Hamish Rutherford (62) and Peter Fulton (61) earlier chipped in with half centuries on a dispiriting day for the tourists.

New Zealand lost the toss but quickly made the West Indies attack look ordinary despite a green-tinged wicket and cloud cover for much of the day.

The cloud cleared at tea, when New Zealand were 194-3, and in the bright sunshine of the final session Taylor and McCullum produced a ruthless display of power batting to press home their advantage.

New Zealand’s senior batsmen added a further 173 runs in the final session, heaping more misery on the tired West Indies attack,ending the day with an unbeaten partnership worth 182.

Captain McCullum, who made no secret of his wish to bowl first, was at

Jimenez, Thongchai named EurAsia Cup captains n AFP, Hong Kong

Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand were on Monday named captains for an inaugural team golf event between Asia and Europe taking place in Malaysia next year.

The EurAsia Cup will pit 10 golfers from each continent against each other in three days of matchplay at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club near Kuala Lumpur from March 27.

The $4 million biennial tournament is styled on the popular Ryder Cup, and organisers the Asian Tour and European Tour hope it will spark an similarly exciting intercontinental rivalry.

“It is sure to be a great battle and I’ll make sure the Asian team is as well prepared as they can be,” 44-year-old Thongchai told reporters in Hong Kong, where the announcement was made.

Jimenez, 49, said he expected the event to be a “close contest” as he

named the first European players to have qualified for his side.

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, France’s Victor Dubuisson, Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, and Jamie Donaldson of Wales will play courtesy of where they finished in this year’s Race to Dubai.

Another four will make the European team based on world rankings in February, while Jimenez will have two captains’ picks.

The Asian ten will include the leading four available Asian players from the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit and three based on world rankings, while Thongchai will select the final trio.

On Monday, European Tour officials dismissed comparisons between the EurAsia Cup and the Royal Trophy, another Europe vs Asia team competition which is taking place at Dragon Lake Golf Club in China’s Guangzhou later

his aggressive best, bringing up the 300 with a mighty six when he pulled Shannon Gabriel over square leg.

The innings was a personal boost for McCullum, who has been suffering from a severe back injury that requires him to use painkillers to take the field.

It was his seventh Test century and

SCORE CARD New Zealand 1st innings Fulton c Edwards b Sammy 61 Rutherford c Deonarine b Shillingford 62 A. Redmond c Samuels b Best 20 R. Taylor not out 103 B. McCullum not out 109 Extras (b 4, lb 7, nb 1) 12 Total: (3 wickets; 90 overs) 367 Fall of wickets 1-95 (Rutherford), 2-117 (Redmond), 3-185 (Fulton) To bat C. Anderson, B. Watling, T. Southee, I. Sodhi, N. Wagner, T. Boult Bowling Best 21-4-87-1, Gabriel 17-3-98-0, Sammy 18-3-68-1 (1nb), Shillingford 285-88-1, Deonarine 6-0-15-0 Toss: West Indies

ended a slump that has affected his game since he notched a personal best of 225 against India three years ago.

Taylor, who brought up his ninth century, had one close encounter when on two, rapped on the gloves trying to fend off a Tino Best delivery, with the ball ballooning just over the outstreched arms of second and third slips.

From there he was more circumspect and his 103 came off 157 deliveries, including 13 fours. McCullum has hit 14 fours and three sixes.

Rutherford and Fulton produced a 95-run opening stand for New Zealand that ended just before lunch when Rutherford was caught one-handed on the boundary by a leaping Narsingh Deonarine off the bowling of Shane Shillingford.

It was an aggressive innings by Rutherford, who had dispatched Shillingford for a six and four in the bowler’s previous over.

Fulton was more sedate initially, but scored three fours in quick succession to reach his half-century.

But when he reached 61, a lapse of concentration saw him jab at a Darren Sammy delivery and Kirk Edwards took a regulation catch at second slip.l

SHORT-LISTS OF NOMINEES FOR INDIVIDUAL AWARDS Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year Hashim Amla (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Michael Clarke (Aus), Alastair Cook (Eng), MS Dhoni (Ind), Kumar Sangakkara (SL)

ICC Test Cricketer of the Year Hashim Amla (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind), Michael Clarke (Aus), Cheteshwar Pujara (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA)

ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Shikhar Dhawan (Ind), MS Dhoni (Ind), Misbah ul-Haq (Pak), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Kumar Sangakkara (SL)

ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year this month.

“The EurAsia Cup is the only match event between Europe and Asia which is fully sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour,” Ben Cowen, the European Tour’s deputy director of international policy, said.

“We have an official qualification criteria as well so that will encourage the best players at the time to qualify for the tournament.”l

Kameda retains WBO bantam title n AFP, Osaka

Alaba extends Bayern deal to 2018 Bayern Munich’s Austrian defender David Alaba has agreed a deal to extend his contract with the European champions until 2018, the Bundesliga club announced on Monday. The 21-year-old international left-back joined Bayern at the age of 16 and is regarded as one of the best defenders in the European game.

“He is one of the best and most talented defenders in Europe and we’re delighted to continue working with him,” read a club statement from president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Alaba has been a regular at left-back for Bayern and played a key role in their historic treble-winning 2012-13 season in which they won the Champions League, Bundesliga and the German Cup. Alaba, who was born in Vienna to a Nigerian father and Filipino mother, has scored twice in five Champions League matches this season as well as notching one goal in 13 league games.

–AFP

15

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

World Boxing Organisation bantamweight champion Tomoki Kameda of Japan beat Namibian challenger Immanuel Naidjala on a 3-0 decision to retain his title in Osaka on Tuesday.

Judges scored the 12-round title match 117-111, 118-110, 119-109 in favour of the 22-year-old Japanese, who nonetheless failed to live up to his overnight promise that he would finish off Naidjala in six rounds.

There was no knockdown in the fight between the two hitherto unbeaten boxers at the Osaka Bodymaker Colosseum.

It was 22-year-old Kameda’s first defence of the title that he won by beating Namibian Paulus Ambunda on August 31 in the Philippine city of Cebu.l

Suzie Bates (NZ), Charlotte Edwards (Eng), Meg Lanning (Aus), Dane van Niekerk (SA), Anya Shrubsole (Eng), Stafanie Taylor (WI)

ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year Trent Boult (NZ), Cheteshwar Pujara (Ind), Joe Root (Eng), Mitchell Starc (Aus)

ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year Kevin O’Brien (Ire), Kyle Coetzer (Scot), Ed Joyce (Ire), Nawroz Mangal (Afg)

ICC Twenty20 International Performance of the Year Umar Gul (Pak) (SL) – 2.2-0-6-5 v South Africa, Centurion, 3 March 2013 Martin Guptill (NZ) – 101no (69b, 9x4, 6x6) v South Africa, East London, 23 December 2012 Brendon McCullum (NZ) – 123 (53b, 11x4, 7x6) v Bangladesh, Pallekele, 1 October 2012 Ajanth Mendis (SL) – 4-2-8-6 v Zimbabwe, Hambantota, 18 September 2012

ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Suzie Bates (NZ), Shanel Daley (WI), Deandra Dottin (WI), Meg Lanning (Aus), Sarah Taylor (Eng), Stafanie Taylor (WI)

David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill , Richard Illingworth Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Paul Reiffel, Rodney Tucker

LG People’s Choice Award Alastair Cook (Eng), Michael Clarke (Aus), MS Dhoni (Ind), Virat Kohli (Ind), AB de Villiers (SA)

Big day for Hemanta n Shishir Hoque

“Monday was the second training.

Both of us did better than in the first training. I spoke with the coach and he told me that the players did well.

“Tomorrow (today) both players will train in the morning and play a game in the afternoon. All the coaches and directors will visit the game and will look at Bimal and Hemonta’s performance. So tomorrow is a very important day for the players Hemanto & Bimal,” read Koster’s message. l

England stars cleared after late-night drinks

Portland down Indiana in NBA

Bangladesh Under-19 captain Hemanta Vincent Biswas will play his first game today as he begins his trial at Dutch club FC Twente in front of coaches and directors of the club.

Bangladesh’s Dutch assistant coach Rene Koster informed via e-mail that the coach is happy with the Hemanta’s performance so far but also stressed that today would be a very important day for the U-19 midfielder.

n AFP, Adelaide

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers downed Indiana 106-102, snapping the Pacers’ NBA win streak at seven games Monday despite a career-high 43 points by Paul George.

Damian Lillard added 26 points for Portland and Aldridge contributed 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who matched San Antonio for the best record in the Western Conference at 15-3 with their second win in a row after an 11-game win streak was ended Wednesday at Phoenix.

Indiana, which opened the season with nine wins in a row, fell to an NBAbest 16-2. The Pacers had 16 points and 14 rebounds from Roy Hibbert, 12 points from David West and 11 assists from George Hill but suffered their first defeat since falling 110-94 at Chicago on November 17. l

Rene Koster (C) poses with Bangladesh U-19 midfielder Hemanta Vincent Biswas (R) and Nepalese Bimal at the Dutch club FC Twente yesterday COURTESY

Indian tennis player Sania Mirza showcases a creation during the Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 in Mumbai on Monday AFP

England cricket stars Stuart Broad, Kevin Pietersen and Jonny Bairstow have been cleared of any wrongdoing after reports of a late-night drinking session at an Adelaide club.

Australian media said the group were at the city’s Zhivago club until 3:30 am on Monday, just ahead of Thursday’s start of the second Ashes Test.

A Zhivago spokeswoman told the Adelaide Advertiser the group were “extremely friendly” and happy to chat with fans and have their photos taken.

“They were at the club most of the night enjoying a few drinks and the newly renovated venue,” she said.

A patron added to the newspaper: “They were getting stuck in but by no means messy.”

Monday was a rest day for the team following their arrival from Alice Springs, and the England and Wales Cricket Board said it had no issue with the trio’s actions.

“They are free to do as they please -- they are grown men. There has been no breach of team protocol,” an ECB spokeswoman told reporters.

Paceman Tim Bresnan, who has been recalled to the Ashes squad after battling an injury, denied the drinking session looked bad.

“I don’t understand why it should be,” he told reporters. “They are grown men, they’ve not broken any rules as far we’re concerned.

“We have quite relaxed rules within the team and anyone who breaks those is dealt with accordingly. But they’ve broken no rules so I don’t know why it should be an issue.”l

n AFP, Portland

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Progress against corruption insignificant: TIB Latest annual Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Bangladesh 136th out of 177 countries worldwide Reza Chowdhury and n Kamran Phil Humphreys Bangladesh has made “insignificant progress” in fighting corruption and a parliamentary election without the participation of all the big political parties will do nothing to help establish the rule of law and fight against malpractice, according to the Berlin-based NGO Transparency International.

Commenting on the global release of the Corruption Perception Index 2013 on Tuesday, TI Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the spread of corruption as a “global phenomena.”

Bangladesh climbed seven places in the ranking of 177 countries this year to 136th position, while its benchmark score improved by one point to 27, where zero signals a“highly-corrupt”public sector and 100 is “clean.”

“More than rank, the score is important and if you look at our score it is substantially below the global average of 43,” Iftekharuzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune.

Transparency International considered Bangladesh to be the most corrupt country in the world for the five years up to 2005. In 2006, it was the third most corrupt country but Iftekharuzzamantold the Dhaka Tribune the most recent climb up the rankings was “only achieved by default.”

“There is no scope for complacency at all. Just because we have gone one step higher, doesn’t mean that we have done better than what we did last year.

It is more that others have done worse than we have done,” he said.

Denmark retained number one position-least affected by corruption-in the index with 91 points but in South Asia, only Afghanistan ranked lower than

Bangladesh, languishing in joint last place with just eight points. Pakistan was given28 points and 127th position while India secured 94th position with 36 points.

“If you look at the numbers and the ranking for Bangladesh you might say that it has gone up a little bit but we are saying that this achievement is insignificant,’” said Iftekharuzzaman.

The executive director said ‘grand corruption’ such as the Padma bridge scandal, railway bribery scam, swindling from the capital market and the Rana Plaza case had harmed Bangladesh’s ranking.

However, the latest move by the government to require the Anti-Corruption Commission to seek the prior approval of the government before probing graft allegations against judges, magistrates and public officials will only impact on next year’s ranking.

“This latest episode was not considered in this year’s index because it happened in November and the index period was up to September,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Additionally, he said in its last five yearsthe Awami League government had not properly executed anti-corruption measures in line with its 2008 election pledges,which included the submission of wealth statements of the political high-ups.

The TIB chief did acknowledge that the outgoing Awami League government took some positive steps to stop corruption - passing the Right to Information Act 2009 and the Whistleblower Protection Act 2011.

“Bangladesh could have gone further if the government did not play with the Anti-Corruption Act. The government has not acted in line with its electoral pledge of fighting corrup-

tion,” Iftekharuzzaman told reporters at his office in Banani.

On the prospects for the upcoming parliamentary election, he said questions will arise over the establishment of the rule of law and fighting corruption it is staged without the participation of all the big political parties.

“Questions also remain over how long the parliament constituted through the polls will be sustained,” he added.

