December 27, 2013

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Weekend Tribune Bangladesh in 2013: Looking back

Poush 13, 1420 Safar 23, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 273

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Money talks for Jamaat-Shibir in Patgram

Hasina: Do not vote for Padma scam accused n Tribune Report

Youths charge Tk350-500 and three meals for a day’s activism Jamil Khan, n Mohammad from Patgram “They stood beside us when we lost everything. They provided me with money and food to survive with my family. If you try to do anything wrong to me, I will give you a hard time.”

This was the fuming voice of a woman when this reporter asked her about the recent Jamaat-Shibir violence during a visit to Mastarpara area of Patgram in Lalmonirhat.

Not only this woman, but also a number of families are controlled by the Jamaat-Shibir men as they provide all financial support to those families in exchange for support on the streets during the agitations.

In Patgram, four people were killed on December 15 in a clash between police and the activists of Jamaat-Shibir.

They also attacked the local Hindus in October and on November 27, and looted their valuables.

When asked about this a 50-yearold rickshaw puller Aziz said they did not do any illogical things. “We only staged demonstration during hartal

programmes and vandalised a couple of shops as the police attacked us illegally.”

The Jamaat-Shibir activists stood beside the poor families, who have no property at all, by giving all possible supports including cash, food and education.

It was learnt from locals that during the Jamaat-Shibir attacks in the area on December 15, a number of local people joined hands with them and locked in clashes with the law enforcers. For attending the demonstrations, the Jamaat-Shibir men paid the youths Tk300-500 and three meals with beef for the day.

Abdul Majid, owner of Azad Traders in the area, told the Dhaka Tribune that the Jamaat-Shibir men generally spent higher than any other party for any kind of political programmes.

The Dhaka Tribune came to know that Sohel Rana, 30, secretary general of Patgram union unit Jamaat, controls activities of the party in that area. He also supervises the financial dealings with the locals.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Police personnel were undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital after they were severely injured when BNP-Jamaat men hurled several handmade bombs at a police van in Rajshahi city yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Blast kills police constable in Rajshahi n Tribune Report A police constable was killed and eight of his fellows sustained severe injuries when BNP-Jamaat men hurled a handmade bomb at a police van in Rajshahi city yesterday morning, soon after the lawmen detained 20 activists of the alliance.

Constable Siddhartha Roy, 25, died at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka around 9:20pm hours after he was flown there by an air ambulance.

The victim hailed form Kawnia upazila of Rangpur district. His wife Dipti Sarker is also a police constable attached with Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.

The handmade bomb hit Siddhartha in the lung leaving him critically injured, said Shahin Ahmed, assistant commissioner of Boalia zone under Rajshahi Metropolitan Police last night.

Of the injured policemen, Ananda and Shahriar had been undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while Raihan, Sohel, Rafi, Majid, Towhid and Asad also admitted to the hospital.

The team of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police came under attack of BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami when a convoy of police was patrolling in front of Loknath High School in Sonadighi area of the city around 12:30pm, said Ziaur

Rahman Zia, officer-in-charge of Boalia police station.

The opposition men made the attack to avenge the detention of 20 activists of BNP, Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, he claimed.

Ziaur said before the incident of blast a Rajshahi Jamaat leader from a rally organised by the BNP-led 18-party combine at Bhuban Mohan Park issued a threat to police.

Jamaat city unit’s Assistant Secretary Mainul said in his speech said they would resist police action at any cost if they were barred from joining the Dhaka March on December 29.

The march aims at resisting the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged people not to vote for the candidates whose name came up in Padma Bridge scam and for whom the dignity of the country was undermined.

The AL president made the statement yesterday during her election campaign speech in support of the party’s candidate from Faridpur 4 Qazi Zaharullah, reports BSS. She also said: “Ahead of the election some people are introducing them as my kith and keen. But, I firmly say, except my sister Rehana and our children, I have no relations.”  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

BNP carefully careful

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Grassroots activists of the BNP have started to pour into the capital from all over the country to join the rally scheduled to be held on Sunday ahead of January 5 parliamentary elections.

In apprehension of encountering government-made obstacles on their way to the capital, they started to head for Dhaka on Wednesday much earlier than expected.

BNP Chairperson Khaled Zia in a clarion call from her address to the nation on December 24 asked her party leaders and activists to converge on the venue of the rally from across the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

2 Mahbub Uddin Khokan arrested n Kailash Sarkar The detectives arrested BNP lawmaker and General Secretary of Supreme Bar Association barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan at Segunbagicha in the capital yesterday afternoon.

Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman at the DMP Media Centre said a team of DB personnel had arrested Khokan around 4:15pm. Later he was taken to the DB headquarters in the capital’s Minto Road.

He, however, declined to disclose the reason behind the detention.

Khokan was arrested hours after he had sought bail for senior BNP leaders including Moudud Ahmed at the High Court.

He is the second BNP lawmaker to be held after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had announced “March for Democracy” to resist the January 5 polls.

On Wednesday, police arrested BNP female lawmaker Shammi Akter and former MP Sarwar Sakhawat Bakul. l

Peacekeepers ready for South Sudan

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 27, 2013

Dhaka court allows jail gate interrogation of Shammi, Bakul Hearing on five BNP leaders on January 6 n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday passed orders to interrogate BNP lawmaker Shammi Akhter and former BNP lawmaker Sarder Shakhawat Hossain Bakul at jail gate, in two separate cases filed with Banani and Bhatara police stations in the capital.

Dhaka’s Metropolitan Magistrate Md Maruf Hossain rejected their bail pleas and asked the investigation officers of the cases to interrogate the two BNP leaders at the jail gate within five and eight working days respectively.

The court also directed the jail authorities to make arrangement for necessary medical treatment of the leaders.

Bakul was shown arrested in a case

filed in connection with torching a vehicle in Baridhara on October 26, while Shammi was shown arrested in a case filed for vandalising a vehicle in front of Titumir College on January 5.

Police detained Shammi and Shakawat on Wednesday evening while they were entering into BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

Meanwhile, a separate Dhaka court yesterday fixed January 6 for hearing the remand pleas of the Detective Branch against BNP standing committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah, and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Advisor Abdul Awal Mintoo and Special Assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas – in a case filed with Motijheel police station for killing Sub-Inspector

Md Shahjahan on May 5 in Motijheel area in the city.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Atiqur Rahman passed the order after hearing on the remand pleas of the DB. Police showed them arrested yesterday in the case filed for the alleged violence surrounding Hefajat’s May 5 rally.

Earlier on November 8, Moudud, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul were detained from in front of Hotel Sonargaon in the capital.

On November 14, a Dhaka court placed the five leaders on an eight-day police remand. Later on November 17, the High Court stayed the lower court’s remand order and directed the authorities to send the suspects to jail immediately.

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Hizbut-Tahrir, a banned Islamist outfit, puts up posters on a wall near Trust Filling Station in the capital asking people to join its rally scheduled to be held today MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

AL: Resist opposition’s Dhaka march n Tribune Report

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday urged all pro-liberation forces not to respond to the opposition’s March for Democracy programme on Sunday and to build up all-out resistance against them.

“National flags do not match in the hands of those who refrained from giving statement against the resolution taken by Pakistan parliament and remained silent when Jamaat’s Pakistan chapter calls for attacking Bangladesh,” he said in a statement.

Opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Tuesday declared the march towards Dhaka with national flags to resist the “lopsided polls” slated for January 5.

The announcement came an hour after the end of 18-party alliance’s 83-hour countrywide blockade.

Criticising Khaleda, Ashraf said: “We have achieved independence in this month with the sacrifice of 30 lakh

lives. And, in this month of victory, the collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces, killers, razakars, al-Badr and alShams have engaged in fresh conspiracies to humiliate the national flag.”

Also the LGRD minister, he said the anti-liberation forces wanted to dishonour the national flag and this is why, they had torn national flags and vandalised Shaheed Minars after the hanging of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla.

The ruling Awami League leaders and activists would stay alert on the Dhaka streets on Sunday to protest against the activities of the BNP and its allies.

The city unit has already declared a two-day flag procession beginning tomorrow when they will announce another programme. Bangladesh Chhatra League, students’ front of the Awami League, declared a three-day demonstration programme in the capital.

Meanwhile, several other senior leaders of the Awami League yesterday

also called for resisting Sunday’s programme.

“We will resist the March for Democracy and nothing will go unchallenged,” General Secretary of Dhaka city unit Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya told the Dhaka Tribune. The opposition alliance would not be allowed to carry out any sabotage in the capital.

Presidium member Mohammad Nasim said: “You [Khaleda Zia] have declared the programme to create chaos but you will not be allowed to do so.

On December 29, we will stay on the streets for the security of the people.

“We are the ruling party, and we alongside the law enforcement agencies have the duty to save people’s lives and property.”

He said Khaleda would be allowed to hold programmes after the January 5 polls, “not now.”

A former home minister, Nasim also urged the transport workers and drivers not to operate buses on Sunday

Blast kills police constable in Rajshahi  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

upcoming parliamentary election.

“If you [police] have courage, come in front us without your uniforms. We will show you what we can do,” he told the rally, reports our correspondent.

He also threatened suicide attack at every intersection of Rajshahi city if any of their activists was arrested.

Earlier when Siddhartha was rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, assistant registrar of the hospital told reporters that his chest was so badly burnt that the lung was visible from

outside.

Splinters pierced into the eyes of injured Towhid who had to under the knife in the afternoon, he said.

Police said after the bomb blasted they came to see some iron pieces, small stones and tin.

“The evidence indicated that the explosive was more than a cocktail possessing a high power of destruction,” the OC said.

Constable Alamgir told the newsmen that in two cars 24 policemen including Assistant Commissioner Saiful

Islam were heading towards Malopara when the party men were crossing the vehicles.

“Suddenly, the bomb fell inside the police vehicle. It exploded on the bullet-proof jacket of Siddhartha,” he said.

The OC said the opposition men vandalised an auto-rickshaw in front of Loknath School before they took out the procession.

Police arrested BNP-Jamaat activists from there.

Following the arrest, they made the attack all of a sudden and fled. l

Hasina: Do not vote for Padma scam accused  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

However, she did not point out any names.

Mojibur Rahman alias Nixon Chowdhury is contesting as an independent candidate from Faridpur 4 constituency in the upcoming polls against Awami League’s presidium Member Qazi Zaharullah. Nixon Chowdhury claims himself as a relative of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his name is also listed among the people involved with the Padma Bridge scam.

In her speech, she said the construction of the main bridge would only begin if her party came to power in the upcoming elections. She said her government had initiated the Padma Bridge project but its implementation was hampered as the World Bank withdrew its commitment of finance.

The deputy commissioners of Habiganj and Brahmanbaria have been withdrawn in line with the directives of the Election Commission.

The public administration ministry yesterday assigned Jainal Abedin, deputy secretary of the Cabinet Division, for Habiganj while Dr Mosharraf Hossain, deputy secretary of the public administration ministry, for Brahmanbaria.

The EC on Monday instructed the public administration ministry to transfer the DC’s following allegations raised by two Jatiya Party candidates.

The ministry yesterday issued separate orders in this regard, with retrospective effect from Tuesday. According to the ministry, the new DC’s have already gone to their new workplaces to join.

Outgoing DC of Habiganj Manindra Kishore Majumdar and Brahmanbaria’s Nur Mohammad are yet to get any new assignment after their withdrawal. l

2 DTH licences awarded

n Tribune Report Bangladesh Army and Air Force have taken all the preparation needed to send troops and military plane and helicopter to South Sudan. The deployment will begin anytime.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday phoned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and requested for one infantry battalion, hospital services, and military plane and helicopter for immediate deployment in South Sudan, said a press release of Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate issued yesterday.

One of the biggest contributors to the UN peacekeeping force, Bangladesh has earned reputation and appreciation from the international community for its professionalism and humanity. l

A separate court yesterday sent BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka and the party’s standing committee member Brigadier General (retd) ASM Hannan Shah to jail – after they were produced before the court on completion of their two days’ remand in a murder case filed with Motijheel police station.

Later, Khoka was also shown arrested in a case filed with Mohammadpur police station, while the police sought a 10-day remand to quiz him about the incident of the case.

However, the CMM court fixed January 8 for hearing on the remand plea.

Meanwhile, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Abdul Kader Jewel was placed on a four-day remand in two cases filed with Paltan police station. l

2 DCs transferred on EC’s directives n Mohosinul Karim

Regarding BNP’s participation in the 10th parliamentary polls, she said BNP had to wait for the 11th parliamentary elections as they missed the first one.

She said: “A dialogue can take place with the BNP about the 11th parliament election if the party gives up terrorism and anarchy and renounce its association with terrorist party Jamaat-e-Islam.”

The prime minister said: “BNP cannot participate in the electiond without Jamaat-e-Islami, a party dubbed as a terrorist organisation by the High Court, declaring it unfit to take part in the election.”

She claimed BNP was pursuing the path of destruction as their main ally, Jamaat, cannot participate in the elections. She also said BNP preferred resorting to terrorism to protect the war criminals rather than taking part in the

elections.

Regarding BNP’s march, she said: “Begum Zia has called the march-for-democracy on December 29 commemorating her party’s crushing defeat in the popular vote on this day five years back.” She also said BNP does not believe in democracy.

Urging Khaleda Zia to stop her ruinous politics with anti-liberation forces, the prime minister said one day the countrymen would put her on dock as an instigator of the heinous criminal activities.

“Khaled Zia is trying to foil the polls.

But she has no power to thwart it,” she added. She urged people to come to the polling centres and cast vote for ‘Boat’.

She said here was no doubt that the forthcoming election would be held in a free, fair and neutral manner. l

since a number of drivers and helpers had been killed in the recent blockades enforced by the opposition.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam said the BNP’s central leaders would have to take the responsibility if any sabotage takes place during the programme.

Environment and Forest Minister Hasan Mahmud said: “The BNP will create anarchy and we will see sitting idle – it can never happen.”

At a programme in the capital, he also called on the party activists to identify “outsiders” in the capital and hand them over to the law enforcement agencies.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader said it was not the right time to hold programmes like “March for Democracy” ahead of the general election.

“Violence cannot be a political programme. Who will ensure that violence will not take place?” l

The government has recently awarded two DTH (Direct to Home) licences, one of which was given to Beximco Communications, owned by one of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina advisors, Salamn F Rahaman.

Direct to home technology, originally referred to as Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) technology, refers to the digital satellite television broadcasting which is done directly to end users using wireless technology, eliminating the need for cables and any cable infrastructure.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu while talking to the Dhaka Tribune last night claimed that there was nothing hidden about the licence awarding process.

“We knew it well, and after giving the licence, everyone will know about it,” he said.

The government has reportedly fixed the licence fees at only Tk2 crore, but tagged at least 14 conditions with it.

According to sources, as it is a very vibrant licence the government wanted

Money talks for Jamaat-Shibir  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

In investigation, it was learnt that Sohel Rana gets financial support from Anamika Corporation, owned by Anwarul Islam Raju who is the brother-in-law of convicted war criminal Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed.

Raju, son of Abdul Majid, was a meritorious student. But because of poor financial condition, he had to stop his education. Later, with the financial support of Jamaat, he had completed graduation from Aligarh University. Raju got married in 1997 and since then, he has got a strong hold in Patgram area. Now he is staying in France.

Jamaat first participated in parliamentary election from Patgram in 2001. In the following five years, they had built 55 new mosques in the area.

BNP carefully careful  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

country to realise the demand for a no-partisan caretaker government.

The participants, meanwhile, were asked to arrange lodgings at “safe places” other than residential hotels to avoid harassment or possible arrest, party sources said.

“As the government might bar us from joining the rally, our leaders and activists have started going to Dhaka since Wednesday night by launches,” Gulam Nabi Alamgir, president of Bhola district BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Alamgir also said 300 party leaders and activists had already reached Dhaka to attend the rally, and about 1,500 more would leave for the capital by Saturday. He also said the party men would not stay away from city hotels as law enforcers were allegedly conducting raids there.

BNP office sources said messages were sent to every district and upazila unit asking party supporters to come to the capital after consulting with their respective local leaders.

On the other hand, a senior party leader said despite BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s request to people from all walks of life to join into say “yes” to democracy and “no” to “farcical polls”, a number of grassroots leaders would stay put in their respective constituencies to organise protests in case the march is banned.

“Our leaders will take their seats wherever they are stopped on December 29,”said Khandakar Mahbub Hos-

its full control on it thus awarded the licences only to their trusted people.

More three licences were on the pipeline, sources claimed.

Though the information ministry has awarded the two licences after scrutinising 32 applications, it was yet to formulate any guideline.

The information minister in this regard said: “As there is no guideline in front of us, we had to decide about it and we cannot satisfy all of the interested party.”

“We have started the process and hope the next government will formulate the guideline and make decisions on more licences,” he said.

Sources at the ministry said the government has imposed restrictions on handing over shares of the licence and the owners would be bound to shut down their network if the government wanted.

Earlier, the previous military-backed caretaker government had started the process of awarding DTH licenses but could not complete it.

The cable operators of the country were against this kind of services. l

sain, adviser to the BNP chairperson.

Party insiders said Khaleda Zia planned to go ahead with the “democracy march” at any cost, despite fears that she might be held under house arrest.

The BNP chief is expected to announce the next course of action as part of the opposition’s non-cooperation movement from Sunday’s event.

They also said the “democracy march” was announced mainly to resist the upcoming polls. They said they had to create a situation to halt the voting process, but at the same time, the movement would be peaceful so that no one can question their intention.

Khaleda Zia on Wednesday said, “We have announced holding the programme in a peaceful manner. I am giving you word that no chaos will take place at the programme. Despite this, if the government does not allow us to hold the programme, the consequences will be dire and tough.”

Fazlul Haque Milon, BNP organising secretary, said if the government prevents their supporters from attending the rally, a movement would be created across the country and residents of the capital and its adjacent areas would join the rally and “turn it into a sea of humanity”.

“We know that the government would bar our leaders and activists from joining the rally. That is why we are focussing on the capital and its adjacent areas,”Milon said.

Fazlur Rahman, president of Kishorganj district BNP, said ruling party supporters were likely to prevent opposi-

Patgram is a union with around 1,40,000 voters. But how can a group of people manage this large number in one hand and carry out violence? In replay to this question Habibur Rahman, the district police superintended, told the Dhaka Tribune that the Jamaat-Shibir activists used to take all responsibilities of a family before and after the deaths. “For this reason, some poor people of the area are supporting the Jamaat-Shibir.”

He said the administration was conducting counselling programmes to tell people about the Jamaat-Shibir activities. “We have already been able to take control of an area. We hope that soon we will be able to convince people about the Jamaat-Shibir sabotages and to raise voice against them,” the SP said. l

tion leaders and activists from attending the rally, and that is why their party men had already started for Dhaka.

“We are not their ‘brothers-in-law’ that they would welcome us to attend the rally. Ruling party men will bar us, and we have to dodge them to attend the rally. Around 500 of our men reached Dhaka today. Either we will go to jail or be hanged…what else…we have to go and will go to Dhaka,” said Rahman yesterday.

Meanwhile, opposition supporters from Chittagong were also headed to Dhaka, a local BNP leader told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Abu Sufian, vice president of the party’s city unit, said they were going to send at least 10, 000 supporters to join the rally. He also said participants were asked to go to Dhaka in small groups to avert any obstruction.

Sufian claimed that the authorities were hampering travel to Dhaka through creating artificial shortages in train and bus tickets. He also alleged that law enforcers were raiding the residences of party leaders and activists.

AJM Obaidullah, assistant secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Chittagong city unit, said they were also planning to send at least 3,000 men to make the “march for democracy” a success.

“Our leaders and activists will start heading for Dhaka from today (Thursday),” Obaidullah said.

He added that party supporters were directed to start for Dhaka on their own initiative to avoid police hassle. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Friday, December 27, 2013

Joint forces launch combing operation in the capital

25 listed criminals held in Jatrabari, Kadomtoli Rahman, 32, Abdullah Al Mamun, 23, ification by the joint forces,” Monirul n Kailash Sarkar Delwar, alias Appel, 34, Nur Karim, 30, said.

Against the backdrop of arson, vandalism and attacks on lawmen during the blockade and hartals, the joint forces of Rab, BGB and police have taken up special drives in an attempt to capture around 2,300 suspects and rein in violence ahead of the January 5 election.

Of the total, 25 listed criminals had been arrested during the combing operation in the wee hours of yesterday in the capital’s Jatrabari, Demra and Kadomtoli areas, police said.

Some 42 people were detained during the drive, 17 of which were released after verification.

Of the 25 listed criminals, five were arrested from Demra, two from Kadomtoli, and 19 from Jatrabari.

The five are Md Shamsul Huq Nilu, 48, Shahjahan Mollah, 42, Harun-or-Rashid, 50, Shaon, 22, and Ziku while the two arrestees in Kadomtoli are Manik Hossain, alias Monir, 35, and Arif Raihan, alias Jewel, 18.

The arrestees in Jatrabari are Md Russell, 18, Md Mosharraf, 18, Shariful Islam, 22, Yasir Arafat, 17, Mahabubur

Zahirul Islam, 20, Fahad Abdullah, 18, Abul Bashar Samrat, 40, Arif Raihan Shubho, 18, Abul Kalam, 56, Mehedi Hasan, alias Asif, 20, Noman Siddiq, 18, Saiful Islam, 18, Tariqul Islam, 21, and Md Chan Miah, 35.

The joint squad launched its drive as part of preventive measures alongside the armed forces deployed countrywide to facilitate holding the 10th parliamentary polls undisrupted.

Col Ziaul Ahsan, additional director general of Rab (Operation), said primarily they had the names of around 2,000 criminals on the list, most of whom were accused of murder, possession of illegal arms, arms and drug dealings and various other criminal charges.

Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said the special drives would continue in and around the capital.

He, however, declined to disclose where the operation would be conducted.

“The 25 were shown arrest after ver-

The police high-up also declined to disclose the number of forces deployed for the purpose of special combing operation.

But BGB, Rab and police were tasked with the operation, he added.

“BGB, Rab and police are in the squad with uniforms while a team of plainclothes police is also taking part in the operation,” said the joint commissioner.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the DMP spokesperson added that those accused in different cases like arson, blasts, extortion as well as possession of illegal arms, drug peddling, plus fugitives and wanted criminals were among the targets of the combined forces.

DMP Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said at the Media Centre the arrestees were handed over to the concerned police station.

Sub-Inspector Rezaul Islam of Jatrabari police station said a total of 17 people were shown arrest after verification while Kadomtoli police said eight were arrested in that area. l

96 held in drives outside Dhaka n Tribune Report A total of 96 miscreants, including 55 BNP-Jamaat activists, have been arrested in joint forces drives outside the capital in last two days.

The joint forces, combined with police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh made the arrests in Jessore, Jhenaidah and Chittagong, while the Indian Border Security Force handed over three Jamaat-Shibir men to the BGB after detaining them from the Jamgram border area in Lalmonirhat.

The special drives have been launched ahead of the national election scheduled to be held on January 5.

Police in special drives arrested 55 people, including 10 BNP and four Jamaat-e-Islami activists from different places in Jessore yesterday, said our correspondent.

Reshma Sharmin, assistant superintendent of police, told the Dhaka Tribune that 106 others were also arrested in special drives on Tuesday night.

On the other hand, at least 25 leaders and activists of BNP-Jamaat were arrested in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenaidah on Wednesday night.

Altaf Hossain, superintendent of police in Jhenidah, said the arrests were made in connection with various types of

crimes like anarchy.

Among these, 10 were arrested at Samanta village of the upazila, Officerin-Charge Akram Hossain of Moheshpur police station said, adding that they were accused of creating anarchy during blockade and hartal hours.

The 10 arrestees are Shafi Uddin, Karim Ali, Sariat Ullah, Nasirul Islam, Sariat Uddin, Hazrat Ali, Abdul Mannan, Abdul Malek, Md Shafiuzzaman and Abdul Hannan.

In Chittagong, the law enforcement agencies in separate drives detained 16 Jamaat-Shibir men from Sitakunda and Lohagara upazilas yesterday for their alleged involvement in sabotages at the areas in recent times, our correspondent said. The joint force in an overnight drive nabbed 10 at different areas of Sitakunda as they were allegedly connected with the subversive activities on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in different times, said Iftekhar Uddin, officer-incharge of Sitakunda police station.

On the other hand, Lohagara police arrested the rest six at the upazila’s Chunti and Boro Hatiya areas early yesterday who were involved in arson, vandalism, blasts, blockade and attack on police on Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway in recent times, said Lohagara OC Mohammad Shahjahan.

ICT hears 1st witness against Azhar n Udisa Islam The first prosecution witness against ATM Azharul Islam placed her deposition in camera, that is, in a closed room, at the International Crimes Tribunal 1 yesterday.

Prosecution said it had submitted her as a witness of charge five. After her deposition, defence ended their cross examination. Abdus Sobhan Tarafder, the new counsel for Azhar, cross examined her.

The prosecution pleaded for an in camera deposition as the witness was a rape victim of the war.

Tribunal framed charges against Azhar on November 12. Two charges are related with genocide. The charge number three accuses Azhar of involvement in the killing of at least 15 unarmed civilians at Dhappar in Badarganj on April 16, 1971 and the genocide at JharuaBeel in the same area on April 17 where at least 1,200 people were killed.

Other charges include Azhar’s involvement in abduction and murder of AY Mahfuz Ali and 11 others, killing of four lecturers of Carmichael College and their family members. He is also charged with involvement in rape and torture on women imprisoned in RangpurTown Hall during March 25-December 16,1971.

Meanwhile, Rezaul Karim,the defence lawyer for war crimes accused

former Jatiya Party state minister Syed Md Qaisar said his client neither formed nor led any anti-liberation group during the 1971 Liberation War., He sought discharge for Qaisar before ICT2.

He said his client had faced a case under the Collaborators Act after the Liberation War but was acquitted. However, Karim could not place any certified copy of the order that had acquitted Qaisar.

He told the court the defence acquire a copy of the order soon.

P4 SHUFFLE IN PROSECUTION Karim argued that the prosecution had accused Qaisar but could not produce any evidence to support the case. He also saidthe prosecution had failed to prove that Qaisarhad formed a group or force named “QaisarBahini” comprising of 500-600 anti-liberation people.

Later, he sought an adjournment of the hearing saying senior defence counsel MdAbdusSobhanTarafdar would place the remaining part of the arguments to prove the innocence of his client. The tribunal then set the date for the next hearing on December 31.

The prosecution on December 17 pleaded for indicting Qaisar on 18 counts of crimes against humanity in Habiganj during 1971. l

Meanwhile, the BSF detained three Jamaat-e-Islami activists on Wednesday night, and handed them over to the BGB at Jamgram border area of Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat.

The BGB was due to hand over them to Patgram police after interrogation at BGB camp yesterday night or today morning, BGB sources said.

The detainees are Abdul Jabbar, 40, Nizam Uddin, 34, and Bangtu Miah, 48, who all hailed from Jamgram village, Lalmonirhat correspondent said.

BGB sources said the three were trying to flee to India to avoid being arrested by the Joint Forces. The patrolling BSF of BRK Bari camp at Mekhliganjthana of Kuchbihar district in India made the arrests. Locals alleged that the detainees were involved in the violence and sabotages during the blockades at Bawra area of the upazila, adding that they were in hiding after the Joint Forces were deployed in the area.

Confirming the incident, Kuchlibari BGB company camp Commandeer Subedar Abdul Quader said the detainees identified them as Awami League activists to BSF, when they were held on the border.

Later they were proven Jamaat-e-Islami activists in BSF custody, he said quoting BSF information. l

Firearm owners not required to submit guns n Rabiul Islam Licensed firearm owners will not need to submit their weaponsand ammunition,as the government has amended its earlier order.

