December 16, 2013

Victory Day Supplement

International

9

Nelson Mandela laid to rest

Send us victorious

Poush 2, 1420 Safar 12, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 267

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

16 pages with 8-page business tabloid and 8-page Victory Day supplement | Price: Tk10

Violence kills 9 in 4 districts

Businessmen: Stop violent politics n Tribune Report

Section 144 imposed in two districts n Ashif Islam Shaon At least nine people were killed in Lalmonirhat, Joypurhat, Lakshmipur and Sylhet districts in violence during a daylong countrywide hartal enforced by the Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday.

Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists stabbed an Awami League activist to death, hours after three Shibir men were killed in sporadic clashes with the lawmen in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat.

There were also incidents of looting passengers before torching vehicles, uprooting rail tracks, vandalising residences and business establishments belonging to Awami League supporters and minorities across the country In other incidents, the clashes between Jamaat-Shibir and cops left three people dead in Joypurhat, a Jubo League man was hacked to death in Sylhet and a Chhatra league leader in Lakshmipur.

There were also incidents of looting passengers before torching vehicles, uprooting rail tracks, vandalising residences and business establishments belonging to Awami League supporters and minorities across the country by Jamaat-Shibir men.

In the capital, Shibir burnt an auto-rickshaw at Matuail and clashed with cops at Mughda, Bangla Bazar and Shyampur.

The Lalmonirhat violence began

INSIDE Business

B1 BGMEA to screen out members

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4 Gas crisis forces EGCB to shut 622MW power plants

around 7:30am at Kafirbazar when Jamaat-Shibir men were locked in a gunfight with police.

Several groups of Shibir activists attacked a nearby village mostly inhabited by Hindus.

They set fire to seven houses of the minority people and also two houses of two local Jatiya Party leaders.

Lalmonirhat Additional Superintendent of Police Aslam Khan said: “They cordoned off the area we were in and hurled crude bombs at us.”

“We opened fire for self-defence.”

The dead Shibir activists were Monirul Islam, 28, president of Patgram upazila Shibir unit, Abdur Rahim, 30, and Saju Islam, 24.

The Awami League man who was stabbed to death was Mintu Islam, 33.

The upazila administration imposed section 144 to avert any untoward situation.

In Joypurhat, three people were killed and eight others received bullet wounds when police opened fire on Jamaat-Shibir men engaged in a clash with the lawmen around 4:30pm.

The dead were Samim Hossain, 25, Insan Ali, 22, and Firoz Hossain, 30, a rickshaw puller. Jamaat claimed Firoz as their activist.

Section 144 had been imposed in the district from 5pm yesterday to 6am today, said Mohammad Yasin, deputy commissioner of Joypurhat.

Around 3:30pm, hundreds of Jamaat-Shibir men blocked the road of Puranpoul union’s Bazar and hurled  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

NOTICE Monday, December 16, is national and newspaper holiday on the occasion of the Victory Day. However, the Dhaka Tribune will be published on Tuesday under special arrangement.

Scores of businessmen hoist white flags in a peace rally organised by the FBCCI yesterday in the capital, demanding a stop to the ongoing political unrest SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

The list of uncontested getting longer n Mohammad Zakaria The number of candidates set to be elected uncontested is getting longer with the inclusion of three more names even though the deadline for withdrawal of candidature expired at 5pm on Friday.

The Election Commission yesterday updated its list displaying 154 candidates who will become lawmakers unopposed.

Retuning officers of Patuakhali, Netrokona, Bogra, Comilla, Hobiganj, Sylhet, Barisal, Mymensingh and Rangpur sent names of lone candidates to the commission after the deadline was over on December 13.

The government has to hold no election in in any of the constituencies of Chandpur, Shariatpur, Rajbari,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

AL, BNP ‘eyeing’ for a permanent solution n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The Awami League and BNP are apparently contemplating whether they can find a permanent solution to the ongoing political crisis over the polls-time administration to avoid recurrence of the problem each election year.

Both the parties are engaged in dialogue to resolve the political stalemate but a number of leaders said they were looking forward to a permanent solution as there is “little chance” of suspending the elections scheduled to be held on January 5, 2014.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi yesterday told this correspondent over phone: “We are trying to find out an enduring solution to the polls-time arrangement.”

“There is no hope of positive outcome. But we will carry on in a view to deriving something that could be long-lasting,” Osman Farruk, adviser to the BNP chairperson, said.

Country’s businessmen demanded a peaceful solution to the ongoing political deadlock for the sake of economy and business friendly environment.

They also threatened to announce vigorous movement if the political parties fail to reach a consensus to end the political stalemate and to ensure a business-friendly environment in the country.

Business leaders including Kazi Akram Uddin also demanded immediate release of former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo.

The appeal came at a white-flag demonstration held in front of the Federation Bhaban and other trade chambers and associations across the country from 11:30am to 12:30pm yesterday.

The programme was aimed at protesting the ongoing political violence,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Victory Day renews Jamaat ban demand n Julfikar Ali Manik

Farruk, also a former education minister, said the dialogue’s objective went in vain as the government is hell-bent on holding the polls. “But we will try to continue with the dialogue as we are optimistic.”

Under the mediation of the United Nations both the parties held their third round of talks. After the meeting representatives of both the parties said they had offered some proposals and will talk again.

The nation celebrates the 43rd Victory Day today with the renewed demand for banning Jamaat-e-Islami and its front organisations in Bangladesh.

The government of independent Bangladesh had banned five communal political parties, including Jamaat, immediately after its victory in the nine-month-long bloody war as they had actively helped the Pakistan occupation forces in committing genocide and other war crimes.

Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir (Islami Chhatra Sangha in 1971) have threatened throughout this year to wage a civil war and burn the 56,000 sq-km area of the country to foil the ongoing trial of the war crimes accused, most of whom areits leaders.

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P3 THREAT COUNTER THREAT

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 16, 2013

Government eyes on law and order during election period

Local representatives to be used to prevent violence, media restriction likely on 'negative' news n Rabiul Islam The government has decided to engage local representatives, including union parishad (UP) chairmen, to combat violence before and after the upcoming parliamentary elections, a source said.

A cabinet committee on law and order, headed by Land and Disaster Management Minister Amir Hossain Amu, took the decision at a meeting at the home ministry yesterday.

However, the media was not briefed as usual following the cabinet committee meeting yesterday.

“No briefing,” Amu told waiting reporters after the three hour-long meeting.

Preferring not to be named, a senior bureaucrat who attended the meeting said local UP chairmen, ward members and Ansar-VDP forces across the country would be compelled to prevent violence, and they would be held respon-

sible for any violent incidents in their respective areas.

To ensure law and order ahead of the January-5 polls and during the post-election period, the government would use local representatives alongside law-enforcing agencies to check violence, the official added.

The official also said all kinds of logistics would be provided to gear up the activities of the local government, he said.

Moreover, the official claimed that the media was publishing “negative news”, creating panic among the people.

The information ministry would take steps so such news items were not published, the official said.

The committee took the decisions following an unleashing of violence that led to scores of deaths and destruction of properties during the recent spate of hartals and blockades by

Attackers on Justice Sinha’s house sent to jail n Emran Hossain The four people arrested in connection with the arson attack on Supreme Court Justice SK Sinha’s Kamalganj residence in Moulvibazar were sent to jail yesterday after interrogation.

Kamalganj police station’s Officer-in-Charge Nihar Ranjan Nath said they had produced the four before court after a three-day remand to question on the attack occurred early Thursday.

They are Abu Taleb, president of Kamalganj Sramik Kalyan Federation – Jamaat’s workers’ wing; Saifur Rahman, president of upazila unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir – student wing front of Jamaat; Kamruzzaman and Fakhrul Islam. Police said political leanings of Kamruzzaman and Fakhrul could not be determined yet.

The OC refrained from making any

comments on the outcomes of interrogation.

Our Sylhet correspondent reported after the attack that some unidentified Jamaat-Shibir activists had set alight the ancestral home of Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, better known as SK Sinha, at Tilakpur in Kamalganj.

Justice Sinha is one of the five-member Appellate Division bench that awarded death sentence to executed Jamaat leader and convicted war criminal Abdul Quader Molla.

Nine Jamaat activists on three motorbikes were seen riding through Monipuri-inhabited Kamalganj locality at the time of Fazr prayers on that day chanting slogans “Naraye Takbir, Allahu Akbar,” our correspondent said.

The attack came just a day after the murder of a prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee. l

CEC: Election on time n Mohammad Zakaria

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said there was no scope to stop the January 5 elections as already 154 aspirants were set to be elected uncontested.

“The 10th parliamentary election will be held as per the electoral laws,” he told reporters around 11pm the EC Secretariat after holding four informal

meetings since morning.

“We will inform the designated printing press tomorrow [today] to print the ballot papers for holding election to rest of the constituencies,” he added.

About delay in publishing the list of lone candidates, he said: “It is a legal process. We have compiled the list of lone candidates after getting information though internet, telephone and email.” l

Tk100,000 bounty on Motijheel attackers

the BNP-led opposition alliance.

“We have decided to take all sorts of steps to face an anarchic situation,” Kamrul Islam, state minister for law and a committee member, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone later. However, he did not elaborate what steps would be taken.

Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, who is also a Jatiya Party leader, attended yesterday’s meeting, despite his resignation earlier from the polls-time cabinet.

Talking to reporters, Anisul Islam said his resignation was not accepted by the prime minister.

Jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique, Labour Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Telecommunication Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu and chiefs of different law-enforcement agencies were also present. l

He seems happy! HM Ershad, who claims to have been detained, is all smiles when the PM’s International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi went to visit him at the CMH yesterday PMO

AL, BNP ‘eyeing’ for a permanent solution  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Against the backdrop, party insiders from both the sides told the Dhaka Tribune that there is no hope of any solution as 154 candidates have already been elected uncontested.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said there is a slim chance of the BNP’s participation in

the 10th general elections. However, the two parties will continue to hold dialogue.

“The time is running out. The result will certainly come through talks but nothing can be said for sure right now,” he said.

On Saturday, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam

Hanif said the ongoing talks would continue.

After the quasi-military rule, in every election year the country has witnessed huge bloodshed centring polls except for the eighth general polls in 2001.

In 2007 the army-backed caretaker government assumed the office against the backdrop of a wave of political vi-

Violence kills 9 The list of uncontested getting longer  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

petrol bombs at Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank. In the second phase, the troublemakers reinforced themselves and gathered near Halutti village. They barricaded a road there.

As police, Rab and BGB appeared there, the pro-hartal supporters operated an attack prompting the lawmen to retaliate, said Additional Police Superintendent Abdul Mannan.

In Lakshmipur’s Raipur upazila, miscreants hacked to death district unit BCL Organising Secretary Miraj Hossain, 28, and cut throats of two Jubo League men, Maksud and Rana, yesterday afternoon.

In Sylhet, Jubo League activist Nazrul Islam, 35, was killed in Kanaighat upazila around midnight on his way back home with two party men.

In Pirgachha of Rangpur, more than 100 masked men held four on-duty Ansar members at gun point and uprooted 252 feet rail tracks.

In Chandpur, pickets torched three vehicles including a passenger bus at Khejuria on Chandpur-Comilla regional highway around 5am. They looted the passengers before setting the bus on fire.

In Gazipur's Lakshmipura area, pickets hurled petrol bomb at a moving bus leaving its helper Tareque, 14, injured.

In Rajshahi, hundreds of Jamaat-Shibir activists in several groups attacked on the lawmen at five points simultaneously.

In Pirojpur, Shibir men burnt down a two-storey wooden house of Bidhan Chandro Mistry, Awami League president of Sikder Mollik union, in Dakkhin Gubtawla village under Sadar upazila.

In Feni, unknown miscreants torched the district Jamaat office early yesterday. They also set fire to some shops owned by Jamaat leaders. l

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Madaripur and Joypurhat as each of them has only one candidate.

A number of EC officials yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that this was the first time the names of candidates unopposed were announced after the deadline for withdrawal of candidature.

The officials said in controversial 1996 February 15 elections, the list of total uncontested was finalised on the night of the last day for withdrawal of candidature.

As many as 49 BNP candidates were elected unopposed in that poll which was the second highest number in the history of election in Bangladesh.

The BNP won 279 seats out of 290 while elections to 10 parliamentary constituencies were not held due to unavoidable circumstances.

On December 13, the last day for

withdrawal of nomination, a list of 109 lone candidates was announced but two days later the number went up.

A senior assistant secretary of the EC seeking anonymity yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that returning officers of some districts did not give the names of lone candidates, contesting candidates and those who withdrew their nominations.

The fresh three candidates reported to be elected uncontested are of HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party. They are Mashiur Rahman Ranga (Rangpur-1), Shawkat Chowdhury (Nilphamari-4) and Fakhrul Imam (Mymensingh-8).

With the three candidates, the number of single candidates who are set to be elected unopposed in the January 5 general election has risen to 154.

Of them, 127 from ruling Awami League, 21 from Jatiya Party, three from

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities yesterday announced Tk100,000 bounty on 11 people each for their alleged involvement with Friday’s violence, rampages, arson and attacks on the law enforcers in the capital’s Motijheel area.

Terming them “criminals, enemies to the nation and threats for the country,” the DMP authorities urged all to help the law enforcers in arresting them by providing information.

DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam, also the spokesperson of the DMP, said: “The decision of announcing bounty on those 11 criminals has been taken on Sunday experimentally.

“As per the move, photographs of all those 11 criminals have been published

on the DMP website and social media,” added the joint commissioner.

He said the criminals had been identified from among those, who had played key roles leading the anarchies in Fakirapool and Motijheel areas immediate after the Jum’a prayers.

He further said although the DMP itself had been trying to arrest those criminals, help from the public has also been sought through the announcement of the bounty.

The DMP has published three phone numbers (9362640, 0191001100, 01678024652) of its control room, an e-mail address (dmpmedia@dmp.gov. bd) and a Facebook link (www.facebook.com/dmp.dhaka) so that people an report. They also stated that the identity of the informers would not be disclosed for security reasons. l

Although execution of the first of the war criminals will add to the jubilant mood the nationexperiences on December 16 every year, this timethe Victory Dayarrives withthe big challenge of containinganycriminal and terror activities of these communal forces.

On the Martyred Intellectuals Day on December 14, a number of eminent personalities urged the government to ban Jamaat-Shibir considering them as terrorist organisations, noto political parties.

Newspapers of the newly born independent nation on December 18, 1971 carried the government’s decision to ban the five communal political parties – Muslim League and all its factions, Pakistan Democratic Party, Nezam-e-Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan People’s Party.

However, the banned parties, including Jamaat, were given the green light to do politics – inthe name of

Jasad, two from Bangladesh Workers Party and the rest one from Manju-led Jatiya Party.

No official of the EC secretariat could confirm whether the number will increase after Sunday.

On January 22 in 2007, 18 candidates of BNP were elected uncontested. But the election was cancelled after the emergency was promulgated.

In the fourth parliamentary election in 1988 a total of 18 candidates were elected unopposed. Eight political parties participated in the polls while there were 1192 candidates.

In the second general elections in 1979 a total of 2547 candidates participated in the elections while 11 were elected uncontested.

In the first parliamentary election in 1973, 11 Awami league candidates were elected unopposed. l

Businessmen: Stop violent politics  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

shutdowns, blockades that caused damages to businesses.

“Politicians have failed; the country cannot run this way,” said Salman F Rahman, Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina’s advisor on private sector.

It is the first step of our taking to the streets; we will sit with the directors of the apex trade body and take decision about the next course of action. I hope by the time the political parties will be able to come to a political consensus, said Salman.

Tax collection and remittance flow have declined and businessmen are becoming loan defaulters; they are now almost unable to pay wages of their workers, he added.

“We want peace; we want a peaceful environment in the country to run our

businesses,” Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said during their protest programme carrying white flags in front of the FBCCI building at Motijheel.

Akram, also Awanu League’s advisory council member, said the programme launched by the trade body was aimed at destructive and confrontational politics.

“There is no environment in Bangladesh to do business as the buses, shops, business house, factories and even people are being set on fire,” said FBCCI former president AK Azad.

Bangladesh’s economy has reached the brink of destruction and people do not venture to come onto the street … we must have to get rid of such violent politics, said Mir Nasir Hossain, former

Victory Day renews Jamaat ban demand n Kailash Sarkar

olence and a number of the politicians including Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia were sent to jail.

Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said: “We decided in principle to continue with the dialogue. When asked that the election is already halfway through, he said the party secretary general wiill talk about it later. l

“all-party democracy”– duringthe rule of late presidentZiaur Rahman after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

Jamaat has since maintained its communal political mindset.

In its judgment in the case against Jamaat guru and convicted war criminal Ghulam Azam, International Crimes Tribunal 1 said: “After 42 years, it is noticed that some of the anti-liberation people are still staying at the helm of the Jamaat-e-Islami. As a result, the young generation belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami are being psychologically reared up and nurtured with anti-liberation sentiments and communal feelings, which is a matter of great anxiety for a nation.

“There is no proof before the nation that those who played an anti-liberation role in 1971 have ever changed their attitude towards the Liberation War by expressing repentance or by

showing respect to the departed souls of three million martyrs.”

The tribunal judges – Chairman Justice Fazle Kabir, Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim and Justice Anwarul Haque– termed Jamaat “a criminal organisation” for its Liberation War role.

They suggested that the government ban anti-liberation people from holding key positions in any government, non-government and socio-political organisations.

The judgement said:“In the interest of establishing a democratic as well as non-communal Bangladesh, we observe that no such anti-liberation people should be allowed to sit at the helm of executives of the government, social or political parties, including government and non-government organisations.

“We are of the opinion that the government may take necessary steps to that end for debarring those anti-liberation persons from holding the said su-

president of the FBCCI. Around 50 lakh businessmen including chamber and association leaders across the country took part in the white flag protests urging political parties to create business friendly environment, said a statement of the apex trade body.

The Chittagong businessmen too formed a human chain holding white flags yesterday urging the political parties to shun the path of anarchy for the sake of saving the economy of the country from being destroyed.

Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association), BTMA (Bangladesh Textile Mills Association) and other chambers and associations also joined the programme. l

perior posts in order to establish a democratic and non-communal country for which millions of people sacrificed their lives during the War of Liberation.”

The judgment further said:“Taking the contextual circumstances coupled with documentary evidence into consideration, we are led to observe that Jamaat-e-Islami, as a political party under the leadership of accused Prof Ghulam Azam, intentionally functioned as a criminal organisation especially during the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.”

Based on evidence the judgment said:“Under the leadership of accused Prof GhulamAzam almost all the members of Jamaat-e-Islami along with its subordinate organs actively opposed the very birth of Bangladesh in 1971.”

There has alsobeen a demand to try Jamaat as a party for its crimes against humanity, genocide committed during the Liberation War. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Threat, counter-threat deepen the crisis n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The threat from the BNP-led 18-party alliance and counter-threat from the ruling Awami League are likely to worsen the political crisis and ruin the dialogue prospect the UN envoy Oscar Fernandez Taranco initiated.

Some BNP leaders think the situation might “aggravate” when the candidates will go to their constituencies for electoral campaign.

The BNP has already decided to wage countrywide blockade from December 17 or 18 until December 24 or 25 as they believe that solution to the crisis will not come through dialogue.

“We have decided to enforce block-

Moves made to keep essentials transportation safe

n Asif Showkat Kallol

The government has taken up security measures, including police deployment, to protect the main routes of the essentials supply chain in the wake of hartal and blockade enforced by the Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP. Directed by the commerce ministry, the deputy commissioners – under the supervision of the divisional commissioners – had already started providing long-route goods carriers with police protection, said a senior official of the ministry yesterday.

Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that the ministry had instructed all ministries, including the home, and divisional and district commissioners in this regard.

Teams of highway and local police were providing security for 50-70 trucks carrying commodities, raw materials and export items on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, ministry officials said.

The management of the commodities supply chain has been interrupted for the past one and a half months because of the violence during the hartals and prolonged blockades enforced by the opposition parties.

Commerce ministry sources said the government would try to free the Khulna-Dhaka route with similar measures.

Ministry officials expressed hope that farmers would not have to discard their produce in the street anymore.

Khulna Divisional Commissioner Abdul Jalil yesterday sent a letter to the Dhaka divisional commissioner to provide police protection for goods-laden trucks up to Daulatdia ferry terminal from where the Khulna DC will take charge.

Rustom Ali, president of Bangladesh Covered Van and Truck Owners’ Association, told the Dhaka Tribune that some transportation routes had been free from political violence, such as the Dhaka-Benapole route, for two days.

A few trucks from North Bengal had arrived in Dhaka in the past two days with special police protection, he said.

“But the Feni-Sitakunda route was disrupted yesterday because of political violence and hartal.”

Meanwhile, the rent for trucks had also declined to Tk30,000-40,000 from Tk100,000 in the past three days, said the president of the truck owners’ association. Truck fares sharply rose to Tk100,000 ahead of the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla. l

ade programme from December 17 to December 25. But the date might be changed by a day as December 16 is the Victory Day,” a senior leader told the Dhaka Tribune.

Seeking anonymity, he said: “There is no hope. The government wants to buy time in the name of dialogue while 154 candidates have already been elected uncontested. Is not it pointless to hold a dialogue?”

After the announcement of the January 5 polls, the opposition combine started a series of blockades demanding a non-partisan interim government and suspension of the schedule.

The movement turned violent killing scores of people and injuring many. Over

200 incidents of snapping rail connection followed by accidents and destruction of public property marked the programes.

Leaders of the Awami League yesterday asked the party leaders and activists to resist and launch counter attack on “those who are inciting anarchy across the country.”

Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ulAlam Hanif siad: “Enough is enough.

Stop terrorist activities. After the Victory Day there will be befitting reply to every attack.”

A BNP leader said: “Asaduzzaman Noor has already came under attack.

[Shamsul Huq] Tuku’s house was attacked too. Such incidents might rise in future.” l

JP drama over polls goes along n Manik Miazee A faction of Jatiya Party, led by former military dictator HM Ershad, continues swing and sway over participating in the election-time cabinet and the January 5 polls under the Awami League-led interim government.

Jatiya Party Presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud, the water resources minister, yesterday joined an emergency meeting of the cabinet on law and order.

Following Ershad’s instructions, seven leaders of the party, including Anisul, had joined the cabinet and later reportedly submitted their resignation letters. The government has not published any official statement on approval of the resignations.

On Saturday, Office Secretary Tajul Islam Chowdhury said candidates, who were yet to withdraw their nomination papers, would participate in the election.

He also said Rawshan, Presidium member and wife of the party chief, would hold a press briefing in the evening. However, she did not do so.

“Rawshan Ershad will not face the media until she receives confirmation that at least 47 party members will have the privilege to participate in the polls,” a party insider said.

Throughout the day, party leaders gathered at Rawshan’s residence in Gulshan.

Until yesterday, some 50 MP aspirants, out of 261 Jatiya Party members, did not withdraw their candidature, said Mujibul Haque Chunnu, a presidium member.

In the morning, Ershad’s lawyer Bakhtiar Khan Iqbal at a press briefing warned of blockades and legal

consequences if the party chief was not “released” immediately.

Demanding his “release,” Jatiya Party yesterday observed general strikes in three districts including Chandpur.

Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi yesterday went to Combined Military Hospital to meet Ershad and took updates of his health condition.

However, details about their discussions were not disclosed to media.

Rawshan Ershad will not face the media until she receives confirmation that at least 47 party members will have the privilege to participate in the polls Yesterday, Jatiya Party’s central ViceChairman Saifuddin Ahmed Milon and Chittagong former mayor Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury were made Presidium members, while district and city committees of Rangpur were dissolved.

Karim Uddin Bhorosa was made convener of a three-member ad-hoc committee which was asked to form a full committee within 10 days.

Signed by Ershad’s Press and Political Secretary Sunil Shubho Roy, the statement said the decision was made following section 39 of the party charter.

However, Ershad’s special adviser Bobby Hajjaj on Saturday told reporters that in absence of the party chief, Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader, Ershad’s brother GM Quader and Hajjaj himself would coordinate with the media. l

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Monday, December 16, 2013

Two JCD men ‘confess’ to torching bus

Bangladeshi killed by compatriot in Jeddah

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Bangladeshi national was reportedly killed by a fellow citizen in Jeddah on Friday after a heated argument over political issues back home.

“We have sent an official to look into the matter,” Consul General of Bangladesh Mission in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, M Nazmul Islam told the UNB over phone.

Quoting witnesses, Nazmul said there had been no injury mark on the body of deceased Deb Dulal Shutradhar of Feni.

He said Deb Dulal and Abdus Salam of Cox’s Bazar had been watching a news bulletin of a Bangladeshi television channel at a shop in the morning when they suddenly got engaged in a heated argument.

The shop owner asked them to get out of his shop. It is suspected that the killing took place after that.

Nazmul Islam said Salam was suspected of the killing. l

A Dhaka court yesterday recoded “confessional” statements of two Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal men in a case filed on charges of torching a bus in the capital’s Shahbagh that left four passengers dead and 15 injured.

The accused are Uzzal Hossein, president of ward 70 unit, and activist Sohel Chan Milon.

Admitting to their involvement, the duo gave statements to metropolitan magistrates Tarique Mainul Islam Bhuyan and Erfanullah.

On November 28, unidentified miscreants hurled a petrol bomb on a Mirpur-bound bus of Bihanga Paribahan near the Shishu Park.

Caught on fire, the driver lost control on the steering and the bus, carrying about 50 passengers, hit the road

divider. At least 19 passengers received burn injuries of who four died at the hospital.

On December 7, police arrested Uzzal from Shantinagar and Sohel from Bangshal. Later they were placed on remand.

Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of Detective Branch at a press briefing told reporters that some seven to eight miscreants gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan in the afternoon on that day. After the Maghrib prayers, they took position on the footpath and the road divider.

As the bus approached them, miscreants tried to stop it, blasted a petrol bomb on the windowpane of the driver’s side, and fled the scene.

On November 29, police filed a case with Shahbagh police against 16 opposition leaders including the BNP acting secretary general. l

n UNB

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 16, 2013

Gas crisis forces EGCB to shut 622MW power plants n Aminur Rahman Rasel The shortfall in gas supply has led Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh to shut its Siddhirganj and Haripur power plants since mid-November.

The power generation company had 622 megawatt production capacity from the two pants.

Of the two, one was gas-fired power plant namely 210mw Siddhirganj Peaking Power Plant and another 412mw Haripur Combined-Cycle Power Plant, the largest of its kind in public sector.

“In the wake of gas shortage, two of our power plants have been shut. We requisitioned gas supply from the Titas Gas Company, but it was non-compliant with our demand,” Electricity Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) Managing Director Mostafa Kamal told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

If this situation prevailed, it would be tough to keep the company alive, he added.

“Electricity generation is shut for a month and we are yet to receive any assurance as to when we will be able to run the company again,” Mostafa Kamal said.

He urged the government to ensure proper gas supply to the plant for a fullfledged operation.

“The company has set up these power plants with financial support from Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency. If these

3.5 crore ballot papers to be printed n

Mohammad Zakaria

The Election Commission ordered the government press to print around 3.5 crores of ballot papers through issuing a letter yesterday.

The printing process is to start within two to three days, an EC official said yesterday. According to the latest statistics of EC, 154 lone candidates are set to be elected unopposed in 59 districts parliamentary constituencies for the 10th parliamentary election slated for January 5, 2014.

Out of 541 valid candidates, 387 are contesting in the election.

Of the total 154 candidates who are set to be elected unopposed, 127 are from Awami League, 18 from Jatiya Party and three from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), two from Workers Party of Bangladesh and one from Anwar Hossain Manju-led Jatiya Party.

Awami League and Jatiya Party candidates would contest for 26 parliamentary seats.

However, there are no candidates against Awami League in 21 parliamentary constituencies as individual candidates are contesting. l

plants remain shut, we will not be able to repay the loan,” he claimed.

The Siddhirganj and Haripur power plants started their commercial operations respectively on February 5, 2012 and the first week of November this year.

The Siddhirganj power plant would require 40mmcfd gas to operate in full capacity while the production cost of per unit electricity would be Tk1.87.

“We will forward another letter to Titas for gas today [Sunday]. The machines will lose efficiency for the lack of gas,” Md Atiar Raman, general manager and plant in-charge of 210mw Siddhirganj Peaking Power Plant told the Dhaka Tribune.

The 412mw Haripur Power Plant would require 64mmcfd gas to operate in full capacity while the production cost of per unit electricity would be Tk1.7154.

“Though we started the plant on November, it was not in full production capacity. Gas crisis hit the plant, thus leading to its shutdown,” said Md Nazmul Alam, deputy general manager and plant in-charge.

Md Nowshad Islam, acting managing director of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited, said: “We are not getting enough gas from Petrobangla to supply it to the EGCB.” Titas has around 1,550,000 residential clients and distributes around 1,450 million cubic feet of gas per day against a demand of 2,000, officials said. l

A physically challenged woman waits for a train to arrive at Kamalapur Railway Station during the Jamaat-Shibir’s dawn-to-dusk hartal yesterday

Mobarak himself defends Bijoy keyboard completes silver jubilee n his case at war tribunal Muhammad Zahidul Islam

n

Udisa Islam

Detained war crimes accused Mobarak Hossain, an alleged razakar commander of Brahmanbaria during the 1971 Liberation War, yesterday claimed that he had not acted against the country’s independence.

Testifying at the International Crimes Tribunal 1 as the first defence witness, Mobarak also said he still held the post of organising secretary of Mogra union unit Awami League. “My membership is not cancelled yet. I was never sacked from the party,” he said.

There are two other defence witnesses.

On April 23, Mobarak was indicted on five charges of crimes against humanity that include killing of 33 people in Akhaura, torturing Ashuranjan Deb at a razakar camp, and abductions and killings in Shyampur.

In his deposition, Mobarak denied all the charges that the prosecution brought against him. He sought justice from the tribunal saying: “I am innocent.”

He claimed that he had not been with the razakar force as he was adolescent.

After his deposition, prosecutor Shahidur Rahman cross examined him. The

tribunal set December 24 for further witness.

Meanwhile, the same tribunal yesterday rejected a defence petition that sought review of the indictment order against Jamaat leader ATM Azharul Islam without hearing as the defence senior counsels were absent.

Junior defence counsel Syed Md Raihan Uddin submitted an adjournment petition for the fifth time saying that his senior colleague Abdur Razzak could not be appeared before the tribunal due to personal reasons.

The tribunal 2 yesterday directed the Bagerhat district police superintendent to ensure presence of Shamima Akhter, notary of Bagerhat court, at the court on December 19.

Earlier, the tribunal directed two lawyers of Bagerhat court to appear before the court and explain their stance regarding an affidavit they had approve. One of them, Sheikh Abdul Wadud, appeared in due date but Shamima did not show up because of the continuous blockade.

Meanwhile, the same tribunal yesterday deferred the hearing on charge framing against war crimes accused Syed Mohammad Qaisar until December 17.

Weather likely to remain dry n UNB

City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

26.3 25.0 26.4 26.0 26.6 26.2 26.7 27.0

14.0 15.0 11.7 12.6 13.0 12.5 12.3 16.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:13am 6:33am 11:54am 3:38pm 5:14pm 6:35pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Bijoy Bangla, the first Bangla language typing software and keyboard, would complete its silver jubilee, 25 years since its initiation, today.

The Bangla software and keyboard company started it journey on December 16, 1988.

On the occasion, Mustafa Jabbar, founder of Bijoy Bangla software and keyboard, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Tomorrow [today] the software will complete 25 years and we expect it to com-

plete hundred years and more.”

Jabbar, who is also the president of Bangladesh Computer Samity, said more than 32,000 Bijoy keyboard and software are imported legally every month and the total import number stands at 2,263,708 in four years nine months – March 2008 to November 2013.

He said: “Though there is no available import statistic before March, 2008 but I can calculate that in 10 years an estimated 30-35 lakh Bijoy keyboard is imported.”

“The software’s use is not only lim-

ited to Bangladesh, some parts of India also use this software and keyboard such as West Bengal, Asam and Tripura,” he added.

About the software’s history, Jabbar said though the software was declared in December, 1988, its first use was in April, 1987 for printing a weekly magazine named “Anandapatra.”

