December 06, 2013

Weekend Tribune Khagrachari revisited: Peace in our time?

Agrahayan 22, 1420 Safar 2, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 252

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International

25 killed as militants storm Yemen defence complex

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

Sport

Ronaldo hoping to avoid big guns in Brazil draw

B1

Dhaka rejects Taranco’s request to meet president, army chief n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

home after the blockade ended yesterday evening.

Hassan, the only beloved son of the poor woman, died while undergoing treatment at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), after he received 90% burn injury as blockaders set his bus to fire.

He was fast asleep inside the bus in the capital’s Sayedabad area yesterday.

UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez-Taranco is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka today to encourage political leaders to hold non-violent, inclusive and credible elections.

Taranco will lead a five-member team, with two officials from the Department of Political Affairs and one senior mediation expert, and will have a series of meetings with major stakeholders during the trip.

However, the government has meanwhile rejected the UN envoy’s request to meet President Abdul Hamid and the chief of staff of the Bangladesh Army, Gen Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan.

The visit of the UN official – two days after the visit of Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh – is seen as an effort of the international community to reduce tension among the political parties amid the ongoing confrontational politics over the arrangements for the polls-time government.

During her visit Sujatha Singh stressed the need to hold the elections on time.

The Election Commission declared the election schedule last month and the date for submission of nomination papers expired on December 2.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is sending his deputy to mediate in the political crisis.

Taranco will have meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP chief Khaleda Zia, Foreign Minister

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The former dictator to hand in resignations to the president Four of the six ministers from the Jatiya Party yesterday handed over to party chief HM Ershad their resignations from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s polls-time cabinet.

“Chairman HM Ershad will hand over the resignation letters to President Abdul Hamid when he returns from Singapore,” said Jatiya Party’s Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader at a press conference yesterday.

About the two other ministers who did not submit resignations, Ruhul Amin said they gave assurance over phone that they would resign Later at night, Ershad said all but two from his party had handed over their resignations to him and the two – Anisul Islam Mahmud, water resources minister, and Ziauddin Bablu, adviser to the PM – would also “submit their resignations tomorrow [Friday] morning.”

Asked why the ministers submitted the resignation letters to him and not

the PM, Ershad said the ministers had taken oaths from the president, not the PM, so they gave him their resignations for submitting to the president.

About his wife Rowshan Ershad, health minister in the polls-time cabinet, he said: “She is my wife. You can assume that her resignation letter is with me.”

In reply to another question, the former dictator said he was firm in his decision not to take part in the upcoming elections and “otherwise, there will be no other way but death.”

The ministers’ resignation, which analysts said was not in line with the constitution, came hours after Ershad had threatened the ministers with punishment if they did not resign.

The ministers who submitted resignations are GM Quader, commerce minister, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, civil aviation and tourism minister, Mujibul Haq Chunnu, state minister for youth and sports, and Salma Islam, state minister for women and children affairs.

On December 03, Ershad backtracked from his decision to participate in the upcoming polls and the next day asked the ministers from his party to  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Hasan, 18, receives medical treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after he was burnt when pro-blockade activists torched a bus at Sayedabad Bus Terminal in the capital yesterday. He later died MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Arson attack: Boy burnt in his sleep n Mohammad Jamil Khan Nasima Begum, mother of yet another arson victim, could not believe that her son could die an unnatural death, as God could not be so cruel to her.

“I do not believe that something bad can happen to my son; the Almighty cannot be so cruel and at least he cannot do anything like that to him; my son is everything to me, he has maintained the family for

Only death is right for Quader Molla n Julfikar Ali Manik The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in its full verdict said they sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla to death as the apex court thinks no other punishment can be proper for his horrific crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War. “Death is the only appropriate sentence [for Quader Molla],” the judgement said ordering that he be hanged until death.

The Supreme Court released the full text of 790 pages of its judgement yesterday, 78 days after it pronounced the verdict on September 17 that awarded the Jamaat leader the death sentence, overruling the judgement of the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that had given him a life term.

The release of the judgement paved

INSIDE News

3 Defending the party’s strategy of announcing blockade programmes through video messages, main opposition BNP yesterday claimed that the government had not left any space for holding a press conference.

Nation

6 Egg production in different poultry farms of Gazipur has fallen drastically because of shortages in the supply of poultry feed.

Entertainment

12 Today is the 57th birthday of Tareque Masud, whose untimely death left an enormous vacuum in the arena of film in the country, which will never be filled.

Having said this, his works still inspire the new generation filmmakers to bring change in the true sense.

the way for the government to start the process of executing the death sentence of Quader Molla, well-known as “Mirpurer Kasai” (Butcher of Mirpur) for his heinous crimes.

P2, P3 MORE STORIES The Jamaat assistant secretary general, Quader Molla was brought to Dhaka Central Jail around 5pm yesterday from Kashimpur jail, about 30kms from the capital.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam said the verdict would be implemented as soon as possible.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 says: “The sentence awarded under this Act shall be carried out in accordance with the orders of the government.”

Some legal experts say article 47(3)

of the constitution gives protection to the ICT Act. According to the article, no provision of the ICT law would be considered unlawful, even if it is inconsistent with, or repugnant to any of the provisions of the constitution.

On these issues, some legal experts say the constitutional scope for filing an application to review the apex court’s judgement would not be applicable for the war crimes case against Quader Molla.

Even the provisions of the Jail Code for implementing death penalty will not be applicable for this case.

Molla’s counsels, however, after the verdict said they would file a review petition with the Supreme Court within 30 days of receiving the certified copy of the judgement as per the constitutional provision.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

33 killed, 2nd spell of blockade ends n Tribune Report The opposition-enforced 131 hours of road, railway and waterway blockades came to an end yesterday, claiming the lives of 33 people and injuring hundreds amid sporadic clashes, arson, vandalism and sabotage across the country.

With the country coming almost to a halt because of continuous blockades, the opposition once again called another 72-hour blockade starting from 6am Saturday.

Yesterday political violence claimed three lives. An adolescent bus helper who was asleep inside a parked vehicle at Sayedabad in the capital, was burnt alive after miscreants threw a petrol bomb inside. He died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

The bus “Ishrat Paribahan” had been parked at the Sayedabad Janapath intersection over the last three days during the blockade.

The victim Hasan, 15, was, as on the other blockade days, sleeping inside said its driver, Swapon.

The firefighters found him lying on the floor of the bus, seriously burnt.

Of the remaining two victims, a rickshaw puller of Feni, who sustained bullet injuries in a triangular clash be-

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Ershad receives 4 JP ministers’ resignations Bakar Siddique and n Abu Manik Miazee

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tween police, ruling party men and Shibir on December 2, succumbed to his injuries at Chittagong Medical College Hospital; and the other one, a Jubo League man, Md Mehedi Hassan Moon, 30, of Pabna, was hacked to death by BNP men at his party office during the early hours of yesterday.

Police could not ascertain the reason for his killing.

Of the three killed yesterday, one was a bus helper while another was a rickshaw puller In a separate incident, a CNG-run three-wheeler driver sustained 35% burn injuries when blockaders set fire to his vehicle in Chittagong city.

In a new type of sabotage, pickets set fire to two launches at Shariatpur yesterday. On Wednesday, sabotage against train lines left five passengers dead in Gaibandha.

Fifty-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Mohammad Khorshed Alam received 35% burn injuries as blockaders set fire to the auto-rickshaw, pouring on petrol just as he came out of his house in the C&B area of the port city around 6:30am.

The father of five children came out of his house to earn money as his  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

the last 10 years after his father left.”

This is how Nasima Begum, mother of arson attack victim, Hassan, muttered those words to the Dhaka Tribune over her mobile phone as if she was uttering a prayer.

Nasima knew nothing about the death of her son in an arson attack while this correspondent talked to her on Thursday evening. Asked about their last talk, Nasima said her son called on the cell phone saying he would come

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Quader Molla to file review petition n Abu Bakar Siddique Counsel for war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla yesterday said they would submit a review petition after getting the certified copy of the full verdict of death sentence delivered by the Appellate Division.

“As soon as we obtain the certified copy, we will file a review petition against the judgement in accordance with article 105 of the constitution,” chief defence counsel Abdur Razzak told journalists at a press briefing held his residence in the capital’s Dhanmondi.

Quader Molla had the right under the constitution to file the petition, he claimed.

However, Additional Attorney General MK Rahman said earlier that Quader Molla could not file a review petition

against the Appellate Division verdict.

On this, Razzak said: “The attorney general’s office claims that there is no scope for review, but which is not true.”

The constitution has given the Appellate Division the jurisdiction to hear review petitions. As per the settled

'If the review petition is dismissed, either on merit or on the point of jurisdiction, only then the question of implementation of the verdict will arise' principle of law laid down by the superior courts, in a democratic country with an independent judiciary, “the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court cannot be readily inferred to have been taken away,” he said.

The Appellate Division can alone de-

cide whether it has the jurisdiction to hear a review petition or not, the lawyer added.

He cited examples of the USA, the UK, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan where law settled by the superior courts states that when the question of jurisdiction of the superior courts is raised, the superior courts themselves decide the issue after hearing both sides.

In reply of a question on execution of the verdict, Razzak said if Quader Molla’s review petition was dismissed, either on merit or on the point of jurisdiction, only then the question of implementation of the verdict would arise.

Moreover, the authorities would be under an obligation to follow the Jail Code as the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act did not specify any procedure of executing a death sentence. l

Friday, December 6, 2013

Quader Molla shifted to Dhaka from Gazipur

Kazi Zafar supports BNP’s cause n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Kailash Sarkar

Expelled Jatiya Party Presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed yesterday told the BNP chief that his party leaders and activists would be on the streets to support the 18-party alliance’s ongoing movement.

A 16-member delegation went to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Gulshan office around 8pm. Khaleda went to her office after seven days.

Kazi Zafar, who was expelled from HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party on November 28 and suspended the former military dictator the same day, said he was yet to finalise a organisational structure.

About reuniting with Ershad or joining the BNP-led alliance, he said he would not join up with Ershad. “We will hold a special council on December 18 to discuss the matters.”

Kazi Zafar also welcomed Ershad’s boycotting the polls. “I think he will regain his lost image. But we have to wait until December 13. We hope that he will keep his words and will not play anymore game.” l

Death penalty awarded war criminal Abdul Quader Molla was taken to Dhaka Central Jail in the capital’s Nazimuddin Road from a Gazipur jail yesterday evening, few hours after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court released its full verdict, said jail officials.

But they could not confirm the causes behind the shifting of Quader Molla to Dhaka from the Gazipur jail as there was no schedule for producing him before the court.

Forman Ali, senior superintendent of Dhaka Central Jail, said war criminal Quader Molla was taken into the jail around 5:30pm from the Part-2 of the central jail in Kashimpur of Gazipur.

Asked, the senior jail superintendent said: “So far we have not received any directive in regards of producing him before any court.”

“As the higher authorities have sent him to Dhaka from Gazipur, he will stay

here until further order,” said Forman Ali. Replying to a query, the jail superintendent said: “Since we did not receive any copy of the order from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court regarding the death penalty of Quader Molla he is still a life-term awarded convict to us.”

“Quader Molla will be shifted to the condemned cell after receiving the court order on his death penalty,” said Jail Superintendent Forman Ali. Officials in Gazipur jail said Quader Molla was sent to Dhaka Central Jail under escort of a huge contingent of law enforcers around 4:30pm.

But sources said the release of the full verdict is linked to sending Quader Molla from Gazipur to Dhaka.

Earlier on February 5, the International Crimes Tribunal 2 sentenced him lifetime imprisonment for crimes against humanity in 1971. But on September 17, the war criminal was convicted to death penalty by a bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. l

President’s medical checkup completes in Singapore

33 killed, 2nd spell  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

n UNB The medical check-up of President Abdul Hamid was completed at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore yesterday.

“The heart check-up of the honourable president was completed at Mount Elizabeth Hospital today [yesterday],” President’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.

The president is scheduled to return home today on a regular flight of Singapore Airlines at 9pm.

The president went to Singapore on Monday on a five-day visit for his follow-up health check-up. l

Law enforcers try to detain Jamuna Group chief Nurul Islam Babul in front JP chairman's residence; JP Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader arrives at Ershad's Baridhara residence to submit his resignation from the polls-time cabinet yesterday RAJIB DHAR

4 JP ministers' resignations  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

resign from the polls-time government.

The presence of law enforcers has since been increased around his residence.

Anisul Islam Mahmud went to Ershad’s residence at 8:10pm and came out after half an hour, but he refused to make any comment.

Some angry party men shouted at him, calling him subservient to the Awami League. Police rescued Anisul and gave him a safe escape route.

Ershad later told reporters: “If anyone leaves the party now, that will be a wrong decision. I am hurt by this.”

Zaiuddin Bablu could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

On law enforcers’ attempt to detain Jamuna Group chief and Jatiya Party leader Nurul Islam Babul in the evening, Ershad said: “I do not know what is happening in the minds of the government.

They think that I am a kid of class V and I take lessons from Nurul Islam Babul.

“Salma Islam, the junior minister for youth and sports, is his wife. He can come here anytime!”

In the morning, Rowshan Ershad, Ruhul Amin Howlader and Mojibul

Haque Chunnu met with Sheikh Hasina at her office. Ruhul later said they had gone to explain the party’s stance to the PM. According to section 58 (1) of the constitution, the office of a minister becomes vacant if the minister resigns from office by placing the resignation in the hands of the PM for submission to the president.

“The resignation must be done according to the constitutional provision,” Akbar Ali Khan, a former cabinet secretary and former adviser to a caretaker government, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Suranjit Sengupta, a former cabinet minister, said ministers “must submit resignation letters in person to the prime minister.”

The interim cabinet was formed as per Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s proposal for an “all-party” cabinet to oversee the upcoming polls. Six ministers of the 29-member polls-time cabinet are from the Jatiya Party. They took oath on November 18. Ziauddin Bablu was appointed as the PM’s adviser the next day. l

Dhaka rejects Taranco’s request  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

AH Mahmood Ali, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, and members of diplomatic and civil societies.

His schedule is prepared in such a manner so that he can convey messages among the leaders.

On Saturday, Taranco will meet Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in the afternoon and then the prime minister. After that, he will meet BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and then the BNP chief.

In a similar fashion, he will meet Ashraf on Monday morning, Fakhrul in the afternoon and Khaleda in the evening. The next day he will meet the prime minister again before leaving Bangladesh. This is Taranco’s third trip to Dhaka in a year; he visited here last December and May. “I hope his visit will reduce the gap between the two major parties,” former Bangladesh ambassador to US Humayun Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune.

He, however, said there was little

scope for compromise and that made Taranco’s job difficult.

“The two major parties are sticking to their guns and no light is seen at the end of the tunnel,” said another former diplomat, seeking anonymity. If the UN wanted, it could do many things as it had many leverages, he said.

A foreign ministry official said the issue of holding non-violent, inclusive and credible elections would dominate the meeting between the prime minister and Taranco.

Asked if the UN has the authority to impose any decision on Bangladesh, he said a resolution in the UN General Assembly must be adopted to enforce a UN decision.

Meeting with army chief

Taranco expressed intention to meet the army chief but the request was declined, said a diplomat. They also wanted to meet the president but it was also not entertained.

“There is no point [for him] meeting the army chief to discuss security issue as during the polls time they work un-

Convict’s family has already obtained an appointment to see him at the central jail this morning. Defence counsel Tajul Islam also told the Dhaka Tribune that they would try to meet the Jamaat leader today. Junior law minister Quamrul said the jail authorities would ask Molla whether he would seek the president’s clemency. “If he wants, then it will be sent to the president and if the president does not grant the clemency or the convict does not want to seek for it, the prison authorities can set any day to execute the final verdict.”

A five-member special bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain gave the death penalty for Quader Molla by a majority, as one judge, even though finding him guilty, was against capital punishment for the Jamaat leader.

When the apex court pronounced its verdict in an open court, they did not mention who were the four supporting death penalty.

The full text of the judgement made it clear that Chief Justice Muzammel, Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik awarded death sentence in one of the six charges against Molla.

Only Justice MA Wahhab Miah was for

awarding Molla life term imprisonment for the same charge which was related to the killing of Hazrat Ali Laskar, his wife, three daughters and his two-year-old son in Mirpur on March 26, 1971. One of the three daughters was raped but she survived and testified against the convict.

In the verdict delivered on February 5, the tribunal 2 had found Molla guilty for this offense and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Justice Wahhab upheld the punishment given by the tribunal.

All the five judges of the bench unanimously convicted Quader Molla in the charge for killing Hazrat Ali Laskar and others. Only Justice Wahhab did not find the war criminal guilty in the remaining five charges, but the other four judges held him guilty in those charges and awarded him imprisonment in different terms. In the charge related to the killing of poet Meherunnesa, her mother and two brothers in Mirpur on March 27, 1971, only Justice Shamsuddin said Quader Molla deserved death sentence for this offense too. But as he would not be hanged twice, the judge awarded him death sentence only for killing Hazrat and others.

Justice Sinha was author judge of the judgement. Chief Justice Muzammel and Justice Mahmud did not write their judgement separately; they only agreed with the judgement wrote by Justice

Sinha.

Only Justice Shamsuddin agreed with Justice Sinha’s judgement but wrote his one separately.

Justice Sinha in his part of the judgement said the perpetrator had committed the most worst and barbarous types of crimes against humanity. “He participated in the killing and rape of innocent persons without just cause. His acts are comparable with none.”

Citing the records of witness Momena’s deposition given to the tribunal 2, Justice Sinha said: “A pathetic heart-breaking atmosphere seized the proceedings of the tribunal. If one reads her testimony, it will be difficult to control emotion.”

Justice Sinha said: “The murders were extremely brutal, cold-blooded, diabolical and revolting so as to arouse intense and extreme indignation of the community. It was perpetrated with motive.

“On a close reading of the evidence of Momena, one can instantaneously arrive at a conclusion that there is something uncommon about the incidents of murder which render sentence of imprisonment for life inadequate and deserve for a death sentence.”

He said: “The horrible picture of the carnage that had been unleashed was so brutal that the sentence of death is to be taken as the proper sentence. If no such

Launch torched

On Wednesday night, the troublemakers torched three stalled launches including MV Naria and MV Shureshwar at Wapda Launch Terminal under Noria Upazila of Shariatpur. A staff member from MV Naria sustained burn injuries, whilst trying to put the fire out. Locals rushed forward and doused the flames. Police arrested the Jubo Dal upazila unit’s general secretary, Dabir Bepari, in this reagrd.

The BNP-led opposition called a 72hour blockade on November 30, which was extended till 5pm yesterday. The country saw clashes, arson, vandalism and continuous sabotage against the rail network on these days. l

Arson attack: Boy burnt in his sleep

Only death is right for Quader Molla  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

der the Election Commission,” the official said.

If anybody meets with army officials after meeting with the Election Commission, that would give a wrong message and the government did not want that, he added.

“The international community has a tendency to meet with army officials but the government discourages it.”

The German ambassador in Dhaka after a meeting with the foreign minister last month said Taranco’s visit was very encouraging.

“It comes at the last moment but may be it comes at the right moment.”

He expressed hope that both sides would take responsible action before Taranco’s arrival and some major progress could be achieved during his visit.

Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general wrote letters to the prime minister and the BNP chief last month, urging them to engage in a dialogue as “time is running out” to find a way to have a credible election. He also made phone calls to both of them in August to encourage them to hold dialogue. l

savings finished during the BNP-led 18-party opposition’s countrywide blockade. In Kurigram, at least 20 people, including a policeman, were injured as the opposition men clashed with law enforcers in Chilmari upazila in the morning.

They also vandalised an ambulance and a motorcycle during the clash. Police fired rubber bullets to quell the situation.

Masked men hacked an AL activist at Kansat under Shibganj upazila of Chapainababganj. Police said the incident took place when Manik, 40, was taking tea at a tea stall in the morning.

The blockaders vandalised and set fire to a local AL office at Pahartoli in Chittagong city and in Chilmari of Kurigram following clashes with cops in the morning.

Clashes, AL-BNP and Police-BNP, were also reported in Jhenaidah, Khagrachhari, Kurigram, Narshingdi, Barisal and some other districts. The incidents left 37 injured, including two cops.

In the capital, Rab recovered 12 abandoned cocktails from Botanical Garden while police arrested two women with 20 petrol bombs from Malibagh. At private television channel, NTV’s car driver Biplob sustained injuries in a cocktail blast at Bangshal. There were pro-blockade and anti-blockade processions in different areas.

The numbers of vehicles on the city roads was higher than the past few days.

Markets and shopping malls had more people attending. Long-route buses left Dhaka in the evening. Launch navigation was normal.

sentence is passed in the facts of the case, it will be difficult to inflict a death sentence in other cases.”

Quader Molla, who was involved with Islami Chhatra Sangha and Jamaat-e-Islami politics before the 1970 general election at Mirpur, participated in the massacres in a planned and concerted manner with his cohorts. “Therefore, he cannot escape the maximum sentence for the offence he committed,” said Justice Sinha.

He also said the offences committed

by Molla predominantly shocked the conscience of mankind.

Meanwhile, Justice Shamsuddin citing laws in some other countries and references of some prominent cases abroad said: “I have taken account of the predicament the victims and their close ones have been subjected to as well as the general impact it radiated on the society in its entirety.”

He said: “His monstrosity must have stunned all righteous people, not only in 1971 but also afterwards, may be through eternity, not only in Bangladesh but beyond.

“As such death is the only appropriate sentence,” said Justice Shamsuddin adding, “His acts were inconceivably ominous, frenzied and demon-like. Traumatic wounds of his paws caused for the whole society, will never be healed.” l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Victim Mohammad Hassan, 16, a helper of Israt Paribahan of Dhaka-Chittagong route, succumbed to his injuries at 7:00pm, Partha Shankar Pal, residential surgeon of DMCH burn unit said.

He died within nine hours of his admission as the fire damaged his respiratory system completely, he added.

Coming from Maizdi of Noakhali he was the son of Nizamuddin. His father left the family when Hassan’s younger sister was six-month old. His mother Nasima Begum with his seven-year-old sister Nasrin lived in Jolapara area of Chittagong.

Nasima works in a garment factory in the district.

Mohammad Raju, a nephew, who resides in Gazipur, said three months ago Hassan took the job as helper. His family solely depends on his income.

Now with his death Hassan’s mother and sister have lost their last resort.

Hassan is paid Tk200 daily. Last night we gave him Tk200 and told him to keep an eye on the bus but we never thought something like that might happen, says owner of the bus Salauddin Ahmed.

Abdul Manan, the driver of the bus company and also an eyewitness to the incident, said several buses were parked in the area. He was just gossiping with some other drivers next to the ill-fated bus.

“Suddenly around 8.30am we heard

sounds of three petrol bombs that were thrown into the bus through its front windshield. The bust caught fire in no time and the smoke engulfed the entire area.”

People spontaneously tried to tame the flame but by the time it became mountainous one. A fire fighting unit came to the spot after half an hour and doused the flame around 9:15am, says Manan.

“Afterwards, we entered into the bus and found Hassan lying on the floor of the bus with all his body roasted.”

Hassan went to sleep around 3.00am on Thursday as he was fearing an arson attack and that is why he slept at the back of the bus. When the fire broke out he tried to come out but the smoke from the fire chocked him, he said quoting Hassan.

Six other patients are also suffering at the ICU of the DMCH. Their condition was stated to be critical. They are named as Jahangir Hossain Mridha, suffering from 10% respiratory burn injury, Abdul Aziz suffering from 35% burn, Rahajul suffering from 30% burn, Abu Talha suffering from 28% burn, Nurnabi, suffering from 35% burn and Mehedi Hassan suffering from 64% burn.

Dr Partha Shankar Pal of the unit says that special medical board is giving extra attention to the patients and the hospital is doing its best to heal them. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 6, 2013

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Amu: No need for emergency now n Emran Hossain Shaikh There is no need to declare emergency in the country under the current circumstances, senior Awami League leader Amir Hossain Amu said yesterday.

Also land minister of the interim cabinet, Amu made the comment while talking to media after a meeting of the 14-party alliance at the Dhanmondi political office of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.

The meeting was held to discuss on the sharing of seats among the allies for the 10th national election due on January 5.

In response to a relevant question, Amu said the current spate of violence was sporadic. “There is no need to declare state of emergency now.” The people are not affiliated with the opposition’s movement, Amu said. “They [people] will go for elections with the Awami League.”

He alleged the BNP-led 18-party alliance had been waging the current violence to save the war criminals, most of who are top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key opposition ally. The opposition combine has started observing blockade programmes across the country after the Election Commission had declared polls schedule on November 25.

About HM Ershad’s quitting the polls and the interim cabinet, Amu said: “Jatiya Party is fickle minded. We have to wait a few more days to read their mind.”

At the meeting, the AL Advisory Council member said, they had discussed contesting the polls under the same umbrella.

“We have discussed to hold the elections in a peaceful manner. By this time, Tariqat Federation along with other Islamist parties has agreed to contest the polls,” he said, adding that no more Islamist parties except for Jamaat were with the BNP. Meeting sources said the ruling alliance leaders had discussed about the sharing of seats. Three parties submitted a list of candidates at the meeting.

The alliance will sit again tomorrow to further discuss the issue, sources said.

“The Awami League-led alliance has consensus to jointly contest the upcoming election,” Nazibul Bashar told the Dhaka tribune. He said the ruling party had agreed to leave two seats but Tariqat’s demand was 10.

The AL had assured them of increasing the number of seats for allies. “It [AL] agreed to leave more or less 20 seats for the 14 parties,” he added. l

A policeman blows whistle to clear the roads while patrolling the CMM court area yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Quader Molla: Judgement trashes defence claims

Azhar’s war crimes trial begins

committed between 1939-45, Suharto and Pinochet were indicted decades after the offences they were charged with, were committed.”

Referring to the case against Maurice Papon, who was convicted in 1998 for crimes against humanity for his participation in the deportation of Jews in concentration camps during World War II, the verdict says he was tried almost 50-55 years after the crimes had taken place.

The judgement also mentions about the trial against Suharto and Pinochet from Cambodia, Nikolaus Klaus Barbie (World War II accused) and Polyukhovich who were also tried ages afterwards. l

ent areas and confined them at the Rangpur Town Hall where they had been tortured. The prosecution also charged the accused for raping the abducted women.

Rezia Sultana read out the pattern of charges that were framed against Azhar, followed by Nurjahan and Tapas who placed the background and research works on the Liberation War. Prosecutor Malum submitted the last portion of the opening statement saying that all are equal before the law, “so Azhar too is not beyond the reach of it.”

He appeal before the tribunal that they would be able to prove all the charges that were framed under section 10 (1) and (e) of the International Crimes (Tribunals) ACT of 1973, beyond any reasonable doubt.

Hailing from Batason Lohanipara under Badarganj upazila of Rangpur, Azhar was arrested at his Maghbazar home in the capital on August 23 last year. He was produced before the tribunal three days later. He has been in jail since then.

The six charges include genocide, abduction, confinement, murder, rape and torture.

Meanwhile, upon a defence petition seeking time, the tribunal 2 yesterday deferred hearing on formal charges against another war crimes suspect Syed Mohammad Qaisar until December 15.

On November 14, the tribunal took into cognisance of the charges against Qaisar, former state minister of HM Ershad’s regime, for his alleged involvement in the crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War in Habiganj. l

n Udisa Islam

The release of full verdict in Abdul Quader Molla appeals case means it is a universally-recognised principle of law that a criminal case is not hurdled by any limitation as to time. No law requires the prosecution to offer any explanation for delay.

From the very beginning of the trial against identified war criminals, defence counsels raised question on holding the trial some 40 years after the Liberation War. They identified the trial as “politically-motivated.” At every step when they argued before the tribunal and the Appellate Division, the defence lawyers argued that if the accused had

not been from a “strong opposition,” and involved with the Awami League, they would not be tried.

About the claim of the defence that the accused had been tried for “political purpose, the full verdict says: “There is nothing in the record to show that the prosecution was for political purpose.

The mere fact that the perpetrator of an offence is a politician does not mean his trial is to be treated as one for political purpose.”

On the other hand, it also states: “If allegations are proved beyond reasonable doubt against a person, it matters not that he is a politician, law does not and cannot provide impurity to politicians. It is to be borne in mind that

crimes against humanity had political connotations any way.”

When top collaborators Shah Aziz and Col Mustafiz had become the prime minister and the home minister of the country, after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the verdict asks whether it was possible to bring the war criminals to the book.

In the final verdict, the judges included examples of many international trials including the war crimes trials which tried criminals more than 55 years after the crime had takne place.

The part “Delay and Allegation of Political Motive” reads: “One can also not be oblivious of the fact that Eichman was tried in 1961 for the offences he

MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

ACC appeals against Tarique’s acquittal n Syed Samiul Basher Anik The Anti-Corruption Commission filed an appeal with the High Court yesterday challenging a lower court verdict that acquitted BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case, a lawyer said.

“We appealed against the lower court’s judgement and requested the High Court to cancel the previous verdict,” ACC panel lawyer Khurshid Alam told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The lower court verdict contains

some legal errors, and the court, while delivering the verdict, did not consider the evidences [submitted by the ACC,” the lawyer claimed.

As per the money laundering prevention act, authorities concerned have to file the appeal within 30 days of the verdict. A Dhaka court on November 17 acquitted Tarique, the elder son of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, and sentenced his friend Giasuddin Al Mamun to seven years’ imprisonment and fined him Tk400m.

ACC Commissioner M Shahabuddin

Ershad may lose arms licence n

Mohosinul Karim

The government is likely to cancel the arms licences of former president and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad after his threat to commit suicide.

Ershad had committed an offence under section 309 of the penal code by issuing such threat The home ministry yesterday initiated a move to instruct the Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities into taking steps towards cancelling the licences of arms in possession of the former military dictator, a ministry source said.

Additional Secretary Mainuddin Khandakar told the Dhaka Tribune that Ershad had committed an offence under section 309 of the penal code by issuing such threat.

The provision says whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Accompanied by party leaders on Wednesday night, Ershad on camera said he had four pistols full with bullets and threatened to commit suicide if anyone tried to deceive him.

The ministry source said: “The DMP authorities and officer-in-charge of the police station concerned may take steps to cancel licences of the arms, if someone commits such an offence.

“They will take steps in this regard.

It is not a matter of the home ministry.”

On Tuesday, a day before his suicide threat, Ershad declared quitting the upcoming elections and called his party men to have their nominations withdrawn and resign from the interim cabinet. l

Chuppu said the ACC had decided to file the appeal after reviewing copy of the verdict. The anti-graft body on October 26, 2009 filed the case on charge of siphoning off Tk204.1m to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

According to the copy of the judgement, Mamun was found guilty of siphoning off $75,000 deposited by a person named Khadiza Islam to a Citibank NA account in Singapore. He also deposited money extracted illegally from others to the account.