The data used in the CPI was extracted from seven surveys on Bangladesh: Bertelsmann Foundation Transformation Index, Economic Intelligence Unit’s Country Risk Assessment, Global Insight Country Risk Assessment, Political Risk Services International Country Risk Guide, World Bank Country Performance and Institutional Assessment, World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey and the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. l

UNEP calls for improving food production, consumption n Tribune Report

A child, who was injured during the opposition enforced countrywide blockade programme, receives medical treatment at Chittagong Medical College Hospital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Indian foreign secretary due today n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh arrives in Dhaka on a 24-hour trip today – a visit seen by many as very “significant.”

This is her first visit in secretary capacity at the invitation of Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque at a time when the country is plunged into chaos with series of blockades and agitation over the arrangement of election.

“The timing is very critical as she could come earlier or later. It shows the urgency of New Delhi to send message to all major political stakeholders in the country,” said a senior diplomat who is in service and preferred not be named. “[Ahead of polls] it is not the right time to send an Indian political person [to Dhaka] and probably that prompts New Delhi to send its top diplomat to give message [of the Indian government] in person,” said another diplomat, seeking anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to media.

In a statement yesterday, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka informed media about Sujatha’s visit. High Commissioner Pankaj Saran was active in engaging with all political parties, the statement said.

Sujatha is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, opposition chief Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad during her visit.

She will also join a secretary-level bilateral meeting.

“Violence in Bangladesh is not good for India and she might persuade all parties to reach a solution,” a diplomat said. At this stage, it might not be a threat to India but if it continues, “there is a possibility of spill over of violence to bordering states of India,” he said.

“When former Indian secretary Ranjan Mathai came to Dhaka early this year, there was an approach to meet Khaleda Zia, but that meeting never took place,” the diplomat said.

Khaleda also did not meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee when he had arrived in Dhaka in March.

Despite this, the Indian top diplomat would meet Khaleda as India seemed to have good relations with the BNP, said the diplomat. l

A new research finds that the world will need 70% more food, as measured by calories, in order to feed a global population of 9.6bn in 2050. It is possible to close the food gap through improvements in food production and consumption.

The findings were unveiled in the new interim report of the “World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future,” produced by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank.

The report was released at the Third Global Conference on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security and Climate Change being held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

It finds that boosting crop and livestock productivity on existing agricul-

tural land is critical to saving forests and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but that the world is unlikely to close the food gap through yield increases alone.

It says crop yields would need to increase by 32% more over the next four decades than they did in the previous four to avoid more land clearing.

The report recommends to close the food gap by reducing excessive consumption, such as reducing food loss and waste, shifting diets and achieving replacement level fertility.

To improve food production, the researchers suggest that soil and water management system needs to be developed, pasture and grazing land utilised, use of degraded lands increased, shifting of agricultural land from one place to another stopped and leaving no farmer behind the efficiency level.

The final version of the report will be released in mid-2014. l

Scientists discover wonder rice gene n AFP Scientists have discovered a wonder rice gene that could dramatically increase yields of one of the world’s most important food crops, the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (Irri) said yesterday.

Preliminary tests show that yields of modern long-grain “indica” rice varieties, the world’s most widely-grown types of rice, can rise by 13-36% when infused with the so-called SPIKE gene, the institute said.

Increasing the yield means growing more rice on the same amount of land, using the same resources. But there is no definite timetable for when the rice would be distributed to farmers, according to Irri spokeswoman Gladys Ebron.

The findings of the study were published Monday, says a statement.

Testing of new rice varieties infused with the gene was underway across several developing countries in Asia, said rice breeder Tsutomu Ishimaru, head of the Irri-led SPIKE breeding programme.

The SPIKE gene was first discovered

by Japanese breeder Nobuya Kobayashi following long-running research starting in 1989 on a tropical “japonica” rice variety that is grown in Indonesia, Ebron told the AFP. Tropical japonica rice is mainly grown in East Asia and accounts for just 10 percent of global rice production.

Breeders from Irri, a non-profit research group established in the 1960s, then worked to incorporate the gene into “indica” varieties that are widely used in major rice-growing areas of Asia.

Ebron said: “It’s just conventional breeding.”

Rice is the developing world’s most important food crop, consumed by more than half of humanity, including 640m Asians who live in poverty, according to Irri. To keep rice prices stable and affordable at about $300 a tonne, the institute estimates production needs to increase by 8-10m tonnes every year. Asia accounts for about 90% of global rice production, it added.

The Irri is widely recognised as having played an important role in the “Green Revolution” of the 1960s in which new varieties of rice dramatically increased yields. l

BLOCKADE VICTIMS

One more joins procession of dead n Mohammad Jamil Khan An auto rickshaw driver lost his threeday battle for life at the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday morning.

Mawlana Abdus Sattar, 65, received 64% burns when blockaders set fire to his vehicle on the first day of the opposition-sponsored 131-hour blockade.

“Sattar, a retired madrassa teacher of Barisal, died around 9.30am while undergoing treatment,” Partha Shankar Pal, residential surgeon of the burn unit of DMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Pickets set fire to his auto rickshaw in Badarpur area while he was going home to Patuakhali after attending a Mahfil (religious congregation) at Sharshina on Saturday night around 7.30pm.

Later, he was taken to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital but as his condition was deteriorating, on-duty doctors shifted him to DMCH

at noon on Sunday.

Hailing from Doinokashi area of Patuakhali, he was the father of one son and four daughters. His son-in-law, Mawlana Habibur Rahman, took his body to his native village without any autopsy.

Pickets set fire to his auto rickshaw in Badarpur area while he was going home to Patuakhali after attending a Mahfil at Sharshina on Saturday night Mawlana Abdul Hakim, the only son of victim, said they would not file any case in connection with the incident as it would not bring their father back.

Meanwhile, as the condition of Ohidur Rahman Babu, a student of political science department, deteriorated he was put on life support at noon on Monday.

He was one of the passengers of

the ill-fated bus that was set ablaze by blockaders last Thursday at Shahabagh; 28% of his respiratory system was damaged.

“He is so weak that he cannot open his eyes,” says Dr Amatun Noor, a doctor of the burn unit.

Visiting the hospital on Tuesday, this correspondent found Babu’s mother Saleha Khatun passing sleepless nights at ICU. Speechless and motionless, she just keeps looking at the face of her son.

Besides Babu, five others – Rahajul with 25% burns, Nurnabi with 35% burns, Jahangir with 15% burns, Abu Talha with 30% burns and Mahedi with 30% burns – are suffering at the ICU. Samanta Lal Shen, coordinator of the burn unit, said around 40 patients are undergoing treatment at DMCH and a good number of them were getting better.

“Our special medical board doctors are looking after them and we hope they will recover.” l

Lima, who was injured as she mistakenly lifted an abandoned hand bomb in the capital’s Kafrul yesterday, received medical treatment at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

‘Red ball’ blows minor girl’s wrist off n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Relatives of Abdus Sattar, a blockade victim of Barisal who succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday, wait for the body in front of the hospital NASHIRUL ISLAM

Like all other days Lima, a three-anda-half-year-old girl, sporting a butterfly hair band, went out of her house for play around 8am yesterday but a twist of fate tore her life apart.

As she noticed a red ball-like object lying in the dust in front of their house at 494/1 of East Kafrul area of the capital she went over to it to check it out.

When the girl picked it up, the crude bomb wrapped in red tapes went off with a big bang severing her right wrist.

She is now suffering at National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor).

Abul Khayer, a residence of the area, witnessed the incident as he was passing by the area. He took the child to Al-Helal Hospital. “As soon as the girl picked the red ball-like object it exploded. Another similar crude bomb was found lying abandoned in the same area,” he said.

Doctors after primary treatment referred the child to Nitor as her injury

was grievous. She also received injury to her left hand.

Sohagi, mother of the victim and a worker of Lalia Fashion, said like every other days I gave her a bath and fed her.

“My daughter cajoled me into staying at home rather than going to work,” she said blaming herself for the incident.

Al-Amin, father of the victim and driver at a private company, said every day the couple go out for work, keeping the girl at their sister’s house who lives nearby. “On Tuesday, the accident happened just after we went out at 8am.”

Dr Shamimul Kabir, the on-duty doctor of Nitor, said Lima’s right hand was totally displaced. “We are giving our treatment.”

Confirming the incident, Mehedi Hasan, Sub-Inspector of Kafrul Police Station, told the Dhaka Tribune that on information they rushed to the spot and recovered an abandoned crude bomb from the area.

This might have been an act of pickets who left the two crude bombs in the area, he added. 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.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Continue to the Business section...

Business

B2 New connections still uncertain

B3 DSEX records biggest single-day rise

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

Onion prices sky high again n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The supply shortage due to the ongoing political unrest has pushed the prices of onion up by Tk15 only in a single day.

On Tuesday, local onion sold at Tk115 and imported onion at Tk105 per kg in Dhaka’s kitchen markets, which was at Tk100 and Tk90 on Monday.

The onion price soared Tk35 in just four days since Friday.

“Supply of onions at Karwan Bazaar, the city’s biggest wholesale market, came down by 35% to 40% as the political violence hit the transportation system badly in the recent time,” Mubarak Ali, a wholesaler told the Dhaka tribune. While the fare of a truck has been nearly doubled that pushed the prices up sharply, he added.

He said truckers are not willing to ply vehicles during strike or hartal as they have faced several incidents of arson in goods laden covered vans or trucks.

In the last week, local onion sold at Tk60 per kg, which rose to Tk115 yesterday, said Piarul Islam, an office attendant of TK Group, who came to shop at Karwan Bazzar.

The poor people like me have to cut the onion from the menu of kitchen market as it has gone beyond our reach, he added.

Meanwhile, prices of some essentials including gourds, green chilli, newly arrived potatoes went up by Tk5-15, while other vegetables including cauliflowers, beans, brinjals and poptatoes remain almost same

The ongoing political upheaval badly affected telecom industry as its revenue and subscriber growth declined recently, claimed industry people.

According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission’s monthly report, mobile industry’s growth fell nearly 16% and internet industry about 60% in October. The figure backed the industry’s people claim.

“Political unrest gives adverse impact on telecom industry,” Mahmud Hossain, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Grameenphone (GP), told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. compared to the previous day.

As of yesterday, gourds sold at Tk70 per piece, green chilli at Tk45, new potatoes Tk50 per kg.

“We are very much scared about the supply chain as the political stalemate did not show any sign of easiness,” a wholesaler at the Karwan Bazzar told Dhaka Tribune.

They urged the government and the opposition leaders to come on a consensus for the sake of country’s common peoples well as the economy. Rustom Ali, president of Bangladesh Covered Van and Truck Owners’ Association, said transport fare rose sharply to Tk40,000 to Tk50,000, which was Tk12,000 to Tk15,000, making business difficult.

“We have called a meeting on Thursday to devise ways to overcome the deadlock situa-

tion,” he added.

“In normal situation, it costs Tk15,000 Tk17,000 per truck to carry the onion, but during the blockade it costs about Tk40,000 to Tk45,000 during blockade or hartal, which are mainly responsible for unusual hike of onion prices,” said Alim Howlader, a store keeper at Karwaan bazaar.

Currently, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh has no open market sale as the prices of onion came down to a tolerable level. But now it has jumped due to political unrest, which broken the supply chain, said Humayun Kabir, public relation officer of TCB. “We are observing the market prices and would take the decision if it goes up beyond the reach of commoners,” he added. l

POLITICAL UNREST

Foreign-funded projects see slow implementation n Asif Showkat Kallol As implementation works of the foreign-funded projects have been slow due to political unrest, the polls-time government has decided to divert or reduce funds.

These projects are being implemented under 17 ministries and divisions including communications, education, local government and energy.

In the past five months, disbursement and new commitments of foreign assistance have fallen amid continuous political turmoil across the country, said a senior official of the Economic Relations Division.

According to official sources, political programmes like hartal have disrupted the implementation works.

ERD already sent letters to the 17 ministries and divisions to attend four meetings at the planning commission from 5 to 11 December for revision of the current fiscal year Annual Development Project (ADP).

Political unrest hits telecom industry n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

“Political turmoil has led to less utilisation of foreign fund and slow-down of implementations, which results in lower disbursement of funds,” said a senior ERD official.

Financial sector analyst Mamun Rashid said the development partners usually tighten their grip in releasing funds ahead of national polls. According to him, the donors will not also want to see their funds spent on election purposes.

Meanwhile, as per the IMED data, the local government ministry implemented 45% of foreign-assisted projects during July-October period while agriculture ministry implemented 17%, fisheries and livestock ministry 39%, education ministry 9%, water resources division 23%, industries ministry 9%, cultural and sports ministry 0% , health ministry 12%, public administration 14%, ICT ministry 1%, power ministry 8%, energy and mineral resources division 21% and social welfare ministry 8%.

ERD data shows inflow of foreign funds to Bangladesh dropped by 29% to $576.80m in last four months till October owing to political impasse in the country.

During the same period last year, donors working in Bangladesh had disbursed $809.60m foreign assistance, said ERD figures released last week.

ERD said commitment of foreign funds from the multilateral and bilateral donors has also dipped by 25% to $1.33bn in July-October period from $1.77bn one year earlier.

