29 December 2013

Sport Rewind Up, Down and Up

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Opposition bent on staging rally; ruling party men determined to resist The two major political forces of the country have finished all preparations for one last face-off centring the opposition’s “March for Democracy,” triggering panic among common citizens that violence may surpass anything that they have witnessed in recent times.

Despite being denied permission by the authorities, BNP and its allies are bent on staging the much-hyped “March for Democracy” towards the capital and hold a rally in front of its Nayapaltan headquarters, just six days before the 10th parliamentary polls.

On the other hand, not only has the government been trying desperately to make sure that the march and rally never take place, but also ruling Awami League leaders have been say-

ing in public that they would take up weapons, if needed, to resist the opposition men.

BNP Vice-Chairman Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed told reporters yesterday that “the programme will start around 10-11am and Madam Khaleda Zia will come to the rally in due time” in an apparent defiance of the fact that they had been denied permission.

Sources said Khaleda Zia had asked the senior leaders to gather in front of the Nayapaltan office by 10am today.

She also reportedly said she would leave her Gulshan residence around 2:30pm.

If she was barred, the leaders and activists were told to march towards her residence from wherever they were.

The “March for Democracy” comes on the very same day that the BNP-led  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

and Emran Hossain Shaikh On the eve of the opposition’s planned “march for democracy” to stop the January 5 parliamentary polls, the ruling Awami League yesterday announced its election manifesto pledging a “tolerant democratic” system and politics without violence and bloodshed.

In a 48-page manifesto, titled “Bangladesh Marching Ahead” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the Awami League had set a vision to make Bangladesh a “developed” country by 2050.

P3,16 MORE ON AL MANIFESTO

seemed to have been inspired by a delusion of grandeur.

The youngsters have seized a halfbaked idea of joining “march to Dhaka” programme which they hardly know of, but are obliged to follow instructions of their seniors.

What could be extracted from a little

The AL president said her party would take measures to make the younger generation fit for taking up the party leadership.

Hasina said her party would endeavour to build national consensus among all political parties, classes and professions on the basis of upholding the democratic process and ensuring unhindered development.

The PM also said the government would foil all “conspiracies of the evil forces” by holding the 10th parliamentary polls in line with the constitution despite a boycott by the major opposition parties.

In similarity with the party’s 2008 manifesto, the AL chief expressed a tough stance against Islamic militancy

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Commuters fall off an open-top truck as they struggle to get on board it ahead of the opposition’s Dhaka march. The photo was taken from the Signboard area on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

At Gabtoli, Syedabad and Mohakhali bus stations, buses had been kept idle since Friday night.

Train passengers thronged the Kamlapur Railway Station and left with a sense of frustrations. Only a few water vessels were allowed to anchor at Sadarghat Launch terminal and to leave the station.

The BNP chairperson on Tuesday

The virtual blockade imposed by the government led people from all walks of life to hit a bad patch since Friday evening as the opposition was approaching its pre-scheduled “march to Dhaka” programme.

The road and rail communications between Dhaka and other districts came to a grinding halt making com-

muters, plus commoners suffer their worst.

The pro-Awami League transport associations halted traffic movement in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country in an effort to thwart the opposition’s programme.

In many places, law enforcers “advised” bus and launch owners to keep their vehicles off the road for “security reasons”.

Khaleda’s movement restricted!

‘Jan 5 polls to deepen political crisis’

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Abu Bakar Siddique

Amid rumours ripe that opposition leader Khaleda Zia might be put under house-arrest any time, the BNP yesterday claimed that her movement had been restricted.

The alleged move came soon after Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, vice-chairman of BNP, had announced that Khaleda Zia would attend the Nayapaltan rally.

Eminent citizens yesterday urged the government to stop the January 05 election as it would deepen the country’s political crisis and contribute to the rise of religious militancy in Bangladesh.

“The two top leaders of the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP have to understand that evil power is waiting to cash in on their conflict which ultimately may lead the country to religious fundamentalism,” said Syed Manzur Elahi, former advisor to the caretaker government.

The civil society members also called upon the main opposition BNP to stop hartals and blockades and observed that such anti-government programmes were ruining the country’s economy as well claiming many lives.

The observation came at a dialogue on “Bangladesh in crisis and citizens’ thought” jointly organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Ain o Sal-

P3  AL TO MAN CITY ENTRIES The party also claimed that not only was her movement restricted within the perimeters of her Gulshan residence and office, the authorities had also lifted her security protocol. Only the members of her household staff were being allowed in and out of her residence.

The party, however, asserted that she would join today’s Dhaka March programme whatever the obstacles  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Hasina unveils AL manifesto pledging ‘tolerant democracy’ Reza Chowdhury, n Kamran Muhammad Zahidul Islam

Transport restriction hits commuters Children brought to capital n Ashif Islam Shaon

BB: Supply disruption may risk inflation

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Dhaka march to chaos begins here n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Business

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ish Kendra, Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan) and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) in the capital’s Lakeshore hotel.

The government had to stop the lopsided polls which was going to be held without voters, said Syed Manzur Elahi.

In his address, Prof Anisuzzaman said people had been facing crisis prior to every national election, which was not healthy for the country’s development.

He maintained that the major political parties had to consider people’s interest fist instead of their own narrow interest.

Echoing Anisuzzaman, eminent citizen Prof Rehman Sobhan said this election would not bring any good result, rather deepen the existing crisis.

Most discussants demanded that the election be stopped for what they said the election was being held in an undemocratic way.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

to reinforce Dhaka march n Manik Miazee It was the cold winter morning yesterday when a group of three-four intelligible and easy-going teenage boys were spotted in the vicinity of the city’s Khilgaon.

Rudimentary and unsophisticated in their bearing, the country boys

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, December 29, 2013

PM promises second Govt urges Hefazat not Padma, Jamuna bridges to join Dhaka March n Asif Showkat Kallol With no sign of the first Padma Bridge, the Awami League has pledged to complete the second Padma and Jamuna Bridges in the next five years, if elected into office.

The Prime Minister and AwamiLeague President, Sheikh Hasina yesterday said:“Our government will construct the second Pamda and Jamuna bridges within five years if the AwamiLeague comes to power again.”

She was speaking at the unveiling of the party’s manifesto for the upcoming 10th parliamentary election, at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre.

According to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), however, the budget for the Padma Bridge project in the current fiscal year has been cut by half, as the government was unable to complete the tender process for main construction work because of political instability and other technical reasons.

Officials said the tender submission date for 6.15km-long bridge’s construction has been re-fixed on January 9 as the previous last date for submission – December 19 had coincided with the opposition-enforced blockade programme.

The submission date for the Padma Bridge’s river training work has also been shifted to February 20 from January 6.

Meanwhile, with just over a week to the general elections, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina has distanced her party from those accused of corruption in the Padma bridge project.

Hasina on Thursday told a rally in Faridpur:“Those accused of being involved in the Padma bridge graft case are not my relatives.”

Former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain, whose name had figured in the scam, had resigned. He has not been nominated to contest upcoming elections. The World Bank had suspended its $1.2 billion loan for the bridge alleging corruption conspiracy. l

n Tribune Report The government yesterday requested Hefazat-e Islam Ameer Shah Ahmad Shafi to make sure that none of his activists would take part in the opposition’s Dhaka March programme.

Major General Mia Md Jainul Abedin, military secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, made the request as he met Shafi at his office, a central leader of the organisation told the Dhaka Tribune preferring not to be named.

As the Hefazat is not a political party it has given no instruction to its activists to join any political programme, another senior leader of the Islamist organisation quoted Shafi as saying to PM’s military secretary.

Many people of the Hefazat belong to different political parties and if they join the programme the organisation has nothing to do, Shafi added.

Around 11am Jainul Abedin went to Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Madrasa at

Hathazari in Chittagong to meet Shafi, Moulana Munir Ahmed, press secretary to Shafi, confirmed the Dhaka Tribune.

During the two-hour-long meeting Chittagong district administrator MA Salam was present, he said.

Hefazat-e Islam Secretary General Junaid Babunagri, Joint Secretary Moulana Mainuddin Ruhi, and central Publicity Secretary and Shafi’s son Anas Madani were also present at the meeting.

Earlier, Shah Ahmed Shafi, chief of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, in an open letter issued yesterday urged the government to stop “farce” in the name of election as “none” was accrediting it as an election.

“As the parliament is still active, amend the constitution through convening parliament session to ensure an election with the participation of all parties,” he said adding that otherwise Hefazat would also take to the street in association with the general people. l

Children brought to capital to reinforce Dhaka march  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

chat with them was that the kids were brainstormed by the Chhatra Shibir stalwarts with ideas of “saving the country” from the grasp of the ruling Awami League.

Unconcerned and undaunted by the enormity of the risk to join the programme, the school-going adolescents were persuaded to head for the capital.

Of them was a 13-year-old, Polash, a seventh grader. The little boy said a group of 10 boys like him came to Dhaka on Thursday to join the BNP-led opposition called “march for Democracy” programme.

The teenage boy said he along with his squad left his village Chauddogram and came to Comilla by bus and rode on a train to reach Dhaka.

“Our seniors (Chhhata Shibir leaders)

told us we needed to go to attend the Dhaka programme for the betterment of Islam and the country,” said Polash.

While talking to this correspondent yesterday morning, the boy revealed that now he had been staying at a residence in Khilgaon.

The house belongs to one of their student wing leader’s uncle.

Asked how he was involved with Chhatra Shibir, Polash said he joined the student organisation by filing up a designated form.

“Three days ago, our school unit president informed us that we have to join the programme in Dhaka to save Islam and the country from the iron hand of the ruling Awami League.”

He said: “Awami League was killing people and unlawfully hanging their innocent leaders in jail for war crimes,

and for this reason, we are here to protest,” he said.

The soft mind absorbed the idea of what their school unit leaders instilled into them.

Being least concerned about what the fate would hold out to them, they were flying on rosy wings with the thought that they would be able to see Khaleda Zia, an opportunity they termed great.

“I have never seen Khaleda Zia before. It would be great if I can see her,” he said.

Asked whether his family knew about his joining the party programme, Polash remained silent. On being coaxed into talking about the matter, he denied making any comment.

In reply to a question if he was offered any money for attending the programme, Polash also kept mum.

He, however, said this much that his leaders instructed them not to talk about the matter.

A Shibir source said the party brought at least 20,000 school-going students from across the country to join the opposition’s “Dhaka march” for what they said an effort to “bring back democracy” and to curb the ruling party “repression” on the opposition.

The source added that the students would be lined up in front of the “march” with national flags wrapped around their foreheads.

Jamaat-e-Islami also brought school- and madrassa-going students to the capital and elsewhere in the country to join their agitation programmes, often using the children as human-shield in fight with the law enforcers. l

Dhaka march to chaos begins here  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

alliance suffered a massive defeat in the ninth parliamentary polls in 2008.

Although she had expressed her determination to join the rally at any cost, the government last night deployed a huge number of law enforcers around her Gulshan residence.

Law enforcers have put up barricades with sand-laden trucks at either ends of the road that her residence is located at.

Police, however, have refused to make any comment regarding beefing up security in the area.

Party sources said in case the opposition leader was eventually not allowed to attend the rally today, she would announce the next course of action in another video message.

Sources also said the district-level leaders would gather at a pre-fixed place today and start marching towards Nayapaltan. If obstructed, they would seat there and form resistance if needed.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam, meanwhile, called upon the ruling Awami League leaders and activists yesterday to come down hard on the opposition during the march. “We need to fend them off like we did in 1971. We will resist them with sticks and continue to do so until the January 5 elections in January 5.”

Communication Minister Obaidul

Quader said: “We will not attack first. We will stay organised and keep watch thoroughfares. But when they attack, we will resist them by counter attacking.”

Common residents of the capital now fear that stage is set for a situation so chaotic that may surpass anything they have witnessed in the recent past, with due respect to all the losses of lives and properties in political programmes.

People from various professional and social spheres have called up the Dhaka Tribune office throughout the day yesterday asking what might possibly happen today.

They said very little public transport, especially commercial buses, was available on the city streets throughout the day yesterday.

A businessman from the capital’s Fakirerpul area said he was asked by police to shut his shop down around 6pm.

Local residents from the capital’s Farmgate said around the same time, law enforces removed all the vendors from the footpaths and shut down all shops triggering a panic in the area.

On December 24, opposition leader Khaleda Zia in a press conference announced the “March for Democracy.”

She called upon people from all walks of life, including opposition men, to join the march.

The government moved soon after with the law enforcement agencies to restrict Dhaka-bound movement of all kinds of vehicles that ply on roads, railways or waterways. The “government blockade” reached its peak yesterday as reports suggest that virtually no vehicle from outside had been allowed to come in to the capital, isolating it from the rest of the country.

Moreover, law enforcers with the label “joint forces” have been raiding one place after another and the houses of opposition leaders and activists in the capital and also around the country and making indiscriminate arrests – all to prevent them from converging to Dhaka.

Starting on Friday until last night, around 500 people have been arrested in separate drives in the capital and other districts.

However, the opposition leaders have been claiming that nobody could stop “thousands” of their men from entering the capital and making their rally a “grand success” for which they have not got the permission at all.

Chittagong city unit BNP Vice-President Abu Sufian, who claimed to be on his way to Dhaka around 7:15pm yesterday, said around 10,000 opposition men, including BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman, from the port city had reached the capital tactfully

urged people from all walks of life to converge on Nayapaltan for Dhaka march to press home their demand for an election under a nonparty government.

Centring the opposition’s programme, police high-ups said they would not allow the troublemakers to come to Dhaka and create anarchy under the cover of a political programme.

The commuters observed that they did not experience this kind of “strike” even during the opposition-called back-to-back nationwide blockades and Jamaat-called hartals.

Talking with the Dhaka Tribune some called the transport restriction “government-sponsored blockade”, the same of which was created by the government to foil BNP’s rally on March 12.

In the capital, commuters were seen wait at different bus stations since morning.

Long queues were seen at Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Farmgate, Moghbazar, Mirpur, Asadgate, Jatrabari and Mohakhali bus stations.

CNG-run three-wheelers, small trucks and rickshaws capitalised on the traffic restriction.

From Mirpur to Motijheel, bus fare

is only Tk20, but yesterday commuters had to spare Tk200 for the commute.

“We have paid Tk200 each to reach Gabtoli from Manikganj,” said one minitruck rider Mozammel Haque who had two children and wife with him.

He was struggling to get a vehicle to reach Sadarghat launch terminal from where he would embark on a journey by sea to Bhola to attend his father’s first death anniversary tomorrow.

Sources said only 13 vessels reached the anchorage from different districts.

A BIWTA traffic inspector Syed Mahfuzur Rahman said six launches left the terminal in the morning with a handful of passengers.

Asked why water vessels were not plying, he said launches ceased to ply for security reason.

Our Barisal correspondent reports at least 7 triple-deck launches were kept idle near Beltala shipyard, about two kilometres from the launch terminal.

Barisal Launch Owners’ Association sources said no-launch would sail for Dhaka because of the restriction imposed by the administration.

Aftab Hossain, president of the city Sramik League and Barisal Bus Owners’ Association, claimed that the plying of buses and launches were stopped, not by the pressure of administration, but

by the decision of the association.

Many passengers thronged Kamlapur Railway Station for train, the mode of transport they could at least rely during blockades and hartals, but to no avail this time.

A private company employee Syed Sahidul Alam said he bought a ticket of Gadhuli Express to go to Chittagong which was supposed to leave Dhaka at 3:20pm, but the authorities announced that it was uncertain when the train would come.

“I had already spent Tk600 on the fare of a CNG-auto rickshaw to go to Syedabad bus station from Gandaria, but failed to get any transport.”

Sahidul Alam said he had gone to Shyamoli and experienced the same situation.

Several passengers at the railway station said the station master and the manager had to leave their office around 9am following protest by the aggrieved passengers waiting for trains for hours.

“Somehow, we managed the situation. Passengers will be given their refunds,” a staff of the station manager’s office said, seeking anonymity.

Our correspondent reports all Dhaka-bound trains from northern districts were being barred at Tangail station

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

while declaring that her party would not enact any law against the Quran or Sunnah.

Hasina also said the party would ban communal politics and bar the political involvement of foreign-aided NGOs and civil society groups.

Furthermore, the next government would execute the verdicts of the war crime tribunals and try those who let loose a reign of terror and destruction to block the trials of the war criminals, she said.

From the podium at the conference hall of the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, Hasina took an hour to read 26 pages of the manifesto leaving out the portions containing the “successes” of her government between 2009 and 2013.

“No evil force can detract us from the peaceful path of development and progress that we have initiated,” the AL chief said seeking vote for a second consecutive term to make Bangladesh free from hunger, illiteracy, malnutrition and power shortages.

“Awami League’s re-election would make politics free from enmity, violence, and confrontations, and Bangladesh will come out of the morass of corruption and criminalisation. A tolerant democratic system will then be a reality,” she said.

She said her party over the next five years would present the people with a new vision of development upto 2041.

The AL president repeated her stance against religious fanaticism, militancy and extremism.

“The religious rights of the people would be guaranteed. No law against the Quran and Sunnah would be enacted,” said Hasina with a stress.

“The Election Commission has been shaped as an independent constitutional body and made stronger andmore efficient than before. The commission will be made more powerful in future,” she said.

after Khaleda Zia announced the programme on December 24.

Chittagong city unit Jamaat-e-Islami Publicity secretary Mohammad Ullah said a few groups of their party men were already on their way to Dhaka when this report was being filed last evening.

Terming the “rush” towards the capital illegal, police high ups said they would not allow those, who have been carrying out sabotage and creating anarchy around the country, to do the same in Dhaka.

As of 6pm yesterday, no leader or activist of BNP could be seen anywhere in and around the Nayapaltan office, although leaders said making the march successful should not be a problem because apart from only about detained 30, the members of BNP’s 486-strong central committee were free.

Insiders say the march is an acid-test for the senior leaders of BNP. The prevailing mood within the party is that if the leaders, who the party chief had slammed in the past for not taking to streets during protests, come out this time, the programme will be successful.

Meanwhile, a senior Jamaat leader claimed that more than one lakh 30 thousand leaders and activists were ready to join the programme and that they had made two lakh flags. l

from entering the capital following the authorities’ order.

Padma Express from Rajshahi and Nilsagar Express from Nilphamari were sent back to their respective starting points after they reached Gharinda Railway Station in Tangail at 7:10am and 7:40am.

On the other hand most inter-district bus companies kept the shutters of their counters down.

At Gabtoli, SP Golden Line’s counter Manager Arifuzzaman said the buses that left Jessore and Satkhira Friday evening were yet to reach the capital.

“Ferries are not plying. So, we don’t know when the buses will come,” he said. local Awami League and Workers’ League activists were seen take positions near Gabtoli to resist for what they said anarchy by the opposition in the name of Dhaka march.

A highly placed source at Police headquarters said the long-distance vehicles would not ply till Sunday evening.

Moreover, transport associations in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna called a two-day transport strike from yesterday morning, protesting the recent vandalism and arson attacks on vehicles. l

AL MANIFESTO 2014

10% GDP target by 2021 24000MW electricity by 2021 Electricity in every household in 5 years Women Policy to be implemented Two Padma bridges, one over Jamuna Public, private universities in every district E-governance to be expended to all levels No law contradicting Qur’an and Sunnah Religion-based politics to be prohibited Hasina said her next government would make the Anti-Corruption Commission stronger and a more effective body.

“Tough measures will be taken against bribery, undisclosed income, black money, loan defaulting, snatching of tender documents and muscle power,” said Hasina, amid clapping from activists of Chhatra League.

The AL government in November passed a law curtailing the authority of the autonomous AntiCorruption Commission to file cases against public servants charged with corruption.

Hasina reiterated her 2008 pledge to make parliament effective with two short paragraphs on the constitution and parliament, with no reference to opposition parties. l

‘Jan 5 polls to deepen political crisis’  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Transport restriction hits commuters  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Hasina unveils AL manifesto

However, Bangladesh Liberation War Museum Trustee Dr Sarwar Ali said currently, there was no way to stop the election as it had already been scheduled.

He added that each and every election held after the 90’s faced some sort of crises though currently the level of crisis was at its peak.

To avoid the election, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB, suggested that people could avoid the election holding symbolic hunger strike on January 05, the day of polls to make the government understand that they had been doing a meaningless election.

The recent political crisis broke out last month when the Election Commission declared the 10th parliamentary election schedule while the main opposition had been demanding for an election under the caretaker government system.

BNP boycotted the polls and enforced programmes like blockades to realise its demand.

Anisul Haque, former president of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) said the business sector of the country had mostly suffered due to the continuous blockades.

“The recent downgrading trajectory of economic situation shows that the country’s annual development programme would not be implemented if the violence continued,” he added.

Tapan Chowdhury, former advisor to the caretaker government expressed concern over the existing political crisis.

The business tycoon said: “Two top leaders never think about the country’s future and economy. If they thought so, they would work out a compromise.”

In his address, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury said they were ready to hold dialogue over the crisis for the sake of the country’s development provided the government showed its positive attitude.

Rashed Khan Menon, minister for Post and Telecommunications of the polls-time government, said the crisis had been created not only for the polls and democracy, but also for saving the war criminals though the issue had not been discussed at the forum remarkably.

The government started dialogue with the BNP several times – twice with the UN delegation Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, though BNP did not make it continue, he added. l

Khaleda’s movement restricted!  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

might be.

SM Saleh Ahmed, private secretary to the Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia, told Dhaka Tribune that she was scheduled to go to her office last evening. “But the in-charge of the special branch protection team said at about 8:30pm that the authorities have withdrawn them from duty.”

Ahmed said he had contacted the home secretary to know about the withdrawal of the special branch protection. “The secretary said he will look into the matter.”

However, the secretary did not come up with any solution [till filing of this report at 12:30am], he added.

Witnesses said at least five sand-laden trucks had been positioned at either ends of the street in which Khaleda Zia’s residence located.

Ashraful Alam Liton, driver of one of the trucks, told the Dhaka Tribune that he, along with another truck, was coming to the Shahjalal airport from Ashulia. On the way he was stopped by a police sergeant. Liton said he had no idea how long he would have to stay there.

Around 10pm, a group of pro-BNP journalists entered Khaleda Zia’s residence and stayed there for nearly an hour. After coming out, they told the waiting journalists that she was still determined to attend today’s rally.

Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union

of Journalists, said Khaleda Zia had strongly protested the lifting of security protocol and the beefing up of security around her residence.

When contacted police refused to make any comment regarding strengthening security in and around the opposition leader’s residence.

However, seeking anonymity, a police official said at least four platoons of law enforcers, including a significant number of female members, had been stationed in the area.

Earlier in the evening before security was beefed up in the area, Khandaker Lutful Kabir, DC of Gulshan police, said: “No restriction has so far been imposed on the movement of Khaleda Zia; but if she wants to go out she needs to talk to us first.”

The BNP on December 27, released a video message of Khaleda, which had hints that the party feared she might be kept confined and not allowed to come out to join the rally.

The clip, recorded at her Gulshan office a day before, was made public hours after the party was denied permission to hold today’s rally in front of its Nayapaltan headquarters.

The former premier announced the Dhaka March programme – “March for Democracy” - from a press conference on December 24, which resulted in deployment of additional law enforcement officials around her house and office barring party activists from entering them. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Joint forces ‘harass’ innocents 500 arrested from

vehicles in districts

n Abu Hayat Mahmud

The joint forces, comprises of police, Rab and the BGB, are allegedly harassing and arresting huge number of innocent people alongside opposition leaders and activists in different parts of the country during their special drives against criminals as part of security measures taken ahead of the January 5 general elections.

During a visit to the Dhaka lower court yesterday, this correspondent found large number victims who were produced before the court by police after arresting them on Friday night.

Family members of those victims were also waiting at the court premises for their bails.

The joint forces arrested Firoz Khan Liton, 45, and Aziz Khan Bablu, 42, two brothers from Savar, and produced them before the Dhaka District Magistrate Court yesterday.

Khairul, cousin of the two brothers, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The joint forces raided their house at Friday midnight to arrest the victims’ younger brother Asaduzzaman Mohon, 28. Mohon is the president of Ashulia thana unit BNP.” Liton and Bablu were innocent, Khairul claimed, and alleged that the law enforcers threatened their family members and carried out vandalism during the raid.

After investigating into the incident, this correspondent found that Khairul’s claims are true. Locals told the correspondent that the two brothers had no political connection.

A woman, seeking anonymity, said

n Kailash Sarkar

Police pick up a woman activist of opposition alliance from Matsya Bhaban area with leaflets calling people to join the ‘March for Democracy’ in the capital today MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU police arrested her son, who is a bus conductor, and one of his colleague without any reason while they were returning home Friday night.

She did not disclose her son’s name fearing that if his name was published in the newspaper, police would not release him from.

Meanwhile, law enforcers Rubayet Khaim, owner of Aziz Motors at Purana Paltan, and all his sons and employees

Police seize 1,500 flags in Munshiganj n

Our Correspondent, Munshiganj

Police yesterday seized around 1,500 national flags from a tailor shop in Munshiganj because they were being made for BNP’s “March for Democracy” programme.

Sources said BNP sadar upazila President Md Mohiuddin had given the order to make 2,000 national flags to Sharif Tailors in the Teler Bil area of the town.

A team from Muktarpur Navy-Police Outpost conducted a drive on Friday

night and seized the flags.

Sources said Mohiuddin gave Tk20,000 in advance to the shop owner, Sharif, but only 1,500 flags had been completed. Sub-Inspector Belal Uddin confirmed the matter and said they would give the flags back to Sharif after December 29.

Munshiganj district BNP has been taking preparations to gather around 20,000-30,000 leaders in Dhaka for the “march-for-democracy” programme scheduled to be held today. l

AL drops provision to submit wealth statement n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The ruling Awami League in its manifesto unveiled yesterday for the January 5 elections has dropped its previous promise of submitting wealth statements of the lawmakers and the ministers.

It promised to formulate rules for making the collective and personal activities of the MPs accountable to the people inside and outside parliament.

In the 2008 polls manifesto, Sheikh Hasina said her cabinet colleagues and the MPs would submit wealth statements as part of the government’s initiative to ensure transparency. But the promise was not materialised during the last five years.

Besides this, the Awami League government did not pass a private-member bill, which Saber Hossain Chowdhury initiated for the regulation of the MPs behaviour inside and outside parliament.

The Awami League lawmaker proposed forming an all-party parliamentary committee to oversee and censure the misuse of authority of the legislators and debar them from getting involved with the conflict-ofinterests.

As a private member, Saber on January 14, 2010 tabled the “The Code of Conduct of the MPs Bill 2010” containing the provision of the ethic committee. The parliamentary watchdog concerned unanimously requested the House to pass the bill charting out seven guidelines for the MPs in discharging their duties.

In the bill, the lawmaker said he had placed the bill with the spirit of self-regulation of the MPs who make laws for the regulation of others.

“The all-party ethics committee will discuss any reported behaviours of the MPs [either published in media or on receiving complaint from people] perceived to be misconducts, and recom-

mend to the House whether these are against the rule of law or unethical,” he said.

The former minister said the ethics committee’s report would influence the public opinion before elections that came after every five years.

“MPs facing censure from the ethics committee and the House will definitely face public criticism when they seek re-election,” said Saber who sent a notice to the speaker for the passage of the law.

Explaining the conflict of interests, he had told the Dhaka Tribune: “If I am a shipping businessman, I must declare in the House that I have interest in the matter. But I am forced to raise the matter for the greater sake of the people. Thus, transparency of the lawmakers comes.”

Conflict of interests The current parliament has many MPs who have members of the parliamentary standing committees on ministries in which they have interests, in violation of the Rules of Procedure.

For instance, a shipping trader, Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, also a nephew of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on shipping ministry.

Awami League’s businessman MP Abul Kashem, whose brother is a leading businessman in Chittagong, is the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry.

Another businessman Sk Afil Uddin is the member of the committee.

AHM Mustafa Kamal, having interest in the capital market and other financial institutes, is the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry.