According to the Foreign Exchange

Regulation Act 1974, it is illegal to open and deposit money to a foreign bank account without the consent of Bangladesh Bank. Tarique withdrew $50,000 from Mamun’s Citibank NA account, using a supplementary credit card on different dates and spent the money for his treatment and shopping in Singapore between 2003 and 2006.

The judgement said Tarique was acquitted from the money laundering charges because he had mentioned the amount in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC. l

Khoka on 2-day remand n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday placed detained BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka on a twoday remand in a case filed with Shahbagh police station for arson attack on a bus.

Metropolitan Magistrate MA Salam passed the order after the police produced Khoka before the court with a 20-day remand plea in two cases filed with Shahbagh and Ramna police stations.

The court rejected the bail and remand petitions in the case filed with Ramna police station.

Earlier, the detained BNP leader was brought to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court around 4pm.

Defence counsels Md Sanaullah Miah and Masud Ahmed Talukder during the hearing claimed that the government arrested him to create pressure on him to join the interim government.

But he would not agree with the proposal. So the police had shown him arrested in the cases to harass him. Khoka is not an FIR listed accused, so his bail may be allowed and the remand rejected, they said.

On the other hand, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions’ Judge Court public prosecutor Md Abdullah Abu opposed the bail and remand rejections pleas.

At the end of the hearing, Khoka appealed before the court to say something about his arrest.

He said when the Pakistani government in 1971 had tried to hold

a one-party election, he fought against the decision and also against the Pakistani force.

He said the current government had already realised that their support had fallen and they would not be able to retain power through election. “So they are trying to establish one-party Baksal rule by holding a one-party election. But we will fight against this election.”

The court in its order mentioned that as the Shahbagh incident was a notorious one, so for the sake of proper investigation, police were allowed a two-day remand after proper consideration.

BNP’s Dhaka metropolitan unit convener Khoka has been shown arrested in several cases, including attempt to murder and another filed under the Explosive Substance Act 1908.

Rab personnel arrested the former Dhaka mayor from a house in the capital’s Uttara around 9:45pm on Wednesday.

Khoka had been in hiding since November 26 after the announcement of the rail, road and waterway blockade.

In the case with Shahbagh police station, 16 opposition leaders, including Khoka, acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi were made accused in connection with the arson attack near Matsya Bhaban that left 19 people injured. Three of them later died in hospital. l

n Udisa Islam The prosecution of the International Crimes Tribunal yesterday claimed that ATM Azharul Islam had been behind all the crimes against humanity committed in Rangpur during the 1971 Liberation War. Prosecutors Rezia Sultana Begum, Nurjahan Begum, AKM Saiful Islam, Tapas Kanti Baul and Zead-Al-Malum submitted opening statement in the case.

The tribunal 1 later set December 19 for recording testimony of the prosecution witnesses. It asked the defence to submit their written objection, if any, by that day.

The tribunal on Sunday will hear a prosecution petition seeking permission to allow three of its witnesses to testify on camera, and another by the defence seeking review of the indictment order against Azhar.

The first tribunal on November 12 indicted the Jamaat acting secretary general on six charges of crimes against humanity.

Prosecutor Saiful Islam said Azhar had been the president of Islami Chhatra Sangha, then the Jamaat’s student wing, in 1971. In the beginning of the war, Azhar along with his accomplices from Chhatra Sangha, al-Badr and non-Bangalees collected names and addresses of the pro-liberation people, and provided the lists to the Pakistani occupation army stationed at the Rangpur Cantonment.

He added that Azhar along with his gang used to pick up women from differ-

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Chief Justice urged to annul SC vacation n Nazmus Sakib Eunus Ali Akond, a Supreme Court lawyer, yesterday submitted a memorandum to Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain urging him to annul the upcoming 19-day vacation of the Supreme Court starting from December 13.

He also asked the Chief Justice to cancel the weekly leaves on Fridays and Saturdays to continue judicial function as the blockades and hartals enforced by the opposition had already dropped many session of the court.

During the blockade and shutdowns, normally the High Court does not run sessions although the Appellate Division does.

Earlier, Eunus submitted a petition to the Chief Justice to allow hearings on his three public interest writ petitions one of which seeks stay on the January 5 parliamentary election.

Of the two other writ petitions, one seeks holding the election under a caretaker government, and the other dissolution of parliament before the general elections.

He filed the petition urging the HC bench led by Justice Mirza Hussain Haider to hear the petitions. l

News

Friday, December 6, 2013

Destiny Group probe report likely next week

CEC ‘frustrated’ over absence of consensus

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

Expressing his frustration over the lack of progress in reaching a political consensus regarding the polls-time arrangement, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said a dialogue between the major political parties was needed to resolve the issue.

“What can we do? We are informed through the media that there has been no development in reaching consensus among the political parties. Not only one or two parties, all the parties should reach consensus,” Rakibuddin told reporters at his office yesterday.

Saying the Election Commission wanted to hold the next general elections with the participation of all, the CEC underscored the need for discussion among the political parties to reach a consensus on what type of government should be formed to oversee the polls.

The Anti Corruption Commission is likely to have the probe report on over Tk3800crore embezzlement by the Destiny Group, a MLM (multi-level marketing) company, next week, said an official of the probe committee.

The probe team is now almost at the end of its investigation and will submit the report to ACC’s Director General Ziauddin Ahmed next week, the official said adding that the DG would review the report and submit it to the commission sometime next week, probably at the end of the week.

“Though the two cases against the Destiny Group officials account for a Tk3800crore scam, the probe committee has found evidence that more money had been embezzled by the company,” he said.

The ACC on July 31 last year filed two cases with Kalabagan police station in the capital against 22 senior executives of Destiny including its President M Harun-ur-Rashid and Managing Director Mohammad Rafiqul Amin for laundering about Tk3285crore abroad. The cases were filed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2004 and 2012.

“Though the case was filed against 22 people, the investigation has found more names which will be disclosed after approval from the DG,” he said.

When asked why the investigation took over 16 months, the official said: “The business group has 35 companies having 722 bank accounts. In addition, there were at least 45 lakh distributors of the company. It took time to review such a huge range of documents and bank accounts,” he said.

Earlier in July, the ACC probe team

submitted a progress report before the commission.

A Bangladesh Bank report said the business group had laundered around Tk5114crore through its 282 bank accounts during 2002-2006. The accounts belonged to its three sister concerns - Destiny 2000 Limited, Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.

With its 282 bank accounts, the group had a total balance of over Tk18.5crore, but the Destiny officials have laundered at least Tk5114crore.

The group mostly operates with Islami Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Southeast Bank, Trust Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Prime Bank, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, BRAC Bank, City Bank and Premier Bank Limited, according to the central bank report. l

n Mohammad Zakaria

EC to seek army deployment soon n Mohammad Zakaria

Pro-opposition lawyers burn effigy of former Chief Justice Khairul n Nazmus Sakib During the observance of the 18-party alliance’s enforced blockade, pro-opposition lawyers yesterday set fire to an effigy of former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque on the premises of Supreme Court.

Khairul is the judge of the Appellate Division who authored the verdict that scrapped the caretaker government system. Mirza Al Mahmud, one of the agitated lawyers, told the Dhaka Tribune that some junior lawyers carried out the incident, but he denied to disclose any names.

BNP chairperson’s Adviser Zainul Abedin, and party Joint Secretary AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, led the procession. l

DU Shamsunnahar Hall reunion today n DU Correspondent A reunion of former students of the Shamsunnahar Hall of Dhaka University will be held today.

Shamsunnahar Hall Provost Sajeda Banu confirmed this to the Dhaka Tribune.

A daylong programme, organised by the alumni association of the hall, has been scheduled to celebrate the occasion.

Dr Shrin Sharmin Chowdhury is expected to attend the programme as chief guest, while DU Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique will be present as a special guest. l

WEATHER

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 6:28am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 31.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Srimangal and lowest 14.1 degrees at Dinajpur yesterday.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

29.0 27.5 28.8 28.3 29.0 28.8 30.7 30.7

18.3 20.0 15.7 16.2 18.0 16.5 17.3 21.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

Hundreds of buses are parked at the Mohakhali Bus Terminal in the capital yesterday, as no long route buses left Dhaka almost throughout the week because of the BNP-led 18-party alliance’s 131-hour countrywide blockade SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

BNP defends video communication n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Change in temperature unlikely n UNB

5:08am 6:27am 11:50am 3:35pm 5:11pm 6:31pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

When asked whether the EC or the government should shoulder the responsibility for holding one-sided polls, Rakibuddin said the election commission would conduct the 10th parliamentary polls as per the constitution “as there is no other way”.

“So, if the political parties reach consensus, it will be good for all as there is no scope to hand over power without elections,” he said. “Political problems should be solved politically,” he added.

The CEC also said both the government and the main opposition should ensure the security of voters during polling.

“All citizens want free, fair and peaceful elections,” he said.

Regarding the withdrawal of nomination papers by Jatiya Party candidates as per party chief HM Ershad’s directive, the CEC said the commission was not bothered as it was a party matter. l

Defending the party’s strategy of announcing blockade programmes through video messages, main opposition BNP yesterday claimed that the government had not left any space for holding a press conference.

“That is why we were compelled to announce programmes through video messages. The government has created Afghanistan-like situation in the country,” Salahuddin Ahmed, party’s joint secretary general, claimed in a press release.

He expressed hope that the government would come to the path of peace and accept the demand of holding the upcoming election under a non-partisan government.

After the arrest of Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Salahuddin was assigned with the duties of the party’s spokesperson.

He took the charge but did not go to the central office rather took the strategy of releasing video messages to convey the party’s stance – a rare instance

in the recent history of politics.

Criticising Sheikh Hasina for her comment that the BNP was waging a movement through video messages in the manner of former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, he said the government had been curtailing all fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution.

“The constitutional provisions, rules and democratic conditions no longer exist,” he said, claiming that police were killing the activists of democratic movement indiscriminately.

“Opposition leaders are on the run as dozens of cases have been filed against each of them,” he said, demanding immediate release of the arrested leaders and activists and withdrawal of the “false” cases.

“We earlier warned many times that if the path of constitutional and democratic movement is barred, extremism may arise. This may disrupt the democratic practices. So if any such situation prevails in the country, the fascist government has to shoulder the responsibility,” he said. l

The Election Commission will send letter to the armed forced division for deploying army during the 10th parliamentary elections, slated for January 5.

Last night, the commission finalised the draft letter, sources said adding that it would be sent to the principle staff officer of the armed forces division within a day or two.

Officials said the EC had planned to deploy army after the announcement of the polls schedule on November 25.

Meanwhile, due to the ongoing blockade programme of the BNP-led opposition alliance, it was not possible to send electoral equipment to the field-level offices.

On November 28, the commission held a meeting with the principle staff officer and heads of other law enforcement agencies including the intelligence wings. At the meeting, police told the commission that they could tackle violence for the time being.

Principle Staff Officer Lt Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq said they could deploy troops according to demand and decision of the EC. After the meeting, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said the commission would take decision about the deployment of army after the meeting with returning officers, which is expected to be held after December 13 – last day of withdrawing nomination papers.

“The police have assured us that they can tackle the situation. They have been carrying out search operations to bust the arms-making factories and recover ammunition. So, the number of such incidents will diminish gradually,” the CEC said. l

Five detained BNP leaders file bail plea with High Court n Nazmus Sakib Five top BNP leaders have filed bail petitions with the High Court as they were denied bail in the lower court on November 28. The pleas on behalf of BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s adviser Abdul Awal Mintoo were filed yesterday.

Petitions for the remaining three, standing committee members MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam Miah and Khaleda’s Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, were filed on Wednesday.

Their bail pleas were rejected by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahurul Haque in two cases filed with Motijheel police station for “attempt to kill lawmen and provoking violence” and

damaging and torching vehicles.

On November 8, the five were detained from in front of Hotel Sonargaon in the capital hours after the opposition called a 72-hour hartal demanding a nonparty polls-time government.

Later on November 14, they were sent on an eight-day remand by a Dhaka court. But the High Court on November 17 stayed the remand. l

‘BNP using Taliban-style tactics’ n Emran Hossain Shaikh The “Taliban style” activities of BNP have isolated it from the masses, said Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif yesterday.

The BNP had been sending video footages to the press from different “secret” places like the Taliban and alQaeda’s “terrorism,” he told reporters in front of the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.

He alleged that this was a “terrorist” attitude, not a democratic one.

“People are no more with the BNP because day by day it is turning into an anti-people party with such activities.”

Regarding Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad’s backing off from the upcoming polls, the AL leader said: “We hope that Ershad will change his decision for the sake of democracy.”

He said there was no such thing as the “last word” in politics. l

People gather around the spot where Sabuj, a transport helper, was killed after two commuter vehicles collided head-on in the capital’s Middle Badda yesterday RAJIB DHAR

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Friday, December 6, 2013

Business community still suffers after blockade Transport workers reluctant to carry goods fearing insecurity and some charge more than twice the usual fare n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong The business community yesterday suffered a lot as most transport operators dared not carry goods form the Chittagong port even after the end of the opposition-enforced blockade while the rest were charging more than double.

Transport operators said many trucks and covered vans got stuck at different points across the country following the blockade.

Sources said only about three thousand trucks and covered vans were available in the port city against the demand of more than 10,000 on a day.

Ashraf Hossain, an importer in the city’s business hub Khatunganj, said he had to send three trucks of goods to Dhaka, but failed to do because of the blockade.

“I could not send the consignment today, Thursday, even after the end of the blockade as many transport operators are reluctant to ply their vehicles fearing subversion while the rest were demanding more than double fare,” he added.

Shafiur Rahman Tipu, convener of the Inter-district Truck and Covered

Government schools form distribution to continue today n Tribune Report Guardians can collect admission application forms for from government schools today, despite it being a weekend, the education ministry said yesterday.

The form distribution began on December 1 but most of the days were wasted because of the 18-party alliance enforced blockade programmes.

Though form distribution continued during the blockade, many guardians could not collect forms – as they feared violence on the streets. As result, many guardians demanded an extension to deadline for collecting forms.

In consideration of the situation, the education ministry issued a press release yesterday, saying that the form distribution will continue on Friday (today).

The distribution of admission forms will end on December 9, while the admission tests will be held on December 19, 20 and 21. l

Van Owners’ Association, told the Dhaka Tribune most of the owners dared not let their vehicles ply on the road as there was another round of blockade from Saturday.

“I have received orders to carry six trucks of goods from Chittagong, but I dare not let my vehicles ply on the road fearing insecurity,” he said, adding that he also tried to carry the goods through hiring vehicles from others.

The usual fare for a big-size truck from Chittagong to Dhaka was Tk15, 000, but it had reached Tk32,000 to Tk35,000 Monir Ahmed, president of the Interdistrict Truck Owners’ Association, told the Dhaka Tribune fare for a container lorry on ChittagongDhaka route was usually Tk30,000, but it had reached Tk65, 000 yesterday afternoon.

He also said the usual fare for a bigsize truck from Chittagong to Dhaka was Tk15, 000, but it had reached Tk32,000 to Tk35,000 yesterday.

“The transport fare has spiraled alarmingly as the owners have to ply

their vehicles facing risk of arson attack and vandalism when most of the vehicles stand idle during the strikes,” he added.

He said normally 4,000-5,000 trucks and covered vans ply on ChittagongDhaka route and more than 15,00 vehicles had gotten stuck at different points across the country because of the continuous blockade.

Mahabubul Alam, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said once the law enforcement agencies assured them of providing security in carrying imported goods from the port.

“Transportation cost for each kilogramme of goods will be increased by at least Tk2 because of the hike in vehicle’s fare,” he said, adding that ultimately the consumers would have to shoulder the extra expense as prices of essential commodities would shoot up.

Sources at the Chittagong Port Authority said they usually released 1600 to 1800 TEUs (Twenty Equipollent Units) of containers a day.

Around 54% of container goods were carried from Chittagong by road, 44% through waterways and only 1.11% by train, added the sources. l

Two tomato growers sit idle at a field with their produces in Rajshahi yesterday. Tomato growers and businessmen are in trouble with the agri-produces, as they could not send tomatoes to Dhaka and different parts of the country. Tomatoes worth crores of taka are being perished because of continuous blockades DHAKA TRIBUNE

AL, BNP need to put off further deaths, abuses: HRW n Tribune Report Violence by the opposition protesters and excessive force by the state security forces need to end in Bangladesh, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said yesterday.

“The opposition party alliance led by the Bangladesh National Party has held large-scale and often violent protests throughout the country for weeks, and security forces have at times responded with excessive force,” it said in a statement yesterday.

“The leaders of the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party need to take urgent steps to avoid further deaths and abuses,” said Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division.

“Pre-election violence has already cost too many lives in Bangladesh.

Only responsible leadership can bring an end to this senseless loss of life.

“With election sentiments at the

bursting point, Bangladeshi security forces need to overcome their long history of using unlawful force against opposition protesters and respond in a way that is professional and non-partisan,” he said.

“The ruling Awami League should remember the mistreatment suffered by its supporters when they were in the opposition and ensure that law enforcement agencies act within the law.

“The security forces should respond to protests in accordance with international law enforcement standards, only using force when it is strictly necessary “Protesters have been responsible for the majority of deaths and injuries during the demonstrations,” said the international non-governmental organisation.

“There are credible reports that bombs hurled by protesters injured at least four children,” HRW said with reference from independent reporters. A number of security force personnel have

been injured and several police and a member of the Border Guards Bangladesh have been killed, it observed.

On December 4, opposition protesters derailed three passenger train carriages in Gaibandha district, killing at least three passengers and trapping dozens of others. Journalists reported that about 40 people were injured, of whom five were injured severely. The government blamed the Jamaat-eIslaami, an alliance of BNP, for the attack, and arrested two of its members.

“Opposition leaders not only should not be inciting violence, but should have a responsibility to do all they can to keep their protests peaceful,” Adams said.

“When their members commit crimes, political leaders need to cooperate with the authorities to ensure those responsible are promptly apprehended,” he remarked.

The Bangladeshi authorities are obligated to investigate the violence created by protesters and the unlawful use

of force by security forces thoroughly and impartially, and to prosecute those responsible for carrying out or ordering such acts, said HRW. In the past, the government has taken no action even in cases of welldocumented unlawful killings by the security forces during protests, said the statement.

The government should publicly order the security forces to follow the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which state that security forces shall “apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force and firearms,” and that “whenever the lawful use of force and firearms is unavoidable, law enforcement officials shall: (a) Exercise restraint in such use and act in proportion to the seriousness of the offence and the legitimate objective to be achieved; (b) Minimize damage and injury, and respect and preserve human life.” l

Tk150cr from EC for polls-time security n Mohammad Zakaria

Members of Ekattor Chetona Mancha form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday demanding a stop to hartals, blockades and murders by burning people NASHIRUL ISLAM

The Bangladesh Police have sought around Tk150crore from the Election Commission to maintain law and order during the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Police headquarters has sent a letter to the commission asking for the funds to be allocated in advance, EC officials said. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the home ministry.

The letter, signed by Abu Hasan Muhammad Tarique, additional deputy inspector general (finance and budget), and addressed to EC Secretary Muhammed Sadique, sought Tk147,72,34,343 as the total expense for maintaining law and order during the polls, which are scheduled for January 5, 2014.

The commission, however, is yet to take a decision regarding the matter.

“The commission would take a decision after scrutinising the budget proposed by the police,” Sadique said.

The secretary added that in past

elections the commission reduced the budget after scrutinising it.

According to the proposed budget, the police want Tk10crore for intelligence activities and Tk4.55crore as additional money for police personnel.

There is also a proposal to allocate Tk31,12,14,777 for miscellaneous expenses, the remaining amount is for transportation and vehicles.

In the last parliamentary elections, the EC spent Tk166 crore on all lawenforcement activities.

Officials said that after December 13, the last date for withdrawing nomination papers, the commission would sit with senior officials from the lawenforcement agencies, and returning officers, to finalise the deployment of security personnel.

The EC would deploy law enforcers as per the demand of the returning officers and intelligence reports, they said.

The officials added that the commission was keeping a big budget aside for the armed forces. l

Spell of blockades puts CU admissions in disarray n FM Mizanur Rahaman

The continuous blockades have forced the authorities of Chittagong University to repeatedly re-schedule admissions tests and viva-voce exams, making the lives of around 30,000 students uncertain.

After a fresh announcement of a 72hour countrywide blockade yesterday, sponsored by the BNP-led 18-party alliance, admissions candidates were apprehensive about whether they could take part in upcoming admissions tests, due to the lack of transport.

The written tests of B unit (B2, B3, B4, B5, B6 and B7) will be held in two

shifts on Friday (today), this comes after the schedule was changed twice, said CU sources.

Meanwhile, university authorities postponed the viva-voce of the “A” unit (Science faculty) and the examinations have been re-scheduled for December 7, 8 and 9.

The viva-voce of “D” (Social Science), “E” (Law) and “F” (Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science) will be held today after several changes of the schedule.

Professor Hossain Kabir, dean of the Social Science Faculty, told Dhaka Tribune that they were compelled to take the viva-voce on the weekend as

the politicians keep the nation hostage through continuous blockades in the name of democracy.

In consideration of the candidates who have to come from other districts, the schedule of the exams is being altered “The schedule for the viva-voce of “D” unit was changed the three times, this makes both the parents and candidates worry,” he said.

“If any enlisted candidate on the merit list misses the viva-voce today because of the situation, he/she can in-

form the dean’s office through the university helpline, the university will provide another opportunity for him/her to take the viva-voce,” the dean added.

A total of 29,226 candidates submitted applications to take the admissions test for the 2013-14 academic session, said the sources.

The written tests of eight faculties and three institutes were supposed to be held from November 16 to November 25, but the admissions tests of three units are being deferred due to the political unrest.

The admissions test of “B” unit (Arts and Humanities Faculty), “G” unit (Institute of Marine Science and Fisheries)

and “H” unit (Biological Faculty) have been re-scheduled repeatedly due to the political turmoil, said admissions committee sources.

Mohammad Sazan, an admission candidate for “H” unit, said he was worried about the examination, as the exam date has been deferred repeatedly.

SM Akbar Hossain, deputy registrar, and also the secretary of the admissions committee, said they had trouble holding the admissions test in times of political unrest.

“In consideration of the candidates who have to come from other districts, the schedule of the exams is being altered” he said. l

National Crystallography Conference at Dhaka University n Du Correspondent The first national conference of Bangladesh Crystallographic Association (BCA) on “Crystallography in Bangladesh” was held yesterday at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban in Dhaka University.

President of the Bangladesh Crystallographic Association Professor Dr Altaf Hussain presided over the function while Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique was present as the chief guest.

Speaking at the conference, Arefin Siddique said, Bangladesh Crystallography Association had a bright prospect in the coming days and the association would usher in a new era of Crystallography education and research in Bangladesh.

Siddique also expressed satisfaction as the United Nations had declared the year 2014 as the official International year of Crystallography.

Crystallography is the science that examines the arrangement of atoms in solid materials.

Arefin thanked the leaders of BCA for arranging the conference.

Prof Dr Kazi Ali Azam, Dr Dilip Kumar Saha, Dr Md Aftab Ali Shaikh and German Professor Dr Claus Ruscher also addressed the programme. l

Obaidul: Election must be held under Hasina n Mohosinul Karim Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday clearly stated that the Awami League would not take part in the parliamentary election without Sheikh Hasina heading the interim government.

Also an Awami League Presidium member, Obaidul said the prime minister had been willing to leave her post, but the party would not let her do that.

He also asked whether the BNP would be happy if the Awami League and Sheikh Hasina did not take part in the election, slated for January 5.

Obaidul was talking to reporters at his ministry at noon.

About HM Ershad’s latest position, the Awami League leader said the decision of Jatiya Party was not clear yet.

He said things would be comprehensible on December 13, the last date of withdrawing candidacy.

The minister said it was absolutely Jatiya Party’s concern whether they would take part in the election or not.

He also claimed that the election would be held in scheduled time even if Jatiya party did not participate. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

A cautious policeman looks for blockaders after a clash took place in the Port Road area of Barisal city yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Lack of feed affects egg production n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Egg production in different poultry farms of Gazipur has fallen drastically because of shortages in the supply of poultry feed.

Poultry farmers, feed traders and transport owners blamed the continuous blockade programmes for the difficult situation, as transportation to supply the poultry feed was limited.

Abul Hossain, a poultry feed dealer of the district’s Sreepur upazila, said he used to sell nearly eight tonnes of feed daily but now the sales have decreased.

He said he could not supply the poultry farms as vehicle owners were unwilling to carry the feed, fearing ongoing vandalism and arson attacks during blockades.

“I have been delivering poultry feed with an engine-run three-wheel vehicles for the last five days. But the supply is not sufficient compared to the demand. Like me, other nine feed ven-

dors have been going through the same situation,” he added.

Giyas Uddin, an egg vendor of the upazila, said: “I have sent vans to different villages to buy eggs. We now unload the eggs at store houses in the capital and return to the district during night as it is risky to unload the goods during daytime because of the blockades.”

Ismat Ara, a poultry farmer of Madhobpur village of the upazila, said: “I get at least 1,300 eggs from the 1,500 chickens that I have in my farm and spend around Tk6,000 for their feed.

But recently, I have failed to fulfil my farm’s feed demand because of the shortage in supply, and as a result egg production has been falling.”

“Now I only get around 150 eggs daily,” she added.

Moreover, poultry farmers used to receive their money the day after the eggs were sold to the vendors, but, because of the current political unrest, the vendors fail to give money to the farmers.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Activists of the BNP-led 18-party alliance put a motorcycle on fire in Kurigram town yesterday

Blockade brings woe to farmers and labourers n Tribune Report

Tofajol Hossain, a transport owner, said: “I am afraid to let my vehicles go out on the roads as many good-laden trucks have been torched recently.

Now, my vehicles only transport goods during night as the drivers fear arson attacks during the day. Pickets have hurled bricks towards my vehicles many times and had attacked even in the morning while going through Bhogra area in Gazipur, Board Bazar and Dhaka-Kapasia Highway.”

On the issue, Abul Mohsin, general secretary of Bangladesh Poultry Khamar Rokkha Jatiya Parishad, said: “Out of the 11,000 poultry farms, a total of 6,713 are currently running, and the production cost at the farms has already increased.

Poultry farmers are feeding costly rice and dal to their poultries to fulfil the demand, as supply of the main feeding element, corn, is lacking.”

“It will have a negative effect on the poultry industry,” he added. l

The five-day blockade, sponsored by the BNP led 18-party-alliance, has brought woe to farmers, traders and transport workers in Khulna city.

Traders in the city’s kitchen markets were anxious because of the lack of customers in the last five days.

On a visit yesterday to Sonadanga kitchen market, a main hub for vegetable traders in the city, we found that some growers, who had come from Dumuria upazila, were very worried about their radishes, cauliflowers, beans and tomatoes - as there were very few customers.

Ibrahim Mia, one of the farmers, said they could hardly reach Sonadanga kitchen market from Dumuria, 25 kilometres away from the district town, due to the lack of transport.

Ibrahim, along with other farmers, started desperately selling their vegetables to passers-by at throwaway prices.

Nazrul Islam, president of the Sonadanga kitchen market, said retailers, as well as customers, were not

interested in buying as no trucks had entered or left the city because of the blockade.

The continued blockade programmes have created a lot of trouble for businesses men.

Yesterday, trucks were waiting at the compounds of jute mills and shrimp factories to load goods for delivery to Chittagong port, reports BSS. Abdul Baki, ex-vice president of Khulna Frozen Foods Exporters Association, and owner of Oriental Fish Processing Company Ltd, said: “We have requested the buyers give us some more time. If they do not agree, we will have to sell the costly frozen foods (shrimps) at the local markets, incurring huge losses.”

Fazlu Sharif, owner of FR Jute Trading, said his business had come to a standstill during the continuous blockades.

The blockades have also brought woe to 30,000 transport workers in Khulna.

Zakir Hossain Biplob, president of the motor bus workers union, said transport workers had become direct victims of the blockades. l

Dried-up riverbeds allow new crops in northern districts n BSS, Rangpur

Vast tracts of the dried-up beds of the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Ghaghot, Jamuna and other rivers, have been turned into crop fields during this Rabi season.

Landless people have been cultivating various crops on these char lands (dried-up riverbeds) and along the river basins in recent years.

According to sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and the NGOs, over 70,000 hectares of dried-up riverbeds could be used to cultivate wheat, maize, mustard, boro, vegetables, and other crops this season.

“Crop cultivation on these lands has been taking place as the drying up of the rivers has led to the emergence of massive silt deposits,” Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khandaker Md Mesbahul Islam said.

However, the drying up of the rivers has been continuing at an alarming rate - an adverse impact of climate change and the lifting of underground water.

Dr MA Mazid, associate director of agriculture at BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) said: “People are cultivating crops on the river beds.

But we have to take steps to revive water flow in the rivers to keep the environment, agriculture, bio-diversity, and ecology for the future.”

Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said continuous drying up of the rivers during the past four decades is the outcome of climate change, which poses formidable threats to every sector including agriculture.

Akbar Ali, 46, from the village of Char Montola, Sultan Mahmud, 50, of Korai Barishal, Survan Bibi, 44, of Kheruar Char and Asar Uddin, 55, of

Goynar Patal on the Brahmaputra in Chilmari upazila, said a bumper crop production was expected this year.

Landless farmers Razzak, 65, Anisur, 33, Kuddus, 50, and Khairun Nesa, 49, of village of Bengulia in Polashbari upazila said they had been achieving a bumper production of Boro and other crops cultivated on the beds of Kartoa river in recent years.

The dried-up riverbeds in certain areas have an eye-catching greenish look, with young and tender plants like maize, wheat, tobacco, mustard, and others.

“Navigation routes and bio-diversity have been facing a big threat both upstream and downstream, due to the diminished flow of water in the rivers and tributaries,” they added. They emphasised that revival of the water flow was essential to have navigable waterways, and to save the environment.

In Rajshahi, the emergence of chars

(sediment deposits) in the Padma River has also brought good fortune to many farmers in Paba, Godagari and Bagha upazilas of Rajshahi.

Farmers in the district are happy as the chars, deposits of alluvial silt, have brought them the opportunity to cultivate various crops and vegetables.

The river bed of the Padma in some of the villages, such as: Majardiar, Khidirpur, Khanpur, Lotabona and Shayampur under Paba upazila; and Char Asariadaha under Godagari upazila; has dried up with only narrow pools remaining among the sediment.

Over the past two decades, farmers have been planting trees like mango, jujube and banana on these char lands, but now they are cultivating crops including paddy, wheat, lentils, sesame, mustard; and vegetables including peppers, onions, garlic, brinjals, cab-

bages, tomatoes and potatoes.

This year, they are preparing the char lands for Boro cultivation.

The farmers said the char lands now contained more alluvial sediments as a result of the last monsoon, this has encouraged them to cultivate Boro paddy.