World Bank and Asian Development Bank disbursed only $136m and $108m respectively in first four months of this fiscal.

Japan, the largest bilateral donor of Bangladesh, however, disbursed the highest amount of $157m during the period.

Among other donors, India has disbursed $50m, the UN System $47m and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) $19m. l

Months October September August

New subscribers added Mobile 1.117m 1.326m 2.415m

Internet 115k 284k 1.82m

‘We are very concerned about the current political situation in Bangladesh. It will also shortly affect the foreign direct investment, but unlikely the telecommunication sector’ He said, “Declining of new sale is a matter of concern but falling revenue growth makes us anxious.”

The country’s top mobile phone operator Grameenphone’s active subscribers in October stood at 46.04m, a decrease of 1.4% from 46.66m recorded in September.

Echoing GP, the second largest operator Robi also expressed the same view and concern.

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, chief financial officer of Robi, said: “Political turmoil burns our revenue and growth.”

He said if blockade programmes prolongs, losses will be enormous.

In October, Robi’s subscribers was 24.83m, which was 24.97m two months earlier, BTRC statistics shows.

Earlier, Telenor Group President Jon Fredrik Baksaas has expressed the same concern.

“We are very concerned about the current political situation in Bangladesh.

It will also shortly affect the foreign direct investment, but unlikely the telecommunication sector.”

In October, the country’s total active mobile subscribers was 111.79m. The industry can hardly added 1.117m new subscribers in October while the market added 3.415m new subscribers.

During the period, total internet user crossed 36.65m with only 115,466 new clients. The industry added 1.82m internet user on the month of August. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

CNG STATION

New connections still uncertain n Aminur Rahman Rasel A committee of the Energy Division recently recommended Petrobangla to provide gas connections to 54 new CNG (compressed natural gas) filling stations.

But state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petrobangla) Chairman Hossain Mansur said the decision would be taken by a high-powered six-member committee.

‘I don’t know what would happen in the implementation of the recommendation by the energy division in their absence’ Head of this committee, Prime Minister’s former adviser Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, and an influential member former State Minister for Power and Energy Muhammed Enamul Huq are no more in their posts.

“I don’t know what would happen in the implementation of the recommendation by the energy division in their absence,” the Petrobangla chairman told the Dhaka Tribune.

According to the Energy Division, the CNG re-fuelling stations have been waiting

for gas connections since 2009.

The Energy Division committee, headed by additional secretary Md Golam Mostafa, at a meeting on November 26 in Dhaka also recommended increasing the station owners’ margin by Tk2 for selling a cubic metre of feed gas.

At present, the station owners sell per unit of CNG at Tk30 and pay the gas companies Tk23 for per unit of gas, keeping a margin of Tk7.

“The margin has been recommended to increase from Tk7 to Tk9 per unit,” Mostafa said. On September 19, 2011, BERC set the price of CNG at Tk30 per cubic metre, increasing the price by Tk5 per cubic metre.

He said the sales margin would, however, be settled by Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), which earlier rejected a Petrobangla proposal to raise the margin.

CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association President Zakir Hossain Nayan, who is a member of the Energy Division committee, said they demanded increasing the margin as well as the new gas connections.

Currently, Petrobangla supplies about 120 million cubic feet or 3.40 million cubic metre against the demand of 130mmcf of natural gas a day to 585 CNG filling stations across the country. l

Power import from India crosses 400MW n Aminur Rahman Rasel Pubali Bank Limited Managing Director and CEO Helal Ahmed Chowdhury seen along with newly promoted deputy general managers at a function in Dhaka recently

Pubali Bank promotes 22 AGMs to DGM “One can become a successful banker by n Tribune Business Desk exploring skills and talents at the highest Pubali Bank Limited has recently promoted 22 assistant general managers to the post of deputy general manager as recognition for their outstanding performance in the bank.

Pubali Bank Limited Managing Director and CEO Helal Ahmed Chowdhury handed over the promotion letter to the newly promoted deputy general managers as chief guest, said a press release.

level through applying themselves properly,” said the bank’s CEO. He advised all officers to abide by the rules and regulations of Bangladesh Bank and other regulatory bodies.

Additional Managing Director MA Halim Chowdhury, Deputy Managing Director Safiul Alam Khan Chowdhury also attended the ceremony. l

Two months into inauguration, the electricity import from India to Kushtia’s Bheramara substation has exceeded 400 megawatt.

At 9:57am yesterday, the import began with 419MW, and at the end of the day it stood at 422MW, the highest ever after the inauguration on October 5.

The transmission was inaugurated with the import of 175MW. The import target was set to reach 500MW daily.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh inaugurated commercial import of power from India.

“Hopefully, the import will touch 500MW gradually,” Chowdhury Alamgir Hossain, acting managing director of Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He added: “Presently, we are examining over load and heat run capacity of the substation and transmission line.

After completion, we will be able to transmit 500 megawatt.”

Dhaka and New Delhi signed a memorandum of understanding to import 500MW of electricity in January 2010 during the premier’s visit to India.

India’s state-owned National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) and Power Trading Corpo-

ration Ltd (PTC) will supply 250MW each.

On the other hand, Power Development Board (PDB) has sought withdrawal of import duty, value added tax (VAT), advanced income tax (AIT) and other duties on import of 250MW of electricity from PTC. PDB secretary Md Azizul Islam in a letter to Power Division secretary Monowar Islam recently sought the government’s support for open market import of electricity.

On July 28, the cabinet committee on public purchase approved the import of 250MW electricity from India’s open market.

The PTC will supply electricity for three years from power plants in West Bengal and the eastern region at a rate of Tk6.34 with Tk0.31 wheeling charge.

The cost of per unit electricity from NTPC is Tk4 with a wheeling charge of Tk0.80. The PGCB will charge the PDB Tk0.23 per unit.

National Board of Revenue has imposed 5% import duty, 15% VAT and 5% AIT on import of 250MW power, said an official source.

The transmission line for Indian power import was scheduled to be set up by December last year at the cost of Tk10.79bn.

But the project cost later soared to Tk15.79bn.

The project included construction of 27km transmission line and two substations and acquisition and development of 113 acres of land. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

Interest rate spread falls below 5% n Jebun Nesa Alo The overall interest rate spread, the gap between lending and deposit rates, came down below 5% in October thanks to continuous efforts by Bangladesh Bank.

The spread of all banks stood at 4.95% in October from 5.01% in the previous month.

Earlier, the average spread was 4.98% in May. Then the rate went up above 5% from June, going beyond the limit set by Bangladesh Bank, and remained above the figure till September.

The central bank had earlier arranged a meeting in August with the banks’ executives for their failure in maintaining the spread and advance-deposit ratio set by the central bank and warned them of bringing down the rate within the limit.

As a result, the banks reduced their interest rates on loans slightly to keep the spread within the limit, said a Bangladesh Bank senior executive.

An almost barren investment environment has forced the banks to be a little bit generous, lowering their interest rates by a few basis points and pulling down the deposit rates, said a private bank executive. He said it eventually reduced the spread, said a private bank senior executive.

In September, the average lending rate of private commercial banks was 14.15% and the deposit rate was 8.95%, which was 14.25% and 9% respectively in September.

Among the private commercial banks, 23 reduced their lending rates slightly in October. They were Islami Bank, National Bank, The City Bank, United Commercial Bank, Pubali Bank, ICB Islamic Bank, Eastern Bank, NCC Bank, Prime Bank, Southeast

INTEREST RATE SPREAD OF ALL BANKS

Stocks rose sharply yesterday with the benchmark index DSEX hitting the biggest single-day rise for the first time.

The market started on upbeat note but continued to scale up on buying binge mostly from institutional investors, dealers said.

The DSEX ended at 4,310 with a steep rise of 112 points or 2.7% --its single day highest gain since its introduction in January this year.

The DS30 Index comprising blue chips was up nearly 26 points or 1.8% to 1,505.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, also surged 254 points to close at 8,445.

The steep gains of the indices were largely attributed to the bank sector which posted an impressive gain of 4%.

Twenty eight out of 30 banks rallied and two of them also featured in top gainers’ chart.

Trading remained lively compared to the last three trading sessions and stood at Tk5.5bn, up by more than 55% from previous session’s value of Tk3.5bn.

“Market advanced for the second consecutive session by staggering 112 points, surpassing recent decline of around 300

Deadline for provisioning unrealised losses extended n Tribune Report

Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, Mercantile Bank, Standard Bank, One Bank, Mutual Trust Bank, Premier Bank, Bank Asia, Trust Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Jamuna Bank, The Farmers Bank and Union Bank.

Meanwhile, the spread of 16 private commercial banks out of 54 remains above the central bank’s permissible limit compared to 15 banks in September.

On the other hand, the spread of foreign banks averaged at 8.48% and among the private commercial banks, Brac bank’s spread was the highest at 9.40% in October from 9.10% in September.

“The spread has already declined and Bangladesh Bank will ask those banks who still maintaining above the limit to bring it down to 5%,” said Bangladesh Bank Deputy

Governor SK Sur Chowdhury.

In the meantime, the interbank call money rate remained stable at a range of between 7% and 7.5%, showing signs of adequate liquidity in the money market.

The call money rate remains at 7% for last couple of weeks and went as high as 8% in the last year. However, it rose to 9% for just over a week ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

The private banks which still maintaining spread above 5% were: AB bank (5.28%), IFIC Bank (6.08%), Pubali Bank (5.28%), Uttara Bank (5.95%), Eastern Bank (5.33%), Prime Bank (6.63%), Southeast Bank (5.03%), Dhaka Bank (5.04%), SIBL (5.42%), Dutch-Bangla Bank (8.28%), One Bank (5.98%), Bangladesh Commerce Bank (5.83%), Premier Bank (6.23%), Bank Asia (5.77%), Jamuna Bank (6.21%) and BRAC Bank (9.40%). l

DSEX records biggest single-day rise n Tribune Report

3

points,” said IDLC Investments in its market analysis.

As recent developments pushed forward some ease up in political front, market sentiment perceived this as a sign for some breathing space, at least for a few days, it said.

Logically, a better perceived outlook and accordingly motivated investors boosted participation, it said.

‘Although the market showed positive performance for the last two days, the elevated profit taking tendency and political uncertainty still lead many investors to trade cautiously’

Nearly 90% issue prices closed higher as out of 286 issues traded, 247 advanced, 29 declined and 10 remained unchanged.

Lanka Bangla Securities said some change in political move and recent remarks by

some of the politicians have caused the market to go for one of the strongest bull rally in months.

Strong gains were posted by banking sector as the high net worth individuals found sufficient liquidity to park their money.

“Although the market showed positive performance for the last two days, the elevated profit taking tendency and political uncertainty still lead many investors to trade cautiously,” said Zenith Investments.

Strong buying power and willingness to hold the stocks for high return in future signals that investors’ sentiment is bullish, added Zenith.

The other major sectors, including financial institutions, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and energy also saw decent gains.

Delta Life Insurance continued to dominate the top turnover chart for the fifth running session with shares worth Tk609m changing hands, followed by Paramount Textile, Generation Next Fashion, Jamuna Oil and Bengal Windsor Thermoplastic.

Trading floors of the brokerages looked almost calm as the presence of investors was very thin because of the ongoing blockade programme enforced by the opposition party. l

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has extended deadline by one year for provisioning the unrealised losses against portfolios of merchant banks, stock dealers and their clients.

The new deadline will expire on December 31, 2014, said a statement of the stocks regulator yesterday.

The unrealised losses took place due to revaluation of portfolios of the merchant banks’ and stock brokers’ own portfolios, and their clients, said regulator in a statement yesterday.

Early this year, the BSEC set December 31, 2013 as deadline for provisioning the unrealised losses of 2012 and 2013.

The time has been deferred considering present market situation and in response to the appeal of the merchant banks and stock dealers, said a BSEC official.

The regulator has detected a notable number of short-selling by the newly setup Instant Watch Surveillance System software.

BSEC has fined five brokerage firms Tk1.3m for breaching securities rules, including share short-selling.

BSEC has fined five brokerage firms Tk1.3m for breaching securities rules, including share short-selling

Short selling is the selling of a stock that the seller doesn’t own. It is prohibited in Bangladesh’s stock markets.

More specifically, a short sale is the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller, but promised to be delivered.

DMR Securities Services, a member of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), faced a fine of Tk300,000 for short-selling 4,000 shares of Prime Textile, 2,000 shares of Sonargaon Textile, 500 shares of Agrani System Ltd and 2,000 shares of Deshbandhu Polymer on May 14 this year.

Tamha Securities, another DSE member, was fined Tk100,000 for short-selling of 10,000 shares of Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited on May 12 and Pioneer Shares & Securities, member of Chittagong Stock Exchange, also counted fine of Tk100,000 for short selling of 2,500 shares of FAS Finance and Investment.

Azam Securities, a DSE member, was fined Tk100,000 for providing margin loan violating securities rules while Be Rich, a CSE member, faced Tk100,000 fine for breaching rules. BSEC fined Delta Spinners Tk1m as it had provided false financial statements of June 2007-2012. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

Dollar lifted in Asia on upbeat manufacturing data n AFP, Tokyo

A businessman looks at a screen displaying a photo of US 100 dollar bank notes in Tokyo

REUTERS

Japan’s economic stimulus worth $53bn n Reuters Japan will craft an economic stimulus package this week worth about $53bn to bolster the economy ahead of an increase in the national sales tax in April, people familiar with the process said yesterday.