After the initiation the software, “Daliy Azadi,” “Banglar Bani” and “Desh” first adopted the service of modern publishing technology in Bangla using the software, he added. l

Petition filed against 1% signature provision for independent candidate n Nazmus Sakib A writ petition was registered yesterday with the High Court questioning the constitutionality of a provision in Representation of People Order, 1972 that requires an independent candidate to submit a list of signatures from 1% voters of the constituency.

Petitioner Eunus Ali Akond, lawyer of the Supreme Court, said the provi-

sion was contradictory to the constitution as it discriminates by allowing the candidate nominated by a political party not to submit the list of signature like an independent candidate.

In this regard, he cited article 27 of the constitution that states: “All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of the law.”

The chief election commissioner and the law secretary were made re-

spondents to the plea.

The disputed section 12(3a) (a) of RPO says: “Every nomination paper under clause (2) shall be delivered along with the following documents, namely – (a) in the case of an independent candidate, a list of signatures of 1% electors of the constituency concerned: Provided that such list need not be delivered if the independent candidate has previously been elected in any parliamentary election.” l

MOLLA’S EXECUTION Medical board formed to look Lawyers pray on SC premises, after bullet-hit child Turkish sympathisers protest n Mohammad Jamil Khan Anatolian Youth Association, an A six-member medical board was formed n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman and NGO, organised the demonstrations yesterday by the Dhaka Medical College

WEATHER

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

Light to moderate fog might occur over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions during late night till morning, Met Office said.

Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:14pm today and rises at 6:35am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 27.7 degree Celsius was recorded at Faridpur and lowest 9.5 degrees at Srimangal yesterday.

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

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Khalid Abdullah and Md Sad in police custody after they were detained from the capital’s Kalyanpur area with bomb-making materials yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Central bank asks police for extra security at banks n Kailash Sarkar Bangladesh Bank authorities have asked the police headquarters to ensure security of all banks in the face of deteriorating law and order situation because of the ongoing political crisis and violent opposition protests.

The central bank sent a letter to the inspector general of police (IGP) yesterday, mentioning that many offices and branches of different banks had come under arson attacks, while others had been vandalised during recent opposition shutdowns, and protests over the execution and trials of war criminals.

The present unstable situation in the country was endangering the security of the banks and their clients, the letter said. Under the circumstances, alongside the deployment of additional forces at main bank branches, intensified security measures were necessary for providing smooth banking services, it said.

Copies of the letter were sent to the home ministry, finance ministry and other financial offices.

However, despite repeated attempts, IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandker, or other senior police officials could not be reached for their comments yesterday. l

Hospital authorities to ensure a better treatment of 11-year-old Shanto Islam who sustained bullet wounds during a clash between police and Jamaat-Shibir activists on Friday.

The medical board would be headed

by Prof Quazi Deen Mohammad, principal of Dhaka Medical College. Five other members of the medical board are Prof Dr Nazmul Ahasan, Prof Dr Shahiduzzaman, Associate Professor Kamrul Islam, Associate Professor Raziul Islam and Associate Professor Asit Chandra Sarker.

Confirming the incident, Dr Pijush Kanti Mitro, assistant registrar of Neurosurgery department, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were now treating the child as per suggestions of the medical board. He also said the wounds of the child was healing.

“The child is now walking, taking food by himself and also moving around but we are not letting him do so as he is still weak and needs rest to heal completely,” Dr Pijush added.

Shanto, a class III student of Rupganj Agarpar Government Primary School, came to his aunt’s house four days back from Munshiganj with his mother Asma Begum to see for themselves the new shop of his father. His father rented the shop only a week ago.

He sustained over 70 rubber bullet injuries during a clash between JamaatShibir activists and police officials on Friday in Fakirerpool. He is undergoing treatment at DMCH’s paediatric unit. l

Nazmus Sakib

Pro-Jamaat and BNP lawyers yesterday offered Gayebana Janaza on the Supreme Court premises for the opposition supporters who had died for protesting the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla on Thursday.

Lawyer Nazrul Islam said during the prayers: “Oh Allah! Please pardon us for our failure to make the court understand that Quader Molla was not the Koshai Quader of Mirpur (Butcher of Mirpur) of the capital.”

Quader Molla, the assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, was hanged after the apex court had cleared all legal bars to execute the death sentence given for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War in Mirpur and Keraniganj.

During the prayers, Zainul Abedin, one of the advisers to the BNP chairperson; AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, the BNP joint secretary; Saifur Rahman, the assistant secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association; Raghib Rauf Chowdhury, the acting office secretary of Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum; were present.

After the prayers, they brought out a procession demanding an “end to shooting the opposition men.”

Also, Turkish sympathisers of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in protest against the execution threw eggs and bricks at the Bangladesh embassy in Ankara and staged demonstration in front of the Istanbul mission.

after the execution on Thursday, Bangladesh ambassador to Turkey Md Zulfiqur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune.

“They went to embassy complex on Thursday night when nobody was inside, except for the security guards,” he said. “All of us are safe.”

The Turkish foreign ministry was informed about the incident and it beefed up security in and around the embassy complex, he said.

Some Turkish people also chanted slogans against the execution and the Bangladesh government in front of its consulate in Istanbul, said another diplomat seeking anonymity.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also talked to Sheikh Hasina on Thursday afternoon and discussed about the execution, diplomatic sources said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday, prior to the execution of Quader Molla, issued a press release expressing concern.

“We are worried that the execution of this sentence may escalate tensions in Bangladesh,” the statement said adding, “Turkey believes that wounds of the past cannot be healed and social consensus cannot be reached this way.”

Turkish President Abdullah Gul in December last year wrote to Bangladesh president and prime minister expressing concern over the war crimes trials.

Bangladesh summoned the Turkish envoy and lodged strong protest over the issue. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Monday, December 16, 2013

Rajuk’s plans to remove Gulshan Youth Club The state-run authority wants to build an open park there n Abu Hayat Mahmud The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha authorities are planning to remove Gulshan Youth Club from the Gulshan park as part of a project to reclaim the whole ground and turn it into an open public space.

Rajuk has already started work on the part of the park reclaimed from the now-defunct Wonderland Amusement Park, with an estimated budget of Tk3.45 crore. The proposed park was named Rajuk Central Park.

Sources said, the 7.69-acre park – formerly Gulshan Central Park – had been leased to both the club and owners of the amusement park in 1990, by the then Dhaka City Corporation, with the larger share secured by the former.

Founded in 1977, the 600-member strong Youth Club happens to be the only one of its kind in the vicinity and has been running its activities – sports, cultural, recreational, etc. – on the park since it settled there over two decades ago.

The news of a potential Rajuk takeover, however, generated negative reaction among local people.

Fahim Sadman, a resident of Gulshan, said any attempt to remove the club from its current position would

be an unpopular one. “No one really wants the club to be removed from where it is. The club has enormous contributions in the development of the town and its people, especially the younger ones.” Another resident, Saif Islam, nodded in agreement.

The 7.69-acre park – formerly Gulshan Central Park – had been leased to both the club and owners of the amusement park in 1990 In this regard, Rafez Alam Chowdhury, president of the club’s executive committee, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The club is run in line with the guidance of the city corporation. We promote activities that are at once entertaining and conducive to the physical and cognitive devolvement of our youths.”

“So we hope Rajuk will change its plan. If willing, it can even put its representative in the club’s managing committee for its better maintenance.”

Rajuk demolished the amusement park operated by Via Media Limited last year, on the allegation that it was being put to commercial use – which

was proscribed in the deal signed during leasing.

The matter was first brought to public notice in 1995 when MA Reja, a local resident, filed a writ petition the High Court seeking its intervention in the use of the site for commercial purpose. Rajuk asked the Wonderland authorities to remove all illegal structures following a HC order and an Appellate Division rule last year cleared its path to take action against them.

During the same time, Rajuk asked the club to remove its structures also and vacate the park. In response, the managers of the club filed a writ petition with the court and secured a stay order in their favour.

However, Md Nurul Islam, executive engineer of Rajuk, is hopeful they can carry out their plan. “Construction of the open public park has already begun and we are trying to recover the land from the possession of the club.”

“The planned public park will be open to all citizens and have walkways and other facilities.”

Although the park’s construction work was supposed to start in July this year and be finished by June of next year, it had suffered a two month’s delay before it was started in August. l

A view of Gulshan Youth club

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

‘Unprotected rights has created gap Shibir activists held with between state and people in 42yrs ‘ bomb-making materials n at Kalyanpur mess Muktasree Chakma Sathi

The failure to protect people’s rights has widened the distance between the state and its citizens in more than four decades of independence, according to Sultana Kamal, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist of the country.

“In 1971, we felt much more united.

We (the people and the state post-1971) had empathy towards each other in the war-torn country, since both of us were affected by the heinous activities of the Pakistani occupational army and its collaborators, such as razakars, alBadr and al- Shams,” Sultana Kamal, also a freedom fighter, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“But now the distance between the people and the state is so much that people often fail to reach the state in regards to rights,” said Sultana, who is now the executive director of Ain o Salish Kendra, a leading civil rights organisation.

“Presently, the state needs to create an environment where people will feel they belong to this state. And the state

is protecting their rights,” she added.

In 1971, Sultana and her sister, Saida Kamal, went to Agartala, and along with Zafarullah Chowdhury, established a field hospital near the northeastern Indian city to treat

“In 1971, we felt much more united. We (the people and the state post-1971) had empathy towards each other in the war-torn country, since both of us were affected by the heinous activities of the Pakistani occupational army and its collaborators, such as razakars, al-Badr and alShams,” Sultana Kamal, also a freedom fighter, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday wounded freedom fighters and war refugees from Bangladesh. She had also enlisted as a freedom fighter in Sector-2 under Khaled Mosharraf.

She also said that after the Liberation

War, in principle, the state and the people had a common platform.

There was a social consensus in rebuilding the country, rehabilitating the war-affected people, including the families of martyrs and other victims, Sultana said.

There was a “high standard” of urgency from every sphere to help one another, she added.

Sultana noted that the state had the main responsibility to eliminate the distance between it and its citizens.

The state was liable for the distance because human rights violation usually occur when the state commits crimes against its citizen, she explained.

“People are more conscious now regarding their rights, than they were back in 1971. That is a development in the human rights arena in Bangladesh,” Sultana said, adding, “But if you look into the human rights violations that are taking place, then we did not develop that much in that field. The state has the primary duty to protect and promote human rights,” Sultana said. l

n Kailash Sarkar Two cadres of Islami Chhatra Shibir were detained with huge quantity of bomb making materials and leaflets at a mess in the city’s Kalyanpur area yesterday.

The seized materials include 6kg gunpowder, 60kg bomb making materials, several live bombs, various leaflets and T-shirts of Shibir, while the two detainees – Khalid Abdullah and Md Sad – are siblings.

Imtiaz Ahmed, deputy commissioner of Mirpur Division, said the mess was as a control point of Shibir’s north unit for carrying out subversive acts and other attacks in the capital.

“The mess, located on the fourth floor of a building on Road no 2 at Kalyanpur, had been under our vigilance since last few days,” the DC said.

Salauddin Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Mirpur police station, said acting

on a tip-off they conducted a raid at the mess around 8am and made the arrests, adding that drives were on to detain other members of the gang.

Earlier on Saturday night, several bombs were exploded at another Shibir “den” in the capital’s East Razabazar area, leaving three Shibir cadres injured.

Biplab Kumer Sarker, deputy commissioner of Tejgaon Division, said the explosions took place during the making of bombs for carrying out subversive acts.

Injured Shibir cadres were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital under police custody, while a relative of the house owner was arrested for sheltering the Shibir cadres and supporting their criminal acts, police said.

On December 6, 10 Shibir activists of Ibn Sina Medical College were arrested with huge explosives at another mess, located in Kalyanpur, with huge bomb making materials. l

2.5kg gold seized, Dubai expatriate held

n Kailash Sarkar Another haul of gold, 21 bars weighing at 2.5 kilograms, was seized from a Dubai expatriate at Shahjalal International Airport yesterday.

Customs officials sized the gold just a day after the authority held another expatriate with 1.2 kilograms of gold.

Mohammad Shahidullah, 35, hailed from Feni, was working as a labourer in Dubai. The Dubai expatriate was held along with 21 gold bars at the green channel around 3pm immediately after he had arrived in Dhaka from Dubai via a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight.

Kamrul Hasan, an assistant commissioner of the Customs Department at the airport, said: “Acting on a tip-off, the customs officials had been keeping their eyes on him soon after he had arrived at Dhaka from the Bangladeshi flag carrying flight BG-0525.”

He added that “When he was crossing the Green Channel area, his bag was searched and the gold bars were found inside it.” Customs officers handed over him to the Airport Police Station and a case was filed in this connection. l

Eight police officials transferred for failing to handle political turmoil n Kailash Sarkar

A rickshaw-puller sleeps under the tree shades during the Jamaat called nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal yesterday afternoon in the capital’s Palashi

RAJIB DHAR

Two Workers Party leaders resign n Tribune Report

Two central committee leaders of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, Mozammel Haque Tara and Ragib Ahsan Bhuiyan, have resigned protesting the party chief’s decision of contesting in the “one-sided” parliamentary election.

In a press statement yesterday, they

said: “Rashed Khan Menon, the president of the party, earlier said the level playing field of the election would be tarnished if the national parliamentary polls were held with an active parliament, however, now he was gradually deviating from his own words.”

The statement also read: “The WP chief Menon owes an explanation to

the party members and the people of the country on why he joined the polltime cabinet and was contesting in the one-side polls.”

The one-sided election would instigate political violence and fundamentalism leading to a permanent political crisis in the country. Ultimately, smooth function

of democracy, sovereignty, and stability of the country would be at stake, observed the two leaders, according to the statement.

They also said Menon’s move had led the party’s leadership on a way to “self-suicidal” Also the party’s ideology, political beliefs as well as unity was on the verge of extinction, they added. l

In a major reshuffle of police administrations, eight top brass officials ranking from deputy inspector general (DIG) to superintendent of police (SP) were transferred yesterday for reportedly failing to handle the recent mayhem carried by hartal and blockade supporters A DIG, two additional DIGs and five SPs have been transferred to different posts, according to sources at the home ministry and Police Headquarters.

Of the different government service sectors, the railways have been significantly damaged because of hartal and blockade supporters.

However, concerned highranking police officials failed to maintain security in the state-run communication system, sources said.

According to intelligence reports, continuous attacks by Jamaat-Shibir and 18-party alliance pickets caused serious damage to railway engines, compartments, tracks, stations offices and passengers.

The Police Headquarters sources said the officials failed to check the attacks despite being provided with the reports earlier.

Because of such inefficient handling of violence, a number of train engines and compartments were damaged after being derailed, and several hundred passengers sustained injuries during the attacks, said one of the sources.

The SPs of Satkhira, Dinajpuar and Narail have been transferred for failing to maintain law and order and thwart subversive activities in their concerned

districts during hartal and blockade programmes.

DIG to railway range Sohrab Hossain has been transferred to the Sarda Police Academy in Rajshahi and has been replaced by Additional DIG (Equipment) Kamrul Ahsan of Police Headquarters.

Because of such inefficient handling of violence, a number of train engines and compartments were damaged after being derailed, and several hundred passengers sustained injuries during the attacks, said one of the sources As per an order from the home ministry, another additional DIG of railway range Rowshan Ara Begum has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department.

Among the SPs, Mollah Jahangir Hossain of Satkhira district has been posted as deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) while Deputy Commissioner of DMP Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir replaced him.

SP to Dinajpur Sarwar Morshed Shameem was transferred to the Sarda Police Academy and replaced by Decputy Commissioner to DMP Ruhul Amin.

SP Monir Hossain, who has recently returned from the United Nation’s Peace Keeping Mission, was made SP to Narail district. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, December 16, 2013

Wapda killing ground: A testament to Pakistan’s brutality The memorial place in Barisal city remains neglected n Our Correspondent, Barisal The nation is celebrating the 43rd anniversary of its independence, but still there are many historical places, which bear the testimony of the brutality of Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the Liberation War, have remained been neglected for long and Wapda killing ground is one of them.

The Pakistani forces and their collaborators – the al-Badr, al-Shams and razakars – have killed many unarmed Bangladeshis and dumped their bodies at the ground.

As the memorial premise is not preserved properly, the place has now become a place for anti-social activities.

Barisal City Corporation Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron unveiled the curtain of a proposed project-board to preserve the spot on June 14, 2012, but it was not implemented for unknown reason.

After visiting the spot yesterday the correspondent found that even a signboard of the projects had also broken for lack of take care Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, a veteran freedom fighter, said Pakistani army after an air raid on 17 April, had occupied the then Barisal district town on 25 April, 1971 and opened its regional headquarters and cantonment at complex of the Water and Power Development Authority on the bank of Kirtankhola River.

Till December 8, 1971, when ‘Mukti

Bahini’ (freedom fighters) took control of Barisal town, Wapda campus was used as mass killing and torture ground of Pakistani occupation forces and their collaborators.

However, the killing ground, torture cell and many other places reminiscent of the glorious independence war in the Barisal city has remained been in a neglected and ruined condition even after four decades of the victory, he added.

Sushanta Ghose, who worked on the mass killing ground of the region under a project of Muktijoddha Jadughar, said Barisal Sangskritik Sangathan Samanya Parishad in 2009 had taken an initiative with the help of Liberation War Museum and Barisal City Corporation to construct a memorial complex at the Wapda mass killing and torture ground and in the adjacent areas.

Syed Dulal, the president of the organisation, said the city corporation in coordination with Sangskritik Sangathan Samanya Parishad and Muktijuddha Jadughar planned to preserve the historical place at a cost of about Tk 50 lakhs.

Preservation of mass killing grounds and torture cells will not only help the trial of war criminals, but also reconstruct the objective history of Liberation War, said MG Kabir Vulu, a freedom fighter, who was tortured in cell during the war.

Nikhil Chandra Das, chief executive officer of the city corporation, said

Two people visit the Wapda killing ground yesterday, a day ahead of the Victory Day Tarik Ali, a trustee of the museum, had handed over a design of the complex to the city corporation authorities on May

2011 for preparing a project. Nandita Das, chief planning officer of BCC said the city corporation could not imple-

DHAKA TRIBUNE

ment the project work for fund crunch.

The BCC preparing a plan for the Muktijoddha and Baddhya Bhumi Sm-

riti Complex project and would place it before the local government ministry soon, she added. l

Road blocked following Arsenic-free drinking water brings relief at Kalna n death of schoolboy Tribune Report

n

Our Correspondent, Rajbari

Local people put up barricade on the Rajbari–Baliakandi road following the death of a schoolboy in a road accident at Korpara village under Baliakandi upazila of Rajbari early yesterday.

Locals said when Enamul Haque Biswas, 15, son of Rezaul Haque Biswas of village Korpara under Baliakandi Sadar union, had been going to School by an auto rickshaw, a speedy truck hit the vehicle from behind, leaving him dead on the spot.

Hearing the news of his death, local people put up barricade on road the road, causing traffic congestion on both sides of the road.

The local people also demanded immediate arrest of the truck driver.

Later, police went to the spot and assured the agitators that they would take action against the driver. After the assurance, the protesters removed their barricade.

Sub-Inspector of highway of police

Masudur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune that they had arrested the driver and seized his truck.

Recovering the body from the spot, police sent it to Rajbari Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Meanwhile, a couple, injured in a road accident on Saturday, died at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital early yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Abdur Rashid Sarker, 50, general secretary of Nalitabari upazila unit Krishak Dal, and his wife Harbala Begum, 45, of Kapashia village in the upazila.

Police said Abdur Rashid along with his two wives had been going to Bagichapur village to attend the funeral of his relative on Saturday.

The accident took place at Kapashia around 7pm when a human hauler hit the motorcycle they were riding, leaving them critically injured.

Later, they were taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where they died at about 4 am yesterday. l

Hundreds of minority people have started enjoying arsenic-free safe drinking water in Kalna village for the first time as two hand- driven tubewells have been set up there around one month ago.

After facing acute water crisis, inhabitants of the village are now happy with the water facilities.

The area is dried so ensuring cent percent safe drinking water supplies and sanitation to the ethnic communities is a big challenge, said Akheruzzaman Hannan, chairman of Talanda union parishad.

He viewed that the installed two tube-wells and 10 pit latrines were not sufficient for the 155 households of around 600 people.

In an effort to ensure the rights of safe water and sanitation to some extent, a four-year project titled “Enhancing Governance and Capacity of Service Providers and Civil Society in Water Supply and Sanitation Sector” is being implemented there since January last.

Rajshahi Social Development Programme and NGO Forum for Public Health are jointly implementing the project with financial support of European Union.

‘They have rights to water and sanitation facilities. There are around 40,000 ethnic people only in Tanore upazila, who live in more than 80 communities in a scattered way' As there was no tube-well and sanitary larine, the households had to use pond water for drinking, washing and cleaning purposes and to excrete in the open field polluting the environment, Sundari Hembrom, 30, a member of the community, said.

She said: “None of our people have financial capacity to install any tubewell or latrine personally”.

RSDP has installed eight deep set pumps and constructed 10 pit latrines, a community latrine and a school latrine in Talanda and Kamargaon un-

ions in the upazila. But still the people need more to meet up their demands of water and sanitation.

“The tube-wells is not the final solution in the wake of an abnormal lowering of groundwater table. At least two women’s force is needed to extract water to fill only one pitcher,” said Sundari.

Being a remote village Kalna remained neglected and its population had been suffering from an acute crisis of pure drinking water.

Selim Jahangir, Executive Director of RSDP, said they are implementing the project through 18 village development committees in Tanore and Kamargaon unions.

Each tube-well installation requires Tk40,000. In 1991, the water layer in the area was within 40 feet which has now gone beyond 140 feet. “Many of the tube-wells become inoperative during the dry seasons”.

Sabit Jahan Sisir, programme facilitator of NGO Forum for Public Health, said more GO-NGO interventions are needed to bring the drought-affected ethnic communities in the high Barind

tract comprising Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts under safe drinking water and sanitation.

“They have rights to water and sanitation facilities. There are around 40,000 ethnic people only in Tanore upazila, who live in more than 80 communities in a scattered way,” said Mazeda Yeasmin, Upazila Nirbahi Officer. More or less similar scene prevails in all the communities, she added.

Bahar Uddin Mridha, Executive Engineer of Department of Public Health Engineering, said, during the dry season, they cannot extract underground water through tubewells as the water layer goes down abnormally.

Apart from this, the changed climatic condition has been posing a serious threat to the overall public health in the vast Barind tract especially Tanore and Godagari Upazilas of the district.

The fight against water scarcity and unhygienic situation is very tough. Coordinated efforts of different government and non-government organisations are essential to stem the crises,” she said. l

NEWS IN BRIEF ‘Robber’ found dead in Satkhira

Businessmen form human chains in Chandpur, left, and Barisal towns yesterday, demanding measures to put an end to political unrest across the country

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Job opportunities for the poor stressed n Tribune Desk

Searching job opportunities in both public and private sectors for the unemployed poor and extreme poor households is needed for improving their living and livelihood condition, speakers told a discussion.

They viewed unemployment especially in slum areas creates many social problems such as terrorism, child marriage, child labour and violence against women.

The corporate bodies and other private sectors should be engaged so that they create jobs for the vulnerable population.

The observations came at a workshop styled “Local Opportunity for Competitive Assessment” held at seminar room of Rajshahi City Corporation

where businessmen, professional leaders and others concerned attended.

RCC and Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction Project jointly organised the workshop discussing ways and means of creating job opportunities for the underprivileged people, reports BSS. Local Government Engineering Department has been implementing the UPPRP in association with UNDP and financial and technical support from UKaid and UNHabitat with main thrust of improving living and livelihood condition of around two and a half lakh poor and extreme poor people, especially women and girls, in the city by 2015.

Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul addressed the discussion as chief guest with its Chief Executive Officer Ajahar

Ali in the chair. RCC Executive Engineer Nur Islam Tusser, President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abu Bakker Ali and Editor of Daily Sonali Sangbad Liakat Ali also spoke.

In his keynote presentation, Ershadul Haque, Town Manager of UPPRP, said more than 4,800 youths both males and females were imparted six months apprenticeship training through the anti-poverty project. Each of them were provided Taka 1500 per month as apprenticeship allowance in addition to some assistance from their respective shop owners during the apprenticeship period.

Unfortunately, he said after completion of their apprenticeship on various need-oriented trades and vocations like welding, motor mechanics, plumbing,

auto electric and embroidery or tailoring many of them become dropped out due to lack of job security. Subsequently, all their hard-earned knowledge go in vain.

There should have measures in public and private sectors so that the trained youths can render their services as fulltime workers and contribute to the society through best uses of their acquired technical and vocational knowledge.

Mayor Bulbul stated that the 96.72 square- kilometre town area is the home of around 7.5 lakh population and around 2.50 lakh of them are from poor and extreme poor categories who need special support for uplifting their living and livelihood condition side by side with elevating the socio-economic condition of the metropolis. l

An alleged robber was found dead in Kadamtala bazar area in the town yesterday morning. The deceased was identified as Habibur Rahman alias Hobi Dakat, 28, son of Akbar Hossain of Kunchpukur village in sadar upazila. Local people found the body of Hobi Dakat lying on the load in the area around 7am and informed police about the matter. On receiving information, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Enamul Haque, officer-incharge of Sadar police station, said Hobi Dakat was wanted in 12 cases, including of four murder cases. Meanwhile, Abdul Khalek Mandal, ameer of district Jamaat, said Habibur Rahman Hobi was a Jamaat supporter and the law enforcers might have killed him. Joydeb Chowdhury, acting police superintendent of the district, denied the allegation and said they will investigate the matter. – UNB

Jamaat leader arrested in Khulna

Detective Branch Police of Khulna city yesterday arrested advocate Zahangir Hossain Helal, assistant secretary of Khulna City unit of Jamaat-e-Islami and also No-31 ward councilor of the City Corporation from Jailkhana road area in the city. Sub-Inspector Rashedul Islam of DB police of Khulna Metropolitan Police said acting on a tip off, police had conducted a raid at his residence in the and arrested him around 2:30pm from there on charge of bomb explosion at Nirala Police Outpost in which an 18-year- old boy Nayeem was killed. Charges against Zahangir Hossain also included vandalism and torching of a number of vehicles at Nirala area on Friday night. Police also filed two cases with the Khulna Kotwali

police station on Saturday accusing 35 persons by name and over 200 unnamed people including Jamaat-Shibir men in this connection. He was interrogated by police at KMP headquarter said Rashedul, adding that the arrested was accused in several cases and a warrant was issued against him. – BSS

Housewife ‘commits’ suicide in Chittagong

A housewife committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of roof in Dhaniala Para area under city’s Double Mooring thana yesterday. The victim was identified as Rina Akter, 23, wife of Mohammad Anis. Police outpost sources at Chittagong Medical College Hospital said Rina had tried to committed suicide by hanging herself following quarrel with her husband. She was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared her death. A case was filed in this connection. But no one was arrested in this regard.– BSS

Domestic help ‘commits’ suicide in Moulvibazar

A young domestic help allegedly committed suicide at her employer’s house at Matarkapon in Sadar upazila in the district on Saturday night. The deceased was identified as Rozina Begum, 22, daughter of Quddus Miah of Uttar Munshibazar in Rajnagar upazila in the district. Quddus Miah said Rozina had been serving as the domestic help at the residence of Lal Miah at Matarkapon for long. On Saturday night, being informed by Lal Miah that Rozina was taken to Moulvibazar Sadar Hospital after she had taken poison, Quddus rushed to the hospital where his daughter died while undergoing treatment in the early hours of Sunday. A case was filed with sadar police station– UNB

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Longform

7

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Liberation War and indigenous freedom fighters Celebrating the unsung adivasi heroes of 1971

Parade of armed members of the Dhaka University Students’ Union in 1971

O

n Muktasree Chakma Sathi nce again, we celebrate our Independence Day, remembering the martyrs and war women who lost their lives and sacrificed so much for their dream of having a just and equal non-communal country.

How far have we travelled along the path to a just, equal and non-communal state? Let’s see. Do you know that there were freedom fighters who were not from the Bangali community? Can you name some of them? Can you name just one? Did you even know that many indigenous people fought side by side with other freedom fighters for this beloved country?

Whatever your answer may be, I am pretty sure that these answers will help you to understand how far we have come towards being just, equal and non-communal as we – as individuals and as a state – celebrate 42 years of independence.

Khagendra Nath Chakma honoured at a monument to martyrs in Manikchari, Rangamati Being born into an indigenous family with a Bangali mother, even I did not hear much about indigenous freedom fighters! Why? Because there is not a single book in the school curriculum that mentions that there were indigenous freedom fighters. Lucky for me, as I started to grow older, my parents began mentioning, here and there, the names of a few of these golden sons and daughters of the indigenous community.

When I first heard Kakon Bibi’s name I was both astonished and overjoyed. With Kakon Bibi’s name, I came to know that there ARE non-Bangali freedom fighters.

I was puzzled. “So, we fought too!

But, why weren’t they mentioned in one single book in school?”

Freedom fighter Kakat Heinchita, widely known as Kakon Bibi, and locally known as Khasi Mukti Bekti (the freedom girl of Khasi), is a member of the Khasi community and lives in Sunamganj, Sylhet. She lost her husband and many other family members during the Liberation War. In an interview with photographer Elizabeth Herman, she said: “I have lived with wounds in both of my legs for my whole life. I got them while I was fighting with Sector 9 in 1971. But the government does not pay me the Freedom Fighter Stipend that they pay the men.”

Since I heard Kakon Bibi’s name, I have been trying to make a list of nonBangali freedom fighters such as her.

But, I must say, this has been a somewhat difficult task.

were honoured with awards or were listed by the state.

In 2006 however, two platforms, the Bangladesh Adivasi Adhikar Andolan and the Research and Development Collective, honoured seven indigenous freedom fighters, as well as Kakon Bibi, at the National Press Club in Dhaka. The freedom fighters named were: Karuna Mohan Chakma of the Chittagong Hill Tracts; Suresh Chandra Barman and Jatin Chandra Barman of Gazipur; John Tudu of Dinajpur; Buda Munda of Jaipurhat; Mistri Hansda of Chapai Nawabganj; and Michael Sujay Rema of Netrokona.

Speaking on the occasion, Buda Munda said: “Previously, I never bothered with the fact that the state is not recognising my freedom fighter status.

But now I do.” Buda went on to explain that now such recognition seems to be needed nowadays.

“I was too illiterate to understand ‘company’ or ‘regiment’– all I knew was that I had to fight for the land and free it from the Punjabis,” said Buda, who has faced many bitter experiences

not respecting minority peoples.

We know one “circle chief” from the indigenous community who supported the Pakistani government. But do we know the tale of another “circle chief” from the indigenous community who did his level best to help freedom fighters in 1971?

Mong Circle Chief Mong Prue Sein believed in the liberation war. He helped freedom fighters with money, manpower, food and medicine.

Mong Prue was also the one who

‘We participated in the war of independence to free the land from the Pakistanis, but after independence we are repeatedly reminded that it was not our soil’

sent a telegram to the father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1972 when indigenous people were being tortured and confined indiscriminately by a few freedom fighters in Rangamati. In February, 1972, a few freedom fighters confined non-Bangali people based on the assumption that all “indigenous” people were in favour of Pakistan.

The Rangabel blog, run by Biplob Rahman, has an image of the telegram which read:

Euke Ching Marma, Bir Bikram award recipient First of all, there is no government list of these freedom fighters.

Secondly, very few books have actually mentioned these freedom fighters’ role in 1971. Thirdly, most of them live in such remote areas that finding them is really tough.

Lastly, and in my mind, most importantly, freedom fighters from the non-Bangali community do not tend to share their stories of the liberation war as most of the Bangali freedom fighters and their families tend to do.

I came to know about Euke Ching Marma after a report was published in the media a few years ago. The report quoted Euke Ching, who was awarded the Bir Bikram gallantry award, as saying: “I don’t want to talk about this.”

The immediate question that popped into my mind was: Why are these freedom fighters reluctant to talk about their involvement?

I am not sure to what extent this has impacted them, but I believe the government and the majority community’s behavior towards such people has played a role in their reluctance.

Did the government do anything to prevent citizens from becoming more ignorant day by day regarding these freedom fighters? Has the government taken necessary steps to recognise these non-Bangali freedom fighters?

Didn’t they fight and suffer just as their Bangali peers did in 1971?