Tajul Islam, a director of Jamuna Bank, is also a member of the same standing committee. He has been heading a parliamentary sub-committee on the performance of the stateowned banks. l

during Friday’s clash between law enforcers and banned Islamic outfit Hizbut Tahrir.

The victim’s family members and witnesses said police shot at Rubayet’s house that left one of his sons injured, adding that the law enforcers also stormed the showroom on the first floor and his house at the second floor.

However, Paltan police released them all at 10pm that night, Rabbi

Ahmed Tushar, nephew of Rubayet, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Locals said the victims had no involvement with any political parties, adding that they go for Tabligh.

The oppositions, meanwhile, alleged that the government was harassing, repressing and arresting opposition leaders and activists in the name drives by joint forces only to foil the 18-party’s ongoing movement. l

The joint forces of police, RAB and BGB have arrested around 500 people from around the country including the capital between Friday night and yesterday morning, ahead of the opposition’s Dhaka march programme.

The drives were allegedly focused on picking up BNP-Jamaat men, especially those who were coming to Dhaka on passenger buses for joining the “March to Democracy” and the Nayapaltan rally.

Apart from 203 people picked up from the capital’s Tejgaon, 126 passengers have been arrested in Tangail from a number of Dhaka-bound trains and buses, 30 from a bus in Rajshahi that was headed for the capital, and 24 from the capital’s Sadarghat after they arrived in launches.

Another 95 people were arrested in Bogra, 80 in Chittagong, 20 in Savar, 14 in Joypurhat, 33 in Comilla, 16 in Brahmanbaria, six in Laxmipur, 12 in Sunamganj, 30 in Rajshahi, 12 in Jhenidah, seven in Khulna and six in Natore.

Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker, said the law enforcers had been discharging their duties neutrally and none had been arrested unlawfully.

“Police has no stance either against or in favour of any political programme”, the IGP said. “The law enforcers are doing everything to ensure security for public and their properties.”

Biplab Kumer Sarkar, deputy commissioner of Tejgaon police, told Dhaka Tribune that the detained people had been taken to the police stations concerned and their identities were being verified. “If any of them is found innocent, they will be released immediately.”

Earlier, more than 170 people were arrested early Thursday and Friday in the capital’s Mirpur, Jatrabari and Demra areas by the joint forces.

In Tangail, 126 passengers were picked up from different Dhakabound trains, buses and other vehicles yesterday. Nazrul Islam, OC of Sadar police station, said they had arrested them on suspicion that they might take part in subversive acts in the capital centring the march programme.

In Sadarghat in the capital, 16 were detained from various launches coming in from Bhola, and eight from Eagle 2, coming from Chandpur.

In Rajshahi, at least 30 passengers of a Dhaka-bound bus of Bornali Paribahan were detained at Boalia around 2:30pm yesterday.

In Bogra, 95 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in arson, vandalism, violence, anarchy and attacks on police.

In Savar near Dhaka, 15 people, including two municipality ward councilors, were arrested on charges of giving rise to violence during the ongoing political agitation. l

AL to man city’s entry points, streets n Emran Hossain Shaikh Leaders and activists of ruling Awami League will stand guard at the city’s entry points to stave off attempts by opposition marchers to enter the city and hold a prescheduled rally today.

The party has already instructed its activists to remain “prepared with sticks,” stay vigilant from sunup to sundown and hand over potential intruders to the law enforcement agencies.

All associate bodies of the party including Jubo League and Chhatra League will take position near entry points, bus stops, launch terminals, train stations

and major thoroughfares of Dhaka.

The order to prevent opposition activists from converging was expressly articulated during a meeting of the city unit of Awami League at the Bangabandhu Avenue yesterday.

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader, also presidium member of Awami League, termed BNP’s March for Democracy “farcical” and “undemocratic” and blamed its leaders for sustaining terrorism and militancy.

“BNP said it wanted to save democracy, but we want to save people and their wealth, and this is why we will stay alert on the streets,” he said, adding there

was “no way” the opposition would succeed in organising its movement.

Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, general secretary of the city unit, in a speech full of bellicose rhetoric, urged the party men to be on guard in their respective wards.

“Strike anyone who presumes to enter the city so that they do not dare come to Dhaka ever again,” he said.

“Do not allow even a fly to enter, if it wants to. This movement of ours will go on as long as Khaleda Zia and her ally Jamaat-Shibir are in the country.

“If any leader or activist [associated with Awami League] fears being at-

JS to be made effective, says AL manifesto n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The Awami League manifesto for the January 5 polls has reiterated its 2008 promise of making effective the legislature that remained ineffective mainly for prolonged absence of main opposition BNP and Jamaat and the use of objectionable comments by several ruling party MPs. The latest manifesto which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveiled yesterday says: “The constitution will be protected, and democracy and democratic institutions will be made stronger. Measures will be in place for making parliament effective.”

The 2013 pledge has no reference to the opposition parties which has very

crucial role in making the government accountable.

In 2008, the party pledged amending the constitution to create two posts of the deputy speakers with one going to the opposition. But the promise never came true as the ruling Awami League said the opposition had not cooperated with the treasury bench for electing the deputy speakers.

Critics say the Awami League was not interested in bringing the boycotting opposition back to parliament.

The treasury bench on the second day of the current ninth parliament reduced the number of seats in the front row in the opposition desk to three from 10. The Awami League argued that the BNP, which had 30 seats in the

300-seat Chamber, should get frontline seats according to their party strength as followed by the BNP government in 2001-06.

On the other hand, the BNP said the frontline seats on the left hand side of the speaker were for the opposition. They also threatened to boycott the House unless their seats were increased.

Former speaker Abdul Hamid then increased one seat for them, but it was not enough.

Many Awami League leaders think that the latest manifesto should not bother about the opposition as most of the political parties boycotted the polls in which 154 candidates were elected unopposed. l

A group of pro-Awami League activists bring out a stick procession in the capital, protesting opposition called ‘March for Democracy’ in front of the National Press Club yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Jubo League leader injured n Our Correspondent, Feni A Juba League leader was injured in an attack allegedly by Shibir activists at Sorailkandi, Feni on Friday night.

The victim Mahumudul Haque Bobi, 34, was the president of ward 3 Jubo League. The miscreants uprooted Bobi’s left eye and cut the tendons of his legs around 3am on the night. He was admitted to Chittagong Medical Col-

lege Hospital soon after the attack.

Bobi’s father Obaidul Haque claimed that the activists of local Jamaat-Shibir called Bobi out of home over the cell phone. He was taken to a nearby place and was assaulted. The miscreants fled away as the locals came forward hearing his scream.

Md Mostafa, ameer of local Jamaat, said: “We are not involved with such a crime.” l

tacked, I would simply expel them and their committee would be dissolved.

No activist or leader of ours can get attacked, can they?”

State Minister of Law Quamrul Islam spoke in the same vein, asking party leaders and activists to resist the “miscreants”.

“They want to turn Bangladesh into Pakistan. We all must be very careful so that they do not succeed.

“We have to be prepared with sticks tomorrow [today] as we did during the war of liberation in 1971. But this is not where we stop, we must be present in the field till January 5.” l

Not indigenous, its small ethnic groups, says AL manifesto n Muktasree Chakma Sathi The Awami League changed the term to refer the indigenous people in its 2014’s election manifesto yesterday.

The charter used the terms “small ethnic group” and “tribal” instead of “indigenous.”

Article 18 (i) of the 2008’s manifesto reads: “Terrorism, discriminatory treatment and human rights violations against religious and ethnic minorities and indigenous people must come to an end permanently…”

But article 22.1 of the latest manifesto, states: “The result of constitutional recognition of the small ethnic groups would ensure elimination of human rights violation of religious and ethnic people and tribal…”

Article 19 of Awami League’s the party charter, however, still refers to such minority people as “indigenous people.”

The government through the fifteenth amendment to the constitution in 2011 inserted “small ethnic groups” referring the indigenous population amid huge criticism at home and abroad.

Post and Telecommunication Minister Rashed Khan Menon said the Awami League’s proposition became clear during the fifteenth amendment. He also opined that if the government remained sincere in ensuring indigenous people’s rights, such titling should not be considered as an issue. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

10 held with shipping valuables in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

News

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Remittance and manpower export slide: RMMRU

The Bangladesh Coast Guard arrested 10 people as they were attempting to flee after stealing valuables from a foreign ship at the Outer Anchorage of Chittagong Port early yesterday.

They also seized a motorboat, that was used in the crime, from the outer anchorage area, coastguard officials said.

A press release of Bangladesh Coast Guard said a team nabbed the 10 alleged thieves from the bay around 12am after receiving information from MV Alam Mesra, from which the valuables were stolen.

The arrestees were handed over to Karnaphuli police station and a case was lodged in this regard. l

Migration of unskilled labour and little expansion of traditional markets blamed While presenting the report, RMM- government could not lobby profesreceived $13.47bn until December 24 in n Rabiul Islam 2013, while it was previously $14.17bn. RU Advisor Tasneem Siddiqui pointed sionally to collect demand letters from

AL team visits violence affected areas in Satkhira n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Digital taskforce met only once in 5 years of AL tenure

A team of Awami League central leaders headed by its Joint Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanok visited the violenceaffected areas in Satkhira yesterday.

The team visited the houses of deceased Awami Leagu leader Serajul Islam of Kuchpukur village under sadar upazila, former Chhatra League leader Mamun Hossain of Kadamtala area and Shibpur union Awami League President Rabiul Islam.

They all were killed by Jamaat-Shibir cadres. The team also handed over a cheque of Tk2 lakh to the members of each family. Jamaat-Shibir activists have unleashed a reign of terror over the last 10 months in Satkhira since the verdict of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi.

Jahangir Kabir Nanok said JamaatShibir under the leadership of Khaleda Zia is trying to foil the upcoming election of January 5 by resorting to violence.

Afterwards, the team attended an election campaign at Saheed Abdur Razzak Park. Nanok introduced Awami Leagu candidate Mir Mostak Ahmed Robi of Satkhira-2 (sadar) to the people of his constituency. He said if the upcoming election is not held Jamat-Shibir will turn the country into Pakistan”, he added.

He begged vote for the Awami League candidate. He also asked the party leaders and activists to bring general people to poll centres in order to save the party activists otherwise Jamaat-Shibir activists would kill Awami League men.

Lawmakers Mirza Azam, BM Mozammel Haque, former minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, central committee member MM Kamal, district Awami League President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and General Secretary Md Nazrul Islam also attended the gathering. l

WEATHER

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

Chances of light rain or drizzle at one or two places over Rangpur and Sylhet divisions and the regions of Mymensingh, Met office said.

Moderate to thick fog may occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country during night till morning.

A mild cold wave is sweeping over the regions of Pabna, Rajshahi and Srimangal. Night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:21pm today and rises at 6:40am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 25.5 degree Celsius was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf and lowest 8.5 degrees at Ishwardi 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

22.0 24.0 17.3 15.5 24.0 22.6 22.7 25.5

13.3 14.0 09.9 12.0 12.4 12.0 10.6 14.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:19am 6:40am 12:00am 3:45pm 5:21pm 6:42pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

After many years, the country has experienced a decrease in remittance, while overseas employment also fell compared to last year, a report by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) has revealed.

At a press conference at Jatiya Press Club yesterday, the RMMRU expressed concerns over the decline, and termed 2013 a “bad year” for labour migration and remittance, because of the negative growth in both sectors.

According to the report, the country

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam A taskforce established for formulating strategies, policies and decisions for “digital Bangladesh”, as per the ruling party’s 2008 election promise, met only once during the tenure of the outgoing Awami League-led alliance government.

The digital taskforce, headed by the prime minister, incorporates 23 members from relevant government ministries and non-government organisations, as well as ICT experts.

The decisions made by the taskforce included reducing bandwidth prices, introducing digital signatures and setting up multimedia classrooms in 20,500 schools with laptops and projectors While declaring her party’s manifesto for the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not mention a single word about the taskforce.

Some taskforce members quipped that the PM perhaps “totally forgot about it”.

The AL president had earlier criticised the previous BNP-Jamaat government for rendering inoperative an ICT taskforce formed during her party’s 1996-2000 tenure.

“The taskforce on ICT that was established during the Awami League rule, but rendered ineffective by the BNP-Jamaat alliance, will be reactivated,” the AL chief claimed in her party’s 2008 manifesto.

After resuming power in January 2009, the new AL government changed

Since 1976, the remittance growth had been sustained.

Overseas employment also fell drastically this year, with only four lakh workers migrating to different countries in 2013, compared to over six lakh workers going abroad in 2012.

The RMMRU, an affiliated organization of Dhaka University, blamed unskilled labour migration and lack of expansion of traditional markets as the main causes of negative growth in remittance and the fall in overseas employment.

the name of the ICT taskforce to“digital taskforce”, and made it the focal point of digital development in the country.

But the renamed taskforce met only once, in August 2010, in the past five years.

In that meeting, the taskforce had decided to meet at least once every three months, but no steps were taken to sit again over the next three years.

“We missed a huge opportunity to active the digital taskforce,” taskforce member Mahbub Zaman told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Only in a single meeting we decided to establish the new ICT ministry.

We also took some other decisions, but as we could not meet again, most never saw the light of day,” said Zaman, who was the president of BASIS (Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services) in 2010.

The decisions made by the taskforce included reducing bandwidth prices, introducing digital signatures and setting up multimedia classrooms in 20,500 schools with laptops and projectors.

The meeting also decided to build a software park at the Janata Tower in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area.

“I had lot more expectations from the digital taskforce, but have been frustrated so far,” said Ananya Raihan, taskforce member and executive director of DNet. There was also a discussion about digital land management in the 2010 meeting, but as the taskforce did not meet again, the Asian Development Bank withdrew funding, sources said.

“And now in this (2013) manifesto, Awami League promises to introduce digital land system within the next five years,” a source said. l

Anis Ahmed’s ‘The World In My Hands’ launched n Tribune Report The World In My Hands, a novel written by K Anis Ahmed, publisher of the Bengal Lights literary journal, was launched yesterday.

The novel, published by Random House India, is Ahmed’s second book.

The World In My Hands is a political satire chronicling the fate of two friends who find their bonds bitterly tested when they are caught on opposite sides of a crisis that upends their country’s social order.

Released in South Asia (and worldwide as e-book) by publishing giant

Random House’s Asian subsidiary, the book has already garnered high praise.

Fellow Bangladeshi writer Tahmima Anam, author of The Good Muslim, describes it as darkly funny, heralding Ahmed as a strong new voice in English writing from Bangladesh. Noted Indian politician and author Shashi Tharoor describes the novel as a poignant and insightful page-turner.

Discussing the issues brought up in his book, which has a fictional setting, Ahmed said, “Our culture of rhetoric and debate needs more maturation. We go too quickly and easily to ad hominem attacks. l

out that although more remittance was now coming through formal channels, the growth was still negative, which was a matter of great concern.

Despite lauding the government initiative to send workers to Malaysia under the government-to-government system, Tasneem said the government had utterly failed to send an adequate quantity of workers, as only 1,000 workers have gone so far.

She mentioned Malaysia had required about five lakh workers, but the

Seven and a half months after the closure of the official rescue operation at Rana Plaza collapse site, human bones are still coming out, thanks to the curiosity of a few local residents who dared crossing the barbed enclosure.

Yesterday, more than 100 pieces of human bones were recovered and handed over to the police by the local people, following four such consignments earlier this month.

“Bones are coming out almost with every scrap on the surface of debris. Skulls are coming out, jaws and little finger pieces. To me, it is nothing else but a ‘baddhabhumi’ [killing ground] or ‘ganakabar’ [mass grave],” Jiarul Islam, a worker of Phantom Apparels who survived the collapse, told the UNB at the site.

The Inter Services Public Relations Directorate in a statement on September 1 claimed that 261 people, who were inside Rana Plaza during the

The result of Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations will be published today, education ministry officials said.

The Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid is expected to announce the results at 1 PM in the secretariat. The result will be available at education institutions at 2 PM. Students can also collect their result through mobile operators’ short messing system and the website of the education boards.

The examinations, scheduled to begin on November 4, were delayed due to hartal enforced by the opposition parties. The examinations started on November 7. The examination was scheduled to end on November 20 but was delayed for hartals. l

No long route bus left the capital yesterday because of the ruling Awami League’s plan to resist opposition alliance called “March for Democracy.” The photo was taken from Sayedabad Bus Terminal NASHIRUL ISLAM

Cold wave makes life hard n Tribune Report The recent cold waves accompanied with chilled winds and dense fogs has made life difficult, especially for the low income people of the country, as the hostile weather adds to their sufferings.

The persistent dense fog for the last few days has also disrupted road and water communications as transports were delayed for at least 4-6 hours in reaching their destinations yesterday.

The northern wind along with ongoing moderate cold wave has already made the lives of the poor miserable, said Dr Habibur Rahman, a health and citizen rights activist.

“Day labours, hawkers and makeshift vendors have to open their shop late in the morning and close early at night as both the sellers and buyers are affected by the ongoing cold wave,” said Ali Ahmed, a shop owner at Puran Bazar kitchen market of the city.

Marjina Begum, a day labourer at a construction sites, said construction works in most of the places in city have been suspended. “Elderly people, children and new-born babies are mostly vulnerable to sickness with the biting cold sweeping the region. Many of them are suffering from pneumonia,” said Dr ATM Mizanur Rahman, Barisal district civil surgeon.

Barisal Port Officer Md Shahidullah said water transports including tripledecker launches Sundarban-7, Kirtankhola-2, Parabat-9 and Dwipraj reached Barisal from Dhaka after 6 hours of the

More human bones from Rana Plaza ruins n Tribune Report

the Malaysian employers. “As a result, Myanmar and Nepal seized the opportunity,” Tasneem said.

Expressing concern over the reduction of skilled migration, Tasneem said 34.45% skilled workers went abroad for jobs in 2012 but only 19.94% skilled workers had gone abroad in 2013.

Among others, RMMRU Chair advocate Shadheen Malik, and Manusher Jonno Foundation Executive Director Shaheen Anam were present at the press conference. l

JSC, JDC result to be published today n Tribune Report

collapse, remained untraced till then.

The Army identified those 261 out of 329 people who were reportedly missing after the collapse. The army declared the end of the search on May 13 after recovering 1,115 bodies. 234 dead bodies retrieved from the site were buried at the Jurain Graveyard. l

scheduled time yesterday because of dense fog on river routes.

Alamgir Hossain, secretary of Barisal bus owners association, said night coaches from Dhaka and eastern part of Padma reached Barisal in the afternoon.

The ferry service on MawaKeurakandi was suspended and hundreds of vehicles got stuck on both the sides of the river.

Sirajul Islam, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, Mawa, said water transports and ferry service remained suspended to avoid accidents.

Meanwhile, dense fog and cold spell partially paralysed life in Chittagong with massive disruption of air, water and road communications causing untold sufferings to thousands of people, reports BSS. Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sources said plying of all kinds of ships in port channel remained suspended since last night. The port authority was compelled to stop movements of as many as eight vessels to and from Chittagong owning to poor visibility.

Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport (CSAIA) sources said dense fog disrupted flight operations at the airport today. Wing Commandar Nure Alam, manager of CSAIA said operations of domestic and international flights remained suspended till noon.

One regular international flight scheduled to land at Shahjalal International Airport at 3am on Friday night could not land and had to make force landing at

Shah Amanat International Airport.

Normal life has been affected badly due to cold weather accompanied by cold wind and dense fog for the last couple of days in Rajshahi as well. The sufferings of daily wage earners like day labourers, rickshaw pullers and farm labourers have also mounted.

Met office sources said the temperatures marked further fall due to decrease in humidity and the blowing of Himalayan winds from the north and north-western directions.

Mounting cold spell with mild chilly wind and heavy fog has triggered coldrelated diseases. The number of patients suffering from pneumonia, asthma and respiratory complications increased in the hospitals, especially in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with rise in the bite of cold, hospital sources said.

Professor Iqbal Bari of Pediatrics Department of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital said three Paediatrics wards of the hospital have become overcrowded with patients attacked with cold related diseases. Many patients had to stay on the floor of the wards. A huge number of children, attacked with viral fever, ARTI (Acute Respiratory Tract Infection), bronchitis, pneumonia and diarrhoea, are being admitted to the hospital.

Many elderly patients, attacked with asthma, bronchitis, respiratory infection, and cold allergies, are also being rushed to the hospital.

Met Officials said foggy weather will continue for next two to three days. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, December 29, 2013

DMCH still the only hope for burn patients 1.5 lakh suffering burn injuries annually, plans to set up new institute In recent times, the DMCH burn unit n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The DMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit during 2004-2012 has seen a spike in the number of arson Year 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

The rapidly increasing number of burn patients in the country has turned into a serious health problem, with an estimated 1.5 lakh people suffering burn injuries every year.

Burn and plastic surgery specialists told the Dhaka Tribune that the number of burn (electric, flame, scald, chemical and others) patients have been gradually increasing; but added that there were limited opportunities of quality healthcare treatment facilities in both public and private sectors for thousands of burn patients.

It has been learnt that the 100-bed burn and plastic surgery unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) is the only hope of standard burn care treatment at low cost. Most patients cannot afford expensive treatments being offered at the private burn hospitals, resulting in many deaths from the lack of timely proper treatment.

attack victims, with 131 patients being admitted and 31 of them succumbing to their injuries over the last three months (October 27 to December 25).

Dr Samanta Lal Sen, a renowned burn and plastic surgeon of the country, said the healthcare and treatment of burn patients were totally different from any other disease treatment and were also very costly. Moreover, a burn patient had to take long-term healthcare treatment under the supervision of burn and plastic surgery expert doctors.

Dr Sen also said there were currently only 40 specialist surgeons, compared to at least 400 surgeons needed to meet the demand. It was next to impossible to ensure high quality treatment of the burn patients with these limited number of expert surgeons, he added.

Sources said the health ministry is going to set up a separate National

Jamaat activist arrested for Jubo League leader killing in Satkhira n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Too little, too late

Joint forces members arrested a Jamaat activist in accusation of killing a local Jubo League leader from village Khetrapara under Kolaroa upazila in the district on Saturday afternoon.

The arrested Mukul Hossain is one of the suspected fugitives of the local Jubo League leader Mehedi Hassan Jaz killing case.

Shahadara Khan, officer in charge of the Kolaroa police station said Mukul was arrested on a regular drive of joint forces to Khetrapara area.

He said when the joint forces members went to Khetrapara on a drive to arrest some accused of regular cases, Jamaat and Shibir activists threw brickbats on them.

The law enforcers retaliated by opening fire. Mukul was later detained and then handed over to the police.

Jubo League leader Jaz Miah was killed at Saraskati area under the same upazila on December 12 in a Jamaat-shibir activists’ attack.

Police recovered his dead body from nearby his residence in the area on December 13. l

n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

The joint forces’ move to arrest culprits fomenting and sustaining acts of violence against Awami League leaders and members of Hindu community in Satkhira proved too inadequate to allay fears in the minds of the victims, many of whom were yet to return home.

Many of the affected, who were on the run since the start of violence early this year, said they still felt insecure and suspected fresh eruption of violence ahead of the national elections.

The Dhaka Tribune recently interviewed a number of people to know how they view the post-conflict situations in the district. Their overriding concern appeared to be with the lack of development in arresting the Jamaat-Shibir leaders with suspected links to the attacks.

They alleged that most of the leaders and activists of the Islamist party and its student wing were still at large, with the number of arrests made quite insignificant. Those arrested, they said, were mere supporters of Jamaat, not the activists directly involved with the murders and arson attacks.

It has been learnt that a number of Hindu villagers had taken shelter in India and wouldn’t return until after the elections slated for January 5. They sold their properties before going, and

Outdoor patients 1285 6573 9576 16150 18750 19067 20002 24154 33655

Indoor Patients 514 626 773 1482 1679 2235 3506 4653 5543

Deaths 183 183 289 289 362 362 474 474 443 443 415 415 506 506 540 540 563 563

A H MAMUN/DT INFOGRAPHIC

Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS) at the DMCH very soon, with primary and administrative approval already given in November to establish the NIBPS. Prof Dr Md Abul Kalam, head of the burn and plastic surgery unit of the DMCH, has been appointed as project director of the NIBPS. A detailed project proposal for a 20-storied building of the institute has been prepared by the

project director and others.

Dr Kalam said a proposal has been sent to the health ministry for admitting 20 students (10 from public and 10 from private institutes) under the institute from the upcoming session. If the proposal gets final approval from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, then the NIBPS would contribute to increasing the number of burn and plastic surgery specialists.

DMCH burn unit in last 10 years

The burn unit started at the main building of the DMCH as an eight-bed unit. At the end of the 2003, it was upgraded to a separate 50-bed unit at the building opposite of emergency of DMCH. In 2009, the unit was again upgraded to a 100-bed burn and plastic surgery unit.

Seeking anonymity, several burn specialists informed that although there were currently burn units at Chittagong, Comilla, Sylhet, Barisal and Rangpur Medical College Hospitals; most of them were not running properly. The DMCH burn unit still had to take the maximum load of burn patients, they added.

Sources at the DMCH burn unit administrative section said there were more than 300-350 patients admitted at the 100-bed unit. Around 70-80 burn patients come to the outdoor each day, with 10-15 of them getting admitted to the indoor section. l

5 Six girls return after three years in Indian jail n UNB, Benapole Six Bangladeshi girls returned home through Benapole check post of Jessore district on Friday night, after languishing for three years in an Indian jail.

The returnees were Dolna Khatun, 17, Shapinur Khatun, 21, Rabeya Khatun, 22, Shahnara Khatun, 19, Parvin Akter, 20, and Dulna Begum.

Nayed Subedar M Abdullah, commander of Benapole check post BGB camp, said Indian BSF handed over the Bangladeshi girls at night. They were jailed for three years after they were arrested for intruding into India, he added.

Quoting the returnees, the commander said human traffickers took the girls to India in January, 2010, promising them lucrative job. Mumbai police had arrested them on charge of intrusion and later sent to jail on court orders.

The decision of their release came following a joint intervention of the home ministries of India and Bangladesh. l

those who didn’t are preparing for departure in case the situation becomes volatile again.

Satkhira is one of the districts where Jamaat-Shibir activists launched targeted attacks on the leaders and activists of Awami League and Hindu people after February 28 when Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death on charges of war crimes.

After the opposition alliance started communication blockades demanding withdrawal of election schedules, the violence reached its peak, further fuelled by the execution of Jamaat leader and war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla.

Since the start of the sustained violence, several hundred people were maimed so far and at least 78 houses burnt down.

The joint forces started their raids in the district on December 16. In the last 12 days, however, they failed to arrest any known figures of the parties involved.

There are allegations against a significant number of Awami League leaders of maintaining contacts with Jamaat-Shibir leaders and securing their lives. There are also allegations that some Awami League leaders sold trees that Jamaat-Shibir activists cut down to create blockade on the roads. l

BNF ‘reinstates’ Nazmul Huda as chairman n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman Some district level leaders of the newly-formed Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) have reinstated its “expelled” founder and former BNP leader Nazmul Huda as the party’s chairman, while expelling its chief coordinator and an electoral candidate, SM Abul Kalam Azad.

“Nazmul Huda was not expelled according to the constitution of the party. He was, and still is, with us,” Sahid Chowdhury, convenor of Natore BNF, told a press briefing yesterday at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium.

When contacted, Nazmul Huda denied to make any comment on his position in BNF. “I have seen the news on television, but I do not know anything about this,” Huda told the Dhaka Tribune.

“I did not like the activities of SM Abul Kalam Azad,” Huda said, adding: “BNF was formed to strengthen Khaleda Zia’s hand, I mean BNP’s. I had distanced (myself) with BNP as there were some differences of opinions. Considering the (party’s) upcoming pro-

grammes, and also the current political situation, I will be with BNP and BNP is my last destination.”

Sahid Chowdhury, however, claimed that Huda had consented to remain in BNF. Meanwhile, Abul Kalam Azad, who will be contesting next Sunday’s parliamentary polls from Dhaka-17 under the banner of BNF, could not be contacted yesterday for comment.