However, Golam Mostafa, a farmer of Char Asariadaha village, said they are facing problems cultivating Boro because there is no fertiliser or fuel dealer in the char villages. He said carrying fertiliser, fuel and other commodities to the char lands was troublesome, as no vehicle would travel over the half-dried lands.

According to sources in Paba upazila agriculture office, last year farmers of Char Majhardiar cultivated Boro on around 1,500 hectares of land and char farmers of Khidirpur cultivated 3,500 hectares. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Peaceful hartal passes in three districts n Tribune Desk Separate hartals enforced by the district units of BNP, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and the BNP-led 18-party alliance in Manikganj, Bogra and Surma (South) upazilas of Sylhet, all passed by peacefully.

In Manikganj, the daylong hartal went by peacefully with no incidents of violence being reported there.

Rickshaws and human haulers were seen plying the roads in the town.

No long-route buses, except some minibuses, left the town.

Earlier, the local unit BNP called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district yesterday, protesting the removal of the name of BNP Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman from the voters list, and demanding withdrawal of the names of BNP leaders from “false cases.”

Rickshaws and human haulers were seen plying the roads in the town. No long-route buses, except some minibuses, left the town In Bogra, BNP activists, led by the district unit BNP president, brought out separate processions at Sutrapur in the city, reports UNB. Four crude bombs were set off at that time.

Police and Rab were patrolling the key points in the district.

Earlier, the 18-party alliance called the 60-hour hartal from Tuesday, protesting BNP Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman’s name being dropped from the voters’ list.

The non-stop hartal will end at 6:00 pm today.

In Sylhet, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student front of BNP, called a halfday hartal in Surma Dakhkhin upazila for yesterday, in protest of the police assault on their party men during the blockade programme, and for the cases filed against them.

Al-Mamun, senior vice-president of Surma (South) unit Chhatra Dal, announced the shutdown in the upazila at a rally in the upazila headquarters in the afternoon. l

Brighter prospect for bamboo-made handicrafts in northern districts n BSS

The recently taken photo shows vegetables growers working in a field at Uttarpara in Siddirganj

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Proper patronisation can explore the prospect of eco-friendly bamboo-made handicrafts, to create a large amount of employment and bring fortune to the unemployed rural people in the northern districts.

Many private entrepreneurs have already achieved laudable success in producing, marketing and popularising bamboo-made handicrafts, even though many people are using the synthetic ones, which cause pollution of the ecology and the environment.

Noman Ali, 36, has set a unique example in reviving the past glory of bamboo-made handicrafts in Moksudpur village under Badarganj upazila of Rangpur.

The success of Noman Ali and his fellows has ushered in a new era in protecting, and modernising bamboo handicrafts and commercial farming of bamboo in the area, attracting many people to the prospective profession.

Noman Ali and his companions have

been producing bamboo-made handicrafts with eye-catching looks and designs including beds, doors, windows, tables, chairs, fruit trays, tiles, boxes, baskets, vases, beauty boxes, show-cases, etc.

After completing his education, Noman Ali failed to get a job and he formed Chhit Laksmipur Samaj Kallyan Samity involving the local unemployed youth in 2000.

They first voluntarily started earth-filling and repairing works in the damaged rural roads, tree plantation in open places, roadsides and public places, when a local NGO, Come to Work, provided them with cost-free training on income-generation activities.

In 2007, the NGO assisted 12 members of the Samity, giving them skill-development training on “Bamboo-made Handicrafts” with the financial assistance of Bangladesh Forest Research Institute in Dhaka.

During the course, Noman Ali delivered speech at a seminar there on “Creation of job opportunities for rural people” that drew the attention

of the high officials, locals and foreign experts.

He came back home with his trained team and started producing bamboo-made handicrafts and achieved success by attracting the consumers and local people when demand for their products started rising.

Later, Noman Ali had a chance to visit China where he participated in a 13-day “International Training Workshop of Bamboo and Rattan Processing and Utilisation” at Nanjing Forestry University in Nanjing city in June 2008.

Noman Ali was then surprised to see in China that modern handicrafts like beds, doors, windows and furniture, could be produced.

“Now I get a lot of orders form Dhaka and other parts of the country for producing and supplying various bamboo-made products and many visiting foreigners purchase products from my home,” Noman Ali said.

He said the unemployed youth needed assistance and modern machinery to flourish in the eco-friendly handicraft sector. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

7

Friday, December 6, 2013

Glad rags to sad rags The ancient history of fabrics from Bangladesh

Industrialised weaving could never emulate the craftsmanship of hand weavers

F

n Tim Steel

or over three millennia, Bangladesh has been providing the world with fashionable fabrics, and now, it has become an important supplier of readymade garments. Few can rival Bengal in the history of fabric making.

The first woman, who flaunted the first garment of woven cotton to admiring tribal members of her settlement on the low alluvial rock ridge above the ancient Mangrove swamps of Bangladesh, must have felt as proud as any socialite today, showing off her unique designer piece of real, upmarket “glad rag.”

Fabrics of silk and cotton, as well as of wool, the raw materials of which have been produced in the lands of Bangladesh for millennia, have long been one of the mainstays of local exports.

Shapeless small pieces of rock, many of them basalt, with holes in them, are in the unique Pathan collection of local antiquities at Wari Bateshwar in Narshingdhi. Anyone with experience of archaeological sites around the world could readily identify them; however, consensus is lacking.

Since the cloths for which traders from Arabia, Africa and early Europe headed to the Ganges delta, as early as the first half of the last millennium BCE, included both cotton and silk, it was, at latest, from those days that the skills of weaving in the lands of Bangladesh developed

Clearly, they are loom weights designed to tighten the weighted, vertical, warp yarns for vertical wooden looms, probably originated from the Neolithic period, over 5,000 years ago.

Indeed, impressions of woven cotton have been found in Harappan sites of the Indus Valley, perhaps dating from about 7,000 years ago, and there is no reason to suppose such impressions might not be found in Bangladesh, in the lands of the Ganges delta. These lands were, after all, the gateway to trade with the Ganges Basin civilisation.

Such weights can be found on Neolithic sites across the world, and, as recently as the twentieth century, were still used by hand weavers of Scandinavia, as well, quite probably, still, by craft weavers and hobbyists, everywhere.

Vertical looms facilitated weaving wider pieces of cloth, permitting the

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

weaver to walk with the weft yarn across a wider frame.

That such woven cloth was widely manufactured in the 3rd millennium Ganges Basin civilisation, the first, known, “industrialised” civilisation in the world, will be no surprise, and that such weaving was carried out in the city that we now know by the names of the two villages of Wari Bateshwar, is no surprise, either.

Wari Bateshwar was, after all, one of the great cities of the ancient trading centre based around the delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna, and as a human settlement, it certainly dates back to Neolithic times – judging from some of the rather crude stone tools, also in the Pathan Collection, it may have been as old as the 12,000-yearold Palaeolithic times.

What we can be reasonably sure of is that since the cloths for which traders from Arabia, Africa and early Europe headed to the Ganges delta, as early as the first half of the last millennium BCE, included both cotton and silk, it was, at latest, from those days that the skills of weaving in the lands of Bangladesh developed.

The mid 1st century edition of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a merchant guide to trade in the Arabian and Indian oceans, mentions of specifically silks and cotton cloth, suggesting that the early civilisations around the Mediterranean Sea were eager buyers of what was seen as high fashion cloth.

The first Roman Emperor, Augustus, passed Sumptuary Laws, forbidding the wearing of silk, favoured by the wealthier citizens, because of the cost to the Roman exchequer of the precious metals to pay for it.

It has been suggested that the silk bought in the delta originated in China, and was traded from China, down what was probably the first Silk Road, the last part of which was the Brahmaputra River, terminating in the delta.

There is, however, a school of thought suggesting that, in fact, the silk moth was also native to Bangladesh, and that high quality silk was also produced in the Ganges basin, at least as early as in China.

It is, however, the fine cotton cloths for which these deltaic lands became particularly world famous as the cutting edge of fashion for the rich and powerful.

The ancient Egyptians, like the Greeks and Romans, were amongst those who first prized what became known as Muslin. It was certainly a cloth of high fashion, a fashionability that lasted, at least until the cotton industry of Britain burgeoned with the onset of powered looms, late in the 18th century. Inevitably, mass production generally resulted in lower

quality, and the affordability for a wider market reduced its fashion value.

It is argued that such industrialised weaving could never emulate the craftsmanship of hand weavers, and the sheer quality of the output. And it is also equally arguable that every effort was made by the increasingly politically powerful industrial barons of the west to suppress the import of the original hand made product.

In fact, Muslin, despite the many competing claims, almost certainly

preferred, to silk and such derivatives as satin. But then came the industrial revolution, and rising middle classes who might aspire, but could not always afford, such exotic luxury.

This revolution in manufacturing process, driven by such as the newly invented steam-powered mechanical weaving machines, with productivity levels hundreds of times more efficient than hand looms, saw vastly-increased exports from Bangladesh to Britain of the raw materials.

The ancient Egyptians, like the Greeks and Romans, were amongst those who first prized what became known as Muslin. It was certainly a cloth of high fashion

originated in the lands of Bangladesh.

Certainly, the claims of Dhakeshwari origins seem to be supported by many different sources. That one of the finest variants, Jamdani, named after the interwoven floral motifs, originated around Dhaka, despite whatever the petite bourgeoisie of Calcutta may claim, there is also no doubt.

Wikipedia may suggest that muslin cloths were introduced to Europe in the mid 17th century, and it is true that such a dating would accord with the Da Gama led Portuguese rediscovery of the Indian sub continent. It is, however, beyond much doubt that, Europeans of classical times were familiar and fond of the soft cotton fabrics traded from, probably, at least the middle of the 1st millennium BCE. It was then that the great 6th century BCE cartographer, Hecataeus of Miletus, living in lands that are now Syria, about 500 BCE, drew his world map that appears to mark the Ganges River. Clearly, traders that he knew were familiar with the geographical layout of the region.

There is no doubt that by the end of the 17th century, Muslin and Silk were the stuff of high fashion for European courts, and wealthy women everywhere. The light, breathable quality of Muslin, especially, made the many layers of cloth that were a part of the highest fashions ideal for the often over-warm salons of palaces and mansions in their public rooms.

What Regency novelty is complete without its references to this luxurious cloth, transported over thousands of miles from its exotic origins, to adorn the most voluptuous of beautiful women; not to forget the undergarments of the well-dressed male?

As the raw material of such glad rags, muslin was paralleled, and often

Competition to supply those materials came, also, from the newly independent USA, and West Indies, whilst a reverse of agricultural specialisation came with ever increasing demand for sugar and opium from Bangladesh.

Slowly, but surely, cotton diminished as an export of value from the country.

The arrival of the potential for the supply of ready-made garments, inspirationally identified by local entrepreneurs when the newly-created state of Bangladesh was still struggling to overcome the bleak legacy left by its period under the yoke of Pakistan, brought a new era in supplying fashion goods to the world.

Few of the garments that, today, annually, contribute over 13% to the national GDP of Bangladesh could reasonably claim that much of what is exported would constitute anything other than low cost fashion. Garments, rather than fashion, more what the fashionistas who once would have killed for cloth of Bangladesh origin, would call, perhaps, “sad rags.”

And perhaps, too, the, over 4 million workers employed in the production would regard what they make as a mixed blessing. The work creates employment, but at an evident risk, and for them, at modest reward.

A sad state, some might well think, for a fabrics industry with such an ancient history, and such a tradition of producing some of the most treasured garment fabrics in the world. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

Jamdani, one of the finest variants of Muslin, named after the interwoven floral motifs, originated around Dhaka SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Fighting in CAR capital; UN to step in

At least 8 dead in car bomb attack in Somalia’s Puntland: police n AFP, Mogadishu At least eight people were killed Thursday when a suicide car bomber rammed a convoy in Somalia’s northern port of Bossasso, a region harbouring Al-Qaeda-linked Shabab insurgents where tensions are high ahead of elections in January.

“There was a car bomb attack targeting a vehicle of the security forces, he rammed the convoy and then exploded,” Abdullahi Said, a police officer in the port town, told AFP. “Several people have been killed, so far we confirm that eight were killed, but the toll could be higher, many of those who were injured were rushed to hospital.”

Puntland’s government said in a statement it “strongly condemns” the attack, in which 37 were wounded, including six soldiers.

The attack took place in a busy market area of Bossasso, the main port in Somalia’s northeastern Puntland region, lying on its Gulf of Aden coast.

Shabab fighters operate from the rugged Golis mountains southwest of Bossasso, a lawless region under longtime control of warlord, arms dealer and Shabab ally Mohamed Said Atom, who has been hit with UN Security Council sanctions for “kidnapping, piracy and terrorism.”

Shabab militia have attacked military bases near Bossasso in the past, and its suicide commandos regularly launch bomb attacks or guerrilla raids.

Puntland’s government blamed the Shabab for carrying out the attack, although no group has claimed responsiblity.

“Al-Shabab...has carried out savage attacks against government and civilian targets in Puntland,” the statement read. l

Friday, December 6, 2013

n AP, Bangui

This photo provided by Yemen’s Defense Ministry shows a crater and damaged vehicles after an explosion at the Defense Ministry complex in Sanaa, Yemen AP

25 killed as militants storm Yemen defence complex n AFP, Sanaa A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-packed car into Yemen’s defence ministry Thursday, allowing gunmen to launch an assault on the complex which left 25 people including three foreign doctors dead, officials said.

The brazen attack on the sprawling complex follows a spate of hit-and-run strikes on military personnel and officials, as the country struggles to complete a thorny political transition.

The attacks in the capital and in the country’s south have been blamed

on Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which Washington regards as the jihadist network’s most dangerous branch.

“At least 25 people have been killed,” said a security official, shortly after the defence ministry had put the death toll at 20. Six doctors, including a Venezuelan and two from the Philippines, and three Yemenis, along with five patients, including a judge, were among the dead, medical sources said.

The were at a hospital that lies within the ministry’s complex, which bore the brunt of the attack.

“A car bomb driven by a suicide bomber forced its way into the western entrance of the ministry complex,” a security official told AFP. “It was followed by another car whose occupants opened fire at the complex of buildings,” he said.

The attack comes as Defence Minister Mohammed Nasser is heading a military delegation on a visit to the United States.

The ministry said gunmen occupied the hospital after the explosion, but security forces had regained control of the building. l

Fighting came to the capital of the Central African Republic on Thursday, leaving dozens of casualties and posing the biggest threat yet to the new government just as the UN Security Council authorised an intervention force to prevent a bloodbath between Christians and Muslims.

At least 16 people were killed and 45 were wounded, said Sylvain Groulx of Doctors Without Borders. There could be many more bodies though — Groulx said the death toll consisted only of bodies taken to two hospitals in Bangui.

People scurried indoors, including some who sought sanctuary inside a church. By afternoon, the streets were empty of all but military vehicles and the four-wheel-drive pickup trucks favoured by the rebel soldiers who in March claimed control of the government.

The fighting was between the most-

A woman walks by the Notre Dame catholic church in Bangui, as gunfire and mortar rounds erupt elswwhere in the town AP

100,000 Ethiopians sent Morocco Islamists under fire over women back from Saudi Arabia abuse bill; womens groups disappointed n AFP, Addis Ababa Ethiopia has repatriated over 100,000 citizens from Saudi Arabia, Addis Ababa’s foreign ministry said Thursday, following a violent crackdown against illegal immigrants in the oil-rich kingdom.

Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros Adhanom said that up to 50,000 more citizens are still expected to come home.

“Last night arrivals from Saudi reached 100,620,” Tedros said in a statement, adding that “all citizens that were detained in Riyadh deportation camps are back.”

Ethiopia started repatriating its citizens from Saudi Arabia last month after a seven-month amnesty period for undocumented immigrants expired, sparking violent protests between Ethiopian migrants and Saudi police.

Repatriation efforts have been “successful so far,” the foreign ministry said.

“The number is increasing over time,” foreign ministry spokesman Dina Mufti told AFP. The Ethiopian government said three of its citizens were killed in the clashes with Saudi police.

Human Rights Watch has urged Saudi authorities to launch a probe into the violence, and warned of a potential “humanitarian disaster” for workers held in custody.

Dina said the repatriation operation, which started on November 13, could take a couple more weeks to complete.

“Hopefully we will do it as soon as possible... if the current pace continues, it may be it will be in a week or two,” he said.

Large numbers of Ethiopians leave the country every year looking for work abroad, often in the Middle East.

Many face poor working conditions, mental and physical abuse, low pay and discrimination, according to the International Labour Organisation. l

WORLD WATCH Japanese police arrest woman for calling them 15,000 times

Japanese police said Thursday they have arrested a woman for calling them more than 15,000 times over a six-month period. Authorities repeatedly visited the 44-year-old and asked her to cease and desist. When she failed to stop making the calls, which started in May, police slapped handcuffs on her. “She made as many as 927 emergency calls in one day....disturbing our police duties,” said an official in the city of Sakai, near the western city of Osaka. Authorities, who have so far ruled out mental illness for the woman’s behaviour, said her calls had “no real meaning.”

Australian royal prank DJ settles case, resigns

An Australian DJ whose royal prank call to a London hospital resulted in the suicide of a nurse has settled her workplace lawsuit with the network and resigned. Mel Greig also won a public concession from her employer, Southern Cross Austereo, that she had not been responsible for broadcasting the call and had suggested it be edited before being aired. The network said it had “at all times taken complete responsibility for the hoax call” and “greatly regrets the unforeseeable tragic aftermath.”The concessions were made in an announcement from Austereo that it had “amicably resolved” an industrial tribunal case with Greig, who had filed a workplace safety complaint over the prank.T

Pope forms commission to advise on sex abuse

Pope Francis is assembling a panel of experts to advise him about protecting children from sexually abusive priests and about helping victims who have already been harmed. Cardinal Sean O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, announced the creation of the commission Thursday at the conclusion of a meeting between Francis and his eight cardinal advisers who are helping him govern the church and reform the Vatican bureaucracy. Boston was the epicenter of the 2002 clerical sexual abuse scandal in the US O’Malley told reporters the commission would study current programs to protect children, better screen priests, train church personnel and suggest new initiatives.

Rio to usher in summer with a topless beach event

More than 2,000 women have pledged on Facebook to join a topless event on Rio’s famed Ipanema beach to mark the arrival of the austral summer later this month. The “Toplessaco,” scheduled for December 21, is the brainchild of Ana Rios, a 23-year-old event planning expert and human right activist, the daily O Dia reported Thursday.

Brazil may be the land of Carnival and its scantily dressed beauty queens, but topless displays on beaches are frowned upon while wearing string bikinis is seen as normal. Rios told O Dia that she got the idea after witnessing the hostile public reaction to the “Slut Walk” organised in Rio last July during Pope Francis’ visit as part of World Youth Day, a major Catholic festival.

n AFP, Rabat A long-awaited law to combat violence against women is currently under study in Morocco, but the Islamist-led government has had to revise its proposals after sharp criticism from rights groups.

A preliminary version of the bill, which is still in the drafting stage, threatens prison sentences of up to 25 years for perpetrators of violence against women.

In addition, the bill would take unprecedented steps towards criminalising sexual harassment, with those convicted risking possible three-year jail terms.

As in numerous other Arab countries, sexual harassment of women is commonplace in Morocco, despite the adoption of a new constitution in 2011 that enshrines gender equality and urges the state to promote it.

But despite the progress that this

new law would represent, women’s associations have strongly criticised the proposed legislation.

In particular, they accuse Bassima Hakkaoui, the minister for women’s affairs – herself a member of the ruling Islamist Party of Justice and Development – of excluding them from the drafting of the bill.

“We have waited for years for this law and we are now very disappointed by its content,” said Najat Errazi, who heads the Moroccan Association for Women’s Rights, speaking in Casablanca at a meeting to discuss the bill.

According to a study published by the state planning commission (HCP) this week, nearly nine percent of women in Morocco have been physically subjected to sexual violence at least once.

Sexual violence of a physical or psychological nature has affected some 25 percent of women overall, and a startling 40 percent among 18- to 24-year-olds.

Last year, Hakkaoui acknowledged the problem by stating that six million women have suffered physical or verbal violence, more than half inflicted by their husbands.

Sara Soujar, another activist speaking at the meeting in Casablanca, argued that the bill fails to include provisions relating to single women.

“This category is totally absent...

Reading the text, you get the impression that violence basically only affects married or divorced women, even though others may be more exposed,” she said.

Her concerns resonate with the findings of the HCP study, that around one in every two unmarried women in Morocco was subjected to sexual violence – whether physical or verbal – during the year that it was carried out.

“Young women who work in factories or as housemaids, many of whom are minors, are no less exposed,” Soujar said. l

Leg bone gives up oldest human DNA n AFP The discovery of DNA in a 400,000-year-old human thigh bone will open up a new frontier in the study of our ancestors.

That’s the verdict cast by human evolution experts on an analysis in Nature journal of the oldest human genetic material ever sequenced.

The femur comes from the famed “Pit of Bones” site in Spain, which gave up the remains of at least 28 ancient people.

But the results are perplexing, raising more questions than answers about our increasingly complex family tree.

The early human remains from the cave site near the northern Spanish city of Burgos have been painstakingly excavated and pieced together over the course of more than two decades. It has yielded one of the richest assemblages

of human bones from this stage of human evolution, in a time called the Middle Pleistocene. To access the pit (called Sima de los Huesos in Spanish) scientists must crawl for hundreds of metres through narrow cave tunnels and rope down through the dark. The bodies were probably deposited there deliber-

ly Muslim fighters who now control the impoverished nation and Christians who support its ousted president.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has warned that the country is on “the verge of genocide.”

Hours after fighting broke out, Central African Republic’s president, who was installed by Seleka earlier this year, said the clashes were over.

Inside a Bangui hospital, dozens of people with gunshot wounds lay on the floor or on wooden benches, waiting for hours to see a physician.

In New York, the United Nations Security Council authorised troops from African nations and former colonial power France to deploy here. An attack earlier this week, blamed on Christian fighters, killed nearly a dozen women and children in a remote community.

Fabius said military intervention would unfold swiftly, telling BFM-TV that the French deployment would total around 1,200, with 600 troops already in place.l

ately - their causes of death unknown.

The fossils carry many traits typical of Neanderthals, and either belong to an ancestral species known as Homo heidelbergensis - or, as the British palaeoanthropologist Chris Stringer suggests - are early representatives of the Neanderthal lineage.l

Mexico finds stolen radioactive material outside box

n AFP, Tepojaco

Mexican soldiers Wednesday set up a safety perimeter around a cancer-treating device containing dangerous radioactive material that was stolen along with a truck from a gas station.

The people who stole the truck and removed the device from a steel-reinforced wooden box and left it in a rural area north of Mexico City are probably already dead or dying, the national nuclear safety board said.

But the danger of contamination is minimal because the area where the device was found is so uninhabited, it added. No evacuations were necessary.

There was no immediate word on who might have stolen the truck. It was on its way to dispose of the disused medical device at a nuclear storage facility.

Experts are trying to figure out the best way to recover the device safely, the National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards (CNSNS) said in a statement Wednesday evening.

The thieves apparently just wanted the truck, which was stolen Monday, without knowing about the cargo it carried, officials said.

The device containing cobalt-60 was taken out of its container and left hundreds of meters (yards) from the truck in Hueypoxtla, said Mardonio Jimenez, operations director at the CNSNS. “It’s almost absolutely certain that whoever removed this material by hand is either already dead or about to die,” CNSNS director Juan Eibenschutz told Milenio television.

Eibenschutz said the transport company failed to live up to its commitment, saying the truck lacked a tracking device or proper security despite the firm’s experience. He said the matter should be investigated.

The white Volkswagen Worker truck was transporting the device from a hospital in the northwestern city of Tijuana when it was stolen at a service station in central Hidalgo state. l

US courts asked to recognise chimps as people n AFP, New York

Walking, talking chimpanzees may be TV comedy gold but now three courts in New York are being asked to recognise four chimps as “legal persons” with fundamental rights.

The move would allow the animals to be released into sanctuaries where they could live out the reminder of their days in freedom, says the Nonhuman Rights Proj-

ect behind the initiative. On Monday it petitioned a court in Fulton County Court, New York State, in the name of Tommy, a chimpanzee held captive in a cage at a used trailer lot in nearby Gloversville. On Tuesday it did the same for Kiko, a 26-yearold chimpanzee who is deaf and living in a private home in Niagara Falls.

The group will Thursday lodge a similar petition on behalf of Hercules and Leo, who are owned by a research

center and used in locomotion experiments on Long Island.

“The lawsuits ask the judge to grant the chimpanzees the right to bodily liberty and to order that they be moved to a sanctuary,” the organisation said in a statement. There the animals can live out their days in an environment as close to the wild as is possible in North America, it added.

The challenge is based on the prin-

ciple of habeas corpus, which the petitioners said was used in New York and allowed slaves to challenge their status and establish their right to freedom.

“Our legal petitions and memoranda, along with affidavits from some of the world’s most respected scientists, lay out a clear case as to why these cognitively complex, autonomous beings have the basic legal right to not be imprisoned,” the statement added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Routed Maoists still US warns China against hold key to Nepal future escalating air zone tensions n AFP, Kathmandu Nepal’s second post-war polls were unexpectedly peaceful and decisive, but the chances of an elusive agreement on a constitution now depends on how former Maoist rebels react to their electoral mauling, say analysts.

While unrest in the build-up to the November 19 election had raised fears of a low turn-out, 78% of registered voters cast their ballots in a contest which received a clean bill of health from foreign observers.

The main losers were the Maoists, winners of the first post-war polls in 2008 after king Gyanendra was toppled but this time trailed in third behind the Nepali Congress and Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) parties.

When the scale of their defeat first became apparent, the Maoists cried foul and demanded a halt to vote-counting.

But while the party is still licking its wounds, its leaders have since indicated that they are prepared to take their seats in the constituent assembly whose main task is to agree on a new constitution.

Analysts say the results highlight disillusionment among voters after watching a series of short-lived governments, mainly headed by the Maoists, struggle to capitalise on a return to peace in the last five years.

“Voters clearly wanted to express

their frustration and disappointment with the Maoists, and give a chance to alternative parties instead,” said Guna Raj Luitel, chief editor of The Annapurna Post.

“They really want stability after seeing so many governments come and go in the last few years,” Luitel told AFP. Since the first constituent assembly collapsed last year after parties failed to agree on the text of a new constitution, economic growth dipped to as low as 4.6% before rallying slightly.

Inflation remains in the double digits, forcing hundreds of thousands of impoverished Nepalis to migrate overseas for jobs.

The squabbling over the constitution has come against a backdrop of regular strikes called by political parties.

But despite their electoral defeat, S.D. Muni, a professor at Singapore’s Institute of South Asia Studies, said the Maoists remained key to reaching a consensus on the constitution.

“It will be very difficult to go forward and write a constitution without the Maoists’ participation,” Muni told AFP. “Everyone needs to take ownership of the political process right now, otherwise we are in for more trouble.”

The former rebels put down their weapons in 2006 after signing a peace agreement which transformed Nepal into a secular republic. l

n

AFP, Beijing

US Vice President Joe Biden warned China on Thursday against escalating a dispute over an East China Sea air zone, adding that regional peace and stability were in Beijing’s interests.

Biden also criticised China’s tightening of controls on foreign journalists, stressing that the world’s second-largest economy could become more prosperous with American values such as human rights and freedom of speech.

China’s controversial move last month to declare an “air defence identification zone” (ADIZ) – which includes islands disputed with Japan – has “caused significant apprehension in the region,” Biden told a group of 60 American business leaders Thursday morning.

“As China’s economy grows, its stake in regional peace and stability will continue to grow as well, because it has so much more to lose,” he added.

“That’s why China will bear increasing responsibility to contribute positively to peace and security.”

Biden reiterated in his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the US does not recognise China’s newly-declared air zone, a senior White House official told reporters in Beijing late Wednesday.

China says all aircraft within it must obey its instructions or risk unspeci-

US Vice President Joe Biden (R) chats with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during their meeting at the Zhongnanhai diplomatic compound in Beijing AFP fied “defensive emergency measures.”

The move provoked anger in the region and prompted the US, Japan and South Korea all to defy Beijing by flying military and paramilitary aircraft – including two B-52 bombers in Washington’s case – into the newly-declared zone.

The US official, who spoke anonymously in order to discuss Biden’s talks, added that it is now up to Beijing to take action “to avoid the risk of mistake, miscalculation, accident or escalation.”

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei, meanwhile, said Thursday that the US “should respect” that the zone “is in line with international laws and conventions.”

Beijing sees Tokyo as the aggressor in the dispute over the islands, which are controlled by Japan but claimed by China.

Biden went on to South Korea late Thursday for the final leg of his three-country trip before returning to Washington. l

India polls forecast string of wins for BJP NSA tracks mobile phone n locations worldwide AFP, New Delhi

Exit polls published Thursday for five state elections forecast a string of victories for the opposition which would provide momentum to hardline Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi ahead of national polls next year.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by prime ministerial candidate Modi, could sweep four of the five contests in what would be a resounding defeat for the ruling Congress Party, polls showed.

Congress, which has been in power nationally since 2004, is struggling

with rampant inflation, a slowing economy, corruption scandals and unprecedented doubts about its leadership, the Gandhi political dynasty.

The five state polls – Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram – were widely seen as a litmus test ahead of national elections which must be held before the end of May. Pollsters Team Cvoter saw the BJP holding on to power in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and defeating Congress in Rajasthan and Delhi, where it would emerge as the biggest party but without a majority.

Another survey by AC Nielsen pro-

jected similar results, but gave the BJP a majority in Delhi.

New anti-corruption campaigners the Aam Aadmi (“Common Man”) Party, led by former tax inspector Arvind Kejriwal, was forecast to come third by most pollsters, but one gave it first place with as many as 31 out of 70 seats, pushing the BJP into second place.

Delhi saw a record-breaking 67% voter turnout, while turnout in the other four states hit staggering levels of between 70-85%.

Results for all five states are due on Sunday. l

India expands nuclear weapons site n AFP, Washington India has expanded a secretive site that could be used to enrich more uranium for nuclear weapons, a US think tank said Wednesday, citing satellite imagery.

The Institute for Science and International Security, a private group opposed to nuclear proliferation, said that India appeared to be finishing a second gas centrifuge facility at its Rare Materials Plant near the southern city of Mysore.

“This new facility could significantly increase India’s ability to produce highly enriched uranium for military purposes, including more powerful nuclear weapons,” the institute said in a report that analyzed an image taken in April. The institute said that India started building a second centrifuge plant near Mysore in 2010, but it was unclear whether it was a replacement for the first facility at the site or a supplement.

If it is a new facility, “India could have more than doubled its enrich-

ment capacity, if the original building continues to function as an enrichment plant,” it said.