A book titled “Mukhtijuddhe Adivasi” (The Adivasis in the Liberation War) talks about indigenous freedom fighters who actively participated in the armed struggle for liberation.

These people were from 45 different indigenous groups. The book says that hundreds of people from these groups embraced martyrdom.

Very few of these freedom fighters

RANGABEL BLOG

after Bangladesh’s independence.

Buda hails from the northern part of the country, where the indigenous people are still not even allowed to have a cup of tea like other citizens in the makeshift eateries. There are always separate arrangements (benches and cups) for them.

“We participated in the war of independence to free the land from the Pakistanis, but after independence we are repeatedly reminded that it was not our soil,” added another freedom fighter, Michael Sujay, according to another media report.

Anyone who travels to the Rangamati Hill District cannot miss the wonderful monument in Manikchari, just before you enter beautiful Rangamati town, which displays the images of three martyrs. Khagendra Nath Chakma is one of those three martyrs. Ironically, his family had to bribe a senior official of Rangamati Muktijodhdha Sangsad (Rangamati Freedom Fighters’ Association) to list Khagendra’s name in the government’s freedom fighter list, despite the presence of a threestorey high monument which already included Khagendra’s name.

On May 5, 1971, Khagendra was killed by the Pakistani occupational army. Four decades later, in 2011, his family received a document recognising him as a martyr, but only after paying off an official.

One may argue that such corruption is happening everywhere. And indeed, there are other nations which are more corrupt than ours. However, when the majority oppresses the minority, that cannot simply fall under the banner of simple corruption. When someone exercises power over a minority just because they are a member of the majority is part of the broader culture of

VISITED RANGAMATI ON SIXTH INSTANT STOP EXTREMELY AGGRIEVED TO FIND INNOCENT TRIBAL PEOPLE ARRESTED INDISCRIMINATELY AS ALLEGED COLLABORATORS STOP EARNESTLY REQUESTED INSTRUCT CIVIL ADMINISTRATION IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL TRIBALS SO FAR ARRESTED WITHOUT PREJUDICE AND FURTHER ARREST BE CEASED STOP

MN Larma was the first indigenous lawmaker in parliament razakars’.” Were you aware of this before?

Last but not least, indigenous leader Manabendra Narayan Larma (MN Larma) is also an indigenous freedom fighter who participated in the war directly. MN Larma is still close to the indigenous people’s heart, particularly in Chittagong Hill Tracts area, for his bold steps in 1972. MN Larma was the first who addressed the fact that the first constitution totally denied other nation’s existence in the newly liberated country of Bangladesh.

Forty years following his demand, Dr. Kamal Hossain, one of the principal authors of the Constitution, admitted on several occasions that denying other nation’s existence along with the Bangali nation in the newly liberated country’s constitution was a mistake.

Now, it is in our hands, the youth of Bangladesh, whether we will keep repeating the same mistake or if we will demand, as one voice, that all nations’ participation in the history of liberation war be recognised. I think that such an acknowledgement is possible.

The Shahbgah movement is a shining example of such inclusion. l

MONG RAJA AND THE TRIBAL ADVISOR TO BANGLADESH

As locals from CHT said: “Just after the liberation, hundreds of indigenous people were also killed because many of the freedom fighters held the general assumption that ‘all tribals were

Indigenous communities march for ‘Justice for the Vicitims of 1971’ at Shahbagh in Dhaka

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Monday, December 16, 2013

Kathrada bids moving farewell France says 19 Islamists killed to ‘brother’ Mandela n

Family members and guests attend the funeral service for former South African President Nelson Mandela in a makeshift tent in Qunu

Nelson Mandela laid to rest n AFP, Qunu Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president, was laid to rest Sunday after a state funeral filled with tearful eulogies and strident vows to pursue his ideals of equality and justice.

Mandela’s casket was buried at his family plot in his rural boyhood home of Qunu, watched by his widow Graca Machel, ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, other family members and around 450 selected guests.

The interment followed a ceremonial state funeral that ran well over its allotted two hours, as speaker after speaker paid emotional tribute to the man who led South Africa out of the apartheid era.

“The person who lies here is South

Africa’s greatest son,” said ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa in an opening address.

A 21-gun salute and full military honour guard had escorted Mandela’s coffin to the marquee where 4,500 mourners said their final goodbyes.

His flag-draped casket was placed on cow skins, surrounded by 95 candles -- each signifying a year of his extraordinary life.

The frail and ageing leaders of South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle also attended: George Bizos, Desmond Tutu and Ahmed Kathrada, whose voice broke with as he delivered a eulogy for his old friend.

After the ceremony, Mandela’s coffin was transported to a graveyard sitting on the sprawling family estate

AP

Mandela built in Qunu after his release from prison in 1990.

As the coffin was lowered into the ground, a formation of military aircraft -six jets with one spot left vacant in a symbol of a missing man -- flew overhead.

After a life spent in the public spotlight, Mandela’s final rites were a private affair. A live television broadcast followed the coffin to the graveside but was cut after several minutes in line with the family’s wishes.

Overseen by male members of his clan in line with traditional Xhosa rites, the burial included the slaughter of an ox -- a ritual marking of a life’s milestones. Mandela was referred to throughout as Dalibhunga, the name given to him at the age of 16 after undergoing the initiation to adulthood. l

AFP, Johannesburg

Anti-apartheid struggle stalwart Ahmed Kathrada’s voice wavered on Sunday as he paid a moving final tribute to his fellow freedom fighter and close friend Nelson Mandela.

Addressing the late struggle icon by their mutual nickname “Madala”, which means “old man” in Mandela’s Xhosa language, Kathrada hailed the integrity and selflessness of his ally of 67 years.

“Farewell my dear brother, my mentor, my leader,” the 84-year-old told a funeral service in Mandela’s rural boyhood village of Qunu in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

“I’ve lost a brother. My life is in a void and I don’t know who turn to.”

Mandela, Kathrada and six co-accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in June 1964 after being convicted of sabotage under South Africa’s racist apartheid regime.

They arrived together at the Robben Island jail off the coast of Cape Town that same year, and spent 18 tough years imprisoned there together, doing back-breaking work in a lime quarry between periods of isolation.

They were later moved to other prisons, Kathrada freed in 1989 and Mandela the following year.

The two men had clashed early in their acquaintance, at a time when Mandela had reservations about black activists working too closely with communists and South Africans of Indian origin.

Mandela had objected to the African

National Congress, then a revolutionary movement, joining a general strike called by the Indian Congress and Communist Party in 1950 to press for the abolition of discriminatory laws.

Kathrada had confronted him on his stance.

“Ahmed Kathrada was then barely 21, and like all youths, eager to flex his muscles,” Mandela wrote in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.

“Although I disagreed with Kathrada, I admired his fire, and it was an incident we came to laugh about,” Mandela recalled.

The democracy icon, who died on December 5 aged 95, has described Kathrada as a true friend who held up a mirror in which he could see himself as he really was, warts and all.

“I first met him (Mandela) 67 years ago and I recall the tall, healthy strong man, the boxer, the prisoner who easily wielded the pick and shovel when we could not do so... the prisoner who rigorously exercised every morning,” Kathrada said Sunday.

And he spoke of his pain at having seen his friend so frail in the last months of his life.

“How I wished I never had to confront what I saw. What I saw in hospital was a man helpless and reduced to a shadow of himself.”

The last time he saw Mandela, Kathrada said, he was “filled with an overwhelming sadness”.

“And now the inevitable has happened, he has left us to join the A team of the ANC,” now South Africa’s ruling party, which Mandela once led. l

Ukraine’s opposition holds mass pro-EU rally

Iran committed to continuing nuclear talks: Foreign minister n AFP, Kiev

n Reuters, Dubai

Iran will continue nuclear negotiations with world powers despite “unsuitable actions” which led to it halting technical talks in Vienna, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday.

The United States on Thursday blacklisted additional companies and people under existing sanctions intended to prevent Iran from obtaining the capability to make nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for electricity generation and medical purposes only.

Iran’s negotiators on Friday interrupted talks in Vienna on how to implement a nuclear agreement because, its officials said, the U.S. decision was against the spirit of the deal.

“In the last few days unsuitable actions have been taken on the part of Americans which we have responded to in an appropriate manner,” Zarif said in a posting on his Facebook page.

“We will continue with negotiations in Geneva with seriousness and we will certainly show a correct, measured and targeted response to any unsuitable action,” he said. The development has highlighted potential obstacles negotiators face in pressing ahead with efforts to resolve a decade-old dispute between the Islamic Republic and the West.

U.S. officials have said the blacklisting move showed that the Geneva deal would not interfere with their policy of economic embargoes designed to curb entities suspected of supporting Iran’s nuclear programme. l

At least 200,000 pro-European demonstrators began a mass rally in the Ukrainian capital Sunday in a fresh show of force against President Viktor Yanukovych after his failure to sign a key EU agreement.

Opposition parties have called on “all Ukrainians” to mass on Independence Square, where demonstrators angered by Yanukovych’s failure to sign the EU pact have held rolling protests for over three weeks.

As protesters wearing the yellow and blue colours of the Ukrainian flag packed into the iconic square, EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said Brussels was suspending work on the Association Agreement that would have put the country on the path to EU integration.

“Work on hold,” Fuele tweeted, saying further discussions required a “clear commitment (to) sign” from the Ukrainian side.

Yanukovych is under intense pressure to decide whether to align his nation with the West by signing a deal with the EU, or to join a Moscow-led Customs Union.

He is set to travel to Moscow on Tuesday to meet President Vladimir Putin for talks expected to centre on a proposed free trade deal with Russia fiercely opposed by the demonstrators.

“This is the last chance for Ukraine as an independent country,” said protester Leonid Khusachenko, a 43-yearold history teacher from the western city of Lviv, ahead of Sunday’s rally.

Ukraine’s security services were on high alert as around 5,000 Yanu-

kovych supporters bussed in from the provinces began a rival rally in a park near Independence Square, vowing “non-stop protests.”

But Khusachenko, sitting by a towering barricade of snow-filled bags, wood scraps and barbed wire, a Ukrainian flag wrapped around his neck, said he did not believe there would be a repeat

the square.

“We see the attempts to frighten us, but they will fail,” he said.

The latest mass protest comes days after a failed attempt by riot police to drive the protest camp out of the iconic square, ramping up tensions in the ex-Soviet country’s deepest political crisis in a decade. l

Ukrainian opposition supporters waves flags during a mass rally on Independence Square in Kiev on December 15

Protesters say to keep blockading Libya oil terminals n AFP, Tripoli

Turkmenistan holds first multi-party vote

Armed protesters Sunday refused to lift a months-long blockade of vital oil terminals in eastern Libya, despite a tribal pledge to do so.

“We state that we are not going to reopen the oil harbours,” said Ibrahim Jodhrane, head of the security guards blockading the main terminals at Zueitina, Ras Lanouf and Al-Sedra.

He said initiatives aimed at resolving the crisis had failed.

On Tuesday, the head of the powerful Al-Magharba tribe which launched the blockade in July in support of its demands for regional autonomy had said it would be lifted on Sunday.

“We expect that the export of crude from the oil terminals will resume from December 15,” Saleh al-Ateiwich said.

Jodhrane also confirmed during a televised meeting with his tribe in the town of Nouafliya that the blockade would be lifted.

But he laid down conditions, including a share of the oil revenues for the Cyrenaica region in the east that is seeking autonomy in a federated state. l

The Central Asian state of Turkmenistan, described by rights groups as one of the world’s most repressive, proclaimed its first multi-party elections on Sunday; but both parties vowed loyalty to its leader and opponents remained in exile.

The face of President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who has assumed title of Arkadag (The Patron) as part of a rising personality cult, looked down from large portraits as voters arrived at polling stations to be greeted by grey-bearded elders in national dress.

Books written by him were on display.

Berdymukhamedov’s critics say pledges of democracy are designed for a critical West, whose companies are eager to develop Turkmenistan’s natural gas reserves, the world’s fourth-largest.

Berdymukhamedov himself eyes new gas export routes to ease dependence on former imperial master Russia.

So far, the world’s biggest energy consumer China has supplanted Moscow as the main importer of Turkmen natural

n Reuters, Ashgabat

of last week’s crackdown by riot police given the presence of the world’s media on the square.

Opposition leader and heavyweight champion Vitaly Klitschko had said ahead of the rally that “all Ukrainians must go to the Maidan to voice their aspirations to live in a modern European country,” using the Ukrainian name for

gas via a pipeline launched in 2009.

National music blared from loudspeakers outside polling stations in the marble-clad capital city of Ashgabat, where in keeping with Soviet-era traditions buffets groaned with food and gleeful folk dancers performed. l

Wearing traditional Turkmen cap a woman casts her ballot AFP

AFP

Syria air raids kill 15 in Aleppo n AFP, Beirut Fifteen people, among them eight children, were killed in air raids Sunday on a rebel area of the war-torn northern city of Aleppo, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The Britain-based Observatory also reported that at least 28 people have been killed in Adra, northeast of Damascus, since rebels launched an offensive there Wednesday.

“Fifteen people, including six men, an 18-year-old and eight children were killed in an aerial bombardment of the Ard al-Hamra neighbourhood” of Aleppo, it said.

The Aleppo Media Centre, an activist network on the ground, reported several helicopter attacks on rebel areas of the city, once Syria’s economic hub.

The helicopters, said the group, dropped explosive-laden barrels on several neighbourhoods, causing widespread destruction.

Also in Aleppo, the Syrian Red Crescent on Saturday delivered food and medicine to the central prison, which has been under rebel siege for eight months.

The volunteers escorted out 15 pris-

oners, said the Observatory, adding that “another 341 detainees are waiting to be released.”

President Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this week announced an amnesty for scores of detainees at the jail “because of the poor health and humanitarian conditions,” according to the Observatory.

Meanwhile, northeast of Damascus, at least 28 civilian members of minority religious communities have been confirmed dead in Adra since Wednesday, when Islamist rebels launched an offensive aimed at capturing the key entrance into the capital.

“The number of civilian fatalities has risen to 28... among them Alawites, Shiites and Druze,” said the Observatory, which relies on a broad network of doctors, activists and lawyers across Syria for its reports.

The army has vowed to “crush” Islamist rebels in the industrial town, which has seen fierce fighting for five days.

Most of the country’s Alawites -whose religion is an offshoot of Shiite Islam -- support co-religionist Assad, and many members of other minority groups fear a Sunni Islamist victory in the Syrian conflict. l

in recent Mali offensive n AFP, Paris

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed Sunday that 19 armed Islamists had been killed in a French-led military operation this week targeting Al Qaeda-linked rebels in restive northern Mali.

“There were 19 killed,” Fabius said on Europe 1 radio.

The French offensive targeted Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) fighters north of the desert caravan town of Timbuktu.

France launched a military intervention in January that evicted Islamist rebels from northern Mali towns they had taken in the wake of a coup in Bamako last year, including Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal.

But the jihadists have continued to launch periodic strikes on French, Malian and African peacekeeping forces.

On Saturday, an Islamist suicide bomber killed two UN peacekeepers in Kidal, a northeastern rebel bastion.

Their deaths and the continuing insecurity overshadowed a second round of parliamentary elections that took place Sunday.

The French offensive this week was a “huge military operation, the largest in the Timbuktu region since the major northern cities were retaken by allied forces,” an African military source in Timbuktu told AFP earlier.

Fabius said that while there was still some unrest in northern Mali, the country as a whole had been “secured.” l

Tunisia’s PMdesignate a littleknown newcomer n AFP, Tunis Tunisia’s Industry Minister Mehdi Jomaa, chosen late on Saturday as premier-designate to lead the country out of crisis, is a little-known newcomer with limited political experience.

Parties picked Jomaa to head a government of independent figures aimed at rescuing the North African nation from months of festering political stalemate.

His political career began only in March this year when he was appointed to the cabinet.

According to a deal clinched between Tunisia’s main parties in October, the new premier now has 15 days to form a government of independents.

However, this timeframe has not been confirmed, and Jomaa himself has not yet made any public comment.

He also faces the weighty task of organising elections in 2014.

Jomaa is a 51-year-old engineer with no stated political affiliation. He is married and has five children.

He graduated from the National Engineering School of Tunis in 1988 before taking a higher degree in mechanics, his official biography published by state news agency TAP said.

He then went on to a career in the private sector, and headed a division of Hutchinson, the aerospace unit of French conglomerate Total.

He became industry minister following the formation in March of a new government by Ali Larayedh in the crisis that erupted following the assassination a month earlier of key opposition figure Chokri Belaid.

Since then, Jomaa has stayed aloof from the country’s political jockeying and focused on his portfolio.

In particular, he has lobbied European firms to invest in the country, plagued by economic woes since the ouster nearly three years ago of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. But he has also taken the unpopular step of backing a decision to raise fuel prices next year.

Jomaa was chosen a day after the candidate agreed on by the outgoing Islamist-led government and the mostly secular opposition, 92-year-old Mustapha Filali, ruled himself out because of his age.

Ennahda has led a coalition government since Tunisia, the birthplace of the “Arab Spring,” held its first ever democratic elections in October 2011.

According to Mahmoud Baroudi of the Democratic Alliance, an opposition movement to Ennahda, Jomaa “is competent and independent enough to take on the post of premier.”

But another opposition party, Nidaa Tounes, which boycotted Saturday’s vote, rejected the idea of a premier who was part of the outgoing government.

Issam Chebbi, a leader of the party, said Jomaa would “not be a prime minister of consensus.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

China condemns Abe for criticising air defence zone n Reuters, Beijing China has condemned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for “maliciously slandering” its air defence zone in an escalating war of words between the neighbours.

Abe told a news conference on Saturday that China’s recent announcement of the air defence identification zone over disputed islands in the East China Sea is “unjustly violating the freedom of aviation over the high seas” and demanded Beijing rescind it.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei defended the zone, which has triggered protests from Japan, the United States and South Korea.

“We express strong dissatisfaction with Japan’s leader using an international occasion to maliciously slander

China,” Hong said in a statement seen on the ministry website on Sunday.

The islands are claimed by Beijing as the Diaoyus and by Tokyo as the Senkakus.

“The Diaoyus are an inherent territory of China. Japan’s seizure and occupation of the islands are illegal and invalid,” Hong said, adding that the zone is in line with international laws and practices, and does not affect aviation freedom.

“The Chinese side took necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is totally legitimate and irreproachable,” the spokesman said.

“Japan’s attempt to play tricks with concept ... and mislead world opinion is doomed to failure,” he added.

China’s air defence zone and its territorial claims in the South China Sea

have raised concerns that a minor incident in the disputed seas could quickly escalate.

China and several ASEAN nations have competing territorial claims in the energy-rich South China Sea. Abe and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed at a summit in Tokyo on Saturday for the need for freedom of the high seas and skies and called for the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The statement did not criticise China’s air zone. Many ASEAN members have deep economic ties with China.

Sino-Japanese tensions have risen over the past year in a long-running dispute over the Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea. Both countries have scrambled aircraft and conducted naval patrols in the area. l

China’s moon rover leaves traces on lunar soil n AP, Beijing China’s first moon rover has touched the lunar surface and left deep traces on its loose soil, state media reported Sunday, several hours after the country successfully carried out the world’s first soft landing of a space probe on the moon in nearly four decades.

The 140-kilogram (300-pound) “Jade Rabbit” rover separated from the much larger landing vehicle early Sunday, around seven hours after the unmanned Chang’e 3 space probe touched down on a fairly flat, Earth-facing part of the moon.

State broadcaster China Central Television showed images taken from the lander’s camera of the rover and its shadow moving down a sloping ladder and touching the surface, setting off applause in the Beijing control center. It said the lander and rover, both bearing Chinese flags, will take photos of each other Sunday evening.

Later, the six-wheeled rover will survey the moon’s geological structure and surface and look for natural resources for three months, while the lander will carry out scientific explorations at the landing site for one

year.

The mission marks the next stage in an ambitious space program that aims to eventually put a Chinese astronaut on the moon. China’s space program is an enormous source of pride for the country, the third to carry out a lunar soft landing — which does not damage the craft and the equipment it carries — after the United States and the former Soviet Union. The last one was by the Soviet Union in 1976.

“It’s still a significant technological challenge to land on another world,” said Peter Bond, consultant editor for Jane’s Space Systems and Industry. l

Japanese diplomat stabbed in Yemen kidnap bid

n Reuters, Sanaa

Myanmar’s President Thein Sein (L) is led by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after their joint press briefing AFP

Japan, Myanmar sign investment pact n AP, Tokyo Japan and Myanmar on Sunday signed an investment treaty to nurture closer business ties as the once secluded Southeast Asian country opens its fast-growing economy to more foreign commerce.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Myanmar President Thein Sein signed the deal in summit talks following a gathering of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Tokyo.

Japanese businesses have been eager to invest in Myanmar and have stepped up their activities there after Thein Sein’s reformist government came to power in 2011 after nearly 50 years of military rule. Japan’s trade ministry said the agreement is intended to provide greater protections and a

n Reuters, Beijing

n AFP, Sydney

US Secretary of State John Kerry visits a shop along the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam

AP

Kerry makes it priority to protect Mekong n AP, Kien Vang, Vietnam Along the winding muddy waters of the Mekong Delta where he once patrolled for communist insurgents on a naval gunboat, US Secretary of State John Kerry turned his sights Sunday on a new enemy: climate change.

In this remote part of southern Vietnam, rising sea waters, erosion and the impact of upstream dam development on the Mekong River are proving a more serious threat than the Viet Cong guerrillas that Kerry battled as a young lieutenant in 1968 and 1969.

“Decades ago on these very waters, I was one of many who witnessed the difficult period in our shared history,”

Kerry told a group of young professionals gathered near a dock at the riverfront village of Kien Vang.

“Today on these waters I am bearing witness to how far our two nations have come together and we are talking about the future and that’s the way it ought to be,” he said.

That future, especially for the water-dependent economy of the millions who live in the Mekong Delta, is in jeopardy, he said, pledging a $17 million contribution to a program that will help the region’s rice producers, shrimp and crab farmers and fisherman adapt to potential changes caused by higher sea levels that bring salt water into the delicate ecosystem.

Kerry also said he would make it a personal priority to ensure that none of the six countries that share the Mekong — China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam — and depend on it for the livelihoods of an estimated 60 million people exploits the river at the expense of the others.

In a pointed reference to China, which plans several Mekong Dam projects that could seriously affect downstream populations, Kerry said : “No one country has a right to deprive another country of a livelihood, an ecosystem and its capacity for life itself that comes from that river. That river is a global asset, a treasure that belongs to the region.” l

Thousands rally as Cambodian N Korean leader’s influential opposition demand new poll aunt remains in power n AFP, Phnom Penh Thousands of Cambodian opposition supporters on Sunday staged a fresh demonstration against Prime Minister Hun Sen’s hotly disputed July election win, calling for a new poll to settle allegations of vote rigging. An estimated 10,000 protesters, many waving Cambodian flags and banners, massed in a park in the capital Phnom Penh by Sunday afternoon demanding the strongman premier call a new election -- the first time they have made the demand.

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) party had previously asked for an independent probe into alleged vote rigging in July polls that extended Hun Sen’s nearly

stable legal environment for investors.

Attracting foreign investment and lending is crucial for aiding the expansion of Myanmar’s resource-rich economy. The country has significant growth potential but is burdened with an inefficient farm sector. It also lacks a manufacturing base after decades of foreign sanctions and restrictive laws under military rule.

The treaty calls for Japanese investors to receive the same protections provided to other foreign investors under international rules and prohibits the imposition of export, technology transfer or other requirements in exchange for such investments. It is also intended to improve transparency, key for a country struggling with endemic corruption. l

Armed men stabbed a Japanese diplomat in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday when he resisted a kidnapping attempt near his house, a security source said. It was the latest in a spate of attacks on foreigners in the impoverished Arab state, where the government is struggling to restore law and order since former presidentAli Abdullah Saleh stepped aside in late 2011 following mass protests. The source said the diplomat was in a stable condition in hospital after being stabbed in the head and hand with a dagger.

A taxi carrying two armed men pulled over in front of the diplomat’s car while he was driving alone on his way to the embassy and attacked him with a knife, a spokesman of the Japanese embassy in Sanaa told Reuters by telephone. The diplomat, who is the second secretary at the embassy, suffered several stab wounds, he said.

“I saw him after the attack... He is at the hospital now for treatment and checkup,” said the spokesman, adding he did not know if the attack was an attempt to kidnap the diplomat.

Several Westerners, including embassy staff, have been killed or kidnapped this year by armed groups in Yemen.

Disgruntled tribesmen often take hostages to press the government to free jailed relatives or improve public services. Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militants have been behind some of the kidnappings.

Besides being the base for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen is also grappling with attacks on security forces, a northern rebellion and secessionists in the south. l

Australian PM rounds on ‘singularly unhelpful’ Indonesia

China detains 1,300 on drug charges Chinese police have rounded up more than 1,300 suspects nationwide for producing and selling fake medicine as part of an intensified government crackdown, state media reported.

Authorities seized fake drugs and nine tonnes of raw materials worth over 2.2 billion yuan ($362.4 million), state news agency Xinhua said in a despatch seen on Sunday, citing the Ministry of Public Security.

Police have shut down 140 illegal websites and online pharmacies in 29 provinces and major cities since June,Xinhua said without giving details.

The seized fake drugs purported to deal with illnesses ranging from children’s cold and flu to heart problems, and had been advertised online.

In July the cabinet’s State Food and Drug Administration announced a sixmonth nationwide crackdown on the sale of illegal medicine, piling pressure on a sector already reeling from a bribery investigation at British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline. Widespread counterfeit drugs and false advertising have been a thorn in the side of Chinese regulators for years, and the drug agency has conducted campaigns in the past to crack down. Prosecutions for producing or selling fake drugs or toxic food jumped to more than 8,000 in 2012, more than five times the number in 2011, according to a report by China’s top prosecutor in March.

Beijing pledged to clean up the medicine sector following the deaths of at least 149 Americans who took contaminated Chinese supplies of the blood-thinner heparin in 2008.

But the country’s complicated and still developing regulatory environment has stymied efforts at tackling the problem, which infuriates Chinese consumers, who also express anger at what they see as the high price of legitimate medicine. ($1 = 6.07 yuan) l

9

Monday, December 16, 2013

three-decade rule.

Hun Sen’s government has rejected a probe, prompting the opposition to call for elections. Protesters listened to an address by the opposition leader Sam Rainsy before beginning a march through the capital.

“We are demanding a re-vote because the previous election is not acceptable,” Rainsy said to cheers.

“The (July) election is not fair... we cannot accept it,” he added, before leading a chorus of “Hun Sen step down” with the throngs of flag-waving demonstrators, many wearing headbands reading “Long Live Democracy!” and “My Vote, My Life.” Rainsy’s party has boycotted parliament in protest at alleged cheating in the July polls. l

n Reuters, Seoul North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s influential aunt Kim Kyong Hui remains a part of the regime’s inner circle, even after the execution of her husband last week, the second most powerful man in the isolated nation.

North Korea late on Saturday named 67-year-old Kim Kyong Hui, daughter of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung, as one of the funeral committee members for North Korea’s ruling party, a prestigious position. Kim’s uncle Jang Song Thaek was killed last week just days before the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il, the father of North Korea’s current ruler. Jang had been executed for attempting to seize

power and for driving the economy “into an uncontrollable catastrophe.”

After Jang’s downfall, the fate of Kim Kyong Hui had been unclear.

North Korea’s news agency KCNA on Saturday said Kim had been asked to prepare the funeral for Kim Kuk Thae, chairman of the Control Commission of the ruling Workers’ Party.

The funeral committee list is one of few indications of North Korean officials’ status. Among the members were North Korea’s figurehead Kim Yong Nam, Premier Pak Pong Ju, Vice Marshal Choe Ryong Hae and others, according to KCNA. Kim Kyong Hui is one of the few blood-relatives of young leader Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, who died in December 2011. l

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott rounded on neighbouring Indonesia Sunday, accusing it of being “singularly unhelpful” by suspending cooperation to combat people-smuggling due to a diplomatic row over phone-tapping.

Abbott called on Jakarta to resume collaboration on the stream of asylum-seekers transiting through the Southeast Asian nation, in critical remarks little more than a week after a fence-mending visit to Indonesia by his foreign minister.

Indonesia halted cooperation to stem people-smuggling last month after reports -- based on leaks from intelligence fugitive Edward Snowden -- that Australia had tried to bug the phones of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and members of his inner circle in 2009.

The revelation sparked one of the worst diplomatic crises between the

strategic allies in years, with Indonesia recalling its ambassador to Australia and suspending military and immigration collaboration.

“There’s no doubt that the suspension of cooperation by the Indonesian authorities has been unhelpful, it’s been singularly unhelpful,” Abbott told reporters at a press conference to mark his first 100 days in office.

“Given that people-smuggling is a crime in Indonesia, just as it’s a crime in Australia, I think it’s high time that that cooperation was resumed.”

People-smuggling is a politically sensitive issue in Australia and one of Abbott’s key promises before his September election victory was to “Stop the Boats,” the majority of which originate in Indonesia. Abbott’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop travelled to Jakarta last week to smooth ties after the espionage row, expressing “regret” and agreeing to a bilateral code of conduct to restore trust. l

Sex, lies and beef: racy scandal hits Indonesia’s Islamic parties n AFP, Jakarta Clandestine hotel room sex, money laundering and huge bribes to import beef evokes a seedy, criminal underworld rather than conservative politicians in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

But they all feature in a racy scandal that has shattered the clean image of Indonesia’s biggest Islamic party and could further damage already-unpopular Muslim parties at national polls next year.

“The scandal... has given Islamic parties as a whole a bad image,” said Umar S. Bakry, from pollster Lembaga Survei Nasional.

The controversy that has shocked the country peaked last week when an anti-corruption court sentenced the disgraced former president of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) to 16 years in jail.

Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq was found guilty of bribery and money laundering after accepting kickbacks from firm Indoguna Utama in return for pressing the PKS-controlled agriculture ministry to increase the company’s beef import quota.

Two executives from the company had earlier been jailed over the case, dubbed “Beefgate” by local media, which has given blanket coverage to a scandal of enormous proportions even by the standards of graft-ridden Indonesia.

Ishaaq, who resigned as president of ruling coalition member PKS when the scandal emerged, has said he will appeal the guilty verdict against him.

During their probe, anti-graft investigators uncovered juicy details that tarnished the clean, pious image the PKS has sought to cultivate.

They seized six cars from Ishaaq and prosecutors accused the 52-year-old of trying to hide his marriage to one of his three wives, whom he wed last year when she was still a teenager.

But an arguably bigger figure in the scandal is Luthfi’s close aide Ahmad Fathanah, jailed for 14 years in November, who was a key middleman in efforts to get Indoguna’s quota increased.

His arrest in January kicked the scandal off in dramatic fashion -- anti-corruption agents caught the married man in a raid in a Jakarta hotel with a naked college student.

Fathanah had just collected bribe money and the student later admitted he paid her for sex. He was found to have laundered his bribe money by giving gifts, including cars and diamonds, to 45 women, including an adult magazine model and several celebrities. The PKS plays down the scandal and insists it is still on track for a strong result at legislative elections in April.

But independent polls in recent months show the party is receiving far below the almost eight percent it garnered at elections in 2009, and there is much public anger towards it. “PKS is such an absolute disgrace, anyone who votes for or supports this party must be either totally delusional or incapable of independent thought,” said a recent comment on the website of the Jakarta Globe newspaper.

“Beefgate” has scotched the party’s recent efforts to reinvent itself by moving away from a purist Islamic agenda and presenting itself as a clean organisation as others were battered by graft allegations -- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party in particular. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, December 16, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Mr President, please act

Looking forward on Victory Day

December 13

The nation has reached the brink of disaster. The clashes, violence, arson and vandalism have spread everywhere. The extent of brutality is gradually increasing, but the politicians don’t care for the sufferings of the public.

Six eminent citizens have met the president recently seeking his intervention to overcome the current political standoff. According to news reports, he said he would try his best while pointing out his limitations under the Constitution.

True, the powers of the Bangladeshi president are limited, but we must not forget that he is the Head of State of Bangladesh. And, as such, he cannot deny his moral duty, nor be a quiet observer of events, when his state is in a crisis.

Please, Mr. President, don’t let the Constitution be an excuse to justify your silence! You are its guardian. Article 7 (2) says the Constitution is the “expression of the will of the people”. As the guardian of the “will of the people,” you cannot stay inactive. Don’t you notice their suffering or realise what people want?