BNF now has committees in 106 upazilas of 29 districts, Abdullah Zia, convenor of Kushtia BNF, said at the press briefing.

“There was no word or designation called ‘chief coordinator’ in the party’s constitution,” Zia said, adding that no election was held to elect a chief coordinator.

He also said Nazmul Huda was not expelled following the party’s constitution.

Furthermore, Ashrafuzzaman of Magura BNF and Ashraf Sarkar of Tangail BNF told the Dhaka Tribune that they were trying to convince Nazmul Huda to return to the BNF. “Huda will join us if we expel SM

Abul Kalam Azad. We did not say anything to Azad when Huda was expelled. Later, we found that Azad was violating party rules and doing corruption,”Ashraf Sarkar claimed.

He also said Jahanara Begum, BNF co-chairman, and Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish, the party’s “expelled” treasurer, were still with them.

The press briefing was also attended

by Azizul Haq of Chandpur BNF, SM Liton of Dhaka BNF and MA Salam Shanto of Gazipur BNF. Amid criticism from the main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Front was given time thrice by the Election Commission to fulfill conditions to be registered as a new political party. It was finally registered on November 18 this year.

But just five days after its registration, BNF treasurer Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish was expelled from the party.

BNP had requested the EC not to register BNF. Its founder, Nazmul Huda, dissolved the party on September 23 and submitted an application asking the EC not to register it. l

Passengers rush and struggle to get on a passenger bus in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area as very few public vehicles operated yesterday because of the restrictions set to resist the Dhaka march SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Road accidents claim seven lives n Tribune Report

People try to unload an overturned truck yesterday in the road underneath the Mayor Hanif Flyover. The truck overturned as the road was in devastated condition FOCUS BANGLA

A total of seven people were killed in Chittagong, Jessore and Rajshahi in five separate accidents over the last two days, injuring 13 others.

In Chittagong, a motorcyclist was killed when a CNG-run auto-rickshaw hit the motorcycle from behind in the port city’s Tiger-pass area yesterday.

The dead Md Saidur Rahman, 25, was a businessman who hailed from Sadeknagar of Rangunia upazila.

Nayek Abdul Bashar of Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost said the accident occurred around 5:20pm. Saidur was taken to the CMCH where doctors pronounced him dead.

In Jessore, three people were killed in two road accidents in the district on Friday, reports UNB.

Police said two people were killed and 10 others were injured after a truck had hit a human haulier on the Jessore-Magura Highway in Sadar upazila during the evening. The dead were Sadia Khatun, 9, of Rajapur village in Sadar upazila, and Jahurunnesa, 55, of Indra village in Bagharpara upazila.

Witnesses said the accident took place around 6pm when the Magura-bound truck from Jessore knocked down the human haulier.

In another accident, Abdur Rashid, 35, a human haulier driver, was killed when a mini truck hit his vehicle at Biman intersection around 6am.

In Rajshahi, a man was left spot dead after a van carrying medicines hit him at Sultanganj on the Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj Highway Friday night, reports BSS.

The dead Abdur Razzaque, 60, was from Harma village under Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj. Police said the accident occurred around 8:30pm when Razzaque was crossing the road.

Abu Mukaddem Ali, officer-in-charge of Godagari police station, said an UD case was recorded in this regard.

In another accident, two people were killed and three others injured at Bhugroil intersection in Poba upazila yesterday morning, reports UNB. The deceased were Sayem Ali, 14, and Sumi Khatun, 20. Both of them were from Naohatta area.

Hafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shah Makhdum police station, said the accident took place when a bus hit a CNG-driven auto-rickshaw from behind at around 6:30am, leaving five people injured. l

Kite flying competition n Our Correspondent, Lakhsmipur A five-day long kite flying competition began in Lakhsmipur yesterday.

Under the slogan “Anonde Mato, Matiye Rakho Ar Anonde Hasho,” the competition is organised by local Jubo Shomaj. Hundreds of competitors at the Keramorali Government Primary School playground under Sadar upazila participated in the competition on the first day.

Awami League lawmaker Mir Shah Alam distributed kites among the competitors. Mizanul Karim Liton, convener of Ghuri Utsab Bastobayon Committee and Union Parishad Member Saiful Kibria were among those present at the kite distribution programme.

Later, a rally was held at the school premises. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Feature

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Crowdfunding: All together now Crowdfunding means raising funds for a project by collecting from many donors. Digital portals, with the help of social media, have allowed the average person to directly fund what they care about. Two Bangladeshis try their hands at what is still a new concept in our country

Crowded history n Feature Desk The concept of crowdfunding has existed through the ages. It found a mainstream foothold in 2009 with the launch of Kickstarter.

Crowdfunding has been used to finance causes, tours, films, games and apps. The most successful crowdfunded project is Star Citizen, an online space trading and combat video game, which raised $30,044,586 (as of November 2013).

One of the most notable examples of crowdfunding in history comes from 1884 when the American Committee for the Statue of Liberty ran out of funds for the Statue’s pedestal. Publisher Joseph Pulitzer used his newspaper New York World to urge the American public to donate money toward the pedestal, and in just six months, the project raised $100,000. More than 125,000 people contributed $1 or less.

An 81% increase in global crowdfunding volumes is forecasted for 2013, with the market reaching $5.1bn In 2012 according to research firm Massolution, 308 crowdfunding platforms across the world raised $2.7bn and successfully financed more than 1 million campaigns. The firm forecasts an 81% increase in global crowdfunding volumes in 2013, with the market reaching $5.1bn.

Crowdfunding caught up with the age of connectivity with the pioneering crowd-financing platform ArtistShare in 2000-2001.

This was followed by services like EquityNet (2005), Pledgie (2006), Sellaband (2006), Indiegogo (2008), GiveForward (2008), Kickstarter (2009). Because its mainstream success, a plethora of other such services have launched since. l

Lights, camera, Shahbag n Rumana Habib It is a story about a journalist, a war criminal, and a damning video.

“Remnants of Men,” a short film project by New York University-based Bangladeshi filmmaker Rezwan Shahriar Sumit, tells a compelling tale inspired by the Shahbag youth movement.

Yet despite immense support for the cause, Sumit has had a difficult time scrounging together funds for his project. His team used Indiegogo, the poplar online crowdfunding portal used to finance independent films in the US. But he was only able to raise 20% of the $12,000 (nearly Tk1 lakh) that he needs.

Sumit said: “Sadly, a lot of people appreciated the initiative, but when it came to contributing, there was hardly anyone, compared to the large diaspora [of Bangladeshis in the US]. I recently produced a film on Syria made by an Argentine direc-

tor. We were overwhelmed by how much Syrians and Argentines cared.”

Crowdfunding sites like Indiegogo have yet to gain traction in Bangladesh, where e-commerce is still in its infancy and few people have credit cards.

Now Sumit is turning to a more Bangladesh-friendly version of crowdsourcing, and asking for contributions to the film’s account at Standard Chartered Bank.

The subject of the film could not be more timely.

The main character Jahir Raihan, a Bangladeshi immigrant who writes for a small-time local newspaper in Jackson Heights, learns about video footage that could incriminate a 1971 war criminal. The owner of the footage, Anthony, is a hard nut to crack. Jahir embarks on a mission to retrieve this evidence and comes face to face with the sins of past generations.

Earlier this month in the real world,

the International Crimes Tribunal hanged Quader Molla, the first convicted war criminal to be executed. The case against him was rooted in one crucial eye witness account. He was originally handed only a life sentence in February, which triggered a massive protest at Shahbag in Dhaka, demanding that the man known as the Butcher of Mirpur be given “the highest punishment of the land.”

Sumit regrets that he was in New York during the height of the movement. “It made me proud, but at the same time I felt a bit left out.” he said.

About Shahbag, Sumit stated on his Indiegogo page: “It was just a successful start. The energy should have been channelled into a more transformative movement that questions our political system. Nonetheless, the movement will go on. Whatever happened in Shahbag, its stories deserve to be retold and recaptured in cinematic format.

Here’s my first attempt.” l

Jahir Raihan, a Bangladeshi immigrant who writes for a small-time local newspaper in Jackson Heights, learns about video footage that could incriminate a 1971 war criminal

Q&A WITH REZWAN SHAHRIAR SUMIT

DT: How did you come up with the story for “Remnants of Men?” I was inspired by the Shahbag youth revolution in Bangladesh. I had goosebumps watching Shahbag pulsate. It was exciting to see privileged youths on streets demanding justice for decades old war crimes. This sends a strong message to the perpetrators.

DT: Did your plot draw from true events? For example, the story of TarequeMasudtracking down photojournalist Lear Levin for the 1971 footage for MuktirGaan.

Yep. A bit of inspiration came from that story too. Also, from the story of photographer Kevin Carter, who photographed the starving toddler in Sudan, won the Pulitzer Prize and later committed suicide. But [I was] mostly inspired by the relentless Shahbag kids.

DT: Is the character named Anthony Matthews a reference to Anthony Mascarenhas, the Pakistani journalist who published the landmark report “Genocide” in 1971?

I thought no one would notice this! They are actually polar opposites.

Also, the protagonist of “Remnants of Men” is named Jahir Raihan – a homage to the uncompromising legend.

DT: Will the movie be in English or Bangla?

Both.

DT: How do you feel about Quader Molla’s hanging?

I feel good that the victims will at last find some sort of closure. But I will also not rejoice, because I know this is just the beginning. For me, closure would be saying goodbye to fundamentalism, which is closely related to the identified war criminals, but has spread out way

beyond their generation.

DT: A lot of violence – in the form of hartals, blockades, and protests – has accompanied the war crimes tribunals.

It is increasingly frustrating watching fellow Bangladeshis die out of no reason. I also find it difficult to understand why picketers risk their lives on streets, in doing the things that they do. The problem is very much socioeconomic.

DT: Which Bangladeshi political party do you align yourself with, if any?

I am a big fan of Bangabandhu and his ideologies. But I don’t want to align myself with any of the current political parties. They still have to fulfil a lot of their promises to earn my trust.

DT: NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts is a fantastic film school. How did earn your place there?

In 2008, I was selected by the Berlin International Film Festival as an upcoming director based on one of my early short films, a docudrama titled “City Life.” This led to participation in the Berlinale Talent Campus. The Berlinale experience changed everything.

I finished business school [at IBA] and got a corporate job like everyone else. But I kept pursuing my filmmaking aspirations.

While working full-time, I made an animated short that participated in various European festivals. All of these made into my portfolio – which is an important part of the NYU Tisch application.

I am the first Bangladeshi in the graduate film program [for the Masters of Fine Arts degree]. This also means a greater responsibility. l

A set in New York City transformed into 1971 Bangladesh for the film

By the people, for the people n Ahsan Sajid Muktotohobil.com, Bangladesh’s first dedicated crowdfunding portal, was created by Gaushey Shahrier as a means to finance his upcoming graphic novel and film, Hasna.

This marks a milestone in Bangladesh for young entrepreneurs and independent projects. This potentially holds unprecedented rewards and could be that start of a new era of funding and investing here.

Bangladesh is a country teeming with young talent, but limited support to direct this talent towards something productive.

Art that speaks for a cause belongs in the public sphere, so it makes sense that its funding also depends on the public Shahrier is the CEO of ParrotInMotion Studio and director of Hasna. He believes that using animation enables his story to reach to a mass audience globally, and inform people of an entrenched societal evil through entertainment. With fast dispersion of nearly infinite amounts of information, our world today is one of instant gratification, and we communicate with images more today than ever before.

Hasna aims to raise awareness about child marriage and gender discrimination.

At muktotohobil.com, people can submit their creative ideas and get the opportunity to raise funds from the general

public. Anyone who finds the work interesting can go to the website, click on “Support” and pledge a certain amount of money for the creative ideas.

Crowdfunding can provide a real windfall to artists like Shahrier, whose project’s strong gender relevance and social commentary qualifies it as a social cause as well as an animated film.

Art that speaks for a cause, which stands against a system, belongs in the public sphere. In this regard, it makes sense that this animated film’s funding depends on the public.

For a late-adopting country like Bangladesh, crowdfunding has the potential to be one of the most effective and significant tools to raise funds, giving young innovators and change makers the support they need to develop the country. Exciting times lie ahead!

Three tips from an early-adopter

Credibility: Get connected with reputable, established personalities. Hasna has affiliated itself with Haider Rizvi, a Polish film director and former assistant to Roman Polanski, who has been involved with the project as an advisor. A demonstration of credibility is reassuring for potential pledgers.

Accessibility: Connect to the “crowd” via support from the media or active social media interactions on Facebook.

Honouring contributors with badges and tokens of gratitude after the success of the campaign.

Interaction: Interact with the potential contributors regularly and explain that the procedure is not complex.

“A big issue is the payment process,” Shahrier said. “Most people here are not used to online transactions. They feel reluctant to pay via a simple bKash transaction, even though

they fully support the project and want to pay. With proper utilisation of social media and regular follow ups, this obstacle can be overcome.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Sunday, December 29, 2013

7

Corruption is good A little corruption can be good, large corruption is bad but monopolistic corruption is absolutely the worst

SHUVO

T

n Shafiqur Rahman hose who are familiar with US Congressional politics know the term “pork-barrel politics” very well. In the US Congress, often when passage of a bill required support from a few or more congressmen or senators from the other side of the political divide, the leaders of the party in control, attach with the bill special spending earmarks that will benefit the constituency of those few congressmen or senators.

These earmarks, which are outside federal purview, usually fund projects in the home districts like roads, bridges, airports, museums, etc. The earmarks help the politicians to go back to their partisan constituents and say to them that although he has voted with the opposing political party, he will bring in substantial federal cash that would create jobs and benefit the community greatly.

These earmarks, named pork-barrel (after the barrels of salted pork meat), has been a long-standing congressional way to exchange political favours, helping embattled politicians win re-elections, and most importantly win over opposing politicians for legislations that may be unpopular to their own party supporters.

Those who have watched the Spielberg movie “Lincoln” (2012) have seen that how a bill like the 13th Amendment, which emancipated slaves in the USA in 1865, required furious horse-trading, pork-barrel politics in the house of Congress to get the two third majority required.

A limited amount of corruption actually acts as incentive for law enforcers to do their duty.

Without this incentive, they can become totally apathetic and let law enforcement deteriorate completely

Whether pork barrels were used to pass righteous bills like the emancipation, or run-of-the-mill legislations of usual politics, there can be no denying that this practice is pure and simple political bribery.

Votes of the legislators are being bought with gold from the purse of the republic; albeit not for personal use, but for constituents. As it is, the history of politicians crusading against the immorality of such naked bribery is as old as the history of pork-barrel politics itself.

In recent decades, the most vocal opposition came from anti-government Republican politicians who saw in pork-barrel politics an easy target to illustrate the venality and wastefulness of government spending.

The crusade culminated in a blanket ban on pork-barrel politics passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in late 2010 and early 2011, with broad bi-partisan support.

So what has been the outcome of this sweeping of the Aegean Stable?

Congressional legislative activity has come to a near halt. 2012 and 2013 have been among the least productive years in US Congressional history.

Between 1999 and 2011, an average of 70 substantive bills passed every year. Now the average has dropped below 50 and only 44 substantive laws have passed the floor of Congress in 2013.

Particularly when corruption is reframed as favours done in exchange of doing a job, it can make systems of governance and economy more efficient than before.

Economists have studied corruption, empirically and theoretically, for a long time but only recently they are analysing effects of corruption in all its nuances and already some of the researches have yielded surprising results.

Game theoretic modelling has shown some interesting insights into the role of corruption: A society or community functions because of cooperation among its members. The models tell

Rather than revel in utopian dreams of eradicating corruption we should think soberly how to manage corruption and channel it towards directions that promote growth and efficiency

All of us are aware of the impasse in the Congress and government shutdown that happened this year. Few of us are aware of the role played by the absence of pork barrel politics in exacerbating this gridlock.

There were several times when the Republican Congressional leadership were ready to compromise, but they could not convince the hard ideological party men in Congress to go along with the decision.

If pork-barrel were in place, conceivably many of these recalcitrant congressmen who are from poor, rural constituencies that can greatly use federal earmarks for economic stimulus, could have budged and reached across the aisle for passing budget and other bills.

They have no incentive now to compromise on ideological points and brave the inevitable confrontation with hyper partisan primary voters back in home. This is the general picture all over the country as the whole land has been divided in two sharply divided political camps with no meeting in the middle.

Belatedly the politicians are learning that pork barrels, rather than the corruption polluting the Congress, was the grease that kept the gears of legislative politics running.

The arguments against corruption are universal and easy to understand.

Corruption is unethical, unfair, hinders meritocracy, promotes inefficiency, and many more. As intuitive the arguments against corruption are, people do not make the effort to analyse the role of corruption deeply, and see that in many situations and contexts, some form of corruption can actually be better for the polity in its presence than its absence.

us that the bulk of society cooperates consistently because the law enforcers induce them to stay in line.

However, in most societies, the law enforcers themselves enjoy a de-facto privilege of avoiding the full force of law when they breach it personally.

This privilege allows them to engage in corruption.

Researchers have found that in spite of this corruption, overall societal cooperation is maintained as long as the extent of power and corruption is limited because the enforcers still do their duty of enforcing, although in exchange of some illegal income.

Thus, a limited amount of corruption actually acts as incentive for law enforcers to do their duty. Without this incentive, they can become totally apathetic and let law enforcement deteriorate completely. But this equilibrium breaks down when law enforcers have too much power and corruption runs rampant. In a monopoly of corruption the law enforcers have no incentives to carry on their duties and overall societal cooperation becomes threatened.

Empirical cross-country studies have also shown that in many third world countries corruption is actually helping economic growth by helping to circumvent inefficient rules and bureaucratic delays. When government is overbearing and inefficient, regulations are sclerotic, corruption can be a beneficial way to get around growth-retarding governance. When government size is small and/or economic freedom is already high, corruption becomes harmful to growth.

Famous political scientist Samuel Huntingdon, in 1968, said: “The only thing worse than a society with a rigid, over-centralised, dishonest bureaucracy is one with a rigid, over-centralised,

honest bureaucracy.” In countries where civic institutions are weak and social capital is small, policy efforts for ending corruption by solving principle agent problems may not improve growth.

In these countries corruption within inefficient institutions is a second best result because optimal condition is hard to attain in foreseeable future.

Long-term efforts should have the objective of improving institutional quality and economic freedom.

Readers may question the relevance of this article now, when the whole country is falling apart in a kingly Game of Thrones. All sane people in the country agree that the root cause of the political crisis in this country is monopolisation of power by subversion of democracy. Monopolisation of corruption is inextricably linked with this exclusive control of the power of state.

Researchers have proposed that monopoly is a vital component of rampant corruption. Corruption flourished, “where officials have a monopoly power over a good or service, unlimited discretion in deciding who gets that good or service or how much they get, and there is no accountability whereby others can see what that person is deciding.”

In the article “There Will be Blood” published in alalodulal.org, I argued that unprecedented cash flow from RMG export and foreign remittances is fast transforming Bangladesh into a resource-based “Petro-state.”

We know how the easy money from resources have entrenched repressive, autocratic regimes in these countries

the people but the patrons at the top of the ruling pyramid. This, in effect, is a monopolisation of corruption where corrupt law enforcers do not feel obligation to render the service fully, even in return of the ill-gotten money.

Moreover, as they primarily owe their riches from their top-patrons, and not the rent-giving public, they act as loyal vassals of the overlord. A government can literally buy off the entire organ of state now. Monopoly of power is engendering monopoly of corruption and developing a positive feedback loop to reinforce itself.

Bangladesh is not going to be a cohesive, orderly country with high social capital like the Nordic countries that routinely top the list of the least corrupt. We will have corruption in our country come what may the way the future politics evolves.

Rather than revel in utopian dreams of eradicating corruption we should think soberly how to manage corruption and channel it towards directions that promote growth and efficiency. If in the distant future we attain a sufficient level of income and social cohesion, we will be able to undertake programmes to get rid of corruption for good. Meanwhile we should seriously look into the ways to mitigate effects of corruption.

Just as for most of the ills afflicting the country, the answer probably lies in politics. Democratisation of politics is the best way that corruption does not get out of hand and becomes a stranglehold on the economy and society.

In a monopoly of corruption the law enforcers have no incentives to carry on their duties and overall societal cooperation becomes threatened

and hindered growth of accountable politics. In these countries, since the authoritarian leaders and their organ of government do not fear retribution from society, they can engage in forms of corruption that are very costly to society.

A similar thing is happening in Bangladesh. Governments are not feeling economic pressure to be more inclusive and accountable. With the visible hand of government in every part of the growing economic pie, the ruling set has now access to previously undreamt amount of riches.

And the governments are utilising this fabulous horde of money to develop and embed a huge rent-seeking class throughout the country that owes its allegiance not to the state or

A lot of research supports the view that while corruption has a greatly negative effect in authoritarian regimes, democracies can have relatively high level of corruption without crippling the economy.

When corruption does not become the exclusive purview of the ruling party, when opposition also can partake in the feeding trough through decentralisation of power, an even, accountable and growth supporting corruption regime can thrive.

A little corruption can be good, large corruption is bad but monopolistic corruption is absolutely the worst.  The article was first published in AlaloDulal. org.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Iraq troops arrest Sunni MP, killing five people n Reuters, Ramadi Iraqi security forces arrested a Sunni Muslim member of parliament in the western city of Ramadi and clashed with his bodyguards on Saturday, killing at least five people, police sources said.

The dead included three bodyguards, a sister and a brother of the lawmaker, Ahmed al-Alwani, a member of the Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc who has been critical of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the sources said.

“Army troops with police special forces were trying to arrest Alwani from his house, but fierce fighting erupted. Five bodies, including one woman, were taken to Falluja hospi-

Russia says Syrian toxin removal deadline will be missed n Reuters, Moscow Deadly toxins that were to have been removed from Syria by December 31 under an international effort to rid the country of its chemical arsenal have not yet been delivered to port to be put on ships, a Russian diplomat was quoted as saying on Friday.

The deadline will be missed because toxins that can be used to make sarin, VX gas and other agents were being packed up and still faced a potentially hazardous trip to the port of Latakia, RIA news agency quoted Mikhail Ulyanov as saying.

“The removal has not yet begun,” he said after an international meeting on the chemical arms removal effort.

Syria has agreed to abandon its chemical weapons by next June under a deal proposed byRussia and hashed out with the United States, after an August 21 sarin gas attack that Western nations blamed on President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Damascus agreed to transport the “most critical” chemicals, including around 20 tons of mustard nerve agent, out of the northern port of Latakia by December 31 to be safely destroyed abroad away from the war zone.

But the head of that global chemicals weapon watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, said earlier this month that the deadline could be missed.

Russia, which has given Assad crucial support during the nearly three-yearold civil conflict in Syria, airlifted 75 armored vehicles and trucks to the nation last week to carry chemicals to Latakia.

“They will have to be taken on dangerous roads, there are several dangerous stretches,” RIA quoted Ulyanov, head of the Foreign Ministry’s disarmament department, as saying. l

Syria opposition blames regime for Beirut bombing n AFP, Beirut A key member of the Syrian opposition has accused the Damascus regime and its allies Iran and Hezbollah of being behind a bomb attack that killed a Lebanese politician in Beirut.

The powerful car bomb in the heart of the Lebanese capital on Friday killed six people, including Mohammad Chatah, a leading critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

“The murderers... are the same ones that kill and continue to kill Syrians in Qusayr, Qalamoun, Ghouta, Aleppo, Homs and Idlib,” said the Syrian National Council (SNC), the largest member of the umbrella National Coalition opposition grouping.

“They are undoubtedly the alliance between the Iranian and Syrian regimes and their agents in Lebanon led by the sectarian and fanatical militia Hezbollah,” the SNC said in a statement issued overnight.

Hezbollah, a powerful Shia movement, has sent troops to back the Assad regime in its war with rebels who have been fighting to oust his regime since a deadly crackdown on democracy protests in 2011.

“This bloody alliance... proves every day that it is the main source of terrorism and extremism which threatens the security and stability of the region,” said the SNC. Chatah, 62, was killed in Friday’s blast as he headed to a meeting of Lebanon’s Western-backed March 14 coalition that has supported the Sunni Muslim-led rebels in Syria. l

tal,” one police source said.

Police said a two-hour firefight broke out when bodyguards and members of Alwani’s tribe resisted police and army forces who went to arrest Alwani on charges of “terrorism” from his house in the centre of Ramadi.

Alwani has been an influential figure in a Sunni protest movement centred in the western province of Anbar, where thousands of Sunnis have taken to the streets since last December to protest what they see as marginalisation of their sect by Maliki’s Shi’ite-led government.

Lieutenant-General Ali Ghaidan, commander of Iraqi ground forces, told state television that security forces had also tried to arrest Alwani’s brother Ali,

whom he accused of involvement in an attack that killed Iraqi soldiers in Anbar.

Ali was killed in the fighting, as well as one Iraqi soldier, Ghaidan said, adding that: “We treated Ahmed al-Alwani well. We told him that we had a warrant for his arrest, and arrested him.”

He said two of Alwani’s bodyguards were wounded.

No members of Alwani’s family could immediately be reached to give their version of events.

Violence in Iraq is at its worst levels since 2006-7, when tens of thousands of people were killed in fighting between Sunnis and Shi’ites. Bombings, shootings and suicide attacks, many staged by al-Qaeda militants, are a near-daily occurrence. l

A man stands outside a faculty building at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University after student supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood stormed it

AFP

Police blame opposition Islamist students torch Cairo in Ukraine attack campus building n Agencies Ukrainian police have accused five suspects in the savage beating of a local journalist of having links to the opposition, just as reporter Tetyana Chornovol suggested she was attacked for documenting the opulence of Ukraine’s political elite.

The conflicting accusations on Friday came days after Chornovol, 34, was chased down by a car and beaten, an incident that threatened to breathe new life into dwindling anti-government protests.

“In the course of the investigation it was established that the detained had

been in close contact with members of the party UDAR,” Mykola Chynchyn, the head of the main investigations department, said in a statement posted

by Ukraine’s Interior Ministry.

UDAR, or Punch, is led by heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko, the most prominent of several opposition leaders who have seized on the public outcry over the government’s rejection of closer ties with the European Union.

Chornovol, meanwhile, told pro-opposition television station Channel 5 that “a price” had been placed on her life, suggesting the attack was “revenge” for her anti-government work. l

n AFP, Cairo Student supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood on Saturday stormed a faculty building at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University where exams were being taken and set it on fire, security officials said.

The students entered the commerce faculty building during an exam and set it alight before police and security forces members burst in and fired tear gas to disperse the protesters, the officials said.

A police official said 60 of the students were arrested after the fire on the first two floors of the building was

brought under control.

The students were trying to stop the exams, which started on Saturday, as part of their protest against the military’s overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July.

They have regularly clashed with police on the university campus.

The violence comes a day after three people were killed in clashes and 265 arrested across Egypt in a crackdown on Brotherhood demonstrations.

The military-installed government has banned protests by Brotherhood members demanding the reinstatement of Morsi, after listing the Islamist movement as a terrorist

organisation this week.

The interior ministry on Friday said “legal measures are underway in accordance with the cabinet’s listing of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation.”

The Brotherhood’s designation as a terrorist group carries harsh penalties, with the group’s leaders facing possible death sentences and protesters looking at up to five years in prison.

The movement has held near-daily protests since the military ousted Morsi on July 3, despite a crackdown that has killed more than 1,000 people, mainly Islamists, and seen thousands more arrested.l

Overthrown Malian president in treason investigation

Libya briefly holds four US military personnel

n AFP, Bamako

n AFP, Washington

Mali’s government has launched an investigation into ousted president Amadou Toumani Toure for “high treason,” it said in a statement.

Toure, unseated by a military coup in March last year, is accused of having “facilitated the penetration and installation of foreign forces in the country, notably by not offering them any resistance,” said the statement released late Friday.

The statement accused Toure, who was in power for 10 years, of having “deliberately destroyed or damaged a tool for national defence” and having participated in “an attempt to demoralise the army.”