The home ministry yesterday suspended the order issued on December 23, which asked private owners to surrender their firearms and ammunition to nearby police stations or authorised dealers before December 27, in a bid to maintain law and order for the 10th parliamentary elections slated for January 5.

Home ministry Additional Secretary MainuddinKhandker said the decision has been made in consideration of the security of private firearm owners.

“People take arms for their security and if we take away arms from them in the current political turmoil, their security would be threatened,” Mainuddin told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Asked about the recovering of illegal arms, he said the process was ongoing.

Earlier, Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed said there would be no special drives to recover illegal arms.

According to the latest decision, private owners are forbidden from carryingor displaying arms on the premises of polling centres and adjacent areas from December 27 to January 7, 2014.

Home ministry Joint Secretary Mostafizur Rahman signed the amended notice. Officials at the home ministry said the amended order has been sent to all concerned persons, including deputy commissioners and superintendents of police.

However, the district magistrates across the country can order any private arms owner to submit their firearms with a view to maintaining law and order. l

Additional police were deployed in front of the residence of opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Jamaat-Shibir make all-out preparations for Dhaka march n Manik Miazee Jamaat-e-Islami is planning to use all its strength to make the opposition’s December 29 programme to march to Dhaka a success, party insiders told the Dhaka Tribune.

Several senior leaders told the Dhaka Tribune that they would stage a massive showdown on the day, and that they were taking full preparations to tackle the situation if law enforcement created any obstacles to foil this “March for Democracy.”

A senior Jamaat leader told the Dhaka Tribune that the party had plans to bring at least one lakh activists to Dhaka for the programme. He also said they had instructed their activists to take preparation to stay there for days if necessary.

He said the party had instructed its activists to bring dry food and water so that they would not face problems in stay there for several days.

The leader, a former president of Jamaat’s student wing Shibir, also said Jamat had instructed medical professionals loyal to its cause to be prepared

to give service to Jamaat activists in case of any massive clash.

“We have taken full preparation to make the programme successful,” said the senior leader.

Keeping in mind the experiences from the law enforcement crackdown on Hefazat’s May 5 rally, the activists were asked to be fully prepared to face any situation.

Party’s acting secretary general Shafiqur Rahman issued a strongly worded statement yesterday saying Jamaat would overcome any obstacles from the law enforcement to make the programme successful.

The senior Jamaat leader said the party had made it mandatory for the 30,000 Jamaat Rokan (senior members) and 20,000 Shibir members and associate members across the country to join the programme.

Sources within the party said as they feared that the government would create obstacles by stopping cross-country vehicle movement, Jamaat would mainly focus on its activities in the districts surrounding the capital.

The party has asked activists

from distant parts of the country to reach Dhaka by today and those from Comilla, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Manikganj, Munsiganj and Narayanganj to join the rally on Saturday. They have asked the activists to stay at their relatives’ houses and to avoid staying at hotels, messes and places that law enforcers normally raid.

Activists from Dhaka’s surrounding districts were asked to walk to Dhaka if transports are turned off.

The sources also said the party had specially asked its student wing activities who are public and private university students to join the march.

The party source told the Dhaka Tribune that the party had already brought senior Shibir leaders from different districts to Dhaka.

Jamaat central leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told the Dhaka Tribune that Jamaat was very active in the programme, including the BNP-organised programmes and the trend of spontaneous participation in party activities by Jamaat will continue in the future. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, December 27, 2013

Tribunal’s prosecution team change roles n Udisa Islam Shafique Ahmed, legal adviser to the prime minister, yesterday proposed a reshuffle of the responsibilities of the war crimes tribunal’s prosecution team, including changing the conducting prosecutor in Mir Kashem Ali case.

All the senior members of the prosecution and the investigation agency were present in the meeting held at the law ministry. However, Zead-Al-Malum and AKM Saiful Islam were absent as they were dealing with the case against ATM Azhar at the tribunal.

The meeting participants agreed to the proposals, several prosecutors confirmed.

Former law minister Shafique also reviewed the present condition of the cases under trial. After reviewing the cases, he proposed Haider Ali to coordinate the case against Mir Kashem, a senior Jamaat leader and also key financier of the party.

Road accident claims lives of two youths

n Ashif Islam Shaon

A speeding truck took the lives of two cousins, one of them was a first year student of Dhaka College, at Paltan in the capital yesterday morning.

The deceased are Parvez Ahmed Opu, 25, who hailed from Dewanganj of Jamalpur, and Abdus Salam, 25, a residence of Kamrangirchar area in the capital.

Opu got admitted in the English Department of Dhaka College a year ago and his first year final exam was going on, while Salam had been running a hotel along with his father, who is a cook.

Police said the truck rammed over the rickshaw that was carrying them in front of Police Hospital, leaving the youths dead on the spot. l

Malum and Sultan Mahmud were conducting the case.

The case is going slow since the beginning. After indictment, the prosecution submitted its opening statement on October 6. But they placed the first witness on December 11.

It was decided that the prosecution’s conducting team in the case against war crimes suspect ATM Azhar, also a senior Jamaat leader, would be increased Haider had been the conducting prosecutor in the case against death row convict Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

Senior prosecutor Haider was also given the task to coordinate the prosecution team considering the age of chief prosecutor Golam Arif Tipoo.

He would work in consultation with

Tipoo, sources said.

It was decided that the prosecution’s conducting team in the case against war crimes suspect ATM Azhar, also a senior Jamaat leader, would be increased. Yesterday, the prosecution placed their first witness in this case.

The meeting also discussed about the safety and security of the witnesses and the prosecution members. On Wednesday night, miscreants beat up a police member who was on duty at prosecutor Tureen Afroz’s house. The investigation agency was directed to take necessary steps in this regard.

Prosecutor Shahidur Rahman said: “It was our routine meeting where we exchange our experiences. I cannot tell you more than that.” Enquired whether any decision was made at the meeting, he said: “We are working as a team. So everyone is responsible for every case.”

Contacted, several prosecutors who were present at the hour-long meeting said they had taken some decisions. l

Many streets in the capital are now adorned with posters of candidates for the 10th parliamentary elections. This photo was taken yesterday in Lalbagh area NASHIRUL ISLAM

JU students demand quick verdict in Zubair murder case n JU Correspondent The students of Jahangirnagar University yesterday demonstrated on the campus demanding justice for Zubair Ahmed’s murder immediately after the ongoing judicial settlement.

The friends and batch mates of Zubair under the banner of “Amra Zubair-er Bondhura” arranged a press conference on the Shaheed Minar premises of the university around 3pm.

They also urged the authorities not to allow the killers on the campus for the safety of the general students and moral standpoint as well.

The students will arrange a photography exhibition and documentary screening today in transport area. They also declared a human chain, demon-

stration and submission of memorandum to the authorities for tomorrow.

Jahangirnagar Sangskritik Jote, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front, Bangla Forum and Jahangirnagar University Photographic Society expressed solidarity with the students’ movement.

The case is under trail at the Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 of Dhaka and testimonies of several witnesses have been recorded. According to the law, cases under the tribunal have to be disposed of within 135 working days.

Honours final year student Zubair of English department was stabbed and beaten up indiscriminately on January 8 last year by a section of Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists.

Zubair too was a Chhatra League activist. But he had quit politics much be-

fore the incident.

Following the incident, the JU authorities filed a murder case. Later it expelled 13 Chhatra League leaders and activists from the campus – seven for life and six others for two years. All of them are made accused in the case.

Authorities ‘neglect’ elected Syndicate members Five elected Syndicate members of the university in a statement alleged that the authorities had been neglecting them intentionally and creating administrative anarchy.

Arts and humanities faculty Dean Prof Syed Md Kamrul Ahsan, Pritilata Hall Provost Prof Lutfar Rahman, Prof Hanif Ali of computer science and engineering department, Tarikul Islam of finance and banking department and

Nurul Haque of economics expressed the concerns through a statement on Wednesday night.

These teachers are part of the ongoing movement against VC Prof Anwar Hossain which began over nine months ago.

They alleged that the Syndicate members had not been informed about the recent incidents of bomb attack on the house of teachers’ association president, “illegal” sacking of provosts and threats against the agitating teachers.

They also criticised the authorities’ decision to announce that VC Prof Anwar would conduct office work from his Uttara residence. The VC is staying at his sister’s residence in Uttara after the agitating teachers had driven him away from the campus on December 16. l

Government Order on bail of BNP leaders due Sunday Chittagong Khulshi considering ban on mad Ali and AM Mahbub Uddin Khogramme at that time.

Club starts journey n Nazmus Sakib BNP standing committee mem- kon represented Moudud, Barrister Jamaat’s politics, The High Court yesterday set Sunday as bers Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafique-Ul Huq represented Mintoo n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong the day for giving the order on the bail Rafiqul Islam Miah, Adviser to the and Zainul Abedin represented the othsays Inu petitions of five BNP leaders. A vaca- chairperson Abdul Awal Mintoo and ers. Additional Attorney General MomChittagong Khulshi Club Limited, a sotion bench of Justice Nizamul Huq and chairperson’s Special Assistant Sham- taz Uddin Fakir placed arguments in cial recreation club will start operating Mohosinul Karim n Justice Md Badruzzaman fixed the date sur Rahman Shimul Biswas are charged favour of the cases. in the port city from today.

With 21 executive members and 10 founding directors, the club would be inauguarated at a grand ceremony at Sanmar Spring Vally in the city’s Khulshi area today, Founder President of CKCL Niaz Morshed said in a press briefing at the club venue yesterday.

He said the club aimed to cater to the demand of the city considered to be the business hub of the country. l

WEATHER

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

Moderate to thick fog might occur over the country during midnight till morning, Met Office said.

The mild cold wave that is sweeping Pabna, Rajshahi, Madaripur and Jessore may spread and continue.

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:20pm today and rises at 6:40am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 24.8 degree Celsius was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf and lowest 8.6 degrees at Chuadanga yesterday. Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

21.6 24.2 21.2 21.8 22.7 23.0 20.0 24.8

13.8 14.3 10.3 12.8 11.8 11.4 13.8 15.2

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu yesterday said the government was considering a ban on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s politics following the court verdicts and taking the organisation’s recent activities in consideration.

The minister also termed the “March for Democracy” programme on December 29, as “March for Destruction.”

Inu made the remarks while talking to the media at his secretariat office, just hours after the Communications Minister, Obaidul Quader said the government had nothing to say about the march, if it was non-violent.

Contradicting Quader’s statement, Inu said: “The government will prevent such steps legally and politically.

It is better not to let the opposition to hold programmes that may hinder the polls process. There is no alternative of holding the election to uphold the constitution.”

He claimed, the main opposition was trying the save the war criminals, terrorists, arsonists, and Jamaat activists by forming the “democracy protection committee” across the country. l

after a hearing.

Although the leaders registered the pleas on December 4 and 5, their lawyers did not move with the High Court due to the opposition blockade pro-

5:19am 6:39am 12:00am 3:43pm 5:19pm 6:40pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

After the hearing, Khokon was detained from Matsya Bhaban area at around 4:15pm.

On November 28, bail pleas of the five men were rejected by the court. l

Three parties launch alliance n Manik Miazee

Three political parties, who have no representation in the current parliament, announced the formation of a new political alliance yesterday at the National Press Club, calling it the National Democratic Front (NDF).

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB), led

by AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) faction led

by ASM Abdur Rob and Krishok Sramik Janata League led by Abdul Kader Siddique, formed the new alliance.

The aims of this new political alliance are establishing a good political atmosphere in the country, scrapping the 15th amendment of the constitution and preventing the “unilateral”

general elections scheduled on January 5, introduction of a bicameral parliament and an electoral system for holding participatory elections, with the participation of all political parties.

Krishok Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique said the new alliance would work to strengthen a third political force outside the influence of Awami League and BNP. However, he said that the new front would show support to the 18-party March for Democracy.

JSD General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, said that although their front would show support for the ‘March for Democracy’ programme, they will not support any demand for release of the war criminals. In response to this, Kader Siddique added that this statement

was Abdul Malek Ratan’s own and did not represent the front’s opinion.

AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, the president of BDB, said people were eagerly waiting to support their political force and the new alliance would work to fulfil their demands.

He called on the government to refrain from holding elections on January 5.

JSD President ASM Abdur Rob said the government was leading the country towards a civil war in the name of holding elections. He called on the people to unite under the umbrella of NDF to save the country from destruction.

NDF will bring in like-minded political parties, organisations and personalities to continue its movement, Rob said. l

Bangladesh Rukhe Darao concerned over violence n Tribune Report

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

in two cases of vandalism, arson and assaulting police in the capital during opposition hartals. The cases were filed with Motijheel police station.

Supreme Court lawyers AJ Moham-

Law enforcers accord a guard of honour to veteran photojournalist Aftab Ahmed yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Bangladesh Rukhe Darao, a platform of progressive and pro-liberation forces, expressed its concern over the recent political violence yesterday.

In a statement, leaders of the platform said the recent spell of blockade witnessed hindrance of daily activities of people, economic crisis, uncertainty of around 50 lakh JSC and JDC examinees.

Day labourers were not getting jobs while the working people had to attend working places taking the risk of their lives, they said, adding that at least 20 people lost their lives in recent blockade and many more were either burnt or became physically challenged.

The statement also said people were hostages in this current situation. The government had intensified the problem by arresting leaders of the main

opposition without minimising the problem, the statement alleged.

Mentioning the recent attacks on religious minorities in Sathia, Sirajgang, Lalmonirhat, Lakshimpur and Barisal, they also blamed Jamaat-Shibir men for the attacks, saying that the religious minorities were facing attacks both at their homes and prayer houses.

The pro-liberation forces urged the government to punish the criminals of Jamat-Shibir without considering their political backing and requested the government to ban Jamaat-e-Islam under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009.

The existing problem could only be solved through dialogue and compromise of government and opposition party, they said, and added that they believed all political parties, who believe in the ideals of liberation war, expect welfare of the country’s people. l

10 hurt in clash between human traffickers, villagers n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar At least 10 human traffickers and locals were injured in a clash between a group of human traffickers and villagers at Ukhia upozila in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday night.

The injured human traffickers – Ansar Ullah, 23, Jahangir Alam, 28, Md Riduan Hossain, 20, and Joynal Uddin, 25, – were admitted in Ukhia General Hospital. Witness said the human trafficking group, led by Rustam Ali, gathered 50 people from different parts of the country at 9pm for trafficking them to Malaysia.

The locals informed police about the incident, and sensing the matter the traffickers tried to leave the area, triggering the clash.

Rustam Ali said sending people to Malaysia was not an illegal work, and claimed that he was doing the work with permission of the police.

Zahidul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Ukhia police station, said: “Legal actions will be taken immediately.”

The locals claimed that Rustam had been trafficking people to Malaysia since a long time. l

NU honours 1st year admission test today

n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

The first-year honours admission test for the 2013-2014 session under all affiliated colleges of National University will be held today.

The hour-long tests will be held around the country at once in 167 centres, starting at 11am.

Md Faizul Karim, the on-duty director of public relation, information and consultation department of the university gave the information through a press note yesterday. l

JSC results on Sunday, PSC on Monday

n Mushfique Wadud

Results of Junior School Certificate and its madrasa equivalent, Junior Dakhil Certificate, and Primary School Certificate examinations will be published on December 29 and December 30 respectively, according to Education and Mass Education Ministry officials.

The publishing of JSC, JDC results on Sunday was confirmed by Dhaka Education Board’s Examination Controller SM Wahiduzzaman. Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Shyamal Kanti Ghosh confirmed that the PSC results would be published on Monday. l

Gas cylinder blast kills one n CU Correspondent A street vendor was killed as a gas cylinder exploded when he was filling up gas into balloons in Railway Polo Ground area in the port city yesterday.

The deceased Rafiqul Islam, 35, a balloon seller hailing from Motorbari of Pirojpur district, said Chittagong Medical College Hospital Police Outpost sources.

Rafiq sustained critical injuries as a gas cylinder blasted on his rickshaw van in front of Railway Polo Ground around 11:30am, said Nayek Abdul Basher, CMCH Police Outpost. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Friday, December 27, 2013

‘Keep poultry sector out of hartal, blockade purview’ Farmers, investors release chicks, smash eggs on the street in protest n Abu Hayat Mahmud Poultry business leaders urged political parties to save the sector as they claimed it had faced a loss of Tk4,000 crore because of the opposition’s hartals and blockades in the last three months.

The businessmen made the appeal at a human chain held in front of the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

The Bangladesh Poultry Industries Coordination Committee (BPICC) along with six other poultry associations formed the human chain participated by around 5,000 farmers from Dhaka, Gazipur, Manikganj, Comilla, Sylhet, Barisal, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and other parts of the country.

They also threatened tougher movement if their 10-point demands, which include keeping the vehicles carrying chicken, eggs and poultry feed out of the purview of political programmes, are not met.

They also feared that the downfall of production and supplies might shoot up the prices of chicken and eggs in near future.

“Please take the chicks away with you and feed them. We cannot see them dying as the poultry feed supplies are blocked and its production fell because of political turmoil. We do not have money to buy food for them,” said a poultry farmer.

As a symbolic protest, the farmers gave away a number of chicks and smashed around 5,000 eggs on the street. They warned that next time they would bring lakhs of chicks and release those in front of the residences of the prime minister and the opposition leader.

They also demanded government’s compensation for farms and investors affected in recent political programmes.

Moshiur Rahman, convener of the BPICC, said: “Some 15,000 tonnes of broiler chicken and around 3.15 crore eggs are left unsold every week. The breeders are forced to destroy around 30 lakh one-day-old chicks every week because of scarcity of feed and trans-

port facilities.”

He claimed that about 36,000 farms had already been closed and 70 lakh people in the verge of being unemployed.

“Medicine worth Tk15 crore cannot be sent to the farms every week due to the political unrest. The industry which has an investment of Tk25,000 crore and annual turnover of Tk30,000 crore is at stake,” he added.

Moreover, the poultry sector leaders said they had to pay higher as transportation cost because of the blockades while many vehicles carrying chicks and feed had been vandalised or torched.

Saidur Rahman Babu, general secretary of the Breeders’ Association of Bangladesh (BAB), said they were losing 3040% of the production cost every day.

“If the situation continues, all the farms will have to be shut and the consumers will not get eggs and chickens.”

Kazi Zahedul Hasan, managing director of Kazi Farms Limited and senior vice-president of the BAB, said: “There will be protein crisis in the long run as thousands of farms have already been closed.” Even after a political settlement, the nation would have to face its negative impact, he said.

Kazi Farms MD Zahedul apprehended that the production of egg, chicks and feed might not meet the existing demand, and so the prices might go up.

Fazle Rahim Khan Shahriar, secretary of the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh, said the feed industry had suffered a loss of around Tk1,000 crore in the last three months.

He demanded waiver of bank interests for six months from October onward.

Taher Ahmed Siddiki, president of the Egg Producers’ Association, demanded cash incentives to run the business and interest-free loan with a minimum two-year term for the small and grassroots farmers.

He also urged the finance minister to take initiatives in adjusting their losses

Poultry business leaders form a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the city yesterday with a call to keep poultry sector out of political programmes’ preview before any other sectors.

Dr M Nazrul Islam, general secretary of Animal Health Companies Association of Bangladesh, termed the ongoing crisis “a disaster – more intense and destructive than bird flu.”

He said: “The industry suffered a loss of around Tk8000 crore from 2007

Trees falling victim of unrest n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman More than 63,900 trees worth more than Tk10,000crore have been indiscriminately felled by opposition activists, mostly those of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhtra Shibir since February so far.

Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) disclosed the information at a press briefing in the capital yesterday. The timber value of these trees were more than Tk35crore while the total damage caused to the environment stood more than Tk10,000crore, said the speakers.

They said since the protests against the sentence handed down to war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee on February 28, the activists of the opposition BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir have destroyed around 40,000 trees across the country during hartal and blockade programmes.

The protest through cutting down trees were found intense in capital’s Paltan, Noya Paltan, Kakrail, Fakirapool, Dainik Bangla intersection, Shapla Chattar areas after the May 5 Hefazat’s mayhem.

Around 20,000 roadside trees were

chopped off on the Cox’s Bazar-Chittagong and Noakhali-Chandpur highways. After the spell of blockades broke out on November 26, the protestors went on another tree cutting spree to block different roads and highways.

Trees were cut in large numbers in

The timber value of these trees were more than Tk35crore while the total damage caused to the environment stood more than Tk10,000crore, Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) disclosed the information at a press confernce Satkhira, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Joypurhat, Lalmonirhat, Bogra, Meherpur, Nilphamari, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Lakshmipur, Chanpur, Noakhali, Pabna, Jessore, Pirojpur, Chuadanga, Sirajganj, Rajshahi, Chapai Nawabganj, Natore and Naogaon districts.

According to environmentalists, a country needs 25% forests on its total land area in order to maintain the ecological balance whereas in our country the proportion was only 17%. The re-

cent attacks on trees have caused an “irreparable” loss to the country, said Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, general secretary of Poba.

He said those harming the environment did not have any right to do politics as they could not serve people for certain.

“Yes, we are acclaiming it to the opposition parties. And the ruling party also must promise that they would not do the same if they become the opposition party”, he added.

He urged everyone to come forward to prevent such mindless acts and the people who cause harm to the environment.

Engineer Md Abdus Sobhan, joint general secretary of Poba, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We collected the information from locals, local newspapers, and other sources in the affected areas.”

“We should preserve the environment and protect biodiversity through taking care of trees instead of treating them with cruelty,” said Sobhan.

The speakers said animals and trees were unable to express themselves. The nation would fall victim to natural disasters because of the paucity of trees and imbalance in biodiversity. l

to 2012 [for bird flu]. But the present disaster [from political programmes] has caused a loss of Tk4,000 crore within only three months.”

Rafiqul Haque, secretary of the World Poultry Science Association of Bangladesh, demanded a tax-free poultry industry up to 2025. He also de-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

He urged the prime minister and the opposition leader to settle their dispute and save the business community.

Dr SD Chowdhury, professor of Bangladesh Agricultural University, said the industry should be protected to ensure health and nutrition of the future generation. l

Cities get more healthcare: Study

Oli Ahmed acquitted of graft charges

n Abu Bakar Siddique

A Dhaka court yesterday discharged LDP President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed of a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission for concealing information about property in his wealth statement.

Judge Mohammad Mozammel Haque of Special Judge’s Court 2 passed the order following a decision of the High Court passed in 2007 in the presence of the lawmaker.

After the order, Oli told the Dhaka Tribune that it was a false and politically-motivated case filed to harass him.

On February 24, 1998, the then Bureau of Anti-Corruption issued a notice against Oli and his wife seeking the detail of their tangible wealth. They were given 45 days to submit the statement.

But Oli and his wife received the notice on April 23.

Later, they filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the notice; and after hearing, the court declared it illegal.

On November 28, 2011, ACC Deputy Director Golam Mostafa filed the case with the capital’s Ramna police station against Oli for concealing wealth information and submitted the chargesheet in the case on March 14 last year. l

Urban citizens receive more of government health services compared to people in the rural areas, a study revealed yesterday.

The report, describing the results of an annual study by the Institute of Governance Studies called the State of Governance in Bangladesh, was launched yesterday in the capital.

This year’s report is titled “Regions, Representation, Disparity.”

The report said 60% of the urban areas where the best services are provided are adjacent to the capital rather than the big cities. As an example, it said districts like Patuakhali, Bhola and Sunamganj clearly lagged behind others, both in terms of taking medical resources from the government and providing it to the people.

Former health secretary Zafar Ullah Khan, a guest at the launching event, said the absence of decentralisation, lack of adequate resources including doctors and nurses and their lack of accountability were the causes behind the lack of good governance in the country’s health sector.

He said good government health service could be ensured if these shortcomings were addressed properly.

The report said 60% of the urban areas where the best services are provided are adjacent to the capital rather than the big cities The government is yet to provide a sufficient number of doctors and nurses to districts and upazilas, the standard for which one doctor for every six persons, set by the World Health Organisation, he added.

As in health, Dhaka is also the best performing division in the education sector while Sylhet is the worst performer, within the study area.

Regarding political governance, the study said parliament members’ party affiliations worked as an important factor in picking regions for development programmes by the government during every regime.

As an example, it said that most of the development projects had been undertaken in the regions represented by cabinet members. l

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Bapex to drill new exploration well at Rupganj

Fire at RMG factory in Ashulia n Tribune report A fire broke out at the storeroom of a sweater factory in Jamgora arra in Ashulia yesterday morning, gutting ready garments, raw materials and equipment.

Confirming the incident, Badrul Alam, officer-in-charge of Ashulia police station, said the blaze had started around 7:45am at the storeroom situated on the sixth floor of Japan-Bangla Garments building and soon the fire engulfed the other rooms of the floor.

But reason behind the fire incident could not be known immediately.

On receiving information, fire fighters’ units from Ashulia, Kaliakoir and Savar rushed to the spot and doused the flame around 8:45am after frantic efforts, he added.

The OC said no one sustained injuries in the fire incident.

The extent of damage also could not be known immediately. l

manded waiver in port duty for delay and other supplementary taxes.

Annisul Huq, former FBCCI president, labelled the poultry sector as a leading employment generating sector.

To him, one-fifth of the total population was directly or indirectly linked with this sector.

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

Fire fighters extinguish fire that broke out at sweater factory in Ashulia yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

State-run Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) is all set to start digging an exploration well at Narayanganj’s “Rupganj” in January next.

“Necessary preparations have been taken to start digging at Rupganj structure from the next month,” Managing Director at Bapex, MA Baki told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Once the gas reserve was confirmed, the authorities had planned to set up a six-kilometre-long gas transmission line to feed it to the national grid, he said.

Baki revealed Bapex’s plans to dig several development wells there, given positive results from the experimental well.

The cost of digging the experimental well, under the Rupganj Oil/Gas Exploration Well Digging project was esti-

mated at Tk97 crore.

Director of the project and also the Bapex Deputy General Manager (well testing) Tofayel Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that the well was situated at Gobindapur village under Rupganj of Narayanganj.

The digging is supposed to finish within 90 days.

“Rupganj is a potential structure.

Necessary preparations for digging well, like setting up rig and other necessary machineries have been completed.” he said.

“We will dig with rig (IDECO H-1700) which has a vertical drilling capacity of 3,500 meter. We have plans to go up to 3,700 metres below the surface.”

Bapex is currently producing and supplying 110 million cubic feet gas to the national grid every day from its six gas fields in Saldanadi, Fenchuganj, Shahbazpur, Semutung, Sundalpur and Srikail. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Friday, December 27, 2013

Chairman shifts UP office illegally n Our Correspondent, Barisal A local UP chairman has illegally shifted the 60-year-old office of Charbaria union parishad in the city from donated land to rented premises, allegedly to grab the land and trees, which are worth lakhs.

Locals said the Charbaria UP office compound, a 32 decimal piece of donated land with well built permanent structures, had recently been shifted to a small rented tin-shed.

It was alleged that acting UP chairman Alamgir Hossain, had arranged this shifting without any approval from the concerned authorities.

The new office is a small room in Taltali Bazaar, about 1.5 kilometres from the old office.

Sources said in absence of Chairman Ziaul Islam Sabu, Alamgir, who is also the Sadar upazila BNP vice-president, had taken the opportunity to meet his own ends.

Sabu, after returning from performing Hajj also gave verbal consent and went on hiding due to his political activities, sources added.

Adbullah Al Mamun and Faisal Ahmed Papan, two local residents, said their family had donated the property for the Charbaria UP office in 1952, and since then the UP office and its associ-

ated service centres had been run from there in pukka buildings and tin-shed structures.

Without any approval from the concerned authorities and consent of the stakeholders, the UP office had been transferred with the intention to grab the valuable property and the large trees there, worth at least one crore taka, alleged Mokhlesur Rahman, a resident of the area.

A seven-day legal notice had been served to the upazila executive officer and the UP chairman on December 18 demanding the restoration of the UP office to its permanent location, locals said.