The size of the package, ordered in October by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will be between 5.4tn yen and 5.6tn yen, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

RBI proposes new capital rules for banks too-big-to-fail n Reuters The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to introduce increased capital requirements by 2016 for banks regarded as too big to fail, and make them subject to greater regulatory oversight.

With the economy growing at its slowest rate in a decade, India’s banking system is facing rising levels of stressed loans, with $100bn, or about 10% of the total, categorised as bad or restructured. The RBI released a draft of the new guidelines late on Monday, the same day as it issued proposals for counter-cyclical buffers, which would require banks to build reserves during periods of stability in order to weather more difficult times.

Domestic brokerage Motilal Oswal estimated the RBI could class at least 15 domestic banks, including ICICI Bank and Axis Bank, as domestic systemically important banks.

“Banks with size of more than 2 percent of GDP will be selected in the sample of banks,” Motilal Oswal said in an email to clients.

Though not as big, five top foreign lenders could also be subject to similar requirements due to their high level of activity in the derivatives market, the brokerage said. l

Government ministers have said the package needs to be at least 5tn yen to soften the economic blow of the tax hike - Japan’s biggest step in decades toward curbing its enormous debt.

The government will craft an “effective” package amounting to “as much as possible above 5tn yen,” Yasuhiro Hanashi, a parliamentary finance secretary, told a panel of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party.

The government is to decide on the meas-

ures on Thursday, but precise amounts will not be spelled out until the Cabinet approves a supplementary budget on Dec 12, the sources said.

Sources said last week that the budget, including the stimulus measures, would be worth some 7tn yen.

The BOJ’s massive monetary easing and Abe’s hefty government spending have had early success in lifting Japan from 15 years of deflation and tepid growth. l

World Bank poorly prepared for conflict countries: study n AFP, Washington The World Bank’s anti-poverty programmes are not well-structured for countries beset by conflict, and do too little for women suffering from violence, according to internal study released Monday.

While the bank has prioritized helping the 370 million people living in 33 “lowincome fragile and conflict-affected states”, it needs to better prepare its programmes in those countries, the study by the in-house Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) said.

“Country assistance strategies have lacked tailoring to fragility and conflict drivers and realism, and do not currently have contingencies based on political economy and conflict risks,” the study concluded.

In addition, the bank has “paid insufficient attention to conflict-related violence against women and economic empowerment of women in low-income fragile and conflict-affected states.”

Anis Danim, the lead analyst for the IEG, said that World Bank programmes in poor

conflict countries have registered progress in areas like community-driven development and building citizen capacity - for instance providing access to education and health care Even so, he said, “the results in these countries has proved to be challenging.”

As a group, fragile and conflict-affected states are much poorer, grow more slowly, and have higher population growth rates than other most-impoverished countries.

That means they need more tailored strategies for assistance, the IEG report says.

However, it said, the Bank “lacks a realistic framework for inclusive growth and jobs that is based on economic opportunities and constraints in fragile and conflict-affected states.”

It also said Bank programmes are often too focused on helping ex-combatants mainly male - after conflicts and offer less for women who are victims of the violence.

“Most of the demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration programmes were not gender sensitive,” it said. l

The dollar rose in Asia yesterday after better-than-expected US manufacturing figures stoked speculation that the Federal Reserve will start tapering its stimulus before year’s end.

The greenback fetched 103.25 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade, up from 102.94 yen on Monday afternoon in New York, surging to its highest level since late May. The euro eased a tad to $1.3529 from $1.3538 while it rose to a five-year high of 139.83 yen from 139.36 yen, with the Japanese unit weighed by expectations the country’s central bank will unveil fresh monetary easing measures to boost the economy.

In the United States the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said Monday that activity at US factories grew at a much faster rate in November than in October, notching up the sixth-consecutive monthly rise. Forecasts had been for growth to have slowed.

The ISM figures come ahead of a busy week of US economic news culminating with Friday’s release of the November non-farm payrolls report.

“A December Fed taper is back on the cards, at least for markets,” National Australia Bank (NAB) said.

“While the manufacturing data was very good ... retail sales data was not so rosy.”

Cautious US shoppers spent about 2.7% less than a year ago during the so-called Black Friday weekend which kicked off the holiday shopping period. “It seems consumers need a little more time, and an improved labour market, before they are encouraged to spend some more,” NAB said.

The employment data is seen as a key marker for dealers trying to get a handle on the state of the world’s largest economy. The Fed has said it will only cut back on its vast bond-buying scheme when the economy is strong enough to stand on its own. The central bank’s next policy meeting begins on December 17.

Among the other US data due for release this week are third-quarter growth and home sales, while the Fed will also open up its Beige book on regional economies.

And the European Central Bank will hold a policy meeting this week, with investors looking to see if it ushers in any more monetary easing after last month cutting interest rates to a record low of 0.25%.

The dollar was mostly higher against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It rose to 32.22 Thai baht from 32.20 baht the previous day as tensions eased after two days of violent clashes between police and opposition protesters aiming to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The dollar also rose to 1,062.26 South Korean won from 1,058.46 won on Monday, to 62.40 Indian rupees from 62.23 rupees, to Sg$1.2569 from Sg$1.2537, to 43.76 Philippine pesos from 43.71 pesos, and to Tw$29.58 from Tw$29.56.

It fell to 11,858 Indonesian rupiah from 11,885 rupiah.

The Australian dollar fell to 90.83 US cents from 91.55 cents, while the Chinese yuan firmed to 16.92 yen from 16.78 yen. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

5

‘Apple buys analytics firm for $200 mn’ n AFP, New York

A staff of Nihonbinary shows an Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene pylon which is printed by the 3D printer MakerBot Replicator 2X during the International Robot Exhibition 2013 in Tokyo REUTERS

3D printer boom lures new wave of Japan entrepreneurs n Reuters Junichiro Asami gave up a stable job to join a group of Japanese entrepreneurs building businesses based on 3D printing, showing the sort of pioneering spirit Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes can revitalize a calcified economy.

Whether these entrepreneurs can lay the foundations for a new era in Japanese products though may depend on whether Abe can tear down barriers in a wider business culture that shuns risk and supports the status quo.

Asami, 38, formerly a management consultant at Deloitte, is in no doubt about the prospects for 3D printing, potentially a game changing technology that will allow households and companies to bypass manufacturers by producing their own parts and goods.

“I expect that entire business models and manufacturing systems will have to change to adapt to the 3D printer,” Asami said at a seminar for start-up businesses.

If history is anything to go by, Asami’s and Abe’s task will not be easy. After World War II businessmen built companies that turned into the likes of electronics giant Sony Corp, but since then Japan has not produced a new global technology powerhouse as people have become less tolerant of risk and of failure.

Abe, who took office almost a year ago with bold promises to end almost two decades of economic malaise, wants to encourage innovation and make Japan an easier

place to do business. But he is trying to shake up a political and economic system largely built around well established industries.

Expectations were high for deregulation that would tear down barriers broadly across sectors, but Abe’s economic growth strategy in June left many areas unaddressed.

He has struggled to push through bigger economic reforms, such as making it easier for companies to hire and fire, which analysts say would allow for a more dynamic economy.

But there have been smaller successes that could help Asami and other start-up businesses.

Executives and consultants say it is becoming easier to get government subsidies, which can help secure additional funding from the country’s risk-averse banks.

Earlier this year the government revived a nationwide subsidy scheme for start-ups that had been mothballed for about six years.

So far this year, the scheme has granted subsidies to 77% of all companies that have applied.

The number of firms applying for funds is also growing rapidly, from 15 in April to 2,302 in June.

When it comes to 3D printers, the economy ministry sees potential. It is pushing for 4.5bn yen ($44m) to be included in the budget to subsidize development of highend 3D printers.

Tomoko Mitani, principal analyst at technology research firm Gartner, doubts the sector will spawn another Sony-like compa-

ny but as the technology improves, it should make it cheaper for Japanese manufacturers to develop specialized goods.

The technology is likely to spread to medical devices, non-manufacturers and lead to the creation of new companies and services, which will benefit the economy, she said.

“Companies are providing 3D printing services over the Internet, which could allow some manufacturers to order goods and have an interesting economic impact,” Mitani said.

Another entrepreneur, Nobuki Sakaguchi, says the 3D printer sector has struck a chord with some who hope it can reignite passion for Japan’s long tradition of perfectionist craftsmanship, known as “monozukuri” or “making things.”

“The real value is this can inspire people and lead to new ventures in the future,” said Sakaguchi, chief executive of Open Cube Inc, which makes personal 3D printers that melt plastic thread and deposit the resin to form an object.

Sakaguchi, 39, who works from a small office in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, said one of the main obstacles for entrepreneurs is a culture that favors getting a secure job at a big Japanese company, many of which do not tend to reward creativity.

New ventures have also found it difficult to get bank loans, navigate the application process for government subsidies and even rent office space.

Only a very small number of companies, such as on-line retailer Rakuten, emerged successfully from Japan’s last wave of tech-

Apple has acquired social media analytics firm Topsy for more than $200m, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The newspaper, citing sources familiar with the deal, said it was unclear how Apple planned to use the firm but that it could be related to Apple’s new streaming music service.

Apple did not specifically comment on the report, but a spokeswoman said in a statement: “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”

Topsy, according to the report, is among a handful of Twitter partners which has access to the full range of data from the fast-growing messaging platform.

Earlier this year, Topsy said it had created a searchable index of all the publicly available tweets ever made, to be available for marketers and others.

Topsy did not respond to a request for comment.

Topsy describes itself as a company “with the only full-scale index of the public social web,” to help its customers “instantly analyze any topic, term or hashtag across years of conversations on millions of web sites.”

‘Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans’ The data can be used to analyze the effectiveness of a social media ad campaign, for example.

Danny Sullivan, analyst at Search Engine Land, said Topsy “is about the only decent third-party Twitter search service to have survived, in recent years.”

“Topsy’s access to Twitter’s ‘firehose’ of tweets and focus on providing search results and analytical tools make it even more robust than Twitter’s own Twitter Search, for some queries,” Sullivan said in a blog post.

But Sullivan said it’s not clear if Twitter will continue to give Topsy “a sweetheart deal” for access under Apple’s ownership. He said that Topsy had become “the definitive Twitter search engine” and was likely sought

by Twitter itself.

Apple had a music-oriented social network called Ping, but shuttered that last year as it created sharing options through Facebook and Twitter. l

6

Share

DHAKA TRIBUNE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

DSE Broad Index: 4310.72 ⇑ 2.69% ,Turnover:5415.30M.Tk⇑55.68%,PE:13.12 Turnover 6,238.18MTk.⇑60.07% 3December2013 MarketCap.2,072.75BTk.⇑1.73% CSEAllShareIndex:13356⇑3.06%,Turnover:822.88MTk.⇑96.54%,PE:12.93 Combined Turnover Leader Delta Life Insu. -A Meghna Petroleum -A