Toure was overthrown by a group of mid-level army officers who believed he had failed to provide support for their fight against armed Tuareg separatists, toppling what had been heralded as one of west Africa’s most stable democracies.

The coup precipitated a crisis in which al-Qaeda-linked groups seized control of the country’s north, ruling with a brutal vision of Islamic law until a French-led military intervention forced them out.

In the months after the coup and a failed counter-coup in April 2012, junta

Four US military personnel have been freed after a brief detention by the Libyan government, the US State Department said Saturday.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki, who hours earlier announced that the Americans had been detained, did not say why they were held.

“All four US military personnel being held in Libyan government custody have been released,” Psaki said in a brief statement just after midnight Friday.

“We are still trying to ascertain the facts of the incident.”

According to Psaki, the four “were operating in an area near Sabratha as part of security preparedness efforts when they were taken into custody.”

Sabratha, known for its Roman ruins, is located some 65km(40 miles) west of the capital Tripoli.

“We value our relationship with the new Libya,” Psaki said. “We have a strategic partnership based on shared interests and our strong support for Libya’s historic democratic transition.”

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the four were released just two hours after the

The former president of Mali: Amadou Toumani Toure leader Amadou Sanogo’s then-headquarters in the central town of Kati were the scene of abuses and killings carried out against soldiers seen as loyal to Toure.

Sanogo was arrested on November 27 and charged along with 15 other people, mostly fellow soldiers from his

AFP

inner circle, for alleged crimes during the coup and its aftermath.

The government says Sanogo has been charged with complicity in kidnappings, but a source close to the judge in the case told AFP the charges also include murder, complicity to murder and kidnappings. l

US State Department announced their detention.

The military staff were attached to the security team at the US embassy in Tripoli and may have been scouting escape routes for possible future use by diplomats, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed US officials.

The personnel were detained at a checkpoint and moved to the interior ministry, according to the Times.

Americans in Libya have been targeted more than once since 2011, when the regime of strongman Moamer Kadhafi was overthrown by local rebel groups backed by US and NATO airpower.

In September 2012 four people, including the US ambassador to Libya, were killed in an attack on the US consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi by Islamist gunmen with alleged al-Qaeda ties.

In mid-November, the State Department revealed that since January it has been quietly offering a $10 million (7.3 million euro) reward to help track down the militants behind the attack.

Ambassador Christopher Stevens, a popular diplomat and fluent Arabic speaker, was the first US ambassador killed while on duty in three decades. l

US judge says NSA phone Riots erupt in Turkey over corruption scandal n surveillance is lawful Agencies

n

Reuters, New York

A federal judge ruled that a National Security Agency program that collects records of millions of Americans’ phone calls is lawful, calling it a “counter-punch” to terrorism that does not violate Americans’ privacy rights.

‘Technology allowed al-Qaeda to operate decentralized and plot international terrorist attacks remotely’ Friday’s decision by US District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan diverged from a ruling by another judge this month that questioned the program’s constitutionality, raising the prospect that the Supreme Court will need to resolve the issue.

In a 54-page decision, Pauley dismissed an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit contending that the NSA collection of “bulk telephony metadata” violated the bar against warrantless searches under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution.

The judge also referred often to the September 11, 2001 attacks, in which nearly 3,000 people died, and said broad counter-terrorism programs such as the NSA’s could help avoid a “horrific” repeat of those events.

“This blunt tool only works because it collects everything,” Pauley wrote.

“Technology allowed al-Qaeda to operate decentralized and plot international terrorist attacks remotely. The bulk telephony metadata collection program represents the government’s counter-punch.”

The program’s existence was first disclosed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who is now in Russia under temporary asylum.

His leaks have sparked a debate over how much leeway to give the government in protecting Americans from terrorism.

Pauley ruled 11 days after US District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, D.C. said the “almost Orwellian” NSA program amounted to an “indiscriminate and arbitrary invasion” that was likely unconstitutional.l

Turkish riot police have blasted opposition protesters with water cannons, tear gas and plastic bullets in Istanbul in scenes reminiscent of the summer’s mass anti-government demonstrations.

Some of the protesters on Friday evening threw rocks and firecrackers at police, shouting, “Catch the thief!” in reference to a widening corruption scandal gripping Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Similar protests were held in the city of Izmir, and in Ankara where police also fired water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Police blocked hundreds of protesters from gathering in Istanbul’s central Taksim Square and pushed them away to the nearby streets. At least 70 people have been detained in the Taksim protesters.

At least 31 people, including three lawyers, have been detained in Istanbul, according to the Istanbul Bar Association.

Thousands of Erdogan backers, meanwhile, gathered at other spots showing their support for the embat-

Protesters throw stones from behind a barricade tled Erdogan.

Twenty-four people, including the sons of two former government ministers and the head of the state-owned financial institution, Halkbank, have been arrested on bribery charges.

Media reports say the probe is over alleged illicit money transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects.

Three Turkish legislators, including a former minister, from the ruling Jus-

AFP

tice and Development Party (AKP) have resigned over the scandal and accused the Turkish government of putting pressure on the judiciary.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party is being directed by “arrogance,” former Culture Minister Ertugrul Gunay said in a news conference on Friday announcing his resignation, adding that he was parting ways with the AKP. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

China calls for calm in South Sudan n AFP China has called for calm in South Sudan, urging both factions to start ceasefire talks as soon as possible, the foreign ministry has said.

Hua Chunying, foreign ministry spokeswoman, said on Friday that the deteriorating situation in the country was cause for concern.

“We are negotiating with both sides in the conflict in various ways. China’s special representative on African Affairs, Zhong Jianhua, talked with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin on the phone, calling for calm and restraint from both sides to start ceasefire talks as soon as possible.

“China has maintained close communication and coordination with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) as well as African countries in an effort to allow the international community to play a positive role in relieving the tensions in South Sudan,” Hua said.

The Red Cross Society of China has offered emergency humanitarian aid to the people of South Sudan, said Hua, adding that China will continue to provide assistance for South Sudan.

Zhong Jianhua reaffirmed China’s hope the conflict will be solved peacefully.

“The Chinese government has made it clear that it firmly opposes the use of military force to resolve conflict, especially when it causes heavy casualties ... we also believe that with the joint efforts of African countries, the relevant parties will solve the issue by rational and peaceful means,” said Zhong.

Meanwhile, leaders at an East African countries summit on Friday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, urged various groups in South Sudan to the end the violence that has gripped the country. l

International

China loosens grip on one-child policy n Agencies

China’s top legislative committee has formally approved a loosening of the country’s hugely controversial onechild policy and abolished “re-education through labour” camps, state media has reported.

The decisions were taken by the standing committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s rubber-stamp parliament, on Saturday at the conclusion of a six-day meeting, according to Xinhua news agency.

The widening of existing exceptions to the one-child policy will allow couples where either parent has no siblings to have two children, reforming the strict family planning policy imposed more than three decades ago to prevent overpopulation in the world’s most populous nation.

The birth rate has fallen to about 1.5 since the 1990s, well below the replacement rate The abolition of re-education through labour, known as “laojiao,” will see existing inmates freed, Xinhua said.

“Their remaining terms will not be enforced any more,” it quoted the NPC resolution as saying.

China argues its one-child limit kept population growth in check and supported the country’s rapid development that has seen it soar from mass poverty to become the world’s second-largest economy.

But enforcement of the policy has at times been excessive. The public was outraged last year when photos circulated online of a woman forced to abort her baby seven months into her pregnancy.

Now China faces looming demographic challenges, including a rapidly increasing elderly population, a shrinking labour force and male-female imbalances.

China’s sex ratio has risen to 115 boys for every 100 girls, while the working population began to drop last year, Xinhua said earlier.

The birth rate has fallen to about 1.5 since the 1990s, well below the replacement rate, it added.

While the easing of the one-child policy - estimated to apply to around 10 million couples - has been welcomed, critics say that the state has retained the principle of deciding itself how many children people should have.

Provincial congresses and their standing committees will decide on implementing the new policy “based on evaluation of local demographic situation and in line with the law on population and family planning as well as this resolution,” Xinhua said, citing the resolution document.

The one-child policy reforms are expected to come into force in the first quarter of 2014, according to a senior official from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, Xinhua reported last week.

The approval to end the labour camps, introduced more than half a century ago, closes the curtain on a dark aspect of the country’s modern history long criticised by human rights groups and which Chinese authorities admit is no longer viable.

China began re-education through labour in 1957 as a speedy way to handle petty offenders. But the system - which allows a police panel to issue sentences of up to four years without trial - soon became rife with abuse. l

A Thai anti-government protester washes his face at a protest site outside the Government House in Bangkok

3 Asian workers missing after Saudi oil rig sinks n AP, Riyadh Saudi Arabia’s official news agency says three Asian workers are missing while several others suffered minor injuries after an offshore mobile rig belonging to the country’s oil giant sank during maintenance work.

A statement from the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., known as Aramco, says 24 workers were rescued following Friday’s accident in the waters off the coast of al-Safaniya region — the site of the world’s largest offshore oil field.

Two of the missing are from India while the third worker is a Bangladeshi.

The statement was carried by the SPA news agency.

Aramco says rescue teams are still searching for the missing workers. The company says the incident will be investigated and that it’s not expected to affect overall production.

Saudi Arabia is the world’s top oil producer. l

AFP

One protester killed in new Thailand political violence n AP, Bangkok Gunmen killed an anti-government activist and wounded two others in the Thai capital on Saturday while protesters elsewhere blocked candidates from registering in upcoming elections, deepening a political crisis that threatens to derail democracy in this Southeast Asian nation.

The registration was suspended in four of the country’s 77 constituencies.

All are in the south, a sign of the limited national appeal the protest movement seeking to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra enjoys outside of Bangkok.

Gunmen kill vaccinator in NW Pakistan n AFP, Peshawar Gunmen shot dead a health officer supervising an anti-polio vaccination campaign after storming a hospital where children were being immunised in Pakistan’s troubled northwest Saturday, officials said.

Two other hospital staff were injured in the attack at a government-run hospital in the town of Mattani, on the outskirts of Peshawar.

Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the killing, but Taliban militants have been targeting health workers and security personnel during vaccination campaigns.

“Two men riding a motorbike stormed the office of an immunisation officer located inside the premises of Civil Hospital Mattani and shot him dead,” senior police official Ijaz Khan told AFP. “Two other local staff of the hospital including a woman were injured in the attack,” he added.

Khan said the gunmen fled on the motorbike soon after the shooting.

Provincial health minister of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Shaukat Ali, confirmed the attack.

“Routine immunisation of children was going on in the hospital at the time of the attack,” he said.

The Taliban imposed a ban on polio vaccinations last year as they view inoculation campaigns as a cover for espionage. l

9

Sunday, December 29, 2013

The events followed comments Friday by the powerful army chief in which he declined to rule out the possibility of a coup in the country, which is a major US ally, Southeast Asia’s second largest economy and a popular tourist destination.

The long-running dispute between Thailand’s bitterly divided political factions flared anew in November after Yingluck’s elected government tried to introduce an amnesty for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to enable him to return to Thailand and escape a jail term for corruption.

Yingluck called early elections as a way of diffusing the crisis, but the pro-

testers are demanding she resign and hand over power to an unelected council to carry out reforms. They are trying to disrupt the polls, which most people believe will give her a strong mandate thanks to strong support in the north and northeast of the country.

The overnight attack took place close to a protest camp in the city center, according to a government-run Erawan medical center. It said a 31-year man was killed by gunfire and two others wounded in the attack on Saturday at around 3:30 a.m. Local media said unidentified gunmen opened fire on guards close to a protest camp before escaping into the night. l

Indian train inferno kills at least 26 people n AFP, New Delhi

Indian policemen inspect the charred carriage of the Nanded-Bangalore Express in Puttaparthi under Ananthpur District

AFP

Fire raced through an Indian train carriage packed with sleeping passengers on Saturday, killing at least 26 people, and forcing terrified passengers to smash windows in a frantic bid to escape.

Some passengers were able to break the toilet windows of the train, but other victims were overcome by the thick, swirling smoke and bodies were found heaped at the windows and doors, reports said.

“We were suffocating because we couldn’t get the windows open, the windows are really strong,” one young man who survived but who lost his cousin to the flames told India’s NDTV news.

Rescue officials said many bodies were charred beyond recognition and would have to undergo DNA tests to determine their identity.

“Rescue teams have so far recovered 26 bodies from the three-tier coach of the train while five of the eight injured have been admitted to hospital for emergency treat-

Hundreds of corpses await Delhi’s Kejriwal sworn in burial in the Philippines as chief minister n AFP, Tacloban

More than a thousand dead victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan lay unburied Saturday, seven weeks after the region was battered by the Philippines’ deadliest storm, residents living alongside the stench said.

About 1,400 corpses, in sealed black body bags swarming with flies, lay on a muddy open field in San Isidro, a farming village on the outskirts of the destroyed central city of Tacloban, an AFP reporter saw.

“The stench has taken away our appetite. Even in our sleep, we have to wear face masks,” said local housewife Maritess Pedrosa, who lives in a house about 20 metres (66 feet) from the roadside city government property.

Haiyan killed 6,111 people and left 1,779 others missing on November 8, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

This made the storm, which also left 4.4 million people homeless, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Philippine history.

Tacloban and nearby towns were devastated by tsunami-like giant waves unleashed by Haiyan which accounted for a majority of the dead.

The council’s spokesman, Reynaldo Balido, said he was unsure if the official

death toll already included the cadavers in San Isidro.

Eutiquio Balunan, the local village chief, said government workers assigned to collect the typhoon dead began trucking them to San Isidro on November 10, where they have been exposed to the tropical heat and heavy seasonal rain showers.

There, state forensics experts try to identify the corpses, he told AFP. The processed corpses are then turned over to relatives, while those that are unclaimed are tagged and taken to a mass grave at the city cemetery about three kilometres (1.86 miles) away.

“Our tally comprises those already tagged and processed by the local governments,” Balido, the disaster council spokesman, told AFP. Balunan, the village chief, said the processing of the cadavers had been suspended over the Christmas weekend as the forensics experts went on holiday.

“We are requesting the city government to please bury the cadavers because our children and elderly residents are getting sick,” he said.

“This place has become a fly factory.”

The cadavers are guarded by eight policemen. One officer who asked not to be named said they are under orders to prevent the cadavers from being eaten by stray dogs. l

n Agencies Anti-corruption champion Arvind Kejriwal was sworn in as chief minister of India’s national capital region in what supporters hope would mark a turning point in the nation’s fraud-ridden politics.

Huge cheers rang out as Kejriwal on Saturday, who arrived for the ceremony on the city’s subway, took the oath for office in front of tens of thousands

‘I will do my duties as a minister honestly, without any fear or bias’ of supporters assembled in a Delhi park wearing white caps emblazoned with Kejriwal’s slogan, “I am a common man.”

“I will do my duties as a minister honestly, without any fear or bias,” Kejriwal said as he took the oath on a flower bedecked dais.

Cries of “Long Live the Aam Admi Common Man - Party” and “Mother India” rang out from the sea of supporters while some waived placards saying “Today Delhi, Tomorrow the Country.”

Police estimates of the crowd ranged as high as 100,000.

Kejriwal’s upstart Aam Admi Party made a stunning electoral debut, winning 28 assembly seats in recent state

polls and delivering a stinging defeat to the Congress party which rules at the national level.

“It is the common man’s victory,” Kejriwal declared ahead of taking the subway to his swearing-in - unprecedented for any Indian dignitary going to an oath-taking ceremony.

“If we all come together then we can can change the country,” he said.

The former tax inspector’s decision to use public transport echoes his prepoll promise to end the VIP culture of Delhi’s political elite and set a down-toearth tone for his new administration.

No dignitaries had been formally invited to Ramlila Maidan where Kejriwal was due to take the oath.

The grounds are considered ground zero of India’s corruption movement where some of the biggest rallies against a string of government graft scandals were held two years ago.

Some observers believe Kejriwal’s victory in Delhi could be mark the start of a national election campaign. Unlike his predecessors, Kejriwal, whose backers range from taxi drivers and teachers to business proprietors and servants, has said he and his ministers will not occupy the sprawling bungalows surrounded by lush lawns built by India’s former British colonial rulers.

Kejriwal plans to keep living in his fourth-storey flat in a Delhi suburb. l

ment,” South Western Railway spokesman S. Biswas told AFP. Forensic teams were on their way to the train site to collect body samples for analysis, The Press Trust of India reported. Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh expressed “shock and grief at the loss of life in the train accident in Andhra Pradesh” in a statement on his official Twitter account, The carriage was gutted by the inferno and was a mass of twisted metal and melted plastic seats. Adjacent coaches also bore scorch marks, testifying to the ferocity of the fire.

There were conflicting reports about the number aboard with police saying 65 while national Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said there were 67 people in the carriage, sleeping six to a compartment.

Kharge told AFP the blaze was believed to have been caused by an electricity fault.

India’s underfunded, accident-prone rail network, one of the world’s largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the huge country despite fierce competition from private airlines. l

Police say Indian gang raped twice in hours

n Agencies

Ten people in India have been arrested after a 21-year-old woman was gangraped twice in one night by two apparently unrelated groups of men, according to police officials.

Six of them have been charged with gang-raping the woman on the evening of December 24, a police officer told Associated Press news agency on Friday, adding that a juvenile male was additionally detained for not informing the police about the crime.

Officer Monika Bharadwaj said the arrests were made on Thursday after the woman complained that she was abducted and raped while visiting a friend in Karaikal, a port city in Pondicherry state.

After nearly three hours of captivity in the first case, she was released and called for help only to be gang-raped by an apparently separate group of seven men, the official said.

Police have been questioning the accused to find out whether they knew each other or belonged to two separate groups, Bhardwaj said.

Police have registered preliminary cases of abduction, gang rape and criminal intimidation against the accused.

The suspects are yet to appear at court.

The woman has been admitted to hospital where police was also to record her statement, local media reports said. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

No permission for march a mistake

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Sadullapur upazilla AL and BNP did it!

D

enying permission to the opposition to hold their March for Democracy, was a mistake. The government must give its opposition the democratic space to protest and should have encouraged today’s demonstration as a non-violent means of expressing dissent.

The government’s stated apprehension that the march would be used as a cover for violent acts is perhaps not without merit, and the violent tactics used by the opposition over the past few months certainly support the government’s concerns, but nevertheless the government would have been better served to have permitted the protest and dealt with any ensuing violence as and when it occurred.

They would thus have retained the moral high ground and be seen to have been trying to give the opposition space. In the event that the march turned violent or unruly, no one could have faulted the government for a tough response.

However, to pre-emptively scotch the march seems to us not only to be undemocratic but also very likely to engender precisely the kind of violence the government claims to be trying to avoid.

The statements by some senior government and ruling party officials in this respect are not at all encouraging. To call on AL party-men to resist the opposition, and not law enforcement, further sets the stage for just the kind of chaos and bloodshed that no one wishes to see.

To make matters worse, in furtherance of its decision to stymie the march, the government has instituted a kind of reverse blockade to keep opposition activists from getting to Dhaka, and once again it is the common man and woman who suffers the most from this tactic.

In short, the government’s handling of today’s march thus far strikes us as unwise and unnecessary, and we only hope that our worst fears are not realised.

The government must give democratic space to protest and should have encouraged today’s demonstration as a non-violent means of expressing dissent

Make a commitment to go green

S

ince we are a country with very high energy demands, green technology could be the way forward for Bangladesh. In order to meet our demands, our energy production must become smarter, and so, instead of relying on expensive, and sometimes obsolete imported solutions, we should look to producing homegrown green technology. This could be the most efficient use of our scarce natural resources.

A seminar organised by the information and communication technology ministry this week stressed the need for policy and guidelines to usher in green technology for Bangladesh. The ICT’s initiative is a good thing, as we urgently need a solution to curb our massive electricity consumption.

The government must come forward to make green buildings for residential and industrial purposes.

Not only could green technology be the solution to our energy shortage, it would be greatly beneficial to the environment.

Clean, green, and renewable energy is also a step towards the battle against the problem of climate change. The issues of climate change, green technology, and disaster management are interlinked and cannot be seen separately.

As the rest of the world cuts down on fossil fuel-based power plants and switches to more efficient and environmentally friendly energy sources, Bangladesh should also make a commitment to green technology as it is the right way forward.

We should look to producing homegrown green technology. This could be the most efficient use of our scarce natural resources

CROSSWORD

December 27 Please join me in congratulating the unity among AL and BNP leaders of Sadullahpur upazilla for long-awaited peace in Bangladesh.

We want to see this type of unity spread throughout Bangladesh, as this precious land belongs to all Bangladeshi alike. The peace, prosperity, and sovereignty of our beloved Bangladesh is important, political parties are not.

No sensible Bangladeshi wants to see his/her Bangladesh destroyed by miscreants. Please unite at all levels to defeat all power-hungry evils.

Muktijoddha Dr Emarat Hossain Pannah USA

Pakistan and us December 23

Shanta Rahman Pakistan should beg for pardon immediately. truthbetold Why is it possible that Western nations are able to move past treason, war, and so much more (Germany/US relations come to mind) yet South Asians don’t understand the simple truth? Well over 60% of Pakistanis weren’t even born or were too young to remember or have anything to do with East Pakistan.

That generation is gone, the powers that be long removed. It’s time to bury it and learn to work together. You – India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh – are all one race. If you don’t figure that out you’ll always remain like the three stooges.

Canada, UK, and the US are now best of friends and they all fought treason, wars, and so much more against each other at one time in their history.

Saifur Rehman Khan This is what I think the Pakistanis need to realise: Bangladesh is an independent state and the Bangladeshis are proud of being citizens of an independent nation; Pakistan does not have borders

Helping the mentally ill December 22

Feel sorry for the people suffering with PPD (psychosocial disorders).

Arosh Ali

Aam Aadmi Party set to take power in Delhi

December 24 We need something similar in Bangladesh. Sick and tired of both AL and BNP. Populist

DOWN 1 Slave to a habit (6) 2 Digit (3) 3 Weapons (4) 4 Coarse file (4) 5 Mannequin (5) 6 Got up (6) 7 Large deer (3) 13 Alternatively (2) 14 Spanish dance (6) 16 Denial (2) 17 Plastering tool (6) 19 Lofty structure (5) 20 Accordingly (2) 23 Servant (4) 24 Headwear (3) 26 Wildebeest (3) 27 Resinous substance (3)

with Bangladesh, so it is not a neighbouring country; We can only have good, friendly relations with each other as we should have with other countries in the region; A common religion – Islam – can enable the two nations to have the same relationship that two Muslim countries without a common border do, like Egypt and Pakistan or Egypt and Bangladesh; The common past is a bitter, painful memory. Let’s try to leave it behind. Bangladesh should not give up its demand for an apology from Pakistan, but pushing for an apology will not achieve anything. Both countries are too weak and insignificant to force each other to do anything; and hanging those who collaborated with Pakistan more than 40 years after independence will reopen past wounds and will create new divisions within Bangladesh. The time has come to move ahead, and to stop looking back.

Mahbub Alam Imran Khan was my favourite cricketer but after his recent move against Bangladesh, I hate him. It’s really surprising that a man of international repute who is so highly educated can be so blind. This is really sad.

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

Madman breaches secretariat security December 22

Mahbub Alam This incident proves again how fragile our security system is. Why is our national exchequer spending money on those who say they guarantee efficient security, but who can’t even secure our Secretariat? Those responsible for the breach of security should be dealt with.

SM I don’t agree with calling him a madman. A man who breaches security, talks to the minister, and says he is the owner of the country must not be a madman. He is a citizen, and of course he is right. The masses should rule the country, and the government is there to serve them.

Polls creditability to remain unclear till mid-January December 24

They’re kidding me. It’s already clear now, and we all know what the people want.

Ahnaf Saber

Sacks of tomatoes left on roadside fields December 23

We suffer from rising prices, and those farmers are hurting from being unable to sell their sacks of tomatoes. So, it’s clear that everyone is suffering.

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid

Wrist of a 5-year-old boy blown off December 22

Tragic! Will anyone reattach it?

Sayad Kalakutta

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER ACROSS 1 Church item (5) 5 Female horse (4) 8 Public speaker (6) 9 Judges (5) 10 Highland dagger (4) 11 Secret agents (5) 12 Male swan (3) 15 Fasting period (4) 18 Moves at easy pace (5) 21 And not (3) 22 Machine for weaving (4) 24 Ship’s company (4) 25 Emitting bright light (5) 28 Part of the eye (6) 29 Needy (4) 30 Of a duke (5)

Sunday, December 29, 2013

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Protect witnesses and victims n Shah Ali Farhad

I

n recent times, there has been an alarming escalation in violence against people involved in the administration of justice. Witnesses, prosecutors, and judges of the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh (ICT-BD) have been the prime target of these violent reprisals.

There have been crude bomb attacks on the residences of ICT-BD Chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir and a senior Judge of the Appellate Division of the Honourable Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Justice SK Sinha.

The houses of several prosecutors too, were not spared from the blasts.

But the worst of the retaliation has been felt by the prosecution witnesses.

A number of such witnesses, who testified against high profile war crimes suspects belong to Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP, have come under attacks in various parts of the country in the last one year.

Would you rather have the war criminals walk free?

DHAKA TRIBUNE

What are you willing to compromise?

R

n Sajeeb Wazed

ecent weeks have seen people speaking about compromise, about how the two parties and two leaders are being intransigent. The fact that the Awami League has repeatedly offered the BNP multiple compromises is conveniently disregarded.

The prime minister has personally invited the leader of the opposition to unconditional talks, and offered numerous solutions such as the all-party interim government. We have offered them any ministry in this interim government, including the Home Ministry.

Even our offer to hold the 11th parliamentary elections early is a compromise to ensure that on January 25, we do not have an unconstitutional government. Yet, at every step that Awami League has made a constructive gesture, BNP has refused to talk and responded with ever-increasing violence.

It is easy to hypothesise on the benefits of compromise, and how this political impasse is the result of stubborn parties and stubborn leaders.

But let us not forget that we are in this situation because of the demands of the people.

Many of the same people who today are demanding that we compromise with the BNP at all cost were for the past five years demanding that we try war criminals and ban Jamaat. Did anyone consider the consequences of those actions? Jamaat was not going to disappear quietly. The BNP-Jamaat

alliance would not sit idly by while war criminals went to the gallows.

We need to look at what is at stake, because compromise for compromise’s sake is as ill-conceived as it is damaging. There are certain things on which we will not compromise. We will not compromise our promise to the people to bring the war criminals to justice.

We will not shy away from fighting for a secular and democratic Bangladesh.

Had Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped down as BNP demanded, Quader Molla would not have been hanged. Let there be no doubt, no one else would have had the courage and strength to stand up to the international pressure.

chose to try and crush our demands for autonomy with force. The Pakistani Army attacked first, before Bangabandhu declared independence on the night of March 26. Should Bangabandhu have compromised and given up on our rights in order to avoid war?

BNP has, indeed, been consistent in their actions and demands. They have consistently shown their complete lack of democratic intent and disregard for the peoples’ democratic right to vote. BNP has repeatedly tried to rig elections every time it has been in power.

Magura and Dhaka-10 by-elections come to mind. They rigged the 1996 national elections even though they

Make no mistake, the elections on January 5 are half-baked only because of one party: the BNP

We certainly do not want violence, but let us take a historical perspective. In our liberation movement, we did not set out demanding independence, and we did not declare war. All we wanted was the right to form a democratic government after our victory in the national elections. There were protracted negotiations between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, Yahya Khan and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto both publicly and in secret.

Yet, no agreement could be reached, because Yahya Khan was unwilling to compromise. Instead, he

were running unopposed. In 2006, they rewrote the voters’ list with 14m more voters than the population of voting age.

Even having a caretaker government was no protection, as they manipulated the caretaker government itself in attempting to rig the elections, leading to a military takeover.

Make no mistake, the elections on January 5 are half-baked only because of one party: the BNP. It is through their unpatriotic alliance with Jamaat and their continuing arson and bomb attacks on innocent civilians that they

have denied the people the elections they deserve. Yes, these elections are not ideal but that is a topic in itself.