Shamima Ferdousi, the UNO of Sadar upazila, acknowledged that the shifting of the office had not been permitted by any authorities and she had asked the UP to relocate the office.

Stakeholders could also take legal action against the illegal move, she suggested.

UP chairman and BNP leader Sabu was not available for comments.

Acting chairman Alamgir Hossain claimed that the decision to shift the office to a central location within the UP area had been approved by the UP members. He said the old office was located at a corner of the UP area and had a shortage of sufficient storage facilities. l

JUTA donates to Rana Plaza victims’ children n JU Correspondent

The old Charbaria UP office (above) has been shifted to a small rented shed by the acting chairman

Bangladesh sees bumper crop of stress resistant rice

Rebel AL candidate in Jhenidah withdraws nomination papers n Tribune Desk have achieved bumper pron Our Correspondent, Jhenidah Farmers duction of stress tolerant rice during A rebel candidate of Awami League for Jhenidah (constituency-3) withdrew his nomination paper yesterday.

He declared the withdrawal of his candidature at a press conference held at Moheshpur AL office.

The candidate is Advocate Shafikul Azam Khan Chanchal, who is an incumbent lawmaker of Awami League of Jhenidah-3 constituency (Moheshpur-Kotchandpur).

Chanchal in his written statement said he had no intention to contest as an independent candidate against AL nominated candidate.

He also said he could not withdrew his nomination paper ealier for back-to-back hartal and blockade programmes.

“I am withdrawing my nomination paper as I have confidence and loyalty to the party,” he said.

Now, AL-backed candidate professor Nabi Newaj and JP (Ershad) Kamruzzaman Swadhin will contest from the constituency. l

this season in stress-prone regions of Bangladesh, increasing food production ushering in a new era in the agriculture sector.

The success has been achieved under the expanding stress tolerant paddy seed multiplication programme for the fourth consecutive time this year increasing rice production to ensure food security under adverse climate.

Cultivation of the flood-droughtand saline-tolerant variety rice has already become popular in the country under the programme after repeated bumper production in recent years overcoming crop losses due to floods, droughts or soil salinity.

Sustainable Rice Seed Production and Delivery System in Southern Bangladesh and Cereal Systems Initiative in South Asia (SRSPDS-CSISA-BD) projects are implementing the programme under Stress Tolerant Rice for Poor Farmers in Africa and South Asia (STRASA) project.

The USAID and Bill and Melinda

NEWS IN BRIEF UNO office torched in Comilla Miscreants set fire to the office of Laksham Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shafiul Alam on Thursday. Officer-in-Charge of Laksham police station Abul Khair said a group of miscreants entered into the office breaking its windowpanes in the early hours and set fire to it by pouring petrol. The miscreants managed to flee. Later, its security guards doused the blaze after half-anhour, said the OC. None was injured in the arson attack. – UNB

One held with firearm in Narayanganj Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested an alleged terrorist with a firearm from Kashipur area in Sadar upazila, Narayangnj on Wednesday. The arrestee was Hasan Ahmad Sujan, 35, of the area.

Fatullah Model police station Sub-Inspector Taijuddin said a team from Rab-11 conducted a drive in the area before dawn and arrested Hasan with a pistol loaded with two rounds of bullet. Rab members also recovered 90 pieces of Yaba tablets from his possession. – BSS

Trolley hit by a train in Lalmonirhat A trolley was damaged and its driver was injured critically as the trolley was hit by a train in Rouchbag area on LalmonirhatBurimari route, Aditmari upazila, Lalmonirhat yesterday. The passenger train was coming to Lalmonirhat station from Burimari land port station around 8.30 am.

The injured trolley driver Malek Mia, 38, was taken to Lalmonirhat sadar hospital and he was referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital later, hospital sources said. Local said adding earlier Two more

accidents were occurred on the spot in the last one year, said the locals. Confirming the accident Aditmari police station OC Aslam Iqbal said police recovered the damaged trolley and cleared the rail line for train movement.

– Our Correspondent

Mymensingh Press Club holds cultural event The annual cultural programme of Mymensingh Press Club was held at its auditorium on Wednesday evening. The programme included performance of patriotic songs, dance sequences and a drama. The artistes of Brahmaputra Sangskririk Ghoshthi and Sandipon Sangskririk Sangstha performed at the cultural programme. Later, an ensemble theatre named Court Marshal, a drama based on the Libaration War 1971, was staged. Abul Mansur of the prominent theatre group directed the play. Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh Mustakim Billah Faruqui inaugurated the programme. Secretary of the club Mir Golam Mustafa spoke on the occasion, among others. S.A Kalam, convener of cultural sub-committee of the club conducted the evening.

– Our Correspondent

Idol vandalised in Sirajganj Unidentified miscreants vandalised an idol at a temple in Mukundangati village, Belkuchi upazila, Sirajganj on Wednesday.

Locals informed that miscreants broke into the temple at the house of Bharat Chandra Das at midnight after the devotees left it around 12am. They vandalised an idol of a Hindu goddess. The incident came to light when the worshipers went to the temple on Wednesday morning, locals said. On information, police visited the spot. – UNB

Gates Foundation (BMGF) have been extending assistance through the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in distributing seeds for expanded cultivation of the rice through seed multiplication, officials and experts said.

Country Manager of BMGF-STRASA-SRSPDS Projects of IRRI in Bangladesh Dr MA Bari said 2,300.8 tonnes of stress tolerant rice seeds were distributed during this Aman season among 766,900 farmers in stress prone areas to cover 92,032 hectares land.

Of them, 876.8 tonnes seeds of saline tolerant variety BRRI dhan47 and BINA dhan8 rice were distributed among farmers in the country’s saline prone southern districts to produce 79,636 tonnes seeds from 35,072 hectares land.

In addition, 1,359.3 tonnes seeds of flood tolerant variety rice like BRRI dhan51, BRRI dhan52, BINA 11, and BINA 12, drought tolerant varieties like BRRI dhan56 and BRRI dhan57 were distributed among the farmers this season.

Moreover, 64.7 tonnes seeds of moderately flood-drought- and saline-

Road accidents kill four n Tribune Report Four people were killed and five others injured in separate road accidents in Gazipur, Magura and Barisal.

In Magura, Kamruzzaman, 32, of Mohammadpur-Nauhata village, was killed in Chaulia bus stand area yesterday.

Police said when a truck hit Kamruzzaman as he was crossing the road, leaving him injured critically.

He was taken to MaguraSadar Hospital where he died. Police seized the truck but its driver managed to flee away.

In Gazipur, one was killed and two others were injured as a bus and a CNGrun auto-rickshaw collided head-on at Damarpara on Joydebpur-Pubile road under sadar upazila yesterday, reports our correspondent.

The dead was Ashraful Alam Sabuz,35, of Bakterpur village under Kaliagonj upazila.

Witness said a CNG-run autorickshaw collided head-one with the Pubile-bound garments worker loaded bus around 7:30am, leaving three injured. Later, Sabuz died at Gazipur Sadar Hospital.

In Barisal, two youths were killed and three were injured in two separate road accidents on Wednesday night.

Police said Sohag Rari, 22, a student of Government Baisal College, was killed as a sand-laden truck hit him in Natun Bazaar area around 10pm.

In another accident, one was killed and two others were injured as an oil-tanker hit a three wheeler at Sonarbangla area on BarisalDhaka Highway around 11pm on Wednesday. l

tolerant variety rice seeds were also distributed among farmers in the stress prone areas throughout the country to make the programme successful.

Dr Bari said over 2.5 lakh farmers cultivated stress tolerant variety rice in more 1.92 lakh hectares land using their own seeds produced during the last Aman season under the programme throughout the country.

According to primary estimation, the farmers have produced over 13 lakh tonnes of stress tolerant rice seeds this time through cultivating in over 2.84 lakh hectares of land with an average yield rate of over 4.42 tonnes rice per hectare, he added.

Farmers Jaladhar Barman, Sukumar, Beauty Begum, Khabir Uddin and Chand Mian of greater Rangpur region said they have achieved a bumper production of flood tolerant rice with excellent yields this season.

Framers Siddik Mollah, Koohinur Begum, Krishna Pado, Monwara Begum, Osman Gani and Ataur Rahman of different other districts said they have completed harvest of droughtand flood-tolerant rice with excellent yield rates similar to previous years. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) had taken an initiative to help the children, who have lost their parents in the Rana Plaza collapse, continue their educational activities.

Some 600 teachers of the university extended their hands to help these children, sacrificing their one day’s salary.

The JUTA yesterday distributed a financial grant of Tk4.8 lakh to eight children of Rana Plaza victims for their unhindered continuation of educational activities. A cheque of Tk60,000 was distributed to each of the children at the teachers’ lounge of the university’s cafeteria.

The JUTA have also opened a fixed deposit for five years at the Savar Branch of Dhaka Bank for these children, where they would draw the interest of the money at three-month intervals to distribute among other children, a source said.

Prof Sharif Uddin, general secretary of the JUTA, said: “Although the money is very little, we hope it would help them to continue their educational activities which became almost uncertain following the accident.”

JUTA President Prof Ajit Kumar Mazumder urged the family members of these children to spend this money only for educational purpose of their children. He also thanked the university teachers for their contribution in this initiative. l

Production starts at Rangpur Sugar Mills n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha Rangpur Sugar Mills Limited (RSML) in Gaibandha started its production yesterday.

Earlier, the mills authorities had fixed the dates to start the production twice, but they failed because of blockade and hartal programmes enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance.

The dates to start crushing sugarcane were fixed on December 6 and 13. If the blockade and the hartal programmes will be called again in the next month, it would not be possible for farmers to supply cane to the mill located at Mohimaganj area under Gobindaganj upazila. As a result, the mills might be shut down and that would cause a huge lose, said Zinnat Ali Prodhan, president of RSML cane growers’ welfare association.

“The sugarcane had already begun to dry up in the field,” he said, adding that if the mill will not start its production soon farmers will count a huge loss.

Mills sources said the mill had set a target to produce 4,550 tonnes of sugar worth about Tk23 crore by crushing 70,000 tonnes of sugarcane in the cur-

rent season.

To run the crushing in the mill smoothly, a total of 7,000 acres of land had been brought under the sugarcane farming this year, said Aleek Shom, general manager (agri) of the mill.

Earlier, sugarcane growers were given loan and subsidy with a view to encouraging them in sugarcane farming, he added.

Managing Director of the RSML Abdul Khaleque said they had completed all the preparations to start the production.

Abdul Khaleque the mill had produced 2,738 tonnes of sugar crushing 49,500 tonnes of sugarcane last year, but no dealers purchase sugar from the mill warehouse because of its higher rate than the price of imported sugar.

“Sugar worth about Tk16 crore has been stored in the mill’s warehouse,” he said.

The price of per kg sugar of the mills had been fixed at Tk50 while per kg imported sugar is being sold at Tk44 at local markets, said a dealer seeking anonymity.

So most of dealers are not interested to buy sugar from the mill, he added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Heritage

7

Friday, December 27, 2013

A history of Bangladesh in ancient maps

Ptolemy’s map of the Ganges delta in detail

WIKIMEDIA

T

n Tim Steel he twentieth century American writer, John Henrik Clarke, observed: “History is not everything, but it is a starting point ... it is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day.” He went on to describe it as “a compass they use to find themselves on the map of human geography.” Of, perhaps, greater import to Bangladeshis, he also observed that “the map tells them where they are but, more importantly, what they must be.”

Maps are important, not for merely marking places, but also times, and offering the historian, even the archaeologist, one of the most convincing trails of evidence for ancient civilisations; in other words, what once was, and where, marking and suggesting routes to progress. And the histories of the lands that are now Bangladesh are no exception.

Maps are important, not for merely marking places, but also times, and offering the historian, even the archaeologist, one of the most convincing trails of evidence for ancient civilisations

To many, Bangladesh has only existed since 1971. However, like every other part of the world, it has an ancient history, and origins that reach back into the misted past. Geologically, it is not hard to estimate its origins.

Originating, as what is known as the Indo-Australian Plate, it merged into the Eurasian Plate, and folded the Himalayan barrier as recently as about 10 million years ago. It is still advancing, at a calculated rate of 67mm a year, and over the next 10 million years will probably advance a further 1,500km into Asia!

Thus, the lands that are now Bangladesh originated far south of its present position, whilst its lands have, since then, continued to be extended, annually, but the outflow of seasonal flooding from these, the world’s newest mountains, bearing alluvial soils to

add to the sea bed rocks folded up in the original merging of land masses.

Wikipedia, in its fine “Early World Maps” entry, tells a story of the evolution of these lands dominated by the great rivers originating in the mountains, including both ancient Ganges and Brahmaputra, and the role of those lands in world history.

The oldest known map in the world, marking the progress of the human civilisations that produced such maps, originating in Babylon, around the end of the seventh century BCE, or early sixth century, simply, unsurprisingly, focussed on Babylon itself. But it can also be interpreted to identify other lands that neighbour those of the Middle East, simply telling us that international travel and trade were already a part of life on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Why else would such a map be made?

By the middle of the sixth century, Anaximander, a Greek cartographer from Miletus, in Asia Minor, described the world as circular, and comprised of three parts, Europe, Asia, and Africa. A simplistic view, perhaps, but, in his time, entirely accurate. However, the very existence of such a map raises the question: was the drawing an inspired guess, or was his map based on real, substantial knowledge?

Knowledge provided, it is safe to assume, by early travellers, who were almost certainly traders.

Within fifty years, another Miletian, Hecataeus, had amplified the contents of Anaximander’s outline of the world, marking both a long range of mountains spreading across the Asian bloc, which can only really be interpreted as the Himalayas, and from which a river springs, flowing from the mountain range, to the surrounding ocean.

Some might interpret this as the Indus, rising at the end of the Himalayan range closest to Asia Minor; however, a more reasonable interpretation, since it rises towards the end of the range, might also identify it as the Ganges. Whichever, it clearly identifies knowledge of the physical geography of Asia, even if the geopolitical knowledge is very evidently deficient!

However, by the middle of the third century BCE there is no longer any doubt about identifying the lands of the Ganges delta that are, today, at the heart of Bangladesh.

Eratosthenes, a Greek philosopher

based in the great library in Alexandria, and assisted by the records of Alexander’s campaigns, whilst believing that, north of the Himalayan range were the lands of ancient Scythia, today’s Russia, clearly marks, and names, the Ganges. He also shows the origin of the river in the Himalayas. Only those who had travelled the waters of the great river could possibly have told him that.

By the middle of the second century BCE, another Greek cartographer, Posidonius, based in Rhodes, could boldly mark both Indus and Ganges rivers, and, interestingly, had added, east of the Ganges, a land he names as Sinae, that we might reasonably interpret as China, by then under the progressive rule of the Han Dynasty.

Clearly, travellers had widened, and shared, the extent of their knowledge

from direct experience.

Although the mid first century AD/ CE publication, “Periplus of the Erythraean Sea,” a merchant guide to trade, suggests the Ganges delta as a place to buy silk, from an “inland city called Thina,” there is other evidence that trade with China had already been carried on between the Ganges and China for more than a century or two.

Strabo, the great Greco Roman cartographer, in writing of trade with the Ganges Delta, in his very early first century CE publication, “Geographia,” also references the maps of both Posidonius and Eratosthenes.

However, contemporary with the Periplus, the map made by Pomponius Mela, the earliest Roman cartographer, is very clear that the dominant river of South Asia is the Ganges, with many tributaries, and an enormous delta system.

It was, however, the greatest of all the cartographers of the early centuries on Roman times, Ptolemy, who left maps of the entire known world.

His map of the Ganges delta also marks the Brahmaputra, showing a route that brought its headwaters close to those of the Pearl river system of China.

Interestingly, he marks clearly, in its correct location midway between Karnaphuli and Naf rivers, a coastal town called Ramcu; there seems little doubt that this is today’s Ramu.

He also marks, clearly, the territory of Gangaridai, leaving no doubt that the ancient kingdom, much written about by both Greek and Roman historians, was located within the lands of the Ganges delta.

Although, for the next couple of centuries, historians, especially, continued to write, often almost lyrically, of the Ganges delta, and especially, the Kingdom of Gangaridai, the knowledge of the broad triangular shape of the Indian subcontinent, bracketed by the two great rivers Ganges and Indus, seems to have been lost to cartographers.

Maps produced by Saxon, Viking, Arabian and even Chinese cartographers, over the ensuing thousand years, show no sign that the subcontinent was explored, or mapped, in detail.

It was not until Vasco da Gama, at the end of the fifteenth century, pioneered the Cape route for direct trade, that modern, identifiable, shape and form of the landmass of the subcontinent, reappears in mapping.

Clearly, for that thousand years,

Imago Mundi, the oldest known world map from 6th century BCE Babylonia

following the fall of Rome, and the outbreak of civil wars throughout Europe, ended the previous, near thousand years of geographic exploration and mapping, by, and for, traders who travelled the maritime routes between East Asia and the markets of Europe.

Meanwhile, more local and regional powers had not only traded with the delta lands, but such as the Pashtun Khilji, chased out of their Afghan lands by the Mongol hordes, and followed by those great chancers, the Mughals, had seized the rich lands of the delta.

A history in maps is but one of the routes to exploring the history of the peoples of Bangladesh

Two hundred years after the Mughals, the British gained control of these most valuable of lands, and from that time, vastly improved cartography marks the more recent history of what was, once, one of the greatest global centres of economic activity. A fact evidenced by two and a half thousand years of cartography.

Maps can, indeed, it seems, mark the political and cultural time of day, and the place of a people in the world, should the people care to make a check before continuing setting a course towards a future, unknown, and unknowable.

A history in maps is but one of the routes to exploring the history of the peoples of Bangladesh. Documentary evidence, from at least the fourth century BCE, and archaeological evidence that can be scientifically dated, thus far, to at least the 7th century BCE, describes a society with one of the richest histories in the world.

It is a history, the tangible evidence of which may be rapidly disappearing, but the evidence of the maps, and the written history, describe the origins of the people more vividly than a mere history book could possibly do. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

WIKIMEDIA

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Friday, December 27, 2013

Cairo bomb wounds five as Egypt widens crackdown on Islamists

Turkish PM: I am the target of graft probe

n AFP, Cairo

n AP, Ankara

A bomb exploded near a bus in Cairo Thursday injuring five people, a day after the government widened a crackdown on Islamists by declaring the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group.

The windows of the red and black public transport bus were shattered in the explosion at a busy intersection in the north Cairo neighbourhood of Nasr City.

Police defused a second bomb and cordoned off the area as sniffer dogs searched for more explosive devices, an AFP correspondent said.

The bombing came a day after the military-installed government declared the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi, a terrorist organisation, and after a suicide car bomber killed 15 people at a police building north of Cairo.

The interior ministry said the attack was meant to intimidate voters ahead of a referendum next month on a new constitution, billed as the first step in a democratic transition ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections.

A police general, Mohamed Gamal, showed a defused pipe bomb to reporters, saying it had been placed in a billboard and was primed to explode when police arrived at the site of the first bombing.

“It was set to go off remotely,” interior ministry spokesman Hany Abdel Latif told AFP, adding the bombs were “meant to terrorise people before the referendum.”

A witness described scenes of panic after the attack.

“I was 100 metres (yards) away when I heard the explosion. I came running to help the wounded,” said Mahmud Abd al-Al, a construction worker.

Turkey’s prime minister says he believes he is the ultimate target of a corruption and bribery probe of his allies that has shaken the government.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a group of journalists that anyone attempting to enmesh him in the scandal would be “left empty handed.” His comments were published in Hurriyet and Yeni Safak newspapers on Thursday.

Floods leave 50,000 Brazilians homeless n Agencies The death toll from two weeks of floods and mudslides amid torrential rain in two states in southeastern Brazil has risen to 32, officials said.

The civil defence department of Minas Gerais state said on its website on Wednesday that 17 people died there in floodwaters and mudslides.

The department said about 4,000 people were forced to seek shelter in public buildings or in the homes of friends and relatives.

In neighbouring Espirito Santo, a civil defence spokesman told AFP news agency that the bodies of two men and a woman were found early on Wednesday, taking the number of people killed to 17.

He said that the number of people left homeless by the flooding was about 50,000.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff toured flood-hit areas of the state and pledged federal aid to rebuild homes and roads on Tuesday.

Rousseff said two helicopters and army trucks would be sent to the area to deliver food and medicine to those affected. l

OTHER NEWS India gangster escapes police after drugging guards

An Indian gangster linked to dozens of murders escaped from police custody after apparently serving food laced with sedatives to officers guarding him, police and local media reports said Thursday.

Vikram Paras, 27, carried out the daring escape as four armed officers were escorting him from the busy Old Delhi Railway Station in the capital early on Wednesday, a local officer said. Paras, allegedly involved in dozens of cases of murder, extortion and robbery, was being brought back to Delhi by train after a court appearance at Bhatinda in neighbouring Punjab state.

“He is a desperate contract killer. We have launched an investigation based on the information that we have as of now. We are hopeful of nabbing him soon,” Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP. Bhagat said police were still trying to establish exactly what happened, after three of his guards were found unconscious at the railway station while the fourth was found dazed in a nearby street. “They were mostly incoherent when a police team reached them,” railway police officer Surender Singh told AFP. Paras offered food at the station to the four officers at the station, which his accomplices had contaminated with drugs, before stealing their guns and fleeing, according to the Times of India.

Erdogan reshuffled his Cabinet on Wednesday, replacing 10 ministers hours after three ministers, whose sons were detained in relation to the probe, resigned. One of those ministers called on Erdogan to also step down.

The ministers’ sons were questioned over the scandal focusing on alleged illicit money transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects. Two of them were later arrested on bribery charges. l

African leaders in South Sudan for peace talks n AP, Juba

Egyptian security officials inspect the wreckage of a bus that was damaged by an explosion on December 26 in Cairo “They were covered in blood. One man lost a leg,” he said.

A health ministry official said five people were wounded in the attack.

Dozens of angry men and women chanted slogans against the Muslim Brotherhood as police tried to keep them away from the site of the blast while forensic experts searched for clues inside the bus.

“The Muslim Brotherhood people are dogs,” chanted 40-year-old Fadiya as police pushed her away.

‘My country is bleeding’ “My country is bleeding. Everybody is scared now in Egypt, even the police are scared,” she said as several men

and women took pictures of the bus with their mobile phones.

The Brotherhood, which prevailed in all elections since the 2011 ouster of Hosni Mubarak and organises near daily protests demanding Morsi’s reinstatement, insists it is peaceful and has condemned militant attacks.

It was declared a terrorist group after Tuesday’s bombing of a police headquarters that killed 15 people in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura, although an Al-Qaeda-inspired group in the Sinai peninsula said it was responsible.

Thursday’s bombing in Cairo appears to be the first against civilians,

Kuwait court rejects ex-Al-Qaeda spokesman’s citizenship claim n AFP, Kuwait City A Kuwaiti court has rejected a petition by a former Al-Qaeda spokesman to reclaim his Kuwaiti citizenship revoked by the oil-rich Gulf state over his militant activities, a newspaper reported Thursday.

In a ruling issued Wednesday, the administrative court based its rejection on the grounds that Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, the son-in-law of slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, was a member of a group that carried out terrorist attacks killing innocent people, Al-Qabas daily reported.

The Kuwaiti government withdrew the nationality of Abu Ghaith, currently on trial in a New York court on terror charges, immediately after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States that killed several thousand people.

“It had been unequivocally proved that he (Abu Ghaith) was a member of Al-Qaeda ... and was its spokesman,” the court said in its ruling.

It added that is was well-known that Al-Qaeda carried out terrorist attacks killing innocent people and that the ideology of the group calls for the killing of American soldiers wherever they

are, even if that results in the deaths of innocents.

The ruling is not final as it can be challenged before the court of appeals.

Abu Ghaith’s wife and children are still living in Kuwait as the government has not revoked their citizenship.

US prosecutors on Monday linked Abu Ghaith, who was arrested in February, to the 2001 Al-Qaeda shoe bomber plot to bring down an airline flying from Paris to Miami after adding two extra charges against him.

British Al-Qaeda recruit Richard Reid is serving a life sentence in the United States for trying to blow up the passenger jet using bombs hidden in his shoes.

Abu Ghaith, 48, whose trial in New York is scheduled to begin on February 3, was initially charged with one count of conspiracy to kill Americans. He faces a life term if convicted.

The Al-Qaeda militant left Kuwait for Afghanistan in June 2001 and then fled to Iran around the end of the following year, remaining there until he travelled to Turkey in early 2013.

After being detained in Turkey, he was put on a plane to Kuwait but was arrested during a stopover in Jordan. l

AFP

although it could have been meant for another target and exploded prematurely.

A suicide bomber had set off a car bomb in September in the same neighbourhood in an attempt to assassinate interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim as his convoy passed by.

The minister survived but a bystander was killed in the explosion.

The interior ministry said the Brotherhood’s designation as terrorist group meant that whoever participates in its protests faces a jail term of five years, while those owning publications, recordings or propaganda material of the group face jail terms of up to five years. l

Russian experts rule out radiation poisoning in Arafat death n AFP, Moscow Russian forensic experts studying the remains of Yasser Arafat on Thursday said the Palestinian leader died a natural death, ruling out radiation poisoning.

“We have completed all the studies,” Vladimir Uiba, head of Russia’s Federal Medical-Biological Agency (FMBA), told a news conference.

“The person died a natural death and not from radiation.”

A Palestinian envoy, however, said the Palestinian authorities will press on with a probe into the 2004 death of Arafat. I can only say that there is already a decision to continue (the investigation),” Faed Mustafa, the Palestinian ambassador to Russia, told the state RIA Novosti news agency.

“We respect their position, we highly value their work but there is a decision to continue work,” he said. “We need a result, a final and concrete result to take the issue off the table.”

A decision to ask the UN General Assembly to establish an international commission to investigate the circumstances of Arafat’s death was taken at an Arab League meeting in Cairo on Saturday.

Israel to free Palestinians and build more settlements n

AFP, Jerusalem

Israel will announce plans for new settlement construction next week, coinciding with the release of a third batch of Palestinian prisoners as part of peace talks, an official said Thursday.

Palestinians have warned repeatedly that settlement building destroys the fragile US-brokered peace talks that resumed in July after a three-year hiatus.

“The Israeli government will announce tenders for new construction in the West Bank and in east Jerusalem which will coincide with the release of a third group of Palestinian prisoners,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The comments come days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to push ahead with settlement construction despite calls for restraint

by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the European Union.

“We will not stop, even for a moment, building our country and becoming stronger, and developing ... the settlement enterprise,” Netanyahu told members of his right-wing Likud party last week.

Kerry, who has been fighting for the survival of the peace talks, urged Netanyahu earlier this month “to exercise maximum restraint in announcing new construction” Haaretz daily has reported.

Israel is due to release 26 Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, in line with commitments to the US-backed peace process which also called on both sides to negotiate for nine months.

Israel agreed to free 104 Palestinian prisoners and has already released 52 in two separate batches. A third group is to be freed on December 29 and the last inmates are to walk free in March 2014.

The previous releases in August and October were accompanied by Israeli announcements of fresh construction on land the Palestinians want for a future state, provoking Palestinian fury.

In October plans for 1,500 Jewish settler homes in Arab east Jerusalem came to light almost immediately after Israel began freeing the second batch of 26 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel had likewise announced construction of more than 2,000 new settler homes in August, when it freed the first group of detainees.

African leaders arrived in South Sudan on Thursday to try to mediate between the country’s president and the political rivals he accuses of attempting a coup that the government insists sparked violence threatening to destroy the world’s newest country.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn will meet with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir later on Thursday, said Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth.

World leaders have urged the country’s leaders to stop the violence in which thousands are feared killed. The United States, Norway and Ethiopia are leading efforts to open peace talks between Kiir and his political rivals. Kiir said in a Christmas address that he is willing to “dialogue” with all his opponents.