India closely guards its nuclear sites and says little about them publicly. In the past, India has complained about footage of sensitive infrastructure taken by commercial satellite services such as Google Earth. Indian officials have reportedly said that highly enriched uranium from Mysore would fuel its new nuclear-powered submarines. l

n AFP, Washington The US National Security Agency is collecting some 5 billion records a day on the location of mobile phones around the world, The Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing documents from US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

The information is added to a gigantic database that shows the locations of “at least hundreds of millions of cell phones” worldwide, a stunning revelation that suggests the eavesdropping agency has created a mass surveillance tool, according to the Post report.

The report comes six months since the first bombshell leaks from Snowden, a former information technology subcontractor for the NSA who says he spilled secrets to spark public debate on the agency’s widespread surveillance activities.

Snowden faces espionage charges but has fled to Russia, where he has been granted asylum.

Of the NSA surveillance programs revealed to date, including spying on foreign leaders and the collection of Internet “meta-data,” the geo-location project appears to represent the agency’s largest in scale and scope.

n AP, Bangkok Thailand put politics aside Thursday to celebrate the 86th birthday of the country’s revered monarch, who used his annual birthday speech to call for stability but made no direct reference to the crisis that has deeply divided the nation.

Violence and street battles between anti-government protesters and police were put on hold as both sides observed a truce to mark the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has often served as a unifying figure for Thailand in times of crisis.

Crowds dressed in the royal color of yellow lined the roads in the seaside town of Hua Hin to catch a glimpse of the world’s longest reigning monarch. They shouted “Long live the king!” as his motorcade drove slowly to Klai Kangwon Palace, which literally means Onlookers wept as the king spoke, taking great effort and pausing for long stretches during his brief 5-minute speech.

“Our country has long experienced happiness because we have been united in performing our duties and working together for the good of the whole country,” the king said. He wore a ceremonial golden robe and sat on a throne before an audience that included Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet ministers, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and his three sisters, and the leaders of the armed forces.

“All Thais should consider this very

The NSA declined to comment on the report when contacted by AFP. The data is scooped up by tapping into cables that link mobile phone networks – both American and foreign – across the globe, the Post said.

The location data is gathered with the help of ten “sigads” or signals intelligence activity designators.

In an example given by the Post, one sigad called “STORMBREW” collects data from two unnamed corporate firms which administer interception equipment. Then “NSA asks nicely for tasking/updates,” according to leaked documents. Information from the cell phones of Americans traveling abroad also forms part of the database.

Because mobile phones broadcast their locations even when there is no call made or text sent, NSA analysts are able to use mathematical techniques to comb through location data and track patterns of movement over time for a given suspect, it said.

Although the vast majority of mobile phone users are of no interest to the spy agency, the NSA gathers the bulk data to try to track known “intelligence targets” and their unknown associates, the paper said.l

China anti-corruption activist beaten by police: lawyers

n AFP, Beijing

A Chinese anti-corruption activist put on trial in what campaign groups say is a crackdown on dissent was beaten by police while in detention, lawyers said Thursday. Liu Ping, together with Wei Zhongping and Li Sihua, faces a possible five year prison sentence for “illegal assembly” after the trio photographed themselves displaying banners calling for government officials to disclose their assets.

Defence lawyers told the court in Xinyu, in the central province of Jiangxi, that some of Liu Ping’s testimony had been provided under duress.

“Police beat Liu while she was in the process of being detained, and also when she was held in a detention centre,” Pu Zhiqiang told AFP. “We asked the court to exclude any evidence obtained by force.”

One of Liu’s attorneys, Si Weijiang, said he had raised in court police violence against his client.

More than 100 “hooligans” surrounded the court on Wednesday, jostling with lawyers in an attempt to prevent them from entering, he added.

“We think they had official backing,” Si said. Liu, 48, an unemployed former steel worker, is associated with the “new citizens movement,” a loose grouping of activists calling for reforms to China’s legal system, her daughter Liao Minyue said.

Police smashed her mobile phone as she tried to take photographs outside the court on Wednesday, she added. l

East Timorese stone Australian embassy in spying row

n AFP, DILI

Around 100 protesters in East Timor threw rocks at the Australian embassy Thursday and police responded with tear gas as a spying row between the nations intensified.

East Timor has expressed outrage over reports that Australia secretly bugged ministerial deliberations in Dili in 2004 to gain leverage in negotiations on an oil and gas revenue-sharing deal.

The protest followed a raid Tuesday

by Australian intelligence agents on the Canberra office of a lawyer representing East Timor in an arbitration case at The Hague over the deal, expected to be heard Thursday.

The protesters, mostly students and young Timorese rights activists, carried banners reading: "Australia is a thief" and "Australia has no morals,” an AFP correspondent said.

The demonstrators, calling themselves the Movement Against Timor Sea Occupation, shouted "Australia, imperialist, capitalist!,” and "Australia is a thief of world oil".

"The Australian leaders do not respect the people of Timor-Leste because it's very small, very poor," the group's spokesman Juvinal Dias told AFP. l

Afghan shrine offers ‘cure’ for evil spirits

Amid political violence, Thai king urges stability much and focus on doing their duties ... which are the security and stability of the country,” he said.

As a constitutional monarch, the king has no official political role, but no other figure commands the same moral authority or the same loyalty from the armed forces in the coup-prone country.

Many people were hopeful the king would step in — as he has done in the past — to ease the current standoff, which results from years of enmity between supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was deposed by a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and disrespect for the king, but critics say he continues to control Thai politics through Yingluck, his sister, and his powerful political machine.

However, the king is a less vigorous figure than he used to be. His infrequent public appearances are poignant, since he is visibly infirm with age and uses a wheelchair. In July, he ended a nearly four-year hospital stay — initially for treatment of a lung infection — to live in the seaside palace.

After the speech, it was clear that the king’s words had done little to heal the country’s bitter divide.

At Democracy Monument in Bangkok, one of the main anti-government rally sites, hundreds of people gathered to show respect for the king, but when images of Yingluck appeared on giant screens the crowd booed and many shouted obscenities. l

9

Friday, December 6, 2013

n AFP Samar Khel

Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej reads a statement at Klai Kangwon Palace during a ceremony in celebration of his 86th birthday in Prachuap Khiri Khan province AP

All it took to land Din Muhammed in a cell at an Afghan shrine, chained up and living on bread for 40 days, was an argument with his father.

Muhammad was forced to undergo the traditional “cure” at the shrine of Mia Ali Baba, outside the eastern city of Jalalabad, to rid him of evil spirits.

Even after a decade of international funding and medical expertise pouring into Afghanistan, many locals still believe that the grim ordeal at the shrine will cure mental health problems – or as they see it, possession by malevolent “jinn” spirits.

“I had a big argument with my father,” said Muhammed, a thin young man sitting on a dirty blanket with heavy chains around his ankles and wrists. “I took money from him to buy a motorbike.

“I am very unhappy and I am angry at him that he put me here.”

Muhammed, who says he has five war wounds after serving in the Afghan army, is incarcerated in a row of 20 miserable stone cells.

The ceilings are low and damp, and there are no fans in the summer or heating in the winter.

“The patient is kept in chains for 40 days on a diet of bread with black pepper,” said Malik, the shrine supervisor.

“He is given this to make bad spirits goes away. When someone is infected by ghosts, we read verses of the Koran, and married women without children give them amulets to make the spirits depart.”

“It has been the same for 360 years, and thousands of people have been cured.”

At the end of the course, the “patients” are given broth made from goat’s head to complete the cleansing process.

Those undergoing the gruelling regime appear in fast-deteriorating health and barely able to talk due to exhaustion.

“I did not want to come, my brother forced me,” said Abdul, in his 30s, in a weak voice, unable to explain why he was sent to the shrine.

“They told me they would take me to a doctor and they took 5,000 Afghanis ($90) from my pocket for that. I feel dizzy and have headaches.”

Abdul’s cell stinks of sweat and urine, and it is littered with trash and soiled linen.

Children approach the cell to mock him, before running away laughing as he shakes in desperation.

Shah Temor Mosamim, a doctor and director of a psychiatric hospital in Kabul, dismissed the shrine’s treatment as “having no basis in scientific fact.”

“No matter how aggressive a patient is, if you don’t give him much food for 40 days, he will get quieter,” Mosamim said.

“In Afghanistan, there have been these traditional ways of treatment for mental patients – chaining them up in rooms or shrines. In some cases, patients are suffering from depression or mental problems.”

The campaign group Human Rights Watch has called for the Mia Ali Baba shrine, named after a 17th-century holy man, to be closed and there is also concern from local rights activists.

“This place should be shut down as its practices are not compatible with human rights,” said HRW researcher Heather Barr. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Friday, December 6, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

LDCs need unity on WTO negotiations

B

angladesh’s delegation at the WTO ministerial conference in Bali has proposed that LDCs unify around a call to increase duty-free and quota-free access for LDC exports to developed nations.

We agree it makes logical sense to seek to increase duty and quota free access from 97% to 100%. While up to 97% of LDC products enjoy such access in theory, many important types of product, such as apparel in the case of Bangladesh, do not qualify.

A major stumbling block to reaching a deal at this week’s summit has been As the poorer debate around food subsidies partners in world and security. India’s plan to trade, it is developing implement a welfare program countries that miss to provide cheap food to 800 out most on the million is threatened by USgreater opportunities led proposals to tighten WTO that could be created rules which could curb such via a simpler and more subsidies. effective global trade The whole question of framework food subsidies is mired in vested interests as developed countries in the EU and US spend billions in subsidies for their own farmers, which can directly undermine developing country food exporters. Equally hotly contested areas such as intellectual property (TRIPS) have also long held up trade deals and are one of the reasons why the WTO has failed to finalise any major new global trade deal since it was set up in 1995.

As the poorer partners in world trade, it is developing countries that miss out most on the greater opportunities that could be created via a simpler and more effective global trade framework.

Seeking a unified stance by LDCs is a sensible way to try and speed the pace of intergovernmental agreement to overcome this type of institutional obstacle.

Inu: Seems BNP has declared war on the people November 30

The nation condemns BNP-Jamaat’s blockade and hartal damaging vehicles and public properties like roads and railways and killing scores of innocent people and maiming thousands more. The AL- led interim government must understand that human lives are more precious than election hype. The government must stop it at any cost or else leave power in favor of the President who is the last citadel of our sovereignty.

Hafeejul Alam

Enough is enough November 29 Z On this Thanksgiving day, it is very hard to be thankful for anything when the current political crisis has become a sad feature of the Bangladesh political landscape. Political rivalries have incited extreme and ongoing violence in Bangladesh.

People should seek to end the scourge of political violence and demand punishment for those responsible for the lawlessness. Innocent people are dying every day. Yes, enough is enough!

Vig LaCera Would someone with some gumption please stand up and tell the children to stop. rutland Bangladeshis will all go to heaven because they are already burning in hell here.

WaliulHaqueKhondker Eyewitness reports say that two in a motorbike came near the running bus and lobbed petrol bomb inside the bus then sped away. Would it be very difficult for the law enforcement agencies to haul up these cold-blooded murderers? It occurred virtually in the city centre in the early evening. Only

Be Heard Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com

How India can help

W

hether the views expressed by India’s foreign secretary Sujatha Singh in her meetings with Bangladesh’s political leaders will have any positive impact on the current political impasse remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcome, if India really wants to be helpful to Bangladesh, it would do better to steer clear of our domestic politics and focus on trade relations.

Bangladeshi business is held back from a beneficial trade relationship with our next door neighbour due to unfair, often one-sided, trade barriers.

Non-tariff barriers and buIf barriers to reaucratic obstacles seriously economic activity are limit our access the vast Indian knocked down, the market.

Bangladeshi economy Such tariffs, whatever would receive a their intentions, simply act as tremendous boost, barriers to free trade. They are while India also gains a key hindrance to Bangladesh reaching our full potential in exports to India.

The trade rules currently in place reflect a seriously asymmetrical relationship between India and Bangladesh. They protect India’s economy, while putting Bangladesh at a disadvantage. Some of the barriers amount to harassment. For example, as certificates issued by designated Bangladeshi agencies are not accepted, and the HS classification of goods are unnecessary disputed.

We are in favour of both sides coming to the table to address the issue of our lopsided trade relationship, and making it easier to conduct business across our borders. If barriers to economic activity are knocked down, we believe the Bangladeshi economy would receive a tremendous boost, while India also gains.

Free trade is a win-win situation, and artificial restrictions must be removed to allow our economies to flourish.

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

Ahnaf Enough was enough, not today, but the day Hasina changed the constitution. nds If both the parties are equally held responsible and both of them deny accepting the blame and continue to do what they are doing with renewed vigor, then what alternative is there? Everybody is unanimously suggesting for a dialogue between the two party chiefs to reach a compromise formula for holding an inclusive free and fair election. Suppose they positively respond to this and agree to hold such an election?

What will happen? Either of these responsible parties will win the election and assume power, which means the nation is ready to reward either of them in spite of the killing and mayhem for which we are holding them responsible. Are we not implicitly giving indulgence to what they are doing? Can we then morally expect to get rid of their criminal politics?

To the honorable president of Bangladesh December 1 President Abdul Hamid seems to be a person of great wisdom, sound judgment, capable, and caring. As the president of Bangladesh, he has a sacred duty to look after the welfare of its people who are now at the mercy of political unrest. 90% of them want to see the caretaker government to be reinstated, we hope and trust that President Abdul Hamid will not let them down, will take command of the situation, and will come to a solution acceptable to all involved, so that peace returns to the country.

Nur Jahan, Chittagong

December 1

Sayeef Adnan Brothers and sisters, I’m sorry, but your efforts are fruitless. What you want is not possible.

This is Bangladesh.

Sanzida Rahman I like their commitment towards ending violence, but after killing so many innocent people, I doubt that the so-called political groups will even notice them.

Fazle Monir Choudry Violence is a toy, a mere plaything, for our politicians.

Shafiq Majumder We all appreciate your efforts to end violence.

Spread the message to the whole country.

Please don’t burn any more innocent people.

Need to send a stern warning to both the big political parties.

MD Easir Arafat Siddik Really, you guys have absolute patriotism.

I salute you from the bottom of my heart. I believe you guys will prove that contributing to a country and society doesn’t require one to be a politician.

MD Easir Arafat Siddik Shame at our political parties. Please stop standing in the way of our nation’s progress.

Enough is enough.

Mahadi Hasan Hridoy Brothers and sisters, I am with you all.

Hanif Repon May the great Allah bless all of these selfless hearts.

Quader: Talks underway behind the scenes November 30

Nahiyan Bin Asadullah Shouldn’t they make it public?

Neon Tahidul Islam Yes, but it’s an inside deal. Win-win for the parties, loss for the public.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Young horse (4) 3 Easy talk (4) 7 First woman (3) 8 Sky coloured (5) 11 Prayer ending (4) 12 Diminished by (5) 13 Correct (5) 15 Examine (4) 18 Transgressions (4) 19 Sovereign (5) 20 Select group (5) 21 Atlas contents (4) 23 Strikes with beak (5) 24 Lyric poem (3) 25 That which binds (4) 26 Catch sight of (4)

exemplary punishment can stop these goons from committing such horrendous crimes. If the different law enforcement agencies want to hold their heads up high with pride, they have got to show us that they can do what people expect them to do.

Hunger-strike at Shahbag to end violence

DOWN 1 Disorderly disturbance (6) 2 Quickness of perception (6) 4 Border (3) 5 Disinclined (6) 6 Perfect score (3) 9 Washes lightly (6) 10 Finish (3) 11 Shrewd (6) 14 Emperor of Japan (obs) (6) 16 Chooses by vote (6) 17 Reliable (6) 19 Tear (3) 21 Unruly crowd (3) 22 Female swan (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Friday, December 6, 2013

Combined test is a good thing n Former students of SUST

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Just ask the people

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

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What do the Bangladeshi people want?

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n Zafar Sobhan

et’s drop the charade. The country is in no position to go to the polls in less than a month’s time. Enough of the closed door meetings and cloak and dagger negotiations between the great and the good and our foreign friends to try to bring the AL and the BNP together and to rush through an election by January 5.

The simple truth is that the AL and BNP were never going to compromise on a formula acceptable to both sides, and the sooner we stop pretending that this was ever on the cards, the better. If there had been any intention on either side to find common ground, it could have been found, but there was none, and this has been apparent for months.

On this particular issue there is enough blame to go around. The AL should never have amended the constitution to end the caretaker government system, in the teeth of public opinion, giving the BNP a gilt-edged excuse to boycott the elections.

By the same token, it is pretty clear that the BNP had no desire to find any kind of mutually acceptable compromise short of the caretaker government, even though there were many workable possibilities that could have been arrived at through good faith negotiation.

In fact, even had the caretaker gov-

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ernment system never been scrapped, I am pretty sure that we would right now be embroiled in a reprise of 2006 but this time with the BNP complaining about Justice Khairul Haque as chief adviser.

The bottom line is that the compact of even minimal cooperation between the two sides that had existed since 1991 has broken down completely. The AL and the BNP simply cannot co-exist anymore in any meaningful way and this is a new reality that we have yet to adjust to.

civilians and not political activists (not that killing or maiming political activists is acceptable, either).

Under what understanding of the process does the preceding suggest that we are in any way prepared for an election or that if we were able to hold one, that it would be of any value or do anything to change the fundamental problems on the ground.

The issue is not whether our octogenarian ex-dictator and his party participates in the election or not. How can the legitimacy or acceptability of the

This shouldn’t be about what the BNP wants or what the AL is willing to concede to them. This shouldn’t be about whether the JP is taking part in the elections or not. The question everyone should be asking is: What do the Bangladeshi people want

We now have a situation where the law enforcement authorities are conducting pre-dawn raids on safe houses to haul BNP leaders into custody and the BNP has been reduced to issuing video statements from undisclosed locations, al-Qaeda style.

Meanwhile all hell is breaking loose.

Buses are being torched, railway lines cut, and inter-city transport has been brought to a virtual standstill. The death toll for the year is over 700, with almost 20,000 injured, and the majority of these have been innocent

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elections depend on something so capricious as his calculation as to which way the political wind is blowing and who will cut him the better deal.

Please. Don’t insult the Bangladeshi people. In fact, in this entire sorry saga, no one has thought to ask the people what it is that we might want.

The decisions as to the make-up of the interim government and the modalities of the election and whether they would be acceptable or not have been made entirely without recourse to the people on whose behalf this whole

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rigmarole is ostensibly being conducted – we, the people.

This shouldn’t be about what the BNP wants or what the AL is willing to concede to them. This shouldn’t be about whether the JP is taking part in the elections or not. The question everyone should be asking is: What do the Bangladeshi people want.

At no point has that question been the guiding concern of the political process this past year, and that has been the problem. It is not only that the main political parties can no longer co-exist, it is that neither of them now even makes a pretence of serving the public interest.

All elections are not short-hand for the will of the people, and forcing through elections as the country burns should not be confused with asking the people what they want. The people want a meaningful choice. The question is whether the January 5 elections can deliver this. To ask the question is to answer it.

The time has come to ask the Bangladeshi people what they want. This single, simple, elegant question should be at the heart of any democratic process, but when was the last time it was asked by either the party that took a decision that was opposed by up to 90% of the population or by the party that has burned the country to the ground in response? l Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

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hahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) was founded in Sylhet in 1987. Since then, by introducing the SMS-based admission registration, and inventing new strategies in the IT sectors of Bangladesh, ensuring availability of these tools in the practical field, and many other achievements, SUST has turned itself into an institution to be reckoned with.

The credit for this goes to its students, teachers, and other staff. We have managed to take SUST to a good place even though the path was not easy.

We cannot see how the combined admission test would stop the students of Sylhet from getting a higher education.

In the prevailing admission test system, the applicant has to be present physically in the test centre. Accommodation, transportation, and other costs make things hard for students.

Students are forced to make various compromises because of this.

Multiple admission tests on the same day force students to forgo a lot of things. But the combined admission test system is a process that can aid the applicant in taking part in the admission test for his or her desired university with the same questionnaire from a nearby exam centre.

This will reduce the financial, mental, and physical burden on the student. It may also improve chances of Sylheti candidates for gaining admission elsewhere. If this system works, a student from Sylhet would be able to sit in a local admission centre for the admission tests of any concerned university in the country.

Another vital fact we observed is that some people are considering the “cluster” and “combined” systems to be the same thing. The cluster system is followed in the medical school admission process where a whole merit list is prepared, and candidates get allocated accordingly, though in the combined admission test system.

This will reduce the financial, mental, and physical burden on the student. It may also improve chances of Sylheti candidates for gaining admission elsewhere

Merit lists will be prepared in each university based on their registered applicants, and hence, the admission procedure will be followed as per the rules of the particular university.

So this system is not going to deprive any student of their desired university. The accumulated system will

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follow the same admission procedure as in the past, in which meritorious candidates of registered universities get accepted based on their merit.

We have seen that this timely and beneficial measure is being misunderstood by the people of Sylhet and SUST. This is very unfortunate. It is our heartfelt request to the people of Sylhet, that they become properly informed about this system, rather than paying heed to false explanations.

Students of Sylhet are reaching the apex of success in their fields, not only in this country, but in the world. This admission test system will not cause losses to anybody. We, the former students of SUST, are embarrassed for the present misunderstanding. We have never felt deprived of anything being Sylheti, and if we see such things happen, we will be the first to stand against it.

We have seen that this timely and beneficial measure is being misunderstood by the people of Sylhet and SUST. This is very unfortunate

We, the former students of SUST, protest the quota system. We would like to clarify that we do not support the quota system. We hope the SUST authorities will take necessary steps to reveal the advantages of the combined system to the people of Sylhet.

We also have an objection to the interference of outsiders over an autonomous body like a public university. Apparently, such people can dictate what is best for SUST, to people who have been working in this institute, and have a better understanding of how it works from the inside.

We were shocked when the university authorities decided to repeal the combined admission test without considering the consequences. Students protested this, and the combined test got reinstated. That same day, an announcement was made by locals calling for a three-day ultimatum to cancel the combined exam system.

Calls for a strike before the exam, and even a hartal on the day of the exam, were pretty distressing.

Our humble request to the inhabitants of Sylhet: Please have faith in us.

We want to assure you that we won’t let any Sylheti students get left out. l This article was written by Sushanta Das Gupta, Sourav Ray, Subrata Das, Kamal Chowdhury, Kallol Talukder, Tausieef Al Nur, Nixon Kanti Paul, Md Tanjim Shams, Anupama Das, Habibur Rahman Salman, Tasmiah Jannat Khan, Mohaiminul Haque Pallab, Ponkog Kumar Das, and Sunny Abdullah.

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If this isn’t terror, what is? n Ekram Kabir

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ife in Bangladesh has come to a standstill with several lives lost in the past few weeks. Rail tracks are uprooted, buses are burnt, businesses have all collapsed, foreign buyers are all turning their back on us, prices of essentials have shot up, there’s no work for day labourers, farmers are in trouble with their produce, people are afraid of coming out of their houses, schools and colleges are closed, exam routines have been blown apart.

The list could be longer, and this is the list that our politicians, for that matter, our leaders have left us with. Till Wednesday, December 5, 47 Bangladeshis have been killed. And the majority of them were innocent people who didn’t have anything to do with politics.

The sounds of hand bombs exploding everywhere and locomotives slipping away from the tracks across the country have become part and parcel of our lives now. Setting property on fire is another feature of the so-called movement for upholding the process of democracy.

This is where our politics has come down to. The two political sides have vowed not to allow the other to take the country’s managerial post. In

the meantime, another terror-mongering section has already struck.

The perfect example of that is how a well-equipped and flawlessly compliant garment factory in Gazipur was set on fire and destroyed. The factory incurred a loss of Tk12bn.

Now, sympathising with the victims of these terror acts (which our media has been affectionately terming as “arson”), opposition alliance leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia has said that she was agonised, angered and surprised at these acts. She added that her alliance workers were not behind them and she didn’t know who actually did these.

The opposition is responsible for engaging its workers in such acts. The government is responsible for luring the opposition into this

This reaction from our former prime minister beats our wits as to how the chair of a large political party such as BNP didn’t know about these acts. She has been the chief executive of Bangladesh more than once. She formed an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, fully anticipating the consequences.

And these acts of burning buses and uprooting railroads have been going on for quite some time now. The statement that she didn’t know who was behind it sounds like a lame excuse.

We, the commoners, are having great difficulty in believing what she is saying.

We would urge her to stir her mind thinking about what would happen if these kinds of unfortunate incidences had taken place in the heart of London, Washington, Canberra, Paris or even New Delhi. Would they call these “arson” or “unfortunate incidents”?

We’re pretty sure they would have termed it as no less than acts of “terrorism”. Now, our question is: “Isn’t it your responsibility to stop whoever is burning these buses full of people and derailing the trains?” We’d be dumbfounded if a former prime minister says: “No, it’s the government’s responsibility, not the opposition’s. The opposition’s responsibility is to raise a movement against the government and uphold democracy.”

Let’s ask some more questions: “What would happen if the BNP-led alliance fails to come to power? Would the sky fall on BNP’s head? Would the party be extinct?” The same questions could be asked to the government as well: “Would the sky fall if you are not in power any more? Will you perish if

NASHIRUL ISLAM

the other alliance takes charge? What do you have to fear?”

We think both sides are responsible for this. The opposition is responsible for engaging its workers in such acts.

The government is responsible for luring the opposition into this. The situation didn’t come to this overnight.

In the past two years, we could all see that it was coming. The local analysts, the media, and international observers were anxiously alerting both parties.

The unfortunate fact is that no one had cared, and therefore no one had taken any initiative for solving the looming ego-mongering.

Now, the opposition alliance has

again announced another round of blockades from Saturday morning to Tuesday morning. We won’t be surprised to see them extend the program to Thursday. More lives would be lost, more property would be damaged.

If we could see the common people among the blockaders, we’d understand that they had public support, but we haven’t seen anybody. The common people participating in the blockade wouldn’t have been raising terror across the country. We want this to stop. l Ekram Kabir is a DT columnist, and Executive Editor of Natunbarta.com.

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Did you know?

Luis Suarez is the first player to score four goals and assist another in a PL game since Frank Lampard against Aston Villa in March 2010

Sport

Friday, December 6, 2013

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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1 0 0 DAYS TO GO

14 Ronaldo hoping to avoid big guns in Brazil draw

14 Swann catch ensures honours even in 2nd Test

Dhanmondi derby today n Shishir Hoque Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Abahani Limited will be relying on their in-form foreign forwards -Sony Norde and Osei Morrison – when the teams clash in the first semi-final of the Walton Federation Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today at 5pm.

Sony Norde, who left the field with an injury in the quarter-final against Mohammedan, was the only concern for Sheikh Jamal but the sources confirmed that the Haitian international is fit to feature in the game.

It will be a toe-to-toe clash between Sony and Abahani’s Ghanaian striker Osei Morrison. Since moving to Sheikh Jamal from Sheikh Russell, Sony has scored five goals this season in the Federation Cup and is joint leading scorer with Morrison, who was also the top scorer in the Bangladesh Premier League last season while playing for Mohammedan.

Regarding Sony’s fitness, Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi said, “After the Xray we found out it’s not a serious injury. He needed some rest and I’m waiting to hear from physio if he clears him to play tomorrow.”

The star-studded Sheikh Jamal will also have the edge in midfield as they better players in the area as well as a better bench. Abahani’s midfield, consisting of Yoko Samnick, Arman, Komol and Shahed, will have little to offer against the likes of national skipper Mamunul Islam, Nigerian Emeka Darlington, Sohel Rana and Mobarak

Hossain Bhuiyan. Afusi nonetheless, is taking nothing for granted.

“Abahani is one of the powerhouses.

They have experienced and young national team players. I believe by tomorrow we will be going all out to play our football to make Bangladesh football supporters happy and to try our best on the field,” he said.

In a pre-season friendly between the two sides, Sheikh Jamal thrashed Abahani 5-1. However, Jamal, has struggled to find the net in the Federation Cup group stage, netting just three goals in two matches against Soccer Club Feni and Uttar Baridhara.

“Friendly match is not important but it inspired us. It will be a 50-50 game, both the team are strong but Abahani have big support from their fans. Our weapon is attacking style of our play,” said Jamal skipper Mamunul.

Since then, Abahani are not also the same team that was outplayed by Jamal. They have changed keeping their defense compact throughout the tournament to be the only side yet to concede a goal. Left-back Waly Faisal, who missed the last game against Soccer Club Feni after the death of his new born son, is also set to return to the squad along with centre-back Sujan.

“Waly returned to squad. He is now mentally fit. All the players are fit and ready to go. We will try to keep a clean sheet and continue scoring,” said Abahani’s interim coach Amolesh Sen yesterday.

Skipper Sujan was confident. “We have enough preparation. If every player contribute to the team from their respective positions and avail their chances, then we will win the game,” l

Top seeds ease to semis n Raihan Mahmood Top seeded Taipei shuttlers Hsu Jen Hao and Pai Hsiao Ma cruised to the semi-finals of the Yonex-Sunrise International Open Challenge Badminton at the Shaheed Sohrawardi Indoor Stadium yesterday.

In the quarter-finals of the men’s singles, Hsu Jen Hao (TPE) beat Deepak Khatri (IND) 21-14, 21-7, Dharma Alrie Guna (INA) outplayed Dinuka Karunaratne (SRI) 6-21, 21-19, 21-19, Yogendran Krishnan (MAS) overpowered Ketan Chahal (IND) 21-14, 21-15 and Subhankar Dey (IND) outplayed Shahzan Shah Misfahul (MAS) 21-12, 21-19.

The women’s singles also saw the top seeded shuttlers ease past the quarters. Pai Hsiao Ma (TPE) defeated Bristy Khatun (BAN) 21-10, 21-5, Trupti Murgunde (IND) beat compatriot Arathi Sara Sunil 21-11, 22-24, 21-16, Sannatash Saniru (MAS) walked past Juhi Dewangan (IND) 21-8, 21-13 and Saili Rane (IND) ousted Achininime-

shika Mudiyanselage (SRI) 22-20,21-15.

The event of men’s doubles was also dominated by the Taipei shuttlers with Liang Jui We and Liao Kuan Hao beating Ahmadi Saman and Jinn Yee Tan (MAS) 21-13, 21-1. Deepak Khatri and Gaurav Venkat (IND) overwhelmed K Dilshad and S Sunjith(Jr) (IND) 21-13, 16-21,21-17, Hung Ying Yuan and Cheng Heng Su (TPE) overpowered S Sanjeeth and Jagadish Yadav (IND) 21-15, 21-11, Jagdish Singh and Wee Long Roni Tan (MAS)defeated Abhishek Ahlawa and Bhaskar Chakraborty (IND) 21-14, 18-21, 22-20 in the other matches.