The people will still get a free and fair election. We should not fool ourselves into thinking that this wave of unjustifiable violence that BNP-Jamaat has unleashed is about elections. It is about saving the war criminals.

Even if we were to somehow get BNP to participate in elections, as long as the war crimes trials are ongoing, BNP-Jamaat will continue their violence. The only compromise which will stop the violence is the release of the war criminals. BNP and Jamaat have declared war on the ordinary citizens of Bangladesh.

Under the pretence of fighting for elections they are terrorising the people to save war criminals. If the demand is to bring the BNP to the elections and stop the violence at all costs, are you willing to pay the price?

We are not willing to pay this price because it compromises our liberation and the very spirit that makes us a nation. Such a compromise would be a betrayal of the three million who gave their lives to give us this democracy and freedom.

No, we have attempted to compromise as much as possible and, just as in 1971, our compromises have been met with violence. We did not ask for this fight, but this fight was thrust upon us. Now it is time to stand our ground and fight back. It’s time for the people to reclaim the spirit of 1971 and fight these anti-liberation forces. l Sajeeb Wazed is Technology Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

A nation seeking self-respect n AK Rahim

N

eedless to say, Bengal is an ancient entity with a history spanning millennia. However, its new avatar as the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is only in its mere youth. And just like many teenage nations trying to fit into this modern post-industrial society, Bangladesh too is having its fair share of identity issues.

Of the many recent tantrums harrowing this youth of a nation, last week’s demand by the Ganajagaran protestors to cut off diplomatic relations with Pakistan over a provincial resolution grabbed my attention instantly.

Equally voiced calls from various Bangladeshi ministers meant that this outrage was not just limited to the contingent at Shahbagh; it seemed Bangladeshis across divisions were furious at what seemed to be another

affront to their identity, another stab at their respect.

This backlash got me thinking on a very simple question – how much respect does a common Bangladeshi have of his own nation, and furthermore, of himself?

Regardless of whether one thinks Bangladesh was solely intended for Bengali Muslims, or Bengalis regardless of religious background, or a multicultural population living in a “Bengalised” society, the common denominator seems to be the concept of Bengaliness.

And it is this very factor that seems to carry the most controversy when it comes to self-identity and self-respect.

It’s not uncommon to hear a Bangladeshi nonchalantly blame “Bangali’r jaat” (the Bengali ethnicity) for the many wrongdoings of this country.

This term, “Bangali’r jaat”, is overwhelmingly used only in a negative connotation spanning a variety of scenarios. For example:

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Joking amongst friends about someone being late? “Bangali’r jaat.”

Blaming someone for scamming you in a store? “Bangali’r jaat.”

Traffic jams, air pollution, bastardised Hindi cinema? Yup, you guessed it – “Bangali’r jaat.”

This recent decry for diplomatic disruption with Pakistan, as well as these past weeks of political turbulence, are various facets of Bangladesh’s youthful vulnerability. The nation was afterall born of multiple traumatic severances.

Traffic jams, air pollution, bastardised Hindi cinema? Yup, you guessed it – ‘Bangali’r jaat’

Even a religion that preached ethnic and social equality didn’t seem to ameliorate this case of collective low self-esteem; being Bengali somehow makes us inferior Muslims in our own eyes, as if centuries of syncretic Islam on our philosophy-sodden soil meant nothing, thus we increasingly turn to foreign-imported brands of Islam to satisfy our sense of the self.

We have absorbed so much negativity within this ethnic identity that we forget that in the greater South Asian historical context, the Bengali adjective had and still has its many strengths. It wasn’t long ago that Bengali was synonymous to intellectualism and the arts. Those yearly cyclones can’t wear away our epitaph of resilience and perseverance. Centuries of cohabiting with people of various races and religions correctly describe us as tolerant and hospitable.

However, the people of Bangladesh have to recognise that its days of insecurity and self-degradation need to soon come to an end if it were to achieve any respect from others.

Bangladesh has to work towards a mature civic society based on a strong consensual sense of identity.

We have to remind ourselves that the Bangladeshi identity cannot be dictated by Begums sitting in their high thrones. It is not just contained within the man-made political boundaries zigzagging through fields and families indiscriminately.

Whether or not the identity gives primacy in Bengaliness or in Islam or secular pluralism, Bangladesh has to accept that its sense of the self extends far beyond into the neighbouring nations, the region, and its position in the globalised world. l AK Rahim is a freelance contributor.

It will be a shame if we fail to give adequate protection to those testifying against powerful international criminals

Prosecution witness against convicted war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Mustafa Hawlader, was killed on December 10. Newspapers reported that other witnesses against Sayedee are also living under constant fear of violence in Pirojpur district. It is worth mentioning that the house of the complainant in one of the charges against Sayedee was attacked and vandalised in October this year.

On December 15, petrol bombs were hurled at the house and shop belonging to Ranjit Kumar Nath, prosecution witness against convicted war criminal Ali Ahsan Mujaheed. In May this year, a key witness against another convicted war criminal, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, was found dead in highly suspicious circumstances in Chittagong.

In March, key prosecution witness against Ghulam Azam and renowned musical personality, Ahmed Imtiaz Bulbul’s brother, Ahmed Miraz, was killed by unknown assailants.

It will be a shame for the entire nation if we fail to give adequate protection to the brave men and women who have accepted the challenge of testifying against powerful international criminals, those with sufficient clout to successfully evade the grips of justice for 42 years. It is even sadder to see that international organisations have to remind us of such a duty (HRW issued a statement on December 24: “Bangladesh: Investigate killing of Witnesses”). The question that naturally arises is thus: Why aren’t we protecting them?

The law as it stands Unfortunately, Bangladesh still does not have a separate and distinct law for the protection of victims and witnesses of international or grave crimes. However, as for the victims and witnesses of cases at the ICT-BD only, there are certain legal provisions which can ensure the reasonable safety and security of witnesses and victims, if deployed effectively by the judges.

Chapter VIA of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Rules of Procedure 2010 is the key legal provision which deals specifically with “Witness and Victim Protection.” Rule 58.A(1) of the said Chapter reads: “The Tribunal on its own initiative, or on the application of either party, may pass necessary order directing the concerned authorities of the government to ensure protection, privacy and well-being of the witnesses and or victims. This process will be confidential and the other side will not be notified”. Further, Rule 58.A(2) provides for three specific methods of protection: First, arranging accommodation (safe house) for victims and witnesses; second, ensuring security and surveillance during the stay of the witnesses and victims; and third, taking necessary measures to arrange police escort for witnesses and victims to and from the court.

Thus, there are several legal methods available to the ICT-BD using which they can take practical steps to protect the witnesses and victims who have been coming under attack in recent days.

If one looks at the international criminal law order, one can find that the only notable difference between the protection mechanisms contained in the rules for the ICT-BD and those of the international and hybrid tribunals like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the tribunals in Yugoslavia (ICTY), Rwanda (ICTR), Sierra Leone (SCSL), Lebanon (STL) etc is the lack of a provision in our rules about establishing a specialised Victim and Witness Unit.

Such a unit supervises the overall protective services. Additionally, as stated at the outset, since there is an absence of a specific law to protect witnesses and victims in Bangladesh, the calls from many quarters to immediately enact the draft Witness Protection Bill 2011 has increased in recent times. Dhaka Tribune reports that this bill, although drafted and sent by the Law Ministry to the Home Ministry over two years ago, is still lying in a “deep freezer” ever since.

There is no doubt that we need to have a separate witness protection law at the earliest. And there is also no doubt that the witness protection mechanisms of the ICT-BD in particular could have been better in light of international models. However, as is evident from the above discussion, it is not an absence of legal powers per se which has resulted in so many incidents or attacks. The real reason, it seems, is the absence of implementation and evaluation of the existing provisions.

In my opinion, the most immediate solution (at least for the time being) is for the judges at the ICT-BD to play a more robust role in this regard. The judges need to be more proactive and make suitable protection orders for every vulnerable, or at risk witness.

Rule 58A(1) clearly states that the protective measures can be taken either upon application or by the Tribunal of its “own initiative.” Thus, the law itself provides support for such activism.

Moreover, since these are trials are prosecuting international crimes as opposed to ordinary domestic crimes, the nature of the proceedings themselves allow these judges the freedom to depart from the traditional and adversarial nature of criminal proceedings, which required them to be silent referees as opposed to active case managers.

The judges need to be more inquisitorial and follow up on orders made for protection, constantly monitoring whether orders made are being implemented duly or not. If we look at the wording of Rule 58A(2), we can see that it reads: “The government shall… if so prayed for.”

There is no doubt that we need to have a separate witness protection law at the earliest

In interpreting statutes, the word “shall” is read as “must.” Thus, if the Tribunal asks for a protective measure, the government must accede to any such request. There is, in any event, the law of contempt to penalise non-compliance with judicial orders.

Hence, there is no reason to doubt the efficacy and binding nature of the measures to be taken by the judges in this regard.

However, before any discernible improvements become visible regarding preventing further attacks on witnesses and/or victims, increased coordination has to be achieved in this regard between law enforcers, judges, prosecutors, counsels and concerned officials from the relevant ministries of home and law, justice and parliamentary affairs.

In my opinion, the registrar of the ICT is perfectly placed to discharge this coordinating role, principally because of his neutrality as an official of the state. Unless coordination is achieved, even updating the existing mechanisms will not help. l Shah Ali Farhad is a barrister and Member, International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF).

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin’s 100th birthday today

n Entertainment Desk Today is the 100th birthday of internationally renowned painter Zainul Abedin, also known Shilpacharya, the guru of art.

Zainul Abedin, who was born in December 29 in 1914 and died on May 28 in 1976, got his breakthrough in 1944 with his paintings on the 1943 famine. Like many of his contemporaries, his paintings on the famine are his signature works.

In 1948, he helped found the Gov-

ernment Institute of Arts and Crafts (now the Institute of Fine Arts) in Dhaka, the first modern art institution in what was then East Bengal.

Not only promoting modern art, he worked tirelessly to encourage folk art in Bangladesh and founded the Folk Art Museum at Sonargaon, near Dhaka, in 1975.

An artist of exceptional talent and international repute, the Shilpacharya is considered the founding father of Bangladeshi art.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has organised a year-long programme to mark his birth centenary.

The year-long celebration, inaugurated on December 27,started with an art competition, in which hundreds of children from all over the country participated at the national art gallery plaza of the academy.

Other activities lined up for the celebrations programme include art competitions and exhibitions across the country, publication of a memorial book on the Shilpacharya, seminars on his life and works, launching of memorial postcards, organising traditional fairs, and installation of Shilpacharya’ssculpture on the academy premises.

Shilpacharya’s widow Zahanara Abedin inaugurated the celebration while Hasanul Haque Inu, minister for cultural affairs, Ranjit Kumar Biswas, secretary of the cultural affairs ministry affairs, Liaquat Ali Lucky, director general of BSA,were present at the programme.

Bengal Foundation has also chalked a year-long programme to celebrate the occasion which began

Sunday, December 29, 2013

10 OF THE TOP FILMS OF 2013

Nisshartho Bhalobasha The most commercially successful cinema of the year was Nisshartho Bhalobasha. Not only did it grossed highest, it was also had the biggest budget ever to hit the box office. Starring Ananta Jalil and Barsha, the film fully satisfied the fans in terms of entertainment, thus securing the top position in the list.

in October this with the launching of a book titled Great Masters of Bangladesh: Zainul Abedin, a comprehensive publication exploring the creative evolution of the artist.

Yesterday, an art exhibition titled Shilpacharya and his Outer World of Art presenting artworks of the master artist and his family members was inaugurated. l

Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini “King of Dhallywood” Shakib Khan and Joya Ahsan, two of the most demanded actors in Bangladeshi showbiz, paired up for the first time in Shafiuddin Shafi’s Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini. The film got a strong critical acclaim and also commercial success at the box office – a rare combination.

Young artists pay tribute to the master artist at a programme organised by BSA

ON TV

Omar Sunny makes a comeback

MOVIE 7:30pm Star Movies

nShadma Malik

White Chicks

9:30pm HBO

Once a busy actor of Dhallywood, Omar Sunny has been absent from the silver screen for a long time.

A popular hero of the film industry, who gifted the film lovers a bunch of hit films, later turned a villain.

But Omar is all set to make his comeback as a hero once again.

The Dhaka Tribune caught up with Sunny to know about his recent ventures. He said: “I am now shooting for a film called Shotero Rupe Shotero Baar, directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan. The film is about a millionaire who discovers ways to live an honest and ordinary life. Also, I am looking forward to working with my wife Moushumi in my upcoming film.”

He added: “At this moment, I am concentrating on my fitness. I am working out regularly and maintaining a healthy diet alongside my schedule.” l

Argo

COMEDY 11:00am Comedy Central MASH

9:30pm Star World

Two and A Half men

DRAMA 8:00pm Sony Aadalat

9:30pm Zee Cinema

Hum Saath Saath Hain

Lal Jomin scores 60 n Entertainment Desk Lal Jamin, a theatrical expression of the struggle of a woman during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 and its aftermath, saw its 60th staging on December 27 at the Studio theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

Written by Mannan Heera and directed by Sudip Chakroborty, the play is a monodrama that represents the suppression of the female freedom fighters and is a production of theatre troupe Shunyan. The brilliant performance by acclaimed theatre actor Momena Chowdhury, who enacts a total of 15 roles in the play, made the production a loved one for the theatre aficionados. Besides staging in Bangladesh, Shunyan has so far staged the play three times in London and several times in different cities in India.

The play is set against the backdrop of a village and focuses on an adolescent girl and her carefree days. As the war breaks out, her father joins the Mukti Bahini, (pro-Liberation forces). Following her father’s path and also being influenced by a young freedom fighter, the young girl joins the pro-Liberation forces. But the girl, along with other freedom fighters, is captured by the Pakistani occupation forces. They encage her till the war is over. l

Ovi Moin Uddin awarded as best cultural reporter n Entertainment Desk Bangladesh Cultural Reporters Association honoured Ovi Moinuddin as the best cultural reporter of the year.

Railway Minister Mujibul Haque Mujib handed over the award on December 27 at a programme at Mirpur Indoor Stadium on December 27. President of BCRA, Abul Hossain Majumder and convener of the programme Rimon Mahfuz were present at the award giving ceremony.

Ovi Moin Uddin commenced his career as a journalist in Ajker Kagoj and later worked in several leading newspapers. l

Veteran actor Farooq Sheikh, who is best remembered for his performances in films like Garm Hava, Shatranj Ke Khiladi, Chashme Buddoor and Kissi Se Na Kehna, died after suffering a heart attack in Dubai.

Born on 25 March 1948, he died at the age of 65.

The actor was in Dubai apparently for a concert when he suffered the heart attack on late Friday night.

He is best known for his contribution to parallel cinema in the 1970s and 80s.

The actor, who started his career in Bollywood in 1973, was last seen as Ranbir Kapoor’s father in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani and in Club 60 with Sarika.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan remembered Sheikh as a “true gentleman.”

“God !! Farooq Sheikh passes away!!? A true gentleman, a wonderful colleague! A quiet honesty about him. Very very sad!,” Bachchan tweeted.

Sensational action-romantic-thriller Dehorokkhi was a huge commercial success. The movie, starring Anisur Rahman Milon, Kazi Maruf and Bobby, created a big buzz with its trailer even before it was released.

Full N Final In Malek Afsary’s Full and Final, Shakib Khan paired up with new Dhallywood heartthrob Bobby. Full N Final was one of the big-budget films of Dhallywood this year. The exciting couple had an amazing on-screen chemistry which brought them a permanent position in the hearts of movie lovers.

My Name Is Khan My Name Is Khan is a romantic action film directed by Bodiul Alam Khokon.

The film stars Shakib Khan, Apu Biswas, Pobir Mitro and Misha Shadagor in the lead roles. it was a commercial success at the box office.

Bhalobasha Ajkal Romantic comedy Bhalobasha Ajkal, directed by PA Kajol and produced by Jaaz Multimedia, featured Shakib Khan and Mahiya Mahi in lead roles. The film did a fair business at the box office and also gathered positive response from the audience.

Bhalobasha Jindabad Debashish Biswas’s romantic comedy Bhalobasa Jindabad starred Arefin Shuvo and supermodel Airin Sultana as lead actors. The film got mixed reviews but did good business. Because the budget was low, the producer was able to get back the investment.

Antordhan Syed Ohiduzzaman Diamond’s Antardhan was not a commercial success, but was successful in a eyes of the critics. The film was about the lifestyle of people living on the banks of the once-mighty Padma River. Antardhan was screened at several film festivals around the world.

Poramon The logo of a new private TV channel named Channel 52 was launched through a cultural programme on December 27 at the studio of Bengal Television Limited at Tejgaon

Bollywood actor Farooq Sheikh no more n Entertainment Desk

Dehorokkhi

Shekhar Kapur regretted that he should have talked films instead of politics in his last meeting with the actor.

“RIP Farooq Shaikh. The last time we met, we talked politics. I wish we have talked film and acting.

It’s what we love most. I would have learned,” Kapur tweeted.

“RIP Farooq Sheikh. Immensely talented, extremely courteous. A thorough gentleman,” actress-turned-politician Smriti Irani posted on Twitter.

Actor Boman Irani wrote: “Farooq Sheikh passes away! Shocked, numbed and saddened. Was supposed to be shooting with him today. A gentleman actor is no more!”

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt wrote: “Alvida Farooq bhai the warmth of your smile lingers in our memory!”

“Year 2013 took away many talented people, and this time the veteran actor Farooq Sheikh. RIP Mr Sheikh,” Bengali movie star Prosenjit wrote. l

Poramon has been one of the critic’s choice this year as well as a commercial success. The movie was chosen as the Most Loved Film of Year by Movie Bazaar. It stars Mahiya Mahi and Saimon.

Onyorokom Bhalobasha Onyorokom Bhalobasa, directed by Shahin Shomon, was able to do a fair business at the Box Office. Apart from commercial success, the Bappy Chowdhury, Mahiya Mahi and Sara Zerin starrer made a mark in the hearts of the audience.

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Film

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

Bhalobasha Ajkal Udhao Balaka Cineworld

Shilpacharya and his Outer World of Art Time: 12pm-8pm Bengal Shilpalaya, House 42 Road 16 (New) / 27 (old)

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

Did you know?

Haddin’s 390 runs is the most by a keeper in an Ashes series.

His Ashes total of 1,234 runs is the 3rd most by an Aussie keeper

Sport

13

Sunday, December 29, 2013

DHAKA TRIBUNE

14 Aussies eye win as England crumble

15 Kallis grinds it out in final Test

0 7 7 DAYS TO GO

Hafeez nudges Shakib from top ODI spot n Tribune Desk

Pakistani all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez once again replaced Shakib al Hasan at the top of the ICC all-rounder rankings in ODIs. Mohammad Hafeez smashed three centuries and was topped the run scorers list in the recently concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka this month.

The right hander made 448 runs and also took four wickets as Pakistan claimed the series 3-2. Previously, Hafeez took over from Shakib in January this year but lost the top spot after having a poor series against South Africa in March. l

Fahad finishes fifth n Shishir Hoque Mohammad Fahad Rahman finished fifth in the Under-10 section of the World Youth Chess Championship at Al-Aim, UAE yesterday.

Fahad defeated Ganerdene Sugar of Mongolia in the 11th and last round of the tournament to move into the top five with 7.5 points.

Earlier, Fahad beat Dobrikov Marco of Germany in the 10th round on Friday. Fahad now has an Elo rating of 2028.l

Mohammedan batsman Nurul Hasan Sohan plays towards mid-wicket during their Amber Victory Day Twenty20 match against Abahani at SBNS yesterday

MSC knock Abahani out, UCB BCB XI stay in hunt n Minhaz Uddin Khan Mohammedan SC rode on a blistering innings from young wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan to knock their arch-rivals Abahani Limited out of the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. UCB BCB XI also joined the Black and White outfits in race to the final as they picked up a nail biting win over Prime Bank CC later in the evening.

Mohammedan, UCB BCB XI and Prime Bank are all on six points and will play their last round matches today at the same venue to determine their place in the competition.

Mohammedan’s plan of chasing in the important game eventually paid dividend though Abahani were neck-toneck throughout. Put into bat first, the Sky-Blues went off to a flying start with Mizanur Rahman doing bulk of the damage. The Rajshahi player struck seven fours and a six to make 41 off just 25 balls as Abahani raced to 61 in just six overs.

However, Elias Sunny put the brakes

on the charge as he removed the Mizanur before off-spinner Sharifullah had Shamsur Rahman (18) caught in the seventh over. However, Soumya Sarker kept the momentum going with a 34ball 52 and with the help of their skipper Mahmudullah (29) Abahani posted a challenging 171 on the scorecard.

Junaed Siddique (41) and Jahurul Islam (22) put on 42 for Mohammedan, before number three batsman Nurul came in and turned the game around.

Nurul faced just 47 balls to remain unbeaten on 79, with 10 boundaries and two sixes, as Mohammedan bagged the must win fixture by eight wickets. Meanwhile the defeat, fourth in the tournament, ended all hopes of Abahani of progressing further.

Prime Bank CC v UCB BCB XI

Imrul Kayes’ unbeaten 82 aided UCB BCB XI to a nail biting win against Prime Bank by five wickets. Early dismissals of skipper Tamim Iqbal on duck and Rony Talukder (9) had the side reeling on their 174-run chase, before Imrul took charge and went to built two important partnerships. He added 87 runs with Mithun Ali for the

Sheikh Jamal players Nasiruddin (R) celebrates a goal with his teammates during their Bangladesh Premier League match against Chittagong Abahani at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

third wicket followed by 52 runs with Marshal Ayub in the fifth wicket.

With the run-rate creeping up UCB BCB’s chances of a win were also getting slimmer before the last three overs.

UCB BCB needed 32 off 24 balls with

BRIEF SCORES MSC v Abahani

Abahani: 171/6 in 20 overs Soumya 52, Mizanur 41, Dewan 3/41 MSC: 172/2 in 19 overs Nurul 79*, Junaid 41, Soumya 1/19 MSC won by eight wickets UCB BCB XI v Prime Bank CC Prime Bank: 173/8 in 20 overs (Sabbir 57, Mehrab 39, Al Amin 3/45) UCB BCB: 175/5 in 19.4 overs Imrul 82*, Mithun 44, Shakib 2/28, Rubel 2/45 UCB BCB XI won by five wickets

Marshal and Imrul in the middle. Prime Bank pacer Tapash Baisya conceded 11 off the 18th over followed by 14 from Shakib al Hasan in the next over which also saw the set Imrul dropped twice

by Mehrab Hossain. UCB BCB needed just seven off the last over bowled by Rubel Hossain and though the quickie

dismissed Marshal early in the over, the batting side reach the winning target with couple balls to spare.

Marshal scored an important 25 off 14 hitting one four and two sixes, but it was Imrul’s constructive 82 off 54 with eight boundaries and four over boundaries that constructed the win.

Earlier, Prime Bank were put into bat in the foggy morning and were reduced to 36-3. However, Sabbir Rahman and Saikat Ali put up some resistance and steadied the innings with a 54-run fourth wicket partnership.

Saikat made 41 off 21 before being run out halfway through the innings.

Sabbir went onto put up another partnership and this time with Mehrab Hossain.

The duo posted 63 runs to take Prime Bank to 173-8. Sabbir bagged his third half-century in the tournament and scored 57. He slammed six boundaries in his 45-ball innings. Mehrab made 39 with four fours and a six.

UCB BCB pacer Al Amin picked three wickets while he was almost near to his second hat-trick of the tournament. He dismissed Sohag Gazi (1) and Mehrab on the first two deliveries before Rubel Hossain (1*) denied the feat. l

MUMIT M

Youths off to a winning start in Asia Cup n Mazhar Uddin Bangladesh U-19 started their Asia Cup campaign with a big win with left arm fast bowler Abu Haider’s five wicket haul crushing Malaysia U-19 side by nine wickets at the Sheikh Zayed stadium Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Winning the toss, Malaysia opted to bat first and found it difficult to face the Bangladesh bowlers as the batting side kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Haider claimed five wickets for just eight runs from his eight overs and he was supported by Mustafizur Rahman and Jubair Hossain taking two wickets apiece as Malaysia folded to 50 all out in 25.2 overs.

Ahmed Ismail’s 15 was the highest score for the batting side with 11 extras being the next biggest contributor.

In reply, Bangladesh U-19 reached the total for the loss of opener Zakir Hasan who scored 14. The other opener, Shadman Islam remained unbeaten on 25 with Joyraj Sheikh scoring 10 not out to take Bangladesh to their target in just 10.2 overs.

Bangladesh U-19 will face the strong Afghanistan U-19 side who beat Sri Lanka U-19 team by three wickets on their first match of the tournament

yesterday.

In the other matches of the day, defending champions India U-19 side beat UAE U-19 by a huge 189 runs after India posted 320/4, with Akhil Herwadkar scoring a century, before bowling UAE U-19 out for 131 in 40.1 overs.

Pakistan U-19 registered a comfortable 132 run win over Nepal U-19 side. Two Pakistani batsmen - Sami Aslam and Hasan Raza – made

BRIEF SCORE

Malaysia U-19, 50/10 in 25.2 over Abu Haider 8/5, Jubair Hossain 7/2, Mustafizur Rahman 17/2 Bangladesh U-19 51/1 in 10.2 over Shadman Islam 25 not out Bangladesh won by nine wickets

hundreds in Pakistan’s total of 311. UAE could only make 179/7 in response.

Meanwhile, the first upset of the tournament took place yesterday when Afghanistan U-19 side defeated a strong Sri Lanka U-19 side by three wickets after the Lankan youths posted 191/9. Afghanistan chased down the target for the loss of seven wickets in the 48th over. l

Jamal ride on Emeka double

BCCI vows to keep Modi out

n Shishir Hoque

n AFP, New Delhi

Title aspirant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club rode on a brace from Nigerian forward Emeka Darlington to bag all three points from their opening Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fixture against Chittagong Abahani. The Dhanmondi based giants won the game 3-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Nasir Uddin Chowdhury continued his magical goal scoring run in the season as the defender once again appeared in the score sheet by giving Jamal the lead in the first-half. The absence of crucial players like Sony Norde and Mamunul Islam, who are sidelined with injury, were not felt as Emeka, on his BPL debut, added two in the second-half to seal a comfortable victory despite Ahsanul Hoque Milon netting a consolation for the visitors in the 83rd minute.

Emeka, who was not even a part of the preliminary squad before the season, impressed Jamal in a pre-season

friendly against Abahani where the Nigerian nailed a hat-trick. The winger immediately sealed a place in the Jamal XI and had a successful Federation Cup campaign, but however was not able to score any goal.

Jamal won the match easily, but the absence of the attacking Haitian Sony and Mamunul reflected on the field as the flare of surging forward was missing.

Chittagong Abahani conceded the first goal from the only threat Jamal was able to create in the opening half.

Haitian forward Wedson’s header on a Linkon cross was pushed away by Abahani’s goalkeeper Piaruzzaman only to find Nasir who just had to nod the rebounder in.

A half-chance to level the score came the visitor’s way in the 42nd minute, but Ahsanul Haque Milon’s header on a corner from Mahfujur Rahman flew just over the crosspiece.

One minute into the second-half, the game had to be stopped due to insufficient light but that hardly hampered the momentum of the stronger side in the game as Emeka scored in the 50th minute to double the lead with a

sliding tap.

The Nigerian killed the game in the 69th minute with his second and Jamal’s third. Ali Abdullahi looped a volley from outside the box which went over the keeper, but returned from the woodwork which Emeka received with his chest, rounded off a defender and fired it in.

Milon pulled one back for the port city club from a penalty in the 81st minute after Nasir brought down Chittagong Abahani’s forward Sohel Mia inside the danger zone.

However, Chittagong Abahani could have added one more in the injury time, but unmarked midfielder Masuk Mia Jony’s strike from the middle of the box went over the crossbar.