We Bangladeshis look up to you as our last hope. We appeal to your wisdom, compassion and courage at this crucial hour. Please act, Mr. President, before it is too late.

Tushar Mohammad Zainuddin

O

n Victory Day 42 years ago, the nation was released from a great struggle.

Independence was achieved through the sacrifice and suffering of millions.

The brave men and women who fought for freedom justly deserve the nation’s thanks and solidarity today.

As we celebrate their memory and accomplishment, we can pause to reflect that Bangladeshis have achieved many successes in the past four decades.

Many challenges remain, however. The nation has its We have cause for independence, but is not free of optimism. Over half want or political strife. the population is under The true potential of a free the age of 24 and the Bangladesh is not yet being vast majority were not achieved. The people have yet born on the first time and again shown much Victory Day in 1971 creativity, endurance and resilience in building the country.

Think how much more could be accomplished if they were not held back by complacency, corruption and political dysfunction?

We must earn new victories each year over these seemingly intractable problems.

We have cause for optimism. Over half the population is under the age of 24 and the vast majority were not yet born on the first Victory Day in 1971.

It is these generations who will be taking the nation forward. It is they who can overcome past obstacles and reach forward for a better future. It is they who will make a better nation in the years ahead and make us all glad to be Bangladeshi.

Ershad now speaks of caretaker December 9

Mizanur Rahman Now, he is practicing democracy.

Ashfaq Islam Shabbash Ershad. Proves that you are a patriot.

You have nothing to lose anymore.

Spain skipper Casillas unhappy with World Cup draw format December 9

A disunited nation December 8

Amer You start your piece by drawing several hypotheticals about your supposed rage. I had wished one of those was that we could pretend you knew what you were talking about. Your understanding of the actual political situation is naive at best, and horribly uninformed at worst.

The more I read, the more I am inclined to think the latter. You do not add anything new or particularly enlightening or even interesting to the discourse of the subject, nor are the unoriginal comments you make any more coherent than the politicians you like to slate. I should probably add that your English skills, or lack thereof, make me question why you chose to ignore your qualifications of being a businessman in favour of trying and failing to write.

Faisal Amer: This author has a tendency to simplify matters, but there is nothing wrong with his English skills at all. You seem unnecessarily offended. I quite

like his writing style, even though I disagree with the content often. He has stated in comments before that he’s a novice writer and will improve with time, and as a reader I see that improvement. I find his views interesting and they aren’t run of the mill.

Writing an op-ed is an art and takes a long time to grow into. He comes across as sincere. Anyways, I have no problems with this particular one, it’s on the money regarding the supposition it makes.

IQ Sobhan Very well written piece. Wonder if some of what we see in the coming weeks mirrors this. I always follow Matthew’s prediction. They tend to come true.

Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Imtiaz Rahman I agree with this article. We are entering really difficult days ahead and the foreign role in this is making waters murkier. Alas. Cheers to Matt for once again putting up the other side.

No team should be worried about how tough their group is if they’re targeting the world cup.

A team with a goal to be champion of the world should be fearlessly prepared to face any and every opponent, and play to win regardless of the opposition. That’s one of the traits of a champion, be it an individual or a team.

Sifat Mosaddek

Amitabh Bachchan detests the tag ‘developing nation’ December 10

30% of the population does not have a proper sanitation system! And he wants India labeled as a “developed” country? Oh, please! :-p Tanim Xubayer

BE HEARD Minor boy receives bullet in pickets-police clash December 8

Bangladesh a record breaker today

Far more likely they were hit with shrapnel or gravel bits from the bombs that some fools fired off in the road.

Less Lethal

O

n Victory Day this year, 30,000 volunteers are planning to gather at the National Parade Ground in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, to set a new world record for the largest ever human flag. If successful, it will break the previous record set in Pakistan by 24,200 people last year.

This grand effort involving ordinary people of all ages is a timely reminder of the spirit of liberation.

In these tough times, it is gratifying that Bangladeshis can still come together this year to celebrate our indomitable spirit In these tough times, on December 16. This goes to it is gratifying that show that even as our nation Bangladeshis can still deals with a grim political crisis, our sense of national solidarity is come together this still intact. year to celebrate our Helicopters will be used to indomitable spirit on capture the view of the flag December 16 aerially. The official dimensions of the flag, and placement of the red centre circle will be respected as specified in the Bangladesh gazette. If successful, documents will be submitted to the Guinness World Records committee for evaluation.

The flag will be a powerful message of unity and pride that can help point the way to building a better image for the nation.

For a nation divided through politics, it will remind us that patriotism is about celebrating what brings people together. It can demonstrate to all that the spirit of liberation can be a unifying force.

CROSSWORD

Child, father wounded by police bullets December 8

Rubber bullets don’t “splinter.” They may ricochet or bounce, but not splinter. However, if 37mm less lethal rounds containing hardwood disks were used, then yes splintering can occur.

Less Lethal

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

ACROSS 1 Weapon (5) 6 Corn spike (3) 7 Live coal (5) 10 Path (5) 12 Way out (4) 13 Frozen shower (5) 15 Dash (4) 16 Vehicle (3) 18 Do wrong (3) 20 Cicatrix (4) 22 Tranquillity (5) 23 Dreadful (4) 25 Fixed gaze (5) 27 Thick (5) 28 Sailor (3) 29 Slender supports (5)

DOWN 1 Become established (6) 2 Equality (3) 3 Rubber (6) 4 Set free (7) 5 Annoy (3) 8 Wager (3) 9 Latvian capital (4) 11 Sick (3) 14 Encloses (7) 16 Originate (6) 17 Alludes (6) 19 Attack (4) 21 Perform (3) 22 Female swan (3) 24 Corded fabric (3) 26 Male sheep (3)

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

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Monday, December 16, 2013

In the years since victory n M Abdul Latif Mondal

W

RAJIB DHAR

S

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P

E

N

T

I

N

E

D

E

N

December eclipsed

A

n Towheed Feroze few weeks ago, a message came in my mobile which exhorted all to unite against corruption. Bet many others received it too. The question is how many actually took the time to look into its (sms message) hollowness.

If a nation is to unite against corruption, the country must have a powerful anti-corruption commission, operating independently without fear of any political reprisal.

Cutting out all pro-democracy rhetoric that is thrown at our face, the truth remains, anti-corruption apparatus does not work freely with the authority to nab anyone irrespective of position or influence.

In fact, there was an obtuse suggestion made some time ago that in order to launch a corruption investigation against a certain person or organisation, approval from a government official would be required.

This is like saying: Seek permission from the centre of corruption to bring down venality.

When in other countries, a top public official, caught to be involved in irregularities is often seen standing down from a post as a mark of respect for the people and as a sign of remorse, in Bangladesh the trend is the opposite.

We have never seen a person accused of anomalies admit mistakes to step down with contrition. Neither have we seen anyone ever admit that there is corruption but the government is trying to limit it.

The brazen line uttered is: My

regime is spotlessly clean. Corruption?

Go and check on the other side!

As we step into the 42nd year of independence, celebrating the spirit of ‘71 needs to be assessed with some introspection. Of course, we will all don the red and green clothes, fly the flag on the car, and go to Victory day carnivals.

However, 16 December also asks us to pause and evaluate where we stand as the nation reaches maturity in age.

The first decade of Bangladesh was bloodstained!

ful corrupt people has been almost non-existent.

The media made quite a few startling reports on government officials caught red handed with illegal money or wealth (notable is the series on forest and custom officials), however, the ultimate fate of these people was carefully taken off the media gaze.

Were they punished or simply sent away from the limelight to spend a few days in some remote posting?

So, it’s right to say that corruption has secured a place simply because

This year, we celebrate Victory Day at a moment when political intransigence coupled with bigoted views has left the nation paralysed. We, as common citizens of the country, realise that the welfare of the masses is nowhere in the picture Coups, counter-coups, and secret killings were topped by famine, gross mismanagement of relief and efforts to attain arbitrary control of power. The second period was the almost decade-long period of military rule, stifling dissent to hang on shamelessly.

With the nineties came hope.

The aspiration for democracy paved the way for properly held elections.

Unfortunately, most elected governments have been found to be veering away from the democratic principles to eventually emerge as non-transparent and stubborn.

In between finding a fertile ground, corruption soared!

Though we have always been among the top twenty countries with high venality, prosecution of power-

there weren’t any notable moves to contain it. Lamentably, when we celebrate Victory Day and all that it stands for, the oblique permissiveness that allowed corruption to become institutionalised don’t come back to haunt us.

That is indeed regrettable, because deciding to ignore social afflictions indicate that the habit to live in a make believe world has turned into common/universal culture.

This year, we celebrate Victory Day at a moment when political intransigence coupled with bigoted views has left the nation paralysed. Whatever the major parties say, we, as common citizens of the country, realise that the welfare of the masses is nowhere in the picture. That is until the masses can be manipulated for some political end.

In the last few months, ordinary people have been burnt, died in the hospital, and sustained injuries, while business has come to a standstill. All this has happened just because people’s interests were not taken into account in making political decisions.

Though in my limited understanding of democracy, the people, or the voters, always maintain the integral position in an elected system of government. It’s now observed, the masses are helpless spectators of a demented political competition of point scoring.

But like this writer has said several times before, expectations never die!

A trader in Chittagong called Faruque, driven to the edge by the political imbroglio, came up on the streets with a placard on his body that appeals both the leaders of AL and BNP to reach a consensus so that the people are saved from the fall-out.

He also calls out to save the country from a sick form of politics. Today, it’s one man, but Faruque’s wish is shared by millions who do not dare come out to speak boldly.

But didn’t we fight in 1971 for a free voice to express our feelings? Bengalis took up arms to ensure that they get a country where their desires are fulfilled.

As the country remembers December 16, the flag waving and body art painting should be curtailed a little for some deep thought as to how much ordinary people can do to influence politics and politicians in the country. l

e celebrate today the 42nd anniversary of our victory against the occupying Pakistani forces. The surrender of the Pakistani forces to the IndoBangladeshi High Command at Dhaka Race Course (now Suhrawardy Uddayan) on this day in 1971 made our declaration of independence on March 26 a reality.

There may be differences of opinion regarding our successes in achieving our goals in the 42 years since victory.

But it may be said that our successes have outweighed our failures.

Our economy had been severely damaged during the liberation war.

It was stated in the two-year plan (1978-80) that the country’s transport, communication, and power system sustained severe damage. Trade was severely handicapped. Domestic production was hampered as a result of the loss of inventory, stoppage of maintenance supply lines, flights of foreign managers, and generally unsettled conditions. Damages are estimated to be around US$1.2 billion.

The recovery of the war-torn economy of the newly-born Bangladesh called for a huge amount of foreign assistance, and this prompted the US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to term Bangladesh “a bottomless basket.” Kissinger has been proved wrong.

Bangladesh might not have achieved the desired economic goals, but its successes are by no means insignificant. In the last seven years, we achieved around 6% GDP growth.

Although Bangladesh has not been able to achieve self-sufficiency in all foods, it has succeeded with rice.

While the total production of food grains (rice and wheat) for 75 million people was 11.8 million tons in 196970, food grain production stood at about 35 million tons in 2012-13 for 160 million.

The food grain growth rate has surpassed the population growth rate.

This has been possible primarily due to the development of infrastructural facilities like the availability of electricity, deep tube wells for irrigating croplands, easy availability of fertilizer, and other agricultural input.

There may be differences of opinion regarding our successes in achieving our goals. But successes have outweighed failures

Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

This has prompted Dan Mozena, the US ambassador to Bangladesh, to criticise Kissinger for his insulting remark on Bangladesh, and say that Bangladesh has become “a basket of food.”

The performance of the RMG

the strikers and demonstrators who have brought down darkness at noon.

What an aberration of democracy and the culture of elections!

Can we dispense with these political thugs? We cannot possibly dispense with our politicians. They represent us in the legislative body.

They are our leaders and friends in time of woe and happiness.

Politicians are asking for dialogue.

Our foreign well-wishers are also

goading them to further parleys. Alas, there is no precedence for successful dialogue in this part of the world.

Seventeen years back, on June 22,1996, on the eve of the transfer of power to the then elected government, I expressed a high hope that the new parliament would be a centre of national dialogue, and that all kinds of sundry political solutions would not be made through strikes and demonstrations on the streets.

industry has been astounding. It is not only one of the highest foreign exchange earning sectors, it employs more than 4 million labourers, of which 90% or so are poor women.

Sources suggest that Bangladesh received more than $14 billion as remittance in 2012-13, against approximately $3 billion in 2002-03. All indications suggest that Bangladesh will graduate into a middle income country by 2021.

Bangladesh has made significant progress in human resource development. There has been rapid expansion of educational facilities both in the government and the private sectors, resulting in the increase of the literacy rate to about 60% from 18%.

The observance of Victory Day will be meaningful when we overcome our failures, and make Bangladesh a fully democratic, modern, and prosperous country

More importantly, there has been tremendous improvement in the enrolment of girls at the primary and secondary levels due to various incentives provided by the government.

Observing of February 21 is no longer limited to Bangladesh. The UN has declared the day International Mother Language Day. We have failures too. People expected that our democracy would flourish. This has not happened. The path to democracy has been troubled.

In the mid-seventies, people saw the imposition of the one-party presidential system of government, in place of multi-party parliamentary democracy.

This was followed by military rule that lasted for a decade or so.

The end of the dictatorial regime in 1990 rekindled hope for democracy.

But the confrontational politics of the two major political parties, the Awami League and BNP, led to an army-backed government in January 2007, which lasted for two years.

Democracy is again threatened due to confrontational politics of these two major political parties.

Corruption has become a serious problem for the country. It is eating into the economy. Bangladesh topped the list of the most corrupt countries for five consecutive years, starting from 2001.

Fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution have been violated again and again. Arbitrary arrests, detentions, and custodial deaths have become routine matters. The freedom of the media is under constant threat.

The observance of Victory Day will be meaningful when we overcome our failures, and make Bangladesh a fully democratic, modern, and prosperous country. l M Abdul Latif Mondal is a former government secretary.

High hopes n Justice Habibur Rahman

T

he rise of Bengali Muslims, a comparatively less developed community of the country, is a splendid event in the first part of the twentieth century. In 1940, on the grounds of religious self-determination, they demanded a separate independent homeland, and achieved their goal within less than a decade.

Can we dispense with these political thugs? We cannot possibly dispense with our politicians. They represent us in the legislative body A still more splendid event was waiting for them in the second half of the same century. They demanded the status of a state-language for their mother tongue, and a fuller autonym on the basis of six points, and within less than 25 years they established a sovereign independent country: the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

In the meantime, the country experienced great unrest and upheavals. Since 1947, every time the country faced a political transition, a severe depression devastated the country.

Bangladesh is suffering from the consequences of a legacy of blood. The peaceloving people have been experi-

encing a horrendous time periodically.

In this land of alluvium and diluvium, weird reformations are rising up. We are witnessing that the principal political parties are often changing their trousers.

The party that prides on being the champion of the liberation spirit is parleying and trying to build an entente with the party that was routed in 1971.

The party that came to power in 1990 after defeating the military interlopers is trying to build a coalition with those who were routed in that year.

Yesterday, the political party that refused the demand for a non-party care-taker government is now asking for it, and calling for sieges and strikes.

Today, the party that had struggled for a non-party caretaker government to supervise the election is refusing any dialogue on the issue.

Terrorism and violence have graduated from the stage of hurling bombs to that of petrol bomb throwing. The present day sans culottes are engaged in various acts of outrageous sabotage. The railways, cars, river vessels and other vehicles are all targets of violence.

People are suffering from immense miseries. In the last two months, about 200 lives have been lost in the most tragic circumstances. And wonder of wonders, the leaders are congratulating

Street violence will never bring peace, and is sure to exacerbate an otherwise very normal and peaceful situation. My high hopes were dashed to the ground. Today, on Victory Day, I am hoping against hope that the country will settle down after the unction with a peaceful general election. Joy Bangla! l Justice Habibur Rahman is former Chief Justice of Bangladesh and Chief Adviser in the 1996 caretaker government.

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, December 16, 2013

A tribute to Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra Songs of Freedom A rebel station that took part in the war of 1971 n Yusuf Banna Intense times tend to raise intense art.

The Liberation War in 1971 was an emotional period for Bangladeshis and the songs tapped a reservoir of emotions: hope, longing, loneliness, and love.

During the liberation war, patriotic songs were transmitted from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, a radio broadcasting centre in Kolkata, which later became a legend.

The songs transmitted from the radio station worked like fire in encouraging the freedom fighters on the battle fields and in the minds of general people seeking liberation. During the whole period of Liberation War, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra successfully carried out its intellectual war like an organised front and aired patriotic songs which greatly inspired the freedom fighters in their relentless fight against the Pakistan-led occupation forces, war news and talk shows to boost up people’s spirit.

In a conversation with Dhaka Tribune, Rafiqul Alam, a freedom fighter and a music composer of the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra during the war of independence, chalked out the formation of SBBK and its importance and

‘The broadcast of this radio station eventually became so inseparable from the ongoing war and was important to the freedom fighters also’

functional value during the war.

“It was a surreal time of utter pandemonium and Mayhem. After the war broke out I went to Maldoho for training. My elder brother Sarwar Jahan was a famous singer and I was an aspiring one back then. A senior artist told me the war of independence is not supposed to be fought only with guns.

He informed me about a revolutionary radio station was under process and asked me to join them as a vocal artist and that changed my fate forever,” he said.

Alam further added: “The broadcast of this radio station eventually became so inseparable from the ongoing war and was important to the freedom

fighters also. Moreover, many prominent intellectuals, poets and journalists could contact us and give their suggestions through this station. This Radio station functioned like a forum which made the world understand our urge for freedom and our own ethnic tradition as a nation.”

“A song can motivate millions of people in an instant as it has done on many an occasions throughout our history,” said renowned singer Apel Mahmood, composer of legendary songs like Mora Ekti Phul Ke Bachabo, Ek Shagor Rokter Binimoye and many more. He believes music worked as a spiritual weapon, inspiring the freedom fighters to fight till the very end.

Recalling the history, Apel said: “The station went on air on 25 may, the birthday of rebel poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. However, I joined the station on June 1. The news section was headed

by Kamal Lohani. The news readers and announcers were Babul Aktar, Ali Reza, Mahtab, Motahar and so on.”

We used to broadcast programmes in Bangla, English and Urdu. Dramas, musical programmes and talk shows were parts of the regular transmission. There was also Charampatra by M R Akhter Mukul which gained huge popularity. We used to air special programmes on special days. At one point, we even surpassed Akashvani in the number of listeners.”

Apel said: “To me, the station was no less strong in fighting than any guns.”

Another rebel singer Fakir Alamgir believes that the biggest achievement of SBBK was to bring a huge number of artists and intellectuals to a single platform. “And the result is history.

The awe inspiring songs during the war, and still now, have a huge impact on people as a nation. We the vocal fighters belong to a long chain of artists which includes George Harrison Joan Baez and many more.” l

A million souls have gathered, On this dark night Now is the time for a new sunrise.

- from Joy Bangla Banglar Joy

During March 1971, songs became a part of the Bengali political perception.

As the voice for freedom resonated through the non-violent non-cooperation movement, Dhaka Radio introduced Bangalis to riveting songs. These songs remain iconic symbols of fierce determination and patriotism.

PAINTING: JOY BANGLA BANGLAR JOY BY SOHEL NADEEM RAHMAN

    

Joy to Bengal, Joy of Bengal (Joy Bangla Banglar Joy) by Shwadhin Bangla Betar Kendra Those iron gates of prison (Karar Oi Louho Kopat) by KaziNazrul Islam The sun rose on the eastern horizan (Purbo Digonte Shurjo Utheche) We will conquer this shoreless stormy sea (Teer Hara Ei Dheuer Sagor Pari Dibore) by Apel Mahmood To save a dead flower (Mora Ekti Phul Ke Bachabo Bole) by Apel Mahmood

We will conquer this shoreless stormy sea.

We, the young oarsmen, hold the helm strongly.

– from Teer Hara Ei Dheuer Sagor Pari Dibore

ON TV TELEFILM

MOVIE Diary will air on SATV at 3pm today. The telefilm is about a victim of the Liberation War and features a star studded cast that includes Azad Abul Kalam, Monira Mithu, Mishu Sabbir, Aparna, Moushumi Hamid, Chashi Alam, Apurbo and many more.

Story of the telefilm revolves around a successful businessman Sadman Chowdhury who is the owner of Malek Group of Companies. One day, on a special occasion, Saddam is interviewed by a female journalist who asks him the story behind his well to do business empire. Saddam tells her a heartwarming story. He lost his parents during the war that took the lives of many innocent people and he was reduced to seeking shelter from strangers.

One day, a boy from the street named Malek takes him in and together they start to work for the freedom fighters. But, Malek loses his life trying to save Saddam from meeting a cruel end. He tells her that in naming his business after his protector, Saddam has kept the memory of Malek alive forever. Later, the same journalist visits him again to give him a book dedicated to all freedom fighters who lost their life for the sake of freedom. l

GUERRILLA Guerrilla will be aired today at 2:30pm on Channel i. Jaya Ahsan stars in the Liberation War based film by Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu. It is an adaptation of poet-playwright Syed Shamsul Haque’s novel Nishiddho Loban. The gripping story of the film revolves around a freedom fighter named Bilkis, whose husband disappears as the Liberation War breaks out. As the war progresses, she starts actively collaborating with the freedom fighters, hoping for the safe return of her husband. At one point, she gets caught by the Pakistani forces. l

ORA EGARO JON Ora Egaro Jon will air on Desh TV at 8am today. The film directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam was the first movie released on our Independence War, most of the lead roles were played by actors who actually fought against the Pakistani armed forces. The movie is considered to be one of the best feature films based on the Liberation War. Khasru, Sumita Devi, and Shabana portrayed the lead roles in the film. l

DRAMA KAKTARUA The drama Kaktarua will be aired tonight at 9:05pm on Banglavision. Written and directed by Masud Sezan, the drama features Mosharraf Karim, Motoushi Bishash, Shamima Nazneen, Tariq Shopon, Milon, Al Amin and members of Tokai Natyadol.

The drama revolves around a freedom fighter’s son, Rudro, who struggles to fulfill his father’s dream. The awareness that even after such a long struggle, the country has not yet cherished freedom in the true sense. In the meantime, he falls in love with a girl named Lee, whom he met on the internet. Lee lives in Canda and comes to Bangladesh to marry Rudro. Lee offers Rudro to take him back to Canada with her. But Rudru is not interested, as he is actively involved in the movement to free the nation completely. Fate deals Rudro a harsh turn as he discovers that Lee is the daughter of a Raazakaar.

SHAHEED MOSAMMAT KULSUM BEGUM Shaheed Mosammat Kulsum Begum will air on GTV at 11:50pm. Directed

by Komol Chakma, the drama features Shoshi, Rawnak Hasan, Sajjad Reza, Jhuna Chowdhury and many more.

MISC 71 Er Golpo Shuni 71 Er Golpo Shuni will air on SATV at 9:30pm today. The programme will feature three major places, Jalladkhana, Rayerbazar Boddhobhumi and Shikha Chironti, all of which are related to the Liberation War. A freedom fighter will visit those places with school students and enlighten them about the glorious story of the destinations. Lubna Marium will be the special guest of the innovative show produced

by Monjurul Haque Monju.

DITIYO ODHHAY Ditiyo Odhhay will air on SATV at 9pm today. Written and directed by Abu Sayedi, the drama features Jayanto Chattopadhyay, Toufique Tanni, Hasan and many more.

PRINCESS ZARINA The drama Princess Zarina will be aired tonight at 8pm on Maasranga TV. Written by Mesbah Uddin Shumon, directed by Tuhin Hossain, the drama features Tisha, Shamol Maula, Shetu, Rumi, Nipa and others. Based on a true story, the drama set on the backdrop of 1971 is about a girl named Zarina, who works in the Jatra Pala. She was never harmed by the Pakistani army as they believed her to be a Bihari. But in truth, Zarina was a Bangladeshi and all her income went to the aid of the freedom fighters.

When Zarina falls in love with Harun, the Pak army kills his mother as a revenge, because a major in the troupe was interested in her. Harun becomes lost in grief and plans to destroy the Razakaars and Zarina assists him in the daring venture.

OPUR 71 The drama Opur 71 will be aired tonight at 9:10pm on Channel 9. Written

by Animesh Aich and directed by Azad Kalam, the drama features Bidya Sinha Mim, Marzuk Russell and Azad Abul Kalam. The story focuses on the horrific genocide during the Liberation War. In a Pakistani army camp, there is huge queue of people. Every hostage is counting their last minutes. Anyone daring to rebel by calling out Joi Bangla or Joi Bangabandhu, is instantly shot to death.

A boy named Opu is also on the line. He was picked up from a temple by the Pak army.

AMI-I MUKTIJODHHA Ami-i Muktijodhha will air on Desh TV today at 7:45pm.

Written and directed by Emel Haque, the drama features Jayanto Chattopadhyay, Kazi Ujjal, Hasan Azad, Shuvro and many more.

The drama revolves around a group of patriots who celebrate Victory Day every year dedicatedly. This year, the club members approach a renowned businessman named Soleman Firaji for donation. They decide to ask for Tk50 thousand but at the last moment, the director of the club, Huda, asks for Tk70 thousand instead. But Soleman Firaji being a tough nut to crack pays Tk50 thousand on the condition that they find a freedom fighter on his behalf, as he wants to bestow an award to such a noble person. The club member starts the preparation for the celebration with Tk30 thousand only, as the rest of the amount was pock-

Bijoy Nishan A special children’s programme will be aired today 5:20pm on Banglavision, marking the victory day.

The show titled Bijoy Nishan will feature poetry recitation, songs and dance performances, all of which reflect patriotism. There will be children present in the show who will take part in the programmes.

Agnibinaar Gaan A musical programme titled Agnibinaar Gaan will be aired tonight at 11:25pm on Banglavision. Produced by Nahid Ahmed, singers Monir Khan, Moutusi and Nirjhor will present songs in the programme.

During the phone-live session, the audience can call in with their requests.

Golpo Gaaner Amontrone On the occasion of the victory day, the special feature Golpo Gaaner Amontrone will be aired at 8:30am on ATN Bangla. Anchored by Shagorika Jamila, directed by Syed Daula Khan and Lana Khan, noted singer Syed Abdul Hadi will present patriotic songs in the show.

eted by Huda and also fails to find a freedom fighter for Soleman’s award ceremony. Alas! They come across a true freedom fighter Abul, who works in their locality’s school as a humble clerk. Having failed to find any other, they decide to award the clerk, but Soleman refuses the offer as he did not deem someone so humble worthy of his attention.

Did you know?

All five of David Warner’s Test centuries have come in Australia.

He averages 60.8 at home and 25.2 away

Sport

Monday, December 16, 2013

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is planning to arrange another T20 tournament with four teams following the recent Challenge Series to prepare the national team for the upcoming T20 World Championship next year informed the chairman of the BCB Game Development Khaled Mahmud yesterday, and this suggests that the National Cricket League, which was supposed to have started on December 25, might be postponed.

The T20 Challenge Series, in which the national team met the A team played in three games, finished recently. The participating players received no extra financial benefit from the matches and the board hinted earlier that the chances of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) taking places would be reduced unless the players were compensated accordingly.

The proposed tournament is likely to feature four teams - Red, Green, Yellow and Orange. However, the BCB is still looking for sponsors for the event and if they are unable to secure a benefactor, it might not take place.

“We have talked about the tournament today (yesterday), in which four teams will compete. We will try to arrange sponsors or a franchise based system for the tournament, but due to the current political situation, I think

DAYS TO GO

14 Warner puts Australia in charge

SA to return to routine after Mandela funeral n Reuters, Johannesburg

Sport in South Africa is set to return to normal on Monday after the funeral of Nelson Mandela with the much-anticipated cricket series against India and an end to the first half of the domestic soccer season dominating a busy preChristmas period.

Memorials over the last week for the former South African president, plus wet sombre weather, necessitated change in schedules, but no one seemed to mind.

“We understand that one of the most iconic figures in the world must be remembered,” said German-born coach Ernst Middendorp, whose Bloemfontein Celtic team saw their fixtures for the rest of the year change as the South African Premier Soccer League adjusted their schedule.

They did go ahead with last weekend’s League Cup final, just over 48 hours after Mandela’s death, but once plans for his funeral and various memorial services at stadiums around the country were announced, all fixtures were cancelled - at a busy juncture of the season.

In the immediate aftermath of Mandela’s death on Dec. 5, golf, cricket and football events continued, including the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City. l

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Injured opening batsman Shamsur Rahman was replaced by Rony Talukder in the Shaheed Jewel XI for today’s Victory Day cricket match against Shaheed Mushtaque XI at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. Playing for the Bangladesh team Shamsur twisted his ankle while fielding during the last match of the recently concluded three-match T20 Challenge Series against Bangladesh ‘A’.

Shamsur underwent MRI test which confirmed a ligament injury on his left ankle. The right-handed batsman is being treated by the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s Medical Team.

A second change was made in the Shaheed Jewel XI with pace bowler Mohammad Sharif coming in place of Robiul Islam who will be unavailable for personal reasons.

The traditional 40-over game is scheduled to start at 10am. BCB president Nazmul Hassan will be present as the chief guest. l

We have talked about the tournament today (yesterday), in which four teams will compete. We will try to arrange sponsors or a franchise based system for the tournament

Zia shares 3rd spot at London Classic n Tribune Desk

Abahani skipper Hasan Jubaer Niloy goes airborne while initiating an attack towards the Ajax goal during their Walton Smartphone Victory Day Hockey match at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

Bangladesh Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman was in 3rd position with 5.5 points at the end of the 8th round of the 5th London Chess Classic FIDE Open at the Olympia Conference Center, Kensington, and London. In the eighth round, Zia drew with English International Master J. Russian IM Alexey Slavin in the 9th round. l

Sky-Blues off to a flying start Mahmud sees U-19 n WC as a learning curve Raihan Mahmood

n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh will take on Afghanistan in their opening fixture in the ICC Under-19 World Cup on February 15 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

The complete fixture of the tournament was announced on Saturday at a ceremony held in Dubai.

This time the youth mega event will be staged across UAE starting from February 14. 16 nations are pitted across four groups from where the top two from each group will progress to the quarter-finals while the bottom two from each group will compete in the Plate Championship quarter-finals.

Bangladesh were placed in Group B with three-time champions Australia and Namibia alongside Afghanistan.

“With Australia and Afghanistan I think the group is tough,” said the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s game development chairman Khaled Mahmud to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday adding that “we are not concerned of winning or losing in the tournament.”

“They (U-19 cricketers) are still young and are in the learning process.

It will be from among them that the national team will have cricketers in future. Piling pressure on them will be

unnecessary as I think due to that we have lost many cricketers,” explained Mahmud.

The former national all-rounder suggested that these youngsters need to be properly groomed and for that his only advice to the players will be “learn as much as possible” when they play against quality opponents.

The political unrest in the country hampered the bilateral home series

FIXTURES (BD U-19) Feb 15 Feb 17 Feb 19

v Afghanistan v Namibia v Australia

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi

against the Wes Indies U-19 side as the visitors returned after playing just one ODI off the seven-match series.

Mahmud expressed his disappointment over the issue, but he was not worried as he thinks the upcoming ACC Under-19 Asia Cup from December 26 will recover the damage.

“The Asia Cup will allow our team to assess the condition there and beside that we also plan to arrange few practice matches with the seniors teams once they are back and ahead of the World Cup campaign in February,” informed Mahmud. l

Title contenders Dhaka Abahani kicked off their Walton Victory Day Hockey campaign with a scintillating 7-0 win over Ajax in the Walton Smartphone Victory Day Hockey at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

It was the first match of the season for both the sides who were a bit rusty in the opening half, but the traditional Sky-Blue outfits gradually found the rhythm. Abahani forwards continuously squandered the chances that fell in their way while Ajax forwards occasionally roamed their opponent territory, but was unable to break the

deadlock.

When Abahani forwards remained in the bay an own goal dislodged Ajax from their determined position in the 20th minute. After a combined attack, midfielder Biplob found himself at the edge of the arc and his powerful push deflected off the pads of Ajax goalkeeper Rakibul into his own net. It was the turning point of the match as Abahani forwards tore the opposition defence apart in the remaining minutes adding six more goals.