The United Nations is investigating reports of mass killings since violence

began spreading across South Sudanafter a fight among the presidential guards on Dec. 15, pitting soldiers from Kiir’s Dinka ethnic group against those from the Nuer ethnic group of former Vice President Riek Machar. South Sudan’s top UN humanitarian official, Toby Lanzer, said on Monday that he believes the death toll has surpassed 1,000.

Leuth, the information minister, said the government has not yet established formal contact with Machar, who has been accused of leading what the government insists was a failed coup plot. Machar, he said, was expected to first renounce rebellion.

“For us, we are not talking with him,” Leuth said, referring to Machar, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Government troops are trying to retake control of Bentiu, the capital of oil-rich Unity state, from forces loyal to Machar. There was also reported fighting overnight in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state, according to Lueth. l

Palestinian officials have angrily said Israeli settlement plans destroy the peace process and the international community has also denounced past construction moves.

‘We will not stop, even for a moment, building our country and becoming stronger, and developing ‘ Israeli media Thursday suggested that the new construction push is aimed at pacifying Netanyahu’s coalition partners following a surge of violence along the Israel-Gaza border and in the West Bank.

Maariv daily quoted an unnamed top official as saying Netanyahu had initially agreed to US and EU appeals to delay by two to three weeks the announcement of the new constructions.

But Netanyahu apparently changed his mind under pressure from his coalition partners so as not to send out a “signal of weakness” to the Palestinians from Israel, Maariv said. l

Yasser Arafat Arafat died in France on November 11, 2004 at the age of 75, but doctors were unable to specify the cause of death. No autopsy was carried out at the time, in line with his widow’s request.

His remains were exhumed in No-

AFP

vember 2012, partly to investigate whether he had been poisoned with radioactive polonium, a suspicion that grew after the substance was used to assassinate Russian ex-spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in 2006. l

Snowden’s Christmas message n Agencies Former US National Security Agency contractor has addressed British public through a televised Christmas message, warning of the dangers posed by a loss of privacy.

Edward Snowden, who revealed details of electronic surveillance by American and British spy services, appeared in a two-minute video recorded in Moscow and broadcast by Britain’s Channel 4 television station on Wednesday. The US whistleblower said that modern surveillance was more invasive than any envisioned in the novel “1984” by George Orwell, and warned that children today would grow up without knowing what it means to have an unrecorded or private moment.

“We have sensors in our pockets that track us everywhere we go. Think about what this means for the privacy of the average person,” Snowden said.

The challenge now, he believes, is to stress the importance of privacy and urge an end to mass government surveillance.

“The conversation occurring today will determine the amount of trust we can place both in the technology that surrounds us and the government that regulates it,” he said.

“Together we can find a better balance, end mass surveillance and remind the government that if it really wants to know how we feel, asking is always cheaper than spying.”

Keeping a mostly low-profile since getting asylum by Moscow, Snowden has suddenly resurfaced in the media, saying he is confident his personal mission is already accomplished and he has already won after leaking NSA secrets.

Snowden left his NSA post in Hawaii in May and went public with his first revelations from Hong Kong a few weeks later.

In June, he left for Russia and stayed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport for nearly six weeks until the Kremlin granted him temporary one-year asylum.

The US has revoked his passport and demanded he be sent home to face charges for stealing secrets.

Channel 4 every year produces a Christmas message, an alternative to the one delivered by Queen Elizabeth II to the nation, and has used it to give a platform to people as diverse as Iran’s then-President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad in 2008, and fictional characters including Ali G and Marge Simpson in 1999 and 2004, respectively. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Friday, December 27, 2013

China angered as Japanese PM visits controversial war memorial n Reuters, Tokyo Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited a shrine on Thursday that is seen by critics as a symbol of Tokyo’s wartime aggression, infuriating China and South Korea and prompting concern from the United States about deteriorating ties between the North Asian neighbours.

China and South Korea have repeatedly expressed anger in the past over Japanese politicians’ visits to Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War Two are honoured along with those who died in battle.

The two countries have been especially touchy about visits to the shrine by serving Japanese prime ministers, and Abe is the first leader in office to pay homage at Yasukuni in the past seven years.

Business ties between China and Japan, the world’s second- and third-largest economies, have improved after a downturn sparked by a flare-up last year in a row over tiny East China Sea islands controlled by Japan but also claimed by China.

But worries are growing that an unintended incident between Japanese and Chinese aircraft and ships playing cat-and-mouse near the disputed isles could escalate into a military clash.

Abe, a conservative who took office for a second term exactly one year ago, said he did not intend to hurt feelings in neighbouring nations.

“There is criticism based on the misconception that this is an act to worship war criminals, but I visited Yasukuni Shrine to report to the souls of the war dead on the progress made this year and to convey my resolve that people never again suffer the horrors of war,” he told reporters after the visit.

Television carried live video of

his motorcade making its way to the shrine, built in 1896 by Emperor Meiji to enshrine war dead. Yasukuni played a key role in the wartime state Shinto religion which mobilized the population to fight in the name of a divine emperor. Abe, dressed in a morning suit and a silver tie, bowed at the shrine before following a Shinto priest into an inner sanctum.

Stressing that it was natural for a nation’s leader to pay respect to those who died for their country, Abe said he shared the view of past Japanese leaders that ties with China and South Korea were important and that to make them firm was in Japan’s national interests - and said that he would like to explain that if given the opportunity.

‘Japan must bear full responsibility for the serious political consequences’ Tokyo’s relations with Beijing and Seoul are already strained by territorial rows and disputes stemming from Japan’s wartime occupation of large parts of China and its 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean peninsula.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Abe’s action had pushed Japan in an “extremely dangerous” direction.

“Japan must bear full responsibility for the serious political consequences,” the foreign ministry’s website quoted Wang as telling the Japanese ambassador to China, who was summoned to the ministry.

A commentary in state-run news agency Xinhua added: “Choosing a sensitive time to visit a highly controversial and notorious place, Abe knows perfectly what he is doing and the consequences. Instead of a pledge against war, as Abe has claimed, the visit is a calculated provocation to stoke further tension.”

In an e-mail sent to Japanese nationals registered with the Japanese embassy in Beijing, the embassy warned its citizens to stay away from any demonstrations and to not congregate in big groups.

“Given the media coverage, we fear the deterioration in sentiment towards Japan,” the embassy said. “In dealing with Chinese people, pay attention to your behaviour and your language.”

South Korea termed the visit a deplorable and anachronistic act that damaged ties between the two countries and summoned a top Japanese diplomat in Seoul to protest.

“We cannot withhold regret and anger over the visit,” said Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jin-ryong.

Washington - which has welcomed Abe’s more proactive defence policies but been unhappy at his historical revisionism - also expressed disappointment.

“Japan’s leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions with Japan’s neighbours,” a US Embassy statement in Tokyo said.

“The United States hopes that both Japan and its neighbours will find constructive ways to deal with sensitive issues from the past, to improve their relations, and to promote cooperation in advancing our shared goals of regional peace and stability.”

The head of Abe’s coalition partner, the Buddhist-backed New Komeito - who had urged the premier not to make the pilgrimage called the visit regrettable in light of the problems it as likely to cause with Japan’s neighbours.

Japanese exports to China have recovered after a sharp drop following scattered protests in China in 2012. It was unclear whether Abe’s Yasukuni visit, the first by a serving premier since 2006, would dampen business ties again. l

Thai anti government protesters face riot policemen during rally at a stadium to register party candidates in Bangkok

AFP

Thailand rejects delay in polls amid clash n AP, Bangkok Thailand’s election commission on Thursday called for upcoming polls to be delayed as street battles between security forces and protesters seeking to disrupt the ballot killed a police officer and injured nearly 100 people, dealing fresh blows to the beleaguered government.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra wants the Feb. 2 elections to take place as scheduled, believing she would win handily and renew her mandate.

The hours-long unrest took place outside a Bangkok sports stadium where election candidates were gathering to draw lots for their positions on ballots. Protesters threw rocks as they tried to break into the building to halt the process, while police fired tear gas and rubber bullets.

Police said protesters fired live bullets, one of which killed the officer.

Four election commissioners left the stadium by helicopter to escape the violence, some of the sharpest since a long-running dispute between Thailand’s bitterly divided political factions flared anew two months ago, pitching the Southeast Asian country into fresh turmoil.

The protest movement regards the Yingluck administration as corrupt, illegitimate and a proxy for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by a 2006 military coup. It is demanding that the elections be delayed until Yingluck leaves office and reforms are implemented.

The election commission said in a statement that it was urging the government to consider postponing the elections, citing the security situation.

Commission head Somchai Srisutthiyakorn denied the body was “involv-

ing itself in politics” by urging a delay in the polls. “We have good intentions and want to see peace in this country,” he told reporters.

Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana said: “Feb. 2, 2014, was set as the election date in the royal decree dissolving Parliament, and there is nothing within the constitution or the law that gives the government the authority to change this date,” he said. He reiterated that the government was willing to discuss reforms with the protesters, but insisted that the elections must take place as scheduled.

According to the constitution, elections must be held 45 to 60 days from the date that Parliament is dissolved.

The anti-government protests began in late October, but Thursday’s violence was the first in nearly two weeks. l

Indian court rejects Parsis confront threats at Mumbai gathering Pakistan to raise drones at prosecution of PM n AFP, Mumbai UN Human Rights Council candidate The world’s tiny but hugely successful drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal belt as Zoroastrian community will confront n AP, Ahmadabad n AFP, Islamabad well as over sanctuaries for Afghan Tala demographic crisis which threatens An Indian court has rejected a petition seeking the prosecution of a Hindu nationalist party’s prime ministerial candidate in the killing of a former lawmaker and other Muslims during riots in the western state of Gujarat in 2002.

Magistrate B.J. Ganatara’s ruling Thursday comes as a boost to Narendra Modi, the state’s top elected official and the Bharatiya Janata party’s prime ministerial candidate in national elections to be held before May. Former Congress party lawmaker Ehsan Jafri was allegedly killed by Hindu rioters in a neighbourhood where dozens of Muslim families lived in Ahmadabad, Gujarat’s largest city. Dozens of other Muslims also died in the attack.

In her petition to the court, Jafri’s widow, Zakia Jafri, accused Modi of not doing enough to prevent the killings. l

Tamil council to count Sri Lanka war casualties n AFP, Colombo The provincial government in Sri Lanka’s main Tamil region said Thursday it would compile its own death toll from the country’s ethnic war, saying an ongoing census would play down the number of casualties.

Tamil officials said the census ordered by President Mahinda Rajapakse last month would give a distorted picture because of its “flawed” terms of reference, arguing that a more credible alternative was needed.

“The council will work out the logistics of taking a count,” Dharmalingam Sithadthan, a senior member of the Northern Provincial Council, told AFP from the regional capital Jaffna.

“This is something we have to do because we don’t accept the government census.” The United Nations has estimated that at least 100,000 people were killed in Sri Lanka’s 37-year separatist war with about 40,000 civilians killed in the final months of fighting in 2009.

The Rajapakse government kicked off its own census late November after disputes over the scale of the killings in the final phases of the war dominated a Commonwealth summit in Colombo earlier in the month. Sri Lanka has repeatedly rejected allegations that its troops killed civilians while battling the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were also accused of using civilians as a human shield. l

its very existence when it gathers en masse in its spiritual home of Mumbai this week.

The four-day World Zoroastrian Congress, beginning Friday, brings together followers of one of the world’s oldest religions, many of whom are descended from Persians who fled to India to escape persecution more than 1,000 years ago.

Known as the Parsis, this group went on to become one of India’s wealthiest communities, closely linked to the rise of financial capital Mumbai. Famed members have included the industrialist Tata family and the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, the son of Parsi migrants to Zanzibar.

But the population of Parsis is quickly diminishing, with members divided over how best to preserve their religion and culture.

“Demographically there’s nothing you can do. It’s going down and down and it’s eventually going to disappear,” said Jehangir Patel, editor of Parsiana, a Mumbai-based magazine for the

An Indian Parsi woman walks by relief figures of knights at a fire temple after offering prayers on the Parsi new year ‘Navroze’ in Mumbai AFP community.

Zoroastrians believe in one god, Ahura Mazda, and follow the teachings of the ancient Prophet Zoroaster. They worship in fire temples, believing fire to be a symbol of god’s purity.

Scattered across countries including Iran, the United States and Britain, their estimated numbers have dropped by more than 10% between 2004 to 2012 to fewer than 112,000 people.

In India, where most Zoroastrians live, the numbers have halved since

1940 to about 61,000.

Every year, Mumbai sees about 850 Parsi deaths and roughly 200 births, with the largely well-educated and well-off group tending to marry late – or not at all – and opting for smaller families, said Patel.

Alarmed by the figures, and despite worries about a boom in the wider population, India’s government is about to launch an IVF scheme for the Parsis, who have earned a reputation for good business sense and honesty. l

Pakistan on Thursday said it would raise the issue of US drone strikes inside its territory at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“We will go to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva if the drone strikes continue” Tasneem Aslam, the spokeswoman for the ministry of foreign affairs said in a weekly news conference.

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution on December 18 2013 calling on states using drone strikes as a counter-terrorism measure to comply with their obligations under international law and the UN Charter.

But in the latest US missile strike after the UN resolution, at least three people were killed late on Wednesday night in Miranshah in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal district of North Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry condemned the fresh attack, terming it a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ties between the US and Pakistan have been seriously strained over US

China’s Xi notes Mao’s ‘mistakes’ on 120th anniversary

China to send special envoy to South Sudan n AFP, Beijing

n AFP, Shaoshan Communist China’s president Xi Jinping acknowledged Thursday its founding father Mao Zedong made “mistakes,” as admirers celebrated the 120th anniversary of the late leader’s birth with noodles and fireworks.

Mao is the centrepiece of the ruling party’s pantheon and commands reverence among many Chinese, including some frustrated by the current state of the nation, but is also condemned by those who say his political and economic campaigns caused tens of millions of deaths.

The combination left authorities looking to mark the occasion with a tricky balancing act. “Mao is a great figure who changed the face of the nation and led the Chinese people to a new destiny,” Xi said in Beijing, according to the official news agency Xinhua.

But he added: “Revolutionary leaders are not gods, but human beings.

(We) cannot worship them like gods or refuse to allow people to point out and correct their errors just because they are great. “Neither can we totally repudiate them and erase their historical feats just because they made mistakes.”

Xi – who has regularly cited Mao’s theories – and six other top-ranked

Security guards salute near wreaths in front of a statue of the late Communist leader Mao Zedong leaders visited Mao’s mausoleum in the morning where they bowed three times to his statue and “jointly recalled Comrade Mao’s glorious achieve-

ments,” Xinhua said. The 12-decade anniversary has a special resonance in China, which traditionally measured time in 60-year cycles.

iban insurgents inside its borders.

But human rights groups and Pakistani politicians say the missile attacks have killed innocent civilians and are a breach of sovereignty.

President Barack Obama has defended the drone strikes as an effective, lawful tool used with restraint to target suspected Al-Qaeda militants.

In recent weeks, activists opposed to the drone raids forcibly searched trucks in northwest Pakistan in a campaign to disrupt NATO supply routes through the Torkham gate border crossing.

The club-wielding protesters have prompted US officials to halt the shipments to protect the truck drivers.

Last month a US drone attack on a seminary linked to the feared Haqqani militant network in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest killed at least six people.

The attack, which militant sources said killed the Haqqanis’ spiritual leader along with five others, was extremely unusual as it was mounted outside Pakistan’s lawless tribal areas on the Afghan border. l

AP

Some of the celebrations had religious overtones, with pilgrims burning incense, bowing and calling for blessings from the “Great Helmsman.” l

China will soon dispatch a special envoy to conflict-wracked South Sudan, Beijing’s foreign ministry said Thursday.

In a statement on its website, the ministry quoted foreign minister Wang Yi as having made the announcement to reporters during a visit to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

South Sudan won independence from Sudan two years ago but has been struck by internal political violence this month, which the United Nations says has left thousands dead.

China is among foreign countries with oil interests in the area.

According to Wang, China would soon send its special envoy for African affairs to South Sudan to make contact with all sides, the statement said.

China is willing to make efforts to help the situation in South Sudan quickly return to stability, Wang added, according to the statement.

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, became independent after a civil war that killed more than two million people between 1983 and 2005. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Friday, December 27, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

For a peaceful protest

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here is valid concern that the political situation will get worse if the opposition’s planned rally on December 29 is prevented from going ahead.

In a democracy, it is essential to allow everyone space to peacefully express their point of view. Opposition leader Khaleda Zia has put a clear emphasis on ensuring that Sunday’s demonstration is non-violent and open to all. We see no reason in principle therefore to oppose the rally.

The BNP has a right to make its voice heard peacefully. The government should not impede this right.

It is not conducive to the aim of reinvigorating dialogue on political compromise for opposition leaders to be prevented from pursuing their declared aim of holding a peaceful demonstration on Sunday.

The government and opposition have a duty to co-operate on ensuring safety for those who plan to attend the march and also the safety and convenience of the common people. Unreasonable obstacles should not be placed in the way of opposition supporters.

By the same token, it behooves the BNP to ensure that they keep to their word and ensure that the march is indeed peaceful. They will be held responsible for any violence or agitation caused by the marchers. If they wish for political space to protest, which is their democratic right, they must also act with similar responsibility.

It is equally the responsibility of both sides, the government and opposition, to ensure that December 29 passes peacefully, and we hope that both sides will live up to our best expectations.

It is essential to allow everyone space to peacefully express their point of view. By the same token, it behooves the BNP to ensure that they keep to their word

Army deployment should be restrained

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n response to a request from the Election Commission under Article 126 of the constitution, the army has been deployed across the country to aid civil authorities for 15 days from December 26 to January 9 to maintain law and order during the election period.

Bangladesh’s army has a proud record of professionalism and civil service under United Nations peacekeeping programs and, only this week, have been deployed to assist the UN in South Sudan.

Inside the country, the army has many times in the past been deployed to ensure security at election time, and this is something that has always proved popular with the voters. Nor should we forget the positive role that the army plays throughout the country in disaster relief and other such activities.

In short, therefore, public confidence is high that the army’s deployment for the national election, scheduled for January 5, will be helpful in assisting the civil authorities and police in co-operation with BGB and RAB and help bring the current volatile situation under some kind of control.

Even so, it is important that the Election Commission has been punctilious in making its request for the armed forces to serve in aid to the civil power and that everything is operating by the book.

The government is also right to have issued special directives to law enforcement agencies to take care to avoid any excessive use of force during the parliamentary election. It is important to exercise restraint in the use of power at all times but this is even truer during such a sensitive period.

It is important that the Election Commission has been punctilious in making its request for the armed forces to serve in aid to the civil power

CROSSWORD

Dilly-dallying in administration of justice in Bangladesh December 24

Effective access to justice requires that the dispute resolution process must be prompt and efficient because if it takes an unnecessarily long time, and there are procedural hurdles to obtain justice, these delays and procedural complexities themselves create another forum of injustice for litigants.

Unfortunately, the rate of disposal of cases has been extremely unsatisfactory, evinced by a backlog of around 2.7 million cases, still pending with courts across the country including the Appellate Division and the High Court Division of the Supreme Court. This sorry state of affairs has virtually rendered access to justice for commoners hampered and the quality of justice compromised. In fact, this dilly-dallying has resulted in a large proportion being virtually denied of their right to redress their grievances by having recourse to the law courts. This has, consequently, resulted in serious erosion of their faith in the judiciary as a forum to seek justice. This cannot continue.

There is no better test of the excellence of a government than the efficiency of its judicial systems. It’s high time the government and all concerned stakeholders, including judges, lawyers, court officials and even litigating parties, made sincere efforts in this regard to rid our judiciary of this menace to ensure effective access to justice for all.

Asaduzzaman (Jewel) Department of Law, University of Rajshahi

Pakistanis term parliament resolution ‘act of shame’ December 19

I think the author has done a good job in his attempt to douse the fire that has erupted in Bangladesh over the Pakistan parliament resolution affecting the internal affairs of Bangladesh ie execution of the death penalty of Quader Molla, aka Koshai Kader of Mirpur.

It was heartening to note, however, that the internet savvy Pakistanis are all opposed to the resolution of their own parliament and have termed it as a shameful act!

But Imran Khan’s comment of calling Koshai Kader as “innocent,” based on the feedback he received from the defence attorney of the accused, is downright foolish. He would do better not to side with the Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan, for mere political expediency. He has lost all that he had gained as a star cricketer, in the hearts of the Bangladeshis.

Sorry, Imran Khan, shame on you!

Wakho

Dialogue on 11th parliamentary polls

December 20 They want to repeat the 1996 polls. Good on them.

Ruwa

DOWN 1 Decoration (5) 2 Choler (3) 3 Of birth (5) 4 Employ (3) 5 Teaching period (4) 6 Young horse (4) 7 Electrical unit (6) 8 Exploit (4) 14 Undermine (3) 16 Group of eight (6) 17 Sheltered side (3) 19 Depart (5) 20 Unaccompanied (5) 21 Absent (4) 22 Easy pace (4) 23 Weary (4) 26 Spoil (3) 27 Obtain (3)

December 17

Ashiqur These people should face hard punishment, so other idiots, such as them, do not carry out such attacks again. Why are good people always killed?

Ruhel Ashiqur: Because people such as these attackers are mad.

Ms Kudou Totally agree. When will justice find its way here?

December 22

MD Easir Arafat Siddik If this turmoil isn’t enough to require army deployment, then when will the army be deployed?? After the entire population is wiped out, and the army is left to bury the dead??

What a horrible answer for my innocent nation!

Mizanur Rahman What is this violent situation for? Why should the army get behind Hasina?

Shamim Ferdaus Rajib The army is necessary to control Jamaat.

MD Easir Arafat Siddik Mizanur Rahman: Well, first and foremost I personally don’t support anyone from either political party, because only the politicians are responsible for this crippled situation. Indeed, the army should intrude now to stop the massacre and violence, without a partiality for taking over the government. The Army is kept as a reserve to safeguard the country.

Homo sapiens is not the only human race December 22

It’s thought that interbreeding occurred, and so the Neanderthals were not an evolutionary dead end.

Sayad Kalakutta

Who cast my ballot, damn it!

December 18

All this for saving democracy?! The AL still doesn’t seem to get the meaning of this word. rutland waters

Suranjit: No dialogue on 10th general polls December 20

Why bother with elections? Save some money.

Make yourselves ministers and presidents for life and be done with it!

Akhtar Shah

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CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER ACROSS 1 Very small (6) 6 Passing craze (3) 9 Efface (5) 10 Large volume (4) 11 Discourage (5) 12 Monkey (3) 13 Drawn into error (6) 15 Lounge (4) 18 Excuse (4) 21 Bear witness to (6) 24 Armed conflict (3) 25 Adult insect (5) 28 Assert (4) 29 Bird (5) 30 Still (3) 31 Smooth and cylindrical (6)

Tk100,000 bounty on Motijheel attackers

BNP: Army deployment unnecessary

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Friday, December 27, 2013

For better connectivity n Barrister Harun ur Rashid

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A game of winner take all

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All in

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n Zafar Sobhan

s the AL about to make a historic mistake by forging ahead with the January 5 election?

Even many of those within the party privately concede that the elections will not have any legitimacy other than constitutional, and the party (to its credit) acknowledges openly that the results will not give it a mandate to rule for the next five years.

The argument is that the elections are now a constitutional necessity and that there is no alternative to going ahead with them if we wish to avoid a constitutional crisis.

Well, yes and no.

Whether the constitution allows for another 90 days after January 24 if the parliament is dissolved prior to then (which it clearly does, by my reading) or not, is a question of constitutional interpretation, I suppose.

But if the PM announced that she was invoking Article 123.3(b) of the constitution and taking another 90 days to hold elections, I am sure that she could pull it off.

The better argument against such a course of action is that it would solve nothing except to kick the can down the road a further three months, thus merely prolonging the current crisis, and that in the middle of April we would be back to square one, and with no parliament, to boot.

Be that as it may, there are cogent reasons for the AL to not go down that road, and instead to continue to seek compromise to try to bring the BNP into an election on mutually acceptable terms.

The principal one would be that

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the government elected on January 5 would suffer from a crisis of legitimacy from day one, in just the same way that the short-lived 6th parliament of 1996 did.

Right now, say what you will, the current parliament and cabinet have full and unquestionable constitutional and moral legitimacy. The parliament was democratically elected in December 2008 and the government was constitutionally constituted thereto.

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prevailing in such elections, certainly a far better chance than in the ones that were subsequently held that June.

In the end, it was their machinations to try to prevent the caretaker government and their holding of a farcical election that destroyed the party’s credibility and sealed its fate in the subsequent elections held four months later.

The situation today is not quite analogous. The saving grace for the

They are both playing for all the marbles. As ever, this is a high-stakes game of winner take all

Now, the 10th parliament will also be constitutional, there can be no question of that, but legitimacy does not follow mere constitutionality. What matters equally is whether it is seen to be legitimate by the people of Bangladesh and therefore by the administrative and law enforcement apparatus that exists to support it and without which it cannot function.

It was precisely this lack of legitimacy that brought the BNP-dominated 6th parliament to its knees and paved the way, ironically, for the 13th amendment and the caretaker government system.

Had the BNP agreed to the caretaker government prior to the farcical elections in February 1996, they would have had every chance of in fact

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AL is its full acknowledgement that the upcoming elections will not give it a mandate to rule the country for the next five years. The election as constitutional necessity rather than popular mandate make it more acceptable and likely to be more accepted than its February 1996 counterpart.

Nevertheless, the danger remains that with the government’s legitimacy compromised in the public mind that it will find it hard to maintain control, and will, like the BNP in 1996, then be backed into a corner.

The AL is confident that it can not only maintain but enhance control post-elections, and for the sake of the nation, I hope they are right. The nation can ill afford another round of hartals and blockades, and the sooner

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we can return to some semblance of normalcy, the better.

However, I am not as confident that it will be quite as simple as the AL seems to think.

Of course, whether we have elections in January or three months down the line, the fundamental problem remains that the two sides are both determined to not compromise, and, to paraphrase the late, great Lou Reed: There’s no ground common enough for AL and BNP. As long as that is the case, perhaps whether we hold elections now or later really doesn’t make all that much difference. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Without some kind of new compact between AL and BNP, elections will resolve nothing.

But neither side seems at all willing to back down or compromise. They are both playing for all the marbles.

As ever, this is a high-stakes game of winner take all.

By sticking to the elections on January 5, the PM is saying that she’s seen enough. She is bringing the crisis to a head. She has pushed all of her chips into the middle of the table. She is all in.

It is possible that her hand is stronger than I am giving it credit for, in which case I guess that there is nothing to be gained by waiting any further, since any kind of mutually acceptable compromise between the two sides seems to be out of the question.

If there’s going to be a showdown, January 5 is as good a time for it as any. Assuming she’s holding a winning hand. l Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

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he Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) regional grouping has reportedly agreed to start joint research to find ways to establish their dream “economic corridor” among the countries. The decision was adopted at the first official-level joint working group meeting at Kunming (Yunnan province) on December 19.

The officials also reached consensus on cooperation in transportation infrastructure, investment, commerce and trade, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and other areas.

The idea of economic corridor among BCIM has been conceived sometime in Dhaka in 1999 by a group of economists.

It was known as “Kunming Initiative” for regional connectivity. Gradually it caught the imagination of other countries. An informal working group was set up to develop a number of policy recommendations.

The last informal BCIM joint working group meeting was held in Dhaka last February when the Indian government sent an unofficial delegation while other countries were represented by officials.

This is known as Track-II diplomacy. It took India a long time to get involved officially because of reported security concern of the impact of economic corridor on some of the troubled-torn northeastern states of India whose population are closer ethnically to China and these states share borders with China as well.