Jamal’s Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi said that he had rested Sony Norde after the Haitian picked up an injury during the Federation Cup while Mamunul is expected to be away for a few more days with fever.

Today’s match between Abahani Limited and Brothers Union was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances and the match will be held tomorrow. l

India’s cricket chiefs on Saturday vowed to enforce a life-long ban on Lalit Modi after the disgraced Indian Premier League founder contested elections for a state association in absentia.

Modi, who lives in self-exile in London with his passport revoked by the Indian government on corruption charges, had contested for the post of president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) on December 19.

Results for the Supreme Court-monitored elections will be declared by the apex court on January 6, but the Modi faction has already claimed support of 25 of the 33 district units in the state.

The elections had angered the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which in September had banned Modi for life from holding any cricket post after finding him guilty of “serious” acts of indiscipline and misconduct.

An emergency meeting of the BCCI’s powerful working committee in Chennai on Saturday termed the RCA as a “delinquent” member and voted to keep Modi out of cricket administration. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Keeper Hart is ‘best in England’, says Pellegrini

SCORECARD, DAY 3 ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS 255

(K. Pietersen 71; M. Johnson 5-63) AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS

(164 for 9 overnight) Brad Haddin c Bairstow b Anderson 65 Nathan Lyon not out 18 Extras (lb4) 4 Total (all out; 82.2 overs) 204

n Reuters

Bowling Anderson 20.2-4-67-4, Broad 20-6-453, Stokes 15-4-46-1, Bresnan 18-6-24-2, Panesar 9-2-18-0 ENGLAND 2ND INNINGS

Alastair Cook lbw b Johnson 51 Michael Carberry lbw b Siddle 12 Joe Root run out (Johnson) 15 Kevin Pietersen c Harris b Lyon 49 Ian Bell c Johnson b Lyon 0 Ben Stokes c Smith b Lyon 19 Jonny Bairstow c Haddin b Johnson 21 Tim Bresnan b Lyon 0 Stuart Broad c Clarke b Lyon 0 James Anderson not out 1 Monty Panesar lbw b Johnson 0 Extras (b5, lb6) 11 Total (all out; 61 overs) 179 Bowling Harris 10-1-34-0, Johnson 15-5-25-3, Lyon 17-3-50-5, Siddle 15-6-46-1, Watson 4-2-13-0 AUSTRALIA 2ND INNINGS

Chris Rogers not out David Warner not out Extras Total (0 wkt; 8 overs)

18 12 0 30

Bowling Anderson 3-1-5-0, Broad 3-0-16-0, Panesar 1-0-4-0, Stokes 1-0-5-0

Australia's Nathan Lyon (2R) celebrates his 100th Test wicket with team mates during the third day of their fourth Ashes Test against England at the Melbourne cricket ground yesterday REUTERS

Aussies eye win as England crumble n Reuters, Melbourne Australia moved within 201 runs of victory in the fourth Ashes test with all 10 wickets in hand after routing England’s second innings for 179 to wrest back the momentum on a roller-coaster fourth day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday.

Australia offspinner Nathan Lyon celebrated his 100th test wicket in a 5-50 haul as the tourists lost their last five wickets for six runs, squandering a hard-fought advantage their bowlers had secured in the morning.

Chris Rogers was on 18 with fellow opener David Warner on 12 as Australia, chasing 231 for victory, reached 30 for no loss at the close of a blustery day’s play in front of a crowd of more than 63,000.

Though victory and a 4-0 lead in the five-test series would seem Australia’s for the taking, no team has ever chased

down more than South Africa’s 183 in 2008 since the first use of drop-in wickets at the MCG in 1996.

Both sides have struggled to score over 200 on a two-paced wicket amid Melbourne’s notoriously fickle weather, which brought baking heat before a cool change ushered in chilly gusts and blew rubbish across the field late in the day.

England, however, were in large part the architects of their downfall in the second innings having pushed the lead to 116 without loss shortly after lunch.

England captain Alastair Cook had moved serenely to his third half-century and became the youngest cricketer at 29 to reach 8,000 test runs, but his wicket for 51 was duly followed by the loss of three more for one run in the session.

Rejuvenated seamer Mitchell Johnson firmed his bid for man-of-theseries by trapping Cook in front with

a searing inswinger and finished with 3-25 after having wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow caught behind for 21 and Monty Panesar lbw for a duck to wrap up the innings.

The 32-year-old left-armer also dismissed Joe Root for 15 with brilliant fielding, throwing down the stumps from mid-off with the England number three well short of his bid for a reckless single.

Two balls later Johnson, disbelievingly, took the simplest of catches at mid-off as Ian Bell lofted a horrid drive off the bowling of Lyon to be out for a golden duck.

That completed a collapse of 3-1, kicked off when paceman Peter Siddle trapped Michael Carberry in front after a dour knock that yielded only 12 runs from 81 balls.

England still held a lead of 182 after tea with six wickets in hand, but promptly imploded as Lyon combined

with Johnson to mow through the tail.

Lyon struck to remove Ben Stokes for 19 to end a 44-run partnership with Kevin Pietersen, the spinner coaxing the all-rounder into a clumsy slog straight to Steven Smith at mid-on.

The 26-year-old struck again the second ball after drinks to bowl Tim Bresnan for a duck, and three balls later had his 100th when Stuart Broad was out for another duck by offering up a catch to Australia captain Michael Clarke at slip.

Lyon capped a banner day by dismissing Pietersen for 49 for his fifth wicket when the South Africa-born batsman slogged to Ryan Harris at long-off.

While Lyon enjoyed most of the plaudits, Haddin continued to be the thorn in England’s side, with his first innings 65 making him the first batsman at seventh or lower in the order to post four first innings halfcenturies in a series. l

Two months after dropping him following a string of mistakes, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini on Friday hailed goalkeeper Joe Hart as “the best in England”.

England first choice Hart, 26, played his first Premier League game in nearly two months in the 4-2 win at Fulham on Dec. 21 and produced several outstanding saves on Thursday when City beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

“He has worked very hard in the last month and a half,” Pellegrini told the City website. “He is the best goalkeeper in England.”

At that time, he appeared to be suffering a loss of confidence although Pellegrini did still pick him for Champions League and League Cup matches.

Pellegrini added: “I am very pleased with Joe... Not only (for) now, but I think in all the games he played in the last month. He did very well.

“I thought it was good for Joe to have a rest. He was not in his best moment.”

Hart’s restoration helped City recover from a one-goal deficit against Liverpool.

“It was a very important win because Liverpool was the best team in the Premier League and they were at the top of the table before the match. It’s important that we showed the personality to come from behind to win the game.” l

Brazil tribunal confirms Fluminense saved from drop n AFP, Rio De Janeiro Brazil’s Superior Tribunal of Sporting Justice (STJD) Friday confirmed relegation for Portuguesa for fielding a suspended player, thereby saving outgoing champions Fluminense from the drop.

In a tumultuous ending to the national league season, Fluminense looked to have become the first defending champions to be relegated the following season after finishing fourth bottom.

But the STJD upheld on appeal an initial decision to dock Portuguesa four points for fielding suspended midfielder Heverton in the Sao Paulo-based side’s final match.

Another judgment Friday saw fourtimes champions Vasco da Gama fail to have their final-day defeat at Atletico

Paraenense overturned -- a successful appeal would have kept them up at the expense of Rio neighbours Flamengo.

The match, which Vasco lost 5-1, was interrupted for more than an hour for crowd violence and the club insisted it should have been replayed.

The televised violence shocked the nation and led to a key Vasco sponsor, a Japanese carmaker, revoking its backing of the club while the Brazilian authorities called, not for the first time, for a tough crackdown on hooliganism.

Had Vasco won their case Flamengo would have been demoted after failing to recover four points docked for playing former Arsenal defender Andre Santos against Cruzeiro after earning a one-match ban in a cup match. The four relegated teams were Nautico, Ponte Preta, Vasco and Portuguesa.l

Chelsea braced for Suarez reunion n AFP, London

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will come up against Chelsea on Sunday for the first time since being banned for biting the London club’s Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic last season.

The incident, in a 2-2 draw at Anfield in April, saw Suarez widely castigated, and came at a time when Liverpool were drifting towards a fourth consecutive placing outside the Premier League’s top five.

Now, however, they are in the thick of the title race and despite losing 2-1 at Manchester City on Thursday, they visit Stamford Bridge only a point behind Jose Mourinho’s side.

Suarez, meanwhile, is in the best form of his Liverpool career, having scored 19 times in the 13 games he has played since completing a 10-match ban for sinking his teeth into Ivanovic’s forearm.

In stark contrast, Chelsea’s three strikers – Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba – have scored only five goals between them.

Eden Hazard came to the rescue against Swansea City on Thursday, scoring the game’s only goal, but

FIXTURES Chelsea Everton Newcastle Tottenham

v v v v

Liverpool Southampton Arsenal Stoke

Mourinho has admitted that he would prefer not to have to expose his team to the threat posed by Suarez.

“Maybe Suarez got a little injury,” Mourinho joked.

“I’m not asking for a big injury. A little injury to stop him playing for four days.”

Neither Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard nor young full-back Jon

Flanagan are ready to return from hamstring injuries, while on-loan Chelsea forward Victor Moses is unable to play under the terms of his loan contract.

Arsenal remain the team to catch and German defender Per Mertesacker believes Thursday’s 3-1 win at West Ham, which saw the Gunners hit back from a goal down to end a run of four matches without a win, is ample evidence that they are capable of lasting the pace in the title race.

Arsenal travel to improving Newcastle on Sunday.

Tim Sherwood will continue his crash-course introduction to management as he attempts to ensure Tottenham avoid another home disappointment when Stoke visit White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Tottenham’s continuing inconsistency has left them five points adrift of the Premier League’s top four going into the next round of matches a. l

Cristiano Ronaldo (R), who plays for Real Madrid and Portugal national team and former Fifa referee Pierluigi Collina (L) of Italy sit next to a handicapped man, invited by conference organisers as a guest, as they attend the eighth Dubai International Sports Conference, in Dubai yesterday REUTERS

SL pull off thrilling consolation win Tan slams sacked

Mark Hughes charged after touchline dismissal n AFP, Abu Dhabi Dinesh Chandimal kept his nerve to pull off a sensational two-wicket win n AFP, London for Sri Lanka in the fifth and final oneStoke manager Mark Hughes was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association on Friday following his touchline dismissal at Newcastle.

Hughes was sent to the stands by referee Martin Atkinson during Stoke’s 5-1 thrashing at St James’ Park in a Premier League fixture on Boxing Day. Hughes’ charge relates to his conduct on the touchline and not his post-match criticism of Atkinson.

The Welshman was ordered from the dug-out by the referee after he reacted furiously to the dismissal of midfielder Glenn Whelan, and he was still making his way to his new vantage point when defender Marc Wilson followed three minutes later.l

dayer in Abu Dhabi on Friday, but Pakistan took the five-match series 3-2.

Chandimal finished with 64 not out off 70 balls and added a match-turning 40 runs for the ninth wicket with Ajantha Mandis (19 not out) to see Sri Lanka through with two balls to spare.

Mendis hit the winning boundary and smashed one of the two sixes in Umar Gul’s penultimate over which cost Pakistan 15 runs and the match.

Chandimal hit his only boundary to reach fifty before hitting a six off Gul to clinch an unlikely win after Sri Lanka had wobbled at 195-8, derailed by Junaid Khan (3-31) and Saeed Ajmal (2-43).

Sri Lanka, who chased down a 285run target in their second one-day win in Dubai, were cruising along at 113-1

after Kusal Perera (47) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (45) gave them a brisk start of 75.

Perera was aggressive right from the word go, hitting four sixes and three boundaries in his 40-ball knock, but was trapped leg-before by Hafeez after he attempted a reverse sweep.

BRIEF SCORE

Pakistan 232 Misbah 51, Malinga 4-57 Sri Lanka 235 for 8 Chandimal 64*, Junaid 3-31 Sri Lanka won by two wickets When on 31, Dilshan completed 8,000 one-day runs, becoming the sixth Sri Lankan to achieve the milestone.

But Sri Lanka then lost three quick wickets in the space of just 24 runs, two of those to Junaid.

Junaid had Dilshan caught behind and bowled Kumar Sangakkara (22)

round his legs to complete 50 wickets in the calendar year.

Gul accounted for Ashan Priyanjan (one) while skipper Angelo Mathews’s laborious 31-ball eight was ended by paceman Anwar Ali before Chandimal’s rearguard action.

Earlier, Misbah top-scored with 51 while in-form batsman Hafeez, who scored three centuries in the series, made 41 as Pakistan were bowled out for 232 in the 50th over.

Pakistan found the going tough after openers Ahmed Shehzad (17) and Sharjeel Khan (18) by 13th over.

Lasith Malinga made it 70-3 by dismissing Sohaib Maqsood (seven) before Misbah and Hafeez shared a 58run stand for the fourth wicket before the innings once again was derailed.

Hafeez was bowled by Angelo Mathews after his 56-ball knock with two boundaries. He finished the series with 448 runs with three hundreds. l

Cardiff boss Mackay n AFP, Cardiff

Cardiff owner Vincent Tan admitted he sacked manager Malky Mackay on Friday because the Scot was airing the Premier League club’s “dirty linen” in public.

Mackay’s acrimonious departure was the inevitable result of his turbulent relationship with Malaysian tycoon Tan, who had last week granted the Bluebirds boss a reprieve despite sending him an e-mail demanding he resign or be sacked. That ultimatum was briefly lifted when chairman Mehmet Dalman stated Mackay would be in charge for the “forseeable future”, but Thursday’s 3-0 defeat against Southampton proved to be Mackay’s last game in charge.

Tan laid the blame for that with Mackay, who he believes attempted

to garner sympathy from the Cardiff supporters with some of his comments about the club’s owners.

“There has been a good deal of publicity generated by, and about, Mr Malky Mackay for the last few months,” Tan said in a statement. Indeed, far too much dirty linen has been exposed to the public gaze but, I stress, not by me.

“Indeed, I have deliberately not responded to this, hoping that the club can be judged on its football rather than personalised arguments about who said what to whom.

“I have, however, regretfully concluded that it is no longer fair to the club, its players, its fans and the public more generally for this uncomfortable state of affairs to continue. Cardiff City Football Club means far too much to us all for it to be distracted by this.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Poland handed Hopman Cup tie

QUICK BYTES

Rashid reelected as DCL president

n AFP, Perth

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) vice-president Harunur Rashid has been re-elected as the president of Dhanmondi Club Limited. Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Akramul Haque, Hanif Bhuiyan, Asadul Islam Ripon, Mozammel Haque Alamgir, Rakibul Karim, Shafiq Khan, Arif Masud, Azizul Haque and Tapan Kumar Sarkar were elected as the directors.

–Tribune Desk

Darren Bravo quits Windies tour of New Zealand

The West Indies suffered a blow on the eve of the second one-day international against New Zealand with the loss of key batsman Darren Bravo. Bravo has returned home to Trinidad “for personal reasons”, a team spokesman said. The left-hander, whose career-best 218 was pivotal in saving the first Test for the West Indies, scored 14 when the West Indies won the first ODI in Auckland on Boxing Day by two wickets. It was their first taste of success in New Zealand after losing the three-Test series 2-0.

The second of five ODIs is in Napier on Sunday.

–AFP

Nadal loses to Ferrer on return to courts Rafael Nadal got his season underway with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the semi-finals of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi on Friday. It was the world number one’s first match since losing in straight sets to Novak Djokovic in the final of the World Tour Finals in London on November 11.

Playing ahead of the official ATP seasonopener in nearby Doha next week, Ferrer looked the sharper from the start, breaking in the ninth game to take the first set. It was more of the same in the second set as Nadal struggled to find his range against an opponent who already had a match under his belt, having defeated Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

–AFP

Cameroon seeks to convince dual nationals to play

The Cameroon football federation is to send a delegation to Europe in a bid to convince players of Cameroonian origin to make themselves available for selection at next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

FECAFOOT said they were focusing on four players in particular who had been capped by France at junior level. The quartet comprises three 20-year-olds Axel Ngando at Ligue 2 club AJ Auxerre, Samuel Umtiti at Olympique Lyon and Jean-Christophe Behebeck at Valenciennes - and the 21-year-old Paul-Georges Ntep de Madiba, also at Auxerre.

“We want to convince them to play for Cameroon, notably in the World Cup but also in the future,” the federation said in a statement on Friday.

–Reuters

DAY’S WATCH Neo Prime 7:00AM New Zealand v West Indies 2nd ODI Sony Six 5:29AM NBA 2013-14 Indiana v Brooklyn Star Sports 1 5:30AM (Monday) Australia v England 4th Test, Day 5 Star Sports 4

6-0

Hull City's Tom Huddlestone (L) celebrates scoring with his teammates against Fulham during their EPL match at The KC Stadium in Hull yesterday

Off-colour City go top, United win n AFP, London Manchester City took over at the top of the Premier League table on Saturday but only after weathering heavy pressure from Crystal Palace in a narrow 1-0 home victory.

Having described the English festive fixture schedule as “not normal”, City manager Manuel Pellegrini made six changes to his side and Palace almost took full advantage at the Etihad Stadium.

City goalkeeper Joe Hart was left with an ugly cut beneath his left eye after saving at the feet of Cameron Jerome in the first half and it was to mark the start of a frantic afternoon for the England man.

He saved brilliantly from Jason Puncheon and Mile Jedinak, while Marouane Chamakh headed wide from eight yards out as Palace looked to continue their impressive recent form under new manager Tony Pulis.

With half an hour remaining, Pellegrini sent on Samir Nasri and Alvaro Negredo, and in the 66th minute the

hosts made the breakthrough when Edin Dzeko slammed home from Jesus Navas’s cut-back.

Hart’s work was not finished, however, and he had to produce another fine stop to deny Joel Ward before City

RESULTS Aston Villa Agbonlahor 7

1-1

Hull 6-0 Elmohamady 49, Koren 60, 84, Boyd 63, Huddlestone 67, Fryatt 74

Swansea Lamah 36 Fulham

1-0

Crystal Palace

Norwich

0-1

West Ham J.Cole 4, Maiga 65, Nolan 67

3-3

Man United Welbeck 57

Man City Dzeko 66

West Brom Anelka 40, 45, Berahino 69

could celebrate their ninth consecutive home success this season.

Victory took City two points above previous leaders Arsenal, who visit Newcastle United on Sunday.

Manchester United closed to within two points of the Champions League places after recording a sixth consecutive victory in all competitions with a 1-0 win at Norwich City.

The defending champions were without Wayne Rooney due to a groin injury and needed the half-time introduction of Danny Welbeck to secure victory at Carrow Road.

David Moyes’s side had laboured until then but in the 57th minute a favourable ricochet off Javier Hernandez set Welbeck free and he rounded England team-mate John Ruddy before sliding in the winning goal.

The win took United level on points with fifth-place Everton, although they have now played a game more than all of the teams above them apart from City.

On Sunday, Everton host Southampton while third-place Chelsea tackle fourth-place Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Elsewhere, relegation rivals West Ham United and West Bromwich Albion played out a richly entertaining 3-3 draw at Upton Park.

West Ham led twice, first through

Joe Cole and then Kevin Nolan, but on each occasion they were pegged back by the visitors, who remain without a permanent head coach following the sacking of Steve Clarke.

Nicolas Anelka broke his West Brom duck with a quick-fire brace to cancel out Cole’s fourth-minute opener and put the away team ahead, with Saido Berahino netting a 69th-minute equaliser after goals from Modibo Maiga and Nolan had restored West Ham’s lead.

The goal from Berahino, who later hit the post from a free-kick, prevented West Ham from climbing out of the relegation zone and left West Brom two points above the bottom three in 15th.

Fulham also remain in the relegation zone after a 6-0 humiliation at Hull, who prevailed through goals from Ahmed Elmohamady, George Boyd, Tom Huddlestone and Matty Fryatt, and a Robert Koren brace.

Aston Villa were held to a 1-1 draw

by Swansea City, for whom Roland Lamah cancelled out Gabriel Agbonlahor’s seventh-minute opener with a back-post header nine minutes before half-time. l

Federer adds 'childhood hero' to coaching team n Reuters

Former world number one Roger Federer has made his “childhood hero” Stefan Edberg part of his coaching team and will use him on an occasional basis next year, the Swiss said on Friday.

“I am happy to announce that beginning in Melbourne, Stefan Edberg will join Severin Luethi on my coaching team,” Federer, a 17 times grand slam champion, announced on his Facebook page referring to next month’s Australian Open.

Swede Edberg, also a former world number one, won six grand slams, including two Australian Open titles, in the mid-1980s.

“Severin, who has been part of my team for the last seven years, will do most of the weeks and Stefan has agreed to work with us for at least 10 weeks starting at the Australian Open in Melbourne,” the 32-year-old Federer added.

“Stefan was my childhood hero, and I am really looking forward to spending time (with) and learning from him.” l

Kallis grinds it out in final Test n AFP, Durban Jacques Kallis, playing in his final Test match, ground out an unbeaten 78 after South Africa lost three wickets in quick succession on the third day of the second and final Test against India at Kingsmead on Saturday.

South Africa were 299 for five, 35 runs behind India’s first innings total of 334, when rain brought an early close.

Kallis received a standing ovation from the crowd and a guard of honour from the Indian players when he walked out to bat after Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla had been dismissed for 47 and three respectively.

Before he faced a ball, Alviro Petersen was caught at slip for 62 off a ball from Ravindra Jadeja which bounced more than Petersen expected. Left-arm spinner Jadeja put a clamp on the scoring rate and picked up four for 87 in 37 overs.

Fairly early in his innings, Kallis hit

two successive lofted drives for four off Jadeja but the spin bowler, who replaced Ravichandran Ashwin from the team that played in the drawn first Test, was never mastered.

Kallis and AB de Villiers (74) shared a fourth wicket partnership of 127 after South Africa lost three wickets for ten runs to be wobbling at 113 for three.

Most of the enterprise came from De Villiers, who continued in a rich vein of form which has taken him to the top of both the Test and one-day international batting rankings. He hit nine boundaries in a 117-ball innings.

But after De Villiers was caught at slip off Jadeja, the scoring rate almost ground to a halt with Kallis taking no chances after announcing that he would retire from Test cricket after this match.

It was important from a team point of view, too, that South Africa secured a first innings lead on a pitch on which Jadeja gained turn and occasional unexpected bounce. l

SCORECARD, DAY 3 INDIA, FIRST INNINGS, 334 SOUTH AFRICA, FIRST INNINGS (overnight 82-0) G. Smith c Dhawan b Jadeja 47 A. Petersen c Vijay b Jadeja 62 H. Amla b Mohammed Shami 3 J. Kallis not out 78 A. de Villiers c Kohli b Jadeja 74 J. Duminy lbw b Jadeja 28 D. Steyn not out 0 Extras (lb6, w1) 7 Total (5 wkts, 104.5 overs) 299 Fall of wickets 1-103 (Smith), 2-113 (Amla), 3-113 (Petersen), 4-240 (De Villiers), 5-298 (Duminy) Bowling Zaheer Khan 16-2-46-0 (1w), Mohammed Shami 19-2-62-1, I. Sharma 23-7-76-0, Jadeja 37-9-87-4, R. Sharma 9.5-1-22-0

Serena Williams (R) of the US and Victoria Azarenka of Belarus play beach tennis while opening Hua Hin Beach Tennis Championship 2013, in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Thailand yesterday AFP

Eyes on Federer as season gets underway

8:00AM Hopman Cup Czech Rep v Spain English Premier League 7:30PM Newcastle v Arsenal 10:00PM Chelsea v Liverpool Ten Cricket

n AFP, Brisbane

1:00PM South Africa v India 2nd Test, Day 4 Star Sports 2 2:30PM Big Bash T20 Sydney v Melbourne Star Sports HD1 English Premier League 7:30AM Everton v Southampton 10:00PM Tottenham v Stoke City Ten Action 9:00PM Sky Bet C’ship 2013/14 Watford v QPR

REUTERS

World number five Agnieszka Radwanska got her new season off to a fine start with a straight sets win over Flavia Pennetta as Poland beat Italy at the mixed teams Hopman Cup on Saturday.

After Radwanska edged past the 31st-ranked Pennetta, the Poles clinched the tie in unlikely circumstances, when the 288th-ranked Grzegorz Panfil was handed victory over Andreas Seppi in the men’s singles after the Italian retired due to illness.

Panfil, who was a late call-up for the tournament following the withdrawal of Jerzy Janowicz due to injury, won the first set and scores were level in the second when Seppi retired.

That gave Poland, nominally the tournament’s top seeds but outsiders for the tie after Janowicz’s withdrawal, an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the Group A encounter. They were also handed the mixed doubles in a walkover for a 3-0 win in the first tie of the tournament. Radwanska only arrived in Perth the night before her match against Pennetta, but looked in good touch in cruising to a 6-2, 6-2 win against the Italian, who has been ranked as high as 10th in the world. l

South Africa's Jacques Kallis acknowledges the crowd as he leaves the field during Day 3 of the second cricket Test match against India at Kingsmead in Durban yesterday AFP

Six of the top 10 women’s players will compete in the Brisbane International beginning Sunday but arguably all eyes will be on the men’s draw as Swiss superstar Roger Federer makes his debut in the tournament.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam winner Federer could possibly be playing in Australia for the last time if he decides to call an end to his glittering career at the end of 2014.

The 32-year-old former world number one slipped to number six in the rankings at the end of 2013 following a mid-season back injury and a series of disappointing results, particularly in the Grand Slams.

After losing to Andy Murray in the semi-finals of the Australian Open, Federer was beaten by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

Federer then suffered a shock second round loss to world number 116 Sergiy Stakhovsky at Wimbledon before bowing out in the fourth round of the US Open to Spaniard Tommy Robredo.

He won just one title in 2013, and failed to make a major final for the first time since 2002.

However, Federer warned against writing him off, saying the recent appointment of Stefan Edberg to his coaching staff was an indication he still had the desire to compete at the top level.

“I always had a good perspective for things and it’s why, as crazy as it sounds, I enjoyed the year considering the setbacks I had – I wanted to find a way out of it.”

Federer’s main challenges in Brisbane will come from Japanese star Kei Nishikori, the world number 17, and Frenchman Gilles Simon, ranked two places lower at 19. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Sunday, December 29, 2013

AL MANIFESTO

No new promises for ‘digital Bangladesh’ Incorrect information given on internet users, active SIM cards and ICT usage been launched, and 4G will be launched n Muhammad Zahidul Islam within a short time.

With only little gains made from the massive “digital Bangladesh” electoral campaign of 2008, the ruling Awami League has not placed any new promises in this regard in its manifesto.

Industry analysts claimed that the ruling party was unable to fulfill most of its pledges about information and communication technology, although it managed to claim some of the private sector’s achievements as its own.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, placed some incorrect information in her election manifesto speech.

Hasina claimed the country had nearly 3.86 crore people as internet users, while 10 crore people used mobile phones.

But the BTRC claimed that there were only 3.66 crore active internet connections, according to available statistics.

The same statistics declared there to be more than 11.17 crore active SIM cards in the market; but this does not mean 10 crore people were using the mobile phones.

Market sources also claimed that at best, five to sixcrore people were using the internet.

In the manifesto speech of 2008, Hasina also declared that the party will set up a high-tech park, software technology park, ICT incubator and computer villages at suitable locations in the country.

However, the government only managed to initiate some of the projects and could not even finish the high-tech park project, which started 13 years back.

This time around, Hasina has said the fastest data services of 3G have

“All the initiatives will be continued to build a digital Bangladesh, and we will work for a knowledge-based society.”

She also sought to assure the outsourcing and software industry of her continuing support.

In the manifesto, she also claimed that Bangladesh was one of the top leaders of ICT usage among the South Asian countries.

But a report by the International Telecommunication Union in 2012 declared Bangladesh’s ranking as 135, it was 139 in the previous year, out of 157 countries on the globe. Sri Lanka (107), India (121), Pakistan (129), and Myanmar (134) were ahead of Bangladesh, according to the report.

Meanwhile, a senior leader of the Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services (BASIS) said this government had allocated hundreds of croresfor ICT development in budget or block allocation; but added that not a single coin had been spent from the funds over the years.