Din Islam doubled the margin three minutes after they took the lead through a powerful reverse hit. Youngster Romman Sarker scored the third in the 40th minute after Biplob and

Niloy’s one-two saw him unmarked in the box and he had little difficulty in converting the strike. National forward Niloy scored from a superb flick in the 42nd minute.

Experienced winger Nannu added the 5th in the 43rd minute with a neat push while Romman netted the sixth off a penalty in the 48th minute. Din Islam added his second and Abahani’s seventh in the 49th minute to complete the rout.

Abahani officials after the match said that former national star Jumman Lusai will be coaching the team this season while long serving coach Mahbub Harun will be taking up the role of the technical adviser. l

Bad day at office, says Wenger n Reuters, London

There would have been mutterings of “I told you so” among those who doubted Arsenal’s ability to stay the course in the title race as Manchester City hit top gear on Saturday.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sought to pass a crushing 6-3 defeat off as a bad day at the office, without any knock-on effects for what is to come in the title race.

Yet Arsenal fans who have become used to seeing the wheels come off at

Puyol considering retirement

various points of previous seasons will be crossing fingers that it is not a sign they are about to suffer another damaging slump.

“It is not beyond a bad day, it is a bad day,” Wenger said on BT Sport.

“We conceded six goals, we lost our discipline at the end and were too open when I took (Mathieu) Flamini off.

“Out of the six goals we gave them five and when we came back to 2-1, we had a chance but could not take it.

“They scored the goals and you cannot say they did not deserve them. We have to come back to reality and it’s

about us defending together and we have not done that today.”

The result raised both eyebrows and temperatures at the Etihad stadium, with the final whistle prompting a verbal scuffle between Per Mertesacker and Mesut Ozil.

Defeat at home to Chelsea next weekend would see them shunted off the top of the table.

If Wenger was upset by his side opening the floodgates and conceding six, his City counterpart was disappointed that his team let in half that amount. l

VICTORY DAY SPORTS

n AFP, Madrid

Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is considering an end to his illustrious playing career due to on-going fitness problems, Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported on Sunday.

The 35-year-old has been dogged by injury problems over the last couple of seasons and returned to action following two knee operations in October.

However, he has only featured four times in the last three months and has been usurped by 22-year-old Marc Bartra in coach Gerardo Martino’s pecking order.

According to the report, Puyol has communicated his intention to retire at the end of the season to fellow players and staff at the club should he not feel an improvement in his fitness in the coming months.

However, the paper also claim that the Spanish international hasn’t ruled out the possibility of a move to Qatar or the United States to end his playing days. l

15 United stop rot with victory at Villa

Shamsur out of V-day cricket

it will be a tough task,” said Khaled Mahmud.

The newly elected BCB director added that the board is looking to provide financial benefits for the cricketers who play in the tournament.

“There will be fewer matches in the tournament and we are looking forward for the financial benefit of the cricketers,” he said.

The tournament is likely to be played at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium but as per the ICC instructions, BCB cannot arrange any matches on the venues from December 22 and the manager of the BCB venue committee Abdul Baten informed that he has not received any official instructions from the board.

“We have not received any instructions from the board and we just discussed possibilities about the tournament primarily. We can take a decision after confirming the how many matches will be played,” he said. l

13

0 9 0

Four-team T20 planned n Mazhar Uddin

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Army, PDB in Walton V-day volleyball final Defending champions Bangladesh Army will face Power Development Board in the final of the Walton LED TV Victory Day Volleyball at the volleyball stadium today. BOA secretary general

Syed Shahed Reza will be distributing the prizes as the chief guest and F.M. Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton, will be the special guest. l

Army-BGB in Kabaddi final Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Army will lock horns in the final of the Walton Victory Day Kabaddi at the Kabaddi stadium today.

Shibnath Roy, the secretary of National Sports Council, will distribute the prizes as the chief guest. l

V-Day Rugby Bangladesh Football Federation brought out a rally to publicize the Fifa World Cup Trophy Tour yesterday. The rally finished at the Jaitya Press Club COURTESY

Bangladesh Rugby Association will host the Victory Day Rugby. The meet which will feature four teams Bangladesh Army, Victoria

Sporting Club, Flame Boy’s Club and Khilgaon Pragati Sangsad. l RAIHAN MAHMOOD

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, December 16, 2013

Injured Broad not ruling anything out

SCORE CARD, DAY 3 AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS 385 ENGLAND FIRST INNINGS

(overnight 180-4) A. Cook c Warner b Lyon M. Carberry b Harris J. Root c Haddin b Watson K. Pietersen c Johnson b Siddle I. Bell lbw b Harris B. Stokes c Haddin b Johnson M. Prior c Haddin b Siddle T. Bresnan c Haddin b Harris S. Broad lbw b Johnson G. Swann not out J. Anderson c Bailey b Siddle Extras (b-11, lb-7, w-5, nb-2) Total (all out, 88 overs)

n Reuters, Perth Stuart Broad will not bowl again in the third Ashes test after injuring his right foot on Sunday but he said he might bat in England’s second innings and had not given up hope of rescuing the match.

The 27-year-old paceman also hopes that “ice and elevation” over the next 10 days will enable him to play in the fourth test, which starts in Melbourne on Dec. 26. Australia might well have secured the return of the Ashes by then, having taken a 369-run lead on Sunday with two full days to bolster their advantage and bowl England out for a 3-0 series lead.

Broad suffered the injury when he was dismissed lbw by a full Mitchell Johnson delivery that struck him on the right boot during an England collapse that all but ended their chance of winning the match.

“It immediately hurt,” Broad told reporters. “So I came into the changing room and got some ice on it.

“Obviously, I was desperate to get out there and bowl so I had to try it out in the nets. Normally with a bruise you get a bit of blood but when you get going the pain decreases. It actually increased quite a bit in the nets. l

Bowling Harris 22-10-48-3 (nb-1), Johnson 227-62-2 (nb-1), Watson 12-3-48-1, Siddle 16-5-36-3 (w-5), Lyon 16-6-39-1.

AUSTRALIA SECOND INNINGS

C. Rogers c Carberry b Bresnan D. Warner c Stokes b Swann S. Watson not out M. Clarke c Stokes S. Smith not out Extras (b-8, lb-4) Total (for 3 wickets, 70 overs)

Australia's David Warner celebrates his century during the third day of their third Ashes Test against England at the WACA ground in Perth yesterday

Neymar brace as Barca sink Villarreal, Real held n Reuters Free-scoring Neymar hit a double as Barcelona beat Villarreal 2-1 to move three points clear at the top of La Liga while 10-man Real Madrid lost ground as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Osasuna after Sergio Ramos was sent off.

Brazil forward Neymar, who got a treble in a 6-1 Champions League win over Celtic in midweek, scored with a first-half penalty and then put Barca back in front late on after Mateo Musacchio headed the visitors level early in the second period.

The Catalan side are now on 43 points, three more than Atletico Madrid who host Valencia on Sunday, and five in front of rivals Real Madrid who fought back from two goals down to claim a draw after being reduced to 10

72 43 4 19 15 18 8 21 5 19 2 25 251

men in the 44th minute.

“This performance has made me the happiest yet as it follows on from the good performances against Cartagena

RESULTS Rayo Vallecano

0-2

Barcelona

2-1

Malaga

1-0

Neymar 30-P, 68 Santa Cruz 75

Granada

Fran Rico 35, Riki 89

Villarreal

Musacchio 48

Getafe

(4-1 win in the King’s Cup) and Celtic, and we were against a strong Villarreal side,” Barca coach Martino told.

In Saturday’s late game, a Roque Santa Cruz header gave Bernd Schuster’s misfiring Malaga side a 1-0 win over visiting Getafe.

Mid-table Granada won 2-0 at lowly Rayo Vallecano with goals in either half from Fran Rico and Riki. l

REUTERS

54 112 29 23 5 12 235

Bowling (to date) Anderson 13-5-38-0, Bresnan 12-3-49-1, Stokes 14-1-65-1, Swann 23-7-51-1, Root 8-1-20-0.

Australia lead the five-match series 2-0.

Warner puts Australia in charge n Reuters, Perth David Warner punished a depleted and dispirited England with a brilliant century to help drive Australia to 235 for three and a dominant lead of 369 after the third day of the third Ashes test on Sunday.

The hosts reached stumps with Shane Watson, who had made 29 not out, and Steve Smith, unbeaten on five, at the crease and looking well on their way to a victory which would secure an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

England’s hopes of keeping the series alive by avoiding defeat at the WACA had all but melted away in the fierce morning heat when they were skittled for 251 in their first innings.

They plummeted even further when their best bowler Stuart Broad was taken to hospital at lunch for scans on an injured foot, which will prevent him from bowling for the remainder of the match

Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (L) celebrates his second goal against Villarreal CF during their Spanish league match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Saturday AFP

that won the home Ashes series 3-0 earlier this year, had their chances to stop his progress but wicketkeeper Matt Prior missed two stumping opportunities when the batsman was on 13 and 89.

England finally had their man for 112 when Warner holed out to Ben Stokes at mid-on attempting to smash Swann for a second huge six in one over.

Rogers scored his fourth test half century at a more pedestrian pace before being caught for 54 by Michael Carberry at point off the bowling of Tim Bresnan.

The wickets were rare high points on a miserable day for England, who had resumed in the morning on 180 for four in reply to Australia’s first innings 385.

It was not much of a chase, though, and they lost their last six wickets for the addition of just 71 runs as Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle reprised their aggressive but disciplined pace assault.

Ian Bell was out leg before for 15 from the third ball of the third over and his

Ozil sorry for snubbing Arsenal fans

Ibrahimovic, Cavani strike again as PSG stay top

n AFP, Manchester

n Reuters, Paris

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil has apologised to the club’s fans after failing to acknowledge them following his side’s heavy 6-3 defeat at Manchester City on Saturday.

Ozil was chastised by team-mate and Germany colleague Per Mertesacker after heading straight for the tunnel at the final whistle, rather than going over to applaud the visiting supporters.

He apologised later on Saturday, writing on his official Facebook page: “Sorry I didn’t thank the fans at the end of the game!

“You have been brilliant to me and I know you had travelled a long way and spent your money to support us.

I was upset with the result and know I should have come to you to say ‘thank you’ and I know it is a big Arsenal tradition win, lose or draw.” l

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani featured on the scoresheet again as Ligue 1 leaders Paris St Germain won 3-1 at Stade Rennes on Saturday to maintain a two-point lead over Monaco.

The Swede netted his 14th league goal of the season with a penalty seven minutes after the break and his Uruguayan strike partner sealed the victory in added time after Thiago Motta had put PSG ahead with a superb first-half strike.

The capital club have 43 points from 18 games ahead of second-placed Monaco who won 2-0 at 10-man Guingamp.

With Ibrahimovic among other key PSG players returning to the lineup after missing the 2-1 Champions League defeat at Benfica on Tuesday, the league leaders were expected to breeze

'Ramos’s 18th red card hard to understand' n AFP, Madrid

Guangzhou down Al Ahly to set up Bayern clash

West Brom sack manager Clarke n AFP, London

n AFP, Agadir

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he couldn’t understand referee Clos Gomez’s decision to send off Sergio Ramos as Madrid fell five points behind Barcelona after drawing 2-2 at Osasuna on Saturday.

Ancelotti’s men did have legitimate reasons to complain about the performance of Gomez as both of the yellow cards shown to Ramos appeared harsh, while he also waved away a strong penalty claim after Alejandro Arrbias had upended Luka Modric with the score at 1-0.

“I don’t like to talk about the referee’s decisions, but it was a difficult decision to understand. The first (card) is not even a foul. I don’t know what happened.”

Real keeper Diego Lopez was stronger in his criticism of the referee for not spotting the foul on Modric inside the area.l

China’s Guangzhou Evergrande set-up a mouthwatering Club World Cup semifinal against European champions Bayern Munich on Saturday after seeing off Egypt’s Al Ahly 2-0.

Brazilian midfielder Elkeson and Argentina’s Dario Conca grabbed second half goals for the Asian champions in their quarter-final tie.

Elkeson opened the scoring in the 49th minute, slotting the ball home after Brazilian compatriot Muriqui’s shot had come off the post.

Muriqui then missed a chance to add a second moments later but sent his shot just wide. Muriqui was also at the heart of Guangzhou’s second goal in the 67th minute.

Al Ahly goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy could only parry his drive into the path of Conca. The Argentine midfielder, who will leave the Chinese champions

Steve Clarke was sacked as West Brom manager on Saturday just hours after the team’s 1-0 defeat at Cardiff.

The loss, which was their fourth in a row in the Premier League, left the Baggies two points off the relegation places.

“We have reluctantly come to the decision to relieve Steve of his duties after very careful consideration,” said West Brom technical director Richard Garlick.

“It has been well documented that we have not had the rub of the green in certain games this season but that does not cloud the generally disappointing points return during this calendar year, culminating in today’s fourth-successive defeat at Cardiff.”

The 50-year-old Clarke, a former assistant coach at Chelsea and Liverpool, took over at West Brom in June 2012.

West Brom have won only seven of their 34 Premier League games during the calendar year.l

to return to Brazil’s Fluminense at the end of the tournament, had an easy task to slot the ball home from close range.

The second semi-final will see Copa Libertadores winners Atletico Mineiro

RESULTS Guangzhou (CHN)

2-0

Al Ahly (EGY)

Casablanca (MAR)

2-1

Monterrey (MEX)

Elkeson 49, Conca 67 Chtibi 24, Guehi 95

Basanta 53

take on hosts Raja Casablanca.

The Moroccan champions enjoyed a 2-1 extra-time win over Monterrey of Mexico on Saturday.

Chemseddine Chtibi gave them a 24th minute lead before Monterrey skipper Jose Maria Basanta leveleld in the second half.

Kouko Guehi grabbed the extra-time winner to set up a Wednesday date against the Brazilians.l

overnight partner Stokes followed for 18 soon afterwards to give Johnson his first victim in more than 40 overs of play.

Prior (eight) was caught behind to give Siddle his second wicket and Broad (five) lasted 23 minutes before he was dismissed lbw by Johnson (2-62) with a full delivery that smacked into his boot.

That dismissal took on an extra dimension after lunch when Broad failed to come out to field having been sent off to a local hospital to have an X-ray.

Harris (3-48) had Bresnan caught behind for 21 to take the first wicket with the new ball and Siddle finished with 3-36 after James Anderson (two) spooned one to George Bailey at short leg to bring an end to the innings.

“It’s a bad one, there’s no hiding away from that,” said Broad.

“We came here this morning knowing that we had to get close to Australia, and believing we could, but losing those three wickets before the new ball was obviously very disappointing.” l

even if he might bat again.

“I don’t think we could be in a better position, that’s for sure,” said Chris Rogers, who shared an opening partnership of 157 with Warner. “Today was an amazing day. Probably as good a day as we’ve had in the Ashes so far.”

Warner took full advantage and, revelling in the lack of pressure afforded him by another superb performance by his bowlers, bludgeoned his way to his fifth test century in 127 balls with 16 fours and one six. The 27-year-old brought up the milestone by cutting Graeme Swann for a boundary and celebrated with an extravagant leap into the air and a flurry of bat pointing towards the home dressing room.

It was the opener’s second hundred of the series and a sixth by an Australian batsman to none from the tourists, whose entire team have been outscored

by Warner, Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin.

England, a pale imitation of the side

past 14th-placed Rennes and they prevailed easily. Ibrahimovic and Cavani have now scored more goals between them than 18 of the 20 Ligue 1 teams, with Monaco the only side to have collected more than their combined 26.l

RESULTS Rennes

1-3

Ajaccio

1-2

Evian

1-1

Guingamp

0-2

Monaco

Nantes

1-2

Toulouse

Nice

1-0

Alessandrini 67

Arrache 44

Mensah 74

Djilobodji 82

Bauthéac 24

PSG

Thiago Motta 19, Ibrahimovic 52-P, Cavani 90+1

Lorient

Aboubakar 38, Aliadiere 73

Reims

Ayité 90+1 Martial 4, Kurzawa 42 Didot 55, Akpa Akpro 71

Sochaux

Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani (C) celebrates with teammates Zlatan Ibrahimovic (R) and midfielder Marco Verratti after scoring during their French L1 match against Rennes at route de Lorient stadium in Rennes on Saturday AFP

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

15

Monday, December16, 2013

Prosecutors scathing over stadium safety

QUICK BYTES

Fifa on black market World Cup tickets alert

n AFP, Manaus

Around 130 companies are being investigated for selling World Cup tickets on the black market with football’s governing body Fifa claiming that some are being offered with a staggering 300 percent mark-up. Match Services AG, which is the Fifa-sanctioned commercial outlet, confirmed reports in the Brazilian media that some 130 companies and operators are under investigation for offering unauthorised deals. Some of these already face judicial action in their own countries. Match Services AG indicated to AFP it was aware of companies offering packages on the black market at vastly marked up prices. The Estado de Sao Paulo daily quoted their legal counsel Imran Patel as saying “we are seeing a huge black market with prices of up to 300 percent above face value”.

–AFP

Everton’s Deulofeu set for spell on sidelines Everton’s Spanish striker Gerard Deulofeu could be set for a spell on the sidelines after pulling his hamstring in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Fulham on Saturday. The 19-year-old, on loan from La Liga champions Barcelona, was carried off on a stretcher at Goodison Park in the second half of the win which allowed Everton to move into fourth in the Premier League. “It doesn’t look great, it’s a soft tissue injury, he pulled his hamstring,” Everton manager Roberto Martinez told the BBC. “We will do the scan straight away, he felt it and we will assess it, he is like a sprinter and the hamstrings are exposed in those sort of injuries.” The Spain under-21 forward has hit his stride in recent weeks, scoring his first goal for the club in the 4-0 win over Stoke late last month and netting a stunning equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday.

–Reuters

WTA targets Asia, adds Wimbledon warm-up for 2015

An emphasis on boosting the WTA’s footprint in Asia and a new grasscourt event in the Wimbledon build-up were among schedule changes announced by the Women’s Tennis Association on Thursday.

The WTA said the key growth markets of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan will host a record six WTA Premier and International tournaments and four 125K Series events in Asia starting in 2014. “The WTA calendars continue to deepen the reach of women’s professional tennis into unprecedented markets to help grow our global fan base far and wide,” WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster said in a statement.

“Together with the continued success and growth of the China Open and the launch of the year-end WTA Championships in Singapore in 2014, the WTA’s Asia growth strategy is in full force.”

–Reuters

QPR back on top as rivals share spoils QPR returned to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win at Blackpool, while promotion rivals Leicester and Burnley shared a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Harry Redknapp’s team knew they could steal pole position after the draw between Leicester and Burnley earlier in the day and they took full advantage of the opportunity at Bloomfield Road. Former Blackpool winger Matt Phillips, who moved to QPR in pre-season for £5 million ($8.14 million, 5.9 million euros), paid back some of his fee when he opened the scoring in the 61st minute before Charlie Austin sealed the points in the 73rd minute. QPR, looking for an immediate return to the Premier League after last season’s relegation, are two points clear of second placed Burnley. At the King Power Stadium, Leicester led Burnley 1-0 thanks to David Nugent’s 14th minute penalty. Burnley striker Danny Ings headed against a post before the break, but quickly levelled with his 16th goal of the season two minutes after the interval, burying a right-footed shot after Kieran Trippier’s cross.

–AFP

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt (R) arrives to the finish line to win a 100-metre race against the Metrobus -bus that through separated lanes and stations saves time- along 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Aires on Saturday AFP

United stop rot with victory at Villa n AFP, London Manchester United returned to winning ways after consecutive home defeats in the Premier League with a breezy and much-needed 3-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.

Beaten by Everton and Newcastle United in their previous two league outings, United were at risk of losing three successive games for the first time since 2001, but they were dominant at Villa Park.

A quick-fire brace from Danny Welbeck put United in control after only 18 minutes and they added a further goal through Tom Cleverley as they closed to within 10 points of leaders Arsenal.

Victory left the champions six points below the Champions League positions in eighth place, but this was a timely win for manager David Moyes after a desperate run of four games without victory.

“It was a good job from us,” Moyes told Sky Sports.

“The players did well and the only thing I would criticise is that we didn’t score more goals. We were a bit sloppy

RESULTS Aston Villa

0-3

Norwich City Hooper 45+4

1-1

Man United Welbeck 15, 18, Cleverley 52 Swansea City Dyer 12

Villa were unable to contain United’s right-sided players and three minutes later the visitors scored another goal from that flank, with Antonio Valencia crossing for the sliding Welbeck to score.

Wayne Rooney, playing in his 500th club game, and Welbeck both went close to extending United’s lead before Cleverley added a third in the 52nd

minute with a first-time finish from Rooney’s pass.

It was the England midfielder’s first goal for a year and United were able to celebrate another milestone later in the game when Darren Fletcher came on to make his first appearance after a year out with a chronic bowel condition.

Villa, who have not beaten United at home since 1995, remain 11th in the table.

After leaders Arsenal’s 6-3 capitulation at Manchester City on Saturday, Liverpool can return to second place and close to within two points of the summit if they win at Tottenham Hotspur later on Sunday.

In the day’s other game, Swansea City drew 1-1 at Norwich City in a match overshadowed by an injury to visiting goalscorer Nathan Dyer.

He broke the deadlock with a 12thminute lob but had to be stretchered off and taken to hospital with a suspected fractured ankle after injuring himself in a duel with Sebastien Bassong.

Gary Hooper earned Norwich a share of the spoils in first-half stoppage time, finding the net from 25 yards with a sumptuous, dipping volley. l

Manchester United players celebrate after Danny Welbeck (C) scored the opening goal during their EPL match against Aston Villa at Villa Park in Birmingham yesterday AFP

Klose brace relaunches Lazio

n AFP, Rome

A brace from Miroslav Klose in a 2-0 win over Livorno helped relaunch Lazio’s stuttering season as Fiorentina moved up to fourth in Serie A with a comprehensive 3-0 win at home to Bologna on Sunday.

Italian Cup champions Lazio had won only four times this season, their last victory, a 2-0 defeat of Cagliari at the end of October, heaping the pressure on coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Petkovic on Saturday had admitted that this could be his last game in charge of the Biancocelesti in the event of defeat against league new boys Livorno.

However the 50-year-old Bosnian’s nerves were settled before the half-hour of a one-sided affair with German veteran striker Klose hitting the net twice in the space of seven minutes.

German international Klose, who

Retired Italian rider Roberto Gaggioli told Friday’s edition of the Corriere della Sera that Lance Armstrong paid him $100,000 in 1993 in order to win the Million Dollar Race in the United States.

“It was a young American colleague,” Gaggioli, who is now 51, was quoted as saying. “He offered me a panettone (a traditional Italian Christmas cake) as a present and wished me a merry Christmas. In the box there were $100,000 in small bills. That colleague was Lance Armstrong.

“Lance said that my team, Coors Light, had agreed to it. I understood that it had all been decided,” added Gaggioli in reference to Armstrong’s win in the CoreStates race in Philadelphia which was crucial to him winning the one million dollar prize for the vic-

tor of three races held over 21 days.

The Million Dollar Race, which was known as the Thrift Drug Triple Crown, was comprised of the Pittsburgh Classic, the West Virginia Classic and the CoreStates race.

“Two laps from the end, I was in a breakaway with Lance, Bobby Julich and some Italian riders from the Mercatone team. When Lance made a sign, I turned away as if not to see that he had escaped. He broke away to win on his own.”

The newspaper added that other riders also failed to respond to Armstrong’s attack because they too had been bought, and cited one, Roberto Pelliconi, who said: “Angelo Canzonieri (another rider) and Lance agreed on a fee of 50, Angelo thought he meant dollars but Lance meant lire.

“At the Tour of Lombardy he gave us 50 million (lire).”l

n AFP, Milan

made his return to the fray in the Europa League in midweek following a shoulder injury, hit the target at the second time of

RESULTS Chievo

0-1

Fiorentina Ilicic 13, Borja 29, Rossi 64

3-0

Genoa Bertolacci 72 Lazio Klose 19, 26 Parma Udinese

1-1 2-0 0-0 0-2

Sampdoria Eder 16 Bologna

Atalanta De Luca 90+4 Livorno Cagliari Torino Farnerud 48, Immobile 75

asking on 19 minutes after Bardi had run out and initially got a hand to his effort.

Klose grabbed his second seven minutes later when he picked up the re-

bound from a Hernanes shot on the edge of the area and was given time to stride in unchallenged to drill past Bardi.

Lazio’s fifth win of the campaign moved them up to provisional ninth place, albeit 20 points adrift of leaders Juventus ahead of the Old Lady’s later match at home to Sassuolo.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, capitalised on Bologna’s poor form of late to move up to fourth at the expense of Inter, who travel to Napoli in Sunday’s late game.

Fiorentina had won their home fixture against Bologna in the past two seasons and raced to a 13th minute lead when Josep Ilicic silenced the critics of his recent goal drought with a fine individual effort.

The Slovenian had not scored since April but after collecting the ball in midfield he dribbled his way through the Bologna defence before leaving ‘keeper Gianluca Curci rooted to the spot..

Before claiming his 13th goal of the season, Rossi first turned provider.l

Maidana dominates Broner for WBA crown

STAR SPORTS HD1 8:30AM Australia v England Third Day, Day 4 SONY SIX HD

n AFP, San Antonio

7:00AM NBA 2013-14 Phoenix v Golden State STAR SPORTS 4

4:30PM UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Draw

in the first five minutes but after that we played really well.”

Marc Albrighton worked United goalkeeper David de Gea twice in the early stages but a pair of goals from Welbeck put United in command.

Deputising for the injured Robin van Persie, the England forward broke the deadlock in the 15th minute when he slammed home after Adnan Januzaj had headed against the post from a Rafael da Silva cross.

Armstrong ‘bought’ Million Dollar Race

DAY’S WATCH

3:00AM La Liga Real Valladolid v Celta de Vigo TEN ACTION

The public prosecutor’s office in Brazil’s northern state of Amazonia called for an “immediate” halt to construction at the World Cup stadium in Manaus where two workers have died, saying conditions are unacceptably dangerous.

The office released its statement Saturday night after a 22-year-old construction worker plunged to his death at the Arena Amazonia in the early hours.

Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira was the fifth stadium worker at Brazil’s World Cup stadiums to die, after a similar tragedy at the same venue earlier this year, a double fatality in Sao Paulo last month and another death last year in the capital Brasilia.

The latest tragedy barely six months from kick-off has heightened safety worries and risks further delaying completion of the required stadiums.

But, in a 13-page critical assessment, the Manaus public prosecutor’s office reiterated its demand for an “urgent and immediate halt” to work on the venue, regardless of the looming World Cup start.

The company overseeing construction, Andrade Gutierrez, stopped work Saturday as a mark of respect after Ferreira plunged 35 meters (115 feet) in the early hours while working on the roof of the $200 million, 42,000-seat arena.l

Marcos Maidana celebrates his unanimous decision against Adrien Broner becoming the new WBA Welterweight Title champion at Alamodome on Saturday AFP

Argentine Marcos Maidana dethroned Adrien Broner by flooring the American twice en route to a 12-round unanimous decision in their WBA welterweight title fight Saturday.

The hard-hitting Maidana finished the fight at the Alamodome arena in dominating style as he handed Broner the first loss of his career.

The three judges all scored the fight in favor of Maidana, 117-109, 116-109, 115-110.

This was the first loss for the

24-year-old Broner who dropped to 271, with 22 knockouts. Broner was also making his first defense of the title he won by stepping up two weight classes to beat Paul Malignaggi by split decision in June.

Maidana floored Broner for the first time in his career only 20 seconds into round two with a devastating left hook.

Maidana improved to 35-3, with 31 KOs. Broner was sent to the canvas by a left hook in round eight. Later in that round, Maidana was penalized a point by referee Laurence Cole for a headbutt to Broner’s face.l

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and his wife Ummey Ahmed Shishir pose at their wedding reception at Bangabandhu International Conference Center yesterday COURTESY

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, December 16, 2013

Rab starts patrolling the Dhaka sky n Kailash Sarkar Rapid Action Battalion yesterday deployed two helicopters to look-over Dhaka and its outskirts as part of an intensified security measures ahead of the Victory Day today.

Rab officials said they had started hovering since 12pm yesterday.

Colonel Ziaul Ahsan, additional director general of Rab, said equipped with sophisticated firearms and high-powered binoculars, each helicopter patrol team was consisted of six members. The patrol teams would mainly keep their eyes on different key point infrastructures and strategic places, he added.

Sources said hovering by helicopters had been prompted as the police forces had become exhausted in face of continuously deteriorating law and order situation and unstable political situation in the country.

They said over 4,000 platoons of the BGB were deployed in different times in last few months to assist the forces of police department and Rab to deal with Jamaat-Shibir and 18-party alliance activists.

However, the forces were not being able to stop and control various subversive activities by Jamaat-Shibir and opposition men, sources said. l

Peter ‘Lawrence’ O’Toole dies n BBC

A helicopter patrols the sky yesterday keeping a vigilant eye over the capital. The photo was taken near Shahbagh

‘Parentless’ health ministry making controversial decisions Bureaucrats allegedly collect bribes to issue promotion or transfer n Moniruzzaman Uzzal With the incumbent health minister not attending office at the secretariat, the health ministry has become guardian-less, as important decisions have been left at the hands of bureaucrats who are busy making controversial moves.

Rowshan Ershad, the health minister of the polls-time government who is also a Jatiya Party presidium member, had reportedly resigned from the cabinet with the resignation letter already mailed through post, according to her party’s statement.

Seeking anonymity, several senior officials of health ministry and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told the Dhaka Tribune that many important decisions have been put on hold because of the minister’s absence, adding that there is no existing coordination between the ministry and the DGHS at present.

With the ministry currently being run by the health secretary and other bureaucrats, allegations have also been raised against some concerned

officials for being involved with unethical activities.

Sources said the authorities concerned had made several controversial decisions over the last two weeks regarding the posting, promotion, and transfer of doctors and other officials.

Recently, a large number of associate, assistant professors, junior and senior consultants were also given promotion and posted at different health institutes, with bribes allegedly changing hands for posting at suitable cities The recent decisions by the bureaucrats were allegedly influenced by bribes, with sources saying that bribes had become mandatory for getting any final order from the ministry, irrespective of the political loyalty of the doctors.

Health Secretary MM Niazuddin however strongly denied the allegations, saying everything was done

within the bounds of the law for the improvement of the health sector.

The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that on December 12, a gazette order was published from the ministry about the posting of 13 doctors as directors of different health institutes.

Some of them are director and deputy director of different institutes and others are officer-on-special-duty (OSD) at the health directorate.

Sources said most of the posting had been done in advance, while the gazette order said that for 10 out of 13 promoted directors – the order will be implemented after the concerned doctors went on Pre-Retirement Leave (PRL).

Seeking anonymity, a senior DGHS official said the ministry earlier issued posting orders based on the directorate’s recommendations of suitable candidates; but the DGHS was ignored during the recent reshuffling.

Preferring to stay unnamed, several other sources said most of the posting were issued for bribes of around Tk1m to Tk2m.

It has also been learnt that several teachers had been appointed as

professors (current charge), a move which is usually made through the Departmental Promotion Committee. Recently, a large number of associate, assistant professors, junior and senior consultants were also given promotion and posted at different health institutes, with bribes allegedly changing hands for posting at suitable cities.

Speaking about the advanced posting of the 13 directors, Health Secretary Niazuddin told the Dhaka Tribune that the postings were made based on recommendations by a committee led by Additional Secretary ABM Badruduzza – which met with senior officials of the health directorate and collected the names of the directors who were going on PRL soon.

Saying that all bribery allegations were “totally false,” he added that it was easy to blame but hard to prove the claims.

Asked about the appointment of professors (current charge), the secretary said some doctors were promoted at current charge as there were many competent doctors being denied promotion because of a shortage of posts. l

RAJIB DHAR

Actor Peter O’Toole, who starred in Sir David Lean’s 1962 film classic Lawrence of Arabia, died yesterday aged 81.

He was being treated at London’s Wellington hospital after a long illness, his agent said.

O’Toole received an honorary Oscar in 2003, having initially turned it down.

In a letter the actor asked the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to delay it until he was 80, saying he was “still in the game and might win the bugger outright.”