With the participation of Indian officials, the meeting just concluded at Kunming has now elevated to Track-I, meaning all the countries are represented by the officials. It is a big achievement for multilateral diplomacy.

On February 22, 2013, a group of adventure enthusiasts from four countries – Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar – in a convoy of 20 cars, undertook a historic journey of 2,800km route that took them all the way from Kolkata to Kunming via Dhaka and Myanmar. The stated purpose of this journey was to highlight road connectivity in the four countries of the region (BCIM).

The joint statement issued at the end of Chinese Prime Minister Keqiang’s visit to India in May said that encouraged by the successful BCIM Car Rally of February 2013 between Kolkata and Kunming, the two sides had agreed to consult the other parties to establish a Joint Study Group on strengthening connectivity in the BCIM region for closer economic, trade, and people-to-people linkages, and to initiate the development of a BCIM Economic Corridor.

As a forerunner of the proposed economic corridor, the hugely popular 2004 India-ASEAN car rally, with the slogan “Networking People and Economies,” was one of the earliest signs of this connectivity. It is reported that more than 500 officials and business leaders from China and eight South Asian countries gathered in June 2011 to attend the 6th China-South Asia Business Forum presided by Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathdeen, in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, to discuss the promotion of trade and investment in the region.

China’s Yunnan Province Governor Qin Guangrong visited Bangladesh in August 2010 on a two-day official trip on the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh

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during her visit to Kunming in March 2010. Qin Guangrong discussed the setting up of direct road and rail connectivity between Bangladesh and China with government leaders.

In October 2013, a delegation of the Chinese government arrived in Dhaka from India to discuss the construction of the proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor.

Trade between China and South Asian countries has grown robustly in recent years. The trade volume between both sides jumped to more than $80bn in 2010, up from $26bn in 2005.

The Bangladeshi government has been a strong believer in regional connectivity and can derive benefits from it The Bangladeshi government has been a strong believer in regional connectivity, and given its unique geographical position, the country can derive enormous economic benefits from regional connectivity. Connectivity through road, rivers and railways is perceived as an economic necessity and constitutes a part of the service industry during the days of globalisation.

It may be recalled that Lord Dalhousie, India’s Governor General from 1848 to 1856, once dreamed of a “route” in South Asia – a railway line from Singapore to Constantinople and beyond, with a branch track meandering up to Lhasa (Tibet). Another Governor General, Lord Curzon, (1899-1905) thought of a route linking Bengal, Myanmar and China. More recently, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh reportedly forwarded the idea: “I dream of a day … one can have breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore, and dinner in Kabul.”

The interconnectivity or economic corridor among countries and regions has become the flavour of the time.

The US proposed the new silk route or Asia-Pacific economic corridor linking Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and Pacific.

Last October, Turkey opened its “iron silk route,” an underground rail link between Europe and Asia in Turkey’s metropolis Istanbul from Turkey’s mainland. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly said that it would connect London with Beijing.

Russia has proposed to South Korea Eurasian economic corridor which is to extend the Trans-Siberian Railway and the gas/oil pipelines to the Korean Peninsula – across North Korea to South Korea – becoming a key carrier for cargo and energy between East Asia and Europe.

Finally, the ability to construct the BCIM economic corridor will depend on the development of a coherent strategy by all countries involved, and must take into account key geopolitical and security considerations. l Barrister Harun ur Rashid former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva

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Jamaat responsible for Islamophobia n Ekram Kabir

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any analysts and commentators both in Bangladesh and abroad have written extensively on Bangladeshi war criminal Quader Molla’s execution, especially on Pakistan’s reaction to it. Most Pakistani analysts didn’t seem as conceited as their parliament. However, most of the Arab analysts were quite against the execution and they weighed Molla as a Muslim who was being hanged in a Muslim-majority country. The analysis that caught my attention was written by a Turkish interfaith scholar, Harun Yahya, titled “It is time to reflect” in Arab News on December 14.

I have great respect for Harun Yahya for his erudite analyses. I, however, couldn’t agree with him about what he wrote in this particular piece. The essence of his article was that Bangladesh hanged Molla due to the country’s Islamophobia, and the hanging was also radical, which doesn’t match with Islamic teachings on the part of Bangladesh.

He wrote: “This phobia is perhaps not unique to the western world, it can be found even in the Muslim world ...

Fearing radicalisation of society, governments are sometimes compelled to resort to force. The execution of Molla,

a top leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami, instead of life imprisonment, somehow points toward the same apprehensions.”

I know he is a true believer, and that is why he said: “A true believer can never remain silent in the face of injustice and persecution.” As a member of the brotherhood, Harun Yahya thought Molla was “persecuted”, vehemently opposing Molla’s execution. He also thought that the general sentiments of Muslims across the globe were against Molla’s execution.

This particular organisation has always served against the interests of Muslims in South Asia He also thought: “Whatever is happening in Bangladesh is in sharp contrast to the true teachings of Islam. One of the most important characteristics of a Muslim is: He forgives, and is compassionate and

merciful toward others.”

This is where lies the missing link for the Turkish scholar to realise how the teachings of Islam have been violated in Bangladesh: What Molla did in the name of Islam in 1971 as well as what his party, Jamaat-e-Islami, did in the independent Bangladesh.

Quader Molla and the like, inspired by the Pakistani ruling elite, cared little about the teachings of Islam, as they formed pro-Pakistani organisations in the name of saving Pakistan, and killed millions of Muslims in the erstwhile East Pakistan.

The majority of the erstwhile East Pakistan were Muslims, but they (Molla and the like) branded them as Hindus and went on a killing-spree. I’m sure Islam doesn’t teach us to kill humans (even if they are non-Muslims) to customise our political interests.

That was the first seed sown for Islamophobia in Bangladesh. Jamaat was running a terror campaign in the name of Islam. Members of this party were spreading the message of saving the Islamic state of Pakistan from splitting. But the way they were upholding an Islamic state wasn’t at all merciful, and never matched with the teachings of Islam. By killing millions of humans, most of who were Muslims, they committed heinous crimes in

Bangladesh.

Later, after the independence of Bangladesh, when Jamaat was allowed to be involved in politics, it never cleared its objectives. For a long time, the prime tool for the workers of Islami Chhatra Shibir (student wing of Jamaat) was to wound their political opponents by severing tendons. The Shibir workers have now changed their strategy; they are now wounding and killing innocent humans with bombs.

This particular organisation has always served against the interests of Muslims in South Asia. In 1947, it opposed an independent homeland for South Asian Muslims. In 1971, it killed millions of Muslims in Bangladesh. In 1985, it sided with Pakistani General Zia and assisted him in radicalising the youth to fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan. Of late, in Pakistan, it has come in support of the militants who have declared war on Pakistan’s establishment and its civil society.

Recently Syed Munawar Hassan, head of Pakistan Jamaat, declared the former head of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakeemullah Mehsud, a martyr. The statement was a serious offence, and an insult to the memory of thousands of people who have died at the hands of militants.

It’s worthwhile to mention here

that Bangladeshi people as well as the government don’t follow radical Islam.

They always preferred the peaceful elements of Islam in this country.

However, when someone or some organisation had used Islam as a terror tool, the people of this country became scared of that agent that makes their religion fearful.

Jamaat was running a terror campaign in the name of Islam. Members of this party were spreading the message of saving the Islamic state of Pakistan from splitting First, the people saw how Jamaat was doing politics in this country, but owing its allegiance to another country.

Then the people saw how Jamaat had been involved in activities that didn’t go with the teachings of Islam.

Therefore, if Bangladeshis have become Islamophobic, it is because of Jamaat. Bangladeshis aren’t radicals when it comes to their religions; they get scared when someone makes their religion a tool of fear. l Ekram Kabir is Executive Editor of Natunbarta.com.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Friday, December 27, 2013

5 OF THE BEST NEW THEATRE PRODUCTIONS OF 2013

Ananta Jalil week at Star Cineplex begins today

Swapnopothik

Popular theatre troupe Aranyak’s newest play Swapnopothik is written by Harun Rashid and directed by thespian Mamunur Rashid. The touching play is based on the Savar tragedy that snatched normalcy from the lives of a staggering number of people.

Aloke Kumar Sen to perform at IGCC today

Chaka

The tragic story of Deen’s masterpiece Chaka is portrayed in a circular stage, through a combination of narration, dialogue and action. Directed by young theatre artiste Sudip Chakroborthy, the first year and graduate students of the theatre department of DU makes the play lively and authentic.

n Entertainment Desk

Ananta and Barsha in the film Most Welcome

n Entertainment Desk A weeklong film show presenting four films of actor-director Ananta Jalil will begin today at the Star Cineplex at Bashundhara Garden City in the capital.

Organsied by the Cineplex, the film week titled AJ Film Week will feature Hridoy Bhanga Dhew, The Speed, Most Welcome and Nisshartho Bhalobasha. All the four films did good business in the box office earlier and especially, the latest Nisshartho Bhalobasha broke all the records of Ananta’s previous films and made few benchmarks

for Dhallywood in the current slumped trade of the film industry.

Starting from today, Nishhartho Bhalobasha will be screened at 10:50am and 4:30pm and The Speed will be screened at 1:40pm and 7:15pm everyday till December 30.

On the other hand, Most Welcome will be shown at 10:50am and Hridoy Bhanga Dhew will be played at 1:40pm and 7:15pm 4:30pm everyday from December 31 to January 02.

The good news for the fans of Ananta is the megastar will be present at the Star Cineplex today 3pm to 4pm. l

Ghazal singer Aloke Kumar Sen will perform at IGCC today at 6:30pm. The programme is open for all and requires no ticket or entry pass and is organised by Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in association with Asian Paints, IRCON and Marico Bangladesh.

Aloke Kumar Sen is a versatile classical vocalist and ghazal singer. He was born in Narail in 1984, and was baptised in music by his parents – Bhim Sen and Shantana Sen - both renowned Jatra artistes. Sen’s formal learning started at Murchhana Sangeet Niketan, Rupganj and Narail.

Later, he learnt classical and semi classical music under Badal Kumar Pramanik for seven years (2000-2007) and also under noted classical vocalist Anil Kumar Saha. He has also trained under legendary Indian classical vocal maestro Ustad Rashid Khan and Pandit Tushar Dutta, a senior ITC-SRA scholar. Sen has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, Dhaka, securing first class first position in both the examinations. l

Bon Manush

Prachyanat, a leading theatre troupe in the country, made another mark with its 27th production Bon Manush.

Directed by Baqar Bokul, the play is a translated version of Eugene O’ Neill’s The Hairy Ape. The Nobel Laureate playwright’s drama features how unjustly the working class is treated through the tragedy of a brutish person named Yank.

Goodnight, Ma

Goodnight, Ma is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning play Night, Mother by Marsha Norman, and is directed by Wahida Mallick Jolly. The play is about a daughter who carefully prepares her suicide, and mother unable to stop her. It is an utterly fascinating piece of writing, which explores themes of family, care-giving, illness, and suicide.

ON TV DRAMA 10:00pm Star Plus

Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hain

10:30pm Sony CID

COMEDY

Konthonalite Shurjo

10:00am Comedy Central World Palooza

5:00pm Colors

Comedy Nights With Kapil

MIXED

Maksud O Dhaka band will perform live today in Close Up Call-er Gaan to be aired on Desh TV at 11:45pm.

10:30am TLC

The Little Paris Kitchen

10:30pm Travel XP Xplore India

Tirandaj Natyadal’s eighth production Konthonalite Shurjo represents the helpless condition of an individual who is victim of identity crisis, selfishness, materialism and many other issues against the backdrop of today’s society.

The play is written by Mohit Chatyapadhay and directed by Rajib Dey.

We Foundation celebrates month of victory

Members of We Foundation with underprivileged children and guests at a programme held on December 25 SADIA MARIUM

n Shadma Malik Marking the month of victory, We Foundation celebrated the splendid triumph of Bangladesh in the 1971 war, with twenty underprivileged children from We School on December 25 at Nandos. The event was ar-

ranged with the aim of educating and explaining the nine months struggle of the freedom fighters to the upcoming generations of Bangladesh.

Freedom fighter Babu Sarwar singer Fahmida Nabi, actor Omar Sunny and media personality Abdul Nur Tushar were present in the event.

Babu Sarwar shared his experience of the war and joining the freedom fighters. Fahmida Nabi stressed the importance of educating the coming generation about the history of the country and its struggle for independence. Celebrated actor Omar Sunny expressed his satisfaction in being a part of the programme.

Jannatul Ferdous Peya, the vice president of the foundation said: “Besides educating the underprivileged children, it is our responsibility as a citizen, to give them a better environment and make them aware of the struggle of the previous generation for the liberated country, in which they now reside.”

We Foundation aims to provide education and other social developmental works, in order to make a difference.

Currently it is operating in three difference locations—Dhaka, Gazipur and Pabna – providing education to around 500 underprivileged children. l

Dhoom 3 continues record run at box office n Entertainment Desk With its silver run at the box office in less than a week, Dhoom 3 has beaten the year’s highest grossers behind. According to estimates, on day six, the film’s total worldwide collection is Rs 31.3 billion. While the domestic box office reports stand as tall as Rs 17.3 billion, on the overseas front Dhoom 3 managed to collect the rest.

The Aamir Khan-starrer not only has got overwhelming footfalls in India but in Pakistan it is living up to its name. It has broken box office records in Pakistan with multiplexes running five consecutive shows of the film. In Karachi alone the film earned Rs 20 million and broke the record of Waar

that was released last month.

The Christmas holiday falling in the middle of the week resulted in good business for the makers as well.

For the film, lead actor Aamir Khan did what he’s best at doing — marketing — albeit without making a noise this time. Khan did not do any city tours or go to TV shows to talk about the film.

“Aamir is a trendsetter. He shows that you don’t need to go to malls, cities or every show to make your film work,” says trade analyst Taran Adarsh.

Aamir, himself, had said before the film’s release: “I think in Dhoom 3, less is more.

But to achieve more we feel the path is to do less.” l

The fifth installment of animated movie Ice Age will come out on July 15, 2016. Details of the upcoming movie are not available, but it is said that Ray Romano, John Leguizamo and Denis Leary are expected to return to give voices to their characters Manny, Sid and Diego, respectively, reports aceshowbiz.com. The first Ice Age movie took off in 2002, and was followed by Ice Age: The Meltdown in 2006. The third and fourth parts, namely Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Ice Age: Continental Drift came in 2009 and 2012 respectively

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

City of Rhythm Second phase of Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed Time: 12-8pm Shilpangan, House 7 Road 13 (New) Dhanmondi Eternal Japan

By Monzurul Huq Time: 12-8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House 42, Road 16 (New) / 27 (old) Sheikh Kamal Sarani Dhanmondi Return to Eden

By Nasima Khanam Queenie Time: 10am – 8pm Alliance Francaise Dhanmondi

Film

Pacific Rim in 3D Escape Plan The Conjuring The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Star Cineplex, Level 8 Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka Panthopath Ki Prem Dekhaile Udhao Balaka Cineworld

Theatre

Lal Jamin

By Shunyan Time: 7pm Studio Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy 14/3 Segunbagicha Ramna

Did you know?

United’s Wayne Rooney is only the second player to reach 150 goals for a single club in the Premier League (after Henry at Arsenal)

Sport

Friday, December 27, 2013

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

0 7 9 DAYS TO GO

14 Sammy belts West Indies to defeat Kiwis

15 Anamul ton, Shakib six-for destroys Mohammedan

W2WWWW n Minhaz Uddin Khan

UCB BCB XI’s Al-Amin Hossain (L) walks out to the field with his teammates during their match against Abahani at Sylhet Divisional Stadium yesterday

BCB looking to bolster security n

Minhaz Uddin Khan

The Bangladesh Cricket Board is working on a pilfer-proof security plan for the Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty2014. Both multi-national events are scheduled to be hosted by Bangladesh in February and March but have fallen into jeopardy after the current political turmoil raised concerns for the security of the participating teams.

Though not authenticated, there have been media reports on the tournaments being shifted to another country but BCB president Nazmul Hasan believes the situation is not bad enough for such a step and said they have not received any official expressions of concern from any of the teams.

“I learnt from the media of the alternate venues for the Asia Cup and also the World Twenty20. As far as I know, we (BCB) didn’t have any such communication with anyone. And I don’t see a reason for this to happen,” said Nazmul to the media at his corporate office in Dhanmondi yesterday.

“There can be alternative venues and it is not a wrong thing to happen because if the situation in Bangladesh doesn’t permit the events to take place, it has to be shifted somewhere else.

But at the moment, the situation is not that bad that the tournament needs to be shifted to some other country,” he added.

The BCB boss along with other influential directors had an unofficial meeting with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) CEO Syed Ashraful Haq on the issue. Nazmul said that the discussion was regarding the upcoming ACC meeting in Sri Lanka on January 4.

“The decision to meet Ashraful bhai once we got to know that he is Dhaka was made promptly.The meeting today was informal.

“The security concern for the Asia Cup is likely to be on the agenda at the ACC meeting on January 4 in Sri Lanka.

So, we had a discussion on the issue with Ashraful bhai. He said that this will be discussed in the meeting for sure, so it will be better if we go to the meeting prepared,” informed Nazmul.

The BCB boss also informed that if needed the BCB will communicate with the participating teams individually and explain them of the security measures taken.

“We are working on a pilfer-proof security plan following the ICC guidelines which hopefully will be completed by 30th of this month. Our target is to share the plan in the ACC meeting and also communicate with the participating countries if needed and if they are concerned,” he said.

The BCB also plans to meet the leader of the opposition party, Begun Khaleda Zia on the issue and demonstrate to her that her party’s programs

are effecting the chances of Bangladesh holding the two major international events.

“We will request them (opposition party) not to hold any severe demonstrations during the time of the events.

And even if they have any program, we will request them to keep cricket out of it,” said Nazmul, adding that a delegation will be sent to meet the opposition leader once an appointment is confirmed.

Similar initiative was taken in 1988 by the cricket board in order to host a successful Asia Cup. The country was suffering from political turmoil at the time but after the cricket board made a successful appeal, the parties understood the importance of the event and called-off demonstrations during the tournament.

“Cricket was not popular that time but still the political party supported the events,” said ACC CEO Ashraf who was an official of the cricket board in 1988.

“As a Bangladeshi, I will always want Bangladesh to host the event. I will talk to the participating teams and commit to them that things will be alright here.

And personally I am hopeful that the tournament will be held here because I don’t see a reason for it not to be. Our job will be to assure them that they won’t suffer a loss holding the event here,” he said. l

Sports organisers under the banner of Sammilita Sports Family formed a human chain condemning the Pakistani act over the hanging of Abdul Kader Molla in front of Jatiya Press Club yesterday COURTESY

COURTESY

Speedster Al-Amin Hossain emerged as the first bowler in Twenty20 cricket’s history to bag five wickets in an over.

This one of a kind milestone came in the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 Cup yesterday. However, the record setting feat couldn’t get his side – UCB BCB XI, a clinical win in the game against Abahani Limited at Sylhet Divisional Stadium.

UCB BCB toiled hard to secure the two-wicket victory chasing 144.

Al-Amin who had his debut in International circuit recently, finished with five for 17 and all his wickets came in the final over of the Abahani innings.

This saw Abahani, who were sent to bat first, get bowled out for 143 runs in 20 overs. Al-Amin came into bowl the last over with Nazmul Milon (21) and Mehedi Maruf (16) at the crease and Abahani on 141 for 5.

Mehedi was sent to the dressing room in the first delivery. Couple of runs from the second ball was followed by the debacle. Nazmul got out in the third delivery followed by Sohrawardi Shuvo, Nayeem Islam Jr and Nabil Samad in the fourth, fifth and sixth delivery respectively.

Alongside the five-wicket haul, his four wickets in a row including a hattrick made him only second bowler to achieve the accolade. Few months ago, West Indies pacer Andre Russel

Uttar Baridhara set for BPL debut n Raihan Mahmood Uttar Baridhara will be feeling like they are flying in the sky when they take on defending champions Sheikh Russell in the inaugural match of the seventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 5:00pm today.

The club’s rise to the top league can be termed a great success story of the local football arena. The club broke into the local football scene in 2005, winning the title of the third division league and they continued the success story by clinching the second division championship in 2006. They took time in the first division and duly emerged as the champions of the first division football league in 2010. The upward rise continued in 2011-12 season when they finished runners-up to qualify for the top flight football league of the country - the Bangladesh Premier League.

The team displayed an attacking brand of football at the curtain raising tournament of the season - the Federation Cup. However, their inexperience was evident and they lost both of their matches.

Coach Md. Alamgir has been in-

volved with the club since 2005 and described his players as a total unit.

“Most of the players have been playing together for the last five years and they know each other well. We also have three Nigerian and two Indian footballers, with them we look forward to finish in the middle of the table,” said the veteran coach, who played alongside Pratap Shankar Hazra, Amalesh Sen before liberation.

The coach said he has always professed attacking football to his players and they were always focused on winning. “Maybe we don’t have big players like other giants as our resources are low, but we have a good track record behind us and we have succeeded with what we have. The players may lack experience but they do possess fighting spirit,” said Alamgir.

Club general secretary Md. Jahangir said their budget is Tk10.5m and it was difficult to meet all the ends such thin resources. “We dreamt of reaching the highest level from the very beginning and at last we have made it. However it is hard to cope with the demands and we have been trying hard to create community support as we want to stay at the top for a long time,” he said. l

achieved the same feat in a match between West Indies ‘A’ and India ‘A’ in Bangalore.

Though the hat-trick is a common in the Twenty20 circuit, no bowlers till date claimed four wickets at a stretch.

His excellent bowling figure of 4-117-5 made him the unanimous choice to be adjudged the man of the match.

His skipper Tamim Iqbal returned to form with a whirlwind 61, but still they had to struggle for the win. Tamim clobbered six fours and two sixes in his 52-ball innings.

Other batsmen failed to contribute and raised a prospect to leave AlAmin’s effort in vain.

Shuvashish Roy led the bowling for Abahani and tremor the UCB BCB chase.

He dismissed Tamim in the 17th over to leave the opponent 118 for five and later struck twice in the 19th over to jolt BCB XI further while they got a realistic chance of winning the match when Imrul Kayes was trapped run out in the second ball of the final over. Still BCB XI needed eight runs off four balls.

However Arafat Sunny hit two fours to bail out the side from ever escalating tensions.

This was Abahani’s third defeat in fourth match while it was the second victory for the BCB XI. Earlier, Abahani lost two top-order batsmen early before Soumya Sarker and skipper Mahmudullah steadied the innings adding 67-run for the third wicket. Soumya blasted 55 off 50 with four fours and three sixes while Mahmudullah smashed 27. l

BPL starts today n Shishir Hoque

The seventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League will kick off today with defending champions Sheikh Russell and newly promoted Uttar Baridhara Club squaring off at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 5pm.

A total of 10 teams are taking part in the league this season with Arambag KC relegated from the top flight and Chittagong Abahani and Uttar Baridhara Club promoted to it. Chittagong Abahanireceived the promotion as champions while Uttar Baridhara finished runners-up.

Last season’s treble winners Sheikh Russell are the defending champions of the league, while Sheikh Jamal finished second.

Along with the match between Russell and Uttar Baridhara, the other games in the first round will seeSheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club take on Chittagong Abahani on Dec 28, Dhaka Abahani will play Brothers Union on Dec 29, Team BJMC will encounter Soccer Club, Feni on Dec 30 and Mohammedan SC Limited will face MuktijoddhaSangsad KC on Dec 31.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is yet to finalise the title sponsors of the lone professional league of the country.Grameenphone was the title sponsor of the league for last three seasons. l

Sports organisers slam Pakistani act n Tribune Desk Combined Sports Family (Sammilita Krira Paribar) organised a human chain condemning the act of Pakistani parliament and the offensive comments of former Pakistani cricket captain Imran Khan regarding the hanging of Abdul Kader Molla yesterday.

The speakers condemned the act of Pakistani parliament that slammed Molla’s hanging and urged the government to severe diplomatic ties with Pakistan in order to keep the country’s decency and sovereignty intact. They also urged the people to boycott Pakistani goods.

The human chain presided over

by Fazlur Rahman Babul saw sports organisers Harunur Rashid, Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul, Badal Roy, Sheikh Md. Aslam, Satyajit Das Rupu, Khawja Rahmatullah, Kamrunnahar Dana, Enayet Kabir Chanchal and others speak for the cause. l

Hasan Khan (2R) won a gold in Int’l Karate at Barasat, West Bengal yesterday

COURTESY

Hasan wins Karate gold n Raihan Mahmood Md. Hasan Khan of Bangladesh won the gold medal in the individual event of the 4th International Karate Championship at Barasat, Kolkata yesterday.

In the same event Rafikul Islam of Bangladesh clinched the bronze. A total

of 32 players participated in the event.

F.M. Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, the additional director of Walton who are sponsoring the karate team, distributed prizes as the chief guest. Humayun Kabir Jewel, the deputy chairman of South Asian Karate Federation, was also present on the occasion. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Friday, December 27, 2013

Sammy belts West Indies to defeat Kiwis

SCORE CARD NEW ZEALAND

M. Guptill lbw Rampaul 2 J. Ryder c DM Bravo b Rampaul 0 K. Williamson c Ramdin b Holder 8 R. Taylor run out (Holder) 3 B. McCullum lbw DJ Bravo 51 C. Anderson c Simmons b DJ Bravo 13 L Ronchi c Charles b Narine 7 J. Neesham c DM Bravo b DJ Bravo 10 N. McCullum c DM Bravo b Holder 47 K. Mills c Sammy b DJ Bravo 3 M. McClenaghan not out 3 Extras: (lb6 w3) 9 Total: (all out; 42.1 overs) 156

n AFP, Auckland The West Indies tasted success for the first time on their New Zealand tour Thursday when they scraped home by two wickets in the first one-day international.

After rolling over New Zealand for a modest 156 in 42.1 overs, the tourists made hard work of reaching their target for the loss of eight wickets in 27.3 overs.

A rollicking unbeaten 43 from Darren Sammy in 27 balls took them over the line as wickets fell regularly at the other end.

When just the last two wickets were left, Sammy knocked off the final 10 runs with a six and a four off Mitchell McClenaghan to be sure of the win.

The victory, no matter how narrow, was a change of fortunes for a side comprehensively outplayed during their 0-2 Test series loss to New Zealand.

“There is some work to do with our batting but a win is a win and it will ease a lot of pressure on us,” captain Dwayne Bravo said.

“Darren Sammy is leader of the fielding group and I think the energy in the field was what set the scene for the win for us, and he finished it with the bat.”

Despite the narrow margin at the end, New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said his side did not deserve to win. Although the West Indies’ batting remained fragile, the introduction of one-day specialists unleashed a bowling line-up that New Zealand failed to handle on a seam-friendly wicket.

Any confidence New Zealand took from the Tests quickly evaporated when they were sent into bat and faced new arrivals Ravi Rampaul, Dwayne Bravo and Jason Holder.

It was not the return to international cricket that big-hitting opener Jesse Ryder wanted.

Fall of wickets 1-2 (Ryder), 2-3 (Guptill), 3-10 (Taylor), 4-32 (Williamson), 5-57 (Anderson), 6-66 (Ronchi), 7-93 (Neesham), 8-104 (McCullum), 9-112 ( Mills), 10-156 (McCullum) Bowling Holder 7.1-1-21-2 (w3), Rampaul 9-0-272, Sammy 6-0-30-0, Narine 10-2-28-1, DJ Bravo 10-0-44-4 WEST INDIES

J. Charles b McClenaghan 9 K. Powell b McClenaghan 4 Bravo c Williamson b McClenaghan 14 L. Simmons c Taylor b Mills 34 DJ Bravo lbw McClenaghan 12 N. Deonarine b Mills 6 Ramdin c B. McCullum b McClenaghan 2 D. Sammy not out 43 J. Holder c Ronchi b Neesham 10 S. Narine not out 0 Extras: (lb 8, w14, nb 1) 23 Total: (8 wickets; 27.3 overs) 157 Fall of wickets 1-5 (Powell), 2-19 (Charles), 3-32 (DM Bravo), 4-60 (DJ Bravo), 5-94 (Simmonds), 6-96 (Deonarine), 7-121 (Ramdin), 8-147 (Holder) Bowling Mills 8-1-37-2, McClenaghan 9.3-0-585 (w6, nb1), Neesham 6-0-35-1 (w3), Anderson 4-0-19-0 (w5) Result West Indies by eight wickets

Darren Sammy celebrates scoring the winning runs during the first one day international match against New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland yesterday AFP

No problems with Pietersen, says Swann

Pollock, Wessels praise all-round Kallis

n AFP, London

n AFP, Durban

Newly retired off-spinner Graeme Swann revealed on Thursday that he has reassured Kevin Pietersen that his remark about arrogant cricketers was not a reference to his former England team-mate.