“The amendment of telecom act and transfer of the regulatory power from the BTRC [Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission] to the ministry did huge damage to the industry,” Abu Saeed Khan, a senior policy fellow of the Colombo-based regulatory think tank LIRNEasia and a former secretary of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob) told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the awarding of dozens of gateway licences has damaged the whole sector.

“There was a cabinet decision to merge the telecom and ICT ministry; but they did not do it, which was also a missedopportunity,” he added. l

A female passenger falls asleep at Kamalapur Railway Station after a five-hour-long wait for train. The rail authorities suspend train service ahead of the opposition’s Dhaka March programme yesterday Syed Zakir Hossain

An independent ACC still just words n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

As Awami League claimed it has established an independent Anti-Corruption Commission in its election manifesto, many differ observing the government has rather curtailed ACC’s freedom by including a controversial provision in the act that made it into a ‘toothless tiger’ or merely a ‘cat’.

According to the manifesto for the 2014 election, the government has ensured accountability and transparency in inquiring the graft cases. However, in reality, the parliament on November 10 approved the controversial bill curbing the power of the already beleaguered graft busting agency with a provision that made it mandatory for the ACC to have prior approval of the government before filing cases against judges, magistrates and public servants.

The new provision that AL government enacted has raised controversy regarding the ACC’s independence as it conflicts with the constitution and the ACC law, since article 27 of the constitution says all citizens are equal in the

eyes of law, while section 24 of the ACC act says all three commissioners of the agency will be independent and can approve charge sheets in cases.

While talking to Dhaka Tribune, ACC chairman M Bodiuzzaman said: “ACC cannot work as an independent body if the provision exists.”

“We have told the government earlier that the new provision would hinder the smooth functioning of ACC in combating corruption. If the provision remains there, it will only be damaging,” the chairman said.

He also said the ACC cannot work independently. He added: “several cases are proceeding in the court regarding this act. If the court cancels the controversial provision, only then we can work independently.”

In the manifesto, AL said it will strengthen legal, political, social and organisational initiatives to combat corruption. The effectiveness of the ACC will be boosted by extending its power.

Strict measures will be taken against bribery, black money, illegal tender businesses, and muscle power. Accountabili-

ty will be ensured for all citizens in terms of their asset and incomes.

In line with the AL election pledges of 2008, submission of wealth statements of the political high-ups were not properly carried out, reported in the media. Iftekharuzzaman, Transparency International (Bangladesh)-TIB’s executive director, said the election manifesto for January 5 election had no significance and it is just a formality.

“Rather it can be called just a wish list without any public ownership or scrutiny in true sense. The manifesto for this election is a not a factor for those will be elected through this election,” he said.

With regards to the corruption prevention part of the manifesto, the TIB executive director said: “What is said in the manifesto about strengthening the ACC will not gain enough public trust as an unconstitutional, discriminatory and motivated amendment was imposed in the ACC act in the very last session of the outgoing parliament. It has converted ACC into a toothless and clawless fat cat.” l

AL manifesto: Electricity for every household within five years n Aminur Rahman Rasel

The Awami League in its election manifesto for the upcoming 10th parliamentary polls,scheduled for January 5 next year, has made a commitment that if elected; it would ensure power supply to every household in the country withinfive years.

However, looking at the government’srecord of implementing power projects during its tenure, and after talking to an expert, the targetseemsunachievable.

Currently, the country’s electricity coverage reaches about 10 crore people, or 62% of the total population.

“Supply of electricity will be ensured to every household over the next five years through mid and long-term programmes formulated and executed by the Awami League.”

Back in 2009, when the AL-led

grand alliance government assumed the office, power generation capacity of the country was only 4,942MW, which increased by almost 106% to reach 10,264MW this December.

In its latest manifesto, the AL claimed that it would develop the country’s pow-

P3

MORE STORIES

er generation capacity to 16,000MW within 2016, and to 24,000MW within 2021. To achieve this, deals will be signed with neighbouring countries of India, Nepal and Bhutan in addition to the increase in the power generation capacities inside Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while reading out the manifesto yesterday, said if elected, the AL government would see through the work at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) and the coal-based power project at Rampal.

In comparison to the greater power generation capacity, however, distribution lines were extended by only 11% (from 260,369km to 299,852km) during the same period, according to the Power Division.

Meanwhile, overloaded transformers has made the situation worse. Five distribution companies under the Power Division have a total of 690,257 transformers, of which, 135,287 transformers were currently overloaded, according to the Power division.

Prof Ijaz Hossain of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) told the Dhaka Tribune: “Though the generation capacity of the country has increased significantly, there was little effort to bring more communities under the supply chain.

“If the obstacles, including, slow expansion of distribution lines, overloaded transformers, and shortages of

substationscould not be overcome, the commitment made by the AL would be difficult if not impossible to keep.”

He observed that technically, 90% of the population could not be brought under the conventional grid, given the varying terrain of the country. “Only a 65% of the total land mass can be brought under the grid because of water bodies and hilly areas,” Prof Ijaz said.

In its manifesto for the next elections, the AL has reinstated its previous call to put an emphasis on the use of coal to generate electricity.

However, the government took nearly five years to formulate a coal policy while a report on extracting coal was only finalised by an expert committee one year ago. In the meantime, the AL claimed it would install at least three million solar panels to help its move towards renewable energy sources.

Though the government formed the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda), which has an ambitious plan of producing 800MW of electricity by 2015, there has been little progress at the organisation.

AL renewed its old commitment to bring the Northern and Western districts of the country under gas supply, although there has been no visible progressunder the current government.

“The work to supply gas to the rest of the districts in the Northern and Westernregionsof the country will continue,” the AL manifesto reads.

The government had suspended giving new gas connections to residential consumers for three years citing supply shortages wich was was lifted this May. Prof Ijaz said: “It will not be possible to supply gas to the districts stipulated in the manifesto due to a shortage of gas.” l

Fugitive Khokon Razakar now in Sweden n Udisa Islam Faridpur’s Nagarkanda municipality Chairman Zahid Hossain Khokon alias Khokon Razakar has been traced in the Swedish capital, Stockholm. His trial for alleged crimes against humanity is currently underway in absentia.

The war crimes tribunal’s prosecution team yesterday confirmed that “fugitive” Khokon had been staying in Stockholm with his daughter Shamsun Nahar Begum and son-in-law Mohammed Bodiuzzaman Shaikh.

Present address of the BNP leader is Bredängsvägen 222; apartment: 1001; 127 32 Skärholmen; Stockholm.

One personal source from Stockholm sent the information to the prosecution team. In an email, the source sent a recent picture of Khokon sitting on a bench.

The source said in the picture, Khokon was sitting at a place near Bredang railway station in southern Stockholm. “He hangs around in the shops, sits on the benches as well as plays lotteries. Besides these, he visits the mosque,” according to a prosecution team member.

On August 14, the war crimes tribunal 1 has ordered to commence trial of Khokon Razakar in absentia. He was indicted on October 9 on 11 specific charges of crimes against humanity he had committed during the 1971 Liberation War. So far, 20 prosecution witnesses gave their depositions against the accused at the tribunal. The first witness testified on November 20.

Prosecutor Tureen Afroz said: “When we went to Sweden, we heard many things about him. He is living there like an ordinary man. But it is merely a strategy [to avoid arrest].”

She added that Khokon’s son Linkon had got the Swedish residence permit recently. He had recently been elected the general secretary of Sweden Jubo Dal. Mokhlesur Rahman, conducting prosecutor in the case against Khokon, said the accused had gone into hiding when the investigators started probe against him in Faridpur. l

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Business

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2013 www.dhakatribune.com/business

‘Government blockade’ deepens economic woes n Asif Showkat Kallol The government’s cutting down vehicular movement to Dhaka ahead of the opposition’s “March for Democracy” has aggravated further the sorry state of the economy that has already been reeling from the effects of repeated hartals and blockades.

The people of the country had a small four-day window of relief thanks to the pause; but the government move to impose an “unofficial blockade” on the highway brought the things back to square.

“The economy has already been going through a big dilemma for last three months because of prolonged political programmes. Now the government enforced its own blockade, barring transportation to Dhaka and disrupting supply chain,” said a senior official of the Finance Division of the finance ministry.

“The strikes and blockades have crippled the economy, affecting millions of poor farmers and the urban middle class. The country is the world’s eighth most populous country and one of the poorest in Asia,” the official added.

An official of the Budget Division said: “The law enforcing agencies have literally imposed a blockade on the highways, halting buses, trucks, trains and marine vessels from entering the capital.”

Media reports suggest that bus owners have started reducing the number of Dhaka-bound vehicles for last couple of days. As of yesterday, virtually no bus, train or launch either left the city or arrived at the terminals.

Police said the trips had been cancelled for security reasons.

Commerce ministry sources said the government move had badly disrupted the shipments of export-oriented goods, which had already been hit hard by the ongoing opposition programmes.

Transportation of fertiliser and diesel, essential for the ongoing Boro paddy cultivation, has also been disrupted, said sources in the agriculture ministry.

Last week, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told Canadian High Commissioner Heather Cruden that things would have been much worse if Bangladesh was a sophisticated economy like the UK. He cited the full-blown strike and its aftereffects in London in the 1970s.

According to trade bodies such as the FBCCI, Dhaka chamber and the international chamber, the economy has suffered a total loss of over Tk1 lakh crore from January to December because of the incessant political turmoil. They also estimated that the daily damage is between Tk1,540cr and Tk1,600cr.

According to the FBCCI, the countries apex trade body, transportation, readymade garments and the SME sectors were hit the hardest of all by the political unrest.

Abdus Salam Murshedi, president of Bangladesh Exporters’ Association, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We will stop the shipment of export goods for Saturday and Sunday because of the political event that the opposition has announced and the action the government has taken.”

He said some foreign buyers recently told a meeting in Hong Kong that they would drop some of their orders for security reasons.  B 3 COLUMN 6

Trucks laden with goods get stranded at Mawa ferry ghat as the ferry service was suspended yesterday

BB: Supply disruption may risk inflation n Jebun Nesa Alo Bangladesh Bank has apprehended a number of risks, including supply disruption, in keeping the inflation within the budgetary target of 7%.

It said the wage hike in both the private and public sectors stemming from the increase in garment worker wages, and the decision to set up a public sector wage commission will create aggregate demand pressure.

The central bank expressed the concern in its July-September quarterly report released recently.

“Another risk stems from possible supply-side disruptions due to prolonged nationwide strikes. The recent

RMG building manual finalised n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi National Tripartite Committee (NTC) finalised a guideline for assessing structural integrity and fire and electrical safety of the country’s readymade garment buildings.

It was finalised at a meeting on November 19, which was presided over by Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar.

The meeting was attended by representatives from International Labour Organisation (ILO), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Fire Service Department, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

The guideline is applicable only to the existing RMG factories, and those to come will follow Bangladesh National Building Code.

As per the guideline, minimum 25% of factory building rooftop will have to be

kept open now. But gradually the whole rooftop will have to be made open.

The travel distance between persons in stairs will be maximum 60 metres while the minimum width of a stair will be 0.9 metre.

'We have already assessed 120 buildings. Findings will be placed to the labour ministry soon' Sprinkler system is not mandatory and alternatives are adoptable.

The factories will carry out fire drill in every three months and the fire extinguishers must be placed at a distance of maximum 75 feet.

The staircases must be closed by swing doors and the doors will be fire rated.

No sliding and collapsible doors or gates are allowed and the exit stairs will smoke-proof.

The height from floor to ceiling in a building will be 2.9-3.2 metres. No vertical or horizontal extension of an existing factory will be done before inspection by the BUET team is completed.

“The guideline has been formulated to save the RMG sector and to ensure safety for the apparel workers,” said Mikail Shipar, adding that the buyers have supported it.

“This will be applicable only to the existing factories.”

The assessment has already been under way following the new guideline.

“We have already assessed 120 buildings. Findings will be placed to the labour ministry soon,” said Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, coordinator of the inspection teams and a professor of Civil Engineering at BUET. Accord and Alliance will inspect 1600 and 600 factories respectively while BUET team will inspect nearly 1,000 factories, he added. l

Diplomats: Political unrest holds back $10bn Gulf investment n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Political uncertainty and violence are holding back over US$10bn of investments from Gulf countries.

Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait are willing to invest billions of dollars to take advantage of the lucrative market in Bangladesh, but they are afraid of taking the decisions due to the instability, diplomats said.

“If Bangladesh can provide sustainable stability, the Gulf countries are ready to invest in several projects like power, tourism and port sectors,” said a senior diplomat.

They have a lot of idle money which they want to invest here.

If a business environment that may provide them with good returns could be ensured, Bangladesh would not face any difficulty to tap foreign investment, he added. Power, infrastructure, tourism, gas and oil are the sectors where they showed interest to invest.

Qatar

Qatar being the highest per capita income country had expressed willingness to invest in the second inter-

national airport in Dhaka and 2,000 megawatt power plants, but there is no headway, said another diplomat. Altogether, their proposed investment size ranges between $4bn and $5bn.

He said the country agreed in principal to deposit $1.8bn with Bangladesh Bank.

Kuwait

Kuwait is interested to build a refinery in Bangladesh with an estimated investment of $1bn.

“We had several rounds of talks with them, but the progress is much slow due to uncertainty,” said the diplomat.

Saudi Arabia

Prince Walid bin Talal visited Bangladesh in 2012 and expressed desire to invest in tourism and power sectors. “We made several presentations during his visit and he showed interest in the two sectors,” he said.

Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh is in touch with his company and if the situation becomes normal, he might invest $1.5bn to $2bn, he added.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates has offered

DHAKA TRIBUNE

to invest in four multi-billion dollar projects in the shipping sector. They showed interest in Chittagong seaport, Mongla seaport, setting up a dry dock and deep sea port, the diplomat said.

A delegation of an UAE company, DP World, was scheduled to visit Bangladesh in October to negotiate the projects, but postponed the trip due to uncertain political situation, he added.

Oman

Oman wanted to sign a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh on gas and oil exploration, but there is no progress as yet.

“Oman has expertise in oil and gas exploration and they are interested in offshore exploration,” the diplomat said. The country also interested in agriculture and aquaculture cooperation with Bangladesh, he added.

Bahrain

Bahrain had proposed to invest $200m to set up a power plant in Bangladesh.

“Several groups including Bangladesh diaspora in Bahrain wanted to set up a bank to invest in infrastructure, but there is no progress,” the diplomat said. l

rise in Indian inflation could also transmit to Bangladesh as shown by historical long term trends,” it said.

According Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), the country’s point to point inflation rose to 7.15% in November from 7.03% a month earlier, remaining slightly above the budgetary target.

Impending wage increases in the public and private sectors, the likelihood of supply disruptions due to prolonged nationwide strikes in the lead-up to parliamentary elections, bad weather and the rising inflation in India, pose as risks, said a senior executive of the central bank.

Overall food inflation rose to 8.5% in November from 8.38% in October,

according to BBS data. The inflation increased mainly due to supply disruption caused by the blockades.

In November, the government-formed wage board finalised Tk5,300 as minimum wage with a basic pay of Tk3,000 for entry-level garment workers. The new minimum wage, which is 76.66% higher than the existing Tk3,000, will be in effect from December 1, which means the workers will receive the new wages in January next year.

Currently, around 44 lakh worker are in the garment sector and there will be an additional spending worth more than Tk2,200 crore, which already put pressure on inflation.

The government has given a 20% dearness allowance to all the public and autonomous bodies and teachers under the monthly pay order in October with retrospective effect from July this year.

As a result, there will be an additional spending worth more than Tk4,000 crore from the public exchequer in the current fiscal year. It will create additional demand, which may have an impact on commodity prices, analysts said.

Inflation slowed 0.26 percentage points to 7.13% in September, compared to August, according to BBS. Inflation started dropping continuously from June. l

B2 Stock market falls for second week

Economic, political worries, year-end profit booking trigger selling tend to book profit towards the year-end. n Kayes Sohel Probably this profit booking tendency is pushing market down. Many are expecting that first quarter of 2014 will be bearish for textile companies as buy orders are falling due to delivery uncertainty, it said.

The brokerage firm said, according to newspaper sources, around $500m worth of RMG orders have already been shifted to India. “This is going to hamper banking sector profitability also as RMG owners are the major clients of local banks.”

Correspondingly, political clashes will severely hamper cyclical stocks.

Utility and consumer goods companies generally do better in economic hard times, it said.

Activities concentrated heavily on a few stocks, especially textile sector.

Interest in this sector was somewhat understandable as strong expectation for government support to the sector hit in investors’ mindset.

However, textile sector remained turnover leader capturing 27% of total activities with a fall of 4.6%. It was the second biggest losing sector after IT that declined 5.8%.

IDLC Investment said the final week of 2013 ended in dismay as looming political fear and its expected impact on national economy marred investment outlook, triggering correction in the market.

Appollo Ispat made debut in the past week. Its high volume of trading helped the engineering sector capture 17% of the week’s total turnover and rally 7.4%.

After Appollo Ispat, CVO Petrochemical Refinery, BD Autocars, Paramount Textile, Rahima Food, Padma Oil and Delta Spinners were the most traded stocks. l

Political uncertainty, economic worries and year-end profit booking continued to have its toll on the stock market for the second consecutive week as investors went for sporadic selling.

During the week that ended Thursday, the benchmark DSEX index dropped nearly 44 points or 1% to close at 4,200, which is its four-week low. The blue chip index DS30 ended at 1,448, shedding 19 points or 1%.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, lost almost 87 points or 1% to 8,250.

The market witnessed four trading sessions as it remained closed on Wednesday on account of Xmas Day –the biggest religious festival for Christian community.

Trading activities continued to decline as the DSE turnover plunged to Tk450 crore in the past week.

“Investors seem to be terribly worried over the latest political events as their perception of a stable government is fading out after each session,” said a leading analyst at a brokerage firm.

He said the market is yearning for good news from political leaders, but failed to hear even one so far. “If the current tensions continue, the market could hit new lows in the coming sessions,” he said.

Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis said: “Market sentiment remains more on a bearish side. Political clashes are going nowhere near any solution. Investors are not sure whether clashes will stop even after election. These sorts of situations will severely hamper corporate profitability, if continued for several quarters.”

It said institutional investors normally

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index DSE - 30 Index CSE All Share Index CSE - 30 Index CSE Selected Index

4200.96 1447.94 13031.90 10655.74 8254.0

DSE LOSERS Company Samata LeatheR -Z CVO PetroChem RL-Z BD. Autocars -Z Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Rahima Food -Z Padma Oil Co. -A Delta SpinnersA Legacy Footwear -A Hakkani P& Paper -B Central Pharm-A

Closing (% change) -25.62 -24.79 -15.90 -14.96 -14.88 -14.34 -13.67 -13.62 -13.30 -13.04

CSE LOSERS Company Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Padma Oil Co. -A Rahima Food -Z Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Delta SpinnersA Fine Foods A Central Pharm-A Eastern Cables-Z Legacy Footwear -A Anwar Galvanizing-B

Closing (% change) -14.66 -14.26 -13.98 -13.86 -13.67 -13.51 -13.21 -12.94 -12.04 -12.03

ANALYST

Average (% change) -26.34 -23.92 -15.12 -11.80 -12.12 -13.76 -10.08 -10.79 -11.21 -11.63

Average (% change) -11.84 -13.87 -12.93 -13.72 -9.98 -9.77 -12.41 -12.94 -9.03 -9.00

Closing average 18.23 622.93 29.20 53.42 65.71 260.91 38.02 40.75 34.47 44.68

Closing average 53.71 258.83 64.74 58.79 38.16 22.73 44.26 80.72 41.12 30.93

(-) 1.03% (-) 1.30% (-) 1.26% (-) 0.76% (-) 1.04% Weekly 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

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Weekly high

18.00 615.80 29.10 52.30 63.50 258.60 37.90 40.60 33.90 44.00

Weekly closing

22.20 773.00 35.50 63.70 90.00 306.00 45.70 48.80 39.70 51.70

Weekly high

52.40 256.70 64.00 58.40 37.90 22.40 44.00 80.70 40.90 30.70

63.60 305.00 86.80 70.00 46.00 27.00 51.80 87.00 48.30 34.20

DSE key features December 22-26, 2013

DSE GAINER

Turnover (Million Taka)

Bay Leasing.-A Bank Asia -A Union Capital -A Midas Financing-Z National Housing Fin.-B Prime Islami Life -A GSP Finance-A United Leasing - A Islamic Finance-A GreenDeltaInsu -A

Company

19,084.73

Turnover (Volume)

489,361,192

Number of Contract

538,542

Traded Issues

296

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

67

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

226

DSE Million Taka 1423.07 1712.07 596.88 3301.71 846.02 1329.32 7.89 5169.52 1221.71 3.44 111.20 237.89 120.73 420.90 291.92 449.28 774.62 336.48 324.52 404.23 1.33

% change 7.46 8.97 3.13 17.30 4.43 6.97 0.04 27.09 6.40 0.02 0.58 1.25 0.63 2.21 1.53 2.35 4.06 1.76 1.70 2.12 0.01

Million Taka 400.28 194.23 52.34 577.75 139.71 126.79 0.00 593.87 807.05 0.41 14.55 168.79 14.19 35.17 68.35 14.28 98.82 26.59 55.66 76.63 0.03

CSE

% change 11.55 5.60 1.51 16.67 4.03 3.66 0.00 17.14 23.29 0.01 0.42 4.87 0.41 1.01 1.97 0.41 2.85 0.77 1.61 2.21 0.00

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Closing (% change) 24.92 22.22 10.96 9.45 9.21 8.21 7.99 7.80 7.74 7.61

CSE GAINER

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,030.56

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.61

Company Bay Leasing.-A Bank Asia -A National Housing Fin.-B Delta Brac HFCL-A GSP Finance-A Pioneer Insur -A Union Capital -A GreenDeltaInsu -A Islamic Finance-A 6th ICB M F-A

Closing (% change) 23.87 19.68 10.96 10.90 10.18 9.69 9.52 7.83 6.47 5.88

Average (% change) 22.62 21.18 7.11 5.06 9.99 7.35 9.15 7.29 7.19 17.44 Average (% change) 21.99 20.13 10.96 22.46 9.54 9.73 7.27 15.96 6.69 5.88

Closing average 37.84 22.94 31.33 34.45 33.46 103.67 31.13 31.48 18.04 103.43

Closing average 37.72 22.38 33.60 58.78 31.01 70.23 31.42 102.98 18.02 54.00

Weekly closing 38.60 23.10 32.40 35.90 33.20 104.10 31.10 31.80 18.10 96.10

Weekly closing 38.40 22.50 33.40 59.00 31.40 70.20 32.20 96.40 18.10 54.00

Weekly high

Weekly low

39.70 24.00 32.50 36.00 34.50 108.00 32.90 33.00 18.70 111.00

Weekly high

29.00 17.20 27.00 30.00 28.50 94.00 26.00 27.50 16.00 88.00

Weekly low

39.50 23.00 34.90 60.00 32.30 70.40 32.20 110.00 18.80 54.00

30.60 18.70 30.90 50.00 28.00 69.90 29.00 90.00 17.00 53.00

Yearly high 43.7 24.0 39.9 52.5 57.7 121.8 39.0 41.2 25.8 140.0

Yearly high 43.5 23.0 54.5 74.0 37.0 87.4 38.0 138.0 25.7 77.0

Yearly low 22.5 14.5 18.5 24.9 18.6 81.0 20.0 22.2 12.6 48.0

Yearly low 23.0 14.4 20.1 48.0 22.0 64.0 18.0 49.2 13.0 42.0

Turnover in million 301.249 148.750 8.583 1.459 86.706 42.456 101.520 95.522 68.764 107.213

Turnover in million 29.998 4.855 12.339 0.325 5.795 0.211 3.161 2.819 14.580 0.059

MON TUE

CSE key features December 22-26, 2013 Turnover (Million Taka)

3,465.27

Turnover (Volume)

83,613,990

Number of Contract

110,114

Traded Issues

245

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

61

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

176

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

1,951.37

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

23.65

Weekly low

Yearly high

17.60 615.40 29.10 51.90 63.40 256.00 35.20 39.00 33.50 41.30

Weekly low

27.5 943.7 60.0 72.0 92.9 492.0 46.0 51.1 43.5 54.0

Yearly high

51.60 255.00 62.90 58.00 37.10 22.10 42.30 73.40 40.40 30.20

72.0 489.0 92.9 72.8 46.0 33.0 54.0 99.9 53.9 37.5

Yearly low 10.7 87.0 17.5 44.0 13.0 155.0 25.0 12.4 15.6 26.8

Yearly low 44.2 153.0 13.0 27.5 26.0 13.5 26.6 46.2 12.7 12.7

Turnover in million 3.922 100.561 5.369 359.991 54.028 189.490 194.425 28.690 3.437 183.731

Turnover in million 78.062 16.815 12.003 6.640 27.135 6.296 22.736 0.326 23.008 2.051

Million Taka 1823.34 1906.30 649.22 3879.46 985.73 1456.10 7.89 5763.39 2028.75 3.84 125.75 406.69 134.92 456.07 360.27 463.56 873.44 363.07 380.17 480.86 1.36

News from trade server Audited/unaudited Financial Reports:

APOLOISPAT: (Q1): The Company has reported its net profit after tax Tk. 98.86 million and basic EPS Tk. 0.66 for the 3 (three) months ended on 30 September 2013 (July 2013- September 2013) as against profit after tax of Tk. 96.67 million and basic EPS of Tk. 0.64 for the same period of the previous year. It is to be noted that basic EPS has been calculated based on weighted average Pre-IPO paid-up number of shares i.e. 150,000,000 shares both for 2013 and 2012. However, considering Post-IPO 250,000,000 number of shares the Company's basic EPS for the 3 (three) months ended on 30 September 2013 would be Tk. 0.40. However, considering Post-IPO 250,000,000 number of shares, the company's NAV would be Tk. 24.20 as on 30 September 2013.

SONALIANSH: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 30th September 2013 (July'13 to Sep'13), the Company has reported net profit after tax of Tk. 0.68 million with EPS of Tk. 0.25 as against Tk. 2.65 million and Tk. 0.98 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Credit Rating

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.

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment:

Investors seem to be terribly worried over the latest political events as their perception of a stable government is fading out after each session

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

GOLDENSON: The Company has informed that "GSL Export Ltd., a subsidiary company of Golden Son Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mr. Stephen Christenson, a famous German Industrialist and businessman to set up a large scale 100% export oriented toys manufacturing factory in GSL Export Ltd. Under the said MoU, Mr. Stephen has agreed to invest in 50% shares of GSL Export Ltd., Total

% change 8.09 8.45 2.88 17.20 4.37 6.46 0.04 25.56 9.00 0.02 0.56 1.80 0.60 2.02 1.60 2.06 3.87 1.61 1.69 2.13 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

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N R. N. Spinning-A Generation Next-A Golden Son -A Tallu Spinning -A Argon Denims Limited-A LankaBangla Fin. -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Delta Life Insu. -A Envoy Textiles Ltd-N CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Square Pharma -A Appollo Ispat CL -N R. N. Spinning-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A UCBL - A Beximco Pharma -A Berger Paints-A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Generation Next-A Tallu Spinning -A

Volume shares 27,255,000 26,138,136 22,458,040 12,656,189 12,056,686 4,655,640 5,738,370 6,302,000 1,350,400 5,953,210 Volume shares 2,679,586 9,325,200 4,293,192 200,100 4,523,971 2,065,398 100,150 1,357,000 1,958,300 1,834,880

Golden Son will invest 40% and Mr. Belal Ahmed will invest in 10% shares. Presently, Mr. Stephen has business and factories of similar product lines in Germany, Latvia and China of which the business and factory of Latvia named Latvian Corporation has been in operation for last 103 years. Due to recent increase in labour and production cost in those countries, Mr. Stephen has decided to shift his business from those countries to Bangladesh and signed the said MoU with GSL Export Ltd. GSL Export Ltd. has hired a floor space of 50,000 sft. from Golden Son Ltd. to set up its own factory to manufacture various types of toys for export purpose. The production in the factory will start from April 2014 and the products will be exported to whole over the world. As the parent Company, the Board of Directors of Golden Son Ltd. has also approved the said proposal/scheme."