The Sri Lankan duo of A Kapuru Mudiyanselage and U Weerasinghe had very little difficulty in overcoming the challenge of their Bangladeshi opponents Bristy Khatun and Rehana Parvin as the host pair were beaten 21-7, 21-8 in the semis of the women’s doubles. Meanwhile, Dhanya Nair and Mohita Sahdev (IND) beat the other local pair of Nabila Aktar and Shapla Aktar 21-12, 21-14. l

Sony Norde,(left) the Haitian forward of Sheikh Jamal and Osie Morrison, the Ghanaian striker of Abahani prepare for their semifinal duel in the practice sessions at their club grounds yesterday MUMIT M

Siddikur 69th after first round n Tribune Sport Desk Siddikur Rahman teed off his Hong Kong Open campaign poorly after posting one-over-par 71 in the first round at the Hong Kong Golf Club yesterday. Siddikur ended the opening day jointly at 69th.

A bogey in the fifth hole was followed by a double bogey as Siddikur was drifting away, but two birdies later in the day ensured the Bangladeshi golfer finished one-over-par.

Ireland’s David Higgins took the early honours when he posted a sixunder-par 64 to grab the first round lead at the $1.3m event.

Italy’s Andrea Pavan trailed Higgins by one when he returned with a 65 to take second place while seven players including Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing and Mardan Mamat, India’s Sujjan Singh and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat bunched in equal third on matching 66s. l

Hemanta needs to work on tactical side n Raihan Mahmood

Vincent Hemanta Biswas, the Bangladesh Under-19 football captain, had a good first practice session with the Dutch professional football club FC Twente, where he is under trial, at the city of Enschede on Tuesday.

Lodewijk de Kruif, the Dutch national coach of Bangladesh, revealed the fact at his BFF office yesterday.

“His fitness and technique were ok, but he was poor in the tactical aspect.

I have talked with the Twente coaches and I made the situation clear to them, I told them that in this part of the world the football education are not so high and the players of this part are not comparable with the Dutch standards in the age level, so Vincent’s chance is still there,” said de Kruif.

De Kruif also added that FC Twente has a number of players for the position

Bangladesh prosper at Special Olympics

n Raihan Mahmood

Indian duo of Bhaskar and Abhishek in action in the quarterfinals of the Yonex-Sunrise International Badminton at the Mirpur Indoor stadium yesterday COURTESY

Bangladesh continued to excel at the Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games as they won five more gold medals in Newcastle Australia yesterday.

Parul Akter was the notable performer of the day and he won the 50M freestyle swimming event with a time of 40.45 seconds. Parul had earlier won the gold in the 50M breaststroke.

Md. Sagor Ahmed clinched the finished first in the men’s 200 meter sprint with a time of 27.34 second in the track and field.

Chaity Akter emerged as the fastest woman in the female division 8 by clocking 17. 58 seconds in the 100M sprint. Kaniz Fatema took silver in the same event.

Munni Akter and Rabeya Khatun clinched the crown in the women’s badminton doubles.

Humayun Kabir won the men’s 200M sprint with a time of 27.62 seconds. l

of Vincent and that one from Ghana is a strong contender. “He will face stiff competitions there, it is normal, but I hope he will find a place in Twente, if not we will look out for other options, I have talked with a Belgium club also,” he added.

He said Vincent is comfortable with the Dutch family he is staying with, but he is still to get accustomed with the food habit.

Meanwhile, De Kruif also added that Bangladesh Football Federation is not in a position to send the national team to Indonesia in the middle of January.

Indonesia Football Federation invited the national team through the correspondence of Lodewijk de Kruif to take part in a football tournament.

“I have talked about it with the BFF president and he told me that in the prevailing situation of the country it is not possible to send the national team

abroad, so we have to postpone the tour. However, I have not ruled it out, I have asked the IFF to make a slot in June next and it would convenient for us,” said de Kruif. l

Bimal and Hemanta (R)

Vice-captaincy in the air n Mazhar Uddin The ongoing political unrest has hampered the work of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the board has yet to elect a chief selector and vicepresident. However, the chairman of the cricket operations Akram Khan along with national coach Shane Jurgensen and selector Habibul Bashar held a meeting yesterday to discuss various issues.

We have discussed various issues and our future plans regarding cricket National coach Shane Jurgensen went to Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday after a few days due to the ongoing political unrest and met with Akram Khan and Habibul Bashar. It was learnt that they came to a decision about the vice-captain given that Mahmudullah has been in poor form in the last couple of series’.

Akram told the media, “We have discussed various issues and our future plans regarding cricket.”

When asked about the next chief selector, Akram said that the appointment would be made at the next board meeting.

Meanwhile, Akram along with Jurgensen and Bashar are struggling to select the vice-captain after Mushfiqur Rahim’s tenure as a captain was extended till the 2015 World Cup and the BCB is now looking for his deputy for a longer period.

Mahmudullah has struggled in the last few series’ and was also out of the playing eleven for some matches for Bangladesh, which caused the BCB to find a replacement of the 27-year old.

Two of the most experienced cricketers, Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal,have no chance for the spot and it was learnt that either Nasir Hossain or Abdur Razzak might replace Mahmudullah and the board will take the decision after observing a few matches in the near future. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Friday, December 6, 2013

Superb Suarez tears Norwich apart again Everton shock United as Arsenal, Chelsea, City win

n Reuters, London

Liverpool's Luis Suarez shoots to score against Norwich City during their English Premier League match at Anfield on Tuesday REUTERS

How the World Cup draw works n Agencies The draw for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil takes place today.

The teams have now been divided into four pots with one from each being placed in each group. FIFA have also announced the exact rules of what can and can’t happen in the draw.

The draw for next summer’s World Cup finals takes place on Friday (December 6) in Costa do Sauipe at 1600 GMT. It will be shown live on Sky Sports.

England are not among the seeds so could be drawn in the same group as hosts Brazil or holders Spain. A more favourable draw would see them placed alongside Switzerland.

As hosts, Brazil were automatically seeded and have already been placed in Group A, taking spot A1 in the draw.

Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Switzerland and Uruguay have also been seeded on the basis of their October FIFA ranking.

Those teams will be in Pot 1 for the draw. The other pots have been determined upon “sports and geographic factors” by Fifa’s World Cup Organising Committee which met on Tuesday.

As you will see, Pot 4, made up entirely of European nations, currently has nine teams and Pot 2 only seven.

At the start of the draw, one team from

THE POTS

POT 1

Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay

POT 2 Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Chile, Ecuador (plus one currently in Pot 4)

POT 3 Australia, Iran, Japan, Korea, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, USA

POT 4 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia (one team will be drawn into Pot 2)

Pot 4 will be drawn at random and placed into Pot 2 to balance things out.

The draw will then be staged according to the principle that teams cannot be drawn in the same group as those from the same confederation (ie two South American teams cannot be placed in the same group). The one exception to this is the European confederation - due to the number of European qualifiers, two teams from the Uefa region will be allowed in the same group.

To ensure these principles are adhered to, the European team which ends up in Pot 2 is already guaranteed to be put in the same group as a South American team from Pot 1. Again, that will happen at the start of the draw. l

Ronaldo hoping to avoid big guns in Brazil draw n AFP, Madrid Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo believes Spain, Brazil and Germany are the favourites to win next year’s World Cup and is keen to avoid all three in today’s draw for the group stages.

The Real Madrid forward ensured his country will be represented in Brazil next summer with a stunning individual performance as he scored all four goals in Portugal’s 4-2 aggregate playoff win over Sweden last month.

However, having been eliminated

by Spain in each of the last two major tournaments, he is keen to avoid some of his club teammates along with Brazil and three-time winners Germany in the early stages.

“The candidates to win the World Cup are Brazil, Spain and Germany.

Ideally it is not a good moment to be drawn with them, but we are not thinking about that just now,” he told Spanish sports daily Marca.

“We will see what the draw presents us with. We are confident, in good shape and we have achieved our objective of getting to Brazil. Hopefully we will not be drawn with any of these really strong teams from the start.”

Ronaldo has paid slightly for his ef-

forts in the match against Sweden as he has missed Real’s last two games due to a slight muscle problem.

However, Madrid have continued their rampant form of late even without their star man as Gareth Bale took centre stage with his first hat-trick since joining the Spanish giants in a 4-0 win over Valladolid last weekend.

The treble took Bale’s tally to eight goals in his last seven games, whilst he also teed up Karim Benzema for Madrid’s other goal to add his sixth assist of the campaign. l

Putting delays aside, Fifa readies for World Cup draw n AFP, Costa Do Sauipe Rising above delays and reports of planned public protest, FIFA is finalizing preparations for today’s draw for next year’s World Cup. The draw at the northeastern Brazil resort of Costa do Sauipe will see world football’s governing body draw eight groups of four in a complex system designed to separate teams from the same continent as far as possible.

But some groups will contain two European sides, with the Old Continent having 13 of the 32 qualifiers.

FIFA has shrugged off Brazilian admissions that six of the 12 venues are running late.

Brazilian Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo said the six would not meet a December 31 deadline but would be ready for pre-tournament tests in late January.

The exceptions are Curitiba, set only to be fully ready in February, and Sao Paulo, scene of a fatal accident which left two construction workers dead last week and where an investigation is under way.

Work at Cuiaba remains behind schedule and Rebelo says the stadiums in Porto Alegre, Manaus and Natal will only be inaugurated in January, partially owing to President Dilma Rousseff ’s full pre-Christmas agenda as she plans to attend.

“There are delays but they will not be significant. What matters is that we are ready to go in January,” Rebelo said.

“Due to the reduced timeline, FIFA, the LOC (local organizing committee), government and stadium authorities are adjusting the stadium operational program to ensure that the stadiums are delivered and host events prior to the FIFA World Cup without compromising on safety or quality,” FIFA said in a statement.

A further headache -- albeit one at arm’s length -- was a Wednesday announcement by the “anonymousbrasil” protest group that they plan to make plain their opposition not only to government corruption but also the estimated $11 billion cost of staging the World Cup with a Friday march. l

Liverpool’s Luis Suarez showed his devastating ability to act as a one-man wrecking ball with four goals in a 5-1 demolition of Norwich City as Arsenal’s forgotten man Nicklas Bendtner jogged a few memories in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Suarez delivered a dazzling collection of goal-of-the-season contenders at Anfield and Bendtner scored two minutes into his first start in more than two years to help the Premier League leaders beat Hull City 2-0.

Second-placed Chelsea and Manchester City in third came through tight tussles to beat Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion, but champions Manchester United lost 1-0 at home to Everton to slip 12 points behind the leaders.

While the pressure on United manager David Moyes increased, Tottenham Hotspur eased the stress on boss Andre Villas-Boas by coming from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 in their manager Rene Meulensteen’s first game in charge.

Arsenal, with 34 points, stayed four points clear of Chelsea at the top of the table, with Manchester City two adrift in third and Liverpool a point further back in fourth, ahead of Everton on goal difference.

Suarez must wish he could play Norwich every week, a team against whom he has now scored 11 goals in his last four Premier League games. He grabbed a first-half hat-trick including two genuine contenders for goal of the season.

The first, a stunning volley into the top corner from almost 40 metres, was followed by a more modest poacher’s effort, before he wowed the home fans

further by juggling the ball and cracking in an unstoppable shot from distance.

He completed his personal showreel with another moment of quality, bending a 25-metre free kick into the top corner, before Norwich pulled a goal back through Bradley Johnson and Raheem Sterling rounded off the scoring for the hosts.

Arsenal’s Bendtner has been little more than a casual observer in their superb start to the season, yet with the transfer window looming, he delivered a timely reminder to Arsene Wenger that he could yet be an able deputy to Olivier Giroud.

Moyes was given a hostile reception from Everton’s travelling fans, but the mood turned to jubilation for those clad in blue as left back Oviedo converted Romelu Lukaku’s cross from the right.

After Moyes had failed to ever get a positive result at Old Trafford, new boss Roberto Martinez picked up three points at the first time of asking, the Toffees’ first win at the ground since 1992.

Eden Hazard starred for Chelsea by scoring twice as they edged a sevengoal encounter 4-3 with Frank Lampard and a Phil Bardsley own goal the other names on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Manchester City also came out on top by a single goal, beating West Brom 3-2 as they welcomed back captain Vincent Kompany after a two-month injury layoff.

Sergio Aguero opened the scoring on nine minutes and two goals from Yaya Toure, the second a penalty, helped them to a 3-0 lead.

Aston Villa ended Southampton’s unbeaten home record with a 3-2 win, Swansea City beat Newcastle United 3-0 and Stoke City and Cardiff played out a goalless stalemate. l

RESULTS Arsenal

2-0

Hull

Fulham

1-2

Tottenham

Liverpool

5-1

Man United

0-1

Southampton

2-3

Stoke Sunderland

0-0 3-4

Swansea

3-0

Newcastle

West Brom

2-3

Man City

Bendtner 2, Ozil 47 Dejagah 56

Chiriches 73, Holtby 82

Suarez 15, 29, 35, 74, Sterling 88

Rodriguez 48, Osvaldo 69

Altidore 14, O’Shea 50, Bardsley 86

Norwich

Johnson 83

Everton

Oviedo 86

Aston Villa

Agbonlahor 15, Kozak 64, Delph 80

Cardiff Chelsea

Lampard 17, Hazard 36, 62, Bardsley 84-og

Dyer 45, Debuchy 67-og, Shelvey 81 Pantilimon 85-og, Anichebe 90

Aguero 9, Toure 24, 74-p

POINTS TABLE Team 1 Arsenal 2 Chelsea 3 Man City 4 Liverpool 5 Everton 6 Tottenham 7 Newcastle 8 Southampton 9 Man United 10 Aston Villa 11 Swansea City 12 Hull City 13 West Brom 14 Stoke City 15 Cardiff City 16 Norwich City 17 West Ham 18 Fulham 19 Crystal Palace 20 Sunderland

P 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

W 11 9 9 8 7 7 7 6 6 5 5 5 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 2

D 1 3 1 3 6 3 2 4 4 4 3 2 6 5 5 2 4 1 1 2

L 2 2 4 3 1 4 5 4 4 5 6 7 5 6 6 8 7 10 10 10

GD Pts 19 34 14 30 26 28 13 27 9 27 -2 24 -2 23 5 22 4 22 0 19 1 18 -6 17 -2 15 -6 14 -9 14 -16 14 -3 13 -14 10 -14 10 -17 8

Neymar’s European Bayern reach cup quarters, experience can Robben injures knee help Brazil: Pele Robben has been in outstanding n AFP, Sao Paulo n AFP, Berlin form for Bayern recently, scoring in

Brazilian legend Pele said on Wednesday he hoped current Brazil star Neymar’s experience in Europe with Barcelona could give the Selecao a boost at next year’s World Cup. Brazil “shouldn’t fear anyone,” Pele said as he pinpointed next June as Neymar’s chance to shine on the world stage.

“We hope with the experience he has been getting in Europe he can produce a fine showing with the Brazilian team,” said Pele, who played on three Brazilian World Cup-winning teams.

Pele, now 73, added he has no desire to draw any of the 32 balls in Friday’s draw in the northeastern resort of Costa do Sauipe.

“I don’t feel comfortable with drawing the balls as I don’t want to choose (teams) not favorable to Brazil.”

Pele added he hoped that popular protest of the kind which marred last June’s Confederations Cup would not spoil the World Cup. “I hope people realise this is very important for our country. People can protest but let’s not spoil the World Cup,” said Pele, who was attending a Sao Paulo function with US swimming legend Michael Phelps. l

Holders Bayern Munich reached the German Cup quarter-finals with a 2-0 win at Augsburg on Wednesday, but star winger Arjen Robben suffered a painful knee injury.

The 29-year-old scored four minutes into Bayern’s third-round tie but had to

RESULTS Freiburg

1-2

Wolfsburg

2-1

Ingolstadt 04

Frankfurt

4-2

Sandhausen

Augsburg

0-2

Bayern Munich

Ginter 19

Naldo 67, Olic 89 Joselu 19, 49-p, 90+2, Kadlec 72

Leverkusen

Kruse 1, Can 77 Ginter 19

Rode 64-og, Tueting 66

Robben 4, Mueller 78

be stretchered off 12 minutes later having been sent tumbling by Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz.

Robben received lengthy treatment from Bayern medical staff pitchside and the European champions said he had suffered a “deep cut” on his right knee.

The extent of the injury will only be known after a scan.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER

Aerial view of the Christ the Redeemer statue atop Corcovado Hill and the Mario Filho (Maracana) stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Monday. The Maracana stadium will host the Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics AFP

each of his last four matches for the Bundesliga leaders.

His replacement Thomas Mueller scored Bayern’s second, heading home 12 minutes from time to put Pep Guardiola’s side into the last eight.

Bayer Leverkusen, second in the Bundesliga, enjoyed a 2-1 win at Freiburg with Australia winger Robbie Kruse scoring for the visitors with just a minute gone.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s ex-Real Madrid and Spain Under-21 forward Joselu scored a hat-trick in their 4-2 win at home to second-division Sandhausen.

VfL Wolfsburg needed Croatia striker Ivica Olic to hit the 89th-minute winner to seal their 2-1 victory at second-division Ingolstadt 04.

The hosts took a shock early lead before Wolves clawed their way back with Brazilian defender Naldo equalising with 20 minutes left.

On Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund advanced with a 2-0 win at minnows Saarbruecken while Ruhr Valley neighbours Schalke 04 crashed out with a 3-1 defeat at home to top-tier rivals Hoffenheim. l

PSG’s long unbeaten run brought to an end n AFP, Paris Paris Saint-Germain failed to equal the record for their longest unbeaten run in France’s top flight as they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat away to Evian on Wednesday.

Youngster Clarck Nsikulu put Evian in front at the end of a counterattack with 15 minutes remaining in freezing Annecy, and on-loan Marseille winger Modou Sougou made sure of the win for the home side when he added another in the 87th minute.

That goal came just seconds after Javier Pastore had missed a glorious chance to bring the defending champions level, and the result ends PSG’s unbeaten record under Laurent Blanc.

Indeed, the capital club’s sequence of Ligue 1 matches without defeat ends at 26, one short of the club record set in their title-winning 1993-94 campaign.

And their overall run without losing in all competitions ends at 36 matches, also one short of the club record. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

QUICK BYTES

Sport

15

Friday, December 6, 2013

AND THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

Youth ODI series begins today Bangladesh Under-19 will take on the visiting West Indies Under-19 in the first match off the seven-match Youth ODI series at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium today. The touring party accustomed themselves to the conditions well, winning their only warm-up game against the same opponents by 114 runs a couple days ago.

However, the home side is expected to have the upper hand in the series as they beat the same opponents in a similar series away from home just a month ago.

–MUK

Fifa hands Under-17 World Cup to India Fifa continued its policy of taking tournaments to developing soccer frontiers when it awarded the 2017 Under-17 World Cup to India on Thursday.

It will be the biggest soccer tournament staged in India, who won the nomination by beating bids from 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa and Uzbekistan.

Fifa also awarded the Under-20 World Cup in 2017 to South Korea while the women’s Under-17 World Cup in 2016 was given to Jordan and the Under-20 women’s World Cup will be played in South Africa. Fifa president Sepp Blatter told reporters: “This is of enormous importance for a land of 1.2 billion people in sporting political and geo-political terms.” India have never taken part in the World Cup finals and although soccer matches there attract sizeable crowds, cricket is the country’s national sport.

– Reuters

Toure in line to retain CAF award Ivory coast midfielder Yaya Toure was on Thursday in line for another accolade, as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced its shortlist for African Footballer of the Year. The Manchester City star on Monday was named BBC African Footballer of the Year at the fifth time of asking. Toure won the CAF version last year and could retain the honour at a ceremony in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, on January 9.

Toure’s compatriot Didier Drogba, currently playing at Turkish giants Galatasaray, also made the shortlist, which was whittled down to 10 players from 25.

–AFP

Euro-winning Spain coach Aragones retires Spanish football coach Luis Aragones, who led his country to victory at the European Championships in 2008, has announced his retirement at the age of 75. As well as the Spanish national side, Aragones trained ten different clubs during a 35-year coaching career. He is most fondly remembered at Atletico Madrid with whom he won La Liga in the 1976/77 season and three Copa del Rey titles across three spells in charge. However, his crowning glory came in Austria and Switzerland in 2008 when he guided the until then perennially underachieving Spanish national side to their first major tournament victory since 1964.

–AFP

S Korea, Mexico and New Jersey ditched from F1 programme

Three Grands Prix have been removed from the provisional Formula One calendar for 2014 at the International Automobile Federation’s AGM on Wednesday.

Races in South Korea, Mexico and New Jersey had been included in a bloated 22race programme for next season but the FIA has decided to keep the current programme of 19 races. With a new fixture on the calendar in Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix next year, the Korean race at Yeongam has had to make way. It also means no prospective new race in Mexico, nor a return to the calendar for New Jersey.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Ten Golf 11:00AM Hong Kong Open Day 2 Ten Action 3:00 AM Copa del Ray 2013/14 Cartagena v Barcelona Star Sports 4 1:45AM Italian Serie A Bologna v Juventus Star Sports 1 6:00AM (Saturday) Australia v England Second Test, Day 3

Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan (2L), ICC Event Director Chris Tetley (R), Bangladesh national cricketers Mahmudullah (L) and Shakib al Hasan (C) and Bangladesh national women’s team captain Salma Khatun attend the 100-day countdown ceremony of the ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014 at the South Plaza of the Parliament Bhaban at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar early today. Fireworks and performances by local bands were held at various locations across the country in the countdown ceremony. 12 distinct clocks are set across the country. Three of them are in Chittagong, two in Sylhet while the remaining seven are in Dhaka. The timepieces in Dhaka are at Gulshan circle 1 and 2, Mirpur 10 intersection, Bijoy Nagar intersection and Airport MUMIT M

Swann catch ensures honours even n

AFP, Adelaide

A leaping catch by Graeme Swann shortly before close of play kept England in contention against Australia on the opening day of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on yesterday.

The Australians, one-up in the series, looked in control at 257 for four nearing stumps, before Swann held a flying catch two-handed at square leg to dismiss the threatening George Bailey for 53.

Bailey had looked set for a substantial score batting with skipper Michael Clarke before he hooked paceman Stuart Broad to Swann, whose brilliant piece of fielding meant the day finished with honours even.

At the close, Australia were 273-5 after winning the toss with Clarke, who boasts a ground average of more than 100, on 48 and Brad Haddin on seven.

It could have been even better for England. Michael Carberry at backward point dropped a sitter off Haddin shortly before the close.

“I think it’s a fairly even day. Having lost the toss at Adelaide you always fear the worst as a bowler but I think five wickets in a day is a pretty good return,” Swann said.

“Obviously, six or seven wickets would have been a lot better. We missed a couple of half-chances that we’ll rue, but if we turn up in the morning and take a couple of quick wickets

it could all quickly be forgotten.”

Bailey was in aggressive mood, smashing three sixes, two of them off spinner Monty Panesar and a pull off paceman Broad.

SCORE CARD, DAY 1 Australia 1st innings Chris Rogers c Prior b Swann David Warner c Carberry b Broad Shane Watson c & b Anderson Michael Clarke not out Steve Smith b Panesar George Bailey c Swann b Broad Brad Haddin not out Extras (5b, 2nb) Total (5 wkts; 91 overs)

72 29 51 48 6 53 7 7 273

Fall of wickets 1-34, 2-155, 3-155, 4-174, 5-257 Bowling Anderson 21-9-56-1 (1nb), Broad 19-363-2, Swann 19-2-55-1, Panesar 24-468-1, Stokes 8-2-26-0 (1nb) Panesar put down Bailey, missing a sharp caught and bowled chance when he was on 10 and Clarke survived when a flying Joe Root put him down at midwicket off Swann.

England had grabbed three crucial wickets to peg Australia back in the half-hour before tea after the home side made a strong start.

Chris Rogers and Shane Watson put on a century stand for the second wick-

et before both departed in the space of six balls.

Then, in the last over before tea, recalled spinner Panesar bowled Steve Smith for six to put England on top in a Test they cannot afford to lose in the five-Test series.

“It felt more like a day three wicket really,” Rogers said. “Runs on the board are going to be crucial. If we can keep going, get 400, it’s going to be hard work for England.”

Watson once again missed out on a big score after making a solid start when he was caught and bowled by Jimmy Anderson for 51.

The number three looked well set after 160 minutes at the crease before he chipped a return catch low down to Anderson on the bowler’s followthrough.

Watson put on 121 runs for the second wicket with Rogers. It was his 21st Test half-century but he only has three centuries.

Rogers followed five balls later, attempting to hit Swann through the covers only to be caught behind by Matt Prior for 72.

It was the seventh time Swann has dismissed left-hander Rogers in Tests, but it was a big improvement for the opener after low scores in the first match in Brisbane.

“I felt better today, but he still got me out. It’s still a challenge, no doubt about it,” Rogers said of Swann. l

Windies fight to stave off innings defeat n AFP, Dunedin West Indies battled to avoid a third consecutive innings defeat on Thursday, ending day three of the first Test against New Zealand on yesterday at 168-2, still 228 runs short of making the home side bat again.

The tourists were forced to follow on after they were dismissed for 213 in their first innings, with New Zealand pace pair Tim Southee and Trent Boult doing most of the damage after New Zealand racked up an imposing 609-9 declared.

Although the Caribbean side batted more responsibly in their second innings on a flat University Oval wicket in Dunedin, they face an uphill struggle to avoid another demoralising defeat.

Boult struck early in their second innings when he had Kieran Powell caught at second slip by Southee to leave the West Indies 18 for one.

Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo steadied the innings, putting on 117 for the second wicket before the leg spin of Ish Sodhi trapped Edwards in front for 59. At stumps Bravo was not out 72 with Marlon Samuels on 17.

The West Indies arrived in New Zealand talking up their need for a moraleboosting win after being subjected to back-to-back innings defeats by India.

Instead they have struggled badly, failing to take advantage of a greentinged wicket on the opening day before allowing themselves to be dominated by the New Zealand quicks.

On a wicket that now holds few

dangers, they were largely undone in their first innings by a lack of footwork against seaming, full-length, deliveries. l

SCORE CARD New Zealand 1st innings 609-9 dec West Indies 1st innings (overnight 67-2) K Edwards c Fulton b Boult 0 K Powell c Watling b Southee 7 D Bravo c McCullum b Southee 40 M Samuels c Taylor b Southee 14 S Chanderpaul lbw b Boult 76 N Deonarine c Taylor b Southee 15 D Ramdin c Watling b Boult 12 D Sammy not out 27 S Shillingford b Sodhi 9 T Best run out (Redmond/Southee) 0 S Gabriel lbw Sodhi 0 Extras: (lb11, w1, nb1) 13 Total: (all out; 62.1 overs) 213 Bowling Boult 18-5-40-3, Southee 16-1-52-4, Wagner 13-2-47-0 (1 nb, 1w), Sodhi 15.1-2-63-2 West Indies 2nd innings K. Edwards lbw b Sodhi 59 K. Powell c Southee b Boult 14 D. Bravo not out 72 M. Samuels not out 17 Extras (lb2, b4) 6 Total (2 wickets; 49 overs) 168 Bowling Southee 10-1-36-0, Boult 9-2-26-1, Wagner 9-1-35-0, Anderson 6-1-8-0, Sodhi 13-1-51-1, Redmond 2-1-6-0

De Kock hits ton as Pink Proteas overwhelm India

Cairns confirms ICC match-fixing probe n AFP, Dunedin

n Reuters

BRIEF SCORE

A swashbuckling century at better than a run-a-ball from Quinton de Kock helped South Africa to a massive 141run victory over India in the first oneday international played at The Wanderers on Thursday.

De Kock’s career-best 135 came off 121 balls and included 18 fours and three sixes as he helped catapult the Proteas to 358 for four in their 50 overs after being sent in to bat by India.

South Africa were playing in a pink kit in support of a cancer charity, but looked red hot in the field as they restricted the tourists to 217 all out in 41 overs on a lively track perfectly suited to their all-pace attack.

Left-handed 20-year-old De Kock and Hashim Amla (65) put on 152 for the first wicket for South Africa at a decent run-rate before the innings exploded into life in the final 15 overs.

AB de Villiers plundered 77 from 47 balls, including four sixes, and JP Duminy was not out 59 from 29 balls.

The pair put on 105 in 46 balls for the fourth wicket as they dispatched the bowling to all parts.

India slipped to 65 for four in their reply as their innings stuttered along, not helped by the run outs of Rohit

South Africa 358 for 4 (50 Overs) Amla 65, de Kock 135, de Villiers 77, Duminy 59*, Shami 3/68 India 217 all out (41 overs) Dhoni 65, Kohli 31, Steyn 3/25, McLaren 3/49 South Africa won by 141 runs MoM: Quinton de Kock

Former all-rounder Chris Cairns acknowledged yesterday an International Cricket Council (ICC) investigation into match-fixing involving three New Zealanders.

“We need to let the investigation by the ICC run its course,” the New Zealander said in a brief statement to Fairfax Media, adding it was the only comment he was prepared to make.

Cairns was working for Sky TV as a commentator in Dunedin where New Zealand are playing the West Indies, but left the ground early in the afternoon.

A Sky TV spokesman said Cairns “elected to stop commentating on the current Test match and come back to Auckland to be with his family”.

“Sky will be talking to him over the coming days.”

Former New Zealand international Lou Vincent confirmed he was “cooperating” with the ICC. “This investigation is bound by a number of rules and regulations that mean I am unable to make any further public comment,” he said in a statement.

Another player linked to the investigation is now believed to be living in Australia. Both the ICC and New Zealand Cricket have refused to identify

Sharma, who took 43 balls to score his 18, and Suresh Raina (14).

Dale Steyn (three for 25 in eight overs) was ferocious in his opening spell, but it was Ryan McLaren (three for 49) who put India on the back foot when he picked up Virat Kohli (31) and Yuvraj Singh (0) within three deliveries.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni provided some late innings entertainment with a fine 65 from 71 balls, but the wickets continued to tumble around him and when he was bowled

by Steyn to leave India nine down, their faint hopes evaporated.

Rohit and Virat Kohli (31, 35 balls, 5x4) batted for nearly 10 overs adding 46 runs in the process. Steyn and Morkel bowled with controlled aggression as they gave away very little. The second of three one-day internationals will be played in Durban on Sunday. l

South Africa's Quinton de Kock celebrates his hundred century as his captain AB de Villiers (L) looks on during their first ODI against India in Johannesburg yesterday REUTERS

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

RMG PRODUCTS UNDER POLICE ESCORT

Lukewarm response from exporters High fares and unavailability of transports blamed n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Apparel makers are showing little interest in sending their products under police escort to Chittagong port during countrywide shutdowns, as they apparently cannot rely on the security measures and are reluctant to pay higher transportation charges.

“Around 25% to 30% of owners are sending their products with police escorts, while the others are not interested due to the high fares and unavailability of vehicles,” said Shahidullah Azim, vice president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

Disruptions in the transport sector due to the ongoing political unrest in the country have also hit production in factories as deliveries of raw materials have been hampered, Azim added.

Despite a government offer to police escort for RMG products being sent to Chittagong for shipment overseas, factory owners are not showing much interest as many goods-carrying vehicles came under attack by picketers during the opposition-enforced hartals and blockades of the last few months, BGMEA officials said.