The Irish-born star got his big break when Sir David cast him as British adventurer TE Lawrence.

Lawrence of Arabia earned him the first of eight Oscar nominations, with others coming for such films as Becket, The Lion in Winter, and Goodbye, Mr Chips. l

Arson-victim’s family left to people’s mercy n Mohammad Jamil Khan Things for Mujibur couldn’t get any worse when he found himself trapped in the middle of an arson attack the other day. Nightmares that he thought he had long buried were finally coming to life.

He lost his power of speech at a very tender age – at the age of seven – when he became seriously ill with typhoid; his poor parents couldn’t do anything to prevent the resulting dumbness. That was the beginning to a life of misery which was about to follow.

He grew up to be a truck driver and a sole breadwinner of his family – his three children, wife and mother – but what he earned in his profession was barely enough to feed them all. All hopes and dreams were set aside.

However, the attack on that fateful December 9 in Comilla burnt 20% of his body and made him as helpless as he probably was when typhoid impaired his speech for life.

Mojibur, 42, is now undergoing treatment at the burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Doctors are hopeful about his recovery. “He is responding well to our treatment and the injury is healing,” Dr Partha Shankar Pal, residential

surgeon of the unit, told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, his family, having no means to bear the cost of the treatment or even bear their own living cost, is desperately in search of anything that could help them at this period.

Aleya Begum, the victim’s mother, said Mujibur had a meagre daily income and had no savings at all. “We are going through an extremely difficult time since he became hospitalised, literally begging to people for food and money.”

“We don’t know what it is going to be like in the coming days; I see no hope.

“Doctors told us that Mojibur would need several months to recover fully. But what will we do or who will we go to during this time?”

When this correspondent approached the victim for a comment, he was clearly in labour, tears rolling down his cheeks, with both eyes vacantly looking into the space.

He only raised his left hand in response to a question concerning his present condition.

Meanwhile, Railway Minister M Mujibul Haque visited the burn unit yesterday evening and distributed varying amounts of consolation money and medicine among the arson victims being treated there. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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Business

B2 Local company develops 6

mobile apps for international android market

B3 Cloud computing offers

potential for enhanced skills

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

Business www.dhakatribune.com/business

BGMEA to screen out members n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has decided to cancel the membership of the factories, which will fail to submit renewed trade licenses and updated tax returns by the year end.

The decision was taken at a board meeting held Saturday night, with the association president M Atiqul Islam in the chair.

“We have taken an epoch making decision for the non-compliant members of BGMEA … We want to make readymade garment industry a matured and compliant one,” Atiqul Islam told Dhaka tribune yesterday.

According a commerce ministry circular published on January 12, 2010, a businessman must have a TIN, updated tax return documents and trade license to be a member of any business association of their respective area and business.

The membership of any association will be cancelled, If any member of any association, excluding federation chamber, fails to place his or her updated tax return documents and trade license within the stipulated time.

BGMEA has 3,290 members in accordance with last year’s updated membership while

around 2,300 factory owners take Utilisation Declaration (UD). On the other hand, about 3,600 factories out of 5,000 factories are active across the country.

The move came following demands from the Accord, International Labour Organisation (ILO), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Alliance and National Action Plan, for the betterment of inspection programme as the inspection teams did not find many companies as per their addresses mentioned in the BGMEA directory.

There are some factories which are not in operation but exist on papers, confusing the inspection teams.

As per the BGMEA rules, a factory that manufacture and export RMG products get the membership. Factories those only manufacture products are not eligible for full membership. They obtain only the associate membership, and after becoming exporters promoted to full-fledge membership.

RMG sector, the highest foreign currency earner, employs over 40 lakh workers – 80% of them women. The sector solely contributes 10% to GDP and earned US$21.51bn in the last fiscal year, which is 80% of the total export earnings of $27bn. l

Photo shows the entrance to the BGMEA Bhaban in Dhaka

NBR struggling to net taxpayers under eTIN n Syed Samiul Basher Anik With only 15 days in hand, the National Board of Revenue is struggling to bring all the taxpayers under the electronic Taxpayers Identification Number (eTIN). Around half of the taxpayers have not yet registered with the eTIN. According to figures available with the revenue body, the board could attract only

around nine lakh taxpayers during about last six months - only around 165,000 of them were new ones and the remaining re-registered with the eTIN. To fulfill the target, the NBR have to bring around eight lakh people in only 15 days, officials said, apprehending that it would not be an easy task to accomplish.

“Due to the ongoing crisis, we are struggling to bring them under the tax net. The

number was very good till mid-October, but for the last two months, we are struggling to bring all of them,” an official told Dhaka Tribune.

The revenue authorities introduced the system on July 1 to boost revenue collection, reduce hassles and prevent issuance of fake TINs. Many taxpayers, however, alleged that they were facing troubles in registering with the system.

Considering the complaints, the NBR has decided to open a separate cell which will deal with the eTIN related issues.

“From the very beginning, the eTIN cell lacks proper manpower and equipments to accomplish the tasks. To provide regular and hassle-free services to taxpayers, we strongly feel establishing a separate unit which will technically assist the team,” said an official, who works with eTIN services.

He said the NBR has already taken initiatives to rent an office, hire manpower and buy technical equipments needed for uninterrupted services.

The taxpayers earlier alleged that they face problems with the eTIN server because it remains off-line sometimes and shows error message saying information provided by taxpayers are not correct.

“Taxpayers need to provide valid infor-

mation with the eTIN registration. If they provide wrong information, it will surely show error message because the information are cross-checked with the NID server,” the official said. “The server problem between the Election Commission and NBR will be okay as soon as the new cell starts working.”

Meanwhile, the deadline for submitting income tax return is on December 31, and all taxpayers have to obtain eTIN while filing tax returns.

NBR has now an automated database for TIN holders where existing and new ones will have to register with the eTIN within December 31, and through the process, the existing 10-digit TIN will be replaced with 12-digit ones. There would be no effectiveness of old manual 10-digit TIN from January 1 next.

For the fiscal year 2013-14, NBR set a revenue target of Tk1.36tn and the introduction of eTIN is expected to help the revenue board achieve the target, said an official.

According to the newly introduced system, computer generated TIN certificates will be issued as soon as the application procedure is completed online. Currently, a team of NBR is working on automation of TIN database with the assistance of International Finance Corporation (IFC). l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

Local company develops 6 mobile apps for international android market n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Six new locally developed mobile phone applications are now available for international market through Android software, says MCC Ltd, a leading company of Bangladesh.

They released the new apps marking the celebration of the month of victory.

One of the apps named Ekattor – narrates the 1971 war of liberation – the most significant event of Bengali national existence.

Other apps are: Hashpatal, Currency Converter, mToy, Lemon24.com, Arabic Tutor.

These apps are informative in different sectors, said the company.

Hashpatal can provide information like local and private hospitals in Bangladesh.

Currency Converter is to covert exchange rates against the Taka. mToy offers virtual of toy brand for children between the age zero to 5 years. Lemon24.com offers listening to all Bengali songs and Arabic Tutor offers learning Arabic alphabets with perfect pronunciation.

“All of our apps are rich in information, user-friendly and interactive interface.

All are homegrown and maintaining international standard,” SM Ashraf Abir, Chief Executive Officer of MCC Ltd told Dhaka Tribune.

He said the app ‘Ekattor’ was developed with many historical documents, rare photos and its portrayal of the period. It contains many more topics relating to nine months of sanguinary liberation war.

The app gets updated regularly with more documents, pictures and video clips. To bear the cognition of liberation war for the next generation, the app ‘Ekattor’ would be very helpful.

MCC Ltd enabled the apps to easily compete in the international market. Almost 4

POLITICAL TURMOIL

Uzbekistan cancels trade mission’s visit n Asif Showkat Kallol

Uzbekistan government has cancelled the visit of a high-level trade mission to Bangladesh as political unrest and violence continue, said official sources.

The mission was scheduled this month to open Uzbek embassy in Dhaka and hold talks on establishing a joint-venture cotton processing factory here.

‘A high-level trade mission of Uzbek government wanted to visit Bangladesh this month (December). But the date of the visit has not been fixed yet’

million users across the globe are using the apps.

All apps are available on Google Play Store, Opera, Amazon, Symphony Fun Store and all major international Android market place. The apps could be downloaded from

Google Play, follow the link: https://play. google.com/store/apps/developer?id=MCC+LTD. Abir said MCC Ltd was also developing applications for government – at least one apps for every ministry. l

Uzbekistan’s foreign economic and business minister would lead the delegation, said the sources.

According to foreign ministry officials, the Uzbek delegation would also talk with Bangladesh high officials to launch direct flights between Dhaka and Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

On November 18, Bangladesh embassy in Tashkent informed the foreign ministry office here in Dhaka on the visit of a high-level trade delegation.

The information was immediately forwarded to the commerce ministry, said the sources.

“A high-level trade mission of Uzbek government wanted to visit Bangladesh this month (December). But the date of the visit has not been fixed yet,” said commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed.

In the last fiscal, Bangladesh exported goods equivalent to $6.5m to Uzbekistan, showed the Export Promotion Bureau data. l

Islami Bank opens branch in Bhola n Tribune Business Desk Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) launched its 286th branch at Lalmohon, Bhola recently.

IBBL executive vice president and head of Barisal zone, Md Yeanur Rahman inaugurat-

ed the branch as chief guest.

The ceremony was presided over by the bank’s vice president and manager of Barisal Branch, Mohammad Jalaluddin.

Lalmohon municipality mayor Emdadul Islam Tuhin among others was present at the event. l

Aysha Memorial Hospital (AMH) staffs yesterday stand with white flag at the hospital’s main gate in the city, praying for a peaceful country against the ongoing political unrest. The initiative was quested

by FBCCI. AMH chairman Priti Chakraborty, director Dr Ashis Kumar Chakraborty, BDM A K M Shahed Hossain, deputy manager Md Atiq Ullah Khandaker among other staffs were present in the programme

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

3

Cloud computing offers potential for enhanced skills Says DCCI president at the launching of UNCTAD report

BB seeks security for banks

n Tribune Business Desk Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) president M Sabur Khan said the cloud computing has a wider use and offers the potential for enhanced efficiency.

He was speaking at the launching ceremony of the UNCTAD’s “Information Economy Report 2013” in Dhaka yesterday.

“It (cloud computing) offers the potential for enhanced efficiency.”

Sabur Khan said cloud computing also enables small enterprises to outsource some of the information technology (IT) skills that they would otherwise have to provide internally.

DCCI and Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) jointly organised launching ceremony of the report, said a press release.

Cloud computing is a medium used to deliver applications and services without having to hold the applications on the users’ own servers, computers or other devices.

Developing nations should seek the expertise needed to make cost-effective decisions on which infrastructure is needed and on how to mobilise the financial resources, said the report made by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

n Tribune Report

DCCI president Sabur Khan seen delivering his speech at a launching ceremony of UNCTAD’s report in Dhaka yesterday The report recommends policymakers not to waste time in exploring how the cloud computing trend may affect their economies, rather they should put an attempt to create an enabling framework for firms and organisations that wish to migrate data and services to the cloud storage.

BFTI CEO Md Mozibur Rahman said a central database is very important for trade and commerce, and mentioned

that cloud computing increases people’s ability to do more work through networking.

He added: “Regular software update is possible by cloud computing and regulatory framework and law needs be formulated to control cybercrime for the very reason.”

DCCI vice president Absar Karim Chowdhury, among others, was present at the opening ceremony. l

Stocks fall for 2nd day in choppy trading n Tribune Report Stocks fell for the second consecutive session in choppy trading yesterday, as investors preferred to stay on the sidelines taking cue from the growing political tension.

There will be no trading today due to the public holiday, marking the occasion of Victory Day. The market moved between positive and negative several times throughout the session, as some investors played both sides of fence.

The benchmark DSEX ended at almost 4,280, shedding 18 points or 0.5%. The blue chip index DS30 lost nearly 5 points or 0.4% to 1,485.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Categories Index, CSCX, ended 31 points lower to 8,405.

“The market ended in the negative zone leaving investors uncertain about the future market direction,” said Lanka Bangla Securities.

It said trading session has been a bit volatile as investors are still anxious regarding the upcoming political outlook of the country.

Turnover activity remained slow and declined by around 12% to almost Tk500 crore,

Small cap companies once again turned out to be rewarding, exploiting natural volatility in the market. Banking sector was the worst loser indicating sellers’ unwillingness of offloading stocks at lower prices.

Textile sector dominated in terms of turnover with 23% of the total turnover of the market. Almost all the major sectors were down in terms of market capitalisation change.

In absence of positive expectations, investors were downbeat and less active throughout the day, said IDLC Investment.

Despite the gloominess, a few scrips appeared to have attracted funds and consoli-

dated significant turnover.

Small cap companies once again turned out to be rewarding, exploiting natural volatility in the market. Banking sector was the worst loser.

After its trade suspension for two and a half months, trading of CVO Petrochemical Refinery Ltd resumed on the day with its share prices rose more than 1%.

Out of 288 issues traded, 115 securities gained, 131 declined and 42 remained unchanged.

Golden Son topped the turnover list, followed by Envoy Textile, Delta Life Insurance, Paramount Textile, CVO Petrochemical Refinery Ltd, CVO Petrochemical Refinery Ltd, Generation Next Fashion and Bengal Windsor Thermoplastics Ltd. l

Bangladesh Bank has requested the police administration to ensure security of the commercial banks across the country to protect them from the ongoing political violence.

The central bank wrote to Inspector General of Police (IGP) yesterday, seeking the security of the banks.

As a result of the current unrest situation and anarchy, it said commercial banks were being victimised by attacks, vandalism and arson.

Bangladesh Bank said the incidents are very risky for safety of the banks while this form of violence made bankers panicked, affecting the services to the customers. l

BB cuts EDF loan rate for banks n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank has reduced the interest rate on borrowing from Export Development Fund (EDF) to help exporters overcome the hardship being faced due to the disruptions in normal shipment activities.

The authorised dealers (ADs) will be charged at six-month USD LIBOR+0.50% for disbursements over the six months period with immediate effect, said a circular issued yesterday. Presently the rate is LIBOR+1% for the ADs. The ADs charge borrowers (manufacturer exporters) at six-month LIBOR+2.05%. l

Bengal Windsor Thermoplastics holds AGM n Tribune Business Desk The 11th AGM of Bengal Windsor Thermoplastics Limited (BWTL) was held at Bengal Multimedia Studio in Dhaka yesterday.

BWTL chairman Morshed Alam presided over the meeting in presence of a large number of shareholders.

In the meeting, shareholders declared a cash dividend of 14% (except sponsor shareholders) and 8% of stock dividend for the last year.

The company’s vice chairman Jashim Uddin, managing director Humayun Kabir, directors Bilkis Nahar, Firoz Alam, Shamsul Alam, independent directors Syed JavedIqbal, Fayyaz Khundker, CEO Hassan Shahid Sarwar and secretary Darul Awam Tuhin were also present at the meeting. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

Bitcoin’s critics get louder Currency of the future or asset bubble?

n AP, Las Vegas

n AFP, Paris Once the preserve of cyber geeks or of dodgy traders, the virtual currency bitcoin can now not only be used to buy goods online but also pay for a degree at the University of Nicosia.

Yet the newfound popularity of the currency, which was worth almost nothing until April 2011 and which now trades at around $1,000, may well prove its undoing.

Market watchers and regulators are at odds over how the bitcoin should be handled, but as the currency gains prominence, voices warning against its use are getting louder.

France’s central bank has slapped it down as “highly speculative” while China’s said it should not be used as a currency and banned its banks from providing services and products related to bitcoin.

The European Union’s banking watchdog also issued a warning to the digital currency’s users, telling them: “You should be fully aware and understand their specific characteristics”.

Although Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke said such virtual currencies “hold long-term promise”, his predecessor Alan Greenspan was unable to give an intrinsic value to the currency.

Launched in 2009 as the invention of a mysterious computer guru who goes by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoins are created through a complex mathematical formula.

Unlike hard currencies, it is neither backed up by a country’s economic activity nor issued by a national authority.

Bitcoin’s official website said “all that is required for a form of money to hold value is trust and adoption”.

“In the case of Bitcoin, this can be measured by its growing base of users, merchants, and startups. As with all currency, bitcoin’s value comes only and directly from people willing to accept them as payment,” it said.

With about 12 million bitcoins in circulation at the moment, total market capitalisation stands at about $10.57bn. The formula used to create it limits its circulation at 21 million bitcoins.

Germany decided to legalise it as a currency, so as to be able to tax it, while the Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch unit touted it as a significant tool for e-commerce.

After all, the digital currency can be transferred directly between smartphones or any other type of computers.

However, this also raises concerns that it would be used for criminal or terrorist activities. ‘Highly speculative’ currency poses ‘certain financial risk’ In September, the currency came under the spotlight after US authorities shut down a website called Silk Road where illegal drugs and other illicit goods were being traded using bitcoins. Some $3.6m worth of bitcoins were seized then.

But the negative publicity also brought the currency to the attention of the real world.

Individual investors got interested,

One of Bitcoin enthusiast Mike Caldwell’s coins in this photo illustration at his office in Sandy, Utah REUTERS

hooked by examples such as that of a Norwegian young man, who purchased $24 worth of bitcoins four years ago only to realise that they are now worth the equivalent of $690,000.

China became the biggest market for the currency as investors are attracted to it over the soaring value.

But the Chinese central bank has moved to clamp down on it, issuing a stark warning and imposing restrictions on how they are traded in the country.

“Bitcoin is a certain virtual commodity, does not possess the same legal status as currency and cannot and should not be circulated and used in the market as such,” the People’s Bank of China (central bank) said in a statement issued jointly with other financial regulators.

Chinese banks and other financial organisations are banned from providing bitcoin-related services and products, it said.

It called for enhanced control of online trading platforms for bitcoins to defend against the possibility of money-laundering, and pointed out investment risks faced by the public.

The Bank of France also underlined the same risks, cautioning that the “highly speculative” currency poses a “certain financial risk” to users.

“Even if the high volatility of the bitcoin is of possible interest for individual or professional speculators, they should be aware

Vegas developer selling $7.85m mansion for bitcoin

of the risks they are taking,” the bank said.

Further, the convertibility of bitcoin is not ensured and an investor could be unable to regain his investment, it warned.

The central bank noted that if a currency is to be used as a mode of payment, it should meet rules against money laundering, and the its security platform should be monitored by the Bank of France.

Nevertheless, the bank has no oversight of bitcoin, and urged instead for action to prevent the virtual currency from being used in illegal transactions.

It also pointed out that the security of the virtual treasuries for the currency was not guaranteed by any authority.

Last Wednesday, a Danish company specialising in bitcoin payments acknowledged that hackers had made away with 1,295 bitcoins worth about a million dollars.

And Chinese clients of a Hong Kong-based electronic platform lost the equivalent of 2.43m euros in bitcoins, when the firm suddenly ceased trading.

Nevertheless, the head of BTCChina, the country’s biggest Bitcoin trading platform, said the e-money offers a new investment option for the Chinese - a nation of savers.

Bitcoin is “a global asset class” equal to common investment choices including gold, shares and real estate, Bobby Lee said.

“Bitcoin will go mainstream, I have full confidence. We hope to push this forward in China.” l

A casino owner-turned-commercial developer is asking $7.85m to sell a Las Vegas home, and he’s willing to accept the online currency bitcoin for the deal.

Jack Sommer said he got the idea to seek bitcoin for his 25,000-square-foot (2,300-square meter) mansion from two of his sons, who’ve been involved in making and trading the currency.

“The advantage is that we’re expanding our market and adding some notoriety,” Sommer said.

Bitcoin peer-to-peer trading began in 2009. Value is purchased through an exchange website with a mainstream paper currency, such as dollars or euros, though trading isn’t government-regulated.

Using the currency can streamline international business deals, said Julian Tosh, a consultant and owner of the marketplace website bitcoinsinvegas.com.

“There are a bunch of people who have bitcoins, and they’re dying for a place to spend it,” Tosh told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He said Sommer’s willingness to accept bitcoin could open the home to a global audience.

“If you increase awareness of potential buyers, you could tap into new markets,” Tosh said.

Sommer has put a lot of work into the home in the posh Spanish Trail Country Club. It features marble from China, Iceland and Brazil, a full basement, staff quarters with Jacuzzis, and a secret garden. It also has 39 air conditioning zones fed from a 120-ton cooling tower.

Library shelves are stainless steel clad in American cherry wood, and the view from the owner’s suite is of golf course fairways.

Sommer once owned the Aladdin resort, which is now the Planet Hollywood Resort on the Las Vegas Strip.

He said he and his wife, Laura, were downsizing now that their seven children have grown and moved out.

Sommer’s sales agent, Craig Tann, of Prudential American Group’s Estates of Las Vegas team, said the home may be the first in southern Nevada to be marketed formally around bitcoin.

A range of businesses accept the currency. A California Lamborghini dealership sold a $103,000 Tesla to a Florida man for 91.4 bitcoin, the Review-Journal reported, and a Canadian man listed his Alberta home for the bitcoin equivalent of $405,000.

The currency hit a watermark when Bank of America Merrill Lynch said this month that one bitcoin could have a maximum value of $1,300, or more than the price of an ounce of gold.

A bitcoin on Friday was valued at about $870, up from $10 in January.

Tosh acknowledged the volatility in value could make a $7.85m bitcoin trade risky.

“Locking in a price for such a large transaction is going to be kind of difficult,” he said. “If the value is changing 30 percent a day, how do you quantify that in a contract and expect each side to hold on for 30 to 90 days while escrow clears?” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

5

‘Taper’ again on table at Fed’s final 2013 meeting It would signal the beginning of the end of the Fed’s five-year crisis stance n AFP, Washington Steady economic gains, including a sharp fall in the unemployment rate, should stir the US Federal Reserve to begin trimming its stimulus program at its policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.

But economists say there is a chance the Fed will still hold off the long-awaited taper of its huge bond purchase program, which aims at holding down interest rates to spur investment and hiring.

With inflationary pressure absent, outgoing Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his successor-designate, Vice Chair Janet Yellen, could very well wait another month to be sure the economic data holds up.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) holds its final meeting of the year on December 17-18, marking the first anniversary of the $85bn a month QE3, the latest edition of the crisis-era “quantitative easing” operations.

Since Bernanke began talking about reducing the program in May, markets have expected the start of the taper, with bond yields and lending rates, especially mortgage rates, jumping more than one percentage point in anticipation.

Since then, FOMC meeting minutes show a reticence to take the first step, amid concern over Washington policy battles and

mixed indicators on the economy’s health.

Tapering QE3 would signal the beginning of the end of the Fed’s five-year crisis stance, a major step toward the normalization of monetary policy, including, eventually, higher base interest rates.

A small taper might recognize labor market improvement, while still providing the committee the opportunity to carefully monitor inflation during the first half of 2014

But analysts think that move could be held off for Yellen to put her stamp on policy.

The US Senate will almost certainly approve her nomination next week, after which she will take over on February 1. The Fed’s next two reviews will come on January 29-30 and then March 19-20.

“Policymakers will probably wait a little while longer in order to feel secure that these improvements are sustainable,” said IHS Global Insight in a report.

One reason for QE3 last year was the need to offset the drag on economic growth of

looming tax increases and steep cuts in government spending that were to come into place from the beginning of 2013.

In addition, there was the turmoil of constant fights over raising the debt ceiling, including the 16-day government shutdown in October.

This time, however, the budget and debt brinksmanship appears to be out of the way.

A Republican-Democrat deal on the budget over the next two years passed the House of Representatives Thursday, and will likely pass the Senate next week.

The economic numbers are increasingly supportive of ending QE3. In November the unemployment rate sank unexpectedly sharply to 7%, a five-year low.

While some of the drop could be explained by reconciliation of distorted figures the previous two months, the bottom line is that the rate has steadily fallen: It was 8.5% at the end of 2011 and 7.8% at the end of last year.

Other data is also fairly good on industrial production, consumer spending, exports and investment. The Fed’s most recent regional survey found few weak points.

Growth overall remains “modest to moderate.”

On the other hand, inflation remains so weak that some policy makers have fretted about deflation. The official consumer price

Algeria enters 3G era amid lack of new telecom law n BSS Algeria on Thursday authorized the three mobile phone operators to launch the 3G service. However, observers believe that the lack of a new telecom law in the North African country is likely to hinder the implementation of this new technology.

“By now, the operators can proceed to launch the 3G service in their respective provinces of deployment in accordance with specifications,” Algerian watchdog Regulatory Authority for Post and Telecommunications (ARPT) announced on its website on Thursday.

The three concerned operators are the state-run Mobilis (a subsidiary of Algerie Telecom), Nedjma (a unit of Qatari Ooreedoo), and Djezzy (a unit of Russia’s Vimpelcom), all of which got 3G+ temporary licences from the ARPT in mid-October.

However, in October, the parliament announced that the telecom draft law was withdrawn and will not be examined, without providing more details.

“The new telecom draft law was withdrawn from the parliament without adoption, and this step is likely to hinder the progress of the implementation of the 3G service in Algeria, because such a complicated tech-

nology requires a juridical frame in order to launch some option,” Farid Farah, a local expert told Xinhua.

“The current law regulates the 2G service; while the 3G which has just been launched is not regulated,” Farah noted.

“The lack of a new law would delay the progress of the extension of the 3G service in different parts of the country,” he specified, pointing out that “the three mobile operators would be forced to resort to local authorities to get authorization to install their BTS, and this procedure is full of bureaucracy and would delay the progress of the 3G networking progress.”

Meanwhile, the price of the 3G service will not be affordable for all mobile subscribers, according to Farah.

Farah said that the 3G service price could have been much lower if Algeria hosted a data center.

“For now, Algeria is forced to import data from abroad, and the lower the transport cost of data is, the lower the 3G service price is,” he said, adding “Algeria has to start encouraging the local made applications and installing local data centers to host the applications in order to provide the 3G service for all.”

The bid to exploit the 3G mobile phone was made for the first time in September 2011, but the move was postponed due to the dispute over the purchase by the Algerian Orascom Telecom Algeria, known under the brand name Djezzy.

The 3G is faster than the previous generation GSM in terms of the rate of data transfer ranging from 2 to 42 Mb/s, as it applies in particular to the Internet, watching videos and Internet TV, in addition to videophone. As for the 3G+, it offers a performance ten times higher than the 3G. There are some 37.5 million mobile phone subscribers in Algeria which has about 37.9 million inhabitants, according to the report of the three mobile operators. l

index was rising 1% annually in last month’s read, well below the Fed’s target level of 2%.

And on Friday the producer price report for November suggested more of the same: it was up a bare 0.7% year-on-year and core prices - excluding energy and food - were up just 1.3%.

“There remain no signs of price pressures anywhere in the system,” said Michael Montgomery, US economist at IHS Global Insight.

“The downward shove from malaise in Europe may be ending, but there is no upwards shove from their recovery yet.”

John Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo, said that Yellen, more worried about employment, is more likely to take advantage of soft prices and keep QE3 spending in place to further boost the jobs market.

And when it comes, he added, the taper would be modest.

James Bullard, the head of the St. Louis branch of the Fed, gave a plausible argument recently for FOMC action without too much commitment.

“A small taper might recognize labor market improvement, while still providing the committee the opportunity to carefully monitor inflation during the first half of 2014,” he said.

“Should inflation not return toward target, the committee could pause tapering at subsequent meetings.” l

Vietnam has potential to become major trade partner: US secretary of state n BSS Vietnam has great potential to become a major trade partner of the United States in the region, said US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday. Talking with the US and Vietnamese business community in Vietnam's southern metropolis Ho Chi Minh City, Kerry said Vietnam is undergoing sustainable growth with plenty of potential to catch up with the development of the world.

The trade ties between the United States and Vietnam are on track. Bilateral trade turnover increased from 55,000 US dollars in 1995 to 25bn dollars at present, said the US diplomat. Kerry said the American people no longer think about the Vietnam with the image of war but a country with fine diplomatic relationship with the United States and great potential for development, reported Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA. He also said the dynamic operation of the two countries’ chambers of commerce and industry has contributed to boosting bilateral trade links. The two sides are on the right track to bring trade links to a higher level, he said.

The US has initially provided $4.2m for its relevant agencies to set out programmes on building a strategic partnership between the two sides. l

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

DSEBroadIndex:4280.72⇓0.44%,Turnover:4976.01M.Tk⇓11.72%,PE:13.14 Turnover5,553.69MTk.⇓12.36% 15 December2013 MarketCap.2,063.88BTk.⇓0.26% CSEAllShareIndex:13305⇓0.33%,Turnover:577.68MTk.⇓17.56%,PE:12.93 Combined Turnover Leader

BANK ABBANK | 2.95 | 32.60 | Vol. 588096 D: 26.40 ⇓ 1.86% | 26.63 | 27.50 / 24.30 C: 26.90 ⇓ 0.37% | 26.92 | 27.60 / 24.50 CITYBANK | 1.15 | 25.97 | Vol. 442653 D: 20.30 ⇓ 1.93% | 20.57 | 22.00 / 19.00 C: 20.50 ⇓ 0.97% | 20.56 | 20.80 / 20.50 IFIC | 1.10 | 18.34 | Vol. 1080831 D: 33.20 ⇓ 1.19% | 33.61 | 34.10 / 30.50 C: 33.20 ⇓ 2.06% | 33.61 | 34.00 / 33.10 ISLAMIBANK | 3.78 | 27.16 | Vol. 163937 D: 34.70 ⇓ 0.57% | 34.74 | 36.00 / 33.00 C: 34.70 ⇓ 1.70% | 34.74 | 34.80 / 34.70 NBL | 1.05 | 15.76 | Vol. 1036614 D: 12.00 ⇓ 0.83% | 12.08 | 12.40 / 11.00 C: 12.00 ⇓ 0.83% | 12.08 | 12.30 / 12.00 PUBALIBANK | 1.92 | 21.18 | Vol. 640868 D: 31.60 ⇓ 2.47% | 31.97 | 32.80 / 29.50 C: 31.30 ⇓ 3.10% | 31.57 | 32.10 / 31.20 RUPALIBANK | 6.70 | 64.27 | Vol. 16020 D: 64.90 ⇓ 1.22% | 65.23 | 65.70 / 64.00 C: 64.20 ⇓ 2.43% | 63.82 | 66.00 / 63.00 UCBL | 1.90 | 21.72 | Vol. 2695990 D: 24.20 ⇓ 2.42% | 24.35 | 26.00 / 22.40 C: 24.40 ⇓ 1.21% | 24.51 | 24.80 / 24.30 UTTARABANK | 3.42 | 26.97 | Vol. 341044 D: 31.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 31.48 | 33.00 / 28.90 C: 31.30 ⇓ 1.26% | 31.38 | 31.70 / 31.10 ICBIBANK | -1.60 | -13.03 | Vol. 315500 D: 6.20 ⇓ 3.13% | 6.33 | 6.50 / 6.20 EBL | 3.91 | 28.22 | Vol. 51540 D: 28.40 ⇓ 0.35% | 28.40 | 28.60 / 27.00 C: 27.70 ⇓ 4.48% | 27.28 | 27.70 / 27.20 ALARABANK | 2.03 | 14.91 | Vol. 1588668 D: 19.30 ⇓ 1.53% | 19.41 | 21.00 / 18.00 C: 19.30 ⇓ 1.53% | 19.45 | 19.60 / 19.30 PRIMEBANK | 2.89 | 22.40 | Vol. 77606 D: 23.20 ⇓ 1.69% | 23.41 | 23.80 / 21.50 C: 22.50 ⇓ 5.46% | 22.48 | 23.50 / 22.00 SOUTHEASTB | 1.89 | 22.66 | Vol. 631839 D: 18.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 18.14 | 18.40 / 16.50 C: 18.10 ⇓ 1.09% | 18.13 | 18.40 / 18.00 DHAKABANK | 1.46 | 18.08 | Vol. 92959 D: 18.80 ⇓ 1.05% | 18.87 | 19.50 / 17.10 C: 19.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.01 | 19.20 / 18.50 NCCBANK | 1.90 | 15.88 | Vol. 884277 D: 13.20 ⇓ 2.22% | 13.34 | 14.00 / 12.50 C: 13.30 ⇓ 2.21% | 13.43 | 13.80 / 13.30 SIBL | 2.05 | 14.47 | Vol. 1036090 D: 13.30 ⇓ 0.75% | 13.43 | 14.50 / 12.10 C: 13.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.48 | 13.60 / 12.50 DUTCHBANGL | 11.57 | 54.27 | Vol. 130060 D: 101.9 ⇑ 3.24% | 100.60 | 103.0 / 95.00 C: 102.0 ⇑ 1.69% | 102.00 | 102.0 / 102.0 MTBL | 1.17 | 17.27 | Vol. 32100 D: 16.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 16.04 | 17.80 / 15.80 STANDBANKL | 2.33 | 14.41 | Vol. 336932 D: 14.70 ⇓ 2.00% | 14.83 | 16.10 / 13.50 C: 14.90 ⇓ 0.67% | 14.88 | 15.00 / 14.80 ONEBANKLTD | 2.35 | 15.34 | Vol. 1105722 D: 16.00 ⇓ 2.44% | 16.16 | 16.60 / 14.80 C: 16.30 ⇓ 2.40% | 16.31 | 16.70 / 16.10 BANKASIA | 1.35 | 20.80 | Vol. 316655 D: 19.20 ⇓ 1.03% | 19.34 | 19.50 / 18.40 MERCANBANK | 2.07 | 16.59 | Vol. 2248558 D: 16.10 ⇓ 1.83% | 16.23 | 16.50 / 14.80 C: 16.10 ⇓ 1.23% | 16.18 | 16.50 / 16.00 EXIMBANK | 1.80 | 14.31 | Vol. 561187 D: 12.40 ⇓ 1.59% | 12.56 | 13.00 / 11.60 C: 12.60 ⇓ 0.79% | 12.60 | 13.50 / 12.00 JAMUNABANK | 2.47 | 18.56 | Vol. 106327 D: 16.30 ⇓ 0.61% | 16.26 | 17.00 / 15.00 C: 16.10 ⇓ 1.83% | 16.07 | 16.50 / 16.00 BRACBANK | 1.51 | 24.87 | Vol. 179160 D: 31.20 ⇓ 0.32% | 31.26 | 31.50 / 29.00 C: 31.10 ⇑ 0.32% | 31.03 | 31.10 / 31.00 SHAHJABANK | 2.61 | 14.47 | Vol. 707016 D: 16.70 ⇓ 2.34% | 16.88 | 18.00 / 16.00 C: 17.00 ⇓ 1.16% | 16.98 | 17.20 / 15.50 PREMIERBAN | 1.18 | 13.95 | Vol. 450658 D: 11.40 ⇓ 1.72% | 11.52 | 12.00 / 11.00 C: 11.40 ⇓ 1.72% | 11.49 | 12.00 / 11.40

TO M. Tk.