RUPALILIFE: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to procure a floor space measuring 6,240 sft. including common space at 4th floor of S.B Trade Centre, 94 Sheikh Mujib Road, Agrabad, Chittagong @ Tk. 12,500.00 per sft. amounting a total of Tk. 7.80 crore only excluding registration cost, subject to approval of Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority.

RAKCERAMIC: The Company has informed that Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Co. Ltd. (A concern of Petrobangla) has approved the increase of gas load in the existing factory of RAK Ceramics (Bangladesh) Limited from 1,18,839 cft/hour to 1,64,563 cft/hour i.e. from 16,79,879.17 cubic meter/month to 23,26,222.50 cubic meter/month for enhancement of the production capacity of the Company.

OLYMPIC: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has approved execution of a Tripartite Agreement with R.B. Group of Companies Ltd. and its agent Mr. Mohammod Sirajul Islam for manufacture of Walton Brand UM-3 (R-6), Size-AA and UM-4 (R-03), Size-AAA, 1.5V, Mercury and Cadmium free Drycell Battery in its factory as per their requirement and to supply those to them or to their appointed agent against approved rates. The detailed terms and conditions for manufacture and supply shall contain in the agreement which will remain valid initially up to December 31, 2014 with provision for renewal under mutually agreed terms.

Value in million 1027.43 1014.91 866.44 777.84 489.91 455.93 376.52 359.99 355.85 344.07 Value in million 516.00 349.48 167.09 142.07 113.98 97.28 86.13 78.06 75.97 75.03

% of total turnover 5.38 5.32 4.54 4.08 2.57 2.39 1.97 1.89 1.86 1.80 % of total turnover 14.89 10.09 4.82 4.10 3.29 2.81 2.49 2.25 2.19 2.17

Weekly closing 38.00 37.30 36.40 62.20 38.00 96.00 63.90 52.30 254.30 54.20 Weekly closing 189.80 38.40 37.30 691.00 24.60 46.10 860.00 52.40 36.30 38.00

RUPALILIFE: The Company has further informed that the subscription period for rights issue will be from 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014.

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.

Miscellaneous

NPOLYMAR: 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 18, 2013.

EHL: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on July 31, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on December 23, 2013.

BATASHOE: The Company has informed that it has sent the interim dividend warrants for the year 2013 on 22 December 2013. The Company has also informed that the folio holders will get dividend warrants to their mailing address by "Padma Courier Service" and the BO holders will get dividend through BEFTN to their bank account which is mentioned in their BO account.

DACCADYE: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the 35th AGM of the Company will now be held on December 27, 2013 instead of December 24, 2013. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

MONNOCERA: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the 32nd AGM of the Company will now be held on December 27, 2013 instead of December 26, 2013. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

Price change 0.00 1.63 -6.43 2.13 -0.26 -3.71 -1.08 -14.96 -5.92 -5.90

Weekly opening 0.00 36.70 38.90 60.90 38.10 99.70 64.60 61.50 270.30 57.60

Weekly high 41.50 41.00 41.00 65.00 43.80 102.00 68.00 63.70 273.80 62.50

Weekly low 32.00 34.00 33.30 55.00 36.50 88.00 58.00 51.90 253.80 50.60

Weekly average 39.18 37.17 36.68 62.21 38.09 97.25 63.85 53.42 256.47 54.89

Price change -0.89 0.00 1.91 0.07 -0.40 -1.07 4.50 -14.66 -7.16 -0.78

Weekly opening 191.50 0.00 36.60 690.50 24.70 46.60 823.00 61.40 39.10 38.30

Weekly high 193.00 41.80 41.50 691.00 25.80 48.00 869.00 63.60 41.00 43.00

Weekly low 189.50 35.10 35.00 691.00 22.30 46.10 807.10 51.60 34.00 37.50

Weekly average 190.00 39.13 37.27 710.00 24.66 46.15 860.00 53.71 36.64 38.13

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Bay Leasing shares up 24% in a week

Appollo Ispat Samata Leather dominates DSE week’s worst loser at DSE Higher commission, interest income salvage merchant bankers from sinking Q3 profits last week

n Tribune Business Desk

Samata Leather Complex Limited was the worst loser last week amid its annual general meeting (AGM), as the stock price dropped more than 25% to Tk18 each on the Dhaka Stock Exchange on Thursday.

The AGM was held on December 24 where the board of directors did not recommend any dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013. Previously, the “junk” stock rose 85% in the first two weeks of December without any fundamental reason, brokers said.

They said the irrational price hike and the recently held AGM resulted in the last week’s drastic fall in its prices.

In its first quarter unaudited report (ended in September 2013), the company made losses of Tk2.1 lakh against a loss of Tk3.2 lakh during the same period last year. However, the management reported a net asset value of Tk12.93 per share as on June 30, 2013 despite occurring losses in most quarters last year.

Earlier in response to a DSE query, the company replied there was no undisclosed price sensitive information.

The DSE, however, formed an enquiry committee to investigate into the unusual price movement of the stocks. l

n Tribune Business Desk

n Tahmidur Rahman Bay Leasing and Investment Limited last week emerged as the highest gainer with its price increasing by more than 24% to close at Tk38.6 each on Dhaka Stock Exchange.

The market price of the stock is the highest in last six months. In the week ended on Thursday, the stock was traded for an amount of Tk30 crore.

Third quarter unaudited (ended on September 30, 2013) net profit of the non-banking financial institution stood at Tk1.7 crore against Tk71lakh in the same period a year earlier.

Brokers believe the rise in price of the stock is the reflection of its better performance last quarter.

The third quarterly profit growth of 139% was due to higher “commission, exchange and brokerage income” and an increase in net interest income of the company.

The commission, exchange and brokerage income component of the financial statement produced an additional income of Tk1.1 crore unlike any other quarters during the past two years.

The latest unaudited quarterly report did not mention the particulars.

Brokers believe the rise in price of the stock is the reflection of its better performance last quarter However, thelone item under the “commission, exchange and brokerage income” segment was commissions from L/Cs. Net interest income has improved because of a lower interest paid on deposit and borrowing against same period last year.

Its nine months (January-September) profit has slightly declined to Tk13.3 crore from Tk13.7 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.

The nine months profit improved due to the contributions of the third quarterly performance despite having lower investment income and lower profit from merchant banking during the first quarter of the year.

Latest news disclosed by the company was the sale of 5 lakh shares at prevailing market price through stock

exchanges by one of the sponsors of the company last month.

According to the latest unaudited reports, the company stocks have earnings per share of Tk1.17 each and a price to earnings ratio of 24.74 as on Thursday.

The company gave a cash dividend of 15% on the face value of Tk10 for the last year.

Moreover,its net asset value per share of Tk25.55 in 2012, which is 66% of the current market price. l

Appollo Ispat shares worth over Tk102.7 crore changed hands last week, accounting for more than 5.38% of the total DSE turnover.

The newly listed company made its debut in the secondary market on Tuesday with a price per share of Tk22.The stock closed at Tk38 on the last trading session with a price to earnings ratio of 23.73 and earnings of Tk0.4 per share.

Its price movement ranged between Tk32 and Tk41.5 during the trading sessions since its debut.

According to its quarterly financial (unaudited) report ended in September this year, the company reported net profit of over Tk9.8 crore, which is marginal profit from Tk9.7 crore in the same period a year ago.

The corrugated iron sheet manufacturer accounts for 20% of the total market share of the iron sheet industry, said the company’s IPO prospectus.

The company used around Tk153 crore from the IPO proceeds to repay bank loans, Tk60 crore for project development and the remaining to bear the IPO expenses from the money it raised. Currently, the sponsors hold 30.47%, public 36% and institutional investors the remaining company stake. l

UK think-tank: India to be world’s Gateway Hotels launched in Kolkata 3rd largest economy by 2028 n

‘Government blockade’ deepens economic woes

n

Investment has also dropped drastically with bank loan defaults piling up to Tk55,000cr. Moreover, 21 commercial banks and 31 non-banking financial institutions have also incurred losses during the January-December period.

According to the National Board of Revenue, for the July-November period, collection stood at Tk40,956cr which was Tk5,970cr less than target.

There are major concerns about agriculture and food security as well, with a staggering 11.95 lakh tonnes of fertiliser stuck at the Chittagong port in the middle of the Boro paddy cultivation season.

A rice dealer from the northern district of Naogaon said: “We fear chaos on Saturday and Sunday centring the ‘March for Democracy.’ So, rice-laden trucks may not ply through the highways.”

He said the supply of fertiliser had been badly disrupted over the last three months. Now the government’s move to halt Dhaka-bound traffic had only added to the misery.

Rustom Ali, general secretary of the Covered Van and Truck Owners’ Association, said: “The operation of the Dowlatdia ferry terminal was stopped on Saturday. We do not know the reason, but a long queue of goods-laden trucks has been formed on either sides of the terminal. We do not know how long they will have to wait.”

He also feared that things will remain the same today [Sunday] as well. l

Tribune Report

BSS

India will beat Japan to grab the position of the world’s third largest economy in 2028, according to an influential British think-tank, that also forecast China to overtake the US for the top position.

London-based economic consultancy Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) in its annual ‘World Economic League Table’ released here Thursday, indicated that by 2028, the league table will be re-ordered.

“India overtakes Japan in 2028 to become the world’s third largest economy. Abenomics means that Japan is likely to follow a weak currency policy for the foreseeable future which means that its GDP in dollar terms gets overtaken by India earlier than we had previously expected,” the CEBR said in reference to India’s march up the economic ladder as a result of Japanese Prime.

Minister Shinzo Abe’s aggressive policies. In 2013, Canada has overtaken India as a result of the collapse of the rupee to retake its position as the second largest economy in the Commonwealth and the 10th largest economy in the world.

However, India’s fortunes will start reviving by 2018 when it will be at the ninth position, followed by fourth in 2023, before grabbing the third spot in 2028.

“By 2028, the league table is being

Labourers work at the construction site of an educational institute in Gujarat reordered. China has moved to No 1; India to No 3; Mexico is in the top 10 at No 9; Korea and Turkey are 11th and 12th and have overtaken France. As symbols of the new world order, Nigeria, Egypt, Iraq and the Philippines break into the top 30,” CEBR said in its report, which gives an end of year analysis on GDP in the 30 largest economies in the world.

It also forecast the countries that will be in the ‘Top Thirty’ for the next five, 10 and 15 years.

This year’s research is updated to take account of the likely surplus of energy and falling oil and gas prices in the 2020s, weaker commodity prices than

REUTERS

had previously been expected and the sell-off of some emerging market currencies in mid-2013.

“Our latest forecasts now show China overtaking the US in 2028 to become the world’s largest economy.

This is later than some analysts have suggested and reflects the continuing performance of the US as the West’s strongest economy and the slowing down of the Chinese economy,” it added.

By 2028, the UK economy is forecast to be only 3 per cent smaller than the German economy and is likely to overtake Germany to become the largest Western European economy around 2030. l

The Gateway Hotels & Resorts, part of the Taj Group, announced the launch of The Gateway Hotel EM Bypass Kolkata.

This will be the first Gateway branded hotel in Kolkata and the second Taj hotel after 24 years of the launch of Taj Bengal in 1989, says a press release.

The hotel caters to the upscale segment and has expanded its footprint in Eastern India with this launch.

With the opening of this hotel, The Gateway Hotels & Resorts now has 24 hotels in its portfolio.

Raymond Bickson, managing director and chief executive officer of Taj Group of Hotels, said: “We are extremely proud and delighted to announce the opening of The Gateway Hotel E M Bypass in the beautiful city of Kolkata.”

“We are confident that The Gateway Hotel will not only maintain but strengthen our leadership position in the state in terms of providing a distinct service offering and experience to the new age business and leisure traveller.”

The Gateway Hotel Eastern Metropolitan (EM) Bypass Kolkata has 197 spacious rooms; each offering serene views of the city of Kolkata.

Designed to reflect modernity with a contemporary touch, the hotel provides guests round the clock hospitality throughout the week, the company said.

Guests can work out at the active

studio or the swimming pool, splash or relax at the Spa. The hotel has a spacious 6500 square feet ballroom - concord - to host up to 800 guests.

Food connoisseurs can choose from a variety of local Kolkata specialties to satiate their palate at Buzz, indulge in delectable range of freshly made breads, chocolates and pastries at the Deli, or relax over a vast repertoire of drinks at Swirl the lounge.

'We are confident that The Gateway Hotel will not only maintain but strengthen our leadership position in the state in terms of providing a distinct service offering and experience to the new age business and leisure traveller'

Buzz offers a perfect cosmopolitan mix of international cuisine and authentic regional home-style delicacies including local Kolkata specialties like Purbo Banglar Khabar.

Swirl, located at the lobby level, offers a relaxed and designed ambience with an eclectic lounge space and low seating couches.

“The launch of The Gateway Hotel in Kolkata will mark our 107th property in the country and 124th globally,” said Bickson. l

Mercantile Bank Limited inaugurates new branch

MTB launches new branch Mutual Trust Bank Limited (MTB) opened its 88th branch at Chouddagram, Comilla and the 89th branch at Abdur Bhaluka, Mymensingh recently.

Respectively. Sreepur Union Chairman Jalal Mojumder, Munshirhat Union Chairman Mahfuj Alam, Comilla Pollibidyut Samity Director Haji Mobarok Hossain Babul were present at the Kadair Bazar branch opening while MTB

Head of Dhaka Division Branches Syed Rafiqul Hossain inaugurated the Jamirdia Masterbari Branch at a simple ceremony held at the branch premises.

Local elite, leaders of the local business associations, people from different strata, managers of nearest MTB branches, senior officials and prospective customers also attended both the programmes. l

Mercantile Bank Limited (MBL) Chairman M Amanullah inaugurates 91st Branch “Abdullahpur Branch” as chief guest of the opening ceremony at Abdullahpur Bus Stand, South Keraniganj recently. Consort Group Chairman Mohammad Jahirul Islam was present as special guest.

MBL Directors Al-Haj Akram Hussain (Humayun), Mohd Selim, Al-Haj Mosharref Hossain,, Sponsor M A Khan Belal, Managing Director and CEO M Ehsanul Haque, Deputy Managing Director Md Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, Head of Corporate Affairs (PRD) K M Abdur Razzaque and head of Abdullahpur Branch Md Showkat Hossain were present on the occasion. l

Basic Bank opens new branch

Jamuna Bank Limited (JBL) inaugurated its 91st branch at Bhoberchor, Munshigonj recently. Hasni properties and Developer Limited MD Mohammad Mohsin Uzzaman was present as the chief guest. Bhoberchor Union Parishad Chairman Md Gias Uddin Ahmed, OC Mamun-ur- Rashid was present while presided over by the JBL Bhaoberchor Branch Head Md Imrul Hasan

International Islamic University Chittagong awarded

BRAC Enterprises Programme Head Nazra Mahjabeen Sabet handed awards to the top three winners of BRAC Chicken ‘Buy & Fly’ campaign. Superstore category managers and BRAC officials were also present

International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC) received Rapport Bangladesh Ltd (RBL) award for Excellence in Human Resource Development in a city hotel recently. Dr Akbar Ali Khan handed over the award to IIUC Treasurer Prof Md Harun-Ar-Rashid in a function at the city. In attendance former Cabinet secretary Dr Sa-adat Husain, RBL Managing Director M Mosharraf Hossain were present. l

 B 1 COLUMN 2

Basic Bank Limited (BBL) inaugurated its 68th branch at Mohipur recently. BBl Board of Directors Chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu inaugurated the branch as chief guest, coordinated by the AMD Md Ruhul Alam presided over by Kazi Faqurul Islam.

Among others AMD Fazlus Sobhan, Kanak Kumar Purkayastha, Md Salim, Mohipur Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Malek, Kolapara Pres Club President Bipul Haldar along with BBL senior executives were present at the occasion. l

SCB donates blankets

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited (BHL), Honda’s motorcycle business joint venture in Bangladesh, began sales of Honda motorcycle products in Bangladesh recently as per Meet the Press held at the city

Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), Bangladesh recently handed over blankets to Bangladesh Bank (BB) for distribution among the poor and cold-affected people in different parts of the country.

SCB, Bangladesh Head of Corporate Affairs Bitopi Das Chowdhury, handed over blankets to the relevant official of BB. Chowdhury thanked BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman for providing the bank with such opportunity. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Understanding where power comes from Recognise power and its role at the workplace using French and Raven’s five bases of power n Ahsan Sajid Leadership and power are directly linked, because people tend to follow those who are perceived as most powerful. Leaders have power for different reasons – the ability to let you off work early, assign you to your dream project or assign you work you hate, expertise in a given field, admiration from team mates etc. Can you recognise different forms of leadership in others around you at work, school or university, or at home? How about in yourself?

One of the most notable studies on understanding power was conducted by social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven in 1959. They identified five bases of power, and the study is popularly still referred to as French and Raven’s Five Bases of Power, despite Raven having added an additional 6th base in 1965.

By studying the different forms of power, one can deal with people in a position of authority more effectively.

Following are the six forms of power.

Use these categories as a checklist to determine what forms of power you and others have; it is a common mistake to assume you are powerless, or have less power than the other person.

sirable can be a reward, be it a vacation home or someone’s approval. Reward power is the ability to give others what they want, and in exchange ask them to do things for you.

Rewards can also be used negatively to punish (a method reminiscent of negative reinforcement) by withholding them. It is essentially “Do this and you will get that” or “Do this or you won’t get that.”

superior position. n Legitimate power of reciprocity: The norm that we should repay those who help us. n Legitimate power of equity: The norm of fair play and due compensation. n Legitimate power of responsibility: The norm of social responsibility in helping others.

knowledge, and others being in need of that knowledge. This is a very common form of power and is the basis for a very large proportion of human collaboration, including most companies where the principle of specialisation allows large and complex ventures to be undertaken.

Expert power may be used by skilled labourers demanding better pay or

n Career Desk Many of us, despite acknowledging that we could be managing our time more effectively, continue making a number of mistakes which are inefficient, slow us down or get in the way of juggling tasks. This happens because we fail to identify and pinpoint the mistakes that we’re making, or arriving at its root cause.

When we manage our time well, our productivity levels go up and our stress levels drop. Following are a number of common mistakes which we have all been guilty of at some point or the other.

Not keeping a to-do list

One of the most annoying feelings is the sense of foreboding that we feel when the idea that we have forgotten something important keeps nagging at the back of our heads. If you have ever felt this way at work, chances are you do not maintain a to-do list. The trick to using a to-do list effectively is by listing everything according to priority.

Coercive power

This is the power to compel and oblige others to do things against their will. It is often physical, but not limited to it. This is the power exercised by dictators, despots, rude bosses and bullies. Coercion often results in physical and psychological harm, but the wielder’s principal goal is compliance. “Or else” scenarios are often used to illustrate what will happen if compliance is not gained.

Coercion is also the ultimate power of all governments. While the word certainly has a negative connotation, it is also used to keep the peace. For example, a coercive parent might stop their child from associating with harmful elements in school because they don’t know any better. The other five forms of power are also used in coercive ways, such as when a reward or expertise is withheld or referent power is used to threaten social exclusion.

Reward power

One of our primary motives to work, to put it simply, is to make the money we need to conduct our lives the way we want to. There are other forms of reward – in fact anything we find de-

Six time management mistakes you cannot afford to make

Not setting goals Legitimate power

Legitimate power stems from a person’s role – it is ‘legitimate’ under the law of the land. Kings, ministers, police officers and directors all have legitimate power.

The legitimacy is often meted down from a higher power.

A common delusion that people in such roles fall into is to forget that people are obeying the role, not the person.

Legitimate power is that based on social rules and can have several different forms instead of just being based on position or role.

Referent power

n Legitimate position power: The social norm of obeying people in a

Expert power

This is the power that comes from another person liking you and wanting to be like you. It is the power of charisma and fame and is wielded by all celebrities as well as social leaders. In wanting to be like these people, we imitate them hoping some of it will rub off on us. Those with referent power often use it for coercion. One of the biggest fears for most people is social exclusion, and all it takes is a word from a social leader for us to be shunned by others in the group. School children are very familiar with this dynamic.

This is the power of expertise and

working conditions. It may be used by a research and development engineer to demand for a better view or steep pay rise.

Informational power

This is the sixth base of power that Bertram Raven added in 1965: informational power. This is providing information to a person that affects the way they think or do things. Information alone is often not enough for this and is thus supported by an argument as to why the information should be believed. If the information is accepted then “socially independent change” occurs as the person continues to believe this information to be true and acts accordingly. l

Setting goals is essential to managing your time well; having a goal gives us a destination to work towards. When we know where we would like to be at the end of the day, week, quarter, we can manage our priorities accordingly and allocate our time and resources more efficiently. Additionally, having long term goals helps us decide what’s worth spending time on, and what is simply a distraction.

Getting distracted

We lose a few hours daily to distractions such as emails, Facebook, instant messaging, phone calls, helping out colleagues that prevent us from achieving the ideal work flow – the work we do when we are 100% engaged in a task. So much as having a chat window open on another tab can distract our

mind. To gain control of the day and do our best work, we need to minimise distractions and manage interruptions.

Biting off too much

Some of us often enthusiastically take on too much on our plate. This may come from a desire to impress or an inability to say no to people, but taking on too much can lead to poor performance, stress, and low morale. Another reason you might have this problem is if you’re a micromanager and you insist on controlling every aspect of a project. More often than not, taking on too much work results in rushed, sloppy work.

Addiction to busyness

This sounds like one of those “good problems” to have but an addiction to busyness hardly ever means that the person is effective and is usually a sure road to stress. People who are addicted to busyness thrive on being busy, craving the rush from narrowly-met deadlines, endless emails, piled up files etc.

If you’re addicted to the adrenaline rush of a frantic work day, you should focus more on exciting and engaging work that matters instead of piling up to sate your fix.

Illogical scheduling

We have different rhythms: we work better at different times of the day, feeling more productive and energetic at certain times than at others. Ideally, to make the best use of our time, we should schedule high-value work during our peak time and low-energy work (such as getting on top of personal correspondence) for off-peak hours.

One of the most effective means we have to improve our productivity at work is to recognise and fix some of our more common time management mistakes. Once the mistakes are overcome, we will not only have more time but also have higher job satisfaction and less stress. l

What’s your personality type, and how is it affecting your career? n Career Desk There are a number of distinct career choices for every distinct personality type there is. Everybody is equipped with their unique set of skills, strengths and personality; while the former two on this list may be learnt, honed and practiced different personality types are compatible with different careers.

Career choices that are inspired by one’s personality type are sure to lead to fulfillment.

All personality types can optimise their outlook and learn to focus on their unique strengths and challenges which are more aligned to their natural preferences. Following are a few general personality types, followed by suggestions for possible career paths. The personality types discussed are based on www.personalitypage.com, a website about psychological type inspired primarily by the works of Carl Jung.

determine what others want or need, and use your organisational abilities to create a plan and see it through.

Possible career paths: interior decorator, designer, nurse, administrator or manager, childcare worker, social worker, front desk executive

spectives, and using this to your advantage while interacting with them. You have the ability to react quickly in crisis situations. You prefer an action-oriented career dealing with people rather than being confined in a regimented environment.

The Nurturer

You are interested with how other people are feeling and you enjoy creating structure and order. You would be ideal in a career where you can use your exceptional people-observation skills to

You are brilliant at grasping complex theories and applying them to problems and coming up with long-term strategies. Unlike any other personality type you are excellent at strategising and seeing through objectively to your long-term plans.

Possible career paths: scientist, engineer, professor or teacher, doctor, corporate strategist, organisation builder, business administrator or manager, military leader, lawyer, computer programmer

The Visionary

The Duty Fulfillers

You are stable and down to earth; you value tradition, and are loyal. Because of your work ethic, you are a natural leader, but you prefer working alone.

People think of you as somebody to count on. You appreciate order and structure, and hate abstract theories and plans that don’t make practical sense. You’re likely to stick to the same company for years. You strength is perseverance.

Possible career paths: business administrator or manager, accountant or financial officer, police, lawyer, doctor, military leader, computer programmer

The Scientist

The Analyser

You are introverted and your thinking preferences give you the ability to concentrate and work through problems which makes you good at a number of tasks. However, you need to work at your own pace and dislike external enforcement of structure. You would do best working for yourself, and your natural strength lies in applying your reasoning skills against known facts, and questioning the status quo.

Possible career paths: police, forensic pathologist, computer programmer, engineer, pilot, athlete, entrepreneur

The Doer

Your observational skills make you good at correctly analysing and assessing other people’s motives and per-

Possible career paths: sales representative, marketing personnel, police, paramedic, computer technical support, entrepreneur

The Artist

You need to have a career which is more than just a job. Middle of the road is not where you like being, and since you enjoy savouring the current moment, fast-paced jobs are not for you.

You need freedom to function in your natural realm of acute sensory awareness. You are aware of people’s feelings and reactions and are driven by an inner value to help people.

Possible career paths: artist, musician, designer, writer, childcare worker, social worker, teacher, psychologist, veterinarian, pediatrician

You have the ability to be good at anything that captures your interest. Since you have a lot of options open to you, you will be happiest picking a profession which allows personal freedom and the use of your creativity to generate new ideas and solve problems. You cannot be happy in regimented or confined spaces.

Possible career paths: lawyer, psychologist, entrepreneur, photographer, consultant, engineer, scientist, actor, sales representative, marking personnel, computer programmer

The Giver

You derive pleasure from helping others. You value structure, organisation and harmony and are effective at creating all three. You have exceptional people skills and dislike impersonal logic and theories. You are loyal and honest, and require approval.

Possible career paths: facilitator, consultant, psychologist, social worker, counselor, teacher, human resources manager, events coordinator, politician or diplomat

The Protector

Like the Artist, you need more than just a job out of your career. You need

to feel as if everything you do in your life meets the high standard and ideal that you have set for yourself. You will do best in a profession that allows you to live your daily life in accordance to your principles and that supports your desire to do something ‘meaningful’ with your life.

Because of your intuitive sense and principles, you feel as if you ‘know’ things and do best in leadership positions. However, if an individual shares your direction, you wouldn’t mind following him or her.

Possible career paths: teacher, doctor, alternative health care practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor

or social worker, musician, writer, artist, photographer, childcare and early childhood development worker It doesn’t matter whether you’re just about to board your career, or you’re middle-aged and simply reflecting, to find out your place in the world and whether you’re moving along the right path or not, it’s important to understand yourself and your personality traits. Your personality impacts your likeliness to succeed or fail directly. Once armed with an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and your personality type, picking a rewarding career becomes clear and simple. l

Expert presentations n Career Desk

BIZ VOCAB

Audience rapport (noun) - relationship of presenter with audience, especially when good Body language (noun) - non-verbal communication through facial expressions, body

movements etc.

Finally . . . - Typical word used to signal the last of several points or subjects Flip chart (noun) - a pad of large paper sheets on a stand for presenting information For example . . .

- Typical phrase used to signal an illustration or sample of a particular point Handout (noun) - anything (report, sample etc.) handed or given to people at a presentation In conclusion . . . - Typical phrase used to signal the summing up or final part of a presentation OHT (abbreviation) - overhead trans-

parency; sheet of film with image for an overhead projector Overhead projector (noun) - device that projects an OHT onto a screen Pointer (noun) - device (rod or electric torch etc.) for indicating things on a map, screen etc.

Screen (noun) large, flat, reflective white surface on which films, slides etc. are projected Signal (verb) - to help the audience understand where one is in a presentation Slide (noun) - small (usually 35mm) photographic transparency To start with . . . - Typical phrase used to signal the beginning of a particular subject or topic Turning now to . . . - Typical phrase used to signal a change from one subject or topic to another Visual aids (noun) - things that one can look at in a presentation, like films, maps, charts etc.

Whiteboard (noun) - large, flat, white surface or board on which to write or draw with markers