A total of 1,550 trucks and covered vans with RMG products travelled to Chittagong with police escorts over the past five days, while 150 vehicles carried RMG raw materials to Dhaka, they said.

Normally, some 1,000-1,200 trucks and covered vans ply daily on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, carrying raw materials and finished goods.

According to the Bangladesh Truck and Covered Van Owners Association, over 80 vehicles have been torched by

attackers during the recent blockades called by the BNP-led opposition alliance.

“We gave our consent to run vehicles during the strikes, to send RMG products for shipment, as law-enforcing agencies assured us they would provide security to protect us from vandalism,” said Rustom Ali Khan, secretary general of the association.

However, most factory owners were not willing to transport their products during strikes, as some of them have already incurred huge losses after their goods-laden trucks were torched, said a BGMEA director, requesting anonymity.

“We cannot rely on the government’s assurance as they will compensate us if our products are damaged,” the director quoted a factory owner as saying.

Transport owners and drivers who agreed to run their vehicles were charging much higher fees, which was another reason behind the unwillingness of RMG owners to transport their products during shutdowns, he said.

Generally, a truck charges Tk15,000 to Tk16,000 per trip from Dhaka to Chittagong. But during hartals or blockades, the fare triples to Tk45,000 - Tk50,000, he added.

Moreover, there was also a shortage of vehicles during political protests, Rustom said. Yesterday, some businessmen were seen looking for trucks or covered vans to transport their goods, but no vehicles were available; even when Tk80,000 was offered per trip.

Earlier, Md Asaduzzaman Mia, deputy inspector general of the Highway Police, said the government had made arrangements to provide police escorts for vehicles carrying RMG products, so they could meet shipment deadlines. l

Back Page

Hartal a profitable business for some poor children, women used as proxy activists n Mohammad Jamil Khan Carrying and throwing bombs in recent times have proved to be a profitable business for poor children and women as nonstop violent programmes continue unabated.

Police, however, claim that their vigilance has already reduced the thuggish activities to an insignificant level.

Political leaders have devised this new technique to make their political programmes a success at a cost of a few bucks. They hire slum children and women to act as proxy for party pickets.

They hire a teenager to carry a petrol bomb from one place to another for Tk100 and Tk300 for a blast and Tk500 for an explosion in a public place or on a vehicle, said a source.

Police arrested two such teenagers, Al-Amin and Shihab, from the capital’s Uttara last week.

During interrogation, the duo confessed that a man gave them Tk200 to blast a cocktail on a vehicle. They said they had done such mindless acts earlier.

Police said the boys used to work as day labourers but they are now involved in blasting crude bombs and setting fire to vehicles and they took it up as a permanent profession.

Nisharul Arif, deputy commissioner of police of Uttara Division, said the trend is rising.

Contacted, Sanowar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of detective branch of police, said some people are involved in such criminal activities on a part-time basis.

Women too are not lagging behind.

Police on Thursday picked up two women from the capital’s Malibagh supermarket area while they were carrying 20 petrol bombs. The detainees were identified as Delowara Begum, 50, and Jabeda, 50, says Kripa Shindho Bala, officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station.

However, the detainees told police that they found the petrol bombs while they were collecting waste papers from street and they were going to a stationary shop with the bottles to sell kerosene used to make those bombs.

Blockades disrupt fuel oil supply n Aminur Rahman Rasel

Continuous countrywide blockades by the BNP-led opposition have severely disrupted the supply of fuel oil, especially diesel, petrol and octane, causing immense loss to filling stations.

“Transportation of fuel oil through trucks and tankers has remained suspended for the past few days because of the blockades. Owners do not operate their vehicles for fear of attacks,” Mohammad Nazmul Haque, president of Petrol Pump and Tank-Lorry Owners Association, said yesterday.

He said around 10,000 tonnes of diesel, petrol and octane were sold across the country every day, but as they could not sell during this period, they had incurred crores of taka in losses.

There were some 9,000 filling stations in the country and most of them had been kept shut because of the

blockade, he said, adding that the demand for fuel oil was also lower than usual. Only 10 filling stations in the capital and its surrounding had been operating now.

We are not getting oil in most petrol pumps in the capital – most of them are closed while others have almost run out of their stocks, providing only a few litres of diesel against our huge demands The country’s lone oil importer and distributor, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, used to sell oil to refuelling stations through Padma, Megna and Jamuna Oil companies.

BPC Chairman Md Eunusur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune: “As we subsidise oil sales, we will not lose from the low sales of oil.”

Friday, December 6, 2013

According to the BPC, 44% petroleum products are consumed in the communication sector, 22.47% in power generation, 20.95% in agriculture, 4.43% by industries and 8.15% in households and others.

Most filling stations have, meanwhile, exhausted their stocks.

“We are not getting oil in most petrol pumps in the capital – most of them are closed while others have almost run out of their stocks, providing only a few litres of diesel against our huge demands,” said bus driver Mohammad Kamal of Gabtoli-Jatrabari route.

A worker of Ramna petrol pump at Segunbagicha said they had kept the pump shut in fear of violence.

Din Mohammad, manager of Old Dhaka Petrol Pump near Bahadur Shah Park area, said they had run out of octane stock on Tuesday and only had petrol now. l

Police display a number of petrol bombs made out of glass beverage bottles recovered yesterday from the capital’s Malibagh during the 18-party alliance’s blockade programme DHAKA TRIBUNE

It is not a new trend, we have seen it earlier too. These poor children, seemingly unaware of its consequences, finally are caught in the vicious cycle of crime OC Kripa Shindho Bala, further said: “We released them hours after their detention and seized the bombs.

However, we have information that some women are involved in criminal activities like throwing bombs in exchange for money.”

Sources from an intelligence agency said they had information that political parties in a bid to evade law enforcers’

eyes hire needy women and children in exchange for a lot of money.

These women are sometimes even paid around Tk1500 to carry explosives from one place to another, as police never suspect them as criminals.

While explaining the far-reaching negative impact of the trend, SM Shahjahan, former inspector general of police, says it is rare that people after being involved in crimes can get back to their previous normal lives.

People who provide financial support to instigate such crimes should be brought to book so that none can dare to get involved in such crimes again, he suggested.

Prof Dr Shah Ehsan Habib of sociol-

ogy department of Dhaka University and criminology expert, said: “It is not a new trend, we have seen it earlier too. These poor children, seemingly unaware of its consequences, finally are caught in the vicious cycle of crime.”

If the state can ensure their fundamental rights and punish the masterminds, children will not involve themselves in such criminal acts, he observed.

Hassan Mahmood Khandker, Inspector General of Police, said some criminals often change tracks but law enforcers are always alert to it and stern action will be taken against the perpetrators. l

Trains to run at 40kmph max to avoid derailment n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Bangladesh Railway authorities have decided to run trains at a speed of maximum 40kmph to avert serious accidents caused by sabotage.

The speed limit was imposed in the wake of several incidents of derailment, the latest one being in Gaibandha on Wednesday in which five people were killed.

Usually inter-city and long route mail trains run at a speed over 60kmph, sometimes even higher to maintain schedules.

The railway has also decided to run trains by one engine and attach trolleys at the front of passenger trains to detect sabotage on the tracks.

According to the railway’s figures, 99

coaches and 23 locomotives have met accidents because of removal of tracks and fishplates allegedly by opposition activists since November 25, the day the BNP-led alliance enforced blockade.

Syed Zahurul Islam, railway’s director (traffic), yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the speed limit would enable drivers to stop trains in time upon detection of sabotage.

“This will certainly reduce casualties. Derailment of a speeding train causes more damage than that of a slower train will,” Sujit Kumar Biswas, divisional traffic officer (Pakshi), said.

Railway officials said five people had been killed in the derailment of speeding Padmarag Express in Gaibandha as the coaches had collided with each other because the driver had to brake

hard. But, the derailment of the Meghna Express in Chandpur the same day had no major casualty as the train was at a lower speed.

“We are trying hard to detect sabotage in advance. So, we have been running single engine and small trolleys ahead of the trains to detect faults on the tracks,” Sarder Shahadat Ali, Dhaka division railway manager, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladesh Railway has recorded over 200 attacks on the tracks and trains since the opposition enforced blockades on November 26. Officials said the blockades had mainly destroyed the railway network.

A large number of people, mainly from the low income group, depend on trains. l

72-hour blockade from Saturday

Police rescue JU VC after 3 days of confinement

Even before the end of 131-hour blockade the 18-party alliance yesterday announced another 72-hour nationwide blockade demanding a non-partisan polls-time administration.

A senior leader said the blockade programme is likely to stretch until next Thursday to mount pressure on the government The opposition combine called the blockade programme from Saturday 6pm to Tuesday 6pm, announced the party’s joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed through a video message.

“The rail, road and waterways blockade will continue from Saturday 6am to Tuesday 6am across the country. The blockade programme will be withdrawn as soon as the government accept the demand for a non-partisan government.” he said.

On Wednesday, Salahuddin said the opposition would enforce tougher programmes had their demands not been met by 5pm Thursday, which would mark the end of the ongoing 131-hour blockade. l

n Mahadi Al Hasnat

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Aparently dejected, Jatiya Party Presidium member Rowshan Ershad leaves the Baridhara residence of HM Ershad. Four JP ministers submitted to Ershad their resignations from the polls-time cabinet yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Police yesterday rescued Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Anwar Hossain after three days of confinement in his residence by a section of students in protest against a bomb attack on JU Teachers’ Association president’s house.

On orders from the higher authorities, Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Hasan Mollah and Savar circle ASP Russel Sheikh went to the VC’s residence around 2pm and talked to the agitating teachers before rescuing the VC and his wife. They were seen leaving towards the capital.

“The VC has extended his leave for five days,” JU Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, adding that Pro-VC Prof Afsar Ahmed would act as the VC. On Wednesday night, Dhaka district Deputy Commissioner Md Yusuf Harun and SP Md Habibur Rahman went to the VC’s residence to escort him out of the campus after agitating students had vandalised the residence protesting explosions of two crude bombs at

JUTA President Prof Ajit Kumar Mazumder’s house that night.

But the VC refused to leave campus at night, saying he would go on Thursday.

The UNO said: “We have taken the JU VC away from the university following directives of the higher authorities.”

Agitating teachers and students withdrew the blockade around the VC’s residence but said they would not withdraw the movement until the declaration of the VC panel polls.

Prof Kamrul Ahsan, member secretary of the JU Teachers-Students and Officers-Employees United Forum, said: “We hope Prof Anwar would not come back to campus as the VC in future.

“We demand execution of the chancellor’s directives and our movement will continue until the declaration of the VC panel election.”

JUTA and JU statistics department separately staged protest demonstrations yesterday against the bomb attack on the JUTA president’s house.

JUTA demanded that the authorities take immediate steps to punish those responsible for the attack. l

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Business

Business

B2 Fruits get rotten at port as blockade continues

B3 Only one telco given ultimatum

www.dhakatribune.com/business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE

US and India at loggerheads over agriculture issue India moves not an inch from its stance on agriculture subsidy; Bangladesh wants the package adopted

n Meer Saiful Islam, from Bali, Indonesia India has not moved an inch from its stance to subsidise food procurement for distribution among poor people, throwing negotiation on the Bali package, which was progressing yesterday, into a delicate phase.

Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma made it clear at a press conference on the sidelines of the ninth WTO Ministerial Conference in Bali yesterday as he explained why India wants continuing with the agriculture subsidy.

“It has to be a fair and balanced agreement,” he said, stressing the need for ensuring food security of the poor not only of India, but also the vast majority of the world.

“It’s better to have no agreement than to have a bad agreement.”

An official of Bangladesh delegation told the Dhaka Tribune that India wants to continue with the agriculture subsidy at 10% of total agriculture output on a permanent basis, but some other countries, particularly the USA, want to make it permanent after four years.

As per the existing WTO rules, a member cannot spend more than 10% of agriculture subsidy.

India’s firm stance on the issue might also influence those countries to stick to their demand, making the fate of the whole package of negotiation vulnerable, said the official from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh expected a deal to be adopted at the ministerial meeting as Commerce

India's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Anand Sharma (second left) attends the WTO (World Trade Organisation) conference in Nusa Dua, on Indonesian resort island of Bali yesterday AFP Secretary Mahbub Ahmed presented the Bangladesh position at the plenary session yesterday.

It’s not that an agreement on a single issue is possible, rather they are linked with each other and has to be agreed on the whole package, WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo said earlier.

The negotiation on agriculture subsi-

dy has so far been the lone issue to have made the deal uncertain – a concern with which the four-day conference began on Tuesday.

“We’ve not come here to collapse any meeting. India is committed to a positive outcome in Bali,” Anand said, amid apprehensions over a possible setback in the negotiation. “India is committed but also to a

Input shortage takes toll on RMG production n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Production at the country’s readymade garment factories fell substantially as the owners were facing difficulties to bring raw materials due to ongoing political unrest marked by hartals and blockades.

Besides, the global retailers have also stopped putting orders on apprehension that the suppliers would not be able to meet the shipment deadlines due to political uncertainties ahead of next general election.

“Around 30% to 40% raw materials are being brought to the factories through alternative means due to the series of blockades,”Shahidullah Azim, BGMEA vice president, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said around 40% production is being hampered due to raw materials shortage. It would be tough for the sector to meet the

export target as both the shipment and production are facing setback, he added.

Most of the factories are in crises as they cannot bring raw materials due to a collapse in the transportation system, said Nasir Uddin, a factory owner.

The factorieswere also facing setback in order crisis because the buyers are not willing to place orders on apprehension that the suppliers would not be able to send back the products in time, he added.

“The production of my factory has fallen by 25% to 30% due to supply shortage of raw materials,” said Sultan Mahmood, a factory owner in Gazipur. Supply shortage of raw materials is causing high production cost and less productivity, he added.

The industry would have to bear extra charges on air shipment and discount, he said.

Though the government has pledged to

send RMG products to Chittagong for shipment by police escort, the factory owners are not showing much interest fearing arson on the street, said a BGMEA director.

According to BGMEA, a total of 1,550 trucks and covered vans with RMG products went to Chittagong in last five days while only 150 vehicles with raw materials arrived Dhaka with police escorts. The covered van and truck owners doubled the fare during blockades.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) sent letters to its members asking information about financial losses the factory owners suffered due to political unrest in last few months.

BGMEA sent a letter to Bangladesh Bank yesterday seeking its help to get interest-free loans as shipment disruptions have made them “unable to pay monthly wages of workers.” l

balanced and fair outcome.”

He explained India wants to feed its 820m people at subsidised rate – 5kg of food grains per person a month at Rs1-3 per Kg – to comply with its Food Security Act. The country considered the proposed agreement on subsidy under negotiation on agriculture issue, one of the three main pillars of the package, is an outdated one.

Because the calculation of agriculture subsidy is based on external reference prices of 1986-88, despite global food prices have increased manifold during this period.

The G-33, grouping of 46-member developing nations including India, China and Indonesia, has proposed to amend the WTO Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) to procure foodgrains from poor farmers at minimum support price and sell to poor people at cheap rates through public distribution system.

The G-33 proposal on food security is aimed at addressing the problems faced by developing countries due to outdated WTO rules.

“I would like to make this absolutely clear that we have not come here as petitioners to beg for a Peace Clause restrained from what that it is binding on us to accept 198688 prices and make ourselves vulnerable to disputes and calculations, the answer is firm no,” he said, in response to a question whether India has any room to stay back from its stance for a compromise.

“This is a fundamental issue and we will never compromise.” l

Banks open today n Tribune Report

All the branches of scheduled banks remain open today, said a Bangladesh Bank (BB) circular. The central bank issued the circular yesterday directing all the scheduled banks to keep all their branches open on Friday.

The central bank took the decision at the interest of peoples to facilitate transaction, sources said.

Earlier, the central bank took such decision only for the branches located at the apparel industry areas of Dhaka metropolis, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Narayanganj and Chittagong.

The decision was taken on request of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to facilitate wage payment of workers.

But it was later revised to have all scheduled banks open on Friday. l

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

Fruits get rotten at port as blockade continues

First network infrastructure operator begins journey

n Asif Showkat Kallol

n Tribune Report

“How longer we have to stay at port? Oranges are already getting rotten,” an anxious Bhutanese fruits supplier asked a Bangladeshi importer as the opposition-called blockade continued.

While getting stranded with orange-loaded trucks at India’s Chengrabandha land port on Monday, Bhutan’s fruits exporter Sunoma Dukpa talked to General Secretary of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers and Exporters Association Sirajul Islam in Dhaka over phone.

But Sirajul Islam, the importer, had no positive answer to his Bhutanese supplier.

The 18-party opposition was observing now almost continuous blockade programmes demanding a non-party polls-time government.

This programme has completely disrupted the country’s communication system.

“We saw trucks of oranges getting rotten in front our eyes for last three days,” Sunoma Dukpa was telling Sirajul Islam.

More than 15 exporters of Bhutan like Sunoma are facing same trouble at the port.

The commander-in-chief of Chengrabandha land port camp Sukhanbindor Singh was also not allowing the exporters enter

TigerIT Bangladesh wins global award n Tribune Business Desk Leading software company in Bangladesh, TigerIT Bangladesh Limited recently won the Red Herring 2013 Top 100 Global award, a prestigious recognition honouring the year’s most promising technology companies and entrepreneurs from across the globe.

The award was presented at the Red Herring Global forum in Los Angeles, California on November 20. TigerIT is the first Bangladeshi company to be a Red Herring Global winner, said a press release.

The Red Herring editorial team selected the companies demonstrating the most innovative technologies and business models, said the release. l

Bangladesh’s Burimari port as there was no good news.

When contacted on Tuesday, Sirajul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that he had nothing to do other than listening to the worried Bhutanese fruits exporters.

“Usually, foods like orange is rotten after 12 hours of harvest if kept unpreserved,” said Sirajul Islam.

‘Usually, foods like orange is rotten after 12 hours of harvest if kept unpreserved’ He said a total of 40 trucks laden with 500 tonne of oranges already go back to Bhutan.

“But there are 800 tonne of oranges waiting to get into Bangladesh border.”

Sirajul Islam continued that the fruit importers were unable to release more 500 tonne Indian and Bhutanese fruits lying at the Chittagong sea port.

Besides, 3,000 tonnes of onion, ginger and garlic of China, India and Pakistan are also lying at the sea port.

As a result, around 4,000 tonne of fruits and spices imported through opening letters

of credit are now waiting to be rotten in the Chittagong port. Some of them can only be released on Fridays.

Such situation has resulted in skyrocketing prices of essentials as 40% hike was experienced in last three and four months due to political turmoil.

Serajul Islam said about 3m people have been involved with fruits import for long.

“Many will lose their jobs if the sector is affected.”

He said fruits importers pay around Tk120m revenue to the government exchequer annually.

Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that the country’s supply chain of essential commodities and import of fruits have been disrupted due to political programmes like hartal and blockade.

“But the government provided police protection to carry goods like Myanmar’s onions from Cox’s Bazaar on a request from the traders last month. If necessary now, protection will be given” said the secretary.

FBCCI vice president Md Helaluddin described the situation as very worrying for businesses.

“We have no more space to move back.

We are losing our capitals,” he lamented. l

Agreement with 5 commercial banks for online fee collection for MRP and MRV To deliver hassle-free and quick service to the applicants of Machine Readable Passport (MRP) and Machine Readable Visa (MRV), the Government has permitted Bank Asia Ltd (BAL), Dhaka Bank Ltd (DBL), One Bank Ltd (OBL), Premier Bank Ltd (PBL) and Trust Bank Ltd (TBL) for collection of fees through their online network.

People will enjoy the online service, including application verification facilities from the beginning of 2014.

An agreement to this effect has been signed between Immigration and Passport Directorate of the Government of Bangladesh and the commercial banks at a hotel in the Capital Dhaka on Wednesday.

In presence of Home Affairs Ministry Senior Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed, Immigration and Passport Director General Md Abdul Mabud (PPM) and chief of the Banks singed separate contract.

BAL President & Managing Director Md Mehmood Husain, DBL MD Khondoker Fazle Rashid, OBL MD M Fakhrul Alam, PBL MD K A M Majedur Rahman, TBL MD and CEO Ishtique Ahmed Chowdhury inked the contract on behalf of respective organisations.

Planning Commission Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam and Project Director (Passport), Brigadier General Md Masud Rezwan (PSC) were also present. l

A telecommunication infrastructure company e.co bd, has started its journey in the country to enable communication in a responsible manner, said a press release recently. The company is a venture of the global giant Axiata group.

The organisation is buying the passive network infrastructure assets of Robi, the third largest telecom operator in the country at an estimated price of $145m.

The company, e.co has already instigated a $6m plan to improve the quality of battery backups All telecom operators including GSM operators along with CDMA, Wi-Fi, WiMax and other organisations with communication requirements will employ the assets at a shared platform.

The company, e.co has already instigated a $6m plan to improve the quality of battery backups. A further investment of $50m has been taken under consideration for further development over the next 12 months for upgrading and expanding the network, informed the press release. l

United Airways (BD) Ltd holds AGM The Eighth Annual General Meeting of the shareholders of United Airways (BD) Ltd (UAL) was held at the Hafiz Complex, East Dhopadigir Par, Sylhet on December 4.

Chaired by UAL Chairman and Managing Director Capt Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, other Directors attended the meeting. A large number of shareholders were present at the meeting and took part in deliberations.

The shareholders discussed at length various aspects of Annual Report Audited Accounts as well as the activities of UAL during 2012-2013 and future plans of the company.

The shareholders were fully satisfied by the adequate disclosure and transparency made in the audited accounts and annual report on activities of UAL. l

DBH approves 25% dividend The general shareholders of Delta Brac Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DBH) approved 25% cash dividend for the fiscal 2012-13 as proposed by the Board of Directors, says a press release on Wednesday.

The approval was given at the 17th annual general meeting (AGM) of the company held at La Vita Hall of Lakeshore Hotel & Apartments in the city with its chairman Faruq A Choudhury in the chair.

The meeting was attended by DBH directors Nasir A Choudhury, Mehreen Hassan, Mahibul Islam Chowdhury, and Q M Shariful Ala, MD & CEO as well as the general shareholders. l

Jamuna Bank Limited (JBL) inaugurated its 88th branch at Apon Anggina Mirpur City Centre, Mirpur-1, Dhaka. JBL Chairman Kanutosh Majumder inaugurated the branch as the Chief Guest. Jamuna Bank Foundation (JBF) Chairman Al-Haj Nur Mohammed was present at the program as special guest. JBL Managing Director Shafiqul Alam presided over the ceremony. Besides, JBL DMD Mirza Elias Uddin Ahmed and A K M Saifuddin Ahamed, distinguished elite of different segment of the society and professionals of Dhaka were present on the occasion.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

OUTSTANDING FEES

Only one telco given ultimatum Other operators, even the highest defaulter BTCL, exempted from such action

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Although there are several other telecom operators in default of over Tk30.35bn as fees, only the Citycell, a private mobile phone operator, has been given a 15-day ultimatum from the regulator to pay its outstanding Tk2.49bn.

If the Citycell fails to deposit the outstanding fees within the deadline, it will lose licence as per a decision taken by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission on the 24th of last month.

BTRC issued the ultimatum letter to Citycell on Wednesday, a commissioner of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday requesting anonymity.

However, the Citycell management claimed it has received any such letter yet though decided to seek more time to pay the dues.

BTRC is yet to receive a total of over Tk30.35bn from different operators including the state-owned Bangladesh Telecommunication as outstanding fees.

Of them, BTCL owes a staggering amount of more than Tk14bn as of November while the international gateway (IGW) operators will have to pay over Tk8.39bn and inert-connection exchange (ICX) operators Tk2.11bn, shows BTRC data.

The unpaid revenues include spectrum

fee, revenue sharing and annual licence fee.

Earlier, BTRC served notices to the defaulting firms asking to pay the revenues.

Otherwise, it would go to the court seeking solution under the Public Demands Recovery Act 1913.

‘We will try to solve the problem in a decent manner with the regulator, and it is for sure we will seek some time extension’ When contacted, the Citycell officials said the operator would opt for a “decent solution.”

“We will try to solve the problem in a decent manner with the regulator, and it is for sure we will seek some time extension,” Mehboob Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Citycell said yesterday. He said they have not any idea about the timeline.

About BTRC’s letter, they claimed Tk2.29bn for 2G license renewal spectrum fees. The company has paid the license fees, however.

According to BTRC document, Citycell got the license in 1989 to start operation in 1993.

They have Tk80m outstanding against revenue sharing and same amount for annual spectrum charge.

They have another Tk42m for revenue sharing, as the telecom watchdog claimed.

“Definitely it is a huge amount of money for us and we need some time to pay all the outstandings,” Mehboob Chowdhury added.

Another high official of BTRC said the commission has an intention to cancel Citycell’s license if they do not pay the outstanding within the stipulated time. But it would be very time consuming, may take even a year.

Citycell is 45% owned by Singapore’s SingTel, 31.43% by Pacific Motors Ltd and 23.57% by Far East Telecom Ltd. SingTel stopped injecting funds into the company in 2012, and according to its 2013 annual report it placed a zero value in its ownership stake in Citycell.

For the last consecutive 18 months, Citycell subscribers declined to stand at 1.34m after October. It was 1.8m in April 2012.

Just after the decision, Citycell sent another letter to BTRC and claimed that the regulator not yet gave them proper spectrum.

After June this year, the telecom regulator’s total outstanding was Tk26.11bn, which increased to Tk30.35bn till the first week of November, sources said.

BTRC placed the outstanding figures at the last commission meeting held on November 24. l

Food inflation hits 7-month high n Kayes Sohel The food inflation rose to 8.55% on a pointto-point basis in November hitting seven months high, said Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics data released yesterday.

It has been attributed to spiralling prices of essentials due to political turmoil which has disrupted the country’s supply chain.

The food inflation is the highest since April this year, putting an extra pressure on consumers’ coffer. According to BBS data, the food inflation was 8.38% in October.

Analysts predict the food prices would continue to increase in the months to come as there is still no hope of any solution to political impasse. The non-food inflation saw a marginal rise to 5.08% during the month from previous month’s 5.02%, the latest BBS data showed. This has pushed up overall inflation to soar to 7.15% from 7.03% in the previous month. It was highest in three months from August’s 6.38%.

“Food inflation continued to rise because of supply chain disruptions caused by political programmes,” said BBS Director General Golam Mostafa Kamal. He said prices of essentials like fish, pulse and some vegetables increased during the period.

Food inflation was higher in urban areas than that of rural areas during the month, Golam Mostafa Kamal added.

In the rural areas, food inflation rose to 8.06% from 7.86% in the previous month. In

October

‘Food inflation continued to rise because of supply disruptions caused by the political programmes’

November

Urban areas Food inflation

October

Rural areas

November

Non-food inflation

the urban areas, it witnessed a rising trend reaching 9.67% from 9.64%.

The commodity that soared the highest was onion. The price of the product surged by more than 8% in last one month, according to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

The other food items whose prices rose included pulses (local) with around 5%, ginger 24% and rice (fine) 7%, said TCB. Ahsan H Mansur, executive director of Policy Research Institute, said: “One of the main reasons behind the price hikes is the break-

Urban areas Rural areas

ing of the country’s supply chain. It’s making production and delivery of goods costlier.”

The continuous blockades have affected the country’s food supply chain, leading to increase food items prices, he pointed out.

According to Ahsan H Mansur, food prices have increased during hartals which drove transport costs high. On overall inflation, he said the problem is insignificant and manageable if political dusts can be settled as early as possible. “It (overall inflation) was almost close to the fiscal target of 7%. l

3

Stocks end flat amid bumpy trading n Tribune Report Stocks finished flat for the second consecutive session amid bumpy trading yesterday, as investors continued to react negatively to the deepening political crisis.

The market moved between negative and positive throughout the session, as investors played both sides of fence.

The benchmark index –DSEX--ended at 4277 with a fall of 17 points or 0.4%. The DS30 Index comprising blue chips was slightly down 9 points or 0.7% to 1498.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, fell 45 points to close at 8372.

Trading activities continued to decline as the total turnover at DSE stood at Tk4.4bn, which was 4.7% lower over the previous session. Out of 284 issues traded, 127 advanced, 32 lost and 32 remained unchanged.

‘Continuous political uncertainties are hampering corporate earnings.

The export activities are being hampered severely’

IDLC Investments in its market analysis said the final session of the week closed flat amid declaration of another 72-hour blockade in the coming week.

It said as the developments were in line with opaque political outlook, investors did not call for any revision in current market valuation. However, confusion spurred volatility, it said.

All the major sectors but the pharmaceuticals counted losses. The pharmaceuticals rose by 0.08%.

The non-banking financial institutions and the power sector were the worst losers, falling 1.19% and 0.56% respectively.

Lanka Bangla Securities said market was in a very capricious mood. It was lacking any direction as political uncertainties are still not taking any shape, it said.

“Continuous political uncertainties are hampering corporate earnings. The export activities are being hampered severely,” it said.

On the other hand, domestic market has swelled with idle liquidity. The call money rate has come down to around 6%.

So market participants are in a continuous fix whether to take position or stay in a side line to observe where political situation of Bangladesh goes, stated Lanka Bangla.

Delta Life Insurance maintained its top position in the turnover’s chart for the seventh consecutive session with shares worth Tk334m changing hands.

Other turnover leaders were Paramount Textile, Generation Next Fashion, Argon Denim, Jamuna Oil, RN Spinning, Tallu Spinning and BD Building. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

Dollar slips in Asia ahead of US jobs data n AFP, Tokyo

A bitcoin seen at an office in Sandy, Utah

REUTERS

China bars banks from bitcoin transactions n Reuters China’s government banned financial institutions from trading in bitcoin yesterday, in what analysts said was a restrained first step towards regulating the digital currency that has exploded in popularity in China and soared in value in recent months.

A statement by the central bank and four other agencies said that, while the computer-generated currency does not yet pose a threat to China’s financial system, it carries risks. It did not, however, curtail the use of bitcoin by individuals.

“I think it’s measured and it’s positive,” said Zennon Kapron, of the financial consultancy Kapronasia. “It does add legitimacy to the idea that it could be a nationwide accepted currency.”

The value of bitcoins on Chinese exchanges fell after the announcement, however, with one expert predicting the price could halve in the short-term. Digital currencies are generally highly volatile.

Bitcoins have seen their value relative to the dollar skyrocket some 800% in the past two months as speculators have piled into the currency, according to bitcoinity.org.

While there is no official data available, bitcoin market operators say Chinese nationals are major participants in the market and hold an outsized share of the total number of bitcoins in circulation. Shanghai-based BTC China has recently become the world’s largest bitcoin exchange by volume.

A statement on the website of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said that the govern-

ment would act to prevent money laundering risks from bitcoin, which is not backed by a government or central bank.

The PBOC may have cause to be concerned about bitcoins, which are anonymous, untraceable, and can be carried on memory sticks or transmitted electronically, because they represent a potential hole in the country’s capital controls.