Following suggestions in the media that he had been referring to Pietersen, Swann used Twitter and his newspaper column to assert that he had actually been speaking about opposition players.

He subsequently told BBC Radio 5 that he had contacted Pietersen personally, saying: “I’ve spoken to Kev yesterday (Wednesday).

“I assured him there was nothing in it aimed towards him. He said, ‘I know exactly who you were talking about.’”

“All the England guys are with me, and they know who grinds my gears around the world in cricket,” he said.

“Perhaps the rest of the world will – maybe I’ll have to release a new book now!” l

Former South African captains Shaun Pollock and Kepler Wessels praised Jacques Kallis as one of South Africa’s all-time great cricketers following the announcement that he will retire from Test cricket after this week’s match against India at Kingsmead.

Pollock said on Thursday that Kallis had been responsible for taking South African cricket to a new level, as an allrounder and specifically as a batsman.

“When I started playing, the benchmark for Test batsmen was an average of 40. There were some guys in other countries, pushing the envelope, averaging 50, and Jacques took our guys to the next level. He’s been a wonderful cricketer,” said Pollock. The statistics speak for themselves. He didn’t try and draw attention to himself, he just knew what his ability was and he went about it daily, doing his best for South Africa.

“He deserves all the credit he gets.

There is no doubt he will be missed.

Hafeez, Ajmal guide Pakistan to series win n AFP, Abu Dhabi Mohammad Hafeez notched his third hundred of the series while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal grabbed four wickets to help Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the fourth one-day international on Wednesday.

Hafeez finished with 113 not out for his ninth one-day hundred as Pakistan knocked off their modest 226-run target in the 42nd over to take an unbeatable 3-1 lead ahead of Friday’s fifth and final match. Pakistan had restricted Sri Lanka to 225 all out in 48.5 overs with Ajmal (439) and paceman Umar Gul (3-37) sharing the spoils.

Hafeez, who hit hundreds in Pakistan’s two wins in the first and third matches in Sharjah, pushed Tillakaratne Dilshan for his 12th boundary to complete three figures, raising his bat and blowing a kiss to his wife in the stands.

Hafeez became the sixth batsman in all one-day cricket to hit three tons in one bilateral series.

In all Hafeez hit two sixes and 12 boundaries off 119 balls, while Sohaib

Maqsood finished with a 56-ball 46 not out with a six and four boundaries.

Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad (44) put Pakistan on track during a solid 84-run stand after opener Sharjeel Khan was dismissed for 13.

Shehzad, who hit a career best 124 in Pakistan’s two-wicket loss in the second match in Dubai, started off well with three boundaries in Nuwan Kulasekara’s

BRIEF SCORE

Pakistan 226 for 2 (Hafeez 113*) beat Sri Lanka 225 (Priyanjan 74, Sangakkara 51, Ajmal 4-39, Gul 3-37) by eight wickets

third over while Hafeez matched his partner with as many boundaries in Suranga Lakmal’s seventh.

The stand set up victory and even after Shehzad’s dismissal, caught in the slips off Lakmal, Pakistan wiped off the target with consummate ease.

Shehzad hit five boundaries during his 56-ball knock as Sri Lanka’s bowlers were rendered ineffective.

Maqsood and Hafeez shared an unbroken 111-run stand for the third wicket. l

He will go down as one of the legends.

I can’t compare him with (Garry) Sobers because I never saw Sobers but he is surely one of the greatest of all time.”

Wessels, whose playing career spanned that of Kallis as well as those of Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards, South Africa’s only two members of the International Cricket Council’s hall of fame, said the total package provided

by Kallis made him “probably the best player South Africa has produced.

That comes in a rich tradition of magnificent players, so that’s saying something. I’m not going to compare him against Pollock and Richards because they were specialist batsmen but he batted as well as they did, he bowled exceptionally well and he caught very well.”

Both former captains said they were not totally surprised by his decision to retire, although both said they had thought he might prolong his Test career until the end of an upcoming series against Australia, which ends at Newlands, his home ground, in March.l

He only faced five balls before slashing at a wide Rampaul delivery to be caught by Darren Bravo at cover point without scoring.

His failure signalled the start of a disappointing batting performance only redeemed by the McCullum brothers Brendon (51) and Nathan (47).

They contributed 98 of the New Zealand total, with the remaining nine batsmen scoring a total of just 49 runs with nine extras.

Martin Guptill was trapped leg-before by Ravi Rampaul for two. Ross Taylor, the Test series hero, went for three, Kane Williamson (eight), Corey Anderson (13) and Luke Ronchi (seven) as New Zealand slumped to 66 for six.

Nathan McCullum and McClenaghan (three not out) held off the demise as long as they could, featuring in a nineover stand worth 44 runs for the last wicket. Bravo returned figures of four for 44 while Rampaul and Holder took two wickets apiece.

What should have been a simple run chase started badly when McClenaghan bowled Kieran Powell (four) in the second over.

Like New Zealand, the West Indies top order could not establish a partnership as Johnson Charles (nine), Darren Bravo (14) and Dwayne Bravo (12) all fell to McClenaghan, who finished with figures of five for 58.

Lendl Simmons arrested the slide with a positive innings, reaching 34 before he was given out caught by Ross Taylor off Kyle Mills.

Taylor was unsure if he took the ball cleanly and it took several highly-magnified replays before the umpires ruled his fingertips were just under the ball.

Narsingh Deonarine (six), Denesh Ramdin (two) and Jason Holder (10) offered little fight, leaving it to Sammy to bring up the winning runs. l

Johnson late strikes thrill record crowd at MCG n Reuters, Melbourne

Mitchell Johnson’s late double strikes fired up a world record test crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and left England a rocky 226 for six after Kevin Pietersen threatened to win the opening day of the fourth Ashes match for the tourists.

Roared on by a heaving crowd of 91,092, paceman Johnson steamed in to remove number six Ben Stokes (14) and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (10) in quick succession to put Australia marginally ahead at the end of a meandering Thursday’s play.

Coming in to the match under a barrage of criticism, Pietersen responded with a defiant half-century after being granted lives on six and 41, and went to stumps unbeaten on 67, with Tim Bresnan hanging on desperately with one run.

With seamer Ryan Harris having Ian Bell caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 27 in the first of three

wickets after tea, Australia’s bowlers worked hard to validate captain Michael Clarke’s surprise decision to field

SCORE CARD, DAY 1 ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS

Alastair Cook c Clarke b Siddle Michael Carberry b Watson Joe Root c Haddin b Harris Kevin Pietersen not out Ian Bell C Haddin b Harris Ben Stokes c Watson b Johnson Jonny Bairstow b Johnson Tim Bresnan not out Extras (b10, lb6, w1, 1nb) Total (6 wkts; 89 overs)

27 38 24 67 27 14 10 1 18 226

Fall of wickets 1-48 (Cook), 2-96 (Carberry), 3-106 (Root), 4-173 (Bell), 5-202 (Stokes), 6-216 (Bairstow) Bowling Harris 20-8-32-2, Johnson 20-2-59-2 (1w), Siddle 22-7-48-1 (1nb), Lyon 20.23-60-0, Watson 6.4-2-11-1

after winning his fourth successive toss of the series.

The hosts could have been in a stronger position, however, had they not let three catching chances go down, with two reprieving Pietersen. Their bowling attack also suffered a blow with all-rounder Shane Watson sustaining a groin injury.

Watson pulled up in his runup and left the ground after lunch, and though he later returned to field in the slips, he did not bowl again.

Although quelling his usual attacking instincts, Pietersen was at his theatrical best in his 152-ball knock, slumping to his knees twice in an apparent bout of nausea after smacking a shot to midwicket where a leaping George Bailey put a tough chance down with the batsman on 41.

The crowd smelled gamesmanship as play was paused for a few minutes and Pietersen later enjoyed riling up the terraces again by holding up Johnson’s run-up in the final over. l

Prior dumped in England team shakeup n AFP, Melbourne

Another veteran paid the price for England’s tumultuous Ashes tour when Matt Prior was axed from Thursday’s fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne.

Prior, ever-present in England’s three consecutive Ashes series wins over Australia, made way for wicketkeeping understudy Jonny Bairstow in yet another changing of the guard.

Prior, 31, the tour vice-captain to skipper Alastair Cook, is a veteran of 75 Tests and has not missed a Test since being recalled for England in 2009.

“Disappointed to miss this Test match but my form just hasn’t been good enough,” Prior tweeted after the day’s play.

“I’ll be working hard as ever to make sure I’m back and performing at the level I expect of myself so I can contribute to the team effort once again.

“In the meantime I’ll be doing my best to help in any small way I can so we can go home with some success and positives from this tour.” l

Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson (L) celebrates dismissing England batsman Ben Stokes (R) on the first day of their fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), in Melbourne yesterday AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Friday, December 27, 2013

'Male players

QUICK BYTES

deserve more recognition'

Twelve Bangladeshis qualify A total of 12 referees from Bangladesh have qualified for the Fifa Referee’s & Fifa Assistant Referee’s batch to conduct International matches for the year 2014.

The five referees are- Tayeb Hasan Babu, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Jasimuddin Jashim, Jalaluddin Jalal, and Bhuban Mohan Tarafder, while the seven assistant referees are- Monir Dhali, Ferdose Ahmed, Chondon , AKM Nuruzzaman, Sheikh Iqbal Rahmen, Nahidur Rahman Nahid and Sohel Sadat.

–Tribune Desk

n Reuters, Stockholm

Rahmatganj complete registration formalities Rahmatganj MFS have completed their players’ registration process for the upcoming Bangladesh Championship League season. The former Bangladesh Premier League side, who finished third in the last edition of the Bangladesh Championship League, submitted a total list of 25 players at the BFF House yesterday. The players are - Al-Amin, Sujan, Rimon, Rasel, Simul, Jahangir Arafat, Sirfin, Didar, Absar, Sabbir, Sohel Badsha, Santo, Razib, Dalim, Ripon, Sumon, Sajid, Helal, Yeasin, Rasel, Rubel, Milon and Masum.

–Tribune Desk

Fahad loses Bangladesh Fide Master Fahad Rahman lost to Abdrashev Arlen of Kazakhstan on Wednesday in the 8th round of the World Youth Chess Championship in Al-Ain, UAE. After the end of the 8th round, Fahad has 6 points and is in joint 14th position along with over 200 players in the under-10 open classic section.

Fahad wass scheduled to play Kushagra Mohan of India in the 9th round.

–Tribune Desk

Parjatan Cafeteria clinch Parliamentary Cricket title

Parjatan Cafeteria emerged as the champions of the Parliament Cricket Tournament at the Parliament Cricket Ground yesterday.PWD team finished runnersup in the eight-team meet. Secretary in charge Pranab Chakrabarty distributed the prizes as the chief guest.

–Tribune Desk

Ibrahimovic voted top Swede for fifth time Star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was Sweden’s most popular sportsman in 2013 for the fifth year in a row, according to a poll by local newspaper Aftonbladet published Wednesday. “It makes you feel alive,” Ibrahimovic told Aftonbladet. The 32-year-old Paris Saint-Germain player received 58.7 percent of the vote. “This means that you’ve done something right and that you keep doing it,” he said.

–AFP

Valencia appoint Pizzi as new coach Valencia, which has received a takeover bid from a Singapore billionaire, said Thursday they have appointed their former Argentine striker Juan Antonio Pizzi as their new coach. The 45-year-old, who just led San Lorenzo, the Buenos Aires team supported by Pope Francis, to the Argentine league title, replaces Serbia’s Miroslav Djukic who was sacked last week afer just six months at the helm of the Spanish club. “Valencia have finalised a deal with Juan Antonio Pizzi to make the Argentine the new manager of the club. He will be joined at Valencia by fitness coach Alejandro Richino and assistant Manuel Suarez,” the club said in a statement. The six-time La Liga champions sacked Djukic, 47, after Valencia’s 3-0 loss at second-placed Atletico Madrid which left the team in ninth place in the league table.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 7:00AM Houston v Memphis 9:30AM Portland v LA Clippers 5:00PM Pakistan v Sri Lanka 5th ODI Star Sports 2 2:30PM Big Bash T20 Sydney v Adelaide Ten Cricket 2:00PM South Africa v India 2nd Test, Day 2 Star Sports 1 5:30AM Australia v England 4th Test, Day 3 (Saturday)

Arsenal's Theo Walcott (3L) celebrates with team mates after scoring against West Ham during their English Premier League match at the Boleyn Ground in London yesterday

REUTERS

Arsenal, United enjoy comebacks n AFP, London Arsenal returned to the Premier League summit on Thursday after Theo Walcott scored twice as Arsene Wenger’s side came from behind to win 3-1 at West Ham United.

Arsenal spurned several first-half chances at Upton Park and they were punished early in the second period when Carlton Cole put the hosts in front after Wojciech Szczesny spilled a shot from Kevin Nolan.

However, Walcott struck twice in three minutes to turn the game around, squeezing a low shot past West Ham goalkeeper Adrian in the 68th minute and then heading home a cross from substitute Lukas Podolski.

Podolski was making his first appearance since August after a hamstring injury and he marked his comeback with a goal in the 79th minute, drilling home from Olivier Giroud’s lay-off.

Victory sent Arsenal three points

above former leaders Liverpool, who visit fourth-place Manchester City later on Thursday, while West Ham slump to second-bottom.

Chelsea also leapfrogged Liverpool, moving up to second place by beating Swansea City 1-0 in one of the day’s 10 traditional Boxing Day fixtures.

Belgian winger Eden Hazard scored the game’s only goal in the 29th minute at Stamford Bridge, cutting in from the left in familiar fashion before letting fly with a low drive that squeezed beneath Gerhard Tremmel. Everton’s hopes of making further ground on the Champions League contenders were thwarted, however, as they crashed to a 1-0 defeat at home to bottom club Sunderland.

Ki Sung-yueng scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot in the 25th minute, after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was sent off for a foul on the South Korea international.

It was Sunderland’s first away win since April and left Gus Poyet’s men

three points from safety.

Manchester United doggedly overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 against Hull City at the KC Stadium and register their fifth consecutive win in all competitions. Early goals from James Chester and David Meyler gave Hull a 2-0 lead, only for Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney to bring United level before half an hour had been played.

Rooney’s goal, a sumptuous volley, was his 150th for the club in the top flight and he contributed to the winner in the 66th minute by pressuring Chester, a one-time United youth player, to put through his own goal.

“To be two down and come back to win is a great result,” United manager David Moyes told the BBC. “There’s a long way to go in the league and we have to keep picking up points. I believe we can be in the mix and challenge whoever is near the top.”

Newcastle United closed to within two points of the Champions League

places by coming from behind to overwhelm nine-man Stoke City 5-1 at St James’ Park.

Stoke took the lead through Oussama Assaidi, but they had Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson sent off, allowing Newcastle to prevail through a Loic Remy brace and goals from Yoan Gouffran, Yohan Cabaye and Papiss Cisse.

Tottenham Hotspur’s new permanent head coach Tim Sherwood saw his side draw 1-1 at home to West Bromwich Albion, for whom Jonas Olsson cancelled out Christian Eriksen’s 36thminute free-kick. Southampton, meanwhile, ended a run of six games without victory by winning 3-0 at Cardiff City through a Jay Rodriguez brace and a Rickie Lambert strike.

Scott Parker scored a stunning 87thminute winner as Fulham won 2-1 at Norwich City, but they remain in the bottom three due to Crystal Palace’s 1-0 win at Aston Villa, which lifted Tony Pulis’s men out of the drop zone. l

Players in the men’s soccer team deserve to get more recognition than their female counterparts in Sweden and people should stop whipping up a gender storm about it, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said.

The Sweden captain spoke out after his country’s FA was slammed for presenting midfielder Anders Svensson with a new Volvo for breaking Thomas Ravelli’s record of 143 international caps.

“With all respect for what the ladies have done, and they’ve done it fantastically well, you can’t compare men’s and women’s football. Give it up, it’s not even funny,” the PSG striker said in an interview. “When I come out in Europe they compare me to (Lionel) Messi and (Cristiano) Ronaldo. When I come home they compare me to a female player.

“With all respect for the ladies, they should be rewarded in relation to what they generate (financially).

“I was asked (by Swedish media) in the summer who was the better player, me or Lotta Schelin. You’re joking with me, right? When I’ve broken all these records, this goal record, the goals in the national team, who shall I compare it to? Shall I compare it to whoever has the record, or the ladies?” l

RESULTS Aston Villa

0-1

Cardiff

0-3

Chelsea Hazard 29 Everton

1-0

Hull Chester 4, Meyler 13

2-3

0-1

Newcastle 5-1 Remy 44, 56, Gouffran 48, Cabaye 66, Cisse 80-P Norwich 1-2 Hooper 13 Tottenham Eriksen 36 West Ham C.Cole 46

1-1 1-3

Crystal Palace Gayle 90 Southampton Rodriguez 14, 20, Lambert 27 Swansea Sunderland Ki 25-P Man United Smalling 19, Rooney 26, Chester 66-og Stoke Assaidi 29

Fulham Kasami 33, Parker 87 West Brom Olsson 38 Arsenal Walcott 68, 71, Podolski 79

Hodgson’s Christmas wish to bottle England talent n AFP, London England boss Roy Hodgson has been so impressed by the form of his young players in World Cup year that he wishes he “could bottle” their talent.

Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison and West Brom striker Saido Berahino have all made their mark in the Premier League this season.

All may feature in March’s Wembley friendly against Denmark.

“At the moment, I’ve seen a lot of our England players and contenders for England places playing extremely well. I wish I could bottle up some of the form and keep it,” Hodgson told Sky Sports News.

“It’s quite fascinating at the moment going to games, the number of players getting games. There are a lot of teams fielding English players in their line-up at the moment and I’m seeing a lot of good performances. l

Anamul ton, Shakib six-for destroys Mohammedan n Minhaz Uddin Khan Riding on Anamul Haque’s maiden Twenty20 ton and Shakib al Hasan’s six-wicket haul, Prime Bank CC moved to the top of the table of the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 tournament after defeating Mohammedan Sporting Club by 159 runs at the Sylhet Divisional stadium yesterday.

After being sent in to bat, Prime Bank proceeded to dominated, with Anamul blasting 105 from 63 balls (nine fours, five sixes) and Shakib remaining unbeaten on 57 from 28 balls (six fours, three sixes), to post a massive 204/3.

Mohammedan captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza took two wickets for the bowling side.

Chasing the mammoth total, Mohammedan were humiliatingly bowled out for 45 in just 8.4 overs.Middle order batsman Rakibul Hasan top scored with 13.

Ace all-rounder Shakib returned figures of 6/18 from 2.4 overs, while Sohag Gazi, Rubel Hossain, Taijul Islam and Shahadat Hossain took a wicket each. l

BRIEF SCORES

Mohammedan SC Vs Prime Bank CC Prime Bank 204/3 in 20 overs (Anamul 105, Shakib 57*, Mashrafe 2/34)

Mohammedan 45/10 in 8.4 overs (Rakbul 13, Shakib 6/18) Prime Bank won by 159 runs

Abahani v UCB BCB XI Abahani 143/10 in 20 overs (Soumya 55, Al-Amin 5/17, Arafat 2/26)

UCB BCB 146/8 in 19.5 overs (Tamim 61, Naeem 21, Shuvashis 4/27) UCB BCB XI won by two wickets

India's Murali Vijay evades a short ball from South Africa's Steyn during the first day of their second Test in Durban yesterday

Indian batsmen in command as South Africans struggle n AFP, Durban Indian batsmen Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara shared an unbeaten century partnership before bad light stopped play on the first day of the second and final Test against South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday.

India were 181 for one when the day’s play was brought to a premature end eight overs after tea.

Vijay (91 not out) and Pujara (58 not out) put on 140 for the second wicket as South Africa’s bowlers toiled on a slow pitch which fast bowler Morne Morkel described as being similar to surfaces found in the Indian sub-continent.

“We as bowlers were a little surprised at the pace of the wicket,” said Morkel.

“It was a little on the slow side. But as a bowling unit it is important for us to move away from those sort of things.

“The conditions are what they are and we need to deal with them. It was hard work.”

Morkel said the ball quickly lost its shine on a dry surface, enabling the bowlers to gain reverse swing before the early close.

“After 13 overs the ball looked 60 overs old. We need to find a way to bring reverse swing into the game.”

It was an inauspicious opening day for world champions South Africa after captain Graeme Smith said the team were determined to put in a good performance to mark star all-rounder Jacques Kallis’ last Test.

Kallis, 38, announced on Wednesday that he would retire from Test cricket after the match, although he will continue to play one-day cricket in an effort to win selection for the 2015 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Kallis led the South African team on to the field at the start of play to the applause of his team-mates, spectators and umpires Steve Davis and Rod Tucker.

Morkel claimed South Africa’s only

REUTERS

wicket when he had Shikhar Dhawan caught at third slip off the first ball after the mid-morning drinks break. l

SCORE CARD, DAY 1 INDIA FIRST INNINGS S. Dhawan c Petersen b Morkel M. Vijay not out C. Pujara not out Extras (lb1, n1, w1) Total (1 wkt, 61 overs)

29 91 58 3 181

Fall of wicket 1-41 (Dhawan) Bowling Steyn 16-6-49-0, Philander 14-4-39-0, Morkel 12-3-26-1, Kallis 7-1-23-0, Peterson 12-2-43-0 To bat V. Kohli, R. Sharma, A. Rahane, R. Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, I. Sharma, Mohammed Shami Match situation India are 181 for one wicket in the first innings

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Candidates, officials worried over security Some, like school and college teachers, ask to be relieved of duty n Mohammad Zakaria Following the opposition’s announcement of resisting the January 5 general elections, many applications have reached the Election Commission from candidates and election officials requesting security.

Many field level election officials have also submitted applications seeking relief from their responsibilities in the 10th parliamentary elections, EC officials said. However, the Election Commission has rejected these applications and asked the officials to obey their constitutional responsibility of holding the polls.

The officials said most of the requests for relief from duty came from election officials like college and school teachers who would be presiding and assistant presiding officers during the polls.

Field level officials of the commission have also requested increased security.

Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz said the commission had asked the home ministry to provide security to the officials.

“No one can be relieved from their

responsibility for the excuse of security or any other reason,” he said.

“All election officials involved with the polls must fulfil their duties as per the constitution.”

A large number of candidates also sought security from the commission.

A total of 43,685,670 voters are entitled to vote in the 146 parliamentary constituencies while another 48,280,620 voters will be unable to vote in the general elections, the EC’s statistics showed. 154 lone candidates are set to be elected uncontested Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu and former railway minister Suranjit Sengupta sought security from the EC. Awami league joint general secretary and candidate of Kushtia 3 parliamentary constituencies Mahbubul Alam Hanif wrote to the EC asking for security during his election campaigns.

Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud and Awami League candidate for Kushtia 1 Afaz Uddin submitted a letter

to the commission seeking personal and campaign security. Awami league candidate for Kushtia 4 Abbdur Rauf also sought personal security.

Meanwhile, independent candidate and former information minister Abdullah Abu Sayed of Pabna 1 and Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) candidate Khalilur Rahman Khan of Barguna 1 have raised allegations against their respective local administrations of being partial.

About 290,295 election officials including presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers, have been appointed for conducting the 10th general elections.

A total of 43,685,670 voters are entitled to vote in the 146 parliamentary constituencies while another 48,280,620 voters will be unable to vote in the general elections, the EC’s statistics showed. 154 lone candidates are set to be elected uncontested.

According to the EC, 90,724 polling booths have been setup at 18,123 polling centres to hold the polls.

The commission has announced that it would use army helicopters to provide electoral equipment to 13 polling centres in Bandarban. l

Friday, December 27, 2013

EC thinks all polling centres vulnerable n Mohammad Zakaria The Election Commission believes that all the polling centres in the 146 constituencies holding parliamentary elections on January 5 are likely to be vulnerable to violence.

The EC reached the conclusion after examining different intelligence reports submitted to the commission, a source said.

Different intelligence agencies have also compiled a list of activists of the main opposition parties that are set to boycott the polls, fearing they might instigate violence on polling day, the EC source said.

The commission, however, did not agree on some of the centres identified as vulnerable, the source added.

Returning officers would ensure special security at the most vulnerable centres just before the polls, an EC official said.

“We will examine the reports of intelligence agencies at the commission meeting. The commission would provide special security to the vulnerable polling centres,” Election Commissioner Zabed Ali said.

Following a meeting between the EC and heads of law-enforcing agencies on December 20, the director general of National Security Intelligence (NSI) said they had informed the commission about the vulnerable areas.

Meanwhile, based on the intelli-

gence reports, EC officials said all polling centres near the houses of opposition leaders were deemed as vulnerable and additional law-enforcement agents would have to be deployed to prevent any untoward incidents.

About 290, 295 election officials, including presiding, assistant presiding and polling officers, have been appointed to conduct the 10th parliamentary elections.

According to the EC, a total of 18,123 polling centres and 90,724 polling booths have been established in the 146 parliamentary constituencies, where a total of 43,685,670 voters are expected to cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, 154 lone candidates are set to be elected unopposed, depriving 48,280,620 voters from exercising their voting rights.

EC officials said the commission had decided to deploy 15 to 19 law-enforcers, including Rab, police and BGB personnel, per centre. Police would be stationed two days before and a day after polling day, while Ansars would be in place five days ahead of the polls, they said.

Outside metropolitan areas, 16 law-enforcing agents, including an armed police personnel and Ansars, would be posted at the vulnerable polling centres.

In metropolitan areas, 19 law enforcers be guard the vulnerable centres, including in the coastal and hill tract areas. l

EC rejects AL’s request to stop Dhaka march n Mohammad Zakaria Rejecting Awami League’s request to stop the opposition’s “March for democracy” programme on December 29, the Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said the Election Commission had no authority to stop a political programme.

“It is not an election related programme. The commission has no authority to stop the programme and it has nothing to do about the matter,” he told reporters while leaving the commission secretariat.

On December 24, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia convened people from all walks of life to march towards Dhaka with national flags in hand on December 29 to say no to the “farcical” polls.

Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, convener of the sub-committee of the election commission coordination committee of Awami League, yesterday requested the commission for taking initiative to stop the opposition’s “March for democracy” programme at a meeting with the Election Commissioner Abdul Mobarak.

Alamgir told reporters that the opposition’s announcement to hold the programme to resist the parliamentary elections was a breach of law.

“We have urged the commission to take action against those who want to resist the polls,” he said. He sought EC’s intervention to recover the arms and arrest criminals for holding the election in a free and fair manner. l

Army deployed for fifteen days n Tribune Report The army was deployed across the country for 15 days from yesterday morning as a striking force to aid the civil administration in maintaining law and order during and ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections.

They set up camps in district headquarters and in many places the troops were seen patrolling the roads and controlling vehicle movement on highways.

The army will not be involved in any raids or the ongoing combined forces operation by police, BGB and Rab unless the Election Commission (EC) asks it to, said several senior officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The deployment was done following the request of EC, said a press release of the Inter Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) yesterday.

