30 december 2013

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Long Form

International

Poush 16, 1420 Safar 26, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 276

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Obstructed, Khaleda shifts march 18-party alliance to stage sit-ins until polls schedule revoked; AL men to remain on streets n Tribune Report

2 KILLED, 50 INJURED

In a press conference soon after at the National Press Club, BNP Vice-Chairman Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, who was later arrested, announced that the opposition would stage sit-ins at the bus, train and launch terminals around the country until the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls were cancelled.

Dhaka city unit Awami League Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya told the Dhaka Tribune that the leaders and activists of the ruling party would continue to roam around the streets to counter the opposition activists.

In light of the opposition announcing to continuing its march today, Wing Commander ATM Habibur Rahman said yesterday that around 6,000 RAB members would remain deployed today.

Col Ziaul Ahsan, additional director general of RAB, said 31 check-posts in and around the capital would continue  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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again,” she said, according to BSS. The prime minister said: “Why was their spirit was not awakened when BNP-Jamaat stopped the JSC and JDC examination by enforcing hartal?”

She asked why they could not tell the opposition not to call a hartal during the exams of the children.

“Why did they remain silent when the BNP-Jamaat terrorists killed sleeping people, including children, by hurling bombs at the buses and uprooting trees rampantly in the name of so-called  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

RAJIB DHAR

BNP chief criticises PM

Hasina bashes civil society

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Tribune Report

More than 200 journalists had been waiting in front of the Gulshan residence of opposition leader Khaleda Zia since yesterday morning in anticipation that she might come out.

With heavy security measures taken since Saturday night and sand-laden trucks barricading the entries to her residence, it was clear that it would not be easy for her to get past the tight security.

By 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the

journalists learnt from different sources that Khaleda might come out any moment.

Even the law enforcers stationed around the house – more than 100 of them – got active.

Around 3pm, finally, the opposition leader appeared at the main gate of her house and got into her white Nissan Patrol.

However, despite waiting for around half an hour, her car could not move an inch. Around 3:30pm, she got out of  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

n Ashif Islam Shaon

A patient is brought to the DMCH on a rickshaw-van as other transport was scarce because of BNP’s ‘March for Democracy’ programme yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU with this correspondent near the Mayor Hanif Flyover at Kutubkhali. He was heading to Narayanganj. There were no vehicles until the Kachpur Bridge.

Our correspondent from Babubazar Bridge reported that until 5pm police, Rab and Awami League activists searched every small vehicle passing the area. They also forced some passengers to walk and made drivers turn around.

At Abdullahpur, one of the key en-

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try points of the capital, law enforcers occupied the Tongi Diversion Road and its adjacent areas. Our correspondent saw several commuters waiting in lines and giving interviews to the cops to get permission to enter the capital.

“I was released after convincing them that I am a normal office-going guy,” said Muktadir Alam, who usually goes to his office in Uttara from his home in Tongi every day.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Taking a swipe at a section of the country’s eminent citizens who suggested the government defer the January 5 polls, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the actors of 1/11 have become active again.

“I have seen in today’s [Sunday] newspapers that some eminent citizens have given some suggestions to us. I don’t want to say anything about them. But many of them whom we saw after the 1/11 have now become vocal

103 ARRESTED

Law enforcers with water cannons and armoured vehicle were stationed outside. They lobbed two sound grenades to disperse the lawyers.

The pro-BNP lawyers then left the main gate and went to the gate next to the bar counsel building. As they found the gate locked too they split into two groups and took positions at the two gates.

BNP Chairperson’s adviser Osman Faruk, party leader Sanaullah Mia, former commerce minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury and lawyers of the Dhaka Judge Court were with the lawyers.

After 3pm Awami League men stormed into the SC premises. They torched a motorcycle in front of the Supreme Court Bar Association. The lawyers taking shelter in the Bar building hurled glass bottles at the Awami League activists. The AL supporters also retaliated by hurling brick chips at them.

Awami League activists beat up a female lawyer on the Supreme Court premises yesterday as pro-BNP lawyers extended support to the opposition’s Dhaka march

People suffer for security measures The family of 60-year-old Mabia Begum tried to enter the capital from a nearby village for her emergency treatment yesterday. But she died on the way as the relatives could not arrange transport and were stuck at Gabtoli.

“From our Kaukandi village at Darussalam we hired a boat to Gabtoli but there we waited for hours for a transport. At last we managed a rickshaw van but she died before we could reach the Technical Intersection,” said Mohammad Ali, Mabia’s son.

The shortage of transport has caused suffering for people from all walks of life in the capital as the security measures imposed by the government since Friday evening continued yesterday, the day of the opposition alliance’s “March to Dhaka” programme.

Police, Rab and BGB were deployed at every major intersection, stopping and searching anyone they found suspicious. Army personnel were seen at some entry points including Jatrabari.

The city streets were almost empty.

On almost every important road, commuters walked long distances to reach destinations.

“I presumed that the roads would be empty and I would have to walk.

There was no alternative for me,” said NGO staff Moksedul Karim, who talked

n Udisa Islam and Nazmus Sakib Awami League men on Sunday barged into the Supreme Court premises to prevent pro-BNP lawyers from agitating against the government, with the law enforcers playing the role of silent spectators.

This was the first time countrymen have seen an incident like this on the premises of the apex court; when stick-wielding Awami League forced open the main gate of the court around 3:20pm to chase the demonstrating lawyers.

Earlier, around 11:30am police used water cannons on the protesting proBNP lawyers when they tried to march to Nayapalton. Some five lawyers fell sick.

There were reportedly many outsiders including lawyers from lower court.

As over two hundred lawyers of proBNP tried to bring out a procession the law enforcers locked the main gate of the SC.

Being barred from staging the “March for Democracy” and the Nayapaltan rally, the BNP-Jamaat-led opposition alliance have announced a continuation of the march today and staging sitins at the transport terminals around the country until the polls schedules are cancelled.

On the other hand, the ruling Awami League has said their leaders and activists will remain vigilant on the streets of Dhaka to resist the opposition’s programme.

Yesterday, opposition leader Khaleda Zia, who had earlier said she was determined to attend the Nayapaltan rally, was not allowed to come out of her Gulshan residence by law enforcers.

In a rare unscheduled encounter with journalists in front of her residence, the former premier announced an extension the Dhaka march today.

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Bedlam on SC premises, lawyers beaten

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

All parties have the right to express views: US n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Washington is of the view that all in a democracy have the right to freely and peacefully express their views.

“The United States believes that in a democracy all parties and Bangladeshi citizens have the right to freely and peacefully express their views,” Press and Information Officer Kelly McCarthy of the US Embassy in Dhaka told the Dhaka Tribune in an email reacting to BNP programme yesterday.

The government foiled BNP's “march for Democracy,” programmeyesterday.

The government was responsible for providing space for such activity, and equally the opposition was responsible for using such space in a peaceful manner, Kelly said.

“We believe it is more urgent than ever for the major parties to redouble their efforts to engage in constructive dialogue to find a way forward, and hold free and fair elections that are credible in the eyes of the Bangladeshi people.” Violence was not acceptable because it subverted the democratic process and it must stop immediately, she added. l

Monday, December 30, 2013

PM to join election rally January 2 n Emran Hossain Shaikh

Awami League activists beat a pro-BNP lawyer on Supreme Court premises yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation on January 3, and the previous day, she is set to join an election rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

The decision was made at a meeting of senior party leaders and the government allies late last night at Ganabhaban.

According to sources, Hasina asserted that the government would remain strict to resist the opposition’s upcoming activities.

Party sources said the PM had thanked all leaders and activists for remaining vigilant at different points of the capital to resist the opposition’s programmes.

She also asked the party men to stay on the streets until the elections slated for January 5.

Presidium member Abdul Latif Siddiqui, General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Joint General Secretary Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam, Workers’ Party chief Rashed Khan Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haq Inu, among others, attended the meeting. l

Protests in Gopalganj following Khaleda Zia’s remark n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj People from different walks of life in Gopalganj district burst into agitation yesterday following the remark made by the opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia regarding changing the name of the district.

In the evening, leaders and activists of the district Awami League, Chhatra League, Jubo league, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote and different groups of professionals put up demonstrations in phases inside the town.

The BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia asserted that the Gopalganj district be renamed. She made the remark at the entrance of her Gulshan residence yesterday afternoon, without mentioning who would rename the district.

The district Chhatra League arranged a rally at the city centre, Chowrongi, protesting Khaleda’s remark. They demanded Khaleda seek

an apology for her derogatory remark.

Protesting the remark, Awami League candidate from Gopalganj-2 constituency for the 10th parliamentary polls Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said: “The father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born on this soil of Gopalganj. Bangladesh would not have born if Bangabandhu was not born.”

“Who is she [Khaleda Zia] to change the name of the land? If they tried to erase the name of Gopalganj, they would be erased automatically,” he added.

Khaleda Zia does politics only to save the war criminals belonging to the Jamaat-e-Islami, Selim said.

The Awami League lawmaker requested everyone to cast vote for “boat,” the election symbol of Awami League.

People from Tungipara, Kotalipara, Muksutpur and Kashiani upazila hold demonstrations. l

Obstructed, Khaleda shifts Dhaka march  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

to remain in place to alongside special drives by police and Border Guard Bangladesh.

Yesterday morning, a Shibir activist was killed in a clash with police at Malibagh. In the afternoon, a railway security personnel was killed in a bomb blast at the Kamalapur Railway Station.

Opposition leaders had been saying for the past few days that hundreds of thousands of their leaders and activists had converged to Dhaka to make the Nayapaltan rally successful, for which they had been denied permission by Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

However, in reality, the ruling party activists were more active on the city streets.

The pro-BNP-Jamaat journalists agitating at the National Press Club and lawyers on the Supreme Court premises were the only visible presence of opposition men in Dhaka.

In the afternoon, stick wielding activists of the Awami League stormed into the Supreme Court premises, physically assaulting some pro-BNP lawyers, who were demonstrating at the main gate. They dragged a female

lawyer out, nearly stripping her.

“The response to the Dhaka March has caused two problems for the government. If they allow us next day, it will be a victory for us. Again, the government will have to enforce strikes to stop us,” said BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman.

The city streets wore a deserted look yesterday with virtually no public transport available because of tight security measures.

Most people had to rely on rickshaws or on their feet to reach their destinations, although every now and then they were frisked by law enforcers at the numerous check-posts set up around the city.

Meanwhile, at a separate press conference, Awami League Secretary General Syed Ashraful Islam said: “The Awami League led the country to independence. It is the Awami League’s responsibility to protect the lives and properties of people. The Awami league will do so.”

According to sources, around 50,000 personnel from RAB, BGB and police were deployed in the capital and elsewhere in the country yesterday. l

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia talks to the media standing at the gates of her Gulshan residence yesterday. She was barred by law enforcers from leaving her house to participate in the party’s Dhaka march programme NASHIRUL ISLAM

Bedlam on SC premises

Hasina bashes civil society  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

movement,” she asked.

The prime minister said this while receiving this year’s JSC and JDC exam results at her official Ganabhaban residence yesterday morning. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and chairmen of nine education boards handed over the results to the prime minister.

About 60 prominent members of the civil society yesterday made the suggestion to the government to stop the January 5 election. They said this at a discussion jointly hosted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue, Ain o Salish Kendra, Sushasoner Jonno Nagorik and Transparency International Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina said the ensuing elections have reached such a stage when

the eminent citizens want to stop the polls. “We will have to opt for unconstitutional way if the polls are stopped at this moment. I don’t know whether they are inviting such an unconstitutional way,” she said.

The prime minister said the remaining work of the eminent citizens are accomplished when democracy and constitutional process do not exist in the country and when those grab power unconstitutionally.

“The ‘kadar’ (importance) of the eminent citizens increases and they can move with flags at that time. This is their (eminent citizens’) consideration, I don’t see other thing,” she said.

The Prime Minister also said the eminent citizens now remained united and are giving advices and suggestions

to the government about many issues.

“But why they were silent when the Hefajat-e- Islam carried out rampage and burnt thousands of copies of Quran,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the eminent citizens did not say anything when the opposition leader turned down her offer for dialogue. “Why their spirit was not awakened at that time. They always wait for such a situation when they would be called and their importance will increase,” she said.

Criticizing yesterday’s call by a section of civil society members, Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said at a press conference in dhaka the so-called think tanks made the call in an attempt to create another situation like 1/11, according to UNB. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Awami League cadres beat advocate Simki Imam Khan brutally. At one stage she kept lying motionless on the pavement with her dressed soaked in blood. Some photojournalists came to her rescue.

Another lawyer, loyal to the 18-party alliance, Rehana Parvin was also beaten.

The ruling party goons also hit some lawyers and tweaked their ears asking them repeatedly: “Will you ever come to the March? Will you?” Some of the attackers wrapped the national flag around their foreheads.

BNP supporters had positioned themselves on the roof of the court building while Awami League held the ground below.

Both factions were seen pelting stones at each other. At 4:05pm a force

People suffer for security measures BNP chief criticises PM  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

He called the barrier a harassment and blamed both the political parties for it.

Our correspondent from Savar reported that the law enforcement along with Awami League activists checked people’s vehicles and bags on the Chandra highway, at Nabinagar, Ashulia, Savar town, Hemayetpur and Aminbazar.

Work-bound commuters, particularly day labourers and garments workers, alleged that they were harassed by Awami League activists and were barred from going to their workplaces. The security loosened up around 3pm in Savar area.

Buses were seen standing idle at the Gabtoli bus terminal, and the bus counters were closed. Hundreds of people entered Dhaka by foot. Law enforcement agencies checked all the vehicles, and allowed only some, after asking the commuters why they were entering Dhaka.

The “government blockade” also hit people outside the capital.

Our Chittagong correspondent

reported that the inter-district buses, particularly the Dhaka-bound ones, had remained off the road. Train service was also disrupted on DhakaChittagong route. However, in the city, transport services remained normal like any other day.

In Barisal, over 3,000 passengers boarded on six Dhaka-bound tripledeck launches as the launch offices assured them that they would be able to move in the evening after the end of the opposition’s programme.

However after 5pm law enforcers rushed to the station and forced the passengers to leave the vessels and the station area. After that, the vessels were also forced to leave the jetty and anchor in mid-river.

Our Munshiganj correspondent reported that police turned away a Dhaka-bound launch from Madaripur at the launch terminal in the morning.

More than 200 passengers were not allowed to get down at the town to go to Dhaka by other means. Besides, eight other launches were compelled to anchor in mid-river from 5am to 2pm with passengers. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

the car with a national flag in her hand and waved her hands at the photojournalists, who had climbed onto the rooftops of the adjacent buildings and the sand-laden trucks to get a clear view.

Then Khaleda tried to get past the gate on foot, but the law enforcers barred her.

In the meantime, a few journalists had crossed the wall of her house and got inside the compound and Rab members, who arrived around 3pm, cleared all the roadside tea and food stalls in the vicinity. Some foreigners could be seen among the curious crowd gathered in the area. They refused to disclose their identities to the journalists.

After having failed to go out of the gate, Khaleda came back and sat in a chair for about 10 minutes and then spoke to the journalists. The former premier was so angry that she could barely speak. The weather was chilly all right, but she was shivering from sheer anger.

Here is the excerpt of what she told the journalists:

“Journalist brothers, you are the protector of democracy. The police force cannot protect the country...It is a democracy... Our [March to democracy] programme will continue tomorrow. I want to tell the people that democracy has been destroyed today... Today, the government has closed all the roads, suspended transportation out of fear... so that people cannot come out. But this programme will continue. This government is illegal. This government is autocratic and undemocratic. This government does not have any right to stay in office. It should step down immediately if it has shame. “…You [law enforcers] will come every day and sit in front of the gate.

All right. I will also get out [of the residence]. Let us see how long it can go on.

“What are you [the government] thinking? Is the country your sole property? Has the Awami League inherited the country that it wants to prevent our programme using its thugs and police?

“If you [the Awami League] have courage, you could stage a counter programme! You do not have the courage…

of police led by Ramna Zone DC Maruf Hasan entered the court premises to control the situation. After two minutes a fire service unit came and put the fire out.

Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that many outsiders joined with the protest of pro-BNP lawyers. Three lawyers – Rehana Pervin, Abu Zafar Manik and Nazrul Islam Pappu received minor injuries.

Meanwhile, about 15 pro-BNP-Jamaat journalists received injuries when some ruling Awami League men hurled brick chips at them as they were demonstrating inside the National Press Club.

Immediately after the incident, the pro-government journalists led by former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Iqbal

Sobhan Chowdhury held a rally protesting the presence of outsiders inside the press club.

UNB added: Pro-opposition teachers of Dhaka University were manhandled by activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League near the High Court on Sunday afternoon.

Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed, a teacher loyal to BNP, told UNB that they were going to BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in a procession to join the opposition’s “March for Democracy”.

However, police obstructed them in front of Kadam Foara near the High Court. Being resisted, the teachers staged a sit-in there. At one stage, some BCL and Jubo League men attacked the sit-in and physically assaulted the teachers, Mamun said. l

not even 10 people would join your programmes. They hire people through the DCs and SPs for their programmes. I understand that. Otherwise, how could its situation become so pathetic that 154 seats become uncontested? What else does remain? The rest will do the same. This is not an election, it is selection...

“We have no conflict with you [law enforcers]. You are carrying out your duties. But I think you should carry out your responsibilities properly so that we can work with you with dignity and vice versa. Not allowing me to come out of my house is not right. Where is your officer in-charge? Where did he go? I want to talk him. Why did he block my way? Where is he? Why did he not come in front of me? “[To a female law enforcer] Who are you, lady? Why you are tight-lipped?

Tell me what you were saying…Where are you from? Is it Gopal [Gopalganj, the home district of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina]? The name of Gopalganj will be changed, keep that in mind. Gopalganj will exist no more. “... Today we see many unknown

faces whom we do not know. It is hard to know whether they are actually Bangladeshis or not.

“Today’s programme was called to save democracy. You [law enforcers] do not want democracy, you do not want to protect democracy. Will you be slaves? Will you work as agents?

This slavery will not work. [The government should] read the history of [Kazi] Lhendup Dorjee [the first chief minister of Sikkim, India]. He could not serve for long. He had to step down… by brokering…by selling the country.

So, Hasina’s plan to sell the country will not work. “[Pointing at the female law enforcers] Stop tussling! None of us have come here to tussle. Stay away and be at your places. Why have you come into the house? Why are your girls fighting?

Shut up, you unruly girls! How many days have you been working that you talk so much? Shut up, you impudent!

Where is your officer? Tell him that I want to talk to him. Do you understand? Do you not understand? I am speaking in Bangla. Or should I speak in any other language?” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Monday, December 30, 2013

Clockwise from top left An AL activist runs away after setting a motorcycle on fire yesterday on Supreme Court premises; Pro-BNP lawyers chant slogans inside the Supreme Court compound as police use water cannon on them; AL activists throw bricks at proBNP lawyers; Ferdousi, sister of Islami Chhatra Shibir activist Mansur Rahman, 25, breaks down in tears at DMC morgue while giving a relative the news of her brother’s death over mobile phone. Mansur was killed during a clash between police and Jamaat-Shibir men at Malibagh; People carry away the dead Shibir activist yesterday in the capital’s Malibagh PHOTO: MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU AND RAJIB DHAR

At least 105 people arrested across the country Police seize explosives and lethal arms, water vessels obstructed in mid-river Meanwhile, law enforcement agengrammes of lead, three machetes and a including 12 from BNP and four from n Tribune Report saw from Chaumohoni area in Satkaha- Jamaat during a drive conducted from cies sets up barricades and check posts At least 105 people were arrested yesterday across the country for their suspicious movement centring the BNP-led opposition’s “march for democracy” programme in the capital, police said.

These people reportedly BNP-Jamaat activists were nabbed during separate drives conducted in the wee hours and throughout Sunday.

The move came after the opposition leader Khaleda Zia on Friday instructed her activists to head for the capital to observe the programme at Nayapaltan.

Our Chittagong correspondent reported 57 people were arrested from the port city while police seized explosives and lethal arms in an overnight drive in different areas of Satkania, Lohagara and Sitakunda upazilas.

Satkania police station Officer-inCharge Khaled Hossain said acting on a tip-off, they arrested a local Jamaat-e-Islami activist, Mohammad Yusuf, with 400 grammes of gunpowder, two kilo-

nia.

Of the arrestees, 25 were held from Satkania, 15 from Lohagara and 16 from Sitakunda upazilla on charges of involvement in violence on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Highway and Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in recent times, said police.

Meanwhile, 14 Jamaat-Shibir activists, including Jamaat leader and Vice-Chairman Emdadul Haque of Baralekha upazila, were arrested, our Moulvibazar correspondent reported quoting police.

Besides, Brahmin bazar union BNP general secretary Aftab Ahmed was also arrested in another drive Sunday morning.

In Brahmanbaria, at least 15 BNP and Jamaat activists were arrested from Saturday night to Sunday morning and were charged with different cases including sabotage.

In Chandpur, 16 BNP-Jamaat activists were arrested from different areas

Saturday night to Sunday morning.

Chandpur police Super Amir Zafar told the Dhaka Tribune many of the arrestees were accused in different cases and the rest were arrested for suspicious movement.

In addition, clashes between police and 18-party activists occurred at several places of Chandpur where at least 25 vehicles, including two police covered vans, were vandalised and some were torched.

Meanwhile, some water vessels were forced to return from the mid-river creating trouble of the passengers. At Munshiganj, police forced MV Tarikat 2, a launch carrying 200 passengers, to go back to Madaripur, our correspondent reported.

At Barishal port station, law enforcers forced passengers to leave vessels and station area declaring cancellation of water transport trip and forced the empty vessels to anchor at the mid-river.

at different parts across the country. A good number of check points were established at all four entry points of the city while barricades were established at southern part of Tongi bridge and at Gabtoli-Aminbazar intersection.

Different points, roads and intersections in the city’s Fakirerpool, Nayapaltan, Bijoynagar, Nightingle, Kakrail, Shantinagar, Purana Paltan, Mahakhali, Farmgate, Uttara, Kallyanpur, Shyamoli, Rajarbagh and other areas were heavily guarded with additional deployment of law enforcers.

Meanwhile, seven check posts were established at different points from Mawa Ferry Ghat to Buriganga and Babubazar bridge at Keraniganj respectively.

People from all classes were checked by the lawmen at these points, and those who failed to satisfy the queries of the law enforcers were not allowed to enter the city. l

‘March for Democracy’ ends in fiasco: Ashraf n Emran Hossain Shaikh

she (Khaleda Zia) came out of her house at 3pm, he went on saying that a section of media made banner headlines on the Dhaka march programme but nothing has happened.

Ashraf blasted Khaleda Zia’s behaviour with law enforcers: “Despite a responsible political leader and former prime minister she should not behaved like that.”

Explaining the incident on the Supreme Court premises he said the court went into winter vacation. The lawyers demonstrating there were not lawyers.

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said the Dhaka march programme by the opposition was a complete failure.

“Where is the Long March? We have not seen any march,” Ashraf wondered claiming that countrymen had rejected the “March for Democracy” programme called by Khaleda Zia. He claimed the government had not obstructed movement of vehicles. “The traffic movement was very much normal

all over the country.”

Ashraf, also the LGRD minister of election-time interim government, was speaking at a party press conference at the party chief Sheikh Hasina’s political office at Dhanmondi.

Referring to the BNP he said the party that was born in the cantonment could not hold a programme like “March for Democracy”.

People as well as BNP activists did not respond to Khaleda Zia’s call meaning that people are not with her, Ashraf said.

The rally was scheduled for 10am but

Mozena meets PM’s defence adviser

Mess inmates in trouble

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

US Ambassador in Bangladesh Dan W Mozena held a meeting with the PM’s Defence Adviser Tarique Ahmed Siddique on Saturday.

“Ambassador Mozena and Tarique Siddique met and discussed a full range of issues including the UN PKO [peacekeeping operation] augmentation in South Sudan, the BNS Shumodro [sic] Joy and more broadly the US-Bangladesh partnership,” Kelly McCarthy, US embassy spokesperson told the Dhaka Tribune through an email yesterday. “Ambassador Mozena regularly meets with counterparts in the diplomatic community and civil society as part of his normal day-to-day activities in Bangladesh,” she said. l

n Kailash Sarkar

It was only their young age and state of being inmates of a mess building for why the police picked up 87 youths from the capital’s Kalabagan early yesterday, only few hours ahead of the opposition’s programme at Nayapaltan.

Police admitted that they had detained the youths only on suspicion.

SI Moniruzzaman, who led the arrest, said those youths had been taken in custody just for questioning to find whether they had links to any crimes centring the opposition’s programme.

Asked, the SI said none of them was arrested in any specific case and no

case was filed against them. Moreover, the police did not recover anything from their possessions.

Iqbal Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kalabagan police, said they would free the youths after questioning.

All those detainees, aged between 22 and 30, were picked up from a sevenstorey building at Dolphin Goli of Kalabagan just after midnight. Most of them were students while some others just have completed their studies or joined jobs.

Syed Latif Hossain, an uncle of detainee Safwan Bakee, said the security issue had become a matter of concern for the people.

Sources said the tight security

Lieutenant general (Rted) Mahbubur Rahman, Altab Hossain Chowdhury and Osman Faruque led the agitation who are not lawyers. He alleged that Juba Dal, Chattra Dal and Jamaat-Sibir men sporting uniform of lawyers attended the demonstration.

AL Presidium Member Obaidul Quader, Joint Secretary Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organising Secretary Abu Syed AL Mahmud Khokhon, BM Mozammel Haque, Hasan Mahmud, Habubur Rahman Siraj, among others, were present at the press conferences. l

situation, centring the opposition programme, had created scopes for a section of policemen to make money through malpractice of laws through detentions.

Like those 87 youths, a significant number of students, service holders or job seeking youths had to suffer detention after the joint forces had begun a special drive ahead of the national election on January 5.

The joint forces in separate drives in capital earlier arrested 25 people on December 26 – on the launching day, 152 on December 27 and 203 on December 28 while more than 1,500 people across the country in the last one week. l

Two killed, 50 injured n Kailash Sarkar and Asif Islam Shaon

A Railway security guard was killed in a bomb attack in Kamalapur railway station and a Shibir activist was shot dead at Malibagh during the ‘March for Democracy’ programme called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance yesterday.

Over 50 people, including police and journalists, were injured during the programme as BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with police and ruling party men.

Around 200 opposition men, including BNP Vice-Chairman Maj (retired) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, were also arrested.

Ruling party men made separate attacks on the pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers at the Supreme Court, journalists at the National Press Club, and Dhaka University teachers at Nayapaltan.

The opposition men exploded a score of crude bombs and threw brickbats at police, prompting them to retaliate with teargas, firearms and water cannons.

A tense atmosphere prevailed across the capital all day, despite the deployment of around 50,000 personnel from the police, Rab and BGB and army.

City roads remained almost deviod of vehicles. Most shopping malls, markets, educational institutions and offices remained shut.

Railway security guard Md Abul Kashem, who was a sepoy of the Railway Nirapotta Bahini (RNB), was killed when two teenagers hurled two handmade bombs at him in the station around 3:30pm. The teenagers also sustained injuries from the bombs.