However, analysts point out that, given the tiny value of the total bitcoins in circulation relative to other currencies, it is unlikely to have much impact on the wider economy.

More cause for worry is the way these digital currencies have engendered a new wave of creative criminality focused on hacking online platforms and stealing bitcoins stored there, and their potential for use in money laundering, bribery and purchases of illicit products such as drugs and weapons.

The government will require trading platforms that deal in virtual currencies such as bitcoin to register with telecommunications authorities, it said.

The notice was issued jointly by the PBOC, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission and China Insurance Regulatory Commission.

“This is an industry that will need to be governed or regulated. The safety and the well-being of the common user has to be taken into consideration. All this is expected,” said Ron Cao, Managine Director at Lightspeet Venture Partners, which recently invested $5m in BTC China.

“’We’ve got a long way to go. This thing needs to be regulated at some point. We’re studying it. Don’t jump into it.’ My read is that’s the tone of the message.”

Bitcoin traders sold on the Chinese government’s announcement.

On the Chinese platform FXBTC.com, the yuan-bitcoin exchange rate dropped as much as about 20% after the news before rebounding slightly to around 5,800 yuan per bitcoin in heavy trading.

On BTC-e, the dollar-bitcoin rate had fallen about 11% to about $945 from $1,063 before the news.

Cao said he would not be surprised to see the value of bitcoins fall as much as 50% over the next week or two.

Many bitcoin proponents say the currency’s volatility will have to flatten out before it can be adopted more widely as a near-frictionless means of payment and regulation may help.

More regulation was likely, although the initial ban on financial institutions may eventually be lifted, analysts said.

“I would be cautious about jumping the gun and taking today’s announcement as indicative as how the space will be regulated in the future,” said Mark Natkin, of Beijing-based Marbridge Consulting.

“Once they have a better idea of how the market works and which players are likely to emerge as the leading players, then they’ll come out with firmer regulations, with more specific licensing requirements,” and possibly minimum capital requirements for firms entering the sector, he said. l

The dollar eased in Asia yesterday ahead of key US jobs data seen as crucial for the timing of the Federal Reserve’s stimulus pullback, while the euro treaded water as European central bankers meet later in the day.

The greenback slipped to 102 yen in afternoon Tokyo trading from 102.32 yen in New York Wednesday afternoon, as investors grew cautious with Tokyo stocks expanding losses.

The euro fetched $1.3602 and 138.97 yen, against $1.3591 and 139.06 yen.

The benchmark Nikkei index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 1.74% in afternoon trade.

The dollar got a lift Wednesday after payrolls firm ADP reported US private-sector hiring surged in November, with a net 215,000 new jobs created, the strongest month so far in 2013 and well above analyst expectations.

Other US data also came in better than anticipated, including a sharp rebound in new-home sales and a shrinking foreign trade deficit, helping to offset a slowdown in services-sector growth.

“US November payrolls data to be released tomorrow will be crucial to provide more decisive clues to the timing of Fed tapering,” Credit Agricole said.

The central bank’s next policy meeting starts on December 17.

Markets have also been speculating over whether ECB policymakers will launch fresh easing measures after cutting interest rates to a record low of 0.25% last month. But “we do not expect any ECB action on policy rates at today’s meeting”, Credit Agricole said.

“At the same time, some further changes to communication are possible in order to maintain an easing bias and to enhance forward guidance,” it added.

The yen has been under pressure as some investors bet the Bank of Japan will launch further stimulus to help boost the world’s third-largest economy.

Against other Asia-Pacific currencies the dollar was mixed.

It firmed to 32.21 Thai baht from 32.18 baht Wednesday as Thailand observed a lull in political tensions to mark its king’s 86th birthday.

It also edged up to 1,061.13 South Korean won from 1,060.84 won, to Sg$1.2552 from Sg$1.2539, to 43.87 Philippine pesos from 43.73 pesos, and to Tw$29.60 from Tw$29.57.

But it fell to 11,945.00 Indonesian rupiah from 12,009 rupiah.

The dollar also tumbled to 61.59 Indian rupees from 62.50 rupees with the Indian currency rallying on early indications of support for the pro-business Bharatiya Janata Party in state elections held since November.

Official results of the elections will be released on Sunday.

The Australian dollar fell to 90.35 US cents from 90.66 cents, while the Chinese yuan slipped to 16.74 yen from 16.81 yen. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

5

IMF chief urges social, economic reform in South Korea n AFP, Seoul IMF chief Christine Lagarde urged South Korea yesterday to embark on an ambitious programme of costly social and economic reforms to ensure longer-term growth of up to 4%.

In a speech at Seoul National University, Lagarde noted the challenges posed to Asia’s fourth-largest economy by a rapidly ageing population, growing income inequality, weak social security and gender inequalities in the workplace.

“Korea needs to continue what it does so well - combining stronger growth with greater equity,” she told the largely student audience.

While praising the country’s resilience at a time when many others were reeling from market turmoil, Lagarde said key issues needed to be addressed.

South Korea’s population is predicted to become one of the oldest in the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by 2050 and, without action, “long-term growth

could fall to 2% by 2025”, she said.

At the same time, income equality is rising, while around one third of the labour force enjoys little employment security and poor welfare coverage.

“One way to reduce (this) is to boost social insurance coverage and training for non-regular workers, to bring them inside the fold,” Lagarde said.

At the same time, there should be more vocational education for young people and more investment in childcare and flexible hours to bring more women into the workforce, she said.

South Korea has one of the lowest rates in the OECD for women’s participation in the labour market.

Lagarde also called on the government to focus on the service sector, where productivity is only half that of the manufacturing sector that has driven South Korea’s economic “miracle” over the past five decades.

“I should note that many of these reforms come with a price tag,” Lagarde said. “The good news is that South Korea can afford it.”

By carrying out the right mix of the proposed reforms, the country will be able to keep growth at 3.5-4% over the next decade,

she said at a news conference later in the day.

Once a juggernaut that surged by double digits through the 1960s to 80s, the South’s growth has since then entered a more measured phase.

The country’s gross domestic product expanded 2% last year - the slowest in three years - and is expected to grow 2.8% this year.

It is expected to grow 3.8% in 2014, according to Seoul’s central bank that warned last month that the economy could be “trapped in slow growth” for years to come unless exports and investment were dramatically revived. l

Myanmar to allow foreign banks to begin some operations next year n Reuters Myanmar will allow some foreign banks to begin offering limited financial services next year, a senior central bank official said, as the Southeast Asian country slowly opens up its banking sector following a series of economic and political reforms.

Thirty-four international banks have representative offices in the country, but they have thus far been forbidden from opening branches or offering services other than advising clients. According to a decades-old plan, the government will eventually allow them to form joint ventures with local banks before allowing them to open independent branches.

The senior official said the central bank is now formulating a plan to speed up the process by letting a select number of foreign banks begin operating in 2014 in “certain areas of banking services”, which he did not define.

“Since things have changed rapidly with the passage of time, we can’t afford to stick to something laid down about 20 years ago if we really want to carry out meaningful reforms,” he said, requesting anonymity because he

was not authorized to speak to media.

The official said authorities have yet to decide how they would chose among the foreign banks with representative offices, which include Standard Chartered, Bangkok Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.

‘Foreign clients need funding and it’s not a small amount to invest in Myanmar, as domestic banks, we cannot fund too many corporate customers’ Foreign involvement would help reform the antiquated banking system in Myanmar, Asia’s second-poorest country after Afghanistan, which has been looking to attract foreign investment since a quasi-civilian government took office in 2011 after half a century of military rule.

Foreign banks could also help jumpstart economic development by providing access to much-needed financing for corporate clients, according to Khwima Nthara, a senior country economist with the World Bank.

“I do not doubt the government appreciates the role that foreign banks can play in financing,” he said.

Nthara added that authorities are right to move slowly in opening up the banking sector.

Strictly limiting the role of foreign banks could help insulate the economy from any future financial crisis that could see them withdraw capital, and it would allow the domestic sector to develop without being swallowed up by the internationals, he said.

“The question is really how best to have them involved so you increase availability of credit, of financing, but also the local banks’ capacity is strengthened,” he said.

Zaw Lin Htut, deputy manager of Myanmar’s biggest private bank, Kanbawza Bank Ltd, said he had not yet heard of the plan to allow some foreign banks to begin operating next year, but he welcomed the idea.

“Foreign clients need funding and it’s not a small amount to invest in Myanmar,” he said. “As domestic banks, we cannot fund too many corporate customers.”

He added that domestic banks would benefit by learning about corporate investment

from the international banks.

“Corporate clients need local banks as well,” said Zaw Lin Htut. “I’m sure we can work together in the future.”

Myanmar’s banking sector was crippled by decades of mismanagement under military regimes and cut off from much of the global economy due to western sanctions.

The European Union, Australia and other countries have lifted sanctions in response to widespread political and economic reforms.

The United States has eased sanctions and the Treasury Department issued a general license to Myanma Economic Bank, Myanma Investment and Commercial Bank, Asia Green Development Bank and Ayeyarwady Bank.

A general license eases restrictions and lets the banks deal with US citizens and companies, but leaves sanctions laws on the books, giving Washington leverage should Myanmar start to backslide on reforms.

The World Bank is advising the government on financial reform and country manager Kanthan Shankar told Reuters in October that a draft of the new banking law would be completed by the end of this month. l

6

Share

DHAKA TRIBUNE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

DSE BroadIndex:4277.39⇓0.39%, Turnover:4417.04M.Tk⇓4.75%, PE:13.16 Turnover4,922.66MTk .⇓5.81% 5 December 2013 MarketCap. 2,067.26BTk.⇓0.24% CSE All Share Index:13241⇓0.56%, Turnover:505.62 M Tk.⇓14.14%, PE:12.92 Combined Turnover Leader

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL

Avg. P

6017750

367.37

7.46

61.05

Delta Life Insu. -A

1250900

366.28

7.44

GN Fashions-A

5099560

170.09

3.46

Paramount Textile Ltd.-N

BATBCL -A AD Limited-A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 412810 D: 27.10 ⇓ 2.17% | 27.33 | 29.00 / 25.00 C: 27.40 ⇓ 1.08% | 27.44 | 27.70 / 27.30 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 399072 D: 20.60 ⇓ 0.48% | 20.54 | 21.50 / 18.80 C: 20.50 ⇓ 0.49% | 20.48 | 20.90 / 20.20 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 1052203 D: 33.20 ⇓ 1.78% | 33.46 | 35.00 / 31.00 C: 33.40 ⇓ 1.18% | 33.45 | 33.90 / 33.30 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 119928 D: 35.70 ⇓ 0.28% | 35.65 | 36.50 / 33.00 C: 35.60 ⇓ 1.11% | 35.67 | 35.80 / 35.50 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 1187952 D: 12.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.18 | 13.00 / 11.00 C: 12.20 ⇓ 0.81% | 12.15 | 12.40 / 12.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 130640 D: 32.30 ⇓ 1.52% | 32.32 | 32.80 / 29.90 C: 32.10 ⇓ 1.83% | 32.10 | 32.40 / 32.00 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 84352 D: 65.40 ⇑ 0.15% | 64.84 | 66.00 / 64.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 1367472 D: 24.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.65 | 26.00 / 22.70 C: 24.70 ⇓ 0.40% | 24.66 | 25.10 / 24.40 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 241231 D: 31.70 ⇓ 0.31% | 31.81 | 33.00 / 29.00 C: 31.60 ⇓ 0.94% | 31.60 | 31.80 / 31.50 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 121000 D: 6.90 ⇑ 2.99% | 6.91 | 7.30 / 6.80 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 187094 D: 29.40 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.38 | 29.60 / 27.00 C: 28.70 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.72 | 28.80 / 28.70 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 2411411 D: 19.60 ⇑ 0.51% | 19.51 | 19.80 / 18.00 C: 19.70 ⇓ 0.51% | 19.95 | 21.10 / 19.30 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 890292 D: 24.50 ⇓ 0.41% | 24.51 | 25.00 / 22.50 C: 24.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.50 | 24.50 / 24.50 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 762090 D: 18.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.55 | 18.70 / 17.00 C: 18.60 ⇑ 0.54% | 18.47 | 18.60 / 18.30 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 72253 D: 19.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.03 | 20.00 / 18.00 C: 18.90 ⇓ 0.53% | 18.85 | 19.50 / 18.50 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 469935 D: 13.90 ⇑ 0.72% | 13.84 | 15.00 / 12.50 C: 13.90 ⇓ 0.71% | 13.88 | 14.20 / 13.00 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 471411 D: 13.50 ⇓ 1.46% | 13.55 | 14.00 / 12.40 C: 13.60 ⇓ 0.73% | 13.53 | 13.70 / 13.30 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 59500 D: 98.80 ⇑ 0.20% | 98.76 | 99.70 / 98.60 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 23156 D: 15.80 ⇓ 1.86% | 15.85 | 16.00 / 15.00 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 548518 D: 15.20 ⇑ 0.66% | 15.13 | 15.40 / 13.60 C: 15.20 ⇑ 0.66% | 15.02 | 15.20 / 14.50 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 932097 D: 16.70 ⇓ 0.60% | 16.70 | 16.90 / 15.50 C: 16.70 ⇓ 1.18% | 16.69 | 16.90 / 16.60 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 611047 D: 18.70 ⇓ 1.06% | 18.62 | 19.00 / 17.20 C: 18.80 ⇓ 1.05% | 18.80 | 18.80 / 18.80 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 1745819 D: 16.40 ⇑ 2.50% | 16.25 | 17.00 / 14.40 C: 16.30 ⇑ 0.62% | 16.15 | 16.50 / 16.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 389048 D: 12.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 12.65 | 13.00 / 11.50 C: 12.80 ⇓ 0.78% | 12.73 | 13.00 / 12.60 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 134948 D: 16.40 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.37 | 16.50 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇓ 1.83% | 16.10 | 16.20 / 16.10 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 148203 D: 31.70 ⇑ 0.32% | 31.64 | 31.90 / 29.00 C: 31.40 ⇓ 0.32% | 31.36 | 31.70 / 31.10 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 577281 D: 17.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.30 | 18.00 / 16.00 C: 17.40 ⇓ 1.69% | 17.11 | 17.60 / 17.00 PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 374940 D: 11.50 ⇓ 1.71% | 11.56 | 12.00 / 10.80 C: 11.60 ⇓ 0.85% | 11.57 | 11.80 / 11.50 TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 585183 D: 20.90 ⇑ 1.46% | 20.91 | 21.10 / 19.00 C: 21.20 ⇑ 2.91% | 21.12 | 21.50 / 20.40

Vol.

90650

158.87

3.23

1905560

150.04

3.05

FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 739784 D: 15.40 ⇑ 0.65% | 15.40 | 16.00 / 13.90 C: 15.40 ⇓ 0.65% | 15.35 | 15.60 / 15.10 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 68465 D: 59.80 ⇓ 1.64% | 59.97 | 60.80 / 56.00 C: 60.40 ⇓ 0.66% | 60.29 | 60.90 / 60.00 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 138237 D: 28.90 ⇓ 0.69% | 28.95 | 29.20 / 28.70 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 67167 D: 79.00 ⇓ 2.47% | 79.54 | 80.80 / 75.00 C: 79.90 ⇓ 0.75% | 80.31 | 80.90 / 79.70 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 6011 D: 29.30 ⇓ 1.35% | 29.33 | 29.80 / 29.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 638251 D: 29.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 29.27 | 30.50 / 27.00 C: 29.10 ⇓ 1.02% | 29.20 | 29.50 / 29.00 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 359232 D: 23.20 ⇓ 2.11% | 23.28 | 25.00 / 21.50 C: 23.30 ⇓ 1.69% | 23.31 | 23.70 / 23.20 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 105930 D: 24.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 24.14 | 25.00 / 23.50 C: 24.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 24.15 | 24.30 / 24.00 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 78230 D: 10.00 ⇓ 0.99% | 10.02 | 10.10 / 9.10 C: 10.10 ⇓ 0.98% | 10.03 | 10.10 / 10.00 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 298242 D: 16.30 ⇓ 1.81% | 16.43 | 16.60 / 15.70 C: 16.30 ⇓ 2.40% | 16.47 | 16.60 / 16.20 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 295555 D: 53.70 ⇓ 1.10% | 53.88 | 55.50 / 50.00 C: 53.60 ⇓ 2.01% | 53.84 | 54.70 / 53.20 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 96025 D: 15.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.98 | 16.40 / 15.80 C: 15.80 ⇓ 3.66% | 15.93 | 16.00 / 15.70 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 27664 D: 18.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.15 | 18.30 / 17.00 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 15443 D: 28.40 ⇑ 1.43% | 28.37 | 28.80 / 26.00 C: 27.50 ⇓ 3.17% | 27.53 | 27.60 / 27.50 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 161050 D: 18.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 18.48 | 19.00 / 16.70 C: 18.30 ⇓ 1.08% | 18.31 | 18.40 / 18.20 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 219500 D: 14.30 ⇓ 2.05% | 14.40 | 14.60 / 14.30 C: 14.50 ⇓ 2.68% | 14.51 | 14.70 / 14.40 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 171441 D: 31.90 ⇓ 0.93% | 32.12 | 32.60 / 29.50 C: 32.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.18 | 32.50 / 32.00 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 219500 D: 13.70 ⇓ 1.44% | 13.82 | 14.00 / 13.70 C: 13.80 ⇓ 0.72% | 13.85 | 14.00 / 13.80 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 47850 D: 54.30 ⇑ 0.18% | 54.35 | 55.00 / 50.00 C: 55.50 ⇑ 0.91% | 55.50 | 56.00 / 55.00 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 208446 D: 30.40 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.57 | 31.00 / 29.80 C: 30.50 ⇑ 0.66% | 30.57 | 31.00 / 30.10 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 78980 D: 28.30 ⇓ 1.05% | 28.33 | 28.90 / 26.40 C: 28.40 ⇓ 1.05% | 28.34 | 28.50 / 28.20 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 3250 D: 1499 ⇓ 1.06% | 1505 | 1529 / 1490 C: 1520 ⇑ 1.28% | 1520 | 1520 / 1520 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 98121 D: 25.10 ⇓ 2.33% | 25.33 | 26.00 / 23.20 C: 25.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 25.43 | 25.50 / 25.30 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 645500 D: 14.20 ⇓ 1.39% | 14.26 | 14.60 / 14.10 C: 14.20 ⇓ 1.39% | 14.28 | 14.60 / 14.10 INVESTMENT 2NDICB | 44.10 | 253.11 | Vol. 250 D: 272.0 ⇑ 2.06% | 272.00 | 272.0 / 272.0 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 7000 D: 53.00 ⇓ 0.19% | 53.00 | 53.80 / 52.80 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 4500 D: 53.80 ⇓ 0.92% | 53.78 | 54.00 / 53.50 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 131500 D: 38.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.69 | 39.20 / 38.30 C: 38.20 ⇓ 1.29% | 38.21 | 38.80 / 37.80 ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 19000 D: 18.00 ⇓ 1.10% | 18.00 | 18.40 / 17.80 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 110000 D: 43.10 ⇓ 1.60% | 43.27 | 43.80 / 42.90 C: 43.10 ⇓ 0.92% | 43.13 | 43.30 / 43.00

292.81 33.35 1,752.51 78.74

C%

A%

CP

DSE Loser

C%

A%

CP

Pharma Aids-A

DSE Gainer

9.95

7.85

181.30

Jamuna Oil-A

-10.63

-10.44

210.20

Paramount Textile Ltd.-N

9.74

4.51

63.10

Aramit-A

-4.25

-1.06

342.80

Hakkani P& Paper-B

9.40

9.20

32.60

H.R. Textile-A

9.39

6.39

43.10

Samata Leather-Z

9.15

9.26

16.70

ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 1500 D: 25.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 25.30 | 25.30 / 25.30 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 178500 D: 9.80 ⇓ 1.01% | 9.84 | 10.00 / 9.80 C: 9.90 ⇑ 2.06% | 9.86 | 9.90 / 9.50 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 419550 D: 16.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.14 | 16.40 / 14.90 C: 16.20 ⇓ 1.22% | 16.19 | 16.40 / 16.10 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 606500 D: 21.90 ⇓ 0.90% | 22.01 | 22.40 / 21.80 C: 22.00 ⇓ 0.45% | 22.30 | 22.50 / 21.80 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 372743 D: 7.10 ⇓ 1.39% | 7.17 | 7.30 / 6.80 C: 7.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.10 | 7.10 / 7.10 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 63500 D: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.93 | 6.00 / 5.90 C: 5.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.90 | 5.90 / 5.90 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 66000 D: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.98 | 6.10 / 5.90 C: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.90 | 5.90 / 5.90 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 289100 D: 7.30 ⇓ 2.67% | 7.40 | 7.50 / 7.30 C: 7.50 ⇓ 1.32% | 7.48 | 7.50 / 7.40 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 150000 D: 5.60 ⇑ 1.82% | 5.63 | 5.80 / 5.60 C: 5.50 ⇓ 6.78% | 5.52 | 5.60 / 5.40 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 105500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.65 | 5.70 / 5.60 C: 5.60 ⇓ 1.75% | 5.57 | 5.70 / 5.50 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 190874 D: 6.70 ⇓ 1.47% | 6.74 | 6.80 / 6.70 C: 6.60 ⇓ 2.94% | 6.61 | 6.70 / 6.60 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 78500 D: 5.50 ⇓ 1.79% | 5.57 | 5.70 / 5.50 C: 5.60 ⇓ 3.45% | 5.59 | 5.70 / 5.40 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 130500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.33 | 5.40 / 5.20 C: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.30 | 5.30 / 5.30 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 145000 D: 6.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.00 | 6.10 / 5.90 C: 6.10 ⇑ 1.67% | 6.22 | 6.30 / 6.00 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 93500 D: 5.40 ⇓ 1.82% | 5.40 | 5.50 / 5.40 C: 5.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.45 | 5.50 / 5.40 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 221870 D: 6.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.11 | 6.20 / 5.90 C: 6.10 ⇓ 1.61% | 6.14 | 6.50 / 6.00 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 549000 D: 5.70 ⇓ 1.72% | 5.78 | 6.00 / 5.60 C: 5.80 ⇓ 3.33% | 5.80 | 6.00 / 5.70 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 305500 D: 5.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.67 | 5.70 / 5.60 C: 5.60 ⇓ 1.75% | 5.58 | 5.70 / 5.50 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 54500 D: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.08 | 7.40 / 6.90 C: 6.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.81 | 6.90 / 6.80 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 25500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.27 | 6.30 / 6.20 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 352400 D: 8.00 ⇓ 1.23% | 8.03 | 8.20 / 7.70 C: 8.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.08 | 8.20 / 8.00 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 22000 D: 7.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.55 | 7.70 / 7.40 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 171000 D: 8.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 8.55 | 8.70 / 8.50 C: 8.50 ⇓ 1.16% | 8.52 | 8.80 / 8.40 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.45 | 10.78 | Vol. 80000 D: 6.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.70 | 6.80 / 6.70 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 209000 D: 7.20 ⇓ 1.37% | 7.21 | 7.30 / 7.20 C: 7.40 ⇓ 2.63% | 7.40 | 7.40 / 7.40 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 305000 D: 9.10 ⇓ 1.09% | 9.18 | 9.40 / 9.10 C: 9.10 ⇓ 2.15% | 9.10 | 9.20 / 9.00 FBFIF | 1.30 | 10.27 | Vol. 5500 D: 8.90 ⇑ 1.14% | 8.91 | 9.20 / 8.80 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 20000 D: 8.20 ⇓ 2.38% | 8.25 | 8.60 / 8.20 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 299000 D: 7.90 ⇓ 2.47% | 7.96 | 8.20 / 7.90 C: 8.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.98 | 8.20 / 7.90 EXIM1STMF | 0.00 | 10.91 | Vol. 26000 D: 7.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.88 | 8.00 / 7.80

Prime Islami Life-A

-3.93

-1.60

100.10

Peoples Insur-A

-3.86

-2.34

34.90

Fu-wang Ceramic-A

-3.59

-0.14

21.50

ENGINEERING AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 3350 D: 17.40 ⇓ 1.14% | 17.63 | 17.70 / 17.40 C: 17.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.80 | 17.80 / 17.80 OLYMPIC | 5.23 | 14.73 | Vol. 148517 D: 152.6 ⇑ 0.53% | 153.00 | 154.6 / 140.0 C: 152.8 ⇓ 0.20% | 152.69 | 153.5 / 151.3 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 48100 D: 141.0 ⇑ 3.30% | 140.31 | 144.0 / 134.0 C: 140.2 ⇑ 4.78% | 140.53 | 142.8 / 138.0 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 1700 D: 315.9 ⇑ 0.22% | 316.47 | 329.0 / 304.5 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 75175 D: 195.9 ⇓ 0.46% | 196.66 | 198.5 / 190.0 C: 193.2 ⇓ 1.93% | 193.90 | 197.0 / 192.0 ATLASBANG | 9.14 | 222.05 | Vol. 18939 D: 163.2 ⇑ 0.68% | 162.63 | 165.0 / 146.0 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 173300 D: 35.80 ⇑ 8.81% | 35.48 | 36.00 / 33.10 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 157283 D: 35.50 ⇓ 1.11% | 35.54 | 36.50 / 32.50 C: 35.40 ⇓ 2.48% | 35.45 | 36.60 / 35.10 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 18250 D: 149.3 ⇓ 2.29% | 152.71 | 159.0 / 147.2 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 76440 D: 76.30 ⇑ 0.79% | 76.33 | 77.90 / 70.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 1041845 D: 28.30 ⇑ 4.43% | 28.41 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.40 ⇑ 4.41% | 28.44 | 29.10 / 27.50 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 597000 D: 29.30 ⇑ 5.78% | 29.50 | 30.20 / 27.90 C: 30.10 ⇑ 7.12% | 29.65 | 30.60 / 27.50 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 15000 D: 15.60 ⇓ 2.50% | 15.60 | 16.00 / 15.10 C: 15.90 ⇑ 3.25% | 15.90 | 15.90 / 15.90 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 102000 D: 99.20 ⇓ 2.07% | 100.97 | 104.9 / 99.00 C: 98.50 ⇓ 4.18% | 101.65 | 110.0 / 98.50 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 197000 D: 42.70 ⇓ 0.93% | 42.79 | 43.10 / 42.60 C: 42.80 ⇓ 0.93% | 42.94 | 43.10 / 42.80 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 350942 D: 49.00 ⇓ 0.81% | 49.14 | 49.80 / 45.00 C: 49.00 ⇓ 1.01% | 49.09 | 49.70 / 49.00 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 384124 D: 71.40 ⇓ 1.38% | 72.01 | 75.00 / 70.00 C: 71.30 ⇓ 1.11% | 71.39 | 72.40 / 70.60 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 120503 D: 65.90 ⇓ 0.90% | 66.60 | 67.20 / 60.00 C: 66.00 ⇓ 0.90% | 66.28 | 67.00 / 66.00 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 1045456 D: 19.10 ⇑ 2.14% | 19.12 | 19.50 / 17.50 C: 19.10 ⇑ 1.60% | 19.08 | 19.40 / 18.60 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 453050 D: 56.00 ⇓ 3.11% | 56.61 | 62.00 / 52.50 C: 56.20 ⇓ 2.94% | 56.66 | 57.50 / 55.70 BENGALWTL | 3.85 | 24.30 | Vol. 1458400 D: 61.90 ⇓ 0.64% | 62.54 | 63.70 / 61.00 C: 62.00 ⇓ 0.16% | 62.55 | 63.80 / 61.60 BDBUILDING | 1.33 | 12.70 | Vol. 1562000 D: 71.60 ⇑ 0.99% | 71.18 | 73.00 / 68.40 C: 71.70 ⇑ 1.41% | 71.31 | 73.50 / 68.50 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 637375 D: 61.80 ⇑ 0.16% | 63.25 | 64.50 / 61.00 C: 62.00 ⇑ 0.49% | 63.90 | 65.60 / 61.10 ECABLES | 2.04 | 18.87 | Vol. 1000 C: 80.10 ⇓ 8.56% | 80.05 | 80.10 / 80.00 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 83950 D: 95.00 ⇓ 1.45% | 96.10 | 97.80 / 94.00 C: 95.90 ⇓ 0.10% | 96.27 | 98.00 / 95.90 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 95315 D: 497.5 ⇓ 0.08% | 501.77 | 511.9 / 492.0 C: 496.0 ⇓ 0.84% | 500.33 | 510.0 / 494.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 90650 D: 1702 ⇑ 2.69% | 1753 | 1757 / 1670 GEMINISEA | -15.39 | -5.70 | Vol. 950 D: 164.0 ⇑ 3.02% | 164.21 | 174.5 / 160.0 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 1150 D: 815.4 ⇑ 0.32% | 815.24 | 820.0 / 812.0 C: 815.0 ⇑ 0.83% | 815.00 | 815.0 / 815.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 1800 D: 7.50 ⇓ 2.60% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 122300 D: 198.8 ⇓ 0.80% | 202.86 | 207.8 / 196.2 C: 196.6 ⇓ 1.99% | 202.20 | 209.9 / 194.3

SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 4200 D: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.00 | 7.00 / 7.00 RAHIMAFOOD | 0.52 | 4.45 | Vol. 693260 D: 64.30 ⇑ 4.21% | 64.41 | 65.90 / 60.00 C: 64.60 ⇑ 4.53% | 64.39 | 66.00 / 62.70 FUWANGFOOD | 0.94 | 12.28 | Vol. 567464 D: 23.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 23.71 | 24.00 / 22.00 C: 23.50 ⇓ 0.84% | 23.66 | 24.00 / 23.30 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 593936 D: 21.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.57 | 22.00 / 20.00 C: 21.50 ⇓ 0.46% | 21.65 | 21.90 / 21.40 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 605500 D: 21.70 ⇓ 3.56% | 22.33 | 23.20 / 21.60 C: 21.90 ⇓ 2.23% | 22.33 | 23.00 / 21.50 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 721380 D: 24.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 24.27 | 24.60 / 22.00 C: 24.10 ⇓ 0.82% | 24.23 | 24.50 / 24.00 GHAIL | 2.31 | 24.36 | Vol. 783060 D: 43.00 ⇓ 0.69% | 43.10 | 43.90 / 39.00 C: 43.10 ⇓ 0.92% | 43.21 | 44.70 / 42.80 ELCAMELIA | 611.00 | 1974.18 | Vol. 0 C: 0.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 0.00 | 0.00 / 0.00 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 11550 D: 632.9 ⇑ 0.25% | 632.99 | 635.0 / 618.3 PADMAOIL | 27.62 | 79.74 | Vol. 227902 D: 317.7 ⇓ 1.58% | 320.51 | 327.9 / 298.0 C: 318.7 ⇓ 1.54% | 320.29 | 326.8 / 318.0 EASTRNLUB | 5.33 | 71.01 | Vol. 800 D: 324.3 ⇑ 1.85% | 323.75 | 338.0 / 320.0 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 432563 D: 22.00 ⇓ 0.45% | 22.18 | 23.00 / 20.10 C: 22.10 ⇑ 0.45% | 22.14 | 22.60 / 21.30 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 447329 D: 38.70 ⇓ 2.27% | 38.84 | 40.10 / 36.00 C: 38.70 ⇓ 3.01% | 38.87 | 39.00 / 38.00 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 115336 D: 59.60 ⇓ 0.33% | 59.81 | 60.40 / 55.00 C: 60.30 ⇓ 0.82% | 60.45 | 63.40 / 59.90 POWERGRID | 2.19 | 63.69 | Vol. 126567 D: 54.80 ⇑ 0.37% | 54.96 | 55.80 / 53.00 C: 54.10 ⇑ 1.12% | 54.23 | 55.00 / 53.60 JAMUNAOIL | 19.83 | 57.32 | Vol. 626774 D: 210.2 ⇓ 10.63% | 210.84 | 213.0 / 200.0 C: 209.1 ⇓ 10.98% | 210.57 | 214.0 / 208.4 MPETROLEUM | 21.34 | 59.26 | Vol. 190542 D: 225.1 ⇓ 1.83% | 227.12 | 236.9 / 210.0 C: 226.3 ⇓ 1.44% | 227.32 | 230.0 / 225.0 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 236569 D: 75.20 ⇑ 0.40% | 75.06 | 75.50 / 70.00 C: 75.20 ⇑ 0.40% | 74.88 | 75.50 / 74.60 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 251313 D: 49.40 ⇓ 0.60% | 49.55 | 49.90 / 45.00 C: 49.10 ⇓ 1.41% | 49.24 | 49.80 / 45.00 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 522403 D: 32.10 ⇓ 1.53% | 32.12 | 33.00 / 29.40 C: 32.20 ⇓ 1.53% | 32.18 | 33.50 / 29.50 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 130729 D: 75.60 ⇑ 0.80% | 75.13 | 77.00 / 68.00 C: 75.40 ⇑ 0.53% | 74.81 | 75.80 / 73.10 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 687126 D: 29.00 ⇓ 1.36% | 29.20 | 29.80 / 26.50 C: 29.10 ⇓ 1.02% | 29.34 | 30.00 / 29.00 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 733960 D: 61.20 ⇓ 0.97% | 61.36 | 62.10 / 57.50 C: 61.00 ⇓ 1.45% | 61.18 | 62.00 / 60.70 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 15750 D: 85.70 ⇑ 1.66% | 85.21 | 86.00 / 84.00 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 200 D: 32.00 ⇑ 5.26% | 32.00 | 32.00 / 32.00 SONALIANSH | 2.65 | 226.00 | Vol. 66550 D: 149.7 ⇑ 5.72% | 147.38 | 150.0 / 141.0 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 259239 D: 79.70 ⇑ 3.91% | 79.17 | 80.60 / 70.00 RAHIMTEXT | 4.65 | 56.68 | Vol. 7950 D: 250.6 ⇑ 8.34% | 246.29 | 251.5 / 236.4 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 303700 D: 27.90 ⇓ 1.06% | 28.04 | 28.40 / 27.80 C: 28.00 ⇓ 1.06% | 28.17 | 28.40 / 27.90 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 4300 D: 101.1 ⇓ 2.60% | 102.33 | 108.2 / 98.00

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

7

December 05, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 37,670.50 ⇓ 0.65% NBFI: 20,108.15 ⇓ 1.24% INVS: 4,796.07 ⇓ 0.74% ENGG: 6,359.78 ⇓ 0.61% FOOD: 10,013.85 ⇓ 0.11% F&P: 10,347.59 ⇓ 0.71% TEXT: 3,549.23 ⇑ 1.09% PHAR: 18,233.82 ⇓ 0.46% PAPR: 1,124.84 ⇑ 5.01% SERV: 3,036.77 ⇑ 0.03% LEAT: 5,332.73 ⇓ 0.09% CERA: 534.23 ⇓ 0.75% CMNT: 4,346.28 ⇓ 0.37% INFO: 7,514.36 ⇓ 0.23% GINS: 9,127.86 ⇓ 0.86% LINS: 122,294.16 ⇓ 1.76% TELC: 1,365.28 ⇓ 0.90% MISC: 6,538.04 ⇓ 0.19% DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 65300 D: 73.50 ⇓ 0.54% | 75.60 | 77.90 / 72.10 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 5800 D: 7.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.76 | 8.00 / 7.60 TALLUSPIN | 1.75 | 16.17 | Vol. 3091815 D: 38.20 ⇑ 4.09% | 37.85 | 38.70 / 36.60 C: 38.30 ⇑ 4.64% | 37.88 | 38.80 / 36.80 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 17600 D: 72.40 ⇑ 0.14% | 72.33 | 72.90 / 70.50 C: 73.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 73.00 | 73.00 / 73.00 MITHUNKNIT | 2.87 | 20.53 | Vol. 381072 D: 83.00 ⇑ 4.40% | 82.80 | 85.00 / 79.00 C: 83.60 ⇑ 4.37% | 84.05 | 86.70 / 81.00 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 471000 D: 30.00 ⇑ 0.67% | 29.85 | 30.50 / 28.00 C: 30.00 ⇑ 0.33% | 29.90 | 31.30 / 29.40 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 200583 D: 17.90 ⇑ 0.56% | 17.93 | 18.20 / 17.00 C: 17.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.94 | 18.20 / 16.50 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 186500 D: 25.10 ⇑ 0.80% | 25.06 | 25.30 / 24.70 C: 25.20 ⇑ 2.44% | 25.18 | 25.50 / 24.80 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 93000 D: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.21 | 7.30 / 7.20 C: 7.20 ⇓ 1.37% | 7.23 | 7.30 / 7.20 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 476500 D: 28.50 ⇑ 3.64% | 28.42 | 30.10 / 27.10 C: 28.70 ⇑ 3.61% | 28.49 | 29.00 / 27.70 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 895850 D: 43.10 ⇑ 9.39% | 41.64 | 43.20 / 37.00 C: 43.40 ⇑ 9.32% | 41.75 | 43.50 / 39.00 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1535601 D: 32.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.24 | 33.00 / 29.80 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 392700 D: 26.10 ⇑ 2.35% | 26.06 | 26.50 / 25.00 C: 26.20 ⇑ 3.15% | 26.14 | 26.40 / 25.40 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 41352 D: 92.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 92.67 | 93.00 / 89.00 C: 92.40 ⇓ 0.11% | 92.62 | 93.50 / 92.10 METROSPIN | 0.56 | 17.71 | Vol. 738800 D: 20.90 ⇓ 1.42% | 21.07 | 21.60 / 20.00 C: 21.10 ⇓ 0.47% | 21.14 | 21.60 / 20.90 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 3039753 D: 19.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.11 | 20.00 / 17.40 C: 19.10 ⇓ 1.04% | 19.07 | 19.30 / 18.80 DACCADYE | 0.93 | 25.85 | Vol. 276500 D: 24.80 ⇓ 0.80% | 24.91 | 25.20 / 24.70 C: 24.80 ⇓ 0.80% | 24.70 | 25.10 / 24.40 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 4046500 D: 35.90 ⇓ 1.64% | 36.09 | 38.10 / 34.00 C: 36.10 ⇓ 1.37% | 36.22 | 36.80 / 35.80 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 281606 D: 16.50 ⇓ 0.60% | 16.63 | 16.90 / 15.00 C: 16.60 ⇓ 1.78% | 16.73 | 17.00 / 16.60 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 1288320 D: 28.00 ⇓ 2.10% | 28.24 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.20 ⇓ 1.05% | 28.33 | 28.90 / 27.80 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 216350 D: 26.80 ⇑ 0.37% | 26.82 | 28.70 / 25.00 C: 26.80 ⇑ 0.75% | 26.95 | 27.10 / 26.70 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 594750 D: 23.90 ⇓ 0.42% | 24.01 | 24.40 / 23.80 C: 24.00 ⇓ 0.83% | 23.97 | 24.20 / 23.80 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 5099560 D: 33.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 33.35 | 33.70 / 30.30 C: 33.50 ⇑ 0.30% | 33.39 | 33.80 / 32.80 ENVOYTEX | 3.10 | 37.86 | Vol. 1088400 D: 55.10 ⇑ 2.04% | 54.60 | 55.40 / 48.70 C: 55.30 ⇑ 2.60% | 54.75 | 56.00 / 53.90 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 1905560 D: 80.60 ⇑ 6.05% | 78.75 | 80.90 / 70.00 C: 81.20 ⇑ 6.56% | 78.27 | 81.80 / 77.10 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 649000 D: 53.00 ⇓ 0.19% | 53.22 | 54.00 / 52.50 C: 52.40 ⇑ 0.38% | 52.35 | 53.20 / 52.00 PTL | 2.12 | 20.06 | Vol. 6017750 D: 63.10 ⇑ 9.74% | 61.13 | 63.20 / 57.00 C: 62.80 ⇑ 9.98% | 60.59 | 62.80 / 57.00 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 26065 D: 285.7 ⇓ 0.70% | 292.31 | 298.0 / 280.2 C: 284.0 ⇓ 1.25% | 289.00 | 295.0 / 280.0 BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 144488 D: 46.40 ⇓ 1.07% | 46.61 | 47.90 / 43.00 C: 46.50 ⇓ 1.69% | 46.51 | 48.00 / 43.00 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 400 D: 964.6 ⇑ 1.40% | 965.00 | 969.9 / 953.0

ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 6618 D: 174.1 ⇓ 0.11% | 173.99 | 175.7 / 162.0 C: 171.0 ⇓ 0.58% | 171.00 | 171.0 / 171.0 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 13093 D: 738.6 ⇑ 0.38% | 737.70 | 741.0 / 715.0 PHARMAID | 1.39 | 26.19 | Vol. 221550 D: 181.3 ⇑ 9.95% | 177.03 | 181.3 / 169.0 KOHINOOR | 11.46 | 15.99 | Vol. 1630 D: 348.7 ⇑ 0.78% | 348.45 | 350.0 / 346.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 140640 D: 107.7 ⇓ 1.82% | 108.13 | 110.2 / 104.0 C: 107.2 ⇓ 2.46% | 109.73 | 111.1 / 106.9 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 1600 D: 456.7 ⇑ 0.02% | 456.88 | 463.9 / 455.0 ORIONINFU | 1.27 | 7.00 | Vol. 122400 D: 41.70 ⇑ 0.48% | 41.73 | 42.00 / 41.30 C: 41.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 41.50 | 42.00 / 41.00 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 222861 D: 194.9 ⇓ 0.05% | 194.56 | 200.1 / 181.0 C: 195.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 194.79 | 195.0 / 193.7 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 18500 D: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.29 | 7.50 / 7.20 C: 7.20 ⇓ 4.00% | 7.20 | 7.20 / 7.20 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1115503 D: 27.00 ⇓ 0.74% | 27.13 | 29.00 / 25.00 C: 27.00 ⇓ 0.37% | 27.01 | 27.30 / 26.90 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 50 D: 835.0 ⇓ 0.58% | 835.00 | 835.0 / 835.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 86120 D: 77.90 ⇑ 3.45% | 77.11 | 79.00 / 74.60 C: 78.00 ⇑ 3.59% | 77.56 | 79.00 / 75.90 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 8700 D: 761.8 ⇑ 0.22% | 762.18 | 765.0 / 760.0 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 187275 D: 12.90 ⇓ 0.77% | 12.98 | 13.20 / 12.00 C: 13.10 ⇓ 1.50% | 13.03 | 13.20 / 12.90 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 266297 D: 86.90 ⇓ 1.03% | 87.22 | 88.20 / 81.00 C: 86.20 ⇓ 1.71% | 86.78 | 87.50 / 85.60 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 365408 D: 22.00 ⇓ 1.35% | 22.15 | 22.50 / 20.10 C: 22.10 ⇓ 0.90% | 22.12 | 22.40 / 21.90 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 607250 D: 58.50 ⇓ 0.68% | 58.55 | 59.80 / 57.80 C: 58.40 ⇓ 1.35% | 58.82 | 60.10 / 58.00 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 1210505 D: 60.80 ⇓ 0.33% | 60.98 | 61.70 / 55.00 C: 60.80 ⇓ 0.49% | 60.91 | 61.70 / 60.60 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 331000 D: 225.8 ⇑ 4.34% | 226.53 | 232.0 / 220.0 C: 226.5 ⇑ 6.19% | 228.24 | 231.9 / 223.0 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 2154325 D: 41.90 ⇑ 2.20% | 41.46 | 42.60 / 37.00 C: 42.00 ⇑ 2.19% | 41.68 | 42.80 / 40.40 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 177000 D: 32.60 ⇑ 9.40% | 32.39 | 32.70 / 31.20 C: 33.30 ⇑ 9.90% | 32.52 | 33.30 / 30.00 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.49 | 57.42 | Vol. 95000 D: 99.80 ⇓ 0.99% | 100.42 | 105.0 / 98.10 C: 100.0 ⇓ 2.06% | 100.28 | 101.3 / 98.20 SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 298396 D: 29.60 ⇓ 1.66% | 29.88 | 30.50 / 27.20 C: 29.70 ⇓ 1.98% | 29.93 | 31.00 / 29.70 EHL | 2.81 | 18.44 | Vol. 1912971 D: 57.30 ⇑ 7.50% | 56.08 | 58.00 / 51.00 C: 57.20 ⇑ 6.92% | 56.29 | 58.00 / 52.70

LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 89800 D: 124.7 ⇓ 2.12% | 125.47 | 129.0 / 124.0 C: 124.7 ⇓ 2.04% | 125.68 | 133.3 / 121.0 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 62810 D: 400.1 ⇑ 0.05% | 399.65 | 404.9 / 395.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 49000 D: 16.70 ⇑ 9.15% | 16.75 | 16.80 / 16.40 C: 16.50 ⇑ 10.00% | 16.45 | 16.50 / 16.20 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 754940 D: 43.00 ⇑ 3.86% | 43.59 | 44.50 / 38.00 C: 42.90 ⇑ 2.63% | 43.24 | 44.50 / 42.00 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 49970 D: 34.00 ⇓ 2.58% | 34.73 | 35.40 / 33.10 C: 34.00 ⇓ 1.16% | 35.24 | 35.80 / 33.90 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 1020 D: 39.30 ⇑ 0.26% | 38.98 | 39.90 / 38.00 FUWANGCER | 0.65 | 12.70 | Vol. 1074700 D: 21.50 ⇓ 3.59% | 21.82 | 22.60 / 20.10 C: 21.70 ⇓ 2.69% | 22.05 | 22.60 / 21.50 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 260325 D: 18.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 18.25 | 18.50 / 16.80 C: 18.20 ⇓ 2.15% | 18.33 | 18.60 / 18.10 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 135947 D: 52.70 ⇓ 0.19% | 52.82 | 53.50 / 48.00 C: 52.60 ⇑ 0.38% | 52.59 | 53.80 / 50.00 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 38550 D: 386.3 ⇓ 1.20% | 386.17 | 388.4 / 385.0 C: 386.0 ⇓ 0.44% | 385.17 | 386.0 / 384.5 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 97646 D: 123.6 ⇓ 0.64% | 124.35 | 126.5 / 120.0 C: 123.8 ⇑ 0.32% | 123.91 | 125.2 / 123.0 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 75600 D: 128.9 ⇑ 1.34% | 129.02 | 131.0 / 127.0 C: 128.3 ⇑ 0.23% | 129.27 | 131.0 / 128.2 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 288200 D: 86.30 ⇑ 0.23% | 86.97 | 89.00 / 84.50 C: 87.00 ⇑ 9.99% | 87.00 | 87.00 / 87.00 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 685500 D: 32.90 ⇓ 1.79% | 33.14 | 33.50 / 32.80 C: 32.90 ⇓ 0.90% | 33.22 | 33.50 / 32.90 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 164034 D: 82.80 ⇓ 0.72% | 83.35 | 85.00 / 77.00 C: 82.70 ⇓ 0.60% | 82.65 | 83.70 / 82.60 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 102600 D: 101.7 ⇓ 3.05% | 102.61 | 104.8 / 100.6 C: 102.1 ⇓ 1.73% | 102.74 | 105.0 / 102.0 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 414000 D: 18.90 ⇑ 2.72% | 19.10 | 19.50 / 18.30 C: 19.10 ⇑ 3.24% | 19.21 | 19.50 / 18.10 BDCOM | 1.40 | 14.41 | Vol. 139160 D: 25.90 ⇓ 1.15% | 26.04 | 26.60 / 23.60 C: 26.30 ⇑ 0.77% | 25.81 | 26.50 / 25.70 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 447371 D: 16.30 ⇑ 1.24% | 16.40 | 16.80 / 15.00 C: 16.40 ⇑ 1.23% | 16.41 | 16.70 / 15.90 AGNISYSL | 0.96 | 14.90 | Vol. 309980 D: 21.30 ⇓ 0.47% | 21.46 | 21.70 / 21.00 C: 21.30 ⇓ 0.47% | 21.39 | 21.70 / 20.00 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 373238 D: 13.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.56 | 14.50 / 13.40 C: 13.50 ⇓ 0.74% | 13.55 | 13.80 / 12.30 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 818550 D: 35.20 ⇓ 1.12% | 35.41 | 36.40 / 32.50 C: 35.30 ⇓ 1.40% | 35.43 | 35.90 / 35.00

GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 79149 D: 29.50 ⇓ 1.34% | 29.85 | 30.10 / 28.00 C: 29.30 ⇓ 0.68% | 29.28 | 29.90 / 28.60 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 41129 D: 86.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 85.84 | 87.80 / 78.00 C: 84.50 ⇓ 2.54% | 84.56 | 85.00 / 84.50 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 1000 D: 45.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 46.00 | 46.00 / 45.00 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 64980 D: 34.90 ⇓ 3.86% | 35.44 | 37.00 / 34.00 C: 34.90 ⇓ 1.97% | 35.13 | 36.00 / 34.80 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 11025 D: 37.90 ⇓ 0.52% | 37.91 | 38.30 / 34.50 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 94240 D: 27.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.59 | 27.90 / 26.30 C: 27.50 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.49 | 27.70 / 27.40 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 64343 D: 42.30 ⇓ 0.24% | 42.05 | 42.70 / 40.00 C: 42.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 38.44 | 42.50 / 42.50 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 79743 D: 47.90 ⇓ 1.03% | 48.12 | 50.00 / 47.00 C: 48.10 ⇓ 0.41% | 48.06 | 48.20 / 48.00 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 20058 D: 29.20 ⇓ 0.68% | 29.27 | 30.00 / 27.50 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 26360 D: 24.10 ⇓ 1.63% | 24.05 | 24.40 / 22.20 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 63800 D: 33.30 ⇓ 1.77% | 33.48 | 34.10 / 33.20 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 104392 D: 24.20 ⇓ 0.82% | 24.30 | 25.40 / 22.00 C: 24.30 ⇓ 0.82% | 24.23 | 24.50 / 24.00 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 14 D: 72.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 69.90 | 69.90 / 69.90 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 233500 D: 23.50 ⇓ 0.42% | 23.53 | 23.70 / 23.40 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 9000 D: 57.00 ⇓ 2.56% | 57.13 | 58.00 / 57.00 C: 56.00 ⇓ 8.05% | 56.00 | 56.00 / 56.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 85500 D: 32.00 ⇓ 0.31% | 31.99 | 32.40 / 31.50 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 78000 D: 67.00 ⇓ 1.47% | 67.17 | 68.10 / 66.90 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 125339 D: 26.90 ⇓ 1.47% | 27.08 | 27.70 / 26.00 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 68224 D: 26.90 ⇓ 0.74% | 27.03 | 27.50 / 26.00 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 42724 D: 28.20 ⇓ 1.40% | 28.28 | 29.00 / 27.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 16500 D: 34.30 ⇓ 0.58% | 34.37 | 34.50 / 34.20 C: 37.00 ⇑ 5.71% | 37.00 | 37.00 / 37.00 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 108600 D: 29.70 ⇓ 0.34% | 29.84 | 30.50 / 29.40 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 126974 D: 24.20 ⇓ 0.82% | 24.34 | 26.00 / 23.00 C: 24.40 ⇑ 1.67% | 24.40 | 24.40 / 24.40 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 80052 D: 24.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 24.20 | 24.70 / 22.00 C: 26.70 ⇑ 8.10% | 26.70 | 26.80 / 26.20 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 115246 D: 27.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 27.17 | 27.80 / 25.00 C: 27.50 ⇑ 1.85% | 27.15 | 27.50 / 26.80 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 106000 D: 29.40 ⇓ 2.97% | 29.43 | 30.20 / 29.30 C: 29.80 ⇓ 2.61% | 29.76 | 30.00 / 29.00 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 210804 D: 38.30 ⇓ 1.03% | 38.56 | 39.20 / 36.50 C: 38.50 ⇓ 3.27% | 38.45 | 38.50 / 38.40 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 35887 D: 40.90 ⇑ 4.87% | 39.96 | 42.90 / 37.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 33366 D: 41.20 ⇓ 0.96% | 41.20 | 45.00 / 37.50 C: 41.50 ⇑ 1.22% | 43.57 | 44.60 / 41.50 REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 99790 D: 42.10 ⇓ 1.41% | 42.27 | 44.00 / 42.00 C: 42.20 ⇓ 1.86% | 41.84 | 42.80 / 41.00 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 40610 D: 27.20 ⇓ 1.81% | 27.39 | 28.00 / 26.50 C: 27.20 ⇓ 1.45% | 27.15 | 27.30 / 26.00 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 56500 D: 33.30 ⇓ 2.35% | 33.43 | 34.10 / 33.00 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 59000 D: 28.20 ⇓ 1.40% | 28.35 | 28.60 / 28.10 C: 28.50 ⇑ 1.06% | 28.50 | 28.90 / 27.70

DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 62375 D: 40.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 40.73 | 41.30 / 37.00 C: 40.80 ⇓ 0.49% | 40.80 | 40.80 / 40.80 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 16511 D: 264.5 ⇑ 1.61% | 263.66 | 267.7 / 257.2 C: 260.0 ⇓ 0.76% | 260.00 | 263.0 / 257.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 1250900 D: 289.4 ⇑ 0.35% | 292.83 | 298.9 / 283.9 C: 290.1 ⇑ 0.55% | 292.65 | 299.5 / 284.5 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 67737 D: 72.60 ⇓ 0.95% | 73.16 | 73.90 / 67.00 C: 72.60 ⇓ 0.55% | 72.60 | 72.60 / 72.60 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 7235 D: 230.9 ⇓ 1.24% | 230.54 | 238.0 / 220.0 C: 225.0 ⇓ 8.57% | 225.00 | 225.0 / 225.0 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 36633 D: 100.2 ⇓ 3.00% | 101.43 | 103.9 / 93.00 C: 98.10 ⇓ 2.19% | 98.11 | 98.50 / 98.00 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 56710 D: 111.2 ⇑ 1.37% | 112.04 | 113.6 / 108.8 C: 109.0 ⇑ 0.83% | 109.00 | 109.0 / 109.0 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 16500 D: 115.4 ⇓ 2.45% | 115.63 | 116.0 / 114.0 C: 115.6 ⇓ 3.75% | 115.60 | 115.6 / 115.6 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 15457 D: 155.4 ⇓ 2.33% | 155.59 | 164.5 / 145.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 8359 D: 100.1 ⇓ 3.93% | 101.10 | 103.0 / 95.00 C: 100.0 ⇑ 2.46% | 100.00 | 100.0 / 100.0 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 76137 D: 113.8 ⇓ 0.09% | 114.62 | 117.0 / 105.0 C: 112.4 ⇓ 7.87% | 112.20 | 112.4 / 112.0 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 431440 D: 65.40 ⇓ 1.21% | 66.64 | 72.80 / 60.00 C: 65.40 ⇓ 1.65% | 66.72 | 69.30 / 64.00 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 235300 D: 61.00 ⇑ 0.33% | 61.27 | 62.80 / 55.00 C: 60.60 ⇓ 0.49% | 60.91 | 62.90 / 59.10 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 231200 D: 206.4 ⇓ 0.39% | 205.82 | 207.9 / 204.1 C: 206.3 ⇓ 0.63% | 205.51 | 207.0 / 204.3 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 229766 D: 173.7 ⇓ 1.64% | 174.67 | 177.0 / 160.0 C: 173.2 ⇓ 1.87% | 175.03 | 177.0 / 172.7 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 3010910 D: 16.50 ⇓ 0.60% | 16.61 | 17.00 / 15.00 C: 16.60 ⇓ 0.60% | 16.64 | 16.90 / 16.50 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 486578 D: 81.70 ⇓ 1.21% | 82.28 | 83.50 / 75.00 C: 81.80 ⇓ 1.09% | 82.12 | 83.20 / 81.40 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 10400 D: 342.8 ⇓ 4.25% | 352.27 | 359.8 / 340.0 C: 327.0 ⇑ 5.14% | 327.00 | 327.0 / 327.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 56410 D: 441.5 ⇓ 0.11% | 444.12 | 450.0 / 439.8 C: 442.3 ⇑ 0.00% | 443.60 | 449.0 / 440.3 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 210050 D: 152.1 ⇑ 5.70% | 149.46 | 152.9 / 144.0 C: 152.5 ⇑ 5.61% | 150.45 | 153.8 / 146.0 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 126261 D: 138.5 ⇑ 1.54% | 139.25 | 141.7 / 130.0 C: 138.7 ⇑ 2.14% | 139.33 | 140.9 / 136.4 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 2650 D: 60.50 ⇑ 6.33% | 60.00 | 61.90 / 58.10 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1185023 D: 33.40 ⇓ 1.47% | 33.56 | 35.50 / 30.60 C: 33.50 ⇓ 1.47% | 33.60 | 34.10 / 31.00 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 211000 D: 22.40 ⇑ 1.36% | 22.39 | 22.60 / 22.20 C: 22.60 ⇑ 1.80% | 22.55 | 22.80 / 22.30 MIRACLEIND | 0.09 | 14.41 | Vol. 749000 D: 17.10 ⇑ 5.56% | 17.07 | 17.60 / 16.20 C: 17.30 ⇑ 6.13% | 17.18 | 17.90 / 16.30 BOND IBBLPBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 280 D: 986.0 ⇓ 0.20% | 985.71 | 988.0 / 970.3 ACIZCBOND | 0.00 | 1000.00 | Vol. 22 D: 882.0 ⇑ 0.17% | 888.89 | 883.0 / 881.0 C: 880.0 ⇓ 1.84% | 880.00 | 880.0 / 880.0 BRACSCBOND | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 10 D: 1010 ⇑ 1.00% | 1000 | 1020 / 1000

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013

Japan approves $182bn economic package, doubts remain n Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet approved a $182bn package yesterday to pull the economy out of deflation, but doubts remain about the impact.

The package has a headline value of 18.6tn yen ($182bn), which is an exaggerated figure as the bulk of the package includes loans from government-backed lenders and spending by local governments that was already scheduled.

The core of the package is 5.5tn yen in spending measures which Abe ordered in October to bolster the economy ahead of a national sales-tax hike in April. The government does not have to sell new debt to fund this spending. The package has raised concerns that Japan’s government has not broken away from the stop-gap measures and piecemeal policymaking that some say has hampered long-term growth.

“Market participants want the government to focus even more energy on economic policy,” said Hiroshi Miyazaki, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities. “Some of these items, like reconstruction from the earthquake, were already scheduled and don’t really constitute an economic strategy.”

The measures approved yesterday will add 1 percentage point to gross domestic product and create around 250,000 jobs, according to the Cabinet Office.

There is a consensus that the sales tax hike will subtract about 2tn yen from gross domestic product, so 5.5tn yen in spending should more than compensate, Yasutoshi Nishimura, a senior vice minister at the Cabinet Office, told reporters.

Miyazaki was less optimistic, saying the measures may only contribute around 2tn yen or 0.4 percentage point as a lot of the direct government payouts to the elderly and families will go straight to savings.

The steps approved on Thursday include measures to boost competitiveness; assist women, youth and the elderly; accelerate reconstruction from the March 2011 earth-

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) addresses a meeting of the economy and fiscal policy council, next to Finance Minister Taro Aso (right), at Abe’s office in Tokyo yesterday REUTERS quake and tsunami; and build infrastructure for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“This includes steps to boost capital expenditure for the future and ensure the economy stays in a positive cycle,” Abe said in a speech about the stimulus to businessmen and economists.

“If companies invest more and wages rise

more, then the positive (economic) cycle materializes.” The overall size of the package is on a par with Abe’s 20tn yen burst of spending early this year as part of his campaign to end 15 years of falling prices and tepid growth.

The headline figure usually announced by the Japanese government on economic measures often includes spending that has

Japan, Southeast Asia in talks to expand currency swap n AFP, Tokyo Japan and Southeast Asian countries are in talks over expanding currency swap arrangements to help cushion their economies in financial emergencies, an official said yesterday, ahead of a Japan-ASEAN summit next week.

A swap is a device useful in times of economic stress, when normal foreign exchange markets can seize up, in which financial authorities agree to buy local currency with something much more liquid - usually the US dollar.

Tokyo is now talking with five countries - Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore - to expand or resume bilateral currency swaps, a finance ministry

official told AFP. Since the onset of the Asian currency crisis in the late 1990s, Japan has spearheaded efforts to build a multilateral currency swap agreement, now known as the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI).

“We are discussing with a view that bilateral arrangements are faster in terms of decision-making than the multi-lateral framework,” the official said.

Japan currently has a $12bn bilateral arrangement with Indonesia and a $6bn arrangement with the Philippines, but negotiators are aiming to increase the amounts, while Tokyo wants to resume bilateral deals with the three other countries, he said.

The CMI - which groups the 10 Association

of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries plus China, Japan, and South Korea - is a currency swap arrangement worth a total of $240bn.

Japan is due to host a special summit with ASEAN leaders in Tokyo from December 13-15 to mark the 40th anniversary of exchanges.

A recent survey showed that ASEAN countries had re-emerged as Japan Inc’s favoured investment destinations, with China falling off the top of the list for the first time in more than two decades because of higher labour costs and bilateral tensions.

Japan is keen to bolster its relations with countries in the region as it seeks to counter the growing influence of China. l

already been committed, and tends to far exceed the amount of actual new government spending.

New debt issuance is not required as new spending will be covered by tax revenues that have exceeded initial budget projections due to the economic recovery, as well as using unspent funds from other accounts. l

Ayrault: 300 million Chinese are potential visitors to France n AFP, Beijing As many as 300 million Chinese are potential visitors to France, French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Thursday as he arrived in Beijing for a five-day visit focused on trade.

The two countries are preparing to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Speaking to reporters at the Forbidden City, the sprawling former imperial complex in central Beijing, Ayrault said that “the future of employment in France also depends on this immense market in China”. l