Initially, necessary number of army personnel will be deployed at the district headquarters where the January 5 elections will be held.

They will later be deployed at different points of metropolitan areas, thanas and upazilasby coordinating

with returning officers, the statement said.

Voting will take place in 146 out of the 300 parliamentary seats, as 154 candidates are set to be elected uncontested in their constituencies.

On December 20, after a meeting with top officials of security agencies, Armed Forces Division (AFD), deputy commissioners, and superintendents of police, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed announced the decision to deploy the army.

The navy will also work alongside the army in different coastal areas.

Two days after that meeting, the EC sent a letter to the AFD regarding army deployment.

In the letter, the EC said that the troops would help ensure safe traffic movement on roads and highways in addition to maintaining law and order during the elections.

Army personnel have been patrolling roads and controlling vehicles on highways at different districts since December 20. ISPR said the troops had been deployed as a part of the army’s winter exercise. l

Army personnel take position in front of the Mirpur Indoor Stadium ahead of the 10th national elections

Aftab murdered for cash, driver prime suspect n Kailash Sarkar

The appropriation of a large amount of cash could be held a clue about the murder of lensman Aftab Ahmed early Wednesday in his Wapda Road residence of the capital’s Rampura, police said.

The chauffer who has been absconding since the murder took place is being identified as prime suspect, according to police and family members of the victim.

“A large pile of cash was in the house and it would be the cause for his murder as per information so far obtained through investigation and talking to the victim’s family,” said Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of the Detective Branch of police, also spokesperson of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The police official said the absconding of driver Kabir Hossain deepened the suspicion of his involvement in the murder.

The 2006 Ekushey Padak awardee, Aftab Ahmed, was strangulated early Wednesday in his own house.

His hands, legs and mouth were tied when Aftab’s body was recovered.

Following the death of his wife seven years ago, the photojournalist had been living alone on the 2nd floor of his four-storey building.

The journalist’s only daughter Afroza Ahmed Borna, a National University official, lives in Gazipur with her husband while his only son Monowar Ahmed stays in his workplace at Jessore.

“We suspect driver Kabir committed the killing for money. He might have taken help from other criminals too,”

said Monirul Islam.

“Besides, the driver gave his false address in Gazipur.” The joint commissioner said: “The victim’s family also viewed the large pile of cash in the house as reason behind the murder.”

DB sources said Kabir was in the house of Aftab at night, hours before the murder.

The DMP spokesperson maintained they had detained housemaid Nasima Akhter and a former driver named Nazmul Islam, but after interrogation at the DB office, the two were freed as they were found not guilty so far.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, the family said journalist Aftab Ahmed had in the house a large amount of cash he obtained from the sale of one of his apartments on Ramkrishna Mission

Road and from the books he had written.

Afroza Ahmed Barna, daughter of the deceased, said: “My father did not like to deposit money in any bank, rather he used to preserve that is the house.”

“My father might be killed for money and driver Kabir involved in the murder as he has since been on the run,”she said.

Inspector Kripasindhu Bala, officer-in-charge of Rampura police Station, said the process of filing a case by Monowar Ahmed, son of the deceased journalist, was underway.

“We are also carrying out drives for the arrest of driver Kabir.”

The police official said they were investigating if there were any other motives behind the murder and any other persons involved in it. l

Arson victim Shahin’s last wish remains unfulfilled n Ashif Islam Shaon

Parents and newly married wife of trucker Shahin failed to see him alive for the last time as they were just 10 minutes late to reach the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the arson victim died.

Duty doctor of DMCH burn unit was covering his face when his elderly father, ailing mother and wife had just stormed into the High Dependency Unit around 11:20pm.

“I want to see them now as I don’t

have much time,” Shahin, 30, with 70% burn injury had been requesting his brother Shahadat throughout the day.

Shahdat phoned the family members to rush in.

The victim’s father, Mokbul, mother Shahanara, and wife, Setu, who had been stuck in Naogaon home because of blockade set out for Dhaka Wednesday afternoon. The unusual gridlock on highways following the blockade slowed them down.

“My son, please open your eyes.

Look, we have come,” Mokbul, who is

also a trucker, hugged his son’s body on bed and cried out loud.

Inspired by his father, Shahin chose the profession of a driver. But unfortunately he had seen an example of the worst level of cruelty by pro-blockade pickets on Saturday when the latter poured petrol on two people, including him, and set them on fire in Sirajganj.

Shahin with his co-driver Ataur and helper Majedul were on a Comilla-bound vegetable-laden truck which was attacked by pickets with crude bombs near the Baingati area of Sirajganj around

10pm on Saturday. The attack caused truck driver Ataur Rahman to lose control of his vehicle and skidded off the road.

Ataur was hurt, but managed to take shelter in a local residence; but both Shahin and Majedul were chased by the pickets and beaten up before the culprits poured petrol on their bodies and torched them.

Locals rushed them to a nearby hospital and later they were shifted to DMCH burn unit. Majedul died early Tuesday four days after fighting for life with 90% burn. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two AL leaders killed, one BNP leader arrested n Tribune Report Two leaders of the ruling Awami League were killed over clashes centring the upcoming national elections in Jessore in the last three days. A BNP leader was arrested in connection with one of the killing incidents, reports our correspondents.

Aleader of Awami Krishak League was stabbed to death yesterday, allegedly by activists of opposition BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami at Monirampur upazila of Jessore.

The victim,Shafi Kamal, 51, of Garibpur village, was a former president of Monirampur unit of Krishak League, the peasant wing of the ruling Awami League.

Police arrested Omar Faruk, chairman of Khedapara union council and president of the local unit of BNP, in connection with the killing, said Mir Rezaul Hossain, officer in-charge of Monirampur police station. However, no case was lodged immediately.

Mikail Hossain, vice-chairman ofMonirampur upazila council and a Krishak League leader,claimed that activists of BNP-Jamaat stabbed their leader to deat has he was putting up posters for the upcoming parliamentary elections at Majhiali–Natunhatarea around 2:30pm yesterday.

“He died on the spot,”Hossain said.

Police were deployed in the area following the killing.

Another leader of AL was stabbed to death at Gadkhali, Jhikargachha upazila on Wednesday. He was seriously injured in an attack with sharp weapons late at night.

The dead was Rabiul Islam, 45, president of Gadkhali union unit Awami League and a former member of Gadkhali union council.

He was rushed to the Jessore Medical College Hospital soon after the incident and was referred to Dhaka as his condition deteriorated.

He succumbed to his wounds at Apollo Hospital in the capital on Thursday afternoon, said relatives of the victim.

Kamruzzaman, officer in-charge of Jhikargachha police station said Rabiul was working for Prof Rafiqul Islam, rebel AL candidate for Jessore-2, in election campaigning. As a result, he became an opponent to the supporters of AL nominated candidate Monirul Islam.

“He might have been killed over the feud,” the OC added.

A section of AL held a rally at Jhikargachha on Thursday evening, in which the speakers accused AL nominated candidate, Monirul, for the killing.

None was arrested and no case was lodged with the police station in this regard. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Continue to the Business section...

Business

CURRENCIES Average selling rates to public in BDT Rupali Bank SELL BUY 77.4 78.4 USD 105.329 108.5498 EURO 1.1797 1.3361 INR 20.5372 21.0055 SAR

Sonali Bank SELL BUY 77.4

78.4

105.3692

107.819

1.18

1.28

20.5341

21.0101

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2013 www.dhakatribune.com/business

STATE BANKS

Tk4,100cr released to recapitalise ‘People’s money should not be disbursed without ensuring its proper utilisation’ n Asif Showkat Kallol The government has disbursed Tk4,100 crore to help four state-owned commercial banks to make up their capital shortfall created mainly due to large credit scams that surfaced one and half year ago.

The beneficiaries – Sonali, Janata, Agrani and Rupali banks – will, however, have to comply with five conditions like automation of the banking system.

The Budget Division of the Ministry of Finance issued four separate letters to the banks yesterday, apprising them of the fund disbursement.

Sonali Bank to get Tk1,995 crore, Janata Bank Tk814 crore, Agrani Bank Tk1,081 crore and Rupali Bank Tk210 crore.

Economists and bankers said the government is providing the banks from the people’s money to make up the shortfall that created due to the scams

by Hall-Mark and Bismillah groups in

connivance with a section of bankers.

“The amount was released from the budgetary allocation as an equity capital in accordance with a condition imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under its Extended Credit Facility,” said a senior official.

The managements should use the fund only on capital expenditure, especially automation of the banks.

Draft policies for automation should be submitted to Bangladesh Bank within January 15 next year He said it is not a policy decision by the all party interim government because the move does not influence the voters and general election scheduled to be held on January 5.

On September 30 this year, the cumulative capital shortfall of the four

banks stood at Tk8,863 crore, an increase of over 300% from December 31 last, according to Bangladesh Bank statistics.

Capital shortfall of Sonali Bank stood at Tk4,639 crore, Janata Bank Tk1,574 crore, Agani Bank Tk2,481 crore and Rupali Bank Tk170 crore.

Former adviser to the past caretaker government Dr Mirza Azizul Islam said the all-party government has taken several policy decisions, including recapitalisation of the banks, which would influence the voters indirectly.

“The people’s money should not be disbursed without ensuring its proper utilisation,” he said.

He, however, added that the government has no alternative to provide the banks with the fund as the banks are at risk to become bankrupt.

According to the refinance conditions, the management of the four commercial banks should follow the traditional financial rules of the country and the fund should not be spent on other purposes like revenue expenditure.

The managements should use the fund only on capital expenditure, especially automation of the banks. Draft policies for automation should be submitted to Bangladesh Bank within January 15 next year.

The banks will also have to inform the Banking and Financial Institutions Division about how the fund would be utilised.

In August, Finance Minister AMA Muhith lambasted the management

Bangladesh Bank has issued a circular yesterday to the banks asking them not allow any non-members at their board meetings.

The central bank also asked the banks not to provide any additional privileges to the directors.

After the allegations that non-members, shareholders and outsiders were attending board meetings in the recent time, the regulator issued the circular.

Apart from the directors, the meeting can be attended by managing directors and company secretaries only.

Besides, other officers can be present at the meeting on call of the board or associate committee to place any matter related with his or work only for the time required for the presentation.

Bangladesh Bank advised the banks to ensure that no external person, shareholder or non-member attends any board and associate committee meetings at any situation. Further, the regulator has found some of the banks were providing financial privileges more than specified in the rules.

As per sub-section 18 of Bank Company Act 1991, directors will not get any financial benefits or other facilities more than specified by rules for attending board meetings.

The central bank advised the banks to follow the rules strictly. l

and executives of the state-owned banks for losing even their capital due to poor management.

Banking Secretary Dr M Aslam Alam

told the Dhaka Tribune a committee of banking division and Bangladesh Bank would monitor utilisation of the fund. l

Stock fund diverted to Commerce Bank

Imported vehicles stranded in ports

n Asif Showkat Kallol

n Asif Showkat Kallol

The government has diverted a portion of Tk900 crore stock market refinance scheme to Bangladesh Commerce Bank Ltd (BCB).

The fund remained idle amid poor response from the small investors affected by the stock market debacle in late 2010.

Of the amount, Tk67.5 crore was invested in Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited that issued one rights share of Tk100 against existing ones to increase its paid up capital, officials said. The government has 51% stake in the bank with a paid up capital of Tk200 crore at present.

The Budget Division of finance ministry disbursed the amount from the refinancing scheme fund that remained with the division idle, said a senior official of the budget division.

Of the total fund, Tk300 crore has already been released in favour of appropriate authorities for distribution among the prospective beneficiaries, but Tk600 crore remain idle in the budget division.

The official said only 1% of the affected investors applied to the Merchant Banks for taking credit for reinvestment in stock market under the scheme.

Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited (BCBL) was established in 1997 and incorporated on June 1, 1998. The Bank

Deadline for credit from stock refinance scheme extended again n Kayes Sohel

A persistent tepid response from the affected stock investors for credit facility under a Tk900 crore refinance scheme has forced the securities regulator to extend the application deadline further.

So far only 1% of the total around 10 lakh investors affected by the share market debacle in the end of 2010 sought credit, sources in the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) said.

Twenty five institutions, including merchant banks and brokerage houses, on behalf of the affected investors applied for the credit as of December 26.

Most investors and institutions showed no interest on availing the credit under the scheme due to complex procedure and tough conditions.

“Regulator extended the deadline till this month because of poor response,” said MA Hafiz, former president of Bangladesh Merchant Bankers Association (BMBA).

The deadline extended twice after its expiry first in November 30 and second in December 15.

“Tough conditions particularly on instalment and cheque dealing issue have made the procedure complex,” said Akter H Sannamat, newly elected BMBA vice president.

He said the affected investors were

in doubt whether they will be benefitted after taking credit under the present situation. “We will sit with the supervision committee of the fund soon to figure out problems of poor response for credit.”

As per the loan distribution guideline, the state-run ICB will lend to merchant banks and stockbrokers at 7% rate.

ICB already received Tk300 crore from the central bank as first instalment of the Tk900 crore fund at 5% interest rate from the central bank. The merchant banks and stockbrokers will then disburse the fund to the retail investors at 9% rate.

Later, the borrowers will have to repay the loans in three-month instalments to ICB which will subsequently deposit the received amount to the refinance fund.

The affected retail investors, who had investment up to Tk10 lakh from January 2009 to November 2011, are eligible to receive loan from the specialised fund.

The BSEC identified 954,000 affected small investors to bring under the facility of refinance scheme.

As a step to heal the wounds of debacle, the government in March 2012 announced a compensation package that included an interest waiver on margin loans to the investors. l

Turmoil-hit importers will ask for loan rescheduling Importers said they could not transport reconditioned vehicles worth Tk500 crore from ports in last two months owing to continuous blockades and hartals across the country.

During the period, there was virtually no import of reconditioned vehicles, according to them.

The importers said the repayment of loans taken to import the vehicles has become difficult in this situation, which is why they would seek loan scheduling for six months.

“In Chittagong and Mongla ports, our imported vehicles have got piled up for last two months,” said Md Abdul Hamid Sharif, general secretary of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (Barvida).

“It was impossible to bring out the vehicles from the ports as political violence was intense on the streets and highways.”

The political turmoil has also caused

Banks asked not to allow outsiders in board meeting n Tribune Report

slump in sales as consumers are now willing to purchase vehicles at this moment of violence, the importers and dealers said.

Since other businesses have also been hit by the unrest and many of them are customers of imported reconditioned vehicles, sales have dropped, they added.

“We will demand finance minister take steps to reschedule our loans for six months,” Barvida leader Sharif told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He said the annual meeting of the association made the decision on Wednesday.

While there was a target to import 13,000 vehicles in 2013, the total imports will stand at up to 7,000 by the end of the year.

“The vehicles import in 2013 will be half the target,” said Abdul Hamid Sharif. “There was basically no vehicles import in last two months,” he claimed.

However, the July-October data of Bangladesh Bank showed the import of assembled vehicles increased by 29.7%

compared to one year ago.

After the escalation of violence since November, the sales of vehicles have particularly plunged.

Transport businessmen are not intent to purchase trucks and vans now as risks of attacks are still there on the highways with no end to unrest yet.

“Our vehicles are coming under attacks every day. Special security on the highways could stop violence completely,” said Rustom Ali, general secretary of Covered-Van and Truck Owners’ Association.

However, there was a brief surge of trucks purchase days back when the fare to carry goods rose to as many as Tk125,000 per trip from Tk14,000 in the Dhaka-Chittagong route.

But with the fall of fare again, that run for purchasing trucks has stopped.

“Transport businessmen were interested to buy trucks and pick-up vans when fare went up. When fare drops to Tk20000- 25,000, the interest of purchase had faded away,” said Rustam Ali. l

BTRC suspends order on mobile financial services n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday suspended its directive on fees and charges of mobile financial services.

They lifted the order within a couple of days after issuing the order (Tuesday) as the order contradicted with Bangladesh Bank guideline to regulate the services.

The telecom regulator, however, suspended its directive for the time being, said an official of BTRC. “We’ll work with the central bank on the issue later.”

BTRC officials said Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Aitur Rahaman made a phone call to BTRC Chairman Sunil Kanti Bose on Thursday to inqure about a Dhaka Tribune report published on the issue.

The regulator removed its order on the fees and charges from its website just after the phone call. In its directive, BTRC had fixed the service charges on money transfer by mobile phones.

An official said a meeting between a deputy governor of the central bank and the vice-chairman of BTRC will be held soon to solve the problem. The earlier the directive was issued due to a misunderstanding, he added.

The new directive fixed charges for different transactions, including the transactions of above Tk100,000. The charges or fees could be taken up to 2% of a transaction. However, according to Bangladesh Bank guideline, the ceiling for a single transaction is Tk25,000. l

Computer imports fall, mobile handsets rise n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Imports of computer along with accessories and spare parts have slumped by 8.9% in the July-October period compared to one year earlier, showed Bangladesh Bank data.

But the imports of mobile handsets and parts and accessories have surged by around 43%.

According to the data, imports of assembled computer, accessories and spare parts totalled $108.76m in the first four months.

But a year earlier the figure was $119.4m.

On the other hand, imports of mobile handsets, accessories and spare parts reached $142.4m over the four-month period this year, the data showed.

The figure was $100m last year.

The people related with information and communication technology (ICT) industry said the fall of computer imports was due to political turmoil.

Mobile phone industry has also been affected badly by the unrest, said the sector insiders.

But the launch of third generation (3G) service has helped the imports

rise as there was an increase in the demand of smartphones and spare parts, the said.

Bangladesh Bank’s foreign exchange operation department revealed the data recently.

“Definitely, the figures make us op-

timistic about the mobile phone market in Bangladesh,” said TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB).

“It will have a huge positive impact on the industry where the 3G is a key

player.” In 2012-13, import of mobile handsets and parts however dropped to $300m from $319m the previous fiscal.

Although the computer market insiders said the import fall was owing to the current political turmoil, it has been going down for last couple of years, according to the data available.

In last fiscal, the total import of computers and parts dropped to $289m from $328m the previous year.

However, referring to political unrest ICT entrepreneur Mustafa Jabbar said: “The situation is alarming for the market.”

“Sales of computers and other ICT products have declined by at least 70%. Sale of keyboards fell by 60%, so did the imports,” said Mustafa Jabbar, the chief executive officer of Ananda Computers and also the president of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS).

“The import figures of November and December would show more decline.”

Mustafa Jabbar said as mobile phone has become an essential part in people’s every-day life, it cannot be compared with the market of computers. l

B2

Stocks slip to 4-week low

Turnover (Million Taka)

BD. Autocars -Z Rahima Food -Z Standard Ceramic -A Savar Refractories-Z CVO PetroChem RL-Z Shampur Sugar -Z GreenDeltaInsu -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Fu-wang Ceramic-A Sinobangla Indu.-A

Closing (% change) -9.91 -9.80 -8.15 -7.94 -7.43 -6.25 -5.60 -5.25 -4.69 -4.35

CSE LOSERS Company Apex SpinningA Mercantile Insur -A Rahima Food -Z ApexAdelchi Ftr -A GreenDeltaInsu -A MutualTrust Bank-A Northern G Insur-A ICB -A I P D C -A Apex Foods -A

Closing (% change) -8.97 -8.51 -8.31 -7.66 -7.31 -6.59 -6.31 -6.25 -6.03 -5.96

Average (% change) -10.35 -9.65 -6.63 -7.94 -9.79 -3.60 -4.98 -4.81 -4.24 -4.40 Average (% change) -8.26 -8.55 -9.87 -7.66 -2.75 -3.75 -7.18 -8.06 -5.00 -5.97

ANALYST

Closing average 29.20 65.71 37.33 58.00 622.93 7.50 103.43 53.42 20.57 28.92

Closing average 70.00 25.77 64.74 400.00 102.98 15.65 37.10 1,425.00 18.80 97.79

(-) 0.66% (-) 0.78% (-) 0.63% (-) 0.31% (-) 0.63% Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

288

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

47

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

239

Closing 70.00 25.80 64.00 400.00 96.40 15.60 37.10 1,425.00 18.70 97.80

DSE Million Taka 330.42 335.71 109.30 863.77 142.48 189.70 1.46 858.02 192.79 0.74 16.80 22.79 22.43 75.95 44.94 74.44 224.86 57.25 49.56 61.85 0.43

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,030.56

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.61

Million Taka 28.12 34.01 6.32 113.19 18.97 16.45

Daily high

Turnover (Million Taka)

81.59 20.81 1.52 4.97 1.92 6.89 9.11 1.56 7.18 7.49 11.52 12.37 0.00

10.00 9.90 9.90 9.80 6.67 3.83 3.48 3.33 3.21 2.96

Average (% change) 10.00 9.90 7.31 9.90 5.60 2.91 3.50 3.18 4.63 0.61

31.33 34.45 58.33 37.84 7.60 318.00 200.60 22.94 156.50 74.29

Closing average 91.30 34.40 31.42 80.72 37.72 64.42 62.33 34.05 22.38 34.53

Closing 32.40 35.90 58.70 38.60 7.60 318.00 200.60 23.10 156.50 74.30

Closing 91.30 34.40 32.20 80.70 38.40 65.00 62.40 34.10 22.50 34.80

Daily high

Daily low

32.50 36.00 59.40 39.70 7.60 318.00 200.60 24.00 156.50 77.00

Daily high

27.00 30.50 55.20 34.00 7.60 318.00 200.60 20.00 156.50 72.00

Daily low

91.30 34.40 32.20 80.80 39.50 66.00 63.60 35.50 23.00 35.10

91.30 34.40 29.70 80.00 36.10 63.00 60.40 32.40 21.70 33.50

Yearly high 39.9 52.5 60.5 43.7 10.3 496.0 242.1 24.0 280.7 167.0

Yearly high 130.0 47.7 38.0 99.9 43.5 90.0 64.6 38.2 23.0 51.8

Yearly low 18.5 24.9 16.2 22.5 6.9 195.0 122.1 14.5 92.5 45.0

Yearly low 54.0 27.0 18.0 46.2 23.0 46.0 35.0 23.0 14.4 23.3

Turnover in million 5.326 1.432 0.070 116.250 0.002 0.127 0.020 73.540 0.023 0.078

Turnover in million 0.046 0.017 2.325 0.081 9.721 0.303 20.965 0.102 0.862 1.381

Daily high

383.99

Turnover (Volume)

10,884,294

Number of Contract

207

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

37

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

167

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

1,951.37

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

23.65

Yearly high

29.10 63.40 37.20 58.00 615.40 7.50 96.00 51.90 19.60 28.00

70.00 25.70 62.90 400.00 102.00 15.60 37.10 1,425.00 18.40 96.00

Yearly low

60.0 92.9 47.8 106.9 943.7 8.8 140.0 72.0 25.0 33.9

Yearly high

Daily low

70.00 25.80 72.90 400.00 96.70 15.80 37.10 1,425.00 19.20 99.70

19,904

Traded Issues

Daily low

30.00 73.00 37.30 58.00 658.00 7.50 105.00 56.50 21.60 30.60

CSE

Rangpur Foundry -A Midas Financing-Z Union Capital -A Eastern Cables-Z Bay Leasing.-A Rupali Bank - A Golden Son -A Islami Ins.BD-A Bank Asia -A Phoenix Finance-A

Closing (% change)

Closing average

CSE key features December 26, 2013

97.0 35.1 92.9 454.0 138.0 23.0 54.5 2,335.0 22.2 128.0

17.5 13.0 19.9 36.0 87.0 6.2 48.0 44.0 15.4 17.8

Yearly low 66.0 21.0 13.0 215.0 49.2 13.2 27.5 1,181.0 14.6 69.0

Turnover in million 0.746 8.115 0.056 0.012 12.957 0.002 13.312 77.170 10.408 9.282

Turnover in million 0.070 0.039 1.522 0.080 0.144 0.102 0.056 0.285 0.047 0.098

Investors fear head on political clashes in the coming days, they considered no sector is safe enough for the time being

% change 8.99 9.13 2.97 23.50 3.88 5.16 0.04 23.34 5.24 0.02 0.46 0.62 0.61 2.07 1.22 2.03 6.12 1.56 1.35 1.68 0.01

CSE GAINERS Company

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

9.46 9.45 8.70 6.93 5.56 5.47 5.30 4.52 4.06 4.06

Average (% change) 5.63 10.74 8.02 5.23 5.26 4.92 5.58 5.47 3.80 4.00

TUE

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

29.10 63.50 37.20 58.00 615.80 7.50 96.10 52.30 20.30 28.60

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Traded Issues

Union Capital -A Midas Financing-Z Northern Jute -Z Bay Leasing.-A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z Eastern Lubricants -A 4th ICB M F-A Bank Asia -A GeminiSeaFoodA Jute SpinnersA

Closing (% change)

MON

Over the last few weeks, market direction remained nebulous on account of vigilant market sentiment, it said.

The market breadth also remained negative as out of 288 issues traded, 79 closed higher, 170 lower and 39 remained unchanged.

The newly listed Appollo Ispat Complex continued to become the most traded stock, making up more than 8% of the total market turnover.

The newcomer also helped the engineering sector contribute a lion share of 24% to the turnover.

Other turnover leaders included Golden Son, RN Spinning, Generation Next Fashion, Argon Denim, Bay Leasing, Bengal Windsor and Thermoplastics and Paramount Textile. l

4200.96 1447.94 13031.90 10655.74 8254.00

DSE LOSERS

118,543

Both investors, notably institutions, scurried to take profit at the yearend, accelerating the sale pressure

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index DS - 30 Index CSE All Share Index CSE - 30 Index CSE Selected Index

94,009,175

Number of Contract

head on political clashes in the coming days, they considered no sector is safe enough for the time being.

Dragged by year-end profit booking on selected sectors like bank, financial institutions, textile and power sectors over consistent slowed down market activities, said Lanka Bangla Securities.

Stocks continued to fall for the third session in a row yesterday with the benchmark index, DSEX, slipping to almost four-week low.

Analysts cited year-end profit booking particularly by the institutions combined with the intensified political unrest for decline in equity values.

After marginal rise in the morning, the DSEX lost nearly 28 points or 0.7% to settle at 4,200 – lowest since December 2. The DS30 index of blue chip shares was down 11 points or 0.8% to 1,448.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, shed over 52 points to 8,254.

The risk-averse investors held back their fresh investment, making the turnover sluggish. The DSE total turnover stood at over Tk367 crore, which was 1.8% lower over the previous session.

All the major sectors ended in red except jute which gained almost 1%.

Among the worst losers, textile was the biggest one with a drop of more than 2%, followed by pharmaceuticals, financial institutions, telecommunications and banks.

“Both investors, notably institutions, scurried to take profit at the year-end, accelerating the sale pressure,” said Akter H Sannamat, managing director of Union Capital.

But most important thing is political dust that continued to hit investor tempo, he said.

Company

3,675.69

Turnover (Volume)

Friday, December 27, 2013

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features December 26, 2013

Year-end profit booking, political unrest hastens sale pressure IDLC Investment in its daily marn Kayes Sohel ket analysis said as investors fear

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 7.32 8.86 1.65 29.48 4.94 4.28 0.00 21.25 5.42 0.00 0.40 1.29 0.50 1.79 2.37 0.41 1.87 1.95 3.00 3.22 0.00

Million Taka 358.54 369.72 115.62 976.95 161.45 206.15 1.46 939.61 213.60 0.74 18.33 27.76 24.35 82.85 54.06 75.99 232.04 64.73 61.08 74.22 0.43

Total

% change 8.83 9.11 2.85 24.06 3.98 5.08 0.04 23.14 5.26 0.02 0.45 0.68 0.60 2.04 1.33 1.87 5.72 1.59 1.50 1.83 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

News from trade server SAIHAMCOT: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating (surveillance) of the Company as "A3" based on audited financial statements of the Company up to April 30, 2013; Bank liability position as on October 01, 2013 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

SUNLIFEINS: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the surveillance rating of the Company as "BBB3" in the long term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to 31 December 2012 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

PREMIERBAN: BSEC has given consent under the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Commission (Issue of Capital) Rules, 2001 and Securities and Exchange Commission (Private Placement of Debt Securities) Rules, 2012, for raising of capital of The Premier Bank Limited amounting to Tk. 200,00,00,000.00 only by issuing Non-Convertible Variable Coupon Rate Bond through private placement. The consent has been accorded subject to the condition that the company shall comply with the relevant laws and Regulatory Requirements, and shall also adhere to the conditions imposed by BSEC under Section-2CC of the Securities and Exchange Ordinance, 1969.