Kashem, a 26-year-old, hailed from Gopalganj while the injured teenagers were identified as Aminul and Alam, aged about 12 and to 14 years respectively. Police arrested them after a short chase.

Mojibur Rahman, the officer-in-charge of RNB, said Sepoy Kashem was attacked when he asked to search a bag as part of the security measures around the opposition programme.

In Malibagh, a clash between Jamaat-Shibir and police left Shibir man Md Mansur Ahmed, 22, dead and more than 15 others injured, including five policemen. Around 20 men were arrested.

The condition of Constable Hasan Ali, 40, was critical. He was undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Mansur, hailing from Chandpur, was the president of the Ward 3 unit of Shibir in the Airport area, and a 1st year student

of City University in Banani.

Witnesses said the clash erupted when around 12pm Jamaat-Shibir men brought out a procession in Malibagh Chowdhurypara and police tried to intercept them.

The clash lasted for over an hour. Jamaat-Shibir men hurled crude bombs and brickbats at law enforcers, who retaliated with teargas and bullets. At one stage, Mansur was hit by a bullet and died on the spot.

Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said the Shibir man sustained a bullet from .22 calibre pistol, which is not used by police.

“He might have been killed by his own people,” the joint commissioner said and added that police were investigating.

He said the railway security guard was killed as part of the subversive acts of the opposition.

Meanwhile, the joint forces and police arrested around 200 people over 24-hours, including BNP Vice-Chairman Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Khaleda Zia’s Advisor Inam Ahmmed Chowdhury. However, Chowdhury was later freed.

Of them 87 people were arrested from a mess building in capital’s Kalabagan.

Police detained a youth for his alleged involvement in exploding three hand bombs at Panthapath, near Russel Square, around 7:10pm.

Detained Toriqul is a second year student of World University. He was held at a mobile shop in Kathalbagan, said Sub-Inspector Jalal Uddin of Kalabagan police station. The detainee would be produced in front of a court today after further questioning, he added.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Police at the National Press Club around 7pm, immediately after he held a press briefing on the next opposition programme.

Inam Ahmed Chowdhury was detained around 1pm in Paltan area and was taken to the DB office. The joint commissioner did not elaborate on the reason behind Hafiz’s arrest.

Ruling party men attacked pro-BNPJamaat lawyers around 3:30pm while they were clashing with the police inside the Supreme Court premises.

Earlier pro-BNP lawyers and journalists attempted to attend the ‘March for Democracy’ programme, but they were foiled by police who used teargas and water cannons against them. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, December 30, 2013

Government finalises plan to deploy High Court clears way for two candidates law enforcers at polling centres Karim and n Mohosinul Rabiul Islam The government has finalised the deployment of law enforcement to maintain law and order in the 10th parliamentary elections.

The home ministry issued a circular on December 26 about the preparations for the national elections scheduled on January 5.

The circular, a copy of which was obtained the Dhaka Tribune, read that a policeman, two armed ansars, 10 ansars with sticks (four women and six men)

and village police with sticks, would be deployed at each ordinary polling centre outside the metropolitan areas.

Outside the metropolitan areas, at each vulnerable centre, two policemen, two ansars with arms, nine ansars with sticks (4 women and 5 men) and village police will be deployed.

Under the metropolitan areas, three policemen, twelve ansars with sticks and village police, will be deployed at each ordinary polling centre.

At each vulnerable centre, two additional policemen will be deployed.

In the special areas (hill tracts, is-

lands and haors), two policemen, two ansars with arms, ten ansars and village police, will be deployed at each polling centre. At vulnerable centres, there will be one more policeman.

The elections will be held in only 146 out of 300 constituencies as the candidates in 154 constituencies have already been elected unopposed.

Home Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have instructed law enforcement agencies to show restraint in handling ordinary people.”

The law enforcers would ensure the

voters can cast their votes peacefully, he said.

During the election, the Army, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Police and Armed Police Battalion will work as a mobile team and strike force.

Returning officers would be responsible in maintaining overall security and the security of poling centres. Consulting with the returning officers, police supers, and police commissioners in metropolitan areas, would instruct mobile teams and strike forces in the election areas. l

n Mohammad Zakaria

Just days before the general elections, two candidates secured their candidacies following a High Court order that cleared the last remaining hurdles in their way.

The candidates are Mahfuzur Rahman of Chittagong-3 constituency and Jatiya Party-backed Zafar Iqbal Siddiqi of Nilphamari-1 constituency.

The Election Commission has already given them the go-ahead and instructed returning officers to add their names to the list of participating candidates, said Basudev Roy, deputy

secretary of its legal wing.

However, the commission is yet to decide on the candidacies of two more aspiring contenders, from Comilla-8 and Chittagong-3 constituencies.

With the latest additions, the number of candidates participating in the January 5 elections stands at 388, while 154 candidates are set to be elected uncontested. Elections will be held in a total of 146 parliamentary constituencies.

Officials at the commission said ballot papers would have to be reprinted following the latest additions. There are 332,785 voters in Nilphamari-1 and 176,872 in Chittagong-3. l

Mild cold wave hits northern districts n Abu Bakar Siddique

AL submits manifesto to EC

Mild cold wave has started hitting the northern parts of the country giving birth to cold-related diseases and sufferings to the poor.

Yesterday morning the Met office recorded the lowest temperature-nine degrees Celsius-in Ishwardi. This season, the lowest temperature has been recorded as 8.5 degrees Celsius till date on December 28 in the same district.

Pneumonia, Asthma and different complications related to the respiratory system are becoming dominant in Kurigram district.

Dr Nazrul Islam, residential medical officer of the District sadar hospital yesterday said: “141 people including 60 children were admitted with cold-related complications yesterday.”

At least 800 people had taken treatment at the outdoor unit of the hospital in last few days, he added.

Civil Surgeon Dr Lokman Hakim said they had introduced a control room to attend the increasing rush of patients in the hospital.

“We have already formed 85 medical teams to provide treatment at the field level and cancelled all kinds of leave of the staffs,” Hakim said.

Alongside the chilly wind, dense fog had been disrupting road and water way communications for the last few days in the northern districts.

The water transports are taking hours longer to reach their destinations because of the fog. Ferry operations on the Mawa-Keurakandi route remained suspended for 12 hours because of the heavy fog on Saturday at night creating a two-kilometer long tailback on both the sides of the river.

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

A five-member delegation of the ruling Awami League yesterday submitted its election manifesto to the Election Commission.

The United Nations Residential Coordinator for Bangladesh, Neal Walker, yesterday held a meeting for half an hour with the Chief Election Commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.

Awami League Office Secretary Abdus Sobahan Golap yesterday submitted the 48-page election manifesto to the EC secretary.

Abdus Sobahan told reporters Awami League had submitted its election manifesto to the commission as per the previous tradition. l

n Mohammad Zakaria

Left: A police member checks two passengers of a rickshaw in the capital’s Jatrabari area; law enforcers check a Dhaka bound car on the western side of Bangabandhu Multipurpose Bridge as part of security measures surrounding the opposition called ‘March for Dhaka‘ yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

EWG to undertake limited Ex-minister calls hunger observation of Jan 5 polls strike protesting AL

Miscreants set fire to election office

n Tribune Report

A group of miscreants set fire to the election office in Sherpur sadar upazila yesterday, torching a number of draft voter lists.

Around 8.30am, they laid the fire through a broken window of first floor of the office.

Alongside the draft voter lists, three chairs and one typewriter were burned down.

Locals and police present doused the fire before the fire service reached the office.

Upazila Election Officer Md Saiful Islam said: “I rushed to the location and saw smoke coming out of the windows.”

Sherpur Fire Station Officer Mostafizur Rahman said: “The cause of the fire will be identified after investigation.” l

The Election Working Group (EWG) will not undertake comprehensive election observation as initially planned, according to a statement the group issued yesterday.

In the statement, the group said the environment required a transparent, inclusive and credible election, which does not currently exist in Bangladesh.

They also said the existing security situation, which was likely to get worse in the upcoming days ahead of the elections, was not favourable to holding free and fair elections.

The statement stated that if security conditions permit, the EWG would

undertake limited observation activities on January 5 to report on voter turnout and the overall security environment.

The statement also said the EWG would continue to monitor the situation leading up to the election and review its strategy depending on how events develop. The group would continue with its long term observation activities, which are focused on monitoring and reporting on the overall election environment.

The EWG is a non partisan network of 29 civil society organisations that share a common commitment to free and fair elections, good governance, and the attainment of higher standards of democratic process and accountability in Bangladesh. l

candidate’s intimidation n Our Correspondent, Jessore Former energy minister and an independent contestant for Jessore-2 constituency Rafiqul Islam has alleged that Monirul Islam, an Awami League nominated candidate from the same constituency, had been conducting subversive activities in the area and hindering his election activities.

The Awami League leader announced to go for a hunger strike on January 1 demanding an end to the terrorism allegedly created by Monirul.

“They [supporters of Monirul Islam] have killed AL unit president in Gadkhali union and also my election worker Rabi-

Economist journos acquitted of contempt charges, others warned

WEATHER

Temperature likely to remain unchanged n UNB

n Udisa Islam

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

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

A mild cold wave is sweeping over the regions of Sitakunda, Srimangal, Rajshahi and Pabna and it may continue.

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:22pm today and rises at 6:41am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 28.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Teknaf and lowest 9.0 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

21.8 24.6 19.7 17.6 24.5 24.6 24.0 27.5

13.2 13.3 09.9 11.3 12.0 11.9 13.0 14.2

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

ul Islam. They had tried to gun down another worker Liakat Ali,” Rafiqul said at a press briefing in the city yesterday.

“They are attacking my election workers every now and then,” he added.

Yesterday, some unidentified miscreants torched an election campaign vehicle of AL lawmaker Tipu Sultan Khan, also an AL nominated candidate for Jessore -5 constituency, at Hazraial village under Monirampur upazila.

Mir Rezanul Islam, officer in-charge of Monirampur police station said none was hurt in the incident.

However, he said police could not trace who carried out the attack until filing of this report. l

5:19am 6:40am 12:01am 3:46pm 5:22pm 6:42pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

n Our Correspondent, Sherpur

Law enforcers put barricade in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office yesterday

JCD men tortures BCL activist n

Our Correspondent, Munshiganj

A Bangladesh Chhatra League activist was tortured allegedly by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists in Munshiganj on Saturday night.

A group of miscreants tortured Mahabub Alam Khan, 22, the Chhatra League activist, confining him at a house in Ballabari village and stabbed him.

Locals rescued Mahabub yesterday morning and took him to Munshiganj General Hospital in a critical condition.

Munshiganj sadar police station Sub-Inspector Sultan Uddin said a group of Chhatra Dal activists, led by Shajahan, Fazal and Ali of Rampal union, were the culprits, adding that police were looking for them. l

RAJIB DHAR

Recalled witnesses’ cross examination heard n Udisa Islam The defence for war crimes accused AKM Yusuf yesterday ended the cross-examination of two prosecution witnesses who were recalled by the tribunal.

They questioned 15th witness Sunil Kumar Dakua and 16th witness Lutfor Rahman Nakib on the deposition they had given at the tribunal.

On December 17, the tribunal 2 allowed a defence petition to recall seven prosecution witnesses as their crossexamination had been closed earlier, because of the conducting defence lawyer’s repeated absence during the proceedings.

Lawyer Syed Mizanur Rahman was also ordered not to enter the tribunal.

On the other hand, the tribunal 2

yesterday heard cross-examination of the first prosecution witness against alleged war criminal ATM Azharul Islam.

The witness earlier gave her deposition in camera.

Abdus Sobhan Tarafder, the new counsel for Azhar, cross examined her.

Later the tribunal set January 9 for the next witness.

In the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Kashem Ali, the tribunal 2 adjourned the scheduled proceeding as both the prosecution and the defence urged for some time.

Yesterday was fixed for placing the second prosecution witness. But the prosecution pleaded for time saying that the witness was sick. The tribunal then fixed January 15 for further witness. l

The war crimes tribunal yesterday disposed of a contempt of court petition against two editors of London-based magazine Economist for publishing Skype conversation between a sitting judge and Ahmed Ziauddin, a Belgiumbased Bangladeshi expat last year.

Chief Editor Rob Gifford and South Asia Bureau Chief Adam Roberts of the weekly were discharged as the tribunal said it had not found any clue that the duo was involved in the hacking of the Skype conversation.

The tribunal in its order said: “We perused the petition and the reply, and got no involvement of the opponent [accused] in the hacking. So the contempt petition is disposed of with some observations.”

While passing order, the threemember International Crimes Tribunal 1, headed by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, also gave five observations on how journalists and media personnel should collect information while covering an ongoing trial.

According to the observations, no journalists can communicate with any tribunal judge directly or over phone or using any personal means to gather information.

Secondly, if anyone wants some information about any case, they have to approach through their lawyers.

The tribunal said: “If a journalist has any administrative query or information, they can directly contact with the registrar of the tribunal who is the designated person for the task.”

It also said journalists should not publish any report which is collected “illegally.” And finally, the tribunal

asked journalists to refrain from “scandalising” the court.

The tribunal, however, did not explain the directives.

On December 6 last year, the tribunal issued the show cause notice against the duo asking them to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be taken against them for “interfering in ongoing trial and violating privacy of a judge.”

On May 14, defence counsel Mokhlesur Rahman told the tribunal that the Economist had not violated any law by communicating with a judge The notice was issued when a person had called Justice Md Nizamul Huq, formerly chairman of tribunal 1, to verify the hacked matter of his Skype conversation with Ziauddin.

The Skype controversy, which led to the resignation of Justice Huq on December 11, began after Bangla national daily Amar Desh published full transcript of the conversation.”

On May 14, defence counsel Mokhlesur Rahman told the tribunal that the Economist had not violated any law by communicating with a judge. He also pleaded to resolve the contempt accusation against them.

Terming “hacking” an offence, prosecutor Sultan Mahmud said in his submission that publishing report on hacked information was liable to offence. He claimed that it had been done to make tribunal controversial. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Monday, December 30, 2013

JSC examinees of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in the capital, Barisal Government Girls School and Rajshahi Government PN Girls School rejoice on their school premises after receiving examination results yesterday at their respective

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Record pass rate, GPA 5 despite political instability Two reasons contributed to increased JSC, JDC pass rate n Mushfique Wadud

It is not normal that the pass rate and GPA 5 scores would increase in such a situation,” said the headmaster of a city school.

When asked, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told reporters that keeping in mind the experience of poorer results in this year’s Higher Secondary Certificate exams they had taken some measures.

“That is why the political instability did not affect results,” he said.

However, board officials and teachers said teachers had been asked to be generous in scoring the scripts.

“There was an overall instruction that teachers should be generous in scoring the scripts,” said an examiner in Dhaka.

Despite the political instability during the examination and the rescheduling of several tests in the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations, both the pass rate and the number of GPA 5 achievers have increased this year.

Teachers and board officials said two reasons contributed to this achievement – teachers were more generous in checking the scripts and the board had decided to include the number of the fourth subject or the optional subject to the total number.

A record 89.94% of the students passed the examination this year. The

pass rate was 86.97% in 2012.

The number of GPA 5 scorers also increased this year. A total of 172,208 students earned GPA 5. In 2012, 46,942 students got GPA 5, a difference of 125,266 students. The results were published yesterday.

Students sat for the JSC, JDC examinations this year amid sheer uncertainty. The first two exams were pushed back because of hartals called in by the opposition. The exams were scheduled to begin on November 4 but began on November 7 instead. A total of 17 JSC and JDC tests were rescheduled because of hartals.

“Students faced utter uncertainty in taking JSC, JDC examinations this year.

Viqarunnisa tops in Dhaka board n Tribune Report

Khastagir Government School tops in Chittagong

Viqarunnisa Noon School and College attained the top position in the Junior School Certificate (JCD) examination in 2013.

Besides, Rajuk Uttara Model School obtained third position in the country which was first in two previous years.

On the other hand, Motijheel Ideal School and College achieved the second position in the examination.

The results of Junior School Certificate (JSC) and Junior Dakhil Certificate (JDC) examinations were published Sunday with average pass rates 89.94 percent.

A total of 1675,109 students passed in the examinations. Some 87.93 percent in Dhaka Board, 90.45 percent students were passed in Comilla Board, 91.15 percent in Sylhet Board, 96.60 in Barisal Board, 86.13 in Chittagong Board, 88.91 in Dinajpur Board, 93.88 in Rajshahi Board and 89:00 percent passed in Jessore Board.

Like the previous years, female students are leading the results this year.

This year, 172,208 students got GPA5 in all boards. Of them, 55,223 students secured GPA-5 in Dhaka Board and 20,523 students in Rajshahi Board. l

n Tribune Report “Students of our school topped the list of successful schools in the Junior School Certificate Examination-2013 under Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chittagong this year,” said headmistress of Khastagir Government Girls’ High School.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chittagong has attained the ever highest 86.13% pass in the JSC examination of the board since launching the JSC examinations system.

Headmistress of Khastagir Government School Hasmat Jahan said: “A total of 320 students out of 322 achieved GPA-5 from our school.”

A total of 140,579 students from 1,103 institutions took part in the JSC examinations this year.

Pass rate has risen to 86.13% from last year’s 78.36%. Among the institutions, 105 achieved cent percent pass rate.

The number of GPA-5 achievers rose too, standing at 14,105. It was only 3,531 last year.

The top 10 schools under the education board were chosen on the basis of

several factors including the number of GPA-5 achievers and the pass rate.

Khastagir Government Girls’ High School became the first with 95.80 points. Next comes Chittagong Collegiate School with 95.52 points (326 GPA 5 achievers) while the third place was taken by Bangladesh Mohila Samiti Girls’ High School with 94.60 points (360 GPA 5 achievers) Chittagong Government Muslim High School, secured the fourth position with 94.60 points (311 GPA-5 achievers) while Silver Bells Girls’ High School attained the fifth place with 92.31 points (172 GPA-5 achievers).

Nasirabad Government High School secured the sixth position with 92.08 points (252 GPA-5 achievers) while Chittagong Public School and College earned the seventh place.

Faujderhat Cadet College secured the eighth position with 91 points (57 GPA-5 achievers) while the ninth place was taken by Ispahani Public school and College with 80.64 points (121 GPA-5 achievers). Nou-Bahani High School and College secured the 10th position with 90.45 points (396 GPA-5 achievers). l

students earned GPA 5 compared to 78,940 of their male counterparts.

Like previous years, madrassa students performed better than the students of the general education system in terms of pass rates.

The pass rate among madrassa students was 91.11% while the pass rate among general students was 89.71%.

A total of 475 students took the examination in seven examination centres abroad. The pass rate among those students was 97.05 %, and of them 198 students earned GPA 5.

Among the eight general education boards, the highest pass rate was in Barisal education board, 96.60%, with the lowest in Chittagong, 86.13%. l

Chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, Taslima Begum, however, denied that teachers had been asked to do any such thing.

She said the obvious reason for increase in the pass rate and GPA 5 was a new system that the education board had applied. From this year, the boards included the number of the fourth subject or the optional subject in the total, and this contributed to the increased pass rate and number of GPA 5s.

Like the results for SSC and HSC, the pass rates in JSC, JDC have been increasing over the years.

The JSC and JDC exams were first introduced in 2010. On that year, 73%

students passed the examination. The pass rate was 83.71% in 2011, 86.97% in 2012, and 89.94% this year.

Former director and a professor of Dhaka University Institute of Education and Research Siddiqur Rahman, said, “We want to believe that the pass rate is increasing as the students’ quality is increasing. But there should be a research on the trends of the result.”

Earlier Nahid ceremonially handed over the results to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the morning. The minister officially announced the results at 1PM at the secretariat.

A total of 1,862,380 students took the exams throughout 2,420 examination centres. A total of 93,268 female

Madrasa students perform better than general students n Mushfique Wadud

Quadruple success for Chittagong junior examinees

Students of the madrasa education system have performed better in the Junior Dakhil Certificate, equivalent to Junior School Certificate, examinations this year.

An analysis of the results which was published yesterday and showed, that in terms of pass rate, the percentage of madrasa students was higher than that of students from the general education system.

This year 91.11% madrasa students passed. A total of 313,680 students took the Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations of which 285,796 students passed.

In eight general education boards the pass rate was 89.71%. A total of 1,48,700 students took part in the examinations, and of them 1,507,675 passed.

Last year the pass rate was also higher among madrasa students with 90.87% compared to the 86.11% of general education system students. l

n FM Mizanur Rahaman A total of 14,105 students secured GPA5 in their Junior School Certificate (JSC) examinations in Chittagong this year, marking an almost fourfold increase in the number of students achieving the highest average result last year.

A total of 140,579 students sat for this year’s JSC exam.

Of them, 85.16% male and 87.34% female students managed to secure passing marks Dr Pijush Dutta, exam controller of Chittagong Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, disclosed the information during a press conference held yesterday.

“The results show a significant improvement over the results of the previous years, with the highest number

of students securing GPA-5 this year,” he said.

A total of 140,579 students sat for this year’s JSC exam. Of them, 85.16% male and 87.34% female students managed to secure passing marks.

Female students outperformed their male counterparts in achieving GPA-5, with a total of 7,656, while the number of male achievers stood at 6,449.

“Only 3,531 students managed to achieve the same result last year,” Pijush added.

Dr Khastagir Govt Girls’ High School secured the top position with all of its 320 examinees securing GPA-5, while Collegiate School secured 326 GPA-5 out of its 331 examinees and Bangladesh Mohila Samiti Girls’ High School secured 360 GPA-5 out of 402 examinees.

Sumon Barua, college inspector of the board, Mahbub Hasan, deputy secretary, Kazi Najimul Islam, a school inspector, were also present during the press conference. l

New rule puts cadet colleges down in JSC result index n Mushfique Wadud

Students of Milestone School and College show victory sign after the announcement of results

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Cadet colleges, which usually top the merit list of the education boards in all public examinations, showed a different performance in this year’s Junior School Certificate examinations.

This year only Jhenaidah Cadet College, Barisal Cadet College and Sylhet Cadet College had made to the top three lists of all education boards.

However, Pabna Cadet College, Rajshahi Cadet College, Rangpur Cadet College, Faujdarhat Cadet College, Comilla Cadet College, Mymensingh Girls’ Cadet College, Feni Girls’ Cadet College and Joypurhat Girls’ Cadet College secured 100% GPA 5, but that was not enough to enlist them in the top chart.

When asked, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the education ministry was working to eliminate dis-

parity in the education sector, adding that the fact that there was a competition among the schools in topping the list was a proof that the initiatives were working.

While preparing the top chart, five aspects – rate of regular students, pass rate, rate of GPA 5, total examinee and average GPA of the institution – are considered.

In Dhaka Education Board, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Ideal School and College and Rajuk Uttara Model College have topped the list.

In Rajshahi, the top three schools are Cantonment Public School and College, Bogra, Bogra Zilla School, Bogra Government Girls’ High School.

In Comilla, the top three are Comilla Zilla School, Nowab Faizunnesa Government Girls’ High School and Comilla Modern High School.

In Jessore, Government Corporation Secondary Girls’ School, Khulna, Jhenaidah Cadet College and Khulna Zilla School have made the top list.

In Chittagong, the top list consists of Dr Khastagir Government Girls’ High School, Collegiate School Chittagong and Bangladesh Mahila Samity Girls’ High School.

In Barisal, the top three schools are Barisal Government Girls’ High School, Barisal Cadet College and Barisal Zilla School, In Sylhet, Sylhet Cadet College, Jalalabad Cantonment Public School and College and Blue Bird High School have topped the list.

In Dinajpur, the top three schools are Cantonment Public School and College, Amena-baki Residential Model School and Thakurgaon Government Boys’ High School. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, December 30, 2013

Shivering cold wave sweeping over northern districts n Tribune Report The shivering cold wave continues to sweep the northern districts affecting normal life and causing miseries to the common people for the third consecutive day yesterday.

Official and local sources said only fewer people were found out of their homes since yesterday afternoon and the public places, hats, bazaars, bus stands and other places started becoming deserted from this afternoon due to extreme cold.

The day farm-labourers could hardly work in their respective field to earn livelihoods amid biting cold amid dense fogs, clouds and mists in the air forcing the sun to remain invisible yesterday.

The district and upazila administrations, other authorities, agencies, organisations, NGOs, public and private bodies, business bodies and banks have further intensified distribution of warm clothes among the distressed cold-hit people everywhere.

Reports from remote areas said biting cold coupled with cooler winds made life miserable for over 15 lakhs people living in over 200 char villages in Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts.

The Met Office recorded the minimum temperature of 11.3 degrees Celsius at 6am and maximum of 17.6 degrees at 4 pm at Rangpur today against Saturday’s 12.5 degrees and maximum of 15.5 degrees Celsius respectively, reports BSS. Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded were 12.5 degrees Celsius at Syedpur, 11.8 degrees at Bogra, 11.8 degrees at Dinajpur and the country’s lowest of only 9 degrees Celsius at Iswardi yesterday.

“We got another allocation of 3,000 pieces of blankets today for distribution among cold hit people of Rang-

pur after distribution of 6,700 pieces of blankets here,” District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Abdus Salam said yesterday evening.

Rangpur Divisional Director (Health) Dr Shahadat Hossain said adequate steps have been taken in all government hospitals and upazila health complexes to provide proper treatment to the increasing number of cold- related patients.

“However, we have received no report of any cold-related death from anywhere in Rangpur division so far and the child specialists have been conducting their duties round the clock in the hospitals at district and upazila levels,” he added.

Registrar of the Paediatrics Department of Rangpur Medical College Hospital Dr Mohammad Kamruzzaman said a total of 266 cold related child patents were admitted to the RMCH during the past one week.

“Of them, eleven newborn babies aged between zero to five days died and three more aged between two to five years died of pneumonia, septicemia and meningitis at the RMCH and none of them died from cold-related complications,” he said.

Civil Surgeon of Rangpur Dr Reajul Islam visited the Paediatrics Department of the RMCH and found no coldrelated death there so far till yesterday.

Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid the deteriorating situation has caused immense sufferings to the people due to the adverse impacts of the climate change.

If the situation continues for few more days, normal growth of crop plants including Boro seedlings can be stranded and crop plants may fail to prepare their foods through photosynthesis process due to extreme cold and lack of sun light, he said.

People are trying to fight the bone chilling cold with the heat from burning straws at a Kurigram village

Dealers, smuggling syndicate increase urea fertiliser price in Sirajganj n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj Some dishonest fertiliser dealers of Sirajganj and some other districts of the country’s northern region have allegedly created an artificial fertiliser crisis in the areas and have been selling fertiliser at a higher rate, showing the excuse of recent blockades and hartals.

On the other hand, Baghabari urea fertiliser syndicate was active in smuggling urea fertiliser, local dealers, subdealers and retail shopkeepers alleged, adding that the syndicate was storing urea in Baghabari river port instead of in their respective godowns.

Locals alleged that the agricultural office, local administration, port authority, BCIC and agriculture extension directorate have no surveillance of the anomaly.

Belkuchi upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Sahadat Hossain Siddiq had sealed off the shop of dealer Abdus Salam in front of Belkuchi Degree College, and seized 63 sacks of urea fertiliser on Friday. The dealer was charging Tk170 extra per sack of fertiliser.