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 1532762 D: 28.60 ⇑ 7.52% | 28.23 | 29.00 / 24.90 C: 28.20 ⇑ 5.22% | 28.00 | 28.70 / 27.00 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 744889 D: 21.00 ⇑ 4.48% | 20.94 | 21.30 / 18.00 C: 21.00 ⇑ 5.53% | 20.85 | 21.20 / 19.00 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 2462433 D: 34.60 ⇑ 5.81% | 34.47 | 35.20 / 30.00 C: 34.90 ⇑ 8.05% | 34.34 | 35.30 / 32.70 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 421908 D: 35.90 ⇓ 0.83% | 35.89 | 36.10 / 35.00 C: 36.10 ⇑ 1.69% | 35.82 | 36.80 / 35.30 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 3060002 D: 12.60 ⇑ 5.88% | 12.55 | 13.00 / 11.50 C: 12.60 ⇑ 5.88% | 12.45 | 12.60 / 12.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 673351 D: 32.90 ⇑ 1.54% | 32.70 | 33.10 / 30.00 C: 32.80 ⇑ 1.55% | 32.56 | 33.00 / 31.50 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 40076 D: 66.50 ⇑ 3.42% | 66.15 | 67.00 / 63.00 C: 66.60 ⇓ 0.15% | 66.57 | 67.10 / 66.20 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 3440064 D: 25.40 ⇑ 2.01% | 25.32 | 26.00 / 23.00 C: 25.50 ⇑ 4.08% | 25.41 | 25.70 / 24.90 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 735519 D: 32.50 ⇑ 6.21% | 32.12 | 33.00 / 30.00 C: 32.30 ⇑ 6.25% | 31.97 | 32.50 / 31.00 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 528000 D: 6.90 ⇓ 2.82% | 7.02 | 7.40 / 6.40 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 202693 D: 29.20 ⇑ 3.55% | 29.07 | 29.80 / 26.00 C: 28.80 ⇑ 2.86% | 28.63 | 29.00 / 28.50 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 3061980 D: 20.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 19.86 | 20.30 / 16.90 C: 20.10 ⇑ 6.91% | 19.91 | 20.30 / 19.30 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 1182306 D: 24.80 ⇑ 6.44% | 24.76 | 25.30 / 21.50 C: 24.80 ⇑ 8.77% | 24.38 | 24.80 / 24.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 1022051 D: 18.70 ⇑ 4.47% | 18.54 | 19.00 / 16.00 C: 18.60 ⇑ 6.29% | 18.44 | 18.80 / 18.00 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 297696 D: 19.30 ⇑ 3.21% | 19.25 | 19.50 / 16.80 C: 19.30 ⇑ 6.04% | 19.20 | 19.40 / 19.00 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 1287030 D: 14.40 ⇑ 4.35% | 14.25 | 14.60 / 12.50 C: 14.50 ⇑ 6.62% | 14.28 | 14.50 / 13.80 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 1217424 D: 14.00 ⇑ 6.06% | 13.87 | 14.10 / 11.80 C: 14.00 ⇑ 6.87% | 13.83 | 14.00 / 13.50 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 21000 D: 98.40 ⇑ 0.41% | 99.14 | 100.9 / 98.00 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 61230 D: 16.20 ⇑ 5.19% | 16.31 | 16.60 / 14.50 C: 16.20 ⇑ 4.52% | 16.16 | 16.40 / 16.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 788940 D: 15.30 ⇑ 4.08% | 15.25 | 15.70 / 13.50 C: 15.40 ⇑ 4.76% | 15.30 | 15.50 / 14.80 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 1953171 D: 17.10 ⇑ 6.21% | 16.87 | 17.30 / 14.60 C: 17.10 ⇑ 7.55% | 16.81 | 17.20 / 16.20 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 216482 D: 18.80 ⇑ 1.08% | 18.88 | 19.10 / 17.00 C: 19.20 ⇑ 6.08% | 18.82 | 19.20 / 18.40 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 3768407 D: 16.60 ⇑ 5.73% | 16.67 | 17.10 / 14.20 C: 16.80 ⇑ 7.01% | 16.64 | 17.00 / 16.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 1178702 D: 13.00 ⇑ 4.00% | 12.96 | 13.50 / 11.20 C: 13.00 ⇑ 4.00% | 12.93 | 13.10 / 12.50 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 216081 D: 16.60 ⇑ 1.22% | 16.56 | 16.80 / 15.00 C: 16.60 ⇑ 3.75% | 16.46 | 16.60 / 16.30 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 425999 D: 31.60 ⇑ 2.27% | 31.65 | 32.10 / 28.00 C: 31.70 ⇑ 3.93% | 31.48 | 32.60 / 31.40 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 897221 D: 17.80 ⇑ 5.95% | 17.55 | 18.00 / 15.20 C: 17.90 ⇑ 7.19% | 17.54 | 17.90 / 17.10 PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 881017 D: 11.90 ⇑ 3.48% | 11.89 | 12.00 / 10.50 C: 12.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 11.92 | 12.10 / 11.50

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL

2171890

658.45

2458640

549.50

8.81

335.30

5.38

Paramount Textile Ltd.-N

5976500

Square Pharma -A

1132005

GN Fashions-A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol.

5719880

220.54 182.76

10.56

3.54 2.93

TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 2480545 D: 21.10 ⇑ 9.33% | 20.97 | 21.20 / 17.40 C: 20.60 ⇑ 9.57% | 20.56 | 20.60 / 20.10 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 1497081 D: 16.00 ⇑ 7.38% | 15.78 | 16.20 / 13.40 C: 16.00 ⇑ 8.11% | 15.64 | 16.10 / 15.20 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 141223 D: 60.90 ⇑ 4.10% | 60.77 | 61.30 / 57.50 C: 61.00 ⇑ 2.87% | 60.12 | 61.00 / 59.60 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 180804 D: 29.60 ⇑ 4.59% | 29.40 | 30.00 / 26.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 91927 D: 80.70 ⇑ 4.13% | 80.01 | 81.40 / 76.00 C: 80.00 ⇑ 0.50% | 80.14 | 80.90 / 79.30 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 1100 D: 29.60 ⇓ 1.33% | 30.00 | 30.00 / 29.30 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 850499 D: 30.00 ⇑ 4.90% | 29.91 | 30.50 / 26.50 C: 30.30 ⇑ 6.69% | 30.05 | 30.50 / 29.30 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 483793 D: 23.80 ⇑ 3.48% | 23.63 | 24.00 / 21.00 C: 23.90 ⇑ 4.37% | 23.65 | 24.00 / 23.20 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 276364 D: 24.30 ⇑ 2.97% | 24.03 | 25.50 / 22.50 C: 24.50 ⇑ 3.38% | 24.17 | 24.60 / 23.70 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 109500 D: 10.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.06 | 10.20 / 10.00 C: 10.30 ⇑ 1.98% | 10.18 | 10.30 / 10.10 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 513117 D: 16.90 ⇑ 4.97% | 16.75 | 17.10 / 14.90 C: 17.00 ⇑ 5.59% | 16.87 | 17.00 / 16.20 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 647766 D: 55.30 ⇑ 3.75% | 54.63 | 55.50 / 47.80 C: 55.10 ⇑ 4.16% | 54.60 | 55.40 / 54.00 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 264385 D: 15.80 ⇑ 0.64% | 15.75 | 16.00 / 15.00 C: 16.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.95 | 16.20 / 15.70 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 34414 D: 18.20 ⇑ 1.68% | 18.20 | 18.50 / 16.00 C: 18.30 ⇑ 7.02% | 18.30 | 18.30 / 18.30 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 38288 D: 28.80 ⇓ 0.69% | 28.61 | 29.20 / 27.00 C: 28.20 ⇑ 0.36% | 28.20 | 28.20 / 28.20 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 154148 D: 18.80 ⇓ 1.05% | 18.96 | 19.30 / 17.50 C: 18.60 ⇑ 1.64% | 18.68 | 19.00 / 18.30 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 280456 D: 14.60 ⇑ 2.82% | 14.60 | 14.90 / 13.40 C: 14.90 ⇑ 5.67% | 14.77 | 15.10 / 14.10 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 423250 D: 33.50 ⇑ 7.03% | 32.96 | 33.80 / 29.50 C: 33.30 ⇑ 6.73% | 33.08 | 33.40 / 32.60 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 333653 D: 13.80 ⇑ 1.47% | 13.88 | 14.10 / 13.60 C: 14.00 ⇑ 2.94% | 13.95 | 14.10 / 13.80 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 35973 D: 54.20 ⇑ 2.46% | 53.96 | 54.50 / 48.00 C: 54.70 ⇑ 1.11% | 54.70 | 54.70 / 54.70 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 187968 D: 30.50 ⇑ 4.10% | 30.53 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 30.80 ⇑ 4.76% | 30.52 | 30.90 / 29.30 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 125981 D: 29.10 ⇑ 2.83% | 28.86 | 29.30 / 26.00 C: 29.30 ⇑ 3.53% | 29.29 | 30.80 / 28.00 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 3850 D: 1494 ⇓ 0.71% | 1497 | 1510 / 1490 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 73261 D: 26.20 ⇑ 1.55% | 25.99 | 26.40 / 23.00 C: 26.00 ⇑ 6.12% | 25.90 | 26.10 / 25.90 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 672000 D: 13.90 ⇑ 2.21% | 13.95 | 14.10 / 13.70 C: 13.90 ⇑ 2.21% | 13.95 | 14.10 / 13.60 INVESTMENT 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 450 D: 266.5 ⇓ 0.19% | 266.67 | 268.0 / 266.0 3RDICB | 26.16 | 235.16 | Vol. 450 D: 190.4 ⇓ 2.46% | 191.11 | 192.0 / 190.0 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 10200 D: 52.60 ⇑ 1.15% | 52.55 | 53.40 / 52.20 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 12000 D: 54.00 ⇑ 2.27% | 54.00 | 54.60 / 53.50

Avg. P 303.17 223.50 56.10 194.83 31.95

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

C%

A%

CP

Paramount Textile Ltd.-N

14.82 10.00

58.10

GreenDeltaInsu-A

-7.60

-6.71

86.30

Rangpur Foundry-A

11.37

7.88

92.10

Legacy Footwear -A

-5.03

-4.44

37.80

Padma Islami Life*-N

9.90

8.80

64.40

Fine Foods-A

-3.64

-2.66

21.20

-3.61

-2.59

69.40

-3.44

-3.66

305.80

Trust Bank-A Sun Life Insurance-N

DSE Loser

9.33

8.43

21.10

Desh Garments-B

8.60

9.43

61.90

Monno Stafllers-A

AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 329250 D: 39.00 ⇑ 2.09% | 38.96 | 39.30 / 38.50 C: 38.80 ⇑ 2.65% | 38.55 | 39.00 / 38.00 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 73500 D: 18.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 18.04 | 18.50 / 17.90 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 130000 D: 43.80 ⇑ 3.06% | 43.67 | 44.40 / 43.00 C: 44.00 ⇑ 3.77% | 43.71 | 44.80 / 43.10 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 11000 D: 25.40 ⇑ 0.79% | 25.45 | 25.90 / 25.30 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 174000 D: 9.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.92 | 10.10 / 9.80 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 458400 D: 16.30 ⇑ 1.88% | 16.34 | 16.60 / 16.10 C: 16.40 ⇑ 3.14% | 16.34 | 16.50 / 16.20 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 879000 D: 22.20 ⇑ 3.74% | 22.52 | 22.90 / 21.70 C: 22.40 ⇑ 6.16% | 22.33 | 23.00 / 22.00 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 257515 D: 7.10 ⇑ 1.43% | 7.14 | 7.40 / 6.80 C: 7.10 ⇑ 1.43% | 7.10 | 7.10 / 7.00 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 118000 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.84 | 6.00 / 5.80 C: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 5.95 | 6.00 / 5.90 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 72000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 1.69% | 6.05 | 6.10 / 6.00 C: 6.10 ⇑ 3.39% | 6.10 | 6.10 / 6.10 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 608292 D: 7.60 ⇑ 2.70% | 7.56 | 7.80 / 7.00 C: 7.60 ⇑ 2.70% | 7.63 | 7.70 / 7.00 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 310500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 5.56% | 5.69 | 5.80 / 5.50 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 96500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 1.79% | 5.70 | 5.80 / 5.60 C: 5.80 ⇑ 3.57% | 5.70 | 5.80 / 5.60 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 354000 D: 6.80 ⇑ 3.03% | 6.73 | 6.90 / 6.60 C: 6.80 ⇑ 1.49% | 6.80 | 6.80 / 6.80 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 152000 D: 5.60 ⇓ 1.75% | 5.67 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.65 | 5.70 / 5.60 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 195500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.33 | 5.40 / 5.20 C: 5.40 ⇑ 3.85% | 5.37 | 5.40 / 5.30 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 168000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.04 | 6.10 / 6.00 C: 6.10 ⇑ 1.67% | 6.09 | 6.20 / 6.00 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 136000 D: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.43 | 5.50 / 5.40 C: 5.50 ⇑ 3.77% | 5.46 | 5.50 / 5.30 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 654032 D: 6.10 ⇑ 1.67% | 6.13 | 6.30 / 5.80 C: 6.20 ⇑ 1.64% | 6.18 | 6.20 / 6.10 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 241500 D: 5.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.96 | 6.00 / 5.80 C: 6.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 5.96 | 6.00 / 5.80 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 500500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.62 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.70 ⇑ 3.64% | 5.64 | 5.70 / 5.60 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 11500 D: 7.10 ⇓ 1.39% | 7.14 | 7.30 / 6.90 C: 6.80 ⇑ 3.03% | 6.80 | 6.80 / 6.80 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 160000 D: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.20 | 6.30 / 6.00 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 534000 D: 8.00 ⇑ 1.27% | 8.01 | 8.10 / 7.90 C: 8.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.99 | 8.20 / 7.90 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 405100 D: 8.70 ⇑ 2.35% | 8.78 | 8.90 / 7.70 C: 8.60 ⇑ 1.18% | 8.60 | 8.80 / 8.50 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.45 | 10.78 | Vol. 57000 D: 6.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.77 | 6.90 / 6.70 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 474728 D: 7.30 ⇑ 2.82% | 7.34 | 7.50 / 7.00 C: 7.70 ⇑ 5.48% | 7.75 | 7.80 / 7.50 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 617650 D: 9.10 ⇑ 1.11% | 9.13 | 9.20 / 8.30 C: 9.10 ⇑ 1.11% | 9.01 | 9.20 / 9.00 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 500 D: 8.90 ⇓ 1.11% | 8.90 | 8.90 / 8.90 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 29000 D: 8.20 ⇓ 1.20% | 8.31 | 8.40 / 8.20 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 336500 D: 8.20 ⇑ 2.50% | 8.12 | 8.20 / 8.00 C: 8.20 ⇑ 2.50% | 8.12 | 8.30 / 8.00

EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 1000 D: 7.90 ⇑ 2.60% | 8.00 | 8.00 / 7.90 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 4.03 | 56.91 | Vol. 554542 D: 102.3 ⇑ 1.89% | 101.43 | 108.0 / 95.00 C: 102.4 ⇑ 1.19% | 101.23 | 102.9 / 100.0 AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 2100 D: 17.50 ⇑ 0.57% | 17.62 | 17.70 / 17.50 OLYMPIC | 5.23 | 14.73 | Vol. 188913 D: 153.8 ⇑ 3.50% | 152.80 | 154.9 / 145.0 C: 154.0 ⇑ 4.90% | 153.61 | 155.0 / 152.0 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 7697 D: 131.5 ⇑ 3.95% | 130.86 | 133.0 / 120.0 C: 129.3 ⇑ 3.27% | 129.30 | 131.0 / 125.5 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 187600 D: 86.90 ⇑ 4.70% | 85.08 | 87.90 / 83.00 C: 87.60 ⇑ 8.68% | 84.55 | 88.00 / 80.00 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 1050 D: 305.8 ⇓ 3.44% | 305.71 | 327.9 / 300.0 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 51934 D: 193.1 ⇑ 1.10% | 192.60 | 193.7 / 182.0 C: 194.6 ⇑ 2.26% | 191.67 | 194.8 / 190.0 ATLASBANG | 9.14 | 222.05 | Vol. 16037 D: 160.1 ⇑ 0.95% | 158.94 | 160.9 / 152.0 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 31550 D: 30.60 ⇓ 3.16% | 30.46 | 31.00 / 30.00 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 383665 D: 36.30 ⇑ 5.52% | 35.97 | 37.00 / 32.00 C: 36.30 ⇑ 5.22% | 35.68 | 36.90 / 33.00 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 6550 D: 144.3 ⇓ 1.50% | 144.43 | 148.7 / 143.2 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 32440 D: 73.00 ⇑ 1.81% | 73.18 | 74.00 / 71.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 166106 D: 27.00 ⇑ 1.89% | 26.92 | 27.40 / 24.90 C: 27.20 ⇑ 4.21% | 27.04 | 27.40 / 26.50 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 132500 D: 25.40 ⇓ 2.31% | 25.65 | 26.90 / 25.30 C: 25.60 ⇓ 2.66% | 25.45 | 26.00 / 25.00 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 13000 D: 15.30 ⇑ 0.66% | 15.33 | 15.80 / 15.10 C: 15.00 ⇑ 1.35% | 15.00 | 15.00 / 15.00 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 147500 D: 92.10 ⇑ 11.37% | 90.33 | 92.10 / 84.00 C: 93.50 ⇑ 10.00% | 92.09 | 93.50 / 89.60 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 271690 D: 43.50 ⇑ 1.40% | 43.40 | 43.80 / 41.70 C: 43.60 ⇑ 3.56% | 43.13 | 44.30 / 42.10 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 679068 D: 50.20 ⇑ 2.66% | 50.01 | 51.00 / 47.50 C: 50.10 ⇑ 2.45% | 50.00 | 51.00 / 49.20 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 134695 D: 72.20 ⇑ 1.98% | 71.69 | 72.50 / 65.00 C: 72.10 ⇑ 2.56% | 71.90 | 72.90 / 70.20 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 105574 D: 66.30 ⇑ 1.22% | 65.83 | 69.50 / 60.00 C: 66.70 ⇑ 3.09% | 65.82 | 66.90 / 65.50 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 359361 D: 18.40 ⇑ 1.66% | 18.32 | 18.50 / 17.00 C: 18.40 ⇑ 2.22% | 18.30 | 18.50 / 18.10 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 658420 D: 56.40 ⇑ 0.36% | 56.97 | 58.40 / 52.00 C: 57.10 ⇑ 1.42% | 57.27 | 58.40 / 56.40 BENGALWTL | 3.85 | 24.30 | Vol. 2315800 D: 65.40 ⇑ 0.77% | 65.37 | 67.00 / 63.30 C: 65.10 ⇑ 2.84% | 65.23 | 66.80 / 63.50 BDBUILDING | 1.33 | 12.70 | Vol. 1834500 D: 74.30 ⇑ 5.24% | 74.30 | 76.60 / 71.00 C: 74.50 ⇑ 5.52% | 74.41 | 76.50 / 71.80 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 232297 D: 58.40 ⇑ 1.39% | 58.02 | 59.50 / 55.60 C: 57.20 ⇑ 0.18% | 57.79 | 59.00 / 56.80 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 23600 D: 91.90 ⇑ 5.51% | 91.10 | 95.00 / 88.90 C: 88.30 ⇑ 2.67% | 89.40 | 89.90 / 88.30 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 75192 D: 463.7 ⇑ 3.46% | 458.03 | 465.0 / 440.0 C: 463.8 ⇑ 3.92% | 459.08 | 465.0 / 447.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 750 D: 1653 ⇓ 1.64% | 1652 | 1688 / 1650 GEMINISEA | -15.39 | -5.70 | Vol. 2650 D: 159.2 ⇑ 1.14% | 158.49 | 161.9 / 156.0

NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 450 D: 808.8 ⇓ 0.76% | 808.89 | 810.0 / 800.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 200 D: 7.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 60880 D: 188.1 ⇑ 3.35% | 186.71 | 192.0 / 180.0 C: 185.6 ⇑ 5.04% | 184.69 | 190.9 / 180.0 RAHIMAFOOD | 0.52 | 4.45 | Vol. 704000 D: 56.20 ⇑ 0.72% | 57.53 | 60.00 / 52.10 C: 56.30 ⇑ 1.26% | 57.82 | 60.50 / 53.00 FUWANGFOOD | 0.94 | 12.28 | Vol. 376206 D: 23.20 ⇑ 1.75% | 23.04 | 23.40 / 21.00 C: 23.20 ⇑ 1.31% | 23.04 | 23.30 / 22.90 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 31000 D: 6.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 6.55 | 6.70 / 6.40 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 36500 D: 7.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.34 | 7.40 / 7.20 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 458842 D: 21.70 ⇑ 1.88% | 21.37 | 21.80 / 19.50 C: 21.80 ⇑ 2.83% | 21.44 | 21.90 / 21.00 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 703150 D: 21.20 ⇓ 3.64% | 21.25 | 22.50 / 20.00 C: 21.20 ⇓ 3.20% | 21.22 | 22.00 / 20.60 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 451720 D: 23.80 ⇑ 1.28% | 23.84 | 24.10 / 22.00 C: 23.90 ⇑ 0.42% | 23.97 | 24.20 / 23.60 GHAIL | 2.31 | 24.36 | Vol. 1076190 D: 44.80 ⇑ 2.05% | 44.86 | 45.20 / 40.00 C: 44.80 ⇑ 3.23% | 44.65 | 45.10 / 43.70 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 10320 D: 632.7 ⇑ 0.75% | 626.61 | 635.0 / 621.6 PADMAOIL | 27.62 | 79.74 | Vol. 185714 D: 309.3 ⇓ 1.47% | 310.82 | 316.0 / 300.0 C: 309.8 ⇓ 0.67% | 310.34 | 315.9 / 309.0 EASTRNLUB | 5.33 | 71.01 | Vol. 800 D: 318.4 ⇑ 1.08% | 318.75 | 325.0 / 310.5 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 428812 D: 22.20 ⇑ 1.83% | 22.02 | 22.50 / 20.00 C: 22.30 ⇑ 4.69% | 22.08 | 22.50 / 21.50 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 917893 D: 39.90 ⇑ 3.10% | 39.55 | 40.30 / 35.00 C: 40.10 ⇑ 4.16% | 39.68 | 40.40 / 38.20 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 99716 D: 59.90 ⇑ 0.84% | 59.71 | 60.30 / 55.50 C: 60.40 ⇑ 2.20% | 60.39 | 61.90 / 59.30 POWERGRID | 2.19 | 63.69 | Vol. 112468 D: 53.40 ⇓ 1.84% | 53.13 | 54.00 / 50.00 C: 53.90 ⇑ 1.89% | 56.66 | 57.00 / 53.40 JAMUNAOIL | 21.81 | 72.05 | Vol. 758484 D: 235.2 ⇑ 0.09% | 235.42 | 236.7 / 215.0 C: 234.9 ⇓ 0.47% | 234.90 | 235.5 / 234.1 MPETROLEUM | 21.34 | 59.26 | Vol. 2458640 D: 222.3 ⇓ 0.54% | 223.37 | 225.4 / 221.0 C: 222.4 ⇑ 0.23% | 223.68 | 224.9 / 221.8 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 209835 D: 74.30 ⇑ 1.09% | 74.02 | 74.60 / 66.10 C: 74.10 ⇑ 1.37% | 73.79 | 74.90 / 73.00 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 270647 D: 50.30 ⇑ 0.80% | 49.71 | 50.50 / 45.00 C: 50.40 ⇑ 2.23% | 50.21 | 51.60 / 48.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 1180235 D: 32.90 ⇑ 4.78% | 32.76 | 34.00 / 28.30 C: 32.80 ⇑ 4.13% | 32.78 | 33.10 / 32.40 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 112740 D: 74.90 ⇑ 3.31% | 74.26 | 75.50 / 67.00 C: 73.70 ⇑ 2.36% | 73.30 | 74.00 / 70.10 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 742410 D: 30.00 ⇑ 2.74% | 29.88 | 30.20 / 26.20 C: 30.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 29.94 | 30.40 / 29.20 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 1023320 D: 63.40 ⇑ 2.92% | 62.72 | 64.00 / 55.00 C: 63.40 ⇑ 4.11% | 62.44 | 63.60 / 61.70 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 7450 D: 81.70 ⇓ 0.12% | 81.48 | 83.50 / 79.90 SONALIANSH | 5.54 | 218.80 | Vol. 11800 D: 136.2 ⇑ 2.64% | 135.42 | 137.0 / 133.5 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 54350 D: 72.50 ⇑ 2.26% | 71.79 | 73.20 / 70.90 RAHIMTEXT | 4.65 | 56.68 | Vol. 450 D: 230.0 ⇓ 0.43% | 231.11 | 233.5 / 228.0

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

7

December 03, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 38,440.38 ⇑ 4.94% NBFI: 20,478.80 ⇑ 3.31% INVS: 4,837.08 ⇑ 1.78% ENGG: 6,423.55 ⇑ 3.34% FOOD: 9,893.06 ⇑ 1.04% F&P: 10,322.73 ⇑ 1.45% TEXT: 3,509.25 ⇑ 3.65% PHAR: 18,326.01 ⇑ 2.10% PAPR: 1,060.89 ⇑ 1.40% SERV: 3,081.81 ⇑ 3.48% LEAT: 5,338.94 ⇑ 0.68% CERA: 533.97 ⇑ 3.62% CMNT: 4,364.11 ⇑ 2.49% INFO: 7,573.20 ⇑ 3.59% GINS: 9,215.51 ⇑ 0.56% LINS: 124,004.93 ⇑ 2.20% TELC: 1,355.11 ⇑ 1.64% MISC: 6,584.22 ⇑ 1.80% SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 279100 D: 28.20 ⇑ 3.30% | 28.06 | 28.60 / 27.70 C: 28.40 ⇑ 4.03% | 27.96 | 28.50 / 27.50 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 1300 D: 105.8 ⇑ 3.62% | 106.15 | 108.0 / 100.0 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 84400 D: 69.40 ⇓ 3.61% | 69.83 | 73.90 / 68.00 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 7400 D: 7.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.57 | 7.70 / 7.50 TALLUSPIN | 1.75 | 16.17 | Vol. 1149800 D: 35.80 ⇑ 1.99% | 35.80 | 36.20 / 35.10 C: 35.80 ⇑ 2.29% | 35.89 | 36.80 / 35.00 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 8000 D: 69.90 ⇑ 4.02% | 69.74 | 70.40 / 68.00 C: 73.00 ⇓ 9.77% | 73.00 | 73.00 / 73.00 MITHUNKNIT | 2.87 | 20.53 | Vol. 67256 D: 73.10 ⇑ 1.67% | 72.62 | 74.00 / 71.10 C: 74.50 ⇑ 4.20% | 73.42 | 74.60 / 72.80 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 503200 D: 29.50 ⇑ 4.61% | 28.96 | 29.90 / 28.50 C: 29.60 ⇑ 4.59% | 29.03 | 29.80 / 28.30 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 116313 D: 17.70 ⇑ 2.31% | 17.65 | 17.90 / 17.20 C: 18.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 17.87 | 18.50 / 17.50 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 142000 D: 25.00 ⇑ 1.21% | 25.10 | 25.50 / 24.80 C: 25.10 ⇑ 2.45% | 25.13 | 25.40 / 24.90 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 131500 D: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.21 | 7.30 / 7.20 C: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.19 | 7.30 / 7.10 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 111500 D: 26.40 ⇑ 1.54% | 26.32 | 26.60 / 26.00 C: 27.00 ⇑ 5.06% | 27.00 | 27.00 / 27.00 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 276500 D: 38.60 ⇑ 1.58% | 38.76 | 39.40 / 38.00 C: 38.80 ⇑ 1.84% | 38.72 | 39.00 / 38.20 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1455173 D: 32.70 ⇑ 3.81% | 32.68 | 33.30 / 29.00 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 167437 D: 25.60 ⇑ 2.40% | 25.50 | 26.00 / 23.90 C: 25.50 ⇑ 1.59% | 25.41 | 25.70 / 24.80 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 102342 D: 93.40 ⇑ 1.08% | 93.47 | 94.60 / 90.00 C: 93.10 ⇑ 1.20% | 94.13 | 94.90 / 92.00 METROSPIN | 0.56 | 17.71 | Vol. 1060591 D: 21.70 ⇑ 3.33% | 21.46 | 22.00 / 20.00 C: 21.80 ⇑ 5.31% | 21.78 | 22.50 / 21.10 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 4413378 D: 19.30 ⇑ 7.22% | 18.92 | 19.50 / 16.40 C: 19.30 ⇑ 7.22% | 18.82 | 19.40 / 18.20 DACCADYE | 0.93 | 25.85 | Vol. 476400 D: 24.70 ⇑ 1.23% | 24.56 | 25.00 / 23.50 C: 24.90 ⇑ 2.47% | 24.66 | 25.10 / 24.50 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 4121653 D: 36.80 ⇑ 3.37% | 36.64 | 37.20 / 33.00 C: 36.90 ⇑ 3.94% | 36.73 | 37.30 / 36.00 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 492157 D: 16.90 ⇑ 1.20% | 16.91 | 17.10 / 15.00 C: 17.20 ⇑ 2.99% | 17.05 | 17.30 / 16.80 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 1382355 D: 28.90 ⇑ 4.33% | 28.66 | 29.30 / 25.00 C: 28.90 ⇑ 3.21% | 28.77 | 29.50 / 28.40 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 174050 D: 26.60 ⇑ 1.14% | 26.55 | 26.90 / 26.10 C: 26.70 ⇑ 1.91% | 26.56 | 27.00 / 26.30 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 502250 D: 24.10 ⇑ 1.69% | 24.04 | 24.50 / 23.80 C: 24.20 ⇑ 2.54% | 24.10 | 24.30 / 23.90 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 5719880 D: 32.50 ⇑ 4.17% | 31.95 | 32.70 / 28.50 C: 32.60 ⇑ 4.82% | 31.99 | 32.90 / 31.30 ENVOYTEX | 3.10 | 37.86 | Vol. 1096410 D: 54.60 ⇑ 1.11% | 54.65 | 55.40 / 48.50 C: 54.70 ⇑ 1.48% | 54.83 | 56.80 / 54.30 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 1574760 D: 73.70 ⇑ 2.36% | 73.60 | 74.30 / 66.00 C: 73.30 ⇑ 1.52% | 71.73 | 74.50 / 70.30 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 285000 D: 52.10 ⇑ 3.17% | 51.80 | 53.00 / 50.30 C: 51.70 ⇑ 4.02% | 51.52 | 52.90 / 50.10 PTL | 2.12 | 20.06 | Vol. 5976500 D: 58.10 ⇑ 14.82% | 56.08 | 58.70 / 51.50 C: 58.20 ⇑ 14.57% | 56.20 | 58.80 / 51.00 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 9100 D: 268.4 ⇓ 2.40% | 272.28 | 276.0 / 267.0 C: 270.5 ⇓ 0.88% | 272.23 | 273.2 / 269.0

BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 257741 D: 47.70 ⇑ 2.36% | 47.06 | 50.00 / 41.80 C: 47.70 ⇑ 3.70% | 47.43 | 48.50 / 46.90 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 900 D: 962.6 ⇑ 0.80% | 962.22 | 970.0 / 954.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 3820 D: 173.2 ⇑ 1.52% | 172.62 | 174.0 / 165.0 C: 172.0 ⇑ 3.49% | 169.74 | 172.0 / 168.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 8304 D: 735.4 ⇑ 2.14% | 730.83 | 739.0 / 705.0 PHARMAID | 1.39 | 26.19 | Vol. 72300 D: 164.9 ⇑ 1.79% | 164.14 | 166.0 / 161.2 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 45800 D: 103.7 ⇑ 3.18% | 103.36 | 104.9 / 101.1 C: 105.6 ⇑ 5.07% | 104.49 | 106.0 / 103.0 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 1200 D: 458.7 ⇑ 0.70% | 459.17 | 468.8 / 450.0 ORIONINFU | 1.27 | 7.00 | Vol. 110900 D: 42.10 ⇑ 4.99% | 42.00 | 43.50 / 41.00 C: 41.40 ⇑ 2.99% | 41.81 | 42.90 / 41.30 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 1132005 D: 194.9 ⇑ 0.46% | 194.86 | 195.5 / 185.0 C: 194.3 ⇑ 1.41% | 193.74 | 195.0 / 191.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 9000 D: 7.40 ⇑ 1.37% | 7.44 | 7.60 / 7.30 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1238970 D: 27.50 ⇑ 2.23% | 27.33 | 28.00 / 25.00 C: 27.70 ⇑ 3.75% | 27.35 | 27.80 / 26.90 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 1200 D: 839.9 ⇓ 0.76% | 840.00 | 859.0 / 825.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 15750 D: 75.10 ⇑ 2.04% | 74.63 | 75.50 / 73.60 C: 75.70 ⇑ 1.75% | 75.29 | 77.10 / 74.00 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 3500 D: 753.4 ⇓ 0.08% | 753.14 | 754.0 / 750.1 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 163650 D: 13.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.16 | 13.40 / 12.00 C: 13.10 ⇑ 0.77% | 13.04 | 13.10 / 12.70 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 515870 D: 85.70 ⇑ 2.02% | 85.57 | 90.00 / 82.00 C: 86.40 ⇑ 2.73% | 85.50 | 86.90 / 83.10 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 752661 D: 22.40 ⇑ 1.82% | 22.28 | 23.00 / 20.00 C: 22.50 ⇑ 2.74% | 22.35 | 22.60 / 21.00 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 785000 D: 60.90 ⇑ 4.10% | 60.22 | 61.50 / 58.60 C: 60.90 ⇑ 4.82% | 60.34 | 61.40 / 58.80 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 1266160 D: 62.30 ⇑ 1.30% | 62.22 | 62.70 / 56.00 C: 62.60 ⇑ 2.62% | 62.27 | 62.70 / 61.40 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 153000 D: 198.9 ⇑ 0.81% | 201.21 | 206.8 / 197.6 C: 198.0 ⇓ 1.64% | 200.72 | 207.0 / 196.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 1883200 D: 42.30 ⇓ 1.17% | 42.90 | 45.00 / 37.50 C: 42.70 ⇑ 2.40% | 43.11 | 44.20 / 42.00 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 24500 D: 28.20 ⇓ 1.74% | 28.24 | 28.50 / 28.00 C: 29.80 ⇓ 0.33% | 28.16 | 29.80 / 27.40 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.49 | 57.42 | Vol. 77500 D: 95.50 ⇑ 6.82% | 92.74 | 96.60 / 89.20 C: 95.00 ⇑ 4.40% | 94.24 | 96.00 / 91.40 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 511529 D: 30.40 ⇑ 4.11% | 30.11 | 30.80 / 27.00 C: 30.50 ⇑ 3.74% | 30.10 | 30.70 / 29.50 EHL | 2.81 | 18.44 | Vol. 288940 D: 52.70 ⇑ 1.74% | 52.54 | 53.10 / 50.00 C: 53.00 ⇑ 3.11% | 52.52 | 53.20 / 51.90

LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 193800 D: 126.1 ⇑ 4.91% | 123.65 | 127.5 / 120.3 C: 124.5 ⇑ 6.14% | 123.88 | 129.0 / 118.0 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 14000 D: 726.8 ⇓ 0.57% | 722.86 | 732.9 / 719.9 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 63000 D: 393.6 ⇑ 5.30% | 388.89 | 395.0 / 379.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 28000 D: 15.10 ⇑ 7.86% | 15.15 | 15.40 / 14.30 C: 14.90 ⇑ 7.97% | 14.95 | 15.10 / 13.90 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 772377 D: 37.80 ⇓ 5.03% | 38.56 | 39.80 / 36.60 C: 38.00 ⇓ 6.17% | 38.78 | 40.50 / 37.50 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 28650 D: 34.00 ⇑ 1.19% | 33.69 | 34.40 / 33.20 C: 33.20 ⇓ 2.35% | 33.10 | 34.00 / 32.60 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 8500 D: 39.00 ⇑ 4.00% | 39.06 | 39.90 / 37.50 FUWANGCER | 0.65 | 12.70 | Vol. 1325165 D: 21.10 ⇑ 6.03% | 20.51 | 21.50 / 18.00 C: 21.20 ⇑ 7.07% | 20.54 | 21.50 / 19.90 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 293713 D: 18.40 ⇑ 1.10% | 18.29 | 19.50 / 17.00 C: 18.40 ⇑ 2.79% | 18.30 | 18.60 / 17.90 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 112959 D: 52.90 ⇑ 2.92% | 52.34 | 53.00 / 47.00 C: 52.90 ⇑ 3.32% | 52.23 | 53.20 / 51.60 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 36660 D: 387.9 ⇑ 1.81% | 384.84 | 390.9 / 381.0 C: 386.3 ⇑ 2.01% | 386.30 | 389.9 / 382.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 141136 D: 124.2 ⇑ 2.56% | 123.24 | 124.7 / 120.0 C: 123.6 ⇑ 3.34% | 123.01 | 124.6 / 119.3 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 47700 D: 127.6 ⇑ 1.92% | 127.78 | 129.0 / 125.6 C: 129.2 ⇑ 3.36% | 128.37 | 129.5 / 127.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 622725 D: 81.20 ⇑ 6.42% | 80.10 | 81.20 / 73.00 C: 79.10 ⇑ 7.62% | 79.12 | 80.80 / 75.00 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 585000 D: 33.40 ⇑ 0.30% | 33.31 | 33.50 / 32.90 C: 33.20 ⇑ 1.22% | 33.10 | 33.30 / 32.90 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 111480 D: 83.20 ⇑ 2.59% | 82.48 | 83.60 / 75.00 C: 83.60 ⇑ 3.85% | 82.68 | 83.90 / 81.80 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 228200 D: 104.5 ⇑ 7.07% | 102.47 | 105.7 / 98.50 C: 104.3 ⇑ 7.75% | 102.18 | 105.0 / 100.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 104700 D: 17.70 ⇓ 0.56% | 17.74 | 18.00 / 17.00 C: 17.60 ⇓ 2.22% | 17.72 | 19.20 / 17.50 BDCOM | 1.40 | 14.41 | Vol. 181887 D: 26.00 ⇑ 2.77% | 25.89 | 26.20 / 24.50 C: 26.00 ⇑ 2.77% | 25.94 | 26.00 / 25.90 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 180564 D: 15.80 ⇑ 1.28% | 15.87 | 16.00 / 14.50 C: 15.90 ⇑ 1.27% | 15.82 | 16.10 / 15.70 AGNISYSL | 0.96 | 14.90 | Vol. 211522 D: 21.30 ⇑ 2.40% | 21.27 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 21.40 ⇑ 3.38% | 21.39 | 21.50 / 21.20 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 207000 D: 13.60 ⇓ 0.73% | 13.65 | 13.80 / 13.50 C: 13.70 ⇑ 0.74% | 13.61 | 13.80 / 13.50 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 1264950 D: 36.50 ⇑ 5.49% | 35.86 | 36.90 / 33.00 C: 36.90 ⇑ 6.96% | 36.15 | 37.10 / 35.00