PREMIERBAN: The Company has further informed that the purpose of Non-Convertible Variable Coupon Rate Bond is to increase Capital of the Company. Key features of the Bond: Face Value: Tk. 1.00 crore only; Issue Price: At par Tk. 1.00 crore per Bond.

BDBUILDING: The Company will be placed in "A" category from existing "N" category with effect from December 26, 2013 as the Company reported disbursement of 15% stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

BDAUTOCA: The Company will be placed in "Z" category from existing "B" category with effect from December 26, 2013 as the Company did not approve any dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

FINEFOODS: The Company will be placed in "B" category from existing "A" category

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N Golden Son -A R. N. Spinning-A Generation Next-A Argon Denims Limited-A Bay Leasing.-A Bengal Windsor-N Paramount Textile Ltd.-N National Life I -A Bank Asia -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N R. N. Spinning-A Golden Son -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Bengal Windsor-N Bay Leasing.-A Beach Hatchery -A Generation Next-A UNITED AIR-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A

Volume shares 8,085,000 3,906,202 4,523,400 3,519,380 1,296,100 3,072,420 1,447,800 1,444,500 248,936 3,206,410 Volume shares 1,618,000 598,012 336,350 275,000 170,200 257,740 293,000 250,320 538,651 245,518

with effect from December 29, 2013 as the Company approved 2% stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

BDBUILDING: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on June 30, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on December 24, 2013.

DBH: The Company has informed that the cash dividend for the year ended June 30, 2013 has been remitted to the Banks for onward crediting to the Shareholders' respective bank accounts directly through Bangladesh Electronic Fund Transfer Network (BEFTN) on December 22, 2013.

The dividend warrants of NRB Shareholder and the Shareholder whose Bank details are incomplete, will be distributed from 24.12.2013 to 31.12.2013 during office hours from the Head Office of the Company situated at Landmark Building (9th Floor), 12-14 Gulshan North C/A, Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1000.

USMANIAGL: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the 27th AGM of the Company which was scheduled to be held on December 27, 2013 has been postponed. The new date of the AGM will be notified later.

SAMORITA: The Company has further informed that the 28th AGM of the Company will be held on January 11, 2014 at 10:00 AM at LGED Auditorium, LGED Bhaban, Agargaon, Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

RIGHT SHARE: RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014.

IPO Subscription: Emerald Oil Industries Limited subscription date 06-12 January 2014, NRB upto 21 Januray 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

Dividend/AGM

ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD: 29.12.2013.

BDCOM: 10% Stock, AGM: 25.12.2013, RD: 17.11.2013.

FUWANGCER: 10% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

STANCERAM: 10% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 19.11.2013.

MONNOCERA: 5% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

Value in million 316.76 243.01 168.13 129.09 126.04 116.25 93.03 77.17 74.70 73.54 Value in million 63.31 22.29 20.96 14.77 10.89 9.72 9.19 9.17 8.97 7.94

% of total turnover 8.62 6.61 4.57 3.51 3.43 3.16 2.53 2.10 2.03 2.00 % of total turnover 16.49 5.80 5.46 3.85 2.84 2.53 2.39 2.39 2.34 2.07

Daily closing 38.00 62.20 37.30 36.40 96.00 38.60 63.90 52.30 300.80 23.10 Daily closing 38.40 37.30 62.40 52.40 64.10 38.40 30.90 36.30 16.60 32.10

LIBRAINFU: 20% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 12.11.2013.

FUWANGFOOD: 10% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 20.11.2013.

OLYMPIC: 10% Cash and 50% Stock, EGM and AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 21.11.2013.

ZAHINTEX: 5% Cash, 15% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 07.11.2013.

PHARMAID: 15% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 04.12.2013.

RAHIMAFOOD: 10% Cash to the shareholders other than the Sponsor shareholders, Directors and Deposed Directors, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 28.11.2013.

USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: postponed, RD: 07.11.2013.

PRIMETEX: 10% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013, RD: 12.11.2013.

DELTASPINN: 10% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013. RD: 21.11.2013.

ATLASBANG: 50% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013, RD: 01.12.2013. EPS of Tk. 9.14, NAV per share of Tk. 222.05.

DESHBANDHU: 5% Stock, AGM: 29.12.2013, RD: 29.10.2013.

METROSPIN: 10% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 17.11.2013.

DAFODILCOM: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 21.11.2013.

HAKKANIPUL: 5% Cash, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

GEMINISEA: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 04.12.2013.

PTL: 12% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 12.12.2013.

DESCO: 10% Cash & 15% Stock, AGM: 04.01.2014, RD: 05.11.2013.

ANWARGALV: 7% Case for general shareholders, AGM: 13.01.2014, RD: 11.11.2013.

MPETROLEUM: 70% Cash & 20% Stock, AGM: 17.01.2014, RD: 28.11.2013.

POWERGRID: 15% Cash, AGM: 18.01.2014, Time: 10:00 AM. RD: 01.12.2013.

EASTRNLUB: 30% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

JAMUNAOIL: 90% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM: 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.

PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM: 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.

SAMORITA: 30% Stock, AGM: 11.01.2014, RD: 25.11.2013.

Price change -0.26 3.32 -1.58 -1.62 -2.24 6.93 2.57 -5.25 0.37 4.52

Daily opening 38.10 60.20 37.90 37.00 98.20 36.10 62.30 55.20 299.70 22.10

Daily high 41.50 63.40 39.80 37.60 100.00 39.70 65.20 56.50 306.00 24.00

Daily low 37.60 55.00 35.00 33.30 89.00 34.00 62.80 51.90 292.00 20.00

Daily average 39.18 62.21 37.17 36.68 97.25 37.84 64.26 53.42 300.06 22.94

Price change 0.00 -1.58 3.48 -5.07 2.89 6.67 -0.96 -2.16 -1.19 -2.43

Daily opening 38.40 37.90 60.30 55.20 62.30 36.00 31.20 37.10 16.80 32.90

Daily high 41.80 37.80 63.60 56.60 65.30 39.50 32.60 37.50 16.80 33.50

Daily low 37.60 36.60 60.40 51.60 62.00 36.10 30.60 36.20 16.50 32.00

Daily average 39.13 37.27 62.33 53.71 64.00 37.72 31.36 36.64 16.65 32.34

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Friday, December 27, 2013

Union Capital: DSE top gainer Provision eats up profits n Tahmidur Rahman Union Capital Limited yesterday emerged as the highest gainer with a price rise of more than 8% to settle at Tk32.4 each share on the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Its stock prices rose on the news that the company decided to issue non-convertible preference shares worth of Tk50 crore to strengthen its tier II capital, according to stock brokers.

Holders of non-convertible preference shares do not have the right to covert their holdings into ordinary shares, within a specified period of time right of conversion unlike convertible preference shares holders.

Shares of the company ranged between Tk29.2 and Tk32.5 during the trading session.

The company’s profit halved due to higher provision of Tk10.6 crore for diminution in value of investment since January 2013, said its unaudited financial reports.

Third quarter net profit of the non-banking financial institutions stood at Tk1.6 crore against Tk4.6 crore

2012

in the same period a year earlier.

Its nine month (January-September) profit has declined to Tk2.3 crore from Tk5.3 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.

The company has a restated net asset value per share of Tk17 as on year-

end of 2012, which is 52.5% of the current market price.

According to the unaudited reports, the company stocks have an EPS of Tk0.21 each and a price to earnings ratio of 115.71.

The company has given out only

stock dividends since its listing in 2007 with an exception in 2011 when it also paid out 10% cash dividend and same amount stock dividend.

Sponsors-directors hold 55.97% and public 27.43% stakes in the company. l

Appollo Ispat DSE market leader for second day n Tribune Business Desk

A minicar named Hustler? Japan’s brand names raise eyebrows

The newly listed Appollo Ispat Complex Ltd continued to occupy the top position in the turnover list for the second straight session.

Its shares worth over Tk31 crore was changed hands, accounting for more than 8% of the total DSE turnover.

However, in its second day trading, the company’s share prices dropped 0.26% to Tk38.

Its price movement ranged between Tk37.6 and Tk41.5 during the trading session.

According to its quarterly financial report ended in September this year, the company reported net profit over Tk9.8 crore, which is marginal profit from Tk9.7 crore in the same period a year ago.

Annual profit of the company in 2012 was Tk35.4 crore, an increase of 25% from Tk28.2 crore recorded in 2011 due to higher turnover and decreased in the financial expenses, according to the company’s IPO prospectus.

The corrugated iron sheet manufacturer accounts for 20% of the total market share of the iron sheet industry, said the prospectus.

During the period, the company’s earnings per share (EPS) is Tk0.40 against Tk0.64 calculated based on weighted average pre-IPO paid-up number of shares. The stock’s price to earnings ratio stood at 23.75 as of yesterday.

Currently the sponsors hold 30.47%, public 36% and institutional investors rest stake of the company. l

Suzuki Motor Corp had little idea that the name “Hustler” for its new, boxy minicar aimed at outdoorsy Japanese customers might cause mirth among English speakers for its association with an adult magazine - but it’s not alone.

Plucking words from foreign dictionaries without checking how they might be received by native speakers appears to be a habit at Japanese companies, which have produced countless products with unintentionally unsavory names.

The name Hustler was chosen to conjure the image of agility, as well as invite nostalgia from customers who remembered an off-road motorbike released in 1969 called the Hustler 250, said a Suzuki public relations officer.

Foreign visitors might instead recall the sexually explicit magazine started by porn magnate Larry Flynt as competition to Playboy, or associate the word with obtaining money through illegal activities or vice industries.

The Hustler follows a string of other Japan-made cars to bemuse speakers of foreign languages, such as Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd’s Naked in 2000 and Isuzu Motors Ltd’s 1983 Bighorn.

Spanish speakers were taken aback

by Mazda Motor Corp’s Laputa, a derogatory word for sex worker, while Mitsubishi Motors Corp sold its Pajero model as the Montero in Spanish-speaking countries as the former is slang for sexual self-pleasure.

n Reuters

Japanese confectionery often yields a chuckle from foreign tourists, too. A tubular chocolate snack called Collon and an isotonic sports drink named Pocari Sweat, for example, bear unfortunate associations with bodily functions.

While many brand names around the world don’t translate across borders - the Iranian washing powder Barf, which means snow in Persian, or a Swedish chocolate bar called Plopp, for example - Japanese companies often use foreign words for how they sound, with little regard to their original meaning.

This is partly due to foreign words having an exotic ring, much like how Chinese characters are seen by Westerners as poetic or profound choices

ANALYSIS

Iran a decade or more from becoming major gas exporter n Reuters, Dubai

2013

for tattoos even if the results don’t make much sense to native speakers.

But Japanese firms often fail to check if a name ‘travels’ because of historical reasons, marketers say.

“Japan really is an island nation, and was historically closed for a long time. Also, the domestic market is so big that companies can be successful without thinking globally,” said Masamichi Nakamura, executive director at global marketing firm Interbrand’s branch in Tokyo.

But Japan is far from having a patent on unintentionally salacious brand names: websites like Engrish.com revel in strange uses of English across Asia, including neighbouring South Korea’s snack maker Lotte Confectionary Co Ltd’s Crunky Ball Nude. l

B3

The world’s largest gas reserves may tempt some energy companies back to Iran if sanctions are lifted, but Tehran is unlikely to become a significant gas supplier to Europe or Asia for at least a decade.

European companies with the technology to fully exploit Iran’s vast South Pars field under the Gulf abandoned it in the late 2000s, under US pressure, dashing its hopes of following Qatar’s meteoric rise up the global gas exporters’ league.

Last month’s nuclear deal between the West and the new Iranian government has ignited hopes that its oil production could bounce back if Washington and the European Union relax controls on exports.

But Iran has little chance of becoming a significant gas exporter for at least a decade because of high domestic demand and internal obstacles to developing reserves, which were a problem long before sanctions forced foreigners out.

The lifting of sanctions on Iran “could potentially have a huge impact on exports over the longer term, but it will take years for things to get moving,” Laurent Ruseckas, senior adviser on the Global Gas team at consultants IHS, said.

In the short term, it makes more economic sense for Iran to use gas to satisfy domestic demand for power generation and industry and for re-injection into ageing oilfields to maintain production, Ruseckas said.

Oilfield re-injection is a higher-value use for gas than exports, because oil sells for much more on the global market and does not require billions of dollars in capital investment in gas export projects that take years to pay back.

Over 1 trillion cubic feet (tcf), or over 28 billion cubic metres (bcm), of gas was re-injected to help boost oil production in 2011, according to the US Energy Information Administration, and some estimates indicate that over 8 bcf/d (around 83 bcm/year) will be needed within a decade.

Iran’s marketed gas production, excluding flared and reinjected gas, has more than doubled to 160.5 bcm in 2012 from 75 bcm in 2002.

But Tehran has looked on while Qatar has become one of the world’s richest countries after western energy companies built multi-billion dollar plants over the last decade that turned the tiny Gulf state into the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter.

The two countries share the world’s largest gas field, which Iran calls South Pars and Qatar the North Field. It straddles their offshore Gulf border and accounts for nearly all of Qatar’s gas production and around 35% of Iran’s.

An abundance of condensate and natural gas liquids in the field means it can produce enough income to cover

drilling costs before pumping out gas.

That makes Iranian LNG export projects potentially highly competitive, even as supply swells due to US shale gas and big finds off East Africa.

Phase 12 of the South Pars development, which is expected to start up next year, could boost supplies by as much as 28 bcm/year when it is fully operational.

“We have to make efforts to launch a section of this phase as soon as possible,” Iran’s oil and gas minister, Bijan Zanganeh, was quoted as saying by ministry website Shana during a recent visit to the sites. “Important petroleum industry projects must not be delayed due to waiting for the lifting of sanctions.”

According to figures from the Pars Oil and Gas Company, which manages the whole project, phases 13 to 24 could add up to 142 bcm/year of capacity by 2019, if completed on time.

Iran already produces more gas than Qatar. The difference is that Qatar, with a population of less than 2 million, uses just 26 bcm of it, leaving 125 bcm free for export, according to data from BP. Iran has used nearly all the gas it produces to supply its 77 million people with heat, electricity and fuel. Domestic demand has risen to 156 bcm in 2012 from 79 bcm in 2002, according to BP figures, which exclude gas used for re-injection.

Even if its domestic consumption rises at only the half annual growth rate seen over the past decade, that implies increases of 8-9 bcm every year over the next five years. That would take Iran’s gas consumption to around 200 bcm/year in 2018, not counting its rising use for re-injection.

Iran has been a net importer for most of the past decade, and this year asked Turkmenistan for more supplies to help ease shortages that are forcing Iranian power plants to burn billions of dollars of pricey and polluting oil products.

Zanganeh said in October that Iran faces a 30 bcm shortfall in supplies this year and serious supply shortfalls over the next two years because South Pars has not been developed quickly enough.

Iranian gas projects have a record of falling far behind schedule.

Phase 13 suffered a big setback when one of its offshore platforms sank to the bottom of the Gulf during an installation attempt in January. Zanganeh said compressor problems with phases 17 and 18 might need the expertise of foreign companies to fix, Iranian news agency Shana reported last week.

On Saturday, the minister said he hoped most of phases 12, 15 and 18 would be complete by March 2015.

The previous government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad signed numerous gas export deals with Arab neighbours, devised plans to supply Europe via several pipelines, and planned gas-freezing LNG export plants to supply gas to Asia. l

Bangladesh, Nepal Rotary plan to work jointly

AB Bank opens new branch AB Bank Limited (ABBL) opened its 88th branch at Banani, Dhaka recently.

ABBL Director M A Awal has inaugurated the branch. Other Board of Directors graced the occasion with their pres-

ence. President and Managing Director (Acting) Ahsan Afzal and senior executives of the Bank were also present on the inauguration ceremony. l

A meeting between Rotary Bangladesh and Rotary Nepal was held in Dhaka on December 25. Rotary Governor Ghulam Mustafa, Governor elect Safina Rahman, Governor Nominee SAM Sawkat Hossain, district secretary elect Ibrahim Al Zayed Pinak, and former governors and Rotary officials were present from Bangladesh. Governor elect Rabindra Piya, Nughal Anada Vaidya, Gopal Chandra Lal Kakshypati and Kiran Lal Shrestha were present from Nepal.

Rotary Bangladesh and Nepal decided in the meeting to work together for humanitarian ground for the welfare of mankind. l

Rupchanda celebrates best brand award

Standard Bank Ltd (SBL) inaugurated its 87th Branch at Panchlaish, Chittagong recenlty.

FBCCI President and SBL Chairman Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed graced the function as chief guest. Vice Chairman Ashok Kumar Saha attended the ceremony as special guest.

Managing Director Md Nazmus Salehin presided over the function

Bangladesh Edible Ltd. (BEOL) celebrated its reputed brand Rupchanda’s Best Brand Award recently.

BEOL officials, press editors & representatives, and representatives from Rupchanda’s marketing agencies were present in the event held in Dhaka.

Rupchanda’s focus on meeting customers’ expectation secured 1st place in Edible Oil category of Best Brand Award from the beginning, three times in a row. Head of Operations Inam Ahmed and Head of Sales & Marketing Shoeb Md Asaduzzaman, shared their expectation to taking further steps in 2014 for enhanced customer satisfaction. l

Banglalink launches 3G in Khulna Banglalink launched 3G services in Khulna today at a press conference in City inn Hotel, Khulna recently.

Khulna City Corporation Mayor Moniruzzman Moni was present in the press conference as the chief guest. He inaugurated the rally afterwards. Also present in the ceremony were Khulna

Press Club President Makbul Hossain Mintu and Khulna Zila Police ASP Md Sajeeb Khan.

Present at the press conference from Banglalink were Khulna Regional Commercial Head Md Babul Haque and PR & Communication Associate Manager Md Iftekhar Azam. l

Adcomm Limited Chairperson Giti Ara Safia Chowdhury, DGM Brand Marketing of AFBL Shafiqul Islam Tushar and Founder of Jaago Korvi Rakshand were present at a conference arranged by Mojo a brand of Akij Food and Beverage Limited (AFBL) in association with Jaago at the city yesterday

DCCI New Entrepreneurship project elects chairman Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) former President Md Sabur Khan has been elected as Chairman for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Expo project. According to the decision of DCCI Board meeting held recently Md Sabur Khan will perform as the chairman for this project till its successful completion. DCCI in cooperation with Bangladesh Bank is implementing the project.

Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid inaugurated the ‘Entrepreneurship & Innovation Expo’ last month.

To mark this occasion and for the development of new entrepreneurs DCCI also published a book title “Handbook of Entrepreneurship Development”.

To make this project a success, Dhaka Chamber has already signed MoU with BASIS, Rotary International, Junior Chamber International, BCIC, BCSIR, CTO Forum, DIU, BD Venture and IDEB. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Friday, December 27, 2013

Unrest costs building materials business dear Traders say sales have slumped sharply owing to the long-lasting political turmoil n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi This is a hard time for all sorts of business, and this is for the current political chaos. The business of construction materials, which is otherwise vibrant during this time, have also been affected badly.

Due to blockades, sales have slumped by around 80%, which has caused drop in production too, said the traders and manufacturers.

As materials cannot be supplied to the construction sites, the building of infrastructures and houses has become almost stalled.

This season (winter) is a peak time for our business. We are passing the hardest moment now. Political unrest is killing our business

Both public and private constructions have stopped.

According to the manufacturers, the current situation has resulted in production fall because of two-fold problems – drop of demand and disruption in the supply of raw materials.

“We are held hostage by the political parties. They are making us bankrupt,” said Md Ali, senior vice president of Bangladesh Re-Rolling Mills Association.

“Most factories see nearly 80% slump in production as they are unable to bring raw materials. Sales also fell by 75%,” he added.

Md Ali is the chairman of Fatullah Steel Re-Rolling Mills Ltd in Dhaka.

Construction materials chiefly include cement, bricks, rod, tiles etc.

Slowdown in growth a concern for some BOJ policymakers n Reuters Bank of Japan policymakers broadly agreed the economic recovery will remain on track as an improving job market fuels consumer spending, but some expressed worry about the pace of growth, the minutes of the central bank’s November meeting showed.

According to the minutes released on Thursday, two policy board members voiced concern about a large contribution from inventories and a fall in wages in Japan’s latest gross domestic product data.

“This may be indicative of a downward shift in growth, instead of merely a temporary slowdown,” one member said, referring to the third-quarter GDP data.

Differing views over the pace of growth could make it difficult for the BOJ to present a united front next year, when GDP could dip sharply in the second quarter after a planned increase in the national sales tax.

In the July-September quarter Japan’s economy grew 0.3%, slower than 0.9% growth in the previous quarter as consumer spending and exports weakened.

Many economists say GDP growth has already picked up as exports have improved.

But an increase in the sales tax to 8% from 5% in April is expected to cause a temporary contraction, which will be a test of whether the BOJ can ride out pressure to ease policy further.

At the November 20-21 meeting, the BOJ board voted unanimously to maintain its pledge of increasing base money, or cash and deposits at the central bank, at an annual pace of 60tn to 70tn yen ($600bn to $700bn).

The BOJ made this pledge in April this year to meet its 2% inflation target in two years.

Many members said consumer spending and domestic demand are contributing to broad gains in consumer prices, the minutes showed.

However, one member expressed doubt that the BOJ could meet its price target, because long-term inflation expectations are controlled by economic fundamentals, the minutes showed.

BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Wednesday said consumer inflation will exceed 1% in the first half of next year and help the central bank achieve its goal of changing the public’s perception that deflation will persist. l

“Demand of cement has slumped by around half the usual demand,” said Shahidur Rahman, general manager (sales and marketing) of MI Cement Ltd. “We usually sell 75,000 bags of cement per day, but the demand has now decreased to 35,000 bags,” according to the MI cement official.

Akij Cement’s senior manager Payer Ahmed Tusher reported 70% drop in sales during this dry season compared to same period last year.

“Sales are down by 70% compared to the same period last despite having demands as consumers do not want to transport during blockades, taking the risk of damages,” said A director of Anwar Group which manufactures rod revealed a sharp fall of rod sales from the company’s production.

“While the sale was 300 tonne a month, now it is 60-70 tonne,” said Anwar Group director.

“We cannot supply our products and also cannot bring raw materials to factories because of continuous blockades.”

A visit to the city outlets of construction materials, the sales people were seen sitting idle with no customers’ presence.

“This season (winter) is a peak time for our business. We are passing the hardest moment now. Political unrest is killing our business,” said Abdul Mannan, owner of Dhaka’s Rana Enterprise which supplies construction materials.

“Construction materials business is on the brink of collapse. Only an end to political unrest only could save it,” a sales executive of RAK Ceramics expressed his fear while talking to the Dhaka Tribune early this week as fresh spell of blockades began to hit the country with no hopes offered by the parties. l

A salesman sits adle at a cement outlet in Dhaka amid poor presence of customers due to ongoing political unrest

US urges China to implement planned economic reforms n Reuters The United States urged China on Tuesday to quickly implement planned reforms to open up its economy and said it will keep a close eye on progress as officials work to resolve remaining trade tensions with the world’s second-largest economy.

The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) also said the United States would not hesitate to lodge new disputes with the World Trade Organisation if bilateral talks on a range of contentious issues from agriculture to intellectual property failed.

China, a $450bn market for US goods and services that has become a key source of revenue for some American companies, announced plans last month to steer its economy towards more sustainable growth and liberalize markets.

The USTR said the reforms, which aim to boost productivity and switch the focus of China’s economic model from goods exports to domestic con-

sumption and services, had much in common with the US trade agenda with China.

“The United States shares (the reforms) goals of reducing Chinese government intervention in the economy, accelerating China’s opening up to foreign goods and services, reforming

In its latest scorecard of China’s compliance with its WTO obligations, the USTR expressed particular concern at intellectual property infringements, including copyright violations and piracy which it said cost US companies billions of dollars every year in lost royalties and revenue.

'The United States shares (the reforms) goals of reducing Chinese government intervention in the economy, accelerating China’s opening up to foreign goods and services, reforming China’s stateowned enterprises and improving transparency and the rule of law to allow fair competition in China’s market'

China’s state-owned enterprises and improving transparency and the rule of law to allow fair competition in China’s market,” the USTR said in a report to US lawmakers.

“The United States therefore will urge China to speedily implement these promising Third Plenum Decision economic reform elements.”

The US is also concerned about the theft of trade secrets by or for the benefit of Chinese companies, and lax enforcement of existing legal protections which means many victims of such thefts do not lodge formal complaints.

“When bilateral discussions fail to resolve key issues, the United States

will remain prepared to take other types of action on these issues, including WTO dispute settlement where appropriate,” said the USTR, which reported seven active WTO cases against China during 2013.

Other key unresolved issues highlighted in the report include Chinese export restraints on rare earths and other raw materials and a ban on US beef imports, which both countries have said they aim to lift by July 2014.

China, which joined the WTO 12 years ago, is the United States’ largest agricultural export market with exports of more than $25bn in 2013 but the USTR said the country remained “among the least transparent and predictable of the world’s major markets for agricultural products.”

The USTR’s wish list for China includes reducing market access barriers, more transparency, less discrimination, requiring state-owned enterprises to compete with other enterprises on a level playing field and a stronger legal system. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

NEWS IN BRIEF Rupee snaps three-day gains on dollar demand The rupee snapped a three-day winning streak yesterday on month-end dollar demand from oil firms and other importers, but continued strong foreign flows into shares and debt limited further declines. – Reuters

Court rejects BP bid to require proof of Gulf oil spill losses BP Plc has failed to persuade a federal judge to require businesses seeking to recover money over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to provide proof that their economic losses were caused by the disaster. US District Judge Carl Barbier in New Orleans said the British oil company would have to live with its earlier interpretation of a settlement agreement over the spill, in which certain businesses could be presumed to have suffered harm if their losses reflected certain patterns. – Reuters

China cabinet report sees 2013 economic growth at 7.6% China’s economic growth is likely to come in at 7.6% this year, according to a cabinet report cited by the official Xinhua news agency, just above the government’s target of 7.5% and slightly below last year’s 7.7%. Xu Shaoshi, head of China’s top economic planning body, told lawmakers in a briefing on the report uncertainties remain in the global economic recovery, and the international market has failed to produce strong demand, Xinhua said late on Wednesday. – Reuters

Ukraine expects remaining $12bn of Russian bailout in early 2014 Ukraine expects a $15bn bailout package from Russia to be fully disbursed in early 2014, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov said on Wednesday after Kiev received the first $3bn tranche.

Russia agreed to bail out Ukraine by purchasing its sovereign bonds after Kiev performed a sharp foreign policy U-turn and refused to sign deals on political association and free trade with the European Union in late November. - Reuters

SoftBank in talks to acquire T-Mobile, discussing funding

A Chinese man adjusts a China flag before a news conference attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing REUTERS

Japan’s SoftBank Corp is in talks to acquire US wireless carrier T-Mobile US Inc and is discussing funding for a deal with financial institutions, sources close to the matter said on Wednesday.

SoftBank is looking to have its recently acquired US unit Sprint Corp take a majority stake in T-Mobile from the latter’s parent Deutsche Telekom AG in the financial year starting April, one of the sources added. – Reuters