Retail seller Saiful at Khukni village of Anaeytpur was found selling urea at higher price. He claimed that he had

to buy fertiliser at a higher rate from Vangura instead of the assigned Abdul Hakim of Anna Enterprise.

Sirajganj district Dealer Samity President Md Abdus Samad Talukder and Sahjahadpur upazila fertiliser Dealer Samity president denied the accusation of selling urea fertiliser at black market, saying that they did not get enough supply of urea from the agricultural office However, Baghabari BCIC Godownin-Charge Sudeb Bhattacharja said the dealers had already taken the allocated fertiliser – 8,600 tonnes for November, 4,777 tonnes for December – and the

processing of taking allocated fertiliser for January was going on.

It was the responsibility of the local administration and agricultural department to oversee where the dealers were taking the fertiliser, he added.

Deputy Commissioner Md Billal Hossain said officials of agricultural department were also given responsibility along with the upazila executive to “strictly” monitor the sale of urea fertiliser in the field level.

The allegations of selling fertiliser at an extra rate by the dealers or smuggling fertiliser would be scrutinised, he added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two killed as rival groups clash in Ashuganj n Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria Two people were killed and 25 people, including women and children, injured when two rival groups clashed at Shohagpur village under Ashuganj upazila in Brahmanbaria yesterday afternoon.

Officer-in-Charge of Ashuganj police station Golam Faruq told the Dhaka Tribune that an altercation had ensued between the residence of “Mollah Bari” and “Chowdhury Bari” over a trivial matter around 2pm.

At one stage of the altercation, residents of Chowdhury Bari attacked Mollah Bari and tried to vandalise the

house at about 2:15pm.

As the news of attack spread, about 200 people of both groups rushed to the spot and engaged the clash, killing Sharif Miah 15, son of Shahjahan Miah and Hira Miah, 55, on the spot and leaving 25 people injured.

The injured were sent to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital and the body was sent to morgue for autopsy.

The OC said police had been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

However, a tense situation is prevailing in the locality and male persons have already fled the village to avoid arrest. l

Integrated efforts stressed for eradicating child marriage n Tribune Report

Police personnel are searching a Dhaka-bound private car in Sirajganj

46,500 hectares to be brought under Boro cultivation n Tribune Desk The Department of Agriculture Extension has taken massive programmes to cultivate Boro paddy in all five upazilas of the district during the current Rabi season.

The DAE sources said, under the programme, a total of 46,500 hectares of land would be brought under Boro cultivation with the production target of 3,72,000 metric tons of paddy.

Of the total, 40,000 hectares of land would be brought under high yielding variety and 6,500 hectares under hybrid

and local variety of the paddy.

The farmers have already setup seedbeds on over 1,000 hectares of land by spreading improved quality Boro seeds there, the sources said, reports BSS. The crop specialists and field level officials of the DAE have started providing their service to the cultivators following directives of the government.

The Deputy Director of the local DAE Md Nazrul Islam told BSS that different state run commercial banks including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RKUB) have disbursed Agricultural loan to the farmers. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Comprehensive efforts of professional forums and groups, administrations and public representatives could eradicate child marriage and violence against women from the society, speakers told a discussion.

They were addressing a divisional workshop on ‘Role of Professional Forums and Federations to Prevent Early Marriage and VAW’ organised by the Women Rights Unit of Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service Bangladesh at Begum Rokeya auditorium in Rangpur city yesterday.

Head of Programme Coordination of RDRS Bangladesh Monjusree Saha presided over the workshop while Assistant Coordinator of its Women Rights Unit Mezbahun Nahar delivered the keynote presentation.

A total of 105 participants including Presidents of district and upazila units of professional forums, youth forums,

union federations, women community leaders, human rights activists and professionals from all eight districts in Rangpur division participated, reports BSS. Secretary of Rangpur unit of Shushashoner Janno Nagorik Akbar Hossain, former Kurigram municipality Mayor Kaziul Islam, women community leaders Advocate Shameema Shirin and Ira Haq, Nilphamari Press Club President Tahmin Haque Bobby and Jatrapur union chairman Abdul Gafur addressed the programme.

Taking part in the open discussion, the participants blamed discriminatory attitude towards female children at the family levels, superstitions, religious misinterpretations, eve-teasing, illiteracy, dowry, poverty etc as the main reasons behind child marriage.

They suggested for proper implementation of the Child Marriage Prevention Act, increasing punishments and fines, creating social awareness, considering

NEWS IN BRIEF 15 shops gutted in Bhola

At least 15 shops were gutted in a devastating fire at Dular Bazar under Char Fashion upazila in the district early Saturday. Sources said that the fire originated from electric short circuit around 3:30am. On information, two firefighting units of Char Fashion fire service rushed to the spot and doused the fire after anhour efforts. Confirming the matter, Char Fashion Thana Officer-in-Charge Abul Bashar and fire service station officer SirajulHaque Mridha told banglanews, “The fire originated from a stationary shop and soon engulfed the adjacentshops.” The shop owners claimed that the extent of loss from the fire could go up Tk30 lakhs. –Tribune Report

Youth held with heroin in Godagari

Members of Rapid Action Battalion arrested a youth with one kilogram of heroin in Pirizpur area under Godagari upazila of the district yesterday afternoon. According to the RAB sources, the arrested person was identified as Mamun, 30, son of Fazlur Rahman of Matherpur village under the same upazila. On a tip-off, a team of the elite force conducted a sudden raid at the areas around 3 pm and arrested Mamun and recovered one kilogram of heroin after searching his body. The arrested person along with the seized contraband item was handed over to Godagari Police Station,

the sources added. – Tribune Desk

Ferry services Mawa-Kawrakandi route halted for 13-hrs

Ferry services on the Mawa-Kawrakandi river route resumed Sunday morning after a 13 hours suspension due to poor visibility for dense fog. Eight ferries started carrying vehicles from 10:30am. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Mawa Assistant Manager (commerce) Chandra Shekhar confirmed the matter. Earlier eight ferries got stuck in the mid of Padma River due to poor visibility for dense fog at around 9pm Saturday. – Tribune Desk

child marriage as offence, registering marriage through affidavits checking national identity cards etc for preventing child marriage.

The speakers narrated the grievous impacts of child marriage on the premature girls leading them to shattered and catastrophic lives destroying their future and increasing neonatal, maternal and children deaths in rural areas.

They suggested for rectifying previous mistakes through launching social movement involving people from all walks in the society to create renaissance against the curse that has engulfed the backward rural people creating unrest in family life and society.

They highly lauded the role of the professional groups, forums and federations of RDRS Bangladesh in preventing hundreds of child marriages, hilla marriages, violence against women, extending legal and social supports to such victims over the years. l

Explosives seized in Bandarban n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have recovered around 39 Improvised Explosive Device (IED), a homemade bomb from the no mans’ land area on the Dhaka-Myanmar border in Naikhongchari upazila under Bandarban district.

Sources said a specialist team of BGB conducted the drive and recovered the bombs from the upazila in the evening on Saturday.

BGB sources said earlier they had alerted the locals to avoid going to the area. However, panic triggered among the locals after hearing the announcement. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Monday, December 30, 2013

The brightest and the best This is the first of a two-part article on the legacy of American presidents

P

n Jamil Majid rofessor Arthur Schlesinger Sr taught history at Harvard for three decades. His areas of specialty were urban history and social history.

Schlesinger is perhaps best remembered today as the pioneer of the genre of appraising American presidents. In 1948, he polled 55 eminent historians in a survey to rank presidential greatness. The experts were invited to evaluate presidents of the past, and place them in categories ranging from Great to Failure. The then president of the US, Harry Truman, was not covered by the survey. The findings of the survey represented the consensus of an elite group of academics as to presidential performances and ratings.

The six presidents in the category of Great were in descending order: Lincoln, Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Wilson, Jefferson and Jackson. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Cleveland, John Adams and Polk were rated Near Great. Eleven presidents, including John Quincy Adams, Monroe, Madison and Hoover, comprised the Average group. Presidents Pierce, Buchanan, Coolidge and three others were deemed Below Average, while Harding and Grant were in the lowest class of Failure.

In 1962, Professor Schlesinger repeated the exercise. He chaired a group of 75 scholars to rank former presidents. The pecking order of the seven highest-rated presidents remained unchanged from the earlier survey. Of these, Lincoln, Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Wilson and Jefferson retained their places in the category of Great. President Jackson was moved down to the Near Great category in the company of Theodore Roosevelt, Polk, Truman, John Adams and Cleveland.

There were twelve presidents, including Madison, John Quincy Adams, Monroe, Hoover and Eisenhower, in the Average class. Six, including Coolidge, Pierce and Buchanan, were considered Below Average. Presidents Harding and Grant were the two Failures. The then incumbent, President Kennedy, who was not included in the survey, wondered aloud with some

Average. Hoover, Hayes, Ford, Carter and five others were considered Average. Reagan, Tyler, Coolidge, Pierce and two others constituted the Below Average group. The five failures were Andrew Johnson, Buchanan, Nixon, Grant and Harding.

In a study sponsored by the Federalist Society and the Wall Street Journal in the year 2000, a balanced group of 78 scholars were surveyed to rank presidents of the past. Presidents Washington, Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt were rated great. The Near Great category comprised Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Jackson, Truman, Reagan, Eisenhower, Polk and Wilson.

The Above Average group included Cleveland, LBJ, Kennedy and four others. JQ Adams, GHW Bush, Clinton and five others were rated average. Ford, Carter, Grant, Nixon and five others were considered Below Average. The failures were Harding, Buchanan and two others.

In 2010, 47 British scholars were invited to rate American presidents of the past. This was the first ever UK academic poll of American presidents.

Certain broad criteria were applied for the exercise. These included vision, domestic leadership, foreign policy, moral leadership and historical impact or significance. The ten highest-rated presidents were in descending order: Franklin Roosevelt, Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Truman, Reagan, Jackson and Eisenhower. The five at the bottom of the list were in descending order: A Johnson, Tyler, Harding, Pierce and Buchanan.

Surveys of presidential performance, conducted at different times over decades, show more consistency than variation. This is especially so of those at the higher and lower echelons of ratings. Variations in respect of some presidents may be attributed to two reasons. Experts polled at different times differ in their political leanings, and this may affect the process of appraisal. Secondly, over time more information, including declassified documents, becomes progressively available to scholars, and this adds to the perspective of historical events and personalities.

Elections can be a ‘no-holds barred’ contest, and there have been allegations that ‘dirty tricks were used to boost Reagan’s electoral prospects. Ahead of a crucial television debate between the two candidates in the last week of October, Reagan’s campaign staff, somehow or other, obtained copies of Carter’s briefing books asperity as to how anyone who had not experienced the pressures of the presidency could presume to judge those who had occupied the office. Not everyone would concur with such a perspective.

Arthur Schlesinger Jr, like his father, was professor of History at Harvard.

During 1961-63, he served as special assistant to the president; his book on the Kennedy presidency won him his second Pulitzer Prize. In 1996, he polled 32 scholars and experts in the same exercise as his father’s. The results were not radically different.

Lincoln, Washington and Franklin Roosevelt were rated great. In the Near Great class by Jefferson, Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Truman and Polk followed them. Seven presidents, including Eisenhower, John Adams, Kennedy, Cleveland and LBJ, were above average. Twelve, including John Quincy Adams, Clinton, GHW Bush, Reagan, Carter and Ford were considered average. Four, including Coolidge and Tyler, were below average. The failures included Harding, Buchanan, Nixon, Hoover, Grant and two others.

The rating or ranking of past US presidents has, since the 1960’s, become something of a feature with American scholars of presidential history and politics. In 1991, Professor Tim Blessing, eminent scholar of the American presidency, polled 500 experts in a survey to rate presidents of the past. This was the first such exercise to include Ronald Reagan, whose second term ended in January 1989.

The findings of the poll were presented at a meeting of the Organisation of American Historians in April 1991. Four presidents, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Washington and Jefferson, were rated great. The Near Great category consisted of Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Jackson, and Truman. Presidents John Adams, LBJ, Eisenhower, Polk, Kennedy, John Quincy Adams, Cleveland and two others were rated Above

As experts gain perspective, the rating and reputation of a president may rise and also fall. For example, Eisenhower, who left office in 1961, was rated Average in the Schlesinger poll of 1962.

In subsequent surveys conducted at much later dates, however, he has been placed in the Above Average or Near Great category. Ike’s was a “hidden-hand or passive style” of leadership; archival material suggests that he was a strong and decisive leader behind the scenes.

The attribute of greatness is essentially a value judgment, and not easy to define with any precision. Greatness is not synonymous with goodness, but the two are not mutually exclusive either. Among other things, greatness relates to accomplishments, ideas and the quality of moral and political leadership. Great men, as Adlai Stevenson once put it, are those who “have influenced the implacable forces of time.” A great leader is identified with policies, principles and institutional arrangements that serve to define his era.

Three presidents, Lincoln, Washington and Franklin Roosevelt, have been persistently rated Great, and are clearly in a class by themselves. Following them, not in any particular order, mostly in the categories of Near Great or High Average, are Presidents Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Wilson, Jackson, Polk, Truman and also Cleveland.

Eisenhower and Reagan, among post World War II presidents, have received High Average or Near Great ratings in recent polls, while Kennedy and LBJ have been rated above average.

President James Knox Polk has been described as the “least known consequential president.” He was an unabashed expansionist. During his single term of office, 1845-49, there was considerable expansion of American territory at the expense of Mexico. President Nixon’s foreign policy achievements were not inconsiderable. He opened up to China, and moved to end

The fall of fame: Greatest American presidents, Abraham Lincoln (left), George Washington, and Franklin Roosevelt, clockwise WIKI COMMONS the Vietnam War, although only after he had expanded and intensified the conflict. He is also the only president to have resigned from office to avoid impeachment by the House, and almost certain conviction in the Senate. In some ways Nixon was a divisive figure.

The following comments about him are suggestive as to how he was perceived by a good many people who, to be sure, differed from him politically, like former president Harry Truman: “I don’t think the son-of-a-bitch knows the difference between telling the truth and lying.”

Professor Richard Neustadt, scholar of the US presidency and founder of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard: “The great division in retrospective appraisal of Nixon will be between those who regard his as the most inept of presidential performances, and those who will regard it as the most vicious.”

Norman Cousins, world peace advocate, author and journalist: “President Nixon’s motto was if two wrongs don’t make a right, try three.”

President Carter has received only modest ratings, Average and Below Average, in successive surveys. And yet, his image is one of great decency, goodwill and moral conviction.

Carter placed human rights high on the international agenda, and wanted to make government “competent and compassionate.” His policies, it has been said, were rooted in moral values; foreign policy, he felt, should reflect the highest moral principles. He was the architect of the Panama Canal Treaties, which restored sovereignty over the Canal Zone to Panama, and facilitated the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. The Camp David Accords led to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979 and the Nobel Peace Prize for Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin. Carter assumed office at a time of international stagnation and inflation, and, during his single term of office, had to contend with major challenges and crises – the 1979 energy crisis, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iran hostage crisis. In the 1980 elections, he lost to Ronald Reagan.

Elections can be a “no-holds barred” contest, and there have been allegations that “dirty tricks” were used to boost Reagan’s electoral prospects.

Ahead of a crucial television debate between the two candidates in the last week of October, Reagan’s campaign staff, somehow or other, obtained copies of Carter’s briefing books. The

Republican candidate was briefed accordingly, and, armed, as he was, with inside information, enjoyed an unfair advantage in the debate. Another, and more serious, allegation relates to the Iran hostage crisis, and is known as the October Surprise Conspiracy theory.

On October 22, 1979, President Carter, not without misgivings, had allowed the ailing former Shah of Iran to enter the US for medical treatment.

Only days later, a militant student group stormed and occupied the American Embassy in Tehran. They demanded, among other things, that the former Shah be returned to Iran to stand trial.

66 Americans employed at the Embassy were taken hostage. Earnest efforts – at the bilateral and multilateral planes – to resolve the matter promptly and peaceably made no headway. Special envoys, sent to Tehran by President Carter on November 7, returned empty-handed, and even a UN Security Council resolution on December 4, asking for the release of the hostages, was to no avail. On November 17, 13 hostages, 8 African-Americans and 5 women, were released, and another hostage, who was ill, was freed on July 11, 1980. The remaining 52 continued to be held in captivity.

The prolonged hostage issue was humiliating for the US, and damaging to President Carter’s image and leadership.

An unsuccessful military operation to rescue the hostages in April 1980 compounded matters. In September 1980, only weeks from the American presidential elections, Carter was trailing his Republican challenger in opinion polls.

By that time, however, some developments on the international scene had made for a situation that was more conducive to the resolution of the hostage problem. In July 1980, the former Shah passed away, and on September 22, Iraq invaded Iran. Release of the hostages ahead of the elections would clearly be a major boost for Carter. There have been allegations – by among others former Iranian president Bani-Sadr and former US National Security Council member and Middle-East specialist, Gary Sick – that important figures in the Reagan campaign clandestinely met representatives of Iran in European capitals to delay the release of the hostages until after the American elections. The Iranians were told that such a delay would virtually ensure Reagan’s victory in the elections, and, once in office, a Reagan administration would provide much-needed arms to Iran. Israel would

be the conduit for the covert arms transfer. Iranian financial assets, frozen in US banks, would also be unblocked. The allegations have never been conclusively proved. Coincidentally, or otherwise, the hostages were released within minutes of Reagan’s assumption of office on January 20, 1981. And secondly, the Iran-Contra affair, which is not dissimilar in substance to the “hostage conspiracy theory,” became public in November 1986. Senior officials of the Reagan administration had orchestrated the sale of American arms to Iran, covertly and illegally, via Israel. The funds generated were used to support the Contras in Nicaragua, in violation of a ban by Congress. There was another aspect to this affair; Iran would use its influence to secure the release of 7 American hostages being held by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Several officials were indicted on different counts; eventually all were pardoned.

to his policies and leadership – and a prosperous economy. His critics contend that the prosperity of the Reagan years was built upon “unsustainable borrowing,” and resulted in huge deficits, that his policies favoured the rich and widened the gap in wealth.

It is generally agreed, though, that Reagan was an enormously influential president, who restored American pride and morale. He may well be the most overrated and also, at the same time, underrated of all presidents. His brand of unquenchable optimism is perhaps something that an electorate likes in leaders.

When the first American Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, assumed office in 1790 he had a total staff of 6 people. Today his successor in office many times removed has over 15,000 people spread across the world working under him. In 1981 Professor David Porter of William Penn College,

‘The great division in retrospective appraisal of Nixon will be between those who regard his as the most inept of presidential performances, and those who will regard it as the most vicious’ Carter’s modest ratings as president notwithstanding, many would concur that he is perhaps the greatest former president the US has had. He has travelled widely – to far-flung places like Bosnia, Ethiopia, Sudan and North Korea – to promote peace, to conduct peace negotiations, to observe elections, and also to advance disease prevention and eradication in developing countries. In 2002 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.”

Ronald Reagan’s ratings have been the most variable of all presidents, ranging from “below average” to “near great.” He had a simple, almost simplistic, view of the world, and a few core beliefs. He believed in a laissez-faire philosophy, small government, supply-side economic policies, less taxes, and reduction in government spending. The then Soviet Union was, for him, “an evil empire.”

Reagan’s admirers – and they are legion – take pride in his legacy; victory in the Cold War – due in large measure

Oskaloosa, Iowa, polled 50 diplomatic historians to assess former American Secretaries of State, from Jefferson to Muskie. Some criteria were suggested for the survey; the incumbent’s success in defining and achieving diplomatic goals, his political and moral leadership exerted on foreign affairs, and the impact of his policies and actions on the course of American history. The 10 best Secretaries, according to the results of the survey, were in descending order: John Quincy Adams (1817-25), William Seward (1861-69), Hamilton Fish (1869-77), Charles Evans Hughes (1921-25), General George Marshall (1947-49), Dean Acheson (1949-53), Henry Kissinger (1973-77), Daniel Webster (1841-43 and 1850-52), Thomas Jefferson (1790-93), and John Hay (1898-1905). Adams, who topped the list, and Jefferson, who was placed at 9, later served as president. Singularly enough, as president, Adams has mostly received average ratings, while Jefferson has been placed in the “near great” or “great” categories.

The concluding part of this article will appear tomorrow.

Jamil Majid is a freelance contributor.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Suicide bomber kills 14 in Russia n AP, Moscow At least 14 people were killed and scores were wounded Sunday by a female suicide bomber at a railway station in southern Russia, officials said, heightening concern about terrorism ahead of February’s Olympics in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack in Volgograd, but it came several months after Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov called for new attacks against civilian targets in Russia, including the Sochi Games.

Volgograd, 900km south of Moscow, lies about 650km northeast of Sochi, a Black Sea resort flanked by the North Caucasus Mountains.

Suicide bombings and other attacks linked to Islamic rebels roaming the North Caucasus have rocked Russiafor years. The government has deployed tens of thousands of soldiers, police and other security personnel to protect the Olympics, President Vladimir Putin’s pet project, and the organizers have pledged to make the Sochi Games will be the “safest Olympics in history.”

Vladimir Markin, the spokesman for the nation’s top investigative agency, the Investigative Committee, said the suicide bomber detonated her explosives in front of a metal detector.

Markin put the death toll at 14, while Volgograd’s regional governor, Sergei Bozhenov, said 15 died.

Russia’s Health Ministry said about 50 people were injured.

In October, a female suicide bomber blew herself up on a city bus in Volgograd, killing six people and injuring about 30. Officials said the attacker came from the province of Dagestan, which has become the centre of an Islamist insurgency that has spread across

South Sudan abusers must be brought to justice: Ban

n AFP, Juba

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has reiterated a call for perpetrators of violence in South Sudan to be brought to justice.

“All violence, attacks and human rights abuses must end immediately,” Ban’s spokesman said in a statement late Saturday.

“The secretary general reminds those responsible that they will be held accountable. He calls on the government and all concerned to ensure the rights and security of civilians are protected,” said the statement, issued in New York.

The government on Saturday meanwhile accused sacked former vice president and rebel leader Riek Machar of recruiting up to 25,000 young men of the Nuer tribe in eastern Jonglei state.

But rebel spokesman Moses Ruai Lat denied the allegation, telling AFP that Machar was “not mobilising his tribe,” South Sudan’s second biggest ethnic group.

Those young people were regular soldiers turning their back on the government and had not been drafted by Machar, he said.

The conflict, fuelled by an old rivalry between President Salva Kiir and Machar, has fanned ethnic differences between Kiir’s Dinka group and the Nuer.

The accusations came as East African and Horn of Africa peace brokers set a Tuesday deadline for Kiir and Machar to start face-to-face talks. l

Monday, December 30, 2013

517 dead in fortnight of regime strikes in Aleppo n AFP, Beirut Regime air strikes on the northern Syrian province of Aleppo have killed at least 517 people since December 15, including 151 children, a monitor said on Sunday.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a string of regime aerial attacks on the province, including second city Aleppo, with raids using explosives-packed barrels, had also killed 46 women.

At least 46 opposition fighters, including 34 rebels and 12 jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, but the majority of the dead were civilians, the Observatory said.

Recent weeks have seen a relentless

The bodies of victims lie on the ground as Russian security personnel inspect the damage at the train station following the suicide attack AFP the region after two separatist wars in Chechnya.

Russian state television reported that Sunday’s explosion occurred at the security gate at the station’s entrance. The Interior Ministry said that one police officer died in the explosion and three others were wounded.

Images caught by a security camera facing the station, broadcast by Rossiya 24 television, showed the moment of explosion: a bright orange flash inside the station behind the main gate followed by plumes of smoke.

“We heard a loud bang from behind, saw a bright flash and fell on the floor,” local resident Svetlana Dem-

chenko, who witnessed the explosion, was quoted as saying by the ITAR-Tass news agency.

Numerous ambulances were parked outside the station, and several motionless bodies were placed on the pavement.

On Friday, three people were killed when a car rigged with explosives blew up on a street in Pyatigorsk, the centre of a federal administrative district intended to stabilize the North Caucasus region.

Russia in past years has seen a series of terror attacks on buses, trains and airplanes, some carried out by suicide bombers.

Twin bombings on the Moscow subway in March 2010 by female suicide bombers killed 40 people and wounded more than 120. In January 2011, a male suicide bomber struck Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport, killing 37 people and injuring more than 180.

Umarov, who had claimed responsibility for the 2010 and 2011 bombings, ordered a halt to attacks on civilian targets during the mass street protests against President Vladimir Putin in the winter of 2011-12. He reversed that order in July, urging his men to “do their utmost to derail” the Sochi Olympics which he described as “satanic dances on the bones of our ancestors.” l

Lebanon mourns ex-minister killed in bombing n AFP, Beirut Lebanese mourners gathered in Beirut on Sunday to bury Mohamed Chatah, a prominent critic of the Syrian regime, killed in a car bombing that revived painful memories of political assassinations.

Chatah, 62, a Sunni Muslim former finance minister and close aide to ex-prime minister Saad Hariri, was killed on Friday along with six other people.

Dozens of others were wounded in the blast in the heart of Beirut, raising fears about the fragile situation in Lebanon, which has seen the war in neighbouring Syria regularly spill over.

Over 50,000 Ukrainians rally after reporter beating n AFP, Kiev Tens of thousands of irate Ukrainians rallied Sunday amid swelling anger over the brutal beating of a pro-European reporter who exposed the lavish lifestyles of President Viktor Yanukovych and his ruling elite.

The angry crowd of more than 50,000 also planned to drive dozens of cars toward Yanukovych’s heavily guarded Mezhygirya residence on the banks of the Dnipro River that journalist Tetyana Chornovol accused the Ukrainian leader of illegally “privatising” in one of her exposes.

“We plan come out here until the day the authorities make changes to the constitution and limit the powers of the president,” said Kiev pensioner Tetyana Kornienko amid a sea of Ukrainian flags fluttering across central Kiev’s iconic Independence Square.

Chornovol – a prominent figure in the pro-EU protests that have rocked Kiev since Yanukovych abandoned a historic agreement with Brussels in favour of closer ties with old master Moscow last month – was pulled out of her car and assaulted on Tuesday night.

The attack and graphic hospital images of Chornovol’s bloodied and swollen face have added fuel to the fire of weekly pro-EU protests that intially drew hundreds of thousands but began to peter out last Sunday.

The opposition appeared to be taken aback by a $15 billion (11 billion euro) bailout package that Yanukovych struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 17 that also slashed

Interior Ministry members stand guard as pro-European integration supporters hold a rally near the president’s residence the price Ukraine had to pay for natural gas imports on which its teetering economy depends.

The deal removed the immediate threat of a painful Ukrainian currency devaluation and debt default but also dimmed the prospects of a so-called Association Agreement being struck with the European Union in the coming months.

EU diplomats said that talks with Ukraine can resume only after Kiev spells out its commitment to the terms of a deal with Brussels that the two sides had agreed through years of painful talks.

But opposition leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko’s Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) party said Chornovol’s beating showed

REUTERS

that the authorities were ready to take grievous measures against their rivals, and called for still stronger protests.

“We intend to conduct a ‘political auto rally’ on Sunday. First we will drive to the president’s residence.