% of TTL

Avg. P

DSE Gainer

C%

A%

CP

DSE Loser

Rahima Food -A

9.99

7.87

P Textile Ltd.-N

3198000

209.20

3.77

65.42

Anwar Galvanizing-B

9.86

7.13

32.30

Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

3103340

192.76

3.47

62.11

Beach Hatchery-A

9.01

32.40

Golden Son -A

CompanyCode | EPS | BV | Volume Traded (Share) DSE/CSE: ClosePrice ⇓/⇑ Chn % | Avg.Price | Hi / Lo

Vol. 3946737

Delta Life Insu. -A

636000

CVO PChem RL-A

166196

232.11

4.18

58.81

9.83

83.70

182.05

3.28

286.25

Northern Jute-Z

9.81

9.23

45.90

136.31

2.45

820.19

Midas Financing-Z

9.69

9.95

35.10

TRUSTBANK | 0.50 | 18.00 | Vol. 700412 D: 20.50 ⇓ 5.09% | 21.11 | 21.60 / 20.00 C: 20.80 ⇓ 3.70% | 20.83 | 21.20 / 20.50 FIRSTSBANK | 1.85 | 13.89 | Vol. 836550 D: 15.20 ⇓ 1.94% | 15.42 | 16.10 / 14.00 C: 15.30 ⇓ 1.29% | 15.99 | 16.40 / 15.30 NON BANKING F I IDLC | 4.43 | 29.18 | Vol. 122605 D: 60.90 ⇓ 1.30% | 61.14 | 61.90 / 57.00 C: 61.00 ⇓ 0.65% | 61.08 | 61.80 / 60.20 ULC | 1.80 | 14.90 | Vol. 359312 D: 28.70 ⇓ 0.35% | 28.79 | 29.00 / 26.00 UTTARAFIN | 7.16 | 41.54 | Vol. 87073 D: 79.30 ⇓ 0.25% | 79.63 | 80.50 / 77.00 C: 78.80 ⇓ 0.88% | 79.53 | 81.40 / 78.30 MIDASFIN | 0.16 | 10.21 | Vol. 38450 D: 35.10 ⇑ 9.69% | 35.15 | 35.20 / 29.00 C: 35.00 ⇑ 9.72% | 35.00 | 35.00 / 35.00 FLEASEINT | 2.34 | 13.93 | Vol. 556011 D: 31.40 ⇑ 1.95% | 31.26 | 31.80 / 28.00 C: 31.40 ⇑ 1.29% | 31.25 | 31.80 / 31.10 PLFSL | 1.37 | 17.48 | Vol. 564926 D: 23.80 ⇓ 1.65% | 23.93 | 25.00 / 22.00 C: 23.90 ⇓ 0.42% | 24.02 | 24.30 / 23.40 PRIMEFIN | 0.87 | 17.88 | Vol. 212464 D: 24.60 ⇓ 1.20% | 24.76 | 25.50 / 23.00 C: 24.70 ⇓ 1.20% | 25.09 | 26.30 / 24.60 PREMIERLEA | 0.10 | 11.37 | Vol. 97325 D: 10.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 10.24 | 10.40 / 10.10 C: 10.30 ⇑ 1.98% | 10.23 | 10.40 / 10.00 ISLAMICFIN | 1.03 | 15.48 | Vol. 716804 D: 16.80 ⇓ 1.18% | 16.89 | 17.20 / 15.50 C: 16.90 ⇓ 0.59% | 17.04 | 17.20 / 16.80 LANKABAFIN | 1.61 | 31.07 | Vol. 1480718 D: 61.60 ⇑ 2.84% | 61.08 | 62.90 / 55.00 C: 61.80 ⇑ 3.34% | 61.31 | 63.00 / 59.20 BIFC | 0.15 | 18.58 | Vol. 95500 D: 16.90 ⇓ 0.59% | 17.04 | 17.30 / 16.60 C: 17.10 ⇓ 2.84% | 17.12 | 17.20 / 17.00 IPDC | 1.23 | 19.43 | Vol. 78025 D: 18.60 ⇓ 1.06% | 18.66 | 19.00 / 18.30 C: 18.40 ⇓ 0.54% | 18.36 | 18.40 / 18.30 UNIONCAP | 0.54 | 17.85 | Vol. 24500 D: 29.30 ⇓ 1.01% | 29.33 | 29.70 / 28.60 C: 30.00 ⇑ 4.90% | 29.73 | 30.00 / 29.30 BDFINANCE | 0.57 | 14.77 | Vol. 94072 D: 19.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 19.01 | 19.50 / 17.50 C: 19.00 ⇓ 0.52% | 18.97 | 19.10 / 18.80 ILFSL | 0.35 | 12.19 | Vol. 384800 D: 15.00 ⇓ 0.66% | 15.17 | 15.40 / 14.80 C: 15.00 ⇓ 1.32% | 15.09 | 15.40 / 15.00 PHOENIXFIN | 2.46 | 19.39 | Vol. 248634 D: 32.70 ⇓ 0.91% | 32.89 | 35.00 / 31.00 C: 32.50 ⇓ 1.52% | 32.89 | 33.60 / 32.30 FASFIN | 0.19 | 13.56 | Vol. 1292000 D: 15.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.35 | 15.60 / 15.00 C: 15.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 15.39 | 15.70 / 15.10 DBH | 4.47 | 21.27 | Vol. 11842 D: 53.80 ⇑ 1.13% | 53.90 | 55.00 / 53.20 C: 55.20 ⇑ 2.03% | 55.13 | 56.00 / 54.00 NHFIL | 0.57 | 12.70 | Vol. 186100 D: 30.10 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.44 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 30.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 30.35 | 30.60 / 30.30 BAYLEASING | 0.72 | 25.55 | Vol. 757984 D: 28.90 ⇓ 1.70% | 29.18 | 30.50 / 28.00 C: 29.10 ⇑ 0.34% | 29.08 | 29.50 / 28.90 ICB | 89.23 | 607.74 | Vol. 3500 D: 1513 ⇓ 0.93% | 1517 | 1537 / 1499 GSPFINANCE | 1.63 | 22.23 | Vol. 222518 D: 27.80 ⇓ 3.14% | 27.87 | 28.60 / 27.50 C: 28.00 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.98 | 28.20 / 27.60 FAREASTFIN | 0.68 | 13.64 | Vol. 2851000 D: 17.60 ⇓ 3.30% | 17.86 | 18.30 / 17.50 C: 17.70 ⇓ 3.28% | 17.89 | 18.30 / 17.40 INVESTMENT 5THICB | 23.45 | 188.92 | Vol. 1000 D: 148.8 ⇓ 0.80% | 149.00 | 150.0 / 148.0 6THICB | 10.99 | 60.14 | Vol. 4200 D: 53.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 53.10 | 53.50 / 52.80 8THICB | 12.47 | 70.07 | Vol. 4500 D: 52.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 52.89 | 53.00 / 52.90 AIMS1STMF | 3.02 | 15.70 | Vol. 1601750 D: 43.50 ⇑ 6.36% | 42.99 | 43.90 / 41.60 C: 43.60 ⇑ 6.34% | 43.23 | 43.80 / 41.90

ICBISLAMIC | 2.21 | 26.81 | Vol. 22000 D: 18.40 ⇑ 1.10% | 18.50 | 18.70 / 18.20 GRAMEEN1 | 6.26 | 33.23 | Vol. 374500 D: 45.80 ⇑ 2.69% | 45.96 | 46.40 / 45.10 C: 46.00 ⇑ 3.60% | 46.04 | 46.40 / 45.40 ICB1STNRB | 4.06 | 35.31 | Vol. 500 D: 25.20 ⇓ 0.40% | 25.20 | 25.20 / 25.20 ICB2NDNRB | 2.49 | 16.24 | Vol. 96000 D: 9.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 9.99 | 10.00 / 9.90 GRAMEENS2 | 2.17 | 16.41 | Vol. 2896500 D: 17.50 ⇑ 3.55% | 17.48 | 17.70 / 17.00 C: 17.40 ⇑ 2.35% | 17.43 | 17.60 / 17.20 1STPRIMFMF | 0.64 | 11.63 | Vol. 1649500 D: 26.50 ⇑ 7.72% | 26.19 | 26.90 / 24.60 C: 26.40 ⇑ 7.32% | 26.35 | 27.00 / 25.00 EBL1STMF | 0.55 | 12.62 | Vol. 761731 D: 7.20 ⇑ 2.86% | 7.19 | 7.50 / 6.50 C: 7.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.04 | 7.10 / 7.00 ICBAMCL2ND | 0.60 | 12.12 | Vol. 50500 D: 6.00 ⇑ 3.45% | 6.03 | 6.10 / 6.00 C: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.93 | 6.00 / 5.90 ICBEPMF1S1 | 0.52 | 11.32 | Vol. 85000 D: 5.90 ⇓ 1.67% | 5.95 | 6.10 / 5.90 C: 6.00 ⇓ 1.64% | 6.00 | 6.00 / 6.00 TRUSTB1MF | 0.75 | 11.65 | Vol. 282673 D: 7.30 ⇓ 1.35% | 7.44 | 7.60 / 7.00 C: 7.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.54 | 7.60 / 7.40 PRIME1ICBA | 0.42 | 11.18 | Vol. 924500 D: 5.90 ⇓ 3.28% | 6.26 | 6.40 / 5.90 DBH1STMF | -1.12 | 10.15 | Vol. 127500 D: 5.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.83 | 5.90 / 5.70 C: 5.80 ⇑ 1.75% | 5.84 | 5.90 / 5.80 IFIC1STMF | 0.83 | 11.88 | Vol. 334000 D: 6.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.62 | 6.70 / 6.50 C: 6.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.60 | 6.70 / 6.50 PF1STMF | 0.51 | 11.11 | Vol. 71500 D: 5.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.71 | 5.80 / 5.70 C: 5.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.70 | 5.70 / 5.70 ICB3RDNRB | 0.00 | 10.60 | Vol. 178500 D: 5.40 ⇑ 1.89% | 5.40 | 5.50 / 5.30 C: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.44 | 5.50 / 5.40 1JANATAMF | 0.78 | 10.68 | Vol. 212000 D: 6.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.12 | 6.30 / 6.10 C: 6.20 ⇑ 1.64% | 6.22 | 6.30 / 6.10 GREENDELMF | -0.82 | 9.72 | Vol. 120500 D: 5.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.39 | 5.50 / 5.30 C: 5.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.46 | 5.50 / 5.40 POPULAR1MF | 0.77 | 11.38 | Vol. 482758 D: 6.10 ⇓ 1.61% | 6.21 | 6.30 / 6.10 C: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.28 | 6.40 / 6.10 IFILISLMF1 | 0.00 | 10.45 | Vol. 169500 D: 5.70 ⇓ 1.72% | 5.77 | 5.90 / 5.70 C: 5.90 ⇑ 1.72% | 5.90 | 5.90 / 5.90 PHPMF1 | 0.63 | 10.92 | Vol. 598500 D: 5.60 ⇓ 1.75% | 5.69 | 5.80 / 5.60 C: 5.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 5.72 | 5.80 / 5.60 AIBL1STIMF | -0.07 | 9.25 | Vol. 89000 D: 6.90 ⇓ 2.82% | 7.01 | 7.10 / 6.90 MBL1STMF | -0.16 | 9.08 | Vol. 114500 D: 6.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.23 | 6.30 / 6.20 SEBL1STMF | 0.94 | 11.85 | Vol. 358500 D: 8.20 ⇑ 1.23% | 8.23 | 8.30 / 8.10 C: 8.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.10 | 8.10 / 8.10 EBLNRBMF | 1.07 | 10.88 | Vol. 50000 D: 8.00 ⇑ 2.56% | 8.02 | 8.10 / 8.00 RELIANCE1 | 0.95 | 10.33 | Vol. 626650 D: 8.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.80 | 8.90 / 8.60 C: 8.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.86 | 9.10 / 8.70 LRGLOBMF1 | 0.45 | 10.78 | Vol. 23000 D: 6.80 ⇑ 0.00% | 6.83 | 6.90 / 6.80 ABB1STMF | 0.92 | 10.63 | Vol. 289000 D: 7.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.29 | 7.40 / 7.20 NLI1STMF | 1.17 | 12.22 | Vol. 869600 D: 9.30 ⇑ 1.09% | 9.44 | 9.60 / 9.00 C: 9.40 ⇑ 1.08% | 9.44 | 9.60 / 9.40 NCCBLMF1 | 1.16 | 10.48 | Vol. 51000 D: 8.20 ⇓ 1.20% | 8.22 | 8.30 / 8.20 ICBSONALI1 | 0.00 | 10.39 | Vol. 423500 D: 7.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.10 | 8.20 / 7.90 C: 8.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 8.08 | 8.30 / 8.00 ENGINEERING AFTABAUTO | 3.60 | 50.81 | Vol. 264287 D: 90.80 ⇓ 0.87% | 91.26 | 93.00 / 85.00 C: 91.00 ⇓ 1.09% | 91.41 | 93.00 / 90.00

C%

A%

Jute Spinners-A

-6.46

-6.23

76.80

Imam Button -Z

-5.56

-5.75

8.50

Sonali Ansh-A

-5.31

-3.90

144.40

Trust Bank-A

-5.09

-2.27

20.50

-4.77

-4.14

61.90

Bengal sor-N

Wind-

CP

AZIZPIPES | 0.39 | -42.04 | Vol. 17450 D: 21.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.87 | 22.30 / 21.60 C: 23.80 ⇑ 1.28% | 23.75 | 24.00 / 22.00 OLYMPIC | 5.23 | 14.73 | Vol. 154202 D: 151.1 ⇓ 1.44% | 152.07 | 153.6 / 150.0 C: 151.7 ⇓ 0.98% | 152.11 | 153.1 / 151.5 BDLAMPS | -5.31 | 37.07 | Vol. 17550 D: 130.5 ⇓ 0.23% | 131.50 | 134.0 / 129.1 C: 132.0 ⇓ 2.37% | 132.77 | 135.9 / 130.6 ECABLES | 6.10 | 23.97 | Vol. 16800 D: 96.60 ⇑ 2.99% | 95.56 | 97.80 / 94.00 C: 94.10 ⇑ 3.41% | 94.53 | 95.50 / 93.50 MONNOSTAF | 5.31 | 44.78 | Vol. 1250 D: 306.6 ⇓ 0.42% | 306.40 | 312.0 / 302.1 SINGERBD | 9.99 | 45.74 | Vol. 52249 D: 194.2 ⇓ 0.61% | 194.31 | 196.0 / 190.0 C: 193.0 ⇓ 0.62% | 192.80 | 193.2 / 192.5 ATLASBANG | 9.14 | 222.05 | Vol. 11550 D: 158.8 ⇓ 0.44% | 159.48 | 160.9 / 158.1 BDAUTOCA | -0.43 | 5.68 | Vol. 34300 D: 34.70 ⇓ 0.86% | 35.36 | 36.00 / 34.20 QSMDRYCELL | 1.06 | 52.31 | Vol. 1484417 D: 41.50 ⇑ 9.50% | 40.38 | 41.60 / 35.00 C: 41.50 ⇑ 9.79% | 41.10 | 41.50 / 38.00 RENWICKJA | 5.77 | -31.13 | Vol. 10200 D: 145.9 ⇑ 1.46% | 146.18 | 147.7 / 143.9 NTLTUBES | 0.67 | 311.00 | Vol. 36224 D: 74.00 ⇓ 0.13% | 74.67 | 75.50 / 74.00 BDTHAI | 0.43 | 39.35 | Vol. 711392 D: 30.60 ⇓ 1.92% | 30.97 | 32.10 / 29.00 C: 30.80 ⇓ 2.53% | 31.12 | 31.40 / 30.70 ANWARGALV | 0.52 | 8.10 | Vol. 322000 D: 32.30 ⇑ 9.86% | 32.00 | 32.30 / 29.60 C: 32.90 ⇑ 8.94% | 32.26 | 33.00 / 30.30 KAY&QUE | -3.89 | 6.03 | Vol. 14500 D: 19.10 ⇑ 1.06% | 19.17 | 19.90 / 18.50 C: 18.60 ⇓ 3.63% | 18.78 | 19.00 / 18.60 RANFOUNDRY | 2.84 | 18.62 | Vol. 46000 D: 96.70 ⇑ 3.09% | 95.70 | 97.90 / 93.70 SALAMCRST | 3.31 | 20.00 | Vol. 408140 D: 45.00 ⇑ 0.22% | 45.22 | 46.00 / 41.00 C: 45.10 ⇑ 0.22% | 45.37 | 46.00 / 44.60 GOLDENSON | 3.70 | 28.70 | Vol. 3946737 D: 58.90 ⇑ 3.33% | 58.79 | 60.00 / 52.00 C: 59.10 ⇑ 2.96% | 59.09 | 61.00 / 57.00 BSRMSTEEL | 3.06 | 19.53 | Vol. 332360 D: 69.80 ⇓ 1.69% | 70.18 | 72.00 / 66.00 C: 70.80 ⇓ 0.28% | 70.52 | 71.80 / 70.10 NAVANACNG | 4.09 | 27.04 | Vol. 161097 D: 65.50 ⇓ 0.61% | 65.26 | 66.10 / 61.00 C: 65.90 ⇓ 0.30% | 65.57 | 66.10 / 64.00 DESHBANDHU | 0.26 | 10.67 | Vol. 1144276 D: 22.10 ⇑ 1.84% | 22.21 | 22.60 / 20.00 C: 22.20 ⇑ 1.83% | 22.25 | 22.60 / 21.60 GPHISPAT | 2.11 | 15.27 | Vol. 398750 D: 57.00 ⇓ 0.52% | 57.50 | 58.80 / 52.00 C: 57.20 ⇑ 0.53% | 57.22 | 58.00 / 56.50 BENGALWTL | 3.85 | 24.30 | Vol. 1787800 D: 61.90 ⇓ 4.77% | 63.19 | 65.60 / 61.50 C: 62.20 ⇓ 3.57% | 63.05 | 65.00 / 61.70 BDBUILDING | 1.33 | 12.70 | Vol. 1081000 D: 71.00 ⇓ 2.87% | 71.97 | 74.00 / 70.00 C: 71.20 ⇓ 2.20% | 72.23 | 74.00 / 70.60 NPOLYMAR | 2.38 | 32.89 | Vol. 90300 D: 58.60 ⇓ 0.34% | 58.96 | 60.00 / 58.20 C: 58.10 ⇓ 1.69% | 58.50 | 60.00 / 57.50 FOOD & ALLIED APEXFOODS | 2.54 | 90.81 | Vol. 185150 D: 109.0 ⇑ 3.71% | 111.66 | 115.0 / 105.1 C: 111.1 ⇑ 6.32% | 113.57 | 114.9 / 108.0 BANGAS | 7.20 | 50.27 | Vol. 40912 D: 474.7 ⇑ 1.13% | 475.72 | 483.9 / 435.0 C: 472.2 ⇑ 0.21% | 474.81 | 482.0 / 470.0 BATBC | 65.69 | 117.22 | Vol. 50 D: 1650 ⇑ 1.68% | 1650 | 1650 / 1650 GEMINISEA | -15.39 | -5.70 | Vol. 3000 D: 160.1 ⇑ 3.02% | 159.33 | 162.4 / 155.5 NTC | 29.88 | 110.05 | Vol. 150 D: 800.0 ⇑ 0.00% | 800.00 | 800.0 / 800.0 ZEALBANGLA | -28.94 | -221.34 | Vol. 100 D: 8.30 ⇑ 1.22% | 8.30 | 8.30 / 8.30

CVOPRL | 0.58 | 13.86 | Vol. 166196 D: 881.3 ⇑ 0.54% | 816.65 | 887.9 / 710.0 C: 909.9 ⇑ 5.72% | 865.60 | 940.0 / 800.0 AMCL(PRAN) | 6.85 | 57.14 | Vol. 33700 D: 196.4 ⇑ 3.86% | 194.08 | 198.0 / 190.0 C: 198.9 ⇑ 3.54% | 196.69 | 201.6 / 190.4 SHYAMPSUG | -45.77 | -396.49 | Vol. 9900 D: 8.00 ⇑ 3.90% | 8.08 | 8.20 / 7.90 RAHIMAFOOD | 0.52 | 4.45 | Vol. 432430 D: 83.70 ⇑ 9.99% | 82.34 | 83.70 / 76.10 C: 83.30 ⇑ 9.89% | 82.32 | 83.30 / 79.00 FUWANGFOOD | 0.94 | 12.28 | Vol. 1261900 D: 25.70 ⇑ 0.78% | 25.76 | 26.30 / 24.00 C: 25.60 ⇑ 1.59% | 25.77 | 26.30 / 24.90 MEGHNAPET | -0.50 | -1.52 | Vol. 4000 D: 7.10 ⇑ 0.00% | 7.10 | 7.10 / 7.10 MEGCONMILK | -7.48 | -23.70 | Vol. 12000 D: 7.70 ⇑ 1.32% | 7.75 | 7.80 / 7.60 BEACHHATCH | 1.01 | 12.48 | Vol. 1684607 D: 32.40 ⇑ 9.83% | 31.94 | 32.40 / 27.00 C: 32.80 ⇑ 9.70% | 32.22 | 32.80 / 29.20 FINEFOODS | 0.05 | 10.63 | Vol. 723000 D: 26.30 ⇑ 9.58% | 26.00 | 26.40 / 24.40 C: 26.40 ⇑ 9.54% | 26.06 | 26.50 / 24.50 RDFOOD | 0.91 | 16.84 | Vol. 2510344 D: 27.30 ⇑ 2.25% | 27.41 | 28.50 / 24.50 C: 27.40 ⇑ 2.24% | 27.73 | 28.30 / 25.00 GHAIL | 2.31 | 24.36 | Vol. 2051010 D: 48.70 ⇑ 3.18% | 48.75 | 50.00 / 43.00 C: 48.90 ⇑ 2.73% | 49.15 | 50.20 / 47.20 FUEL & POWER LINDEBD | 31.71 | 144.00 | Vol. 2900 D: 618.7 ⇓ 0.82% | 620.34 | 633.0 / 617.0 PADMAOIL | 27.62 | 79.74 | Vol. 242193 D: 311.0 ⇓ 0.38% | 311.03 | 314.0 / 295.0 C: 311.8 ⇓ 0.45% | 313.93 | 319.9 / 309.5 BDWELDING | 0.33 | 16.82 | Vol. 893181 D: 24.70 ⇑ 3.78% | 24.48 | 24.90 / 21.90 C: 24.60 ⇑ 2.93% | 24.65 | 25.00 / 23.80 SUMITPOWER | 3.17 | 19.26 | Vol. 589958 D: 37.90 ⇓ 0.79% | 38.15 | 38.90 / 35.00 C: 37.90 ⇓ 0.79% | 38.03 | 38.70 / 36.00 DESCO | 2.34 | 31.27 | Vol. 97500 D: 60.50 ⇑ 0.50% | 60.58 | 61.50 / 58.50 C: 60.10 ⇓ 1.64% | 60.70 | 61.50 / 59.50 POWERGRID | 2.19 | 63.69 | Vol. 49000 D: 54.10 ⇓ 0.18% | 54.17 | 54.90 / 54.00 C: 52.90 ⇓ 1.12% | 52.90 | 52.90 / 52.90 JAMUNAOIL | 19.83 | 57.32 | Vol. 296131 D: 200.3 ⇑ 0.50% | 203.86 | 207.0 / 185.0 C: 200.4 ⇑ 0.35% | 202.27 | 205.9 / 199.0 MPETROLEUM | 21.34 | 59.26 | Vol. 166490 D: 214.7 ⇓ 0.65% | 215.51 | 217.9 / 210.0 C: 214.6 ⇓ 0.97% | 214.97 | 216.0 / 213.3 TITASGAS | 9.20 | 46.26 | Vol. 117125 D: 73.70 ⇑ 0.41% | 73.59 | 74.10 / 66.10 C: 73.10 ⇓ 0.27% | 73.09 | 73.20 / 73.00 KPCL | 4.73 | 15.86 | Vol. 59126 D: 48.70 ⇓ 0.20% | 48.84 | 50.00 / 46.00 C: 48.90 ⇓ 0.20% | 48.94 | 49.20 / 48.80 BEDL | 1.48 | 19.43 | Vol. 1166035 D: 32.70 ⇓ 3.54% | 33.13 | 35.10 / 30.60 C: 32.90 ⇓ 2.66% | 33.13 | 34.00 / 32.00 MJLBD | 2.73 | 30.24 | Vol. 91945 D: 75.60 ⇑ 0.40% | 75.67 | 77.00 / 70.00 C: 74.70 ⇓ 1.71% | 74.51 | 76.00 / 74.10 GBBPOWER | 1.86 | 22.63 | Vol. 743492 D: 30.10 ⇓ 1.95% | 30.39 | 30.90 / 27.70 C: 29.90 ⇓ 1.97% | 30.13 | 30.90 / 29.80 SPPCL | 3.81 | 23.34 | Vol. 621770 D: 61.50 ⇓ 0.97% | 61.86 | 63.00 / 58.00 C: 61.20 ⇓ 1.45% | 61.38 | 62.50 / 60.60 JUTE JUTESPINN | -48.14 | -39.89 | Vol. 14950 D: 76.80 ⇓ 6.46% | 77.53 | 80.00 / 73.90 NORTHERN | -9.98 | -18.22 | Vol. 800 D: 45.90 ⇑ 9.81% | 45.90 | 45.90 / 45.90 SONALIANSH | 2.65 | 226.00 | Vol. 27550 D: 144.4 ⇓ 5.31% | 146.68 | 154.0 / 143.2 TEXTILE AL-HAJTEX | 2.22 | 16.53 | Vol. 58082 D: 74.50 ⇓ 1.06% | 74.86 | 76.70 / 71.00

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

December 15, 2013 Sectotal Index: BANK: 36,898.89 ⇓ 1.72% NBFI: 21,294.12 ⇑ 0.74% INVS: 4,907.01 ⇑ 0.94% ENGG: 6,518.09 ⇓ 0.14% FOOD: 11,242.86 ⇑ 8.07% F&P: 10,124.29 ⇓ 0.73% TEXT: 3,818.51 ⇑ 0.87% PHAR: 18,283.76 ⇑ 0.01% PAPR: 1,240.32 ⇑ 1.33% SERV: 3,041.29 ⇓ 0.71% LEAT: 5,262.46 ⇑ 1.09% CERA: 547.98 ⇑ 0.01% CMNT: 4,360.64 ⇑ 0.45% INFO: 8,484.23 ⇑ 3.40% GINS: 9,311.71 ⇓ 0.15% LINS: 127,453.48 ⇑ 0.48% TELC: 1,339.26 ⇑ 0.05% MISC: 6,508.03 ⇓ 0.74% RAHIMTEXT | 4.65 | 56.68 | Vol. 750 D: 255.7 ⇓ 0.43% | 256.00 | 267.0 / 252.4 SAIHAMTEX | 2.75 | 29.50 | Vol. 861700 D: 30.80 ⇑ 0.33% | 31.11 | 31.70 / 29.90 C: 30.80 ⇑ 0.33% | 31.10 | 32.20 / 29.50 MODERNDYE | 0.91 | 10.37 | Vol. 800 D: 99.20 ⇑ 0.81% | 98.75 | 100.0 / 97.00 DSHGARME | 0.88 | 12.12 | Vol. 39100 D: 69.80 ⇑ 1.01% | 70.43 | 72.10 / 69.50 DULAMIACOT | -1.90 | -29.70 | Vol. 31100 D: 9.00 ⇓ 2.17% | 9.13 | 9.40 / 8.90 TALLUSPIN | 1.75 | 16.17 | Vol. 1231750 D: 37.20 ⇓ 1.59% | 37.61 | 38.20 / 36.00 C: 37.40 ⇓ 1.32% | 37.65 | 38.40 / 37.20 APEXSPINN | 2.01 | 49.32 | Vol. 22400 D: 76.00 ⇑ 3.83% | 76.16 | 78.50 / 72.30 MITHUNKNIT | 2.87 | 20.53 | Vol. 80500 D: 78.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 79.32 | 81.40 / 75.00 C: 78.40 ⇓ 0.76% | 79.14 | 80.10 / 78.10 DELTASPINN | 3.06 | 26.84 | Vol. 2700600 D: 44.30 ⇑ 9.38% | 43.46 | 44.50 / 40.30 C: 44.20 ⇑ 8.07% | 43.95 | 44.90 / 40.30 SONARGAON | 0.27 | 34.50 | Vol. 240298 D: 20.60 ⇑ 0.98% | 20.61 | 21.00 / 19.50 C: 20.50 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.67 | 20.90 / 20.20 PRIMETEX | 1.21 | 59.34 | Vol. 401000 D: 26.30 ⇓ 2.59% | 26.76 | 27.80 / 26.00 C: 26.60 ⇓ 0.37% | 27.07 | 27.70 / 26.50 ALLTEX | -1.26 | 8.10 | Vol. 76000 D: 7.40 ⇓ 1.33% | 7.45 | 7.60 / 7.40 C: 7.50 ⇓ 1.32% | 7.50 | 7.50 / 7.50 ANLIMAYARN | 1.36 | 11.99 | Vol. 233500 D: 28.80 ⇑ 0.35% | 28.98 | 29.50 / 28.40 C: 29.30 ⇑ 1.74% | 29.35 | 29.90 / 28.20 HRTEX | 2.08 | 14.92 | Vol. 369000 D: 44.40 ⇓ 2.20% | 44.80 | 45.70 / 44.20 C: 45.50 ⇑ 0.44% | 45.69 | 45.90 / 45.00 CMCKAMAL | 1.37 | 19.31 | Vol. 1528641 D: 32.90 ⇓ 2.08% | 33.12 | 35.00 / 31.00 SAFKOSPINN | 0.95 | 21.78 | Vol. 1012201 D: 30.00 ⇑ 2.39% | 30.25 | 31.50 / 27.00 C: 30.10 ⇑ 2.38% | 30.40 | 31.00 / 29.20 SQUARETEXT | 4.32 | 31.82 | Vol. 78546 D: 91.60 ⇓ 0.33% | 91.81 | 92.50 / 85.00 C: 91.50 ⇓ 1.08% | 91.76 | 93.00 / 91.50 METROSPIN | 0.56 | 17.71 | Vol. 1008252 D: 22.20 ⇑ 1.83% | 22.17 | 22.50 / 20.00 C: 22.40 ⇑ 2.28% | 22.27 | 22.60 / 21.00 MAKSONSPIN | 0.16 | 20.55 | Vol. 3634115 D: 20.80 ⇓ 0.95% | 21.15 | 23.00 / 19.00 C: 20.90 ⇑ 0.00% | 21.19 | 21.50 / 20.00 DACCADYE | 0.93 | 25.85 | Vol. 487523 D: 26.10 ⇓ 0.76% | 26.12 | 26.40 / 24.50 C: 26.00 ⇓ 2.26% | 26.09 | 26.60 / 25.90 RNSPIN | 2.80 | 16.58 | Vol. 3067805 D: 36.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.87 | 37.40 / 33.00 C: 36.70 ⇑ 0.00% | 36.90 | 37.30 / 36.50 BXSYNTH | 0.93 | 25.42 | Vol. 463305 D: 17.60 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.76 | 18.50 / 16.80 C: 17.60 ⇓ 0.56% | 17.76 | 18.40 / 17.50 MALEKSPIN | 2.81 | 43.48 | Vol. 1256965 D: 28.20 ⇓ 0.70% | 28.44 | 29.00 / 26.00 C: 28.30 ⇓ 0.70% | 28.41 | 28.90 / 25.70 ZAHINTEX | 1.20 | 31.07 | Vol. 594135 D: 29.60 ⇓ 1.00% | 29.97 | 30.90 / 28.00 C: 29.70 ⇓ 1.33% | 30.06 | 30.60 / 29.10 SAIHAMCOT | 1.92 | 23.62 | Vol. 2098500 D: 26.90 ⇑ 1.89% | 27.09 | 27.90 / 26.00 C: 27.30 ⇑ 2.63% | 27.15 | 27.90 / 26.10 GENNEXT | 1.68 | 15.15 | Vol. 3849360 D: 34.20 ⇓ 1.44% | 34.61 | 35.20 / 32.00 C: 34.20 ⇓ 1.72% | 34.66 | 35.20 / 33.90 ENVOYTEX | 3.10 | 37.86 | Vol. 3103340 D: 61.00 ⇑ 0.16% | 62.10 | 63.60 / 55.00 C: 61.10 ⇓ 0.33% | 62.22 | 63.70 / 60.50 ARGONDENIM | 1.89 | 38.86 | Vol. 1058280 D: 88.60 ⇑ 1.26% | 87.42 | 89.30 / 79.00 C: 88.10 ⇑ 1.97% | 86.73 | 89.00 / 85.10 FAMILYTEX | 3.72 | 14.68 | Vol. 419500 D: 68.60 ⇑ 1.03% | 69.17 | 70.90 / 67.90 C: 69.90 ⇑ 2.79% | 69.50 | 70.10 / 68.00 PTL | 1.89 | 17.91 | Vol. 3198000 D: 66.10 ⇓ 2.07% | 65.35 | 66.20 / 62.70 C: 66.30 ⇓ 1.78% | 65.66 | 66.30 / 63.00 PHARMACEUTICAL & CHEMICAL AMBEEPHA | 3.94 | 26.15 | Vol. 6000 D: 271.5 ⇑ 0.37% | 273.56 | 276.8 / 270.0 C: 273.0 ⇑ 0.63% | 273.00 | 273.0 / 273.0