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 23385 D: 29.80 ⇑ 2.76% | 29.67 | 30.00 / 27.00 C: 29.90 ⇑ 3.46% | 29.85 | 30.00 / 29.80 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 156698 D: 86.30 ⇓ 7.60% | 87.89 | 94.50 / 85.00 C: 87.70 ⇓ 5.80% | 88.43 | 91.00 / 86.10 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 16100 D: 45.50 ⇑ 5.32% | 45.03 | 46.20 / 44.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 165245 D: 35.60 ⇑ 2.01% | 35.95 | 36.80 / 34.00 C: 34.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 33.87 | 34.20 / 33.00 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 24282 D: 38.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 37.97 | 38.70 / 36.00 C: 35.30 ⇓ 9.95% | 35.30 | 35.30 / 35.30 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 103020 D: 28.20 ⇑ 1.81% | 28.10 | 28.40 / 25.50 C: 28.00 ⇑ 2.19% | 27.96 | 28.20 / 27.70 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 38950 D: 42.60 ⇑ 1.43% | 42.76 | 43.00 / 40.50 C: 42.30 ⇑ 4.70% | 42.18 | 42.50 / 42.00 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 51960 D: 49.00 ⇑ 2.73% | 48.78 | 49.40 / 44.00 C: 49.00 ⇑ 2.51% | 49.00 | 49.00 / 49.00 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 10052 D: 30.00 ⇑ 1.35% | 29.84 | 30.30 / 28.00 C: 29.20 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.20 | 29.20 / 29.20 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 44676 D: 24.80 ⇑ 4.20% | 24.62 | 25.20 / 22.00 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 119283 D: 34.20 ⇑ 2.70% | 34.05 | 34.50 / 32.00 C: 33.70 ⇑ 3.37% | 33.69 | 33.70 / 33.60 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 134130 D: 24.60 ⇑ 2.93% | 24.68 | 24.90 / 22.00 C: 24.80 ⇑ 3.77% | 24.75 | 25.50 / 24.20 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 2000 D: 72.40 ⇑ 4.62% | 72.50 | 73.90 / 70.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 146316 D: 23.80 ⇑ 1.71% | 23.86 | 24.20 / 22.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 15600 D: 58.80 ⇑ 1.38% | 58.65 | 59.50 / 56.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 33682 D: 32.10 ⇑ 2.88% | 32.24 | 32.90 / 30.00 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 63500 D: 69.60 ⇑ 1.02% | 69.67 | 70.80 / 68.60 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 54389 D: 27.70 ⇑ 2.59% | 27.39 | 27.90 / 24.50 C: 26.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.00 | 26.00 / 26.00 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 83210 D: 27.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.48 | 27.90 / 25.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 43540 D: 28.90 ⇑ 1.76% | 28.66 | 29.00 / 27.50 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 11030 D: 34.20 ⇑ 1.48% | 34.27 | 34.80 / 33.00 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 24550 D: 30.10 ⇑ 2.03% | 30.04 | 31.10 / 28.00 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 80407 D: 24.90 ⇑ 2.89% | 24.96 | 25.20 / 22.00 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 34186 D: 24.30 ⇑ 1.25% | 24.47 | 25.20 / 22.00 C: 24.70 ⇑ 3.78% | 24.74 | 24.80 / 24.70 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 145062 D: 27.60 ⇑ 1.47% | 27.47 | 27.90 / 25.00 C: 27.60 ⇑ 0.73% | 27.71 | 27.90 / 27.60 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 82154 D: 30.50 ⇑ 3.74% | 30.20 | 30.90 / 27.90 C: 30.20 ⇑ 3.78% | 30.17 | 30.50 / 30.00 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 120301 D: 39.30 ⇑ 3.42% | 39.19 | 40.00 / 36.00 C: 39.90 ⇑ 4.18% | 39.65 | 39.90 / 36.00 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 34011 D: 39.90 ⇓ 0.50% | 39.95 | 40.10 / 37.90 C: 40.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.00 | 40.00 / 40.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 60122 D: 41.90 ⇑ 1.21% | 41.74 | 42.60 / 41.00 C: 41.10 ⇑ 1.48% | 41.10 | 41.10 / 41.10 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 119178 D: 42.90 ⇑ 2.63% | 42.73 | 43.60 / 40.00 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 32199 D: 27.40 ⇑ 1.48% | 27.55 | 28.30 / 24.50 C: 28.00 ⇑ 4.48% | 27.73 | 28.10 / 26.50 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 29026 D: 34.00 ⇑ 5.59% | 33.83 | 34.40 / 32.00 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 62304 D: 28.80 ⇑ 2.86% | 28.61 | 29.30 / 26.60 C: 29.20 ⇑ 6.96% | 29.15 | 29.30 / 29.00

DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 60000 D: 41.90 ⇑ 2.44% | 41.88 | 42.70 / 37.00 C: 43.30 ⇑ 8.52% | 43.30 | 43.30 / 43.30 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 18405 D: 257.8 ⇑ 0.31% | 260.61 | 269.0 / 245.0 C: 260.0 ⇑ 2.36% | 259.67 | 265.0 / 255.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 2171890 D: 294.3 ⇓ 2.55% | 303.20 | 313.0 / 291.0 C: 295.1 ⇓ 1.21% | 302.83 | 313.4 / 292.3 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 110965 D: 75.00 ⇑ 5.04% | 74.54 | 75.90 / 70.00 C: 74.90 ⇑ 8.87% | 74.59 | 75.60 / 73.50 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 18563 D: 239.9 ⇓ 0.04% | 241.18 | 247.0 / 230.0 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 89429 D: 100.2 ⇑ 2.45% | 100.96 | 103.0 / 95.00 C: 98.30 ⇑ 2.82% | 101.25 | 99.10 / 100.0 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 130090 D: 111.8 ⇑ 2.19% | 112.91 | 114.8 / 102.0 C: 112.4 ⇑ 6.04% | 112.03 | 113.0 / 110.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 9000 D: 123.6 ⇑ 3.09% | 123.67 | 128.0 / 117.8 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 63264 D: 162.8 ⇑ 1.12% | 168.57 | 175.0 / 150.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 29197 D: 101.0 ⇑ 5.54% | 100.61 | 103.0 / 91.90 C: 97.60 ⇑ 3.72% | 97.59 | 96.60 / 101.0 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 240430 D: 114.8 ⇑ 0.70% | 118.09 | 123.0 / 108.0 C: 122.0 ⇑ 9.71% | 120.00 | 122.0 / 117.5 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 1065460 D: 64.40 ⇑ 9.90% | 63.66 | 64.40 / 56.00 C: 63.90 ⇑ 9.98% | 63.60 | 63.90 / 60.00 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 1277025 D: 61.90 ⇑ 8.60% | 60.90 | 61.90 / 55.30 C: 61.50 ⇑ 9.24% | 61.22 | 61.90 / 57.90 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 390800 D: 204.8 ⇑ 1.84% | 204.43 | 205.0 / 202.0 C: 204.4 ⇑ 1.39% | 203.99 | 204.9 / 201.6 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 261442 D: 173.1 ⇑ 2.12% | 171.71 | 173.8 / 155.0 C: 173.0 ⇑ 2.55% | 171.59 | 173.9 / 170.0 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 4131341 D: 16.90 ⇑ 3.05% | 16.87 | 17.10 / 14.80 C: 17.20 ⇑ 4.24% | 16.92 | 17.30 / 16.60 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 367510 D: 83.10 ⇑ 0.61% | 82.93 | 83.70 / 74.00 C: 83.30 ⇑ 2.08% | 83.08 | 83.60 / 82.20 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 7950 D: 355.1 ⇑ 6.64% | 351.70 | 358.0 / 340.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 53095 D: 442.3 ⇑ 2.31% | 438.36 | 445.0 / 432.0 C: 444.5 ⇑ 3.18% | 440.17 | 446.0 / 429.5 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 19482 D: 143.1 ⇑ 0.92% | 143.18 | 145.6 / 140.4 C: 143.9 ⇑ 3.15% | 143.19 | 143.9 / 142.5 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 60924 D: 132.2 ⇑ 2.80% | 132.32 | 135.0 / 124.0 C: 131.1 ⇑ 3.23% | 131.33 | 132.9 / 129.5 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 150 D: 56.30 ⇓ 2.76% | 56.30 | 56.30 / 56.30 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1627806 D: 34.60 ⇑ 2.98% | 34.37 | 36.00 / 30.00 C: 34.70 ⇑ 3.58% | 34.45 | 35.00 / 33.50 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 92500 D: 21.80 ⇑ 2.35% | 21.63 | 22.10 / 21.40 C: 22.10 ⇑ 2.79% | 21.78 | 22.10 / 21.20 MIRACLEIND | 0.09 | 14.41 | Vol. 192157 D: 16.00 ⇓ 0.62% | 15.95 | 16.20 / 15.60 C: 16.10 ⇑ 0.63% | 15.77 | 16.10 / 15.40 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 105 D: 984.5 ⇑ 0.00% | 980.95 | 988.0 / 973.5 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 20 D: 880.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 875.00 | 880.5 / 880.0 C: 896.5 ⇑ 1.88% | 896.67 | 900.0 / 880.0

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013

WTO MINISTERIAL COUNCIL MEETING OPENS

Ministers urged to back deal, avert tragedy for WTO n Meer Saiful Islam, from Bali, Indonesia The ninth WTO Ministerial Council meeting opened here yesterday with a call upon the ministers and delegates to show “flexibility, and sometime compromise” to reach a deal on the Bali package and avert a tragedy for the world trade institution.

The package is to reach a deal mainly on four issues – trade facilitation particularly through relaxing the rules of orgin condition, meaningful duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) market access, waiver in services sector and the cotton issue.

The call emerged as the global trade leaders apprehended a possible setback in the negotiation despite the deal texts were claimed to have made a significant progress, if not finalised.

“The deal is possible. It’s in your (ministers) hands,” Director General of World Trade Organisation Roberto Azevedo told the inaugural session of the four-day conference.

“Members (WTO) want a deal, now is the time to deliver. It’s political cause,” he said, calling for political willingness of the member states as the conference steps into the negotiation session today. “The deal is really close, but we did not quite get to the finish line.”

Indonesian Minister of Trade Gita Wirjawan, who is the council chairman, raised a concern that goes with the apprehension of the WTO director general. “If it (the deal) fails, it’ll be a tragedy for the country’s, for the institution(WTO),” he said.

Inaugurating the conference, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called upon the members to show strong political will with more flexibility to reach a deal for the good of the WTO, for the good of our economies and for the good of our peoples around the world.

“For twelve of those years, we have been negotiating under the Doha Development Agenda, and we have yet able to complete it,” he said, hoping a success of the negotiation this year.

“I am confident by working the extra miles, we will be able to agree on a Bali package that will pave the way for the conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda forward.

Roberto also spoke at a press conference following the inauguarl session, insisting nothing of the issues on the table today is too technical or difficult resolve.

He said what halted the progress of the issues brought in here from Geneva is not the lack of efforts, but it is the very specific political issue. “Ministers can make those.”

The WTO chief also insisted that if the Bali conference could be made successful, every nations will get some wins. He warned that if it fails, there would be a long list of losers.

Replying to a question, he said demonstration is a manifestation of welcome news.

The demonstrators are often misunderstood. “What we are doing here will not be worse than what we may lose if the deal is not done.”

Workers’ leaders want punishment of factory destroyers n Tribune Report The leaders of 45 organisations of readymade garment workers demanded to find out perpetrators of arson in Standard Group’s apparel factory within seven days.

While attending a meeting with BMGEA leaders in Dhaka yesterday, they urged the government to ensure exemplary punishments for those involved.

“We are demanding the government ensure exemplary punishments for the culprits” Nazma Akter, president of Sommilito Garment Sramik Federation, told a meeting with BGMEA in Dhaka yesterday.

She urged the government to find out the perpetrators involved with the arson in the factory recently through investigation.

The workers’ leaders pledged to work hand in hand with the owners so that the vested quarters cannot execute any sabotage in the RMG sector in future.

On the basis of rumours of fellow-workers’ death, a section of workers set ablaze the factory located in Konabari, Gazipur.

BGMEA vice presidents Shahidullah Azim and Reaz Bin Mahmood and leaders of 45 unions were present at the meeting. l

Technology, rules keep Amazon drone delivery in hangar, for now n Reuters

General-Director Roberto Azevedo speaks during the opening ceremony of the 9th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Meeting in Nusa Dua yesterday AFP “People over profit! Junk WTO!” were a couple of slogans that around 150 students and youth under the banner of the Indonesian People’s Alliance were chanting when they demonstarted at Ngurah Rai Sport Centre – about 15km from the conference venu of Nusa Dua area.

Various youth organizations affiliated with the Front Mahasiswa Nasional (FMN), the leading youth organisation in Indonesia, gathered at Renon and marched towards the US Consulate calling for the upholding of people’s interests over corporate greed.

VOICE and Supro, a NGO network of 600 hundred grassroots organisations in Bangladesh, were the part of this People’s Alliance.

A small group of activists also chanted slogans on the lobbies of the conference venue yesterday.

Another protest brought together around 1,000 farmers, trade unions, students, women and youth from more than 30 countries at Renon Square in Bali.

Replying to another question about demonstration on farmers’ fate, Roberto said: “If we don’t have the Bali Package, the farmers will be the losers not the winners.”

He said the deal on the table to adopt about the export competition on agriculture products (export subsidy) would bode well for the farmers.

About food security, he said some countries are on the verge of breaching their WTO commitment. Under this circumstance, if you don’t have the deal in Bali everything will be abolished, he warned.

In response to a question about special and differential treatment for the LDCs, the WTO chief said they have been agreed on the language under bracket (not agreed upon), but not yet finalised. “I don’t think that is not possible to solve.”

About the prospect of the negotiation starts today, he said: “if one of the element does not come through, everything will fail.”

He added that the problems are of very localised nature.

On the sidelines of the inaugural function, an official of Bangladesh delegation told Dhaka Tribune the prospect of the deal would become vulnerable if only a single issue could not reach a consensus. India is strongly against the agriculture subsidy issue while the United States was promoting it. l

Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos made a splash on Sunday with his radical plan to deliver goods to millions of its customers’ doors by using a fleet of unmanned drones, but the bold vision is not likely to become a reality this decade.

By Bezos’ own admission, the technology that would enable electric-powered ‘octocopters’ to fly to pre-programmed addresses unaided by humans is still early in development, and the United States is not likely to establish rules for civilian unmanned aircraft systems until 2015 at the earliest.

On top of that, the idea faces privacy concerns and was derided by some as merely a publicity stunt.

“I know this looks like science fiction.

It’s not,” Bezos told Charlie Rose on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” show on Sunday night, demonstrating video of a buzzing, toy-sized chopper delicately dropping a small package on a customer’s patio.

The piece was aired on the eve of “Cyber Monday,” one of the busiest online shopping days of the year when it helps Amazon to be on the minds of customers. l