From there, we visit the speaker’s residence. And from the speaker’s – to the residence of the prime minister,” Yatsenyuk said in a statement. l

Benghazi attack not work of al-Qaeda

Bahrain frees opposition chief

n AFP, New York

n AFP, Dubai

Al-Qaeda had no direct involvement in the attack on the US mission in Benghazi that left four Americans dead on September 11 last year, The New York Times reported Saturday. In an investigation published on its website and based on extensive reporting in the Libyan city, the Times said the killing of US ambassador Chris Stevens and three of his countrymen was the work of local fighters.

The report could likely stir up controversy in Washington, where the Obama administration has repeatedly been accused of covering up what happened in Benghazi – a charge it denies.

The newspaper also said the attack may indeed have been sparked by citizens who headed to the US mission after being angered by an anti-Islamic video that had aired on local television channels.

Based on interviews with Libyans in Benghazi that the Times said had direct knowledge of the attack, the newspaper “turned up no evidence that Al-Qaeda or other international groups had any role in the assault,” it said.

“The attack was led, instead by fight-

Bahrain has freed Shia opposition leader cleric Ali Salman after a day of questioning, charging him with incitement to hatred and banning him from travel, the prosecution said.

Salman had been charged with “incitement to religious hatred and spreading false news likely to harm national security,” attorney general Abdulrahman al-Sayyed was quoted as saying by the official BNA news agency late Saturday.

The prosecution had ordered the release of the head of the opposition Al-Wefaq bloc after he had been summoned on Saturday, but “forbade him from any travel for the purposes of the investigation,” he added.

During his questioning, Salman had been asked about the content of a speech he gave on Friday.

The attorney general said Salman was charged with “inciting hatred against a religious community” in the Sunni Muslim-ruled country during the address.

He was also alleged to have “ac-

The wreckage of burnt cars outside the main gate of the US consulate in Benghazi ers who had benefited directly from NATO’s extensive air power and logistics during the uprising,” against the country’s long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi, killed in October 2011.

The newspaper, citing American officials briefed on a criminal probe into the killings, alleged that a local rebel leader named Ahmed Abu Khat-

AFP

tala, said to have disdain for the United States despite its help to overthrow Kadhafi, is the prime suspect for orchestrating the Benghazi killings.

The Times report placed him at the US mission at the time of the attack and in an interview with the newspaper he said he was indeed present, but denied he was responsible. l

aerial campaign targeting towns and villages across Aleppo province.

On Saturday, helicopters dropped TNT-packed barrels on a vegetable market and next to a hospital in Aleppo city, killing at least 25 civilians, including children.

The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of activists, doctors and lawyers on the ground, strongly condemned the raids, and urged the international community to intervene.

“The Observatory considers all those who remain silent in the international community as complicit in the massacres that have been committed and continue to be committed by the Syrian regime,” it said. l

cused institutions of the state of engaging in illegal practices.”

The speech was followed by “disturbances, acts of violence and aggression against the security forces that caused injuries in their ranks,” the chief prosecutor added.

Six opposition groups including Al-Wefaq have issued a statement denouncing Salman’s detention as an “attack on freedom of expression in Bahrain.”

Al-Wefaq, the most important opposition grouping in Shia-majority Bahrain, wants a constitutional monarchy in the Gulf nation ruled by the Al-Khalifa dynasty.

It repeatedly says it rejects violence, but the authorities in turn blame its supporters for the trouble.

A month-long protest that erupted on February 14, 2011, was dispersed in a mid-March deadly crackdown helped by security forces from neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

At least 89 people have been killed in Bahrain since the Arab Spring-inspired protests erupted, according to the International Federation for Human Rights. l

Heavy security was in place on Sunday, as the body of Chatah and his bodyguard Tarek Badr were transported from western Beirut to a mosque downtown for prayers and burial.

“There is no God but God, the martyr is the beloved of God,” mourners chanted as the bodies arrived.

Chatah will be interred at the mausoleum of Hariri’s father Rafiq, who was also killed in a huge suicide bombing on the Beirut seafront on February 14, 2005.

His supporters blamed Hariri’s death on the Syrian regime and its ally, the powerful Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah. l

Anxious wait for stranded Antarctic ship n AFP, Sydney Passengers on a Russian research ship trapped in thick Antarctic ice faced an uncertain wait Sunday for one last icebreaking attempt with no guarantees of success.

The MV Akademik Shokalskiy has been marooned by heavy ice since Tuesday about 100 nautical miles east of the French Antarctic base Dumont d’Urville, with two icebreaking ships so far failing in attempts to reach it.

China’s Snow Dragon came tantalisingly close on Saturday, getting to within six-and-a-half nautical miles of the passenger vessel carrying 74 scientists, tourists and crew before impenetrable ice forced it to turn back.

The Australian government’s resupply ship Aurora Australis is now en route to make one final bid to free the icebound boat and is expected to reach the Akademik at 11pm Australian time (1200 GMT).

“It will then assess if it can make it through the ice to the Akademik Shokalskiy,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority told AFP. “If the Aurora Australis is not capable of getting through the ice, then we will look at utilising the helicopter on board the Chinese-flagged vessel (the Snow Dragon) which AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre has tasked to remain in the vicinity.” l

Yemen court condemns al-Qaeda suspect to death

n AFP, Sanaa A Sanaa court on Sunday sentenced to death a Yemeni al-Qaeda suspect for his role in a deadly attack on a security headquarters in Aden in 2011, an official said.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a franchise of the global jihadist network, is active in Yemen and is seen by the United States as its most dangerous branch.

The court convicted Ahmad Kadiri Ahmad Turki of belonging to AQAP and setting up the cell that planned and launched the attack in the southern city, the judicial official said. The June 2011 attack killed nearly 20 members of the intelligence services in Aden, the terrorism court said. The same court handed nine other suspects sentences of between two and 10 years in prison for belonging to Al-Qaeda and attempting to assassinate President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi.

The prosecution said the group planted an explosive device in Sanaa with the aim of blowing up Hadi’s convoy as it drove past, but the bomb was discovered and defused by security forces. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Thai army chief refuses to rule out coup n AP,

At least one person killed and three injured overnight as a gunman opened fire at a group of protesters near Chamai bridge in Bangkok.

Earlier on Friday, Thailand’s army chief urged both sides in the country’s bitter political dispute to show restraint, but did not explicitly rule out the possibility of a coup.

The army has staged 11 successful coups in the country’s history, so its intentions are being watched carefully Thailand has been wracked by two months of political tensions and occasionally violent street protests pitting the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra against protesters seeking to oust her.

The army has staged 11 successful coups in the country’s history, so its intentions are being watched carefully.

“That door is neither open nor closed,” the army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, said on Friday in response to questions from reporters as to whether military intervention was likely.

“It will be determined by the situation.”

Prayuth also reiterated a request that people stop asking the army to take sides in the dispute.

“Please don’t bring the army into

the centre of this conflict,” he said.

The protesters have been eager for the army to intervene in the crisis.

Late last month, they forced their way onto the grounds of army headquarters to deliver a letter asking the military to support their campaign to topple Yingluck.

The protesters stopped short of calling for a coup, but urged military leaders to “take a stand” in the political crisis. Prayuth responded by insisting that the army would not take sides.

Military security On Thursday, the protesters, who are seeking to disrupt elections scheduled for February 2, battled with police in clashes that left two people dead and moe than 140 injured. Thirty of the injured remained hospitalised on Friday.

As Thursday’s violence unfolded, Thailand’s election commission called for a delay in the polls, a blow to Yingluck. The government rejected the call.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Friday that he would ask the military to provide security for the elections.

Prayuth said the army had shown “red traffic lights to both sides, so things will calm down,” and called for an end to street violence.

“You ask, ‘Who wins?’ Who wins?’

No one,” he said.

Police have made no move to arrest the protest movement’s ringleader, Suthep Thaugsuban, who is demanding the country be led by an unelected council until reforms can be implemented. l

47.1 % of Japanese say PM Abe’s shrine visit ‘not good’

n AFP, Tokyo

Leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, Sam Rainsy, greets supporters during a demonstration in Phnom Penh

n Reuters, Phnom Penh Tens of thousands of Cambodian opposition supporters, backed by striking garment-factory workers, rallied on Sunday to demand long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen step down and call an election.

The garment workers have in recent days joined the opposition protests to press their demand that the government raise the minimum wage to $160 a month from $95, as recommended on December 24.

“Hun Sen and his illegal government can hear us, they can’t ignore us,

n AFP, New Delhi With vigils and prayers, India on Sunday marked the first anniversary of the death of a student savagely gang-raped on a Delhi bus – a tragedy that sparked nationwide protests.

The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died on December 29 last year, nearly two weeks after being attacked by a gang of six men on a moving bus as she returned home from the cinema with a male companion.

The attack and her subsequent death shook the country, shone a global spotlight on India’s treatment of women and unleashed seething public anger about sexual violence and harassment of women.

The victim’s family are holding a religious ceremony in their ancestral village in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, away from the constant media attention they have faced since the attack, her brother said.

“We want to remember her in a quiet way, away from all the glare. We want it to be a private family moment,” the brother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told AFP before the anniversary.

The family will follow traditional Hindu rituals, with a prayer ceremony and symbolic offerings to their ancestors, which are believed Indian students take part in a candle-light vigil commemorating the fatal gang-rape AFP

The party of Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has declared that it will take part in 2015 parliamentary elections even if the country’s constitution barring her from running for president is not amended.

Nyan Win, spokesman for National League for Democracy (NLD), said at a news conference on Saturday that the party would contest the polls, which Suu Kyi had said cannot be fair unless the constitution is changed.

Article 59 of the constitution says anyone whose spouse or children owes allegiance to a foreign power cannot become president or vice president.

Suu Kyi was married to the late British scholar Michael Aris, and her two sons are foreign citizens.

Myanmar’s parliament formed a Constitution Review Committee in July to recommend changes to the constitution before the 2015 elections.

The NLD decided at a meeting on Saturday to send suggestions on changing 168 points from 14 chapters of the constitution, including the article that disqualifies Suu Kyi from becoming president, said Win Myint, a senior party member. Constitutional amendments require the consent of more than 75% of lawmakers, followed by more than 50% approval in a nationwide referendum. l

Bleak future for Afghanistan, says US intelligence report n AFP, Washington Progress in Afghanistan over the past three years is likely to be seriously eroded by 2017 even if Western powers continue to support Kabul financially, the Washington Post reported, citing an intelligence assessment.

A new National Intelligence Estimate – which includes input from 16 US intelligence agencies – predicts that the Taliban and other powerbrokers will increase their influence even if the United States leaves behind a few thousand troops and continues to fund authorities in Kabul, the Post said in its Sunday edition.

US-led NATO forces are withdrawing from Afghanistan after more than a decade of fighting the Taliban, but negotiations have stalled on a security accord that would allow some US and NATO troops to stay after 2014.

President Hamid Karzai first endorsed the deal – which lays out rules for US troops, and would be the basis for other NATO forces – but later said it might not be signed until after the April election that will choose his successor.

Signing the agreement is a precondition for the delivery of billions of dollars in Western aid for Afghanistan over

AFP

Thousands of Cambodians rally to demand PM step down the people show their will for change,” Sam Rainsy, leader of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, told the rally in a Phnom Penh park.

“We demand that Hun Sen to steps down and a new election,” Sam Rainsy, a former finance minister, told the crowd, some of whom have been camping out in the park since December 15.

Hun Sen’s long-dominant Cambodian People’s Party won a July election but with a reduced majority. It has rejected opposition complaints of vote-rigging. Hun Sen, who has been in power for 28 years, has ignored opposi-

Vigil as India remembers gang-rape victim

Suu Kyi’s party to run in Myanmar elections n AP

9

Monday, December 30, 2013

the next years.

The Post, citing officials who have seen the intelligence report, said that Afghanistan will likely plunge into chaos if the security agreement is not signed.

“In the absence of a continuing presence and continuing financial support,” the intelligence assessment “suggests the situation would deteriorate very rapidly,” a US official familiar with the report told the Post, speaking on condition of anonymity.

However one official told the Post that the assessment was too pessimistic, and that there were too many variables to accurately predict Afghanistan’s future.

Some officials also believe that Afghanistan’s security forces are better prepared than the report states.

“I think what we’re going to see is a recalibration of political power, territory and that kind of thing. It’s not going to be an inevitable rise of the Taliban,” a US official who thought the report was too negative told the Post.

The previous National Intelligence Estimate on Afghanistan came out three years ago, in December 2010.

Such reports are typically produced ahead of major policy decisions. l

to bring peace to those who have died.

The student, who was repeatedly assaulted with an iron rod during her ordeal, has been praised for her determination to report her attackers to the police before she died of her injuries.

Four of her attackers were convicted and given the death penalty in September after the case was fast-tracked, while a juvenile was sentenced to a detention centre.

The sixth man died in prison in March in an apparent suicide.

The angry and sometimes violent protests against the attack jolted India’s parliament, which this year passed tougher laws against rapists and other sex-crime offenders.

Women’s groups say some improvements have also been made in the last 12 months to India’s notoriously slow, inefficient and sometimes corrupt police and judicial systems, which has encouraged some victims to report sexual crimes.

Despite the reforms, new cases of rape continue to be reported daily from across the country in the Indian press. An ambulance driver allegedly raped a 10-year-old girl after he drove her sick mother to hospital in the central state of Chhattisgarh, the Press Trust of India reported. l

tion demands for an investigation into the election and says that he will not resign or call a new election.

Under Hun Sen, Cambodia has been transformed from a backwater scarred by the “Killing Fields” rule of the Khmer Rouge, into one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economies, helped by a burgeoning garment industry and growing political and investment ties with China.

But his authoritarian rule has earned the condemnation of rights groups and that, along with widespread corruption, has alienated many voters. l

A majority of Japanese voters want Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to heed the diplomatic fallout after his visit to a controversial war shrine, but nevertheless largely approved of his job performance, a poll showed Sunday.

In a telephone survey taken by Kyodo News on Saturday and Sunday, 69.8% of respondents said the conservative leader should pay attention to the implications of his recent surprise visit to the Yasukuni shrine.

It also showed that 47.1% said it was “not good” that Abe visited the shrine.

The news agency did not immediately release details of the nationwide survey, such as the number of participants.

Abe on Thursday visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which is believed to be the repository of around 2.5 million souls of Japan’s war dead – most of them common soldiers, but also including several high-level officials executed for war crimes after World War II. The visit – which came at a time when Japan’s ties with China have turned particularly sour over a territorial dispute regarding islands in the East China Sea – prompted an angry reaction from Beijing, which sees the shrine as a symbol of Japan’s war-time militarism.

Three Chinese government ships entered the territorial waters around the East China Sea islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China, for several hours Sunday, according to the Japanese coastguard.

Seoul also reacted angrily to Abe’s visit to the shrine, while Japan’s ally the United States said it was “disappointed” by the prime minister’s decision as it will raise regional tensions. l

Musharraf says army backs him over treason ‘vendetta’ n AFP, Islamabad Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Sunday denounced treason charges against him as a “vendetta,” and said he had the backing of the country’s powerful army.

The 70-year-old told reporters the “whole army” was upset with the treason allegations, in his first comments to international media since he was put under house arrest in April.

The treason claims are the latest and potentially most serious in a flurry of criminal cases relating to Musharraf’s nine-year rule that he has faced since returning to Pakistan in March.

The case puts the government on a possible collision course with the all-powerful army, which is seen as being reluctant to witness its former chief suffer the indignity of being tried by a civilian court.

“I would say the whole army is upset. I have led the army from the front,” Musharraf told reporters.

“I have no doubt with the feedback that I received that the whole army is...

Totally with me on this issue.”

The military, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 66-year history and still wields great influence, has not made any clear public comment on Musharraf’s legal woes.

The treason charges relate to Musharraf’s imposition of emergency rule in November 2007, and if found guilty he could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

An initial hearing in the case, being heard by a special tribunal, was halted on December 24 after explosives were found along the route Musharraf was to take to court. The case is due to resume on January 1, but Musharraf said he had not yet decided whether or not he would attend. “The way this tribunal was formed, which involved the prime minister and the ex-chief justice, this itself smacks a little bit of a vendetta,” he said Sunday.

Musharraf’s lawyers have dismissed the charges as an attempt by the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who Musharraf ousted in a coup in 1999, to settle old scores through the courts. l

ELEPHANT FESTIVAL

A Nepalese mahout gives his elephant a morning bath at Sauraha in Chitwan, some 150 kms southwest of Kathmandu, during the Chitwan Elephant Festival. The ongoing five-day festival is celebrated with elephant soccer games and an elephant beauty pageant AFP

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Monday, December 30, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Staying within bounds

W

e had suggested the government should have allowed the BNP march to show its commitment to democratic precepts.

The government chose to put public safety first and stands somewhat vindicated by the relatively low occurrence of violence.

However, this prevention of violence has not come as a result of effective policing, but from virtual suspension of normal life, which cannot be an enduring solution in a democracy.

It is the government’s responsibility (and we concede that it is neither an easy nor an enviable one) to find a way to normalise the situation while providing security. That is the challenge they must meet.

A further concern is that the government is resorting to increasingly more heavy-handed measures to deal with the situation.

To attempt to counter the opposition’s demonstration by shutting down inter-city and intra-city transport left the government causing the same hardship to the public that the opposition has been this past month.

Furthermore, the arrest of senior BNP leaders and refusal to let Khaleda Zia leave her house were unnecessary and excessive. While we appreciate the need to keep public order, we feel that on these occasions the government went too far.

Finally, the actions of ruling party student front activists in attacking professional group supporters of the BNP cannot be condoned. It was this utterly unacceptable action that brought most discredit to the government’s handling of yesterday’s protest.

We do not excuse or condone the unconscionable violence that the opposition has been responsible for over the past few months or suggest that the ruling party is by any means alone in its culpability.

However, while the extraordinary violence of the past few months may require special measures, the government must be sure to avoid excesses and act with as much restraint as possible.

It is the government’s responsibility to find a way to normalise the situation while providing security

PM does not have to agree, but she should not dismiss

LETTER OF THE DAY

Government can stop the unrest

How about a national referendum?

This article clearly tells us that the Bangladesh government can stop the killings, arson, and unrest. Let there be more and more combing operations all over Bangladesh, everyday if needed.

I thank (from my heart) the Government of Bangladesh for bringing peace to Satkhira. We don’t want anyone to destroy our beloved motherland. Most Bangladeshi citizens (I believe 99% of them) want peace there.

Muktijuddho Dr Emarat Hossain Pannah USA

December 25

December 27

December 23

shuvo Nice! Need some more features about these beautiful places of Dhaka amidst this chaotic time. Thanks.

Ronnie I like the place, and occasionally visit. I’d visit more frequently and buy more if only Bookworm had the kinds of books I’ve always loved. I’m most passionate about classic American fiction and have a slew of favourite American authors, spanning the last two centuries. Sadly, there’s always been a woeful lack of such books. It seems to be purposely and predominantly stocked with mass-market popular fiction, known best-sellers, South Asian fiction/ non-fiction etc. Even the non-fiction that I love on subjects like Architecture, Politics, Philosophy, Sports, etc are virtually non-existent. And the store is admittedly rather small for the serious, avid booklover. I have even placed orders of several books that I wished to buy. Alas, I’m disappointed to say that only about a fifth of my listed titles ever arrived, even after waiting for 3-4 months. I’ve always bought most of my books from overseas, but the best in Dhaka (at least for my own preferred purchases) is Zeenat Books Supply at New Market.

T

Ronnie Amina Rahman: Thanks for replying. Much appreciated!

Oh well, I have seen varied pop fiction titles at your store over the past few years. I certainly feel rather deflated to see a bevy of titles by, arguably, very “mass-market” authors like Sidney Sheldon, Judith McNaught, Paulo Coelho, Nora Roberts and sundry others, clogging up precious shelf space. As for the consistent and broad visibility of South Asian literature

Syed Ziad Rahman For the past one year, I have been posting on Facebook and other social media networks to let the people decide through a referendum whether we should have the caretaker government or not before national polls.

Nrb The referendum may reveal what people want, so it will never happen. The political parties will join hands to prevent it.

A haven for Bookworms

Amina Rahman Ronnie: Mass-market popular fiction is not our forte, though I wish it were. You must not have been there very recently.

he PM’s response to a citizens’ dialogue that called for the deferment of the January 5 elections, by suggesting that the instigators of 1/11 have become active again, is disappointing and ungracious, revealing once again her inability to distinguish between real enemies and imagined ones.

Many of the participants in the dialogue were well-wishers and supporters of the PM and the AL, but since she did not appreciate the message, she was happy to tar all of them with the same brush.

The PM may disagree with the suggestion that it would be better to defer the upcoming elections, but there is no need for her to question the motives of those who believe that it would be in both the country’s and the ruling party’s best interests to do so.

Indeed, even one of the participants in the event conceded that if no solution was reached within the 90 days after dissolving parliament, then that too could pose a serious problem.

The fact that such caveats were raised at the event means it was open to real discussion. It’s a pity that the ruling party did not see fit to take part in it. It might have been a good place to make their arguments and widen support for their stance.

Many from the ruling party and government were invited to participate and share their thoughts. In the event, no one from the ruling party attended, with Rashed Khan Menon the sole representative of the government.

That a notable section of the public was virtually unanimous in their belief that it would be preferable to defer the upcoming elections should in itself give the PM pause and incline her to question the wisdom of the course of action she has chosen.

Sadly, however, not only is she utterly dismissive of the idea that anyone could question her decision to forge ahead with the elections, but she has imputed ill motivation to those holding dissenting opinion.

One expects far greater tolerance from a democratic leader. The PM’s dismissive and disparaging response is regrettable.

the Editor

at Bookworm, I fully appreciate the myriad reasons for that, despite my continuing lack of enthusiasm for it.

It’s cool to see you (somebody in Dhaka, finally) share my undying fondness for the legions of outstanding American novelists. The only one I haven’t yet read is Zora Hurston. My perennial favourites include Faulkner, Hawthorne, Melville, Poe, Lovecraft, Ellroy, Updike, Vonnegut, Capote, Chandler, DeLillo, Cormac McCarthy, Philip Roth, Sinclair Lewis, James Baldwin, Ray Bradbury, Willa Cather, Ayn Rand. I also love a ton of American short stories, plays, and poetry. I’ve also enjoyed a bunch of very good contemporary books (fiction) out in the last two years. Reading prolifically since I was a boy, I have had plenty of time to cover this vast, captivating realm of American fiction. I seek out choice non-fiction, too, on topics I cited in my previous post.

Amina, would you consider bringing in some quality sci-fi titles, too? I know of a dozen great reads in that genre, from as recently as 2012 and 2013. At any rate, I’m always going to drop by Bookworm, if only to chance upon even a single book that I couldn’t resist bringing home. Wish you the best! Cheers.

Amina Rahman Ronnie: I’m sorry you’ve had that experience. Response time has been admittedly slow as we source most of our titles from abroad, and some titles are not always in stock so are not quick to come. As I get savvier with the business, I’m learning ways and means of obtaining titles quickly and at lower costs. Hopefully our customers will see this change in the coming year. A little patience will be the best aid we can get.

In the meantime, I’m also a great fan of American classics and have been planning a special on some of my favorite authors, including Ken Kesey, Kurt Vonnegut, JD Salinger, Tom Wolfe, Truman Capote, Joseph Heller, Zora Neale Hurston and many more, as well as a special on African American writers - some of the greatest. It’s a dream to make our little bookstore flowing with books of every kind. Cheers.

EC worried by possibility of low voter turnout December 23

Low? In 154 areas there will be “no” voter turnout. This is turning out to be more of a selection process than an election process.

Ahnaf Saber

Polls creditability to remain unclear till mid-January

December 23 It’s clear that whatever is going on has no connection with what the voters want!

JSM

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

One expects far greater tolerance from a democratic leader. The PM’s dismissive and disparaging response is regrettable

CROSSWORD

PEANUTS

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Pick out (6) 5 Dry, as champagne (3) 7 Anger (3) 8 Obstruct (6) 11 Cereal (3) 12 Stop (5) 14 Writer of verse (4) 16 Wash lightly (5) 18 Lazy person (5) 20 Heavy substance (4) 21 Proverb (5) 23 Perform (3) 24 Meditate (6) 27 Top card (3) 28 Conclude (3) 29 Drowsy (6)

DOWN 1 Snow runner (3) 2 Pouring edge (3) 3 Built (7) 4 Yield (4) 5 Calm (6) 6 Masticated (6) 9 Emotional state (4) 10 Corn spike (3) 13 Absence of sound (7) 14 Sea-robber (6) 15 Jubilant (6) 17 Unharmed (4) 19 Sharp blow (3) 22 Target (4) 25 Scottish river (3)

26 Narrow beam (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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How about a party of the common people? up to the mark, I asked him about the downtrodden look and found that he was sad since he could not get an idea of the questions before the test!

A leaked question would have made him happy!

So these are the young people who will one day be the rulers of the country. When their visions of making wealth are set prior to entering a service, it’s not hard to speculate what sort of administrators they will be in fifteen years.

Come to the realm of politics where in recent times there has been a collective disgruntlement among leading politicians since their wealth statements, much inflated than the ones submitted five years ago, were made public.

All you can think of is short-time tactical moves. All that we really want is an honest fight between parties

When will we have our own Kejriwal?

n Towheed Feroze

T

hat most people want an honest government is reflected in the recent election of Indian anticorruption crusader, Arvind Kejriwal. Perhaps a few years ago, the sudden rise of a new force in politics would have been unthinkable. But today, it appears that Indians are realising the need for adding more transparency in the government, because with corruption, a nation may move ahead until a certain level, but after that, she will sputter and stall.

Corruption and progress are opposite forces. Not even the most resolute of efforts can make venality within the government a working component of a long-term development plan. For a certain period, this may work or give the impression that it’s working, and then all is destined to go awry.

Right, apart from corruption addressing and infusing accountability, the election of Kejriwal as the 7th chief minister of Delhi shows that the civil society and the masses are willing to give a new voice of optimism a chance.

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

tainted by a series of high level involvement in irregular practices.

But if such a progressive move can happen in India, why shouldn’t it be replicated in Bangladesh? Interestingly, while Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party

Though the task ahead of Kejriwal is mammoth, the good news is: It has begun. When a movement born out of a passion for integrity reaches a certain level, there will be some results This means if there is someone who is willing to stand up with a new set of ideals, giving up the usual power-pluswealth-hungry attitude, the general people won’t hesitate to give support.

For Indians, this is indeed a new wave – a beacon of hope in a system that had been, in the last few years,

(common man’s party) was making ripples, none of the local politicians found the courage to use Kejriwal’s campaign as a reference in their often bombastic spiels.

Well, we are not surprised because if there is too much talk of how a former government tax official decided

to resign his post to take up a cause to establish integrity within the administration, people here may get ideas.

To be honest, one cannot think of a tax official in Bangladesh who would say goodbye to the job to launch a war against corruption. In fact, the mood among the potential young government service employees is the opposite.

This writer had a chat with a group of successful BCS candidates the other day, who had gathered at the university campus to discuss their future.

Interestingly, almost all of them had either police or customs as their most preferred job disciplines. When this writer asked why, the answer was simple – one can easily earn a considerable amount in five years.

Yes, the response was direct and bold! It reminded me of another university junior who sought the

writer’s blessings by the line: “Boss, doya koiren (pray for me), if I become a police officer, I will be totally solvent in five years.”

One of the young men didn’t look so upbeat because he failed to get the desired fields and ended up in education. “I will give the test again,” was his firm resolution. Such intense antipathy for the education sector makes one wonder as to who will really end up in this discipline and what their principles will be.

Education is not among the top five disciplines. Surprisingly, very few want foreign-service nowadays.

“Arey bhai, maal nai, maal nai,” – the crass line which in English means, there is no bucks in it!

A couple of years back, I came across another BCS candidate who looked despondent after the exams.

Assuming that his preparation was not

having successfully got her passport back, Taslima on a visit to India was misquoted in an interview with the Statesman. Her interview was not reported in Bangladesh, and she issued a refutation immediately afterwards.

However, the extreme rightist paper Inquilab ran the alleged statements and launched their campaign for the introduction of a blasphemy law using Taslima’s alleged remarks as a basis for their campaign.

The question may be asked: Why campaign for a blasphemy law? The law is really a law against free speech.

It has nothing to do with religion. It is worth noting that the Jamaat transliterates the word blasphemy into Bengali rather than using the religious (Arabic) term: Kufr, which has a very clear connotation and would not cover the occasions for which the Jammat would use the law.

The answer is that the Jamaat is af-

ter power, and anything which brings this within their grasp is grist to their mill. The women’s movement is under continual attack from the Jamaat who are well aware that if they can control one section of society they will be able to shackle all of society.

The point to be borne in mind is that Taslima was central to the Jamaat’s campaign not because their religious sentiments were outraged but because to them free speech is an outrage. It was unfortunate that so much of international media accepted uncritical statements about the nature of Islam made by those who are engaged in using religion to further personal agendas of political control. l

These revelations show that some have accumulated immense wealth, though the source of such richness in their accounts has not been mentioned.

What is most revolting is the way in which this sudden windfall among the politicians was supported by senior politicians. The justification line: People in power always have huge money stinks.

Well, to a lot of people this line may be an indirect way of passing the message that if you are in power, all follies are overlooked and thus, becoming rich is kosher.

Coming back to Kejriwal, though the task ahead of him is mammoth, the good news is: It has begun. When a movement born out of a passion for integrity reaches a certain level, there will be some results.

Unquestionably, India will reap the benefits of those positive outcomes.

As for us, a crusader like Arvind Kejriwal is still a fantasy. Maybe someone from the conscience-driven Shahbagh movement will stand up. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

The red herring n Salma Sobhan

T

o paraphrase Voltaire: “If Taslima Nasreen did not exist, the Jamaat would have had to invent her.” The focus by the international media and national and international human rights and feminist activists on her plight – the threat to her life and the warrant for arrest for a statement which she denied having made – was very necessary and needs to continue despite her recent surrender to the court and release on bail.

However, posing this issue in terms of yet another manifestation of Muslim intolerance, rather than seeing it as the deliberately orchestrated assault by fanatics and zealots it was, played into the hands of obscurantists who use religion for political purposes. A political party of the religious right, the Jamaat-e-Islami, has been the prime mover in this matter. To understand the significance of what has been happening in Bangladesh over the last few months, it is necessary to explain the background to all these happenings.

they started to campaign for political power in the new state by demanding the introduction of Islamic Law, the contents of which would be defined by their theologians.

Pakistan had two wings, the west wing which alone constitutes present day Pakistan and an east wing, East Bengal in undivided India, which attained sovereignty in 1971 after a war of liberation against the western wing.

The new state was Bangladesh.

All wars are brutal. This was particularly so because of the political use of religion to marshal forces against the Bengalis. The Pakistani army was mobilised against the citizens of East Pakistan. The Jamaat not only collaborated with the army but they were directly responsible for many atrocities.

They were thus totally discredited when Bangladesh became independent. This experience crystallised the determination in Bangladesh never to allow religion to be used for political purposes and secularism was written in as a fundamental principle of the new Constitution.

Ironically, the principles of freedom of speech enabled Jamaat to start making a comeback. In this they were helped by the removal of the principle of secularism from the constitution in 1979 While the Jamaat has very little public support and has gained few seats in fair elections, they wield an influence out of proportion to their numbers because successive governments have pandered to their claims for fear of being seen to hurt public sentiment instead of challenging the Jamaat’s claim to speak for Islam.

The Jamaat never supported the Muslim League before 1947, during the struggle for independence from the British. The Jamaat opposed the Muslim League’s demand for a homeland for the Muslims in India. However, once Pakistan came into existence

It is beyond the scope of this article to catalogue the strategies of the Jamaat to become politically acceptable again.

Ironically, the principles of freedom of speech and democracy enabled them to start making a comeback. In this they were helped by the removal of the principle of secularism from the constitution in 1979, the removal of prohibition on the use of religion for political ends, and finally the introduction of Islam as the State religion in 1988.

In the political movement against General Ershad’s autocratic regime in 1990, the Jamaat did not make

its earlier mistakes but joined in the mass demonstrations against Ershad’s government. As usual, they did not win many seats in parliament but they were again in business up front.

In 1992 a member of the Jamaat tabled a bill to amend the Penal Code to allow for draconian punishments to be inflicted on persons presumed to have spoken disrespectfully of the Prophet Muhammad (SM) and the Quran. This tabling was not publicised until mid 1994. The bill has been copied word for word from a bill passed in Pakistan in 1986.

Thus the campaign for a so-called blasphemy law (so-called because disrespect to the Prophet Muhammad, however provocative and injurious to the sensitivities, is not blasphemy as Muslims do not arrogate divine status to the Prophet) which appeared to have started because of Taslima’s alleged utterances was, in fact, one that would have had to be mounted sooner or later debate. Without having whipped up a sufficient public hysteria to intimidate the parliament there was little chance of the successful passage of the bill through the legislative process. Which is why one started off with Voltaire’s famous aphorism.

Let us look at the sequence of events. Taslima was already being targeted by fanatics because her novel, “Lajja,” on the communal riots in Bangladesh in 1992 showed that Bangladeshi Hindus had been targeted in retaliation following the destruction of the Babari Mosque in India by Hindu fanatics. The book was banned by the Bangladesh government “in order to preserve communal harmony.”

It was used by a communal Indian political party, the BJP, which had instigated the destruction of the mosque. They got it translated into several Indian languages and started a massive promotion campaign to create a hysteria among the Muslims in India.

This further exacerbated the government who confiscated her passport.

All this was very useful to the Jamaat. Their opportunity came when

Salma Sobhan was a prominent female barrister, human rights activist and academic. December 29 was her 10th death anniversary.

It’s time to take our country back from such terrors

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Marking Ustad Akhtar Sadmani’s death anniversary n Shadma Malik Eminent classical vocalist Ustad Akhtar Sadmani’s 10th death anniversary is today. The founder of Sur Rang Academy of Classical Music which was established in 1980 solely devoted to promote Indian Classical Music.

Ustad Akhtar Sadmani was born in Dhaka, but was brought up in Kolkata. The musician was always keen to spread his knowledge of Indian Classical Music in his homeland Bangladesh. To create and establish a platform for classical musical practice and appreciation in Bangladesh, Sur Rang Academy of Classical Music in Pallabi cateres to spread the knowledge of Indian classical music to the enthusiasts in Bangladesh.

At present the academic institution is being run by his son Asif Akhtar and daughter Mily Akhtar Sadmani. Mily is the tutor of the institution and trains instrumentalists on harmonium, tanpura and tabla.

Ustad Akhtar Sadmani’s dream was to enrich the classical music not only to elites, also to the common people in Bangladesh. The academic institution’s motive is to inspire common people to learn classi-

cal music and get accustomed to the legacy of Ustad Akhtar Sadmani .

“After the departure of his soul in 2003, the family members had faced different crises to run the academy. At present, the institution is settled and we have around twenty students in the school,” says his son Asif Akhtar. “Renowned media personalities such as Akhi Alamgir, Nusrat Imroz Tisha, Shampa Reza took their music lesson from this institution,” states Asif Akhtar.

At the age of ten, Ustad Sadmani received the initial training from Prof Bobby Daniel. In 1955, Prof Bobby Daniel took him to the renowned musician Ustad Omar Khan. Ustad Omar Khan was utterly impressed by his talent and took young Akhter as his son and continued teaching him. In 1957, Ustad Omar Khan personally introduced Akhtar Sadmani to one of the legends of Indian Classical Music, Ustad Amir Khan. The result was overwhelming as his voice resembled that of Ustad Amir Khan and he could deliver the sarod skills of Ustad Omar Khan through his vocal.

In 1961, Ustad Akhtar Sadmani returned home and joined Radio Bangladesh a year later as an artiste.

82 artworks of the legendary painter SM Sultan were showcased by the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts for the very first time. Some of these unseen sketches and paintings were done during Sultan’s early days as an artist.

Mukh O Mukhosh He became a Music Director in Radio Bangladesh in 1966. The maestro received posthumous Ekushey Padak in 2011. l

Blockbuster Cinemas brings Gravity n Entertainment Desk

Famed actor of Dhallywood Shabnoor gave birth to a baby boy yesterday at Sydney.

Once a leading lady of the film industry, Shabnoor had been irregular in the showbiz for quite a few years and the news of her marriage to Anik was kept hidden from the media. Shabnoor disclosed her marriage a few days back with the news of being pregnant which was a buzzing news of the year.

Shabnoor is one of the most popular and successful Bangladeshi film actors who made her debut on screen in Chaandni Raate. However, her commercial successful movie was Tomakey Chai with co-actor Salman Shah in 1994.

Shabnoor earned the National Film Award in 2006 for the film Dui Noyoner Alo. She has also achieved Meril Prothom Alo Awards more than once. Chawa Theke Pawa, Anando Osru, Jibon Sangsar, Swapner Thikana and Bhalobasha Kare Koy are a few remarkable films by the actor. l

Jamuna Future Park’s Blockbuster Cinemas is bringing Gravity which starts showcasing from January 1 for Dhaka viewers.

A unique and modern display of masks organised by Gallery Kaya, titled Mukh O Mukhosh 4 was the fourth exhibition of the series and started on May 31 at Gallery Kaya.

The display of masks at the exhibition consists of astounding 106 brilliant pieces of work by 19 contemporary artists.

Print exhibition by Biren Shome Eminent artist Biren Shome brought out a solo exhibition of his print works at the Kibria Printmaking Studio of the Dhaka Art Centre. The prints were made through etching, collagraph and relief print making processes. Most of the relief print works were black and white.

Nirobodhi Janasrot A 13-day solo exhibition titled Nirobodhi Janasrot held at the Dhaka Art Centre. This exceptional display showcased works of the gifted young artist Md Mainuddin who depicts the faces of ordinary people and their struggles.

Quest for Reality

ON TV MOVIE 7:00pm Fox Movies Premium The Other Guys

7:35pm WB

The Hangover

COMEDY 1:30pm Comedy Central The Exes

5:00pm Colors

Comedy Nights With Kapil

DRAMA 10:30pm Star World

Popular faces of showbiz, Prova, Niloy and Romana will be seen together first time on small screen. Currently they are working on drama Chhuye Gelo Mon, directed and written

by Shamima Sammi. Romana will be seen as Chhoa, Prova as Borsha and Niloy as Abir

The 3D-thriller which was released in US in October stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts involved in the mid-orbit destruction of a space shuttle and their attempt to return to Earth.

The story of the film revolves around Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) ,a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

Gravity is directed, co-written, co-produced and co-edited by Alfonso Cuarón. l

Almost Human

11:00pm Star Plus Veera

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

Unseen Splendour

The seventh instalment of the largest photography exhibition in Bangladesh was held from January 25 to February 7, at various venues, including Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Drik Gallery and Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts. The exhibition, which featured both local and foreign photographers, gained massive coverage in both national and international media.

n Entertainment Desk

Shilpacharya and his Outer World of Art Time: 12pm-8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, House 42 Road 16 (New) / 27 (old), Dhanmondi

10 OF THE BIGGEST EXHIBITIONS OF 2013

Chobi Mela VII

Shabnoor embraces motherhood

Exhibition

Monday, December 30, 2013

Film

Pacific Rim in 3D Escape Plan The Conjuring The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Star Cineplex Bashundhara City

Gauahar Khan wins Bigg Boss season 7 n Entertainment Desk With four final contestants, namely Ajaz Khan, Tanishaa Mukherjee, Sangram Singh and Gauahar Khan, battling out for the trophy, Gauahar has been crowed as the winner of Bigg Boss season 7.

The actress said she was not sure of victory when she was pitted against co-contestant Tanishaa Mukherji, actress and the sister of Bollywood megastar Kajol.

Gauahar won Rs 50 lakh in cash and a trophy after managing to stay in the house with other contestants for 104 days.

Inside the house, her romance with co-contestant Kushal Tandon caught everyone’s attention and the two declared their love openly. l

On the occasion of the 70th birthday of noted artist Rafiqun Nabi, a remarkable exhibition titled Quest for Reality was an extensive display of 120 artworks, including an elaborate collection of Nabi’s water colours, oil paintings, wood engravings and many other mediums. It was held at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts from December 7-19.

In search of Kalpana Chakma Shahidul Alam’s photo-forensic study established through an exhibition titled In search of Kalpana Chakma held at the Drik Gallery from June 12-21.

Daag-Tamasha Shishir Bhattacharjee held a solo art exhibition titled Daag-Tamasha at the Dhaka Art Centre. Fantasy, humour and satire have always prevailed in his works.

Banglar Shekore Swapno Vibrant scroll paintings by renowned artist Raghunath Chakraborty was held at the Gallery Cosmos 2 in April.

In the last 400 years this rich medium has become almost extinct, Raghunath not only brought it back but also modernised it with his approach and selection of subjects.

Conflict Within Internationally acclaimed Indian artist KS Radhkrishnan’s solo show, which was listed as one of the top five solo exhibitions by Indian artists in Asia

by ArtInfo, was held at the Bengal Art Lounge. The exhibition displayed a multitude of bronze figures in ascending and descending shapes that call to mind the similarities shared by the humankind despite their continuous fights in the name of religion, gender, class and caste.

Ranveer and Arjun celebrate friendship in Gunday n Entertainment Desk

Rock star James entertained a houseful audience on December 28 at Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Gulshan

SADIA MARIUM

Yash Raj Films’ is ready to let loose best finds Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor together in upcoming action drama film Gunday.

Set in Bengal, Gunday tells the tale of two friends Bikram and Bala, who grow up from being small time wagon breakers and coal thieves to becoming the biggest and most powerful mafia coal men. Not only are the duo thick as thieves, but they are also in love with the same girl – Nandita. The Ali Abbas Zafar film is set to release on

February 14.

The makers released a reverberating track Jashn e Ishqa featuring the lead male actors on December 26.

The track, like the first trailer of the film, does not introduce the film’s lead female actor Priyanka Chopra. The song is a celebration of Bikram (Ranveer Singh) and Bala’s (Arjun Kapoor) friendship and power in Kolkata of 1970s. Jashn e Ishqa introduces the audience to ‘Kolkata’s most loved, celebrated, reckless, fearless and powerful goons. l

Did you know?

Arsenal end 2013 having collected at least five more Premier League points (82) than any other side

Sport

Monday, December 30, 2013

DAYS TO GO

14 Giroud helps Arsenal regain top spot

n Minhaz Uddin Khan Prime Bank Cricket Club and UCB BCB XI emerged as the finalists of the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) yesterday. In the first game Prime Bank defeated Abahani to secure their spot in the final and in the second match, UCB BCB XI clinched victory over Mohammedan Sporting Club.

Prime Bank CC and UCB BCB XI will lock horns in the final at the SBNS tomorrow.

UCB BCB XI v Mohammedan SC

UCB BCB XI batsmen Tamim Iqbal celebrates his century against Mohammedan at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

MUMIT M

Bangladesh U-19 edge Afghanistan

Schumi in hospital after ski accident n AFP, Lyon n Mazhar Uddin

Bangladesh U-19 registered their second win in the Asia Cup as the young tigers beat a strong Afghanistan U-19 side by sixteen runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Afghanistan started the Asia cup campaign with a bang, beating Sri Lanka in their first match and they came hard against Bangladesh after winning the toss and opted to field. The young tigers struggled in their innings and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

However, middle order batsmen Mosaddek Hossain (25) and Nazmul Hossain Shanto (58) somewhat repaired the damage, but Bangladesh were bowled out for 169 in 45.1 overs.

Abdullah Adil and Sayed Shirzad took three wickets each for Afghanistan.

Chasing the target of 170, Afghanistan had to contend with a fine bowl-

ing performance from Bangladesh and also lost wickets regularly. Skipper Nasir Ahmadzai kept his side’s hopes alive with a patient 53 but was run out by his counterpart Mehedy Hasan. Af-

BRIEF SCORE

Bangladesh U-19 169/10 in 45.1 over Nazmul Hossain Shanto 58, Mosaddek Hossain 25 Abdullah Adil 26/3, Sayed Shirzad 33/3 Afghanistan U-19 153/10 in 48.4 over Nasir Ahmadzai 53 Mustafizur Rahman 19/2, Mehedy Hasan 23/2 Bangladesh won by 16 runs

ghanistan went on to be all out for 153 in 48.4 overs.

In the other matches of the day, India U-19 beat Nepal U-19 by nine wickets. Nepal were bowled out for 136 in 44.4 over and India easily chased down

the target in 25 overs for the loss of one wicket to claim their second win the tournament.

Sri Lanka U-19 side posted their first win against Malaysia. The Lankan’s scored 287/7 from their 50 overs and proceeded to run through Malaysia, who were bowled out for 32 runs in 22.3 overs to give Sri Lanka a 255 run win.

Pakistan U-19 also won their second match of the tournament against host UAE by 150 runs, after totaling 274/9 and restricting UAE to 124 all out in 38.5 over.

Earlier on Saturday, 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.

Bangladesh U-19 opener Shadman Islam remained unbeaten on 25 with Joyraj Sheikh scoring 10 not out to take Bangladesh to their target (51) in just 10.2 overs. l

Opening batsman and skipper Tamim Iqbal’s maiden Twenty20 ton aided UCB BCB XI to post a mammoth 217/4 from their 20 overs which was 29 runs too many for Mohammedan to chase down.

Losing the toss, UCB BCB were sent in to bat first and Tamim and Rony Talukder got them off to a good start with a 34 run stand. After the latter was dismissed for 11, Tamim and wicket-keeper batsman Mithun Ali were involved in a massive 137 run stand, with Tamim contributing 94 of the runs.

The captain, who made a duck in the last match, reached his first Twenty20 century off 52 balls. He went on to finish with 130 off 64 balls (16 fours, four sixes). Mithun supported him ably with a 27-ball 41 (three fours, two sixes).

Dewan Sabbir took two wickets for Mohammedan, but conceded 53 runs in his four overs.

In reply, Mohammedan opening batsmen Johurul Islam and Junaid Siddique made a fast start and reached 100 in just 7.2 overs. However, with the fall of Jahurul with the total at 118, the wheels came off for Mohammedan, who then proceeded to lose wickets at regular intervals.

Jahurul made 80 off 31 balls (seven fours, six sixes) and the ball after he was dismissed playing an unnecessary shot, Junaid also fell for a 21-ball 36. After Mominul Haque was removed cheaply, Shariar Nafees (16), Taiabur Parvez (19) and Nurul Hasan (18) all chipped in but could not go on. Mohammedan were eventually bowled out in the penultimate over for 188.

Paceman Muktar took three wickets for UCB BCB and was at one point on a hat-trick. Emanmul Haque Jr and Shaid

Kallis responds to his school head-master’s plea n Bipin Dani On hearing the Jacques Kallis’ sudden retirement news, his school principal Keith Richardson has sent him a good-luck message to him and wished him to score a century in his farewell Test.

“Owing to my prior commitment in the family, I won’t be going to Durban to watch his last Test match but Kallis has texted me a message (in reply to my SMS) saying that every effort will be made by him to make this Test memorable”, Keith Richardson, the head-master at Wynberg Boys’ High in Cape Town, where Kallis studied, said over telephone.

“The cricket world is fortunate to have experienced the careers of two outstanding cricketers (Kalllis and Tendulkar) over the last two decades.

Comparisons between the two are inevitable - but the true worth of comparing these two wonderful cricketers is to reveal just how really gifted they both are”, he said.

“Older by one year, Sachin Tendulkar has played in 35 more Tests than Jacques Kallis and has amassed over 2700 more runs. Amazing.

The durability and consis-

15 Ruthless Australia march to 4-0 Ashes lead

Blistering Tamim guides UCB BCB XI into final

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher is receiving treatment in hospital for head injuries after a ski accident at Meribel yesterday, officials at the French ski resort reported.

The seven time German world champion, who reportedly owns property at the resort, was skiing off-piste with other skiers when he sustained a knock to the head in a fall.

The 44-year-old was hospitalised at the nearby town of Moutiers, officials said, before being taken to hospital in Grenoble.

The extent of his injuries was unclear but according to Christophe Gernignon-Lecomte, director of the Meribel resort, he was not seriously injured.

Gernignon-Lecomte told Radio Monte Carlo Sport: “He was shocked, a little shaken but conscious. l

13

0 7 6

Tamim makes record breaking hundred Hard-hitting batsman Tamim Iqbal’s 130 off 64 balls for UCB BCB XI in the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 at Shere-Bangla National Stadium led his side into the final yesterday.. The left-handed batsman returned to competitive cricket at the Twenty20 tournament after having been out of action with an abdomen injury he sustained in the home series against New Zealand in October-November this year.

“I had not held a cricket bat for a month when I started playing this tournament. I was recovering from an injury… a century no matter what level it is scored at, gives you a lot of confidence,” Tamim told the media after the match yesterday.

Tamim further informed that the century will also help him set his mind and rhythm ahead of the home series against Sri Lanka in January and later the Asia Cup. The blistering innings is the highest by a Bangladeshi player in Twenty20 and the eight highest overall. It was also the fastest hundred by a Bangladeshi, coming up in just 52 balls.

“It was a do-or-die match and it feels special to have performed. I can actually learn a lot from this kind of an innings and it will help me in the World Cup and the T20 series,” he added.

Rather than following a concrete plan, Tamim stated that he just “went with the flow”.

“I tried nothing different. I am the kind of batsman that if I can hit boundaries within the first six balls, then my confidence level increases. I hit two fours in the first two balls, I was going with the flow,” he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

tency of this brilliant cricketer is astounding. Cricket lovers around the world will be in for a treat if anyone ever scores more than his nearly 16,000 runs”, he says about Tendulkar.

“But there are two of Kallis’ achievements that Tendulkar could not beat. The first is that Kallis has 292 Test wickets and secondly that he has held about 200 catches. I predict that it will take a superhuman all-rounder to match Kallis’ remarkable achievements in the future.

If his wickets and catches are taken into account, then we are witnessing one of the most marvellous cricketers to have graced the cricket fields of the world.”,he added before the commencement of the Test in Durban on Thursday.

“I have no idea about his post Testretirement plan, though he is willing to play the World Cup. No wonder so many people visit the school where Kallis made his name – Wynberg Boys’ High in Cape Town.

When they do visit, they always have their picture taken next to the rock which bears his name on the bank above his field - the Jacques Kallis Oval”, he signed off. l

took two wickets each as well.

Restricted bowling attack and sharp fielding by Prime Bank CC saw them march into the final after defeating Abahani Limited by 16 runs yesterday at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Prime Bank v Abahani

After being sent in to bat, Prime Bank lost opener Liton Kumar (3) in the second over to spinner Nabil Samad, but Anamul Haqe and skipper Shakib al Hasan proceeded to put on 48 runs for the second wicket.

Shakib struck a 19-ball 25 (three fours, one six) while Anamul, who was later named man-of-the-match,

BRIEF SCORES Abahani Ltd v Prime Bank CC Prime Bank 175/6 in 20 overs (Anamul 69, Sabbir 26, Mahmudullah 2/20, Nabil 2/40) Abahani 159/5 in 20 overs (Milon 46*, Sohrawardi 35*, Sabbir 1/3, Shakib 1/24) Prime Bank won by 16 runs MSC v UCB BCB XI UCB BCB 217/4 in 20 overs (Tamim 130, Mithun 41, Dewan 2/53) MSC 188/10 in 18.4 overs (Jahurul 80, Juniad 36, Muktar 3/29)

went on to make 69 from 43 balls (five fours, three sixes). Middle order batsmen Sabbir Rumman also made a useful contribution with 26 off 25 balls and Prime Bank reached a total of 175/6 from their 20 overs. For Abahani, Nabil and Mahmudullah both claimed two wickets.

In reply, Abahani were unable to put together a substantial partnership and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Openers Shamsur Rahman and Mizanur Rahman were dismissed for 16 and 15 respectively. One down Soumya Sarkar fell cheaply, while stand-in captain Mahmudullah and Mehedi Maruf were unable to go on after getting a start.

A sixth wicket stand of 68 between Nazmul Milon and Sohrawardi Shuvo was the best Abahani could manage but it was not enough. Milon remained unbeaten on 46 off 38 balls (three sixes) while Shuvo was 35 not out from 27 balls at the end. Abahani finished at 159/5.

Shakib, Sohag, Taijul Islam and Sabbir took one wicket each for Prime Bank. l

BPL suspended n Raihan Mahmood

India’s Zaheer Khan (L) shakes hands with South Africa’s Jacques Kallis on day four of their second and final Test match at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban yesterday AFP

Football suffered an unwanted disruption due to the ongoing political turmoil as Bangladesh Football Federation suspended the Bangladesh Premier League yesterday.

The 3rd match of the Bangladesh Premier League between Abahani Ltd and Brothers Union was supposed to have taken place yesterday but was deferred to Monday. Furthermore, with the political turmoil showing no signs of abating, BFF had no option but to stop the league, though not for an indefinite period. The general secretary of BFF Abu Naeem Shohag said lack of security was the main cause for the step.

“We analysed the overall situation and saw that the existing political situation is not favourable for running the league.

The most important point is lack of security for the players and also the spectators, the authority of police said that they would not be able to put police personnel in the stadium, so we had no option apart but suspending the league. However, we will start the league as soon the situation cools down,” said Shohag.

The seventh edition of the Bangladesh Premier League started on Friday and only two matches were held before yesterday’s declaration. l

14

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Monday, December 30, 2013

Pellegrini targets four-pronged challenge n AFP, Manchester

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud (C) heads and scores his goal against Newcastle United during their English Premier League match at St James' Park in Newcastleyesterday

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes his side can challenge for four trophies this season after moving top of the Premier League with a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Edin Dzeko struck in the second half of a nervy encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday as City maintained their 100 percent home record after finally breaking down a resolute and enterprising Palace side.

With City also still in contention in the Champions League, the League Cup and the FA Cup, Pellegrini says that they are exactly where he had hoped they would be at the turn of the year.

“We know we are in the position we wanted to be at the beginning of the first half (of the season),” he said.

“We are playing in all competitions.

In the Capital One (League) Cup we are in the semi-final, we qualified in the Champions League and we are at the top of the Premier League.

“Maybe eight games ago, nobody believed we could discount six points to Arsenal. We did it. We won the last seven games and we drew one. We must continue this way but we are just in the first half of the Premier League.

“The second half will be exactly the same as the first one, with five or six teams fighting for the title to the end.”

REUTERS

Giroud sends Arsenal back to the top, Chelsea down Liverpool n AFP, London Olivier Giroud ensured Arsenal will finish 2013 on top of the Premier League as his second half goal clinched a 1-0 win against Newcastle, while Chelsea kept the pressure on the leaders with a 2-1 win over title rivals Liverpool on Sunday.

Arsene Wenger’s side had surrendered first place after Manchester City’s win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, but just 24 hours later the Gunners reclaimed pole position with a hardfought victory at St James’ Park.

Giroud’s first goal since November 23 was enough to give Arsenal their second successive win and move them one point ahead of second placed City heading into the new year.

Arsenal, who were without German playmaker Mesut Ozil, took the lead

when France forward Giroud bagged his 11th goal of the season with a glancing header from Theo Walcott’s free-kick in the 65th minute.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea came from behind to win the weekend’s marquee match-up thanks to goals from Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o.

Jose Mourinho’s third placed team are now two points adrift of Arsenal and one behind City, with Liverpool slipping down to fifth spot.

Liverpool had made a dream start when Martin Skrtel bundled home from close-range after Chelsea failed to clear Phillipe Coutinho’s inswinging free-kick.

But Brendan Rodgers’ side also took the lead and still lost at Manchester City on Boxing Day and once again they were unable to hold onto their advantage.

It took the Blues just 14 minutes to equalise as Oscar’s shot hit Mamadou Sakho and bounced towards Belgian midfielder Hazard, who seized possession

Russian football great Tsymbalar dies at 44 n AFP, Moscow

Former Russian international and Spartak Moscow champion Ilya Tsymbalar has died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 44 after a glittering career that saw him crowned the country’s top player.

Russia’s Rossiyskaya Gazeta government daily said the diminutive midfielder died on Saturday evening of heart disease.

“Tsymbalar had a reputation as the most talented player in contemporary Russian football history,” the state daily wrote on its website. His calling card was his elegant dribbling and his shot. And as any leader should, Ilya often scored

vital goals,” Rossiyskaya Gazeta said.

Tsymbalar was one of the stars of a glorious Spartak squad that won seven titles in the 1990s and was renowned for its skillful passing reminiscent of Lionel Messi’s present Barcelona side.

The team also included the likes of central defender Yury Nikoforov and Valery Karpin – two of the first postSoviet stars to establish reputations in top western European leagues. Tsymbalar scored 54 goals in 204 matches for Spartak.

He also netted the ball on four occasions in 28 caps for Russia during performances that included the 1992 World Cup in the United States and the 1996 European Championship in England. l

and blasted an unstoppable shot into the top corner of Simon Mignolet’s goal.

RESULTS Chelsea

2-1

Liverpool

Tottenham

3-0

Stoke

Everton

2-1

Southampton

Newcastle

0-1

Hazard 18, Eto’o 34

Soldado 37-P, Dembele 65, Lennon 69 Coleman 9, Lukaku 74

Skrtel 4

Ramirez 71

Arsenal

Giroud 65

And Chelsea struck again in the 34th minute when Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o met Oscar’s low cross with a prodded strike that eluded Mignolet’s weak attempted save.

Liverpool twice appealed in vain for a penalty when Luis Suarez went down under challenges from John Terry and then Eto’o and the Reds were unable to

avoid a second successive defeat.

Earlier, Everton climbed into the top four with a 2-1 win over Southampton at Goodison Park. Romelu Lukaku’s winner meant Roberto Martinez’s side moved above Merseyside rivals Liverpool into fourth place.

Irish defender Seamus Coleman opened the scoring for Everton with a fine strike in the ninth minute.

The Toffees were rocked in the 71st minute when Adam Lallana picked out Gaston Ramirez and the Southampton star advanced before smashing a dipping shot past Everton keeper Joel Robles.

But on-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku struck three minutes later to seal Everton’s third win in their last four matches.

Elsewhere, Tim Sherwood celebrated his first victory as Tottenham’s permanent manager as Stoke were beaten 3-0 at White Hart Lane.

Sherwood had been frustrated by a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion

in his first match since being handed an 18-month contract to replace the sacked Andre Villas-Boas.

But the former Tottenham midfielder, who had overseen a win at Southampton during his brief spell as Spurs’ caretaker boss, got the first victory of his official reign in emphatic fashion.

The north Londoners took the lead in the 37th minute when Ryan Shawcross blocked Emmanuel Adebayor’s acrobatic shot with his arms in the penalty area.

Roberto Soldado stepped up to take the penalty and the Spanish striker fired home for his fifth goal of the season and his fourth from the spot.

Belgium midfielder Mousa Dembele added the second for Spurs in the 65th minute with a low shot into the bottom corner. And Aaron Lennon delivered the knockout blow four minutes later, the England winger curled a cool finish into the top corner for his first goal since March. l

Michu six weeks out after ankle op n AFP, London Swansea City forward Michu will be out for around six weeks after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury in Portugal, the Premier League club revealed on Saturday.

The Spaniard last played in the 1-1 draw at Norwich City on December 15, with manager Michael Laudrup subsequently revealing that he was due to have an operation.

“Swans striker Michu has today undergone a successful ankle operation which will keep him out for six weeks,” read a statement on the club website.

“Michu, who has scored six goals in 19 games this season, missed the festive fixtures with Everton, Chelsea and Aston Villa due to the injury. l

The FA is to investigate an alleged antiSemitic gesture made by West Bromwich Albion striker Nicolas Anelka during Saturday’s 3-3 Premier League draw at West Ham United.

An FA spokesman said his organisation would be launching a probe after Anelka’s actions provoked widespread criticism. The former France striker celebrated the first of his two goals against West Ham with an apparent “quenelle” hand signal, made famous

by French comedian Dieudonne, which is linked to anti-Semitism.

“Anelka’s gesture is a shocking provocation, disgusting,” French Sports Minister Valerie Fourneyron said on Twitter.

The former Real Madrid, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City

and Paris St Germain striker tried to play down the incident.

“This gesture was a special dedication to my friend Dieudonne,” Anelka said on Twitter.

The 34-year-old was backed by West Brom caretaker coach Keith Downing.

“It is dedicated to a French comedian he knows very well,” said Downing. “I think speculation can be stopped now, it is absolute rubbish really. He is totally unaware of what the problems were or the speculation that has been thrown around, he is totally surprised by it.”

The ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out Of Football’ campaign group issued a statement on the Upton Park incident.

“The campaign is in contact with partners in England and France regarding this matter and has offered its support to the Football Association in any forthcoming investigation,” it said. l

Fulham coach apologises to travelling fans n Reuters

Coach Rene Meulensteen apologised to Fulham’s travelling fans after his thirdfrom-bottom team were thrashed 6-0 at Hull City on Saturday, their heaviest defeat in the English Premier League.

The Dutchman, who replaced the sacked Martin Jol at the start of the month, made six changes to the side that won 2-1 at Norwich City on Thursday and the move backfired as Robert Koren (2), Ahmed Al-Muhamadi, George Boyd, Tom Huddlestone and Matt Fryatt struck for Hull.

“The important thing is we take this on the chin, we learn from it, we bounce back from it and we react,” Meulensteen told reporters.

“I’d also like to issue an apology to the travelling fans. It’s something I didn’t see coming after the good result against Norwich. Losing is hard to take but losing in such a manner is hard for any professional. We need to make sure we don’t look back, we shrug it off and be ready to react against West Ham United on New Year’s Day.” l

Cech chasing Bonetti’s Chelsea record for most shutouts n Reuters, London

Hull City's English midfielder Tom Huddlestone (R) celebrates scoring their fourth goal and has his hair cut after pledging not to cut it until he scored during the English Premier League match against Fulham at the KC Stadium in Hull, north-east England on Saturday AFP

FA to probe Anelka anti-Semitic gesture Hair-raiser Huddlestone n Reuters, London

Dzeko turned in Jesus Navas’s cutback in the 66th minute to secure the three points that sent City top, but Joe Hart’s performance in goal was also a crucial factor.

Hart pulled off three fine saves in the second half to deny Jason Puncheon, Mile Jedinak and Joel Ward.

The England international only returned to City’s starting line-up for league games in December having being dropped by Pellegrini after a string of poor performances, but he now looks back to his best.

“I think he always knew what we think about him,” said Pellegrini.

“He needed a rest. He worked always very hard but he was always confident he would return to his position.

He is playing at his normal performance (level) as the good goalkeeper he is.”

Hart suffered a nasty cut below his eye when denying Cameron Jerome in the first half, which led to the Palace forward going off with an ankle injury and left the City goalkeeper needing lengthy treatment.

Pellegrini said that Hart’s facial injury was “not serious”, but City later revealed that he had required six stitches.

The City manager also bemoaned Palace’s defensive approach that made it difficult for his side, which showed six changes from the 2-1 Boxing Day win over Liverpool. l

gets pitch-side trim n AFP, Kingston Upon Hull Hull City’s Tom Huddlestone scored his first goal in over two and a half years on Saturday, before honouring a bet by getting an impromptu pitch-side haircut.

The English midfielder made a bet during his time with previous club Tottenham Hotspur that he would not cut his hair until he next scored a goal.

Having last found the net in Spurs’ 3-3 draw with Arsenal in April 2011, his hair has swelled into a huge afro, but he finally ended his drought in Hull’s 6-0 victory at home to Fulham.

Huddlestone put Hull 4-0 up in the 67th minute, smashing home from the edge of the area, before running to the

touchline, where a member of the Hull staff produced a pair of scissors and cut off a sizeable lock of his hair.

“That (the celebration) has been sorted out since the beginning of last season at Tottenham,” said Huddlestone, who was also celebrating his 27th birthday on Saturday. “I’ve had to wait until today for it to happen.”

Huddlestone also confirmed that he had been sponsored for letting his hair grow and would be donating the money to charity.

“That was the main thing,” he said.

“It started as a bit of banter with some of my friends from Nottingham and I set it up for charity. It lasted longer than expected, but it’s for a good cause.

“Thankfully I can cut it now.” l

Petr Cech will reinforce his status as Chelsea’s most decorated goalkeeper if he equals the club record for most clean sheets in Sunday’s heavyweight Premier League showdown against Liverpool.

The 31-year-old Czech international recorded his 207th shutout in the 1-0 victory over Swansea City on Thursday and another one against Liverpool will move him alongside Stamford Bridge great Peter Bonetti.

Bonetti kept 208 clean sheets in 729 appearances in all competitions between 1959-79 while Cech has only played 455 games for the London club.

“It is a great milestone for a goalkeeper,” Cech told the club website (www.chelseafc.com) on Saturday. “It would obviously be fantastic to get the record.

“Beating Swansea ... was an important three points and now we are in a good position to go face to face with Liverpool.”

Former England international Bonetti won the 1965 League Cup, 1970 FA Cup and 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup but never won the domestic championship.

Cech has lifted the Premier League title three times since joining Chelsea from French club Stade Rennes for a transfer fee of seven million pounds ($11.55 million) in 2004 and also won the Champions League in 2012.

Manchester City are top of the Premier League after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace gave them a total of 41 points. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Under-fire Cook wants to stay England captain

QUICK BYTES

New Zealand, West Indies ODI rained out The second one-day international between New Zealand and the West Indies was abandoned Sunday due to persistent rain. Although it was not heavy rainfall, ground officials said part of the outfield had become too wet to be readied for play in time for even a reduced 20-over match. The West Indies lead the five-match series 1-0 after winning the opening ODI in Auckland on Boxing Day by two wickets. The next game is in Queenstown on Wednesday.

–AFP

n AFP, Melbourne

AC Milan hit by El Shaarawy absence Italian international striker Stephan El Shaarawy’s troubled season got worse on Saturday as AC Milan revealed he would be out of action for almost three months after undergoing a left foot operation.

The 21-year-old -- who has rarely played this term through a mixture of injuries and lack of form -- had to undergo the operation after the pain got worse.

“Today (Saturday), Stephan El Shaarawy underwent an operation on his foot and will be out of action for around 10 weeks,” the club said in a statement. His long absence will see him miss several Serie A games as well as the Champions League Last 16 first leg clash with Spanish side Atletico Madrid on February 19.

–AFP

Sunderland striker Borini hospitalised Sunderland striker Fabio Borini was taken to hospital during the club’s 2-2 draw at Cardiff City on Sunday after complaining of feeling unwell, manager Gus Poyet revealed. Borini was substituted at half-time of the match at the Cardiff City Stadium, with Sky Sports reporting that the 22-yearold Italian had subsequently collapsed in the changing room. “He’s at hospital now,” Poyet said after the game. “Fabio was feeling very bad before the game. Just before the game he was sick. We decided together to play, but then at half-time it was impossible for him. “Now to make sure everything is all right we’ve taken him to hospital. Let’s hope it is nothing and he can go back on the plane (to Sunderland) now.” Jack Colback scored a 95th-minute equaliser in the match, which left bottom club Sunderland two points from safety in the Premier League.

–AFP

Djokovic looking forward with Becker Novak Djokovic saw off David Ferrer 7-5, 6-2 in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship on Saturday and wasted no time looking forward to the season ahead with his new coach Boris Becker. The world number two was just too strong for the Spanish world number three and stormed to victory in the exhibition title for the third time in a row. It was also his fifth straight title since losing the US Open final to Rafael Nadal – and nothing looks likely to stop him going into next month’s Australian Open, where he is aiming for a fourth consecutive title. He also has his sights set on wresting back the world number one slot from Nadal.

The 26-year-old Serbian hired former Wimbledon champion Becker to improve his game after a disappointing 2013 by his own high standards. Becker has said he will spend around 20 weeks per year on the ATP Tour with Djokovic and says his young son Amadeus and wife Lilly will join him on occasion. With Becker courtside, Djokovic overcame an early deficit and said: “I have to say I’m really glad to have Boris on the team. “It’s great that it started with winning this trophy right here. Hopefully, we can win more.”

Asked what he expected Becker to bring to the table, Djokovic laughed. “We’ll see, ask me in half a year,” he was quoted as saying by The National. “It’s still too early to say where he is going to take us.”

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 6:00AM San Antonio v Sacramento 8:30AM LA Lakers v Philadelphia Ten Cricket 1:00PM South Africa v India 2nd Test, Day 5 Star Sports 4 Hopman Cup 7:30AM USA v Spain 4:00PM France v Czech Rep Star Sports HD1 2:30PM Big Bash T20 Melbourne v Brisbane

15

Monday, December 30, 2013

Australian batsman Shane Watson (R) celebrates hitting the winning runs against England with teammate Michael Clarke on the fourth day of their fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Under-fire Alastair Cook says he wants to carry on as England captain but if the selectors think there is a better man for the job then he would take it on the chin.

Cook’s position is under scrutiny given England’s woeful series, and he ratcheted up the pressure by dropping two crucial catches in the first half-hour of Sunday’s play which could have put the Australians under pressure.

It has been a dramatic turnaround from England’s last tour in Australia in 2010-11 when Cook amassed 766 runs at 127.66. Three years later he has scored 232 runs in eight innings at 29.00.

But Cook insists he wants to continue as captain, leaving the big call on his postAshes future to the England selectors.

“I’m totally responsible as captain for the team and if, at the end of the series, the selectors decide I’m not the best man for the job, then so be it,” Cook told reporters after England’s dispiriting loss. It would hurt and I’ve got no plans of going anywhere. I’m desperately trying to use as much of my experience of playing 100 Tests to help turn this team around.

“I’m 100 percent wanting to carry on.

If someone makes that decision, and says ‘We think there’s a better man’ or ‘You’re not good enough to do it’, then I have to take that on the chin because as a captain, you’re responsible for the team.” l

slays own demons Ruthless Australia march Rogers with clinching ton n to 4-0 Ashes lead AFP, Melbourne

n Reuters, Melbourne Chris Rogers struck a sparkling century to fire Australia to a dominant eightwicket win in the fourth Ashes test on Sunday, leaving an insipid England staring down the barrel of a humiliating series whitewash.

The victory, completed before tea on day four, pushed Australia to a 4-0 series lead and the prospect of sweeping England in the fifth and final test in Sydney seven years after Ricky Ponting’s team whitewashed the tourists in 2006-07.

Needing quick wickets to have any chance of salvaging pride at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, England were let down badly by their captain Alastair Cook, who put down two catches at first slip in the first half-hour to reprieve Rogers on 19 and his opening partner David Warner for 22.

Though Warner lasted only three

more runs, Rogers combined with number three batsman Shane Watson to flog a demoralised attack, their carefree partnership of 136 putting the hosts within 31 runs of victory before the opener succumbed for 116.

Australia captain Michael Clarke (six not out) joined Watson (83 not out) to administer the last rites for England, who played out the final sessions with a deflating weariness that allowed the hosts to mow through the 231 runs required for victory without breaking sweat.

Watson whipped a boundary square to secure the win in style, and charged down the sun-bathed pitch with arms raised as a crowd of more than 38,000 roared their approval. In truth, England surrendered the match on day three when their batsmen collapsed to be all out for 179 after tea, having lost their last five wickets for six runs to hand the initiative straight back to the hosts. l

SCORE CARD ENGLAND FIRST INNINGS 255 AUSTRALIA FIRST INNINGS 204 ENGLAND SECOND INNINGS 179 AUSTRALIA SECOND INNINGS (overnight 30-0) C. Rogers c Bairstow b Panesar D. Warner c Bairstow b Stokes S. Watson not out M. Clarke not out Extras (nb-1) Total (two wickets; 51.5 overs)

116 25 83 6 1 231

BOWLING Anderson 11-2-26-0, Broad 10-0-58-0, Panesar 7.5-0-41-1, Stokes 12-0-50-1 (1-nb), Root 4-1-8-0, Bresnan 7-1-48-0 RESULT Australia won by 8 wickets SERIES Australia lead the five-match series 4-0

Veteran Chris Rogers has bought some extra time for his late-blooming Test career after becoming the oldest Australia opener for 60 years to score an Ashes century, in Sunday’s big win over England.

The 36-year-old left-hander had fretted before the fourth Test that he was under pressure to hold on to his place.

But Rogers laid that ghost to rest with a match-clinching 116 off 155 balls to bury England’s victory hopes and put Australia 4-0 up in the series ahead of this week’s final Sydney Test.

Despite Rogers’ jitters about his Test place, Clarke said he was an important member of the Ashes-winning side.

“I think it was a fantastic innings.

A match-winning innings and he deserves a lot of credit for it,” Clarke said.

“The way he played in the first innings was special as well.

“I think some people thrive on that expectation and that extra pressure and Chris certainly seems like one of

those players. I think him and Davy Warner are a very good combination, two very different people, two very different players but I think they complement each other really well.” l

Kallis ton sets up Proteas assault n AFP, Durban

TV host Morgan Piers raises his bat after facing an exhibition over against Brett Lee

Lee could have killed Morgan: Hadlee n AFP, Wellington “Incensed” New Zealand cricket great Richard Hadlee claims TV host Piers Morgan could have been killed by Brett Lee in an exhibition over and he wants the former Australian speedster punished.

During Saturday’s tea break in the England-Australia Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Lee left Morgan battered and bruised as he pounded the Englishman with an over of short-pitched deliveries.

“As a former fast bowler I was appalled and outraged at what I witnessed,” Hadlee said in a column written for Fairfax News.

The exhibition was organised after Lee challenged Morgan to face an over when the television interviewer questioned the courage of some England batsmen.

“Lee’s brutal assault on Morgan was extremely dangerous and unnecessary.

It was clear that Morgan could not bat or defend himself against Lee’s pace

and intimidation,” Hadlee said.

“This was a brain explosion of the highest order. It was a deliberate attempt to hit, injure, hurt and maim his opponent that I viewed as a form of grievous bodily harm or a human assault that could have proved fatal.”

Morgan, 48, was hit four times on the body by the 37-year-old Lee who only retired from international cricket 17 months ago.

“If he was hit on the head or across the heart the result could have been devastating. Lee bowled only one ball at the wickets, and the other five were directed at the batman’s middle to upper body and head.”

Morgan had only 0.4 of a second to react to the deliveries which were hurled at him at 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph).

Cricket’s governing body, the International Cricket Council, has an edict of fair play and upholding the spirit of the game, and that exhibition compromised those values, Hadlee said. l

Jacques Kallis hit a century in his final Test match and steered South Africa into a strong position on the fourth day of the second and final Test against India at Kingsmead on Sunday.

South Africa took a first innings lead of 166, then put India under pressure as the tourists reached 68 for two at the close, still trailing by 98 runs.

Kallis made 115, his 45th Test century. A sixth wicket partnership of 86 with nightwatchman Dale Steyn (44) was achieved with largely cautious batting but set the foundation for a batting assault by Faf du Plessis and Robin Peterson after lunch as South Africa reached a total of 500.

Du Plessis and Peterson hammered 102 runs in the 14.1 overs of play that was possible between lunch and tea.

Peterson was particularly aggressive, hitting 61 off 52 balls, before he was caught going for a big hit.

Rain brought an early tea but the weather cleared in the late afternoon and South Africa bowled 36 overs before bad light finally stopped play.

Murali Vijay was caught at first slip off

Lisicki cruises in heatwave conditions

n

AFP, Brisbane

Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki cruised into the second round of the Brisbane International with a straightsets win over Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova on Sunday.

Lisicki had no trouble with the Slovakian or the 42 degrees Celsius heat on Pat Rafter Arena, winning 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes. The popular German inflicted one of only four defeats on Serena Williams in 2013 when she shocked the world number one in the fourth round of Wimbledon. l

Vernon Philander but Cheteshwar Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan dug in before the latter, after batting for two hours and facing 87 balls while scoring 19, fell to a sensational catch when he tried to hit leftarm spinner Peterson over midwicket.

Du Plessis, fielding about 12 metres from the bat, leapt at full stretch to hold a fullblooded shot with his right hand.

Kallis is second on the all-time list of Test century-makers behind Sachin Tendulkar, who hit 51 hundreds before retiring at the end of India’s series against the West Indies last month.

He moved into third place on the Test run-scorers list on 13,289, one run ahead of India’s Rahul Dravid and behind only Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting of Australia.

There were rare signs of emotion from Kallis after he completed the single off Ravindra Jadeja which took him to his hundred. He was hugged by batting partner Dale Steyn and removed his helmet as he acknowledged the applause, seemingly wiping away a tear.

It was one of his slower centuries, ground out over 334 minutes and 273 balls, but it was a vital innings on a slow, turning pitch on which a first innings lead could prove crucial. l

SCORE CARD, DAY 4

INDIA, FIRST INNINGS, 334

SOUTH AFRICA, FIRST INNINGS (overnight 299-5) J. Kallis c Dhoni b Jadeja 115 D. Steyn c Dhoni b Zaheer Khan 44 F. du Plessis run out (R. Sharma) 43 R. Peterson c Vijay b Zaheer Khan 61 V. Philander not out 0 M. Morkel c and b Jadeja 0 Extras (b3, lb15, nb3, w2) 23 Total (155.2 overs) 500 BOWLING Zaheer Khan 28-4-97-2, Mohammed Shami 27-2-104-1, I. Sharma 31-7-114-0, Jadeja 58.2-15-138-6, R. Sharma 11-1-29-0 INDIA, SECOND INNINGS S. Dhawan c Du Plessis b Peterson 19 M. Vijay c Smith b Philander 6 C. Pujara not out 32 V. Kohli not out 11 Extras 0 Total (2 wkts, 36 overs) 68 BOWLING Steyn 7-5-5-0, Philander 6-2-9-1, Morkel 6-2-11-0, Peterson 9-2-23-1, Duminy 8-2-20-0

Sharapova looks forward n AFP, Brisbane A refreshed and relaxed Maria Sharapova believes an injury-enforced break from the game has rekindled her enthusiasm for tennis. Sharapova has not played since August when she was forced to withdraw from the US Open with a right shoulder injury.

The glamorous Russian had earlier suffered a hip injury, which saw her pull out of two tournaments in July, before a shock first-round loss to Sloane Stephens in Cincinatti in early August.

“I’ve had a really healthy off-season,

something quite unusual because in the last few years I always had a little injury here and there,” she said.

“So that was nice, because I gave myself time to recover and get better.

“I knew from the moment I withdrew from the (US) Open that I was going to give myself the right amount of time that I needed -- whether that was a week, a month, a few months, I didn’t know. Nobody really knew,” she said.

“I’ve played with an injured shoulder for a while, so it was really important for me to take that time,” she added. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, December 30, 2013

Yet another two children, now undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, received injuries in a crude bomb explosion. The bomb went off as they picked it up after mistaking it for ball

A day in the realm of terror Jamil Khan, from n Mohammad Nilphamari Before December 14, Ramganj was very much like any other village in Nilphamari, or for that matter any other around the country.

But things have changed drastically after that fateful day when legendary actor and Awami League Lawmaker Asaduzzaman Noor’s motorcade was attacked by Jamaat-Shibir men and five of his associates were killed.

The place is only about 10km away from the office of the Nilpharami district police chief (SP) and about 6km from the district police lines. That fact that it should not be more than a few minutes’ drive for police, has not been able to comfort the villagers, especially the Hindus.

At 6pm on Saturday, this correspondent asked a rickshaw puller if he would take him to the Ramganj village from the Nilphamari district township.

The reply was overwhelming: “I would not go there in the dark of the night even if you gave me Tk1,000.”

The usual rickshaw fare should not be more than Tk70-80.

Some other rickshaw pullers and auto-rickshaw drivers also said the same

– they were not ready to travel into Ramganj at night no matter how much they were offered.

The next morning, however, one of the rickshaw pullers agreed to go to Ramganj in exchange for a double fare and on condition that he would take the fare and leave this correspondent if something happened on the way.

On the way, Asad, the rickshaw puller, said: “Since the attack on Noor’s motorcade, nobody dares go there [Ramganj] at night. They are scared to go there even in daylight.”

He said the local Awami League leaders and activists had not been staying at home at night fearing attacks by Jamaat-Shibir men. The Hindus had been living in utter fear for their lives.

The Jamaat-Shibir men had been vandalising all vehicles that had been passing Ramganj Bazaar – the place where Noor was attacked.

About a kilometer away from Ramganj village, Asad stopped and asked this correspondent to get down and pay his fare because he did not dare go any closer.

As this correspondent walked in, the atmosphere was unlike anything that could be seen in a normal quiet Bangladeshi village. The village was quiet all

right, but it was from the tension and fear that has gripped the area since that deadly attack.

Very few men could be seen around because most were hiding fearing attack by Jamaat-Shibir men.

Sonatan, a resident of Jelepara, warned me: “Opposition men vandalised a potato-laden truck last night [Saturday night] when it was passing through the area.”

The Hindu fisherman could not hold his tears as he gave an account of the predicament. “They [Jamaat-Shibir men] threatened us. They told us to leave the village. I have three small kids. Where will I go if they throw me out? They said if something happened to them, they would attack us first.”

About 500 Hindu families from the Ramganj village have been passing their days and nights in utter fear.

Some of them have been sleeping at the local Hari Temple at night with bows and arrows, to protect it from the Jamaat-Shibir vandals.

“We have around five and a half thousand arrows with which we guard the temple at night by rotation,” said villager Bidhan.

When asked about police, Bidhan said: “What would police do? They just

patrol the area once or twice a day and raid one or two houses. They do not find anyone because the Jamaat-Shibir men leave the area after being tipped off and come back after the raids are over.”

“Our Nilphamari district has always been a peaceful area. We have never seen anything like this in the last 40 years,” said 55-year old Ziaul, a resident of the village.

The district police super, however, had a completely different view of the situation.

“There is nothing to fear from the Jamaat-Shibir men as police have been continuously chasing the criminals down. We have already made some arrests,” Mohammad Zubayedur Rahman, Nilphamari police super, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Then why have the Hindus been guarding their temple with bows and arrows?

He replied: “They are doing it from their religious faith. Nothing has happened in the area that might scare them. Who would attack a village that is almost empty, especially when the criminals know that we have been raiding the area and arresting the criminals?” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

HUMAN BODY PARTS AT MATUAIL LANDFILL

Fund shortage halts identification of victims n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Although three months have passed since 29 human body parts were found in sacks at the Matuail landfill, no progress has been made in identifying the victims.

There are claims that Jatrabari police station – in charge of the investigation– has placed the much talked-about case in its list of less prioritised cases.

It has been learnt that the process of identifying the victims is on hold now because of negligence on part of the police station, as it has not paid the DNA test fee of Tk1,45,000 (Tk5,000 for each sample test) to the National DNA Profiling Laboratory at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The samples had been sent for DNA testing by Jatrabari police station, which requested necessary DNA tests to know the gender identity of the samples.

Sources said a letter was sent by Abu Sufian, scientific officer of the DNA laboratory, to Sub-Inspector Kazi Jashimuddin, the investigating officer of the case, requesting a deposit of

Tk1,45,000 as the DNA test fee; but the police did not respond to it.

Seeking anonymity, a senior official at the DNA lab said the tests could not be carried out without receiving Tk5,000 for each test as per government rules, and there was also a shortage of chemicals to test the DNA samples.

When contacted, Abu Sufian, however, told the Dhaka Tribune that the DNA tests were being carried out, despite the police’s failure to deposit the fee.

On the other hand, SI Jashimuddin admitted to being unable to pay the fees, saying: “I have written two letters to the inspector general’s office requesting funds for the DNA test.

As far as I know, the letters had been received but funds have not yet been released.” He expressed hope that the funds would be released soon.

On August 23, a few boys found seven limb-filled sacks at the Matuail garbage dump and informed the police. It has been learnt that the 29 human body parts included femurs, humeri, tibiae, vertebrae, radii, ribs and molars. l

Polls-time government Extension of retirement age shelved takes policy decisions n Mohosinul Karim

n Asif Showkat Kallol

1st Bangladeshi Idol gets bail in attempted murder case

n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Mong Uching Marma, the first Bangladeshi Idol, secured bail in an attempted murder case lodged about a year ago.

The chief judicial magistrate’s court in Bandarban gave the release order after a bail hearing yesterday.

Mong was accompanied by his lawyer Ikbal Karim when he arrived at the court of chief judicial magistrate Ramani Ranjan Chakma around noon.

The court granted him a temporary exemption from personally appearing in court because of an impending tour of the accused.

His lawyer will go to court on his behalf until further notice, sources said.

Mong was charged with “attempted murder” and “drunken brawling” after an investigation into a clash between Pahari Chhatra Parishad (PCP) and United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) about a year ago.

He had long been an active member of PCP, a student wing of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti. He rose to fame after becoming the first Bangladesh Idol on December 13 in the grand finale of the local version of the popular American reality television show franchise. Hailing from Bandarban, Mong is a student of Bandarban Government College and the lead vocalist of a band called Chikkhhok. l

The polls-time government has approved two major policy proposals, allowing American multinational beverage-makers the Coca-Cola Company to invest in Bangladesh, and the import of fertiliser from Canada.

After yesterday’s meetings of the cabinet committee on economic affairs and the cabinet committee on purchase, Finance Minister AMA Muhith admitted that the government had adopted a policy decision.

The practice had started with the last caretaker government, which made policy decisions, he said.

“We had no choice but to make policy decisions, because the country needs fertiliser, wheat and more investment. The government must go on.

But we have made this decision carefully,” the minister said.

Sources said despite being acknowledged by the prime minister and approved by the finance minister, and even though there had been time before the polls-time government took over, the cabinet could not make a decision to give the go-ahead to the Coca-Cola Company proposals.

The election time government had suspended the cabinet committee on economic affairs’ meetings, but three days ago it directed the division to hold a cabinet committee meeting on economic affairs On November 20, in a speech to the parliament, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the ministers of the interim cabinet would not make any policy decisions and would only be doing routine work during the election period.

The cabinet division official said the election time government had suspended the cabinet committee on economic affairs’ meetings, but three days ago it directed the division to hold a cabinet committee meeting on economic affairs.

The committee approved a railway ministry proposal to set up shopping mall and guesthouses on railway land at Chittagong and Comilla, under a public-private-partnership initiative.

The cost of investment will be Tk92.70cr on the 2,129 acres of land in Chittagong, while in Comilla the cost will be Tk294.5cr on a 4432 acres of land, according to the railway ministry proposal.

A proposal from the ministry of liberation war affairs said the Coca-Cola Company, based in the USA, was ready to pay $16m to clear off all outstanding debts of the state-owned Tabani Beverage Co Ltd of Bangladesh, one of the franchisees of Coca-Cola in this country.

After all the debts of Tabani are cleared, the company wants to invest another $50m (Tk3.89bn) to start afresh the production of Coca-Cola in Bangladesh.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the government would sign a government-to-government agreement with Canada on the import of the Muriate of Potash (MOP) fertiliser. As per the proposal, the government will import one lakh tonnes of MOP from Canada and the price will be lower than the fertiliser from Belarus, he said. As per the proposal, BADC and Canadian Commercial Corporation will sign the agreement.

“The Canadian Ambassador in Dhaka Heather Cruden requested me to get the deal signed within a short time of the import of MOP,” Muhith said.

The cabinet committee on public purchase approved a power division proposal to extend the timeframe of the 55MW Khulna HSD power plant now operated by the UK company Aggreko International Power Project Ltd, for the next five years. Per unit, the cost of power from the plant will be Tk19.55, down from the current Tk21.21 per unit. The committee approved another five year time extension proposal for the 110MW Khulna Power Company Limited, which will now sell power for Tk15.13 per unit whereas before it was Tk19 per unit. l

The initiative of increasing the retirement age of public servants has been postponed because of strong opposition from a section of bureaucrats and the refusal by the Prime Minister’s Office to approve such a policy decision during the polls-time government period.

The public administration ministry has already shelved the proposal to increase the retirement age to 60 from 59 years along with another – increasing the age of entry-level public servants to 32 from 30 years. The initiative was taken around a year back.

Though the opposing quarter confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune about the hurried move, public administration ministry’s Senior Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder denied working on the issue.

He said the ministry had no such move in the last one year. “It is completely a policy decision. The election-time government will not take or approve any policy decision during this period. We did not get instruction from the govern-

ment high-ups to initiate the move.”

According to the ministry officials, Sikder, home ministry’s Senior Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed, Parliament Secretariat’s Senior Secretary Ashraful Maqbul, BCS Academy’s Rector Shafiq Alam Mehedi and some other high officials would go on pre-retirement leave within a month a two.

Local Government Secretary Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan is set to go to PRL from January 17, said a circular on Tuesday. The contractual appointment of Secretary to the PMO Mollah Waheduzzaman is also about to end.

The senior officials allegedly were pursuing the government to extend the retirement age so that they could stay in service for one more year, claimed the officials opposing the proposal.

The government earlier extended the retirement age of public servants by two years from 57 to 59 on December 19, 2011. It was fixed at 57 years after the independence in 1971.

The retirement ceiling was increased considering that people’s average life expectancy had increased to 67

from 46 years, and the entry-level age limit to 30 years from 27 in comparison to the post-independence era.

Sources say a section of secretaries, additional secretaries and junior officers, mostly from the 1984 batch, are opposing the proposal fearing that they would be deprived of promotion in due time. Most of them have qualified with sufficient scores and are waiting to get promotion to the higher posts.

The objectors are led by some of the additional secretaries at the PMO, local government ministry and communications ministry.

The officials in favour of increasing the entry and retirement age stopped the move in the wake of mixed reaction from the civil bureaucracy.

The mid-level officials questioned whether the move had been taken in the public interest or for the interest for a few senior officials, as around 10 of them would retire next month.

There are around 12 lakh officials and employees in government service and around 40,000 retire every year, according to officials. l

Locals tie a couple to bamboo poles at Rajshahi’s Lakshmipur Bhatapara to shame them for their marriage. Their only fault was that the man, in his mid-20s, married the woman who was about 10 years older than him, which the locals see as a social taboo DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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Continue to the Business section...

Business

B3 Kay & Que worst DSE loser

B4 Top business story in

2013: Booming stock markets

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2013 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Sluggish credit growth to shrink banks’ profit n Jebun Nesa Alo Fall in credit growth may affect the yearly profit earning of the country’s commercial banks in 2013, said a senior banker.

He said as the banks’ deposit could not be mobilised during the year due to intensifying political unrest, the annual profits will drop.

“This is a very bad situation for the banking sector. Unrest will push the profits down,” said Ehsan Khasru, managing director of Prime Bank.

Bangladesh Bank data showed overall credit growth in the first 11 months of the year slowed to 9.5% against the central bank’s target of 15.5% in its monetary policy.

The credit has been growing at single-digit rates since June.

Credit demand from the entrepreneurs has been sluggish as they are not willing to make any investment in such a situation gripped by political chaos.

Ehsan Khasru said the non-performing loans (NPL) will be higher as the amount of idle money in the banks has soared thanks to the ongoing political unrest.

“Currently, NPL is 12%, which may exceed 15% at the end of the year. This is very bad for the banking sector.”

According to Bangladesh Bank data, the private sector credit in first quarter of current fiscal year grew by 12% compared to 19.3% a year ago.

The banks’ advances to the trans-

ports and communication sector had fallen to 43.5% in first quarter of this fiscal.

The credit to the industrial, construction and business sectors decreased respectively by 8.9%, 9.9% and 12.9% in the period.

The highest share of bank advances went to the business sector, which was 38.7%, followed by industrial sector’s 19.9% and working capital financing’s 15% in the period.

“Banks’ credit is falling sharply due to many factors. Political uncertainty is a major factor,” said Ehsan Khasru.

He also said the banks have also become now the target of attacks by the political activists.

“We could not refill ATM booths and meet demand for last one month due to political unrest.”

The banking business would be hit hard if money remained stuck and could not be mobilised, he said.

According to the central bank data, the state-owned commercial banks also witnessed fall in credit.

The credit grew by 2.79% in 11 months of 2013.

The provision shortfall of the banking sector increased to Tk3,280 crore in September from Tk2,460 crore in June.

Return on assets, an important measure of bank profitability, declined marginally to 0.61% at the end of June, 2013 from 0.64% at the end of December 2012, according to the Bangladesh Bank’s quarterly report. l

Carrying fishes on their heads, the vendors are walking towards the doorsteps of city-dwellers. They buy fish from wholesalers and retail them in residential areas. Due to political unrest, the consumers now face difficulties to reach kitchen markets. The photo was taken yesterday from the capital’s Jatrabari area MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Foreign aid up 2% in first 5 months of FY14 DSE to install new n Tribune Report Foreign aid flow to Bangladesh increased by almost 2% in the first five months of the current fiscal year, despite prolonged political turmoil.

In July-November period of the current fiscal (2013-14) it stood at US$ 987m, a marginal increase of 1.9% or $18m from $969m recorded in the same period a year earlier, according the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

“There is nothing to be happier about it as the foreign aid flow should have been higher at least by $600$700m during the period,” said former finance adviser to the caretaker government Mirza Azizul Islam.

Islam sees foreign aid flow might take heat of ongoing political unrest in the coming days. “Recent stance of USA and EU countries about the Bangladesh political issue might influence on major donors like World Bank and IMF about aid disbursement,” he said.

The ERD statistics showed that out of total $987m aid flow during the period, the government received $740.8m in loans and $246.7m in grants. Of $1,437.4m aid commitments from the donor agencies, $1,262.5m came in the form of loans and $ 174.9m in grants in first five months of the current fiscal.

Of the major multilateral and bilateral donors, the World Bank disbursed the highest amount of over $287m as loans and around $55m grants.

The implementation of aid-dependent development projects slowed down due to the ongoing restive politics, which resulted in moderate aid disbursement, said an ERD official.

The former finance adviser said the project implementation will be slowed down in days to come as supply of administrative machineries will be disrupted by the political programmes.

But the aid receiving countries should implement the projects in a speedy manner to get the aid released quickly.

trading engine soon n Kayes Sohel Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) is set to launch a new trading engine soon to put off repeated technical glitches, particularly on occasions of every debut stocks.

Failure of existing decade-old trading platform to entertain huge buysale orders at a time has prompted the prime bourse to look for new trading engine.

According to the ERD, the government had received foreign assistances of $2.8bn in FY2013 and $2bn in FY12.

The government has set a target of $3.3bn in foreign aid for the current fiscal year to support the socio-economic development of the country. l

BB extends time to Yen faces selling pressure in Asian trading reschedule loans of this year as the BoJ’s aggressive easing US economy.

AFP, Tokyo n ing programme held down the unit, “Players adjusted their dollar-long n Tribune Business Desk The yen faced selling pressure in Asia position after the dollar topped 105 while the US Federal Reserve’s deciBangladesh Bank has asked all banks and financial institutions to allow small and medium enterprises (SME), agriculture and all other productive sectors six more months up to June 30 next to reschedule loans.

The sectors would be entitled to take advantage of the extension if they are affected by the on-going political deadlock, said a circular issued yesterday.

The sectors would be entitled to take advantage of the extension if they are affected by the on-going political deadlock The central bank said the persisting political unrest already had negative impact on agriculture, industries and other business, particularly disrupting the normal transportation of goods and eraw materials.

It asked banks and financial institutions to consider the impact of political unrest on various productive sectors and business to receive down payment and allow loan rescheduling.

The banks and financial institutions should, however, obtain permission from their respective authorities and no objection from BB before allowing anyone the extended time for the loan rescheduling. l

Friday as speculation of more Bank of Japan monetary easing weighed on the unit, while upbeat US data supported the dollar.

The greenback was trading around five-year highs in Tokyo, buying 104.77 yen against 104.82 yen in New York Thursday.

The US unit briefly topped the 105 yen level earlier Friday, after US weekly jobless claims fell more than expected - offering more evidence of a firm-

yen,” said Yosuke Hosokawa, a dealer at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.

“But yen-selling pressure appears strong. It would be no surprise to see the dollar rise to 110 yen in the January-March quarter,” Hosokawa told Dow Jones Newswires.

The euro jumped past five-year highs to 143.88 yen from 143.51 yen in US trade while it fetched $1.3733 against $1.3692.

The yen has been in retreat for most

sion last week to start scaling back its own bond-buying programme in January gave the dollar a lift.

The pullback on Fed asset purchases means fewer dollars in the financial system, boosting demand for the greenback.

While the BoJ held off fresh policy measures following a meeting last week, its chief Haruhiko Kuroda met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Thursday, helping to stoke speculation of more easing after Japan’s third-quarter growth slowed markedly.

In upbeat news, consumer price data published Friday showed that Japan’s war on deflation got a boost last month with a key inflation indicator rising at its fastest pace in 15 years.

Reversing years of falling prices is the centrepiece of Abe’s bid to kickstart the world’s third-largest economy.

The dollar was mixed against other Asia-Pacific currencies. It slipped to Sg$1.2677 from Sg$1.2681 the previous day, to Tw$29.97 from Tw$30.00, to 1,055.00 South Korean won from 1,059.10 won and to 44.35 Philippine pesos from 44.41 pesos.

The dollar also declined to 32.81 Thai baht from 32.82 baht while it strengthened to 12,278 Indonesian rupiah from 12,140 rupiah and to 62.10 Indian rupees from 61.97 rupees.

The Australian dollar rose to 88.85 US cents from 88.83 cents. The Chinese yuan was unchanged at 17.26 yen. l

The decade-old trading engine will be replaced with modern world-class technology to remove concern of technical glitches, adding that the trading system up-gradation is a continuous process of the stock exchange

The existing trading engine TESA and trading terminal MSA Plus will be replaced by a new trading software as early as possible, said a DSE official.

As part of the process, NASDAQ OMX, the world’s largest exchange company based in the US, already completed design study of DSE’s requirement and submitted a final report.

Millennium IT, a leading Sri Lankan information technology solutions provider, specialised in IT solutions for the financial and telecom industries, will implement the system.

It currently provides IT solutions for Chittagong Stock Exchange.

“We are seriously working on making everything fit for smooth trading,” said DSE chief technology officer ASM Khairuzzaman.

The decade-old trading engine will be replaced with modern world-class technology to remove concern of technical glitches, he said, adding that the trading system up-gradation is a continuous process of the stock exchange.

Investors were losing trading hours at different times and faced difficulties in placing buy and sell orders of stocks, including Appollo Ispat and Orion Parma on their first debut day.

The present system fails to take huge buy-sale order for single company stocks, depriving many to execute trading.

“The performance of the present trading platform was faulty as it failed to execute transactions on a number of occasions when a new company made debut,” said a stock broker.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission instructed the DSE to replace its trading software in July following losses of trading hours over frequent technical glitches on the MSA Plus trading platform.

In February, the DSE board formed a five-member panel to look after the matter.

The body found the MSA Plus platform, acquired from UK-based software vendor Xchanging for around $600,000, is faulty and recommended replacing by a new one.

The DSE started its journey of automation on August, 1998 and it made a major up-gradation in DSE trading system and its infrastructure on 2005.

At the end of 2010, DSE enhanced its ICT Infrastructure Capacity to six lakh trades per day.

To meet the potential growth of the trades and prospective investors, DSE upgraded its trading application MSA to MSA-Plus (upgraded TESA client part), which started on June 2012. l

STOCKS DSEX

0.21%

4209.69

▲

DS30 CSEX

0.16%

1450.29

0.19%

8269.71

▲ ▲

EXCHANGE RATES Average selling rates to public in BDT Banks Rupali Bank Currencies SELL BUY 77.4 77.8 USD 105.329 108.5498 EURO 1.1797 1.3361 INR 20.5372 21.0055 SAR

Sonali Bank SELL BUY 77.4

77.8

105.8082

108.2602

1.18

1.28

20.5341

21.0101

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE turnover dips 2-month low

DSE key features December 29, 2013

High political tension dampens investor mood

Number of Contract

n Kayes Sohel The Dhaka Stock Exchange turnover plunged two-month low yesterday as investors were increasingly worried over the current high political tension.

But stocks ended flat after three consecutive sessions of losses backed by institutional buying supports, particularly from stateowned Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), sources at the DSE said.

'While the nation gave in to deep fear of chaos, market responded with a puzzling session' The prime bourse turnover – a barometer in gauging investor participation in trading – slipped to over Tk264 crore – the poorest turnover since October 27 this year and a sharp fall of 28% over the previous session.

The benchmark DSEX index closed at 4,209 with a slight rise of nearly 9 points or 0.2% to 4,209.

The DS30 Index comprising blue chips also gained marginally over 2 points or 0.1% to 1,450.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, rose 16 points to 8,269.

Every trading floor were empty as investors failed to make presence at the brokerage houses due to transport crisis caused by the government-enforced blockade to thwart

BNP-led opposition’s pre-scheduled programme “March for Democracy.”

Gainers took a marginal lead over the losers as out of 280 issues traded, 127 advanced, 124 declined and 29 remained unchanged.

“While the nation gave in to deep fear of chaos, market responded with a puzzling session,” said IDLC Investment in its daily market analysis.

Turnover plunged 28% as most of the investors adopted wait and see approach, it said. Despite severe political crisis and miserable economic scenario, cement and industries from financial sector performed positively.

On the other hand, combined effect of natural correction and negative outlook valued textile declined 1.2%, extending its losing streak.

Activities continued to concentrate on textile that made up 20% of the total turnover, followed closely by engineering and financial institutions.

Lanka Bangla Securities said market lacked interest of investors.

Due to political tension regarding opposition called “March for Democracy,” investors could not freely go to brokerage houses for trading, it said. “That was apparent in today’s low turnover.”

Union Capital was the most traded stocks, followed by Argon Denim, Appollo Ispat, RN Spinning, Bay Leasing, National Life Insurance, Generation Next Fashion and Lanka Bangla Finance. l

DSE LOSERS Company Kay & Que (BD) -Z Kohinoor Chem -A CVO PetroChem RL-Z BD. Autocars -Z Modern Dyeing -Z 4th ICB M F-A Fine Foods A Appollo Ispat CL -N Mithun Knitting -A BD Building Systems -A

Closing (% change) -8.70 -7.43 -6.77 -4.47 -4.31 -4.04 -3.96 -3.68 -3.61 -3.29

CSE LOSERS Company Meghna Life Ins. -A Delta Brac HFCL-A Northern G Insur-A Janata Insur -A ACI ZERO Bond-A Usmania Glass -A Nitol Insurance -A Rahima Food -Z Appollo Ispat CL -N ACI Formulations-A

Closing (% change) -9.91 -9.32 -7.82 -7.63 -6.82 -6.47 -5.88 -5.78 -5.21 -5.17

4209.69

(+) 0.21%

1450.28

(+) 0.16%

13035.69

(+) 0.03%

10688.23

(+) 0.30%

8269.71

(+) 0.19%

Average (% change) -8.35 -7.44 -7.38 -8.25 -4.04 -4.04 -3.65 -6.13 -3.27 -3.39 Average (% change) -11.81 -8.98 -7.82 -7.81 -6.82 -6.69 -5.88 -7.86 -6.06 -5.19

ANALYST

Closing average 16.80 355.00 576.97 26.79 71.43 192.50 21.94 36.78 75.32 68.17

Closing average 100.00 53.50 34.20 24.20 820.00 130.08 32.00 59.65 36.76 75.20

Closing 16.80 355.00 574.10 27.80 71.10 192.50 21.80 36.60 74.80 67.70

Closing 100.00 53.50 34.20 24.20 820.00 130.10 32.00 60.30 36.40 75.20

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

DSE Million Taka 230.85 449.08 51.60 446.49 217.22 142.24 0.90 514.68 144.74 0.55 11.94 21.22 25.51 72.06 23.43 42.09 140.38 33.32 36.58 38.01 0.15

14,750

Traded Issues

207

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

70

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

134

% change 8.73 16.99 1.95 16.89 8.22 5.38 0.03 19.47 5.48 0.02 0.45 0.80 0.97 2.73 0.89 1.59 5.31 1.26 1.38 1.44 0.01

Million Taka 23.06 63.07 3.73 83.87 18.29 13.10

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

1,954.60

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

23.69

Turnover (Million Taka)

52.44 18.18 0.17 0.86 15.24 2.43 3.59 5.39 2.33 5.90 6.73 11.52 11.23 12.86

CSE GAINERS Closing (% change)

Union Capital -A People`s Leasing-A I P D C -A Islamic Finance-A Samata LeatheR -Z Mercantile Insur -A Bay Leasing.-A First Lease- A Intl. Leasing-B Prime Bank-A

9.01 8.02 7.49 6.63 6.60 5.04 4.95 4.91 4.67 4.66

Average (% change) 11.94 6.28 6.49 4.33 6.86 3.41 3.66 2.64 3.46 2.44

19.75 34.89 39.77 76.54 25.18 29.67 39.94 32.72 37.76 18.90

Closing average 35.17 25.20 20.02 18.80 22.60 26.65 39.10 33.78 15.56 24.35

Closing

Daily high

19.70 35.30 40.10 76.50 25.40 30.40 40.90 33.10 37.90 19.10

Closing

19.80 35.60 40.10 78.60 25.80 31.00 41.40 33.40 39.40 19.40

Daily high

35.10 25.60 20.10 19.30 22.60 27.10 40.30 34.20 15.70 24.70

35.40 25.90 20.20 19.50 23.20 27.20 40.70 34.40 15.70 25.00

Daily low 18.20 30.00 37.00 74.10 21.50 28.50 35.00 31.20 34.80 17.00

Daily low 34.10 21.40 19.70 18.00 22.00 26.50 37.50 33.20 15.30 21.60

Yearly high 27.5 39.9 47.8 95.2 38.5 33.9 43.7 36.7 52.5 25.8

Yearly high 38.0 38.7 22.2 25.7 25.4 35.1 43.5 51.9 22.7 40.0

Yearly low 10.7 18.5 19.9 54.0 18.3 17.8 22.5 28.4 24.9 12.6

Yearly low

Turnover in million 0.237 7.943 0.022 2.258 60.064 6.482 85.105 44.550 3.342 26.221

Turnover in million

18.0 18.7 14.6 13.0 9.0 21.0 23.0 22.0 12.0 15.5

2.919 15.565 0.140 11.450 0.023 0.107 7.274 3.865 1.923 0.400

2,643.03

Turnover (Volume)

66,355,387

Number of Contract

73,640

Traded Issues

281

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

84

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

195

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,031.00

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.62

Yearly high

Daily low 16.80 355.00 569.70 26.20 70.10 192.50 21.60 36.20 70.00 63.00

24.8 570.0 943.7 60.0 183.9 242.1 33.0 41.5 140.0 81.7

Yearly high

Daily low

100.00 53.50 34.20 24.20 820.00 130.20 32.00 69.00 37.80 75.20

CSE

9.44 8.95 7.80 6.99 6.72 6.29 5.96 5.75 5.57 5.52

Company

100.00 53.50 34.20 24.20 820.00 130.00 32.00 57.60 36.10 75.20

128.5 74.0 54.5 317.0 900.0 192.0 47.0 92.9 41.8 96.0

Yearly low

Turnover in million

12.5 145.0 87.0 17.5 45.2 122.1 13.2 32.0 48.9 35.1

Yearly low

0.034 0.178 18.117 0.935 0.025 0.019 2.109 106.590 3.735 25.822

Turnover in million

87.2 48.0 27.5 24.2 760.0 66.2 27.6 13.0 35.1 65.1

0.010 0.027 0.051 0.019 0.003 0.065 0.016 2.088 49.639 0.008

Due to march for Democracy, investors could not freely go to brokerage houses for trading. That was apparent in today’s low turnover

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

10,173,811

Samata LeatheR -Z Union Capital -A Standard Ceramic -A Reliance Insur -A People`s Leasing-A Sinobangla Indu.-A Bay Leasing.-A LafargeS Cement-Z Midas Financing-Z Islamic Finance-A

Closing average

CSE key features December 29, 2013

16.80 355.00 610.00 28.10 71.50 192.50 22.70 37.90 79.00 71.00

Daily high

354.00

Average (% change) 8.34 11.36 6.54 7.05 6.24 2.59 5.55 4.57 9.61 4.77

TUE

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Daily high

Closing (% change)

Company

MON

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index DS - 30 Index CSE All Share Index CSE - 30 Index CSE Selected Index

DSE GAINERS

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Monday, December 30, 2013

% change 6.51 17.82 1.05 23.69 5.17 3.70 0.00 14.81 5.14 0.05 0.24 4.31 0.69 1.01 1.52 0.66 1.67 1.90 3.25 3.17 3.63

Million Taka 253.91 512.15 55.33 530.37 235.51 155.35 0.90 567.12 162.92 0.72 12.80 36.46 27.94 75.65 28.82 44.42 146.28 40.06 48.10 49.24 13.01

Total

% change 8.47 17.09 1.85 17.70 7.86 5.18 0.03 18.92 5.44 0.02 0.43 1.22 0.93 2.52 0.96 1.48 4.88 1.34 1.60 1.64 0.43

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

News from trade server MITHUNKNIT: 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.

IPO Subscription: Emerald Oil Industries Limited subscription date 06-12 January 2014, NRB upto 21 Januray 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD: 29.12.2013.

DESHBANDHU: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the 7th AGM of the Company will now be held on December 29, 2013 at 9:00 AM at Factory Premises of the Company at Kawadi, Charsindur, Palash, Narsingdi instead of Jamuna Resort, Eastern Approach of Bangabandhu Bridge, Bhuapur, Tangail at 10:00 AM. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

GHAIL: 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 26, 2013.

Golden Son -A BATBCL -A Argon Denims Limited-A Appollo Ispat CL -N R. N. Spinning-A Bay Leasing.-A National Life I -A Generation Next-A LankaBangla Fin. -A People`s Leasing-A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N Golden Son -A R. N. Spinning-A People`s Leasing-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A IBBLMPB-A Islamic Finance-A UNITED AIR-A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Bay Leasing.-A

Volume shares 1,350,400 281,257 452,875 617,523 18,500 13,050 609,016 628,010 184,000 186,024

METROSPIN: 10% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 17.11.2013.

DAFODILCOM: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 21.11.2013.

HAKKANIPUL: 5% Cash, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

STANCERAM: 10% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 19.11.2013.

GEMINISEA: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 04.12.2013.

MONNOCERA: 5% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

PTL: 12% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 12.12.2013.

LIBRAINFU: 20% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 12.11.2013.

FUWANGFOOD: 10% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 20.11.2013.

PHARMAID: 15% Cash, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 04.12.2013.

RIGHT SHARE: RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014.

Volume shares 2,555,265 78,150 1,355,920 2,898,000 2,730,627 2,130,656 233,404 1,876,620 952,166 2,385,176

FUWANGCER: 10% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

ZAHINTEX: 5% Cash, 15% Stock, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 07.11.2013.

PRIMEBANK: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has accepetd the revaluation report on the assets (Land and Building) of the Company. As per revaluation, an increase of Tk. 148.22 crore will be accounted for in the Balance sheet of the Company as at 31.12.2013 subject to approval of the regulatory authorities.

Company

BDCOM: 10% Stock, AGM: 25.12.2013, RD: 17.11.2013.

OLYMPIC: 10% Cash and 50% Stock, EGM and AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 21.11.2013.

BIFC: Alpha Credit Rating Limited (AlphaRating) has rated the Company as “A-” in the long term and “AR-3” in the short term along with a stable outlook based on audited financial information of the Company up to 31st December 2012 and relevant qualitative information up to November 30, 2013.

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS

DESHBANDHU: 5% Stock, AGM: 29.12.2013, RD: 29.10.2013.

Dividend/AGM

TALLUSPIN: 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.

ATLASBANG: 50% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013, RD: 01.12.2013. EPS of Tk. 9.14, NAV per share of Tk. 222.05.

RAHIMAFOOD: 10% Cash to the shareholders other than the Sponsor shareholders, Directors and Deposed Directors, AGM: 26.12.2013, RD: 28.11.2013.

DESCO: 10% Cash & 15% Stock, AGM: 04.01.2014, RD: 05.11.2013.

ANWARGALV: 7% Case for general shareholders, AGM: 13.01.2014, RD: 11.11.2013.

MPETROLEUM: 70% Cash & 20% Stock, AGM: 17.01.2014, RD: 28.11.2013.

POWERGRID: 15% Cash, AGM: 18.01.2014, Time: 10:00 AM. RD: 01.12.2013.

EASTRNLUB: 30% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

JAMUNAOIL: 90% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: postponed, RD: 07.11.2013.

SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM: 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.

PRIMETEX: 10% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013, RD: 12.11.2013.

PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM: 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.

DELTASPINN: 10% Cash, AGM: 28.12.2013. RD: 21.11.2013.

SAMORITA: 30% Stock, AGM: 11.01.2014, RD: 25.11.2013.

Value in million 160.21 132.56 128.90 106.59 100.28 85.11 71.80 67.75 61.29 60.06 Value in million 49.64 17.68 16.65 15.56 12.95 12.85 11.45 10.33 9.65 7.27

% of total turnover 6.06 5.02 4.88 4.03 3.79 3.22 2.72 2.56 2.32 2.27 % of total turnover 14.02 4.99 4.70 4.40 3.66 3.63 3.23 2.92 2.73 2.05

Daily closing 63.80 1610.80 95.00 36.60 36.60 40.90 307.90 36.00 65.20 25.40 Daily closing 36.40 63.80 36.60 25.60 691.00 960.00 19.30 16.40 51.70 40.30

Price change 2.57 0.68 -1.04 -3.68 -1.88 5.96 2.36 -1.10 2.03 6.72

Daily opening 62.20 1600.00 96.00 38.00 37.30 38.60 300.80 36.40 63.90 23.80

Daily high 64.90 1700.00 96.30 37.90 37.40 41.40 314.00 36.60 65.60 25.80

Daily low 56.00 1600.00 87.00 36.20 34.00 35.00 280.00 33.00 60.00 21.50

Daily average 62.70 1696.23 95.06 36.78 36.72 39.94 307.62 36.10 64.36 25.18

Price change -5.21 2.24 -1.88 8.02 0.00 -1.03 6.63 -1.20 -1.34 4.95

Daily opening 38.40 62.40 37.30 23.70 691.00 970.00 18.10 16.60 52.40 38.40

Daily high 37.80 64.90 37.50 25.90 691.00 985.00 19.50 16.70 55.80 40.70

Daily low 36.10 61.10 36.40 21.40 691.00 960.00 18.00 15.00 51.40 37.50

Daily average 36.76 62.86 36.76 25.20 700.00 984.99 18.80 16.45 52.46 39.10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Monday, December 30, 2013

Kay & Que worst DSE loser Setback in sales takes on Q3 performance n Tahmidur Rahman The price of Kay & Que shares eroded by 8.7% to close at Tk16.8 each on the Dhaka Stock Exchange yesterday, with a traded volume worth around Tk33,600.

The “Z” category stock recently rose up to Tk20.7 on December 11, which is six-month high.

The stock increased by 39% during the first two weeks of December and brokers believe the recent price hike and fundamental weakness of the company have resulted in yesterday’s price fall.

Kay & Que is the pioneer in manufacturing carbon products such as carbon rods for dry cell batteries. The company has also diversified its business to CNG refuelling stations, processing and packaging of chemicals alongside the distribution of tar and pitch for the local markets.

Previously, in response to a quarry

by Chittagong Stock Exchange on December 11, the company informed the next day that there was no undisclosed price sensitive information for the recent unusual price hike.

The company’s cost of goods sold reduced to 85% of sales in the third quarter from 90% of sales in the same period last year. On average, the company’s cost of goods sold has been

Union Capital Limited shares yesterday closed at Tk35.3 each, registering highest gain of 8.95% on the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

The stock prices rose on the news that the company decided to issue non-convertible preference shares worth of Tk50 crore to strengthen its tier II capital, according to stock brokers.

Global property investing to reach seven-year high n Reuters Global property investing activity is set to hit a seven-year high by volume in 2014, led in part by growing confidence in financial markets and with activity in Europe and Asia expected to heat up, a report said on Friday.

Property consultant Cushman & Wakefield said it sees global investment volumes rising by up to 15% next year, after climbing an estimated 8.4% to $978bn in 2013.

This would be the highest level since the year before the 2008 financial crisis when investors ploughed $1.25tn into property deals.

“The growing level of optimism and activity we are seeing in most regions has its roots in a belief that the global economy is set for calmer waters ahead and that financial imbalances are on the mend,” said David Hutchings, head of EMEA region research at Cushman & Wakefield.

“This is leading to an increase in risk appetites which is manifest in a push to invest across borders,” he added.

Global property growth is expected to be led by the Americas, where

deal volumes have risen the most rapidly and climbing 18-20% next year, with investors targeting emerging economies such as Mexico and Brazil.

Activity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where the effects of the economic recovery are deepening, is expected to see a revival due to foreign investment after a subdued year.

“With austerity easing and economic growth slow but generally up, better news will continue to spread out in occupier as well as investor markets,” said Jan Willem Bastijn, Cushman & Wakefield’s head for European Capital Markets.

“Supply will be the big factor for occupiers not just investors in 2014, with a lack of development impacting on choice and leading to higher pricing and in likelihood better performance in some non-core markets,” he added.

Volumes in Asia are expected to climb by up to 7% in 2014, delivering a slower but less volatile performance in recent years as investors looks towards emerging markets such as Indonesia and Philippines. l

NCC Bank Limited launches its 100th branch NCC Bank Limited opened its 100th branch named NCC Bank Bhaban branch at Motijheel, Dhaka yesterday. Chairman of the bank Md Nurun Newaz Salim inaugurated the branch as chief guest.

Managing Director Md Nurul Amin presided over the function while Vice Chairman ASM Mainuddin Monem, Directors MA Awal and Khairul Alam Chaklader attended as special guests.

Deputy Managing Director Akhtar Hamid Khan gave the vote of thanks.

Chairman Md Nurun Newaz Salim in his speech emphasised on extending modern banking facilities to the cli-

Union Capital top gainer for 2nd straight session on DSE n Tribune Business Desk

more than 87% of sales annually during last five years.

The company incurred losses despite lower costs as sales dropped substantially – around 50% in the last quarter.

Annual report of 2009 showed that cost of goods sold percentage to sales in 2008 was 83%, same as the year 2009. The company used to make profits in the earlier years mainly due to the company’s miscellaneous income.

ents. He also stressed on social responsibility of the bank and mentioned that the bank is not only working as a profit earning organisation but also for social welfare.

Managing Director Mohammed Nurul Amin in his welcome speech cited various schemes of the bank and mentioned that NCC Bank is continuing its progression by acquiring satisfaction and trust of the clients.

He emphasised on rendering best possible services to the business community of the area and requested the businessmen to avail the services being offered by the bank. l

The company has been consistently reducing its operating expenditures that had no effect on the profitability because of the significant fall in sales.

Earlier, the company disclosed a quarterly (July 2013 to September 2013) loss of Tk4.3 lakh against a loss of Tk35.3 lakh during the same period last year.

The company has also shown some improvements on the performance during the last nine months. The un-

audited report said losses during last nine months have reduced to Tk33.1 lakh from Tk50.9 lakh of the same period last year.

The accumulated loss of the company as on September 30, 2013 stood at Tk2.27 crore.

The company has a net asset value of Tk5.45 as of 2012, which is less than its face value of Tk10.

The stock price ranged between Tk13 and Tk20.7 in last six months. l

The third quarter net profit of the non-banking financial institutions stood at Tk1.6 crore against Tk4.6 crore in the same period a year earlier

Holders of non-convertible preference shares do not have the right to covert their holdings into ordinary shares, within a specified period of time unlike convertible preference share holders.

Shares of the company ranged be-

Top India Bitcoin operator halts trade after bank warning n AFP, New Delhi India’s biggest Bitcoin trading platform said on its website Friday it had suspended operations after the central bank warned against the risks of using virtual money.

BuySellBitCo.in closed its platform, citing an advisory by the Reserve Bank of India issued on Christmas Eve highlighting the risks of trading in digital currencies.

“We are suspending buy and sell operations until we can outline a clearer framework with which to work,” BuySellBitCo.in said on its website, adding the move was “to protect the interest of our customers”.

The central bank’s warning comes after Bitcoin, which can be stored either virtually or on a user’s hard drive and offers a largely anonymous payment system, had begun gaining popularity in India. The emergence of Bitcoin and other virtual currencies in India has come despite a traditional preference for assets backed by property and other tangible goods.

“There is no underlying or backing of any asset for virtual currencies and as such their value seems to be a matter of speculation,” the bank said in its December 24 advisory.

The “huge volatility in the value of

virtual currencies has been noticed”, it added. The central bank stopped shy of issuing a ban on Bitcoin or other virtual currencies.

However, because the currencies were not authorised by any monetary authority there was no established recourse for customers in the case of problems, the bank noted.

'We are suspending buy and sell operations until we can outline a clearer framework with which to work' The move comes weeks after the People’s Bank of China ordered financial institutions not to provide Bitcoin-related services and cautioned against its potential use in money-laundering.

Bitcoin was invented in the wake of the global financial crisis by a mysterious computer guru using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamotoby.

At the last rate posted by BuySellBitCo.in, which was conducting about 12m rupees worth of Bitcoin transactions monthly, according to Indian media, one Bitcoin was selling for 48,039 rupees ($776).

The dollar worth of a Bitcoin has

B3

rocketed from just cents in 2010 to a $1,200 peak in early December, but has since fallen back.

Various India-based Bitcoin trading exchanges have emerged in the last few months, allowing Indian users to purchase Bitcoin using the local rupee currency. The Reserve Bank of India noted several media reports of the use virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, for unspecified illegal activities in several jurisdictions.

The absence of information around who is trading in the currency could expose users to “unintentional breaches of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism laws,” the bank added.

An end-of-year report by Kaspersky Security Bulletin said there appears “little doubt they (e-currencies) are also popular with cybercriminals, who are looking at ways to evade the law”.

It suggested governments may crack down “on the (virtual currency) exchanges in a bid to put a stop to their illicit usage”.

Even though India’s central bank issued no formal ban on e-currencies, The Hindu newspaper quoted an unnamed senior banking official as saying most virtual currency exchanges in the country saw the RBI advisory as a precursor of a potential clampdown. l

tween Tk34 and Tk35.6 during the trading session with a volume worth Tk78.3 lakh.

The company’s profit halved due to higher provision of Tk10.6 crore for diminution in value of investment since January 2013, said its unaudited financial reports.

The third quarter net profit of the non-banking financial institutions stood at Tk1.6 crore against Tk4.6 crore in the same period a year earlier.

Its nine-month (January-September) profit has declined to Tk2.3 crore from Tk5.3 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.

According to the unaudited reports, the company stocks have an EPS of Tk0.21 each and a price to earnings ratio of 126.07.

The company has a restated net asset value per share of Tk17 as on yearend of 2012, which is 51.2% of the current market price.

The company has given out only stock dividends since its listing in 2007 with an exception in 2011 when it paid out 10% cash dividend and same percentage stock dividend.

Sponsors-directors hold 55.97% and public 27.43% stakes in the company. l

Top French court approves 75% company tax on high salaries n AFP, Paris France's top court Sunday approved a proposal for companies to pay 75% tax on annual salaries exceeding one million euros in line with President Francois Hollande's drive to limit executive pay at a time of economic hardship.

The Constitutional Council had earlier in the year thrown out one of Hollande's key campaign pledges to impose a 75 percent tax on individuals earning more than one million euros ($1.35m).

The rejection of that proposal exempted those who had a significant inheritance but low incomes from coming under the 75% tax bracket.

After that setback, Hollande in March mooted a proposal to make companies pay for top earners.

He had said the idea was "not to punish" but added that he hoped it would spur companies to lower executive pay at a time when the economy is suffering, unemployment is soaring and workers are being asked to accept wage cuts.

Hollande has pledged to rein in spiralling unemployment by the end of 2013. The government's belt-tightening budget for 2014 aims to bring down the public deficit from the current level of 4.1% to 3.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) through spending cuts totalling 15bn euros ($20bn) and new taxes. l

NBL holds scholarship and award giving ceremony

Oil prices down ahead of US stockpiles report n AFP, Singapore

National Bank Limited arranged a scholarship programme to distribute scholarship, certificate of appreciation and crest among the children of the employees of the bank under ‘NBL Employees Welfare Scheme’ at National Bank Training Institute (NBTI) recently. Sixty-six students have been awarded with scholarship for outstanding result in the HSC and SSC examinations held in 2013.

Additional Managing Director of National Bank Limited AKM Shafiqur Rahman attended the function as chief guest. Deputy Managing Directors Shamsul Huda Khan and Abdul Hamid Mia, Senior Executive Vice President Syed Mohammad Bariqullah spoke at the meeting.

Among others EVP and Head of System and Operations division Mohammad Salim, VP and Head of GBD Md Abdul Wahab, senior executives, officers and staffs of the bank and parents of scholar students were present. l

Oil prices edged lower in Asian trade Friday as dealers looked ahead to a US stockpiles report expected to indicate bullish demand in the world’s top crude consumer, analysts said.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for February delivery, was down 15 cents at $99.40 in mid-morning trade while Brent North Sea crude for February eased 27 cents to $111.71.

Despite crude coming under pressure in Asian trading hours, Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney, said prices retained support as traders anticipated the US report would show a significant fall in petroleum supplies.

Traders are “positioning themselves for the possibility of some good inventory figures”, Spooner told AFP. The report from the US Department of Energy is usually released on Wednesdays, but it has been delayed until Friday due to the Christmas holidays.

Analysts expect a decline in US supplies of 2.2 million barrels, according to a survey by the Wall Street Journal. This would mean a fourth consecutive drop after a 10-week run of rises that added 35 million barrels to total stockpiles.

A dip in US stockpiles indicates strong demand in the world’s biggest economy and oil consuming nation, propping up prices. l

NRBCB opens new branch The 10th branch of NRB Commercial Bank Limited (NRBCB) was opened at Mograpara, Sonargaon yesterday.

Chairman of the bank Farasath Ali inaugurated the branch.

The inaugural ceremony was attended among others by the sponsor

Dr Rafiqul Islam Khan, Managing Director and CEO Dewan Mujibur Rahman, Senior Executive Vice President Arif Mohammad Sahedul Haque, Vice President Kazi Md Safayet Kabir, Vice President Md Mostahaque and Head of Branch Delwar Hossain. l

Rajshahi Division Head of First Security Islami Bank Limited Mohammad Jahangir Alam inaugurated its Dhupoil Bazar branch at Natore recently. Among others Bogra Branch Manager Md Anowar Hossain Shah, Rajshahi Branch Manager Md Abdul Awal Akand and Dhupoil Bazar Branch Manager Md Nurul Islam were present

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Monday, December 30, 2013

Top business story in 2013: Booming stock markets n AP

ple. The tragedy put pressure on clothiers and retailers such as Wal-Mart, the Gap and H&M to upgrade their working conditions in that nation. The overstuffed building had cracked from the weight of industrial machines. Angry garment workers in Bangladesh burned down a nine-story building in November. Protesters managed to secure a 77% minimum wage increase to the equivalent of $3.17 a day for new unskilled workers.

It was an easy year to emulate Warren Buffett even as Congress almost wrecked the US economy.

US stocks rocketed to new heights, and markets in Japan and Europe jumped, too. The gains enriched investors and defied a still-subpar economic rebound from the Great Recession.

Budget fights closed much of the US government for 16 days. Leaked classified documents showed that the National Security Agency collected private online communications via Internet companies. The disastrous rollout of President Barack Obama’s health care law confirmed fears of a bureaucratic train wreck.

Central banks embarked on a shopping spree. JPMorgan Chase paid a record $13bn for its role in the housing bust. General Motors flashed signs of its old horsepower. A colossal merger for American Airlines and US Airways took flight. Twitter’s IPO recalled the dizzy dot.com era. And the heartbreaking deaths of 1,100 garment workers in Bangladesh showed that some overseas factories serving US companies remain unsafe.

The stock market boom was chosen as the top business story of 2013 by business editors at The Associated Press. Washington’s gridlock and dysfunction came in second, followed by revelations involving the NSA.

8. Airlines merge

American Airlines emerged from bankruptcy with a bang — merging with US Airways to form the world’s biggest airline. The new American Airlines Group handles 6,700 flights a day to 339 destinations. Despite closing the merger in December, the combined company will have to operate as two carriers until their fleets get approval to combine, likely within two years. Just four airlines now control 80% of the US market. Less competition has returned airlines to profitability, but tickets are getting pricier as carriers limit seats.

Analysts said fewer competitors and a more concentrated control of routes will likely mean higher fares.

9. Twitter IPO

Here are the top 10 business stories of 2013: 1. Stock markets surge

The Dow Jones industrial average set a record in March and hardly stopped to celebrate. The blue chip average has soared roughly 25 percent so far, its best performance in a decade. Stocks stand out as among the few areas of the economy to fully recover from the 2008 financial crisis.

The Federal Reserve’s bond purchases helped cut long-term interest rates, making stocks more alluring than bonds. Also, companies boosted share prices through an unusually large $751 billion in stock buybacks. And corporate profits achieved a record share of the US economy. The explosiveness of the stock rally prompted fears of a bubble because economic growth has been tepid by historical standards.

2. Federal chaos

Congress nearly derailed the economy — not once but several times. Lawmakers allowed a Social Security tax cut to

lapse after Jan. 1, which shrank Americans’ paychecks. Then they let deep federal spending cuts take effect in March because they couldn’t agree on a budget. The dysfunction peaked in October: Unable to pass a 2014 budget, Congress shut down part of the government for 16 days. National parks were closed. Federal employees stayed home. The government even risked a default on its debt until, with just hours to spare, Congress reopened the government and by December forged a two-year budget deal.

3. Tech companies and NSA

Big Brother has logged on. The US government gathered data on online messages through a program that’s intended to stop terrorism but that touches the communications of ordinary Americans. Internet companies already track users and then sell customized digital advertising. But they reacted indignantly after documents

leaked by a former NSA contractor said the agency had backdoors at Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft.

The companies said they provided data only as required by federal courts.

They tried to mend any public fallout by pressing the Obama administration to curb electronic snooping and to let the companies disclose more information about government requests for their users’ online activities.

4. Jpmorgan chase

The biggest US bank agreed to pay $13bn for its part in the housing frenzy that sparked the financial crisis.

The agreement dwarfed the previous record settlement with the government: $4bn against BP for its 2010 oil spill. JPMorgan Chase and banks it had acquired had misled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac about mortgage bonds it sold them that later went belly up. The settlement represented 60% of JPMorgan’s 2012 net income. On the bright

side for the bank: Most of the penalty is tax-deductible.

6. Central banks go low

The Fed and other central banks supported growth by keeping rates ultra-low. Investors, home buyers and corporations benefited. But many who depend on income from savings accounts suffered. Chairman Ben Bernanke kept the Fed’s key short-term rate near zero and abandoned previous guidance about when a rate increase might eventually occur. The Fed finally decided in December to pare its bond buying program but will do so very gradually. The Bank of Japan has held rates near zero and pledged to double that country’s money supply by buying bonds. And the European Central Bank cut its rate twice to 0.25%.

5. Health care law

The medicine didn’t go down smoothly when the new health care law launched in November. It was almost impossible for uninsured individuals and small businesses to sign up on the glitch-ridden federal website. The Obama administration swung into emergency mode to fix the site. But businesses would need to enroll with paper applications until November 2014. The insurance plans offered online also drew sour reviews. Premiums rose for some small businesses. Others were unhappy with the limited plans and doctor networks. But some businesses were spared the mess. Before the launch, the government delayed until 2015 the mandate that companies with more than 50 employees provide health coverage or pay penalties.

7. Bangladesh factory

Cheap jeans and T-shirts can impose a human cost. That was driven home in April, when a building in Bangladesh that housed garment factories collapsed and killed more than 1,100 peo-

EU banking union too complicated, too slow n AFP, Brussels An EU system to prevent a repeat of the massive bank bailouts which crippled the economy is a major step but it is also too complicated when speed is absolutely essential, analysts said.

“From the moment a bank is identified as being at risk, up to the moment it is closed, the new system might require approvals from as many as 100 people,” said Annalisa Piazza of Newedge.

The authorities must wind up a failing bank as quickly as possible, and above all, while the markets are closed if they want to limit the fallout and the possibility of a run on deposits.

From the moment a bank is identified as being at risk, up to the moment it is closed, the new system might require approvals from as many as 100 people Fail to do that and the risk is one problem bank will bring down others, setting off a disastrous chain reaction and sucking in governments, as in Ireland, which eventually had to seek an international bailout.

EU finance ministers agreed Wednesday a Single Resolution Mechanism to close problem banks, with the cost covered by a special bank levy to be phased in by 2025.

The SRM will work alongside an already agreed new supervisory regime run by the European Central Bank.

The last element, a common deposit guarantee system to reassure nervous savers, was put in place Tuesday after European Parliament approval.

This banking union system was drawn up in response to the financial and then debt crises which brought down many banks and drove the eurozone into a deep and damaging recession.

It involves possibly the biggest

transfer of national sovereignty to Brussels since the euro was created and as a result, required painful compromises which show up clearly in its workings.

For example, some countries such as EU powerhouse Germany were reluctant to give Brussels too much power over their banking system.

France, in contrast, pushed for a fully centralised ‘single system’ covering all eurozone banks, not just the larger ones, arguing that problems often arise first in the smaller lenders.

For Paris, it was the European Commission that should oversee the SRM and so have the last word on a bank closure decision.

In the event, an SRM board will decide and while the Commission has the right to object, it will have to get the EU finance ministers to back it up -- a process likely to take much too long to be a practical option.

A Berenberg Bank research report said the banking union was a “historic step” but also a compromise between countries “worried about the stability of their banks and those unwilling to put their taxpayers’ money at risk”.

In the end, it was the latter - championed by Germany - which largely won out but with the result that there are “certain weaknesses in the small print of the plan,” it said.

“The Single Resolution Mechanism is ‘single’ only in name compared with the Single Supervisory Mechanism at the ECB,” said Nicolas Veron of the Bruegel Institute in Brussels.

“In the supervision system, there is real pooling of sovereignty but (with the SRM), it is still everyone for themselves,” Veron said.

Martin Schulz, head of the European Parliament which must now approve the accord, warned bluntly the SRM could not work fast enough, precisely because the Commission has been effectively sidelined.

The process “is comparable to dealing with an emergency admission to hospital by first convening the hospital’s board of directors instead of giv-

Just six years ago, General Motors — and, by extension, much of the US manufacturing base — needed taxpayer life support. But the automaker behind Chevy, Cadillac, Buick and GMC has roared back. The Treasury Department unwound its stake in GM this year at a $10.5bn loss. But the government rescue saved more than 1 million jobs and helped return once-dominant GM to profitable health. It boasts $26.8bn in cash, $1.3bn to upgrade five Midwest factories and a new CEO: Mary Barra, the first female head of a major US car company. l

McDonald’s shuts worker website

For all eurozone states (18 as of Jan 1, 2014)

European Central Bank supervises 130 biggest banks

10. Gm comeback

NEWS IN BRIEF

European Banking Union

Single Supervisory Mechanism

The business of 140-character blast communiques thrilled Wall Street.

Twitter went public in November at $26 a share; the price has since more than doubled. It was among 222 IPOs this year, the most since 2000. But Twitter