BXPHARMA | 3.77 | 52.55 | Vol. 213131 D: 47.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 47.26 | 48.80 / 45.00 C: 47.10 ⇑ 0.64% | 46.88 | 47.10 / 46.50 GLAXOSMITH | 20.25 | 123.32 | Vol. 100 D: 966.0 ⇓ 1.63% | 966.00 | 966.0 / 966.0 ACI | -5.82 | 126.42 | Vol. 19150 D: 171.6 ⇓ 0.52% | 171.41 | 173.0 / 171.0 C: 171.2 ⇓ 1.44% | 171.20 | 171.2 / 171.2 RENATA | 33.57 | 138.83 | Vol. 7200 D: 726.2 ⇓ 0.53% | 731.39 | 746.8 / 725.0 RECKITTBEN | 27.16 | 78.89 | Vol. 50 D: 899.8 ⇑ 0.07% | 899.80 | 899.8 / 899.8 PHARMAID | 1.39 | 26.19 | Vol. 48850 D: 172.2 ⇑ 2.44% | 170.81 | 174.9 / 169.0 KOHINOOR | 11.46 | 15.99 | Vol. 1630 D: 322.7 ⇓ 3.82% | 322.06 | 325.0 / 315.0 IBNSINA | 3.44 | 34.02 | Vol. 46420 D: 102.0 ⇓ 0.20% | 101.72 | 104.0 / 101.0 C: 101.0 ⇓ 1.75% | 101.21 | 105.7 / 100.2 LIBRAINFU | 4.21 | 1567.59 | Vol. 200 D: 400.0 ⇑ 1.78% | 400.00 | 400.0 / 400.0 ORIONINFU | 1.27 | 7.00 | Vol. 240000 D: 42.90 ⇓ 0.69% | 43.05 | 43.90 / 42.60 C: 43.10 ⇑ 0.94% | 43.04 | 43.70 / 42.30 SQURPHARMA | 6.93 | 37.18 | Vol. 170758 D: 192.7 ⇓ 0.10% | 192.75 | 194.9 / 180.0 C: 192.7 ⇑ 0.00% | 192.79 | 194.0 / 185.0 IMAMBUTTON | -1.51 | 4.16 | Vol. 16000 D: 8.50 ⇓ 5.56% | 8.53 | 9.00 / 8.40 C: 8.80 ⇓ 4.35% | 8.75 | 9.00 / 8.50 KEYACOSMET | 1.55 | 21.54 | Vol. 1739417 D: 28.20 ⇓ 1.74% | 28.39 | 30.00 / 26.00 C: 28.20 ⇓ 2.08% | 28.43 | 29.00 / 26.00 BERGERPBL | 32.46 | 100.20 | Vol. 5400 D: 855.6 ⇓ 1.09% | 852.96 | 880.0 / 850.0 ACIFORMULA | 3.33 | 38.08 | Vol. 18725 D: 78.80 ⇑ 0.13% | 78.78 | 79.50 / 74.00 C: 78.50 ⇑ 0.64% | 78.68 | 79.90 / 77.20 MARICO | 27.53 | 62.47 | Vol. 2850 D: 745.9 ⇓ 0.96% | 745.26 | 750.0 / 743.1 BEACONPHAR | 0.04 | 12.01 | Vol. 228025 D: 13.30 ⇑ 0.00% | 13.29 | 13.50 / 12.00 C: 13.50 ⇑ 2.27% | 13.48 | 13.70 / 13.30 ACTIVEFINE | 3.23 | 13.89 | Vol. 283073 D: 85.90 ⇓ 0.81% | 86.18 | 86.90 / 80.00 C: 86.00 ⇓ 0.12% | 86.17 | 86.50 / 86.00 SALVOCHEM | 0.68 | 10.57 | Vol. 2258264 D: 26.70 ⇑ 4.71% | 26.88 | 27.80 / 23.00 C: 26.90 ⇑ 4.67% | 26.93 | 27.50 / 23.50 GHCL | 2.14 | 57.31 | Vol. 516750 D: 60.80 ⇓ 1.62% | 61.52 | 63.00 / 60.40 C: 61.00 ⇓ 1.61% | 61.50 | 64.20 / 60.70 ORIONPHARM | 5.02 | 68.68 | Vol. 1723000 D: 61.20 ⇓ 0.49% | 63.14 | 65.00 / 56.00 C: 61.50 ⇓ 0.16% | 61.84 | 62.70 / 61.10 JMISMDL | 1.12 | 12.83 | Vol. 253500 D: 222.1 ⇑ 8.66% | 216.79 | 222.2 / 206.0 C: 222.2 ⇑ 8.71% | 218.13 | 222.2 / 205.1 CENTRALPHL | 1.62 | 12.24 | Vol. 1839925 D: 48.70 ⇓ 0.20% | 49.63 | 52.40 / 44.00 C: 48.70 ⇓ 0.41% | 49.50 | 50.80 / 48.10 PAPER & PACKAGING HAKKANIPUL | 0.51 | 31.01 | Vol. 56500 D: 39.70 ⇓ 0.25% | 40.93 | 42.70 / 38.90 C: 39.00 ⇓ 1.27% | 41.11 | 41.90 / 39.00 SERVICE SAMORITA | 2.49 | 57.42 | Vol. 37000 D: 93.50 ⇓ 1.06% | 94.13 | 95.90 / 93.00 C: 95.00 ⇓ 0.31% | 95.39 | 96.50 / 94.30

SAPORTL | 1.23 | 38.39 | Vol. 543796 D: 30.70 ⇑ 0.66% | 30.55 | 31.10 / 29.00 C: 30.70 ⇑ 0.66% | 30.81 | 31.00 / 30.40 EHL | 2.81 | 18.44 | Vol. 517348 D: 51.90 ⇓ 1.33% | 52.35 | 53.00 / 51.70 C: 52.00 ⇓ 1.14% | 52.59 | 53.40 / 51.00 LEATHER APEXTANRY | 6.57 | 69.38 | Vol. 48500 D: 126.6 ⇑ 0.08% | 127.29 | 129.3 / 125.6 C: 126.7 ⇑ 0.16% | 126.88 | 127.0 / 126.6 BATASHOE | 49.12 | 135.53 | Vol. 3600 D: 702.2 ⇑ 1.53% | 703.14 | 720.0 / 698.1 C: 690.5 ⇑ 1.38% | 690.50 | 690.5 / 690.5 APEXADELFT | 23.01 | 203.26 | Vol. 27000 D: 388.4 ⇓ 0.87% | 388.56 | 400.0 / 384.0 SAMATALETH | 0.22 | 12.93 | Vol. 32500 D: 26.20 ⇑ 6.07% | 26.00 | 26.80 / 25.00 C: 23.10 ⇑ 10.00% | 23.10 | 23.10 / 23.10 LEGACYFOOT | 0.63 | 17.19 | Vol. 503882 D: 46.30 ⇑ 9.46% | 45.84 | 46.50 / 40.00 C: 46.50 ⇑ 9.15% | 45.87 | 46.80 / 43.00 CERAMIC MONNOCERA | 0.35 | 95.30 | Vol. 64300 D: 35.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 35.33 | 35.90 / 34.00 C: 35.30 ⇓ 0.56% | 35.46 | 36.00 / 35.30 STANCERAM | 1.12 | 15.49 | Vol. 4500 D: 41.70 ⇓ 1.88% | 41.78 | 42.10 / 41.00 FUWANGCER | 0.65 | 12.70 | Vol. 1590469 D: 22.10 ⇓ 1.34% | 22.31 | 22.70 / 20.50 C: 22.30 ⇓ 0.45% | 22.31 | 22.60 / 21.80 SPCERAMICS | 0.62 | 30.92 | Vol. 651470 D: 19.70 ⇓ 0.51% | 19.98 | 21.00 / 17.90 C: 19.80 ⇓ 0.50% | 20.02 | 20.40 / 19.70 RAKCERAMIC | 1.98 | 16.76 | Vol. 79663 D: 52.40 ⇓ 0.38% | 52.59 | 53.20 / 48.00 C: 52.70 ⇑ 0.38% | 53.03 | 53.90 / 52.50 CEMENT HEIDELBCEM | 22.85 | 111.50 | Vol. 25600 D: 379.3 ⇑ 0.03% | 380.71 | 384.2 / 378.0 C: 382.0 ⇑ 0.98% | 382.00 | 382.0 / 382.0 CONFIDCEM | 6.23 | 90.76 | Vol. 379353 D: 129.4 ⇑ 1.57% | 128.97 | 130.8 / 119.0 C: 129.1 ⇑ 0.86% | 129.88 | 132.0 / 126.1 MEGHNACEM | 6.28 | 33.81 | Vol. 371800 D: 146.4 ⇑ 5.10% | 142.60 | 149.9 / 138.7 C: 147.5 ⇑ 5.13% | 145.28 | 152.0 / 138.0 ARAMITCEM | 3.03 | 14.65 | Vol. 196241 D: 85.40 ⇑ 1.67% | 84.65 | 86.80 / 80.00 C: 84.60 ⇓ 0.59% | 84.55 | 89.80 / 82.10 LAFSURCEML | 1.60 | 7.22 | Vol. 714000 D: 32.20 ⇓ 0.31% | 32.20 | 32.50 / 31.90 C: 32.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 32.11 | 33.00 / 31.90 MICEMENT | 4.48 | 37.67 | Vol. 120376 D: 83.00 ⇓ 0.12% | 83.18 | 84.20 / 78.00 C: 82.80 ⇓ 0.24% | 83.11 | 85.00 / 82.30 PREMIERCEM | 5.00 | 32.60 | Vol. 246800 D: 108.5 ⇓ 1.81% | 109.37 | 112.0 / 107.6 C: 108.2 ⇓ 2.17% | 109.38 | 111.9 / 106.7 IT IINDUSTRIES ISNLTD | 0.28 | 17.31 | Vol. 214500 D: 20.90 ⇑ 1.46% | 20.84 | 22.40 / 20.50 C: 21.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 20.87 | 21.10 / 20.40 BDCOM | 1.40 | 14.41 | Vol. 1031664 D: 30.10 ⇑ 7.12% | 29.83 | 30.40 / 26.00 C: 30.40 ⇑ 8.57% | 30.14 | 30.80 / 28.00 INTECH | 0.94 | 10.08 | Vol. 294131 D: 17.20 ⇑ 0.00% | 17.25 | 17.90 / 16.00 C: 17.40 ⇑ 0.58% | 17.32 | 17.70 / 17.00

AGNISYSL | 0.96 | 14.90 | Vol. 796213 D: 24.80 ⇑ 6.90% | 24.09 | 25.30 / 21.50 C: 25.00 ⇑ 6.38% | 24.29 | 25.30 / 23.00 DAFODILCOM | 0.85 | 10.99 | Vol. 507000 D: 15.50 ⇑ 0.65% | 15.52 | 15.70 / 15.30 C: 15.60 ⇑ 0.65% | 15.50 | 15.70 / 15.10 AAMRATECH | 1.33 | 19.91 | Vol. 1543500 D: 38.60 ⇑ 0.78% | 38.71 | 39.50 / 38.00 C: 38.30 ⇓ 0.26% | 38.63 | 39.60 / 38.00 GENERAL INSURANCE BGIC | 1.65 | 20.33 | Vol. 57623 D: 29.90 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.05 | 30.40 / 29.00 C: 29.90 ⇓ 1.64% | 29.89 | 30.00 / 29.80 GREENDELT | 4.05 | 64.44 | Vol. 39700 D: 87.70 ⇑ 0.57% | 87.71 | 88.60 / 86.70 C: 86.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 87.50 | 88.00 / 86.00 UNITEDINS | 2.47 | 21.04 | Vol. 80100 D: 45.00 ⇑ 1.58% | 44.96 | 45.80 / 43.60 PEOPLESINS | 2.05 | 20.72 | Vol. 43471 D: 34.60 ⇓ 1.98% | 34.89 | 36.00 / 34.10 C: 36.80 ⇑ 2.79% | 36.75 | 37.00 / 34.00 EASTERNINS | 2.22 | 35.88 | Vol. 16062 D: 37.80 ⇓ 0.79% | 38.08 | 38.70 / 35.50 C: 38.10 ⇑ 1.33% | 38.10 | 38.10 / 38.10 JANATAINS | 0.78 | 17.07 | Vol. 54860 D: 27.70 ⇓ 2.12% | 28.00 | 29.00 / 26.30 C: 27.90 ⇓ 1.41% | 28.11 | 28.20 / 27.90 PHENIXINS | 2.70 | 20.96 | Vol. 47576 D: 42.50 ⇓ 1.39% | 42.87 | 43.50 / 40.00 C: 43.30 ⇑ 2.12% | 43.65 | 43.80 / 43.30 EASTLAND | 4.06 | 23.29 | Vol. 102080 D: 47.90 ⇓ 1.24% | 48.48 | 49.30 / 46.90 CENTRALINS | 1.54 | 19.04 | Vol. 30246 D: 30.00 ⇓ 2.28% | 30.09 | 31.50 / 29.80 C: 31.50 ⇑ 7.88% | 31.50 | 31.50 / 31.50 KARNAPHULI | 1.56 | 19.42 | Vol. 143220 D: 25.30 ⇓ 0.78% | 25.78 | 26.60 / 24.80 RUPALIINS | 2.76 | 23.38 | Vol. 281270 D: 34.80 ⇑ 0.29% | 34.86 | 35.30 / 33.00 C: 34.70 ⇑ 0.29% | 35.11 | 35.50 / 34.60 FEDERALINS | 1.10 | 10.98 | Vol. 262096 D: 25.60 ⇓ 0.39% | 25.94 | 26.30 / 24.00 C: 25.90 ⇑ 0.78% | 26.05 | 26.50 / 25.70 RELIANCINS | 3.93 | 61.52 | Vol. 1632 D: 74.40 ⇑ 0.00% | 74.13 | 74.40 / 71.00 PURABIGEN | 1.05 | 18.71 | Vol. 1579344 D: 29.30 ⇑ 9.33% | 29.11 | 29.40 / 25.00 PRAGATIINS | 2.01 | 50.30 | Vol. 18543 D: 57.20 ⇓ 2.05% | 57.92 | 59.00 / 54.00 PRIMEINSUR | 2.14 | 14.14 | Vol. 99280 D: 32.40 ⇑ 0.31% | 32.73 | 33.70 / 30.00 C: 32.80 ⇑ 1.55% | 32.66 | 32.80 / 31.50 PIONEERINS | 3.11 | 23.84 | Vol. 62685 D: 66.50 ⇓ 0.75% | 66.95 | 68.50 / 64.00 MERCINS | 1.53 | 14.50 | Vol. 88995 D: 27.60 ⇓ 0.36% | 27.67 | 28.00 / 25.50 C: 27.00 ⇓ 4.26% | 27.04 | 27.10 / 27.00 AGRANINS | 1.73 | 14.39 | Vol. 78567 D: 28.00 ⇓ 1.06% | 28.12 | 28.50 / 25.50 GLOBALINS | 1.09 | 11.78 | Vol. 36212 D: 29.20 ⇓ 1.35% | 29.49 | 31.00 / 27.00 NITOLINS | 2.59 | 15.41 | Vol. 7780 D: 35.00 ⇑ 0.00% | 35.12 | 36.10 / 33.00 C: 33.60 ⇓ 1.47% | 33.63 | 33.80 / 33.50 ASIAPACINS | 1.84 | 13.76 | Vol. 24000 D: 30.00 ⇓ 1.96% | 30.22 | 30.90 / 29.80 C: 30.00 ⇓ 2.28% | 30.00 | 30.00 / 30.00 SONARBAINS | 1.68 | 13.38 | Vol. 113700 D: 25.80 ⇓ 1.53% | 26.07 | 26.70 / 25.70 C: 26.50 ⇑ 1.15% | 26.50 | 26.50 / 26.50 PARAMOUNT | 1.26 | 13.19 | Vol. 99500 D: 25.70 ⇓ 0.39% | 25.90 | 26.40 / 25.50 C: 25.40 ⇓ 3.42% | 25.40 | 25.50 / 25.10 CITYGENINS | 1.65 | 14.26 | Vol. 127481 D: 28.20 ⇓ 1.05% | 28.59 | 29.10 / 27.00 C: 28.50 ⇓ 1.38% | 28.03 | 29.00 / 27.10 CONTININS | 1.41 | 15.68 | Vol. 120810 D: 30.60 ⇓ 0.33% | 30.92 | 31.50 / 28.00 C: 31.10 ⇑ 0.32% | 30.93 | 31.20 / 30.90 TAKAFULINS | 2.19 | 15.17 | Vol. 177047 D: 40.90 ⇓ 1.92% | 41.43 | 41.90 / 38.00 C: 40.90 ⇓ 2.85% | 41.24 | 42.00 / 40.80 STANDARINS | 2.58 | 13.99 | Vol. 5659 D: 40.30 ⇓ 0.49% | 40.12 | 40.50 / 37.00 C: 39.00 ⇓ 2.01% | 39.00 | 39.00 / 39.00 NORTHRNINS | 1.77 | 11.15 | Vol. 147894 D: 41.80 ⇑ 0.24% | 41.97 | 42.50 / 40.00 C: 42.30 ⇓ 2.31% | 42.69 | 47.60 / 42.00

REPUBLIC | 2.14 | 12.42 | Vol. 177103 D: 44.60 ⇓ 2.83% | 45.22 | 46.20 / 44.20 C: 45.00 ⇓ 2.39% | 45.67 | 46.00 / 45.00 ASIAINS | 1.56 | 17.34 | Vol. 99018 D: 28.20 ⇑ 1.08% | 28.18 | 28.50 / 26.00 C: 28.20 ⇓ 1.74% | 28.29 | 28.80 / 28.00 ISLAMIINS | 1.29 | 11.96 | Vol. 922502 D: 36.60 ⇑ 4.87% | 35.43 | 38.20 / 33.50 C: 36.40 ⇑ 8.98% | 36.38 | 36.40 / 36.30 PROVATIINS | 1.90 | 14.30 | Vol. 67898 D: 28.90 ⇓ 1.03% | 29.09 | 31.00 / 28.00 C: 28.90 ⇓ 1.37% | 28.85 | 28.90 / 28.60 DHAKAINS | 2.84 | 18.02 | Vol. 67500 D: 41.80 ⇓ 1.18% | 42.08 | 42.70 / 39.00 C: 42.60 ⇑ 0.24% | 42.97 | 43.40 / 42.30 LIFE INSURANCE NATLIFEINS | 12.34 | 80.99 | Vol. 70735 D: 302.6 ⇑ 0.80% | 302.51 | 305.5 / 280.0 DELTALIFE | 38.53 | 189.40 | Vol. 636000 D: 285.4 ⇑ 1.39% | 286.28 | 289.8 / 282.7 C: 284.4 ⇑ 0.99% | 285.94 | 290.0 / 282.5 SANDHANINS | 2.39 | 28.22 | Vol. 97648 D: 75.50 ⇑ 2.44% | 75.80 | 76.70 / 68.00 C: 75.00 ⇑ 3.31% | 75.87 | 76.50 / 75.00 POPULARLIF | 3.70 | 715.41 | Vol. 3500 D: 227.7 ⇑ 3.50% | 227.71 | 230.0 / 222.2 FAREASTLIF | 9.21 | 60.79 | Vol. 63889 D: 100.3 ⇓ 0.10% | 100.99 | 103.0 / 95.00 C: 102.0 ⇑ 0.39% | 101.98 | 99.00 / 102.9 MEGHNALIFE | 10.82 | 48.87 | Vol. 235600 D: 122.1 ⇑ 2.35% | 122.13 | 124.5 / 118.0 C: 120.9 ⇑ 0.33% | 121.61 | 123.0 / 118.2 PROGRESLIF | 2.30 | 31.45 | Vol. 47486 D: 117.0 ⇓ 1.93% | 118.06 | 127.7 / 112.0 PRAGATILIF | 0.60 | 30.15 | Vol. 7000 D: 161.3 ⇓ 1.65% | 161.43 | 167.5 / 158.0 PRIMELIFE | 5.51 | 27.10 | Vol. 4998 D: 102.2 ⇑ 0.99% | 102.29 | 102.9 / 95.00 C: 100.0 ⇓ 0.89% | 100.00 | 100.0 / 100.0 RUPALILIFE | 3.75 | 31.25 | Vol. 323763 D: 128.5 ⇓ 3.09% | 131.35 | 138.0 / 124.0 C: 141.5 ⇑ 4.81% | 140.42 | 145.0 / 132.0 PADMALIFE | 1.63 | 25.76 | Vol. 276720 D: 67.10 ⇓ 1.61% | 68.59 | 70.40 / 64.00 C: 67.10 ⇓ 2.89% | 68.64 | 70.00 / 66.40 SUNLIFEINS | 0.00 | 0.00 | Vol. 154925 D: 60.70 ⇓ 2.10% | 61.91 | 65.00 / 58.00 C: 61.70 ⇓ 1.59% | 62.18 | 64.00 / 61.50 TELECOM GP | 12.96 | 26.26 | Vol. 215200 D: 202.0 ⇓ 0.05% | 202.15 | 204.7 / 201.6 C: 202.5 ⇑ 0.15% | 202.36 | 203.8 / 201.3 BSCCL | 5.82 | 26.38 | Vol. 219278 D: 169.5 ⇓ 0.29% | 169.68 | 175.0 / 155.0 C: 169.5 ⇓ 0.29% | 170.44 | 172.0 / 169.1 TRAVEL & LEISURE UNITEDAIR | 1.10 | 12.87 | Vol. 3550845 D: 16.90 ⇓ 1.74% | 17.04 | 18.00 / 16.00 C: 17.00 ⇓ 0.58% | 17.03 | 17.30 / 16.90 UNIQUEHRL | 4.02 | 86.29 | Vol. 312265 D: 81.90 ⇓ 1.09% | 82.32 | 82.90 / 75.00 C: 81.60 ⇓ 1.21% | 81.90 | 82.70 / 81.00 MISCELLANEOUS ARAMIT | 16.07 | 99.93 | Vol. 1550 D: 323.6 ⇓ 1.46% | 323.45 | 330.0 / 319.9 C: 311.0 ⇓ 7.36% | 311.00 | 311.0 / 311.0 BSC | 1.77 | 565.82 | Vol. 55710 D: 434.3 ⇓ 0.29% | 436.32 | 443.0 / 433.3 C: 433.3 ⇓ 0.73% | 435.14 | 441.0 / 432.3 GQBALLPEN | 6.55 | 250.45 | Vol. 40162 D: 147.3 ⇑ 0.61% | 147.34 | 148.7 / 146.0 C: 147.0 ⇑ 0.55% | 147.05 | 149.0 / 146.0 USMANIAGL | 3.45 | 27.20 | Vol. 186650 D: 146.7 ⇑ 1.24% | 149.40 | 154.0 / 132.0 C: 146.1 ⇑ 2.38% | 151.02 | 155.0 / 145.0 SAVAREFR | 0.14 | 10.57 | Vol. 1650 D: 64.40 ⇑ 3.70% | 64.24 | 68.00 / 63.00 BEXIMCO | 3.24 | 86.74 | Vol. 1230494 D: 34.20 ⇓ 1.44% | 34.58 | 36.00 / 31.50 C: 34.20 ⇓ 2.01% | 34.57 | 35.40 / 34.10 SINOBANGLA | 1.75 | 21.01 | Vol. 346000 D: 25.10 ⇑ 3.29% | 24.89 | 25.30 / 24.40 C: 25.00 ⇑ 3.73% | 25.01 | 25.20 / 24.80

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2013

Japan, Southeast Asia agree to boost economic ties n AFP, Tokyo Japan and Southeast Asian countries yesterday pledged to boost economic and security ties, a day after they agreed on the importance of ensuring freedom of the skies after China declared a controversial air defence zone.

The leaders were discussing increasing exchanges of top diplomats and defence officials and closer coastguard cooperation, finalising a three-day special summit between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), officials said.

Tokyo Saturday pledged $20bn in aid and loans to Southeast Asia at the summit with leaders of the ASEAN regional bloc, the latest step in its bid to woo global public opinion in its territorial dispute with China In bilateral talks Sunday, Japan and Myanmar also agreed on an investment accord to accelerate Japanese investment in the former junta-ruled country, while Tokyo and Laos agreed to kick-start talks on a civil aviation agreement, officials said.

The talks came a day after Japan and ASEAN agreed on the importance of the “freedom of overflight and civil aviation safety”, seen as a mild regional rebuke to China for its unilateral declaration last month of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

China denounced as “slanderous” remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the summit calling for Beijing to rescind its air zone, which was widely criticised as increasing regional tensions.

Beijing has said all aircraft entering the zone have to submit flight plans and obey orders issued by Chinese authorities.

Some analysts fear the ADIZ in the East China Sea is a forerunner to a similar zone in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

China has sovereignty disputes with four members of ASEAN - the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei - and has been repeatedly accused of intimidation and coercion.

“We will continue to provide support, both at the public and private level, for infrastructure building initiatives and work toward Myanmar’s development,” Abe said after meeting with Myanmar’s President Thein Sein.

In addition to Tokyo’s development aid in

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (2nd right) and his wife Akie (right) wave with ASEAN countries' leaders including Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (left) and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah during a gala dinner of the ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit meeting hosted by Abe, in Tokyo yesterday REUTERS loans, the investment accord signed Sunday would likely boost Japanese investment in the quickly developing former pariah state, a trade ministry spokesman said.

The deal would give Japanese companies so-called national treatment, or rights that local businesses receive in Myanmar when making investment decisions, helping Japanese firms avoid political risks in investing there.

The move comes as Myanmar prepares for an economic resurgence following the end of decades of military rule, which in turn is attracting attention from firms all over Asia and the West.

Meanwhile, Abe and Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong agreed to start negotiations for a civil aviation agreement

that would pave the way for direct flights between Laos and Japan, officials said.

They also agreed to continue their talks to launch a bilateral security dialogue framework involving foreign and defence officials, according to Japanese officials.

With Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Abe discussed strengthening cooperation between the coastguards of the two countries which both face territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea or in the East China Sea. In bilateral talks with Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, Abe took up the issue of China’s air defence zone, Jiji Press reported, without citing sources.

Dung said the issue should be resolved

based on international law while Thongsing said it was important to settle it by peaceful means, Jiji said.

With Cambodia, whose economy is heavily reliant on China, Japan is also expected to discuss an aviation treaty and further exchanges of defence officials, officials have said.

The Japan-ASEAN summit commemorating 40 years of ties with the bloc comes at a time Tokyo is keen to garner support in its fractious spat with Beijing over the sovereignty of a small chain of islands in the East China Sea. The case has taken on a greater urgency since China’s declaration of the air zone which covers the contested archipelago. l

Indian gold jewellery exports fall again in Nov; no recovery in sight n Reuters India’s exports of gold jewellery fell by almost a third year-on-year in November as restrictions continued to hit shipments, and industry officials said recovery was unlikely any time soon.

India’s government has slapped a record 10% import duty on gold, its second-biggest import after oil, as it seeks to curb a swollen current account, and has said 20% of all imports must be turned around and exported as jewellery.

Exports of gold jewellery fell to $476.1m in November from $693.62m in the same

period last year. Gold jewellery exports in the eight months from April fell 52.7% to $4.46bn, according to the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).

“There is still a constraint of raw material ... we are facing difficulty in getting the third lot and customs is taking time to clear the goods,” Pankaj Kumar Parekh, vice-chairman of GJEPC told Reuters.

In order to prove export quantities, importing banks and trading agencies are required to submit details of the export performance of their previous two import shipments while bringing in the third lot. That has meant irregular supplies for what used to be the world’s

biggest buyer of bullion.

Overseas demand has improved a little bit due to lower prices, but getting the raw material is still a constraint, said Parekh. Gold prices have fallen 6.5% since November 1 to $1,236 an ounce.

“Jewellery exports are down as there is no gold coming in ... we don’t see a recovery soon until restrictions are relaxed,” said Mehul Choksi, chairman of Gitanjali Gems, who expects a 40% fall in total gold jewellery exports for the year.

Total gold imports fell to 23.5 tonnes in October, less than half last year’s average monthly consumption of 60 tonnes, which had

pushed premiums to a record high last week.

Falling exports will have a knock-on effect on future imports because of the ties between the two and that will hurt domestic jewellers who should be seeing surging demand as the wedding season gets into full swing.

Imports are expected to be half of usual levels at 500-550 tonnes next year, All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) said on December 6.

Meanwhile, exports of silver jewellery rose 58.36% to $116.14m in November, but total gems and jewellery exports fell 8.7% year-on-year to $22.98bn for the period from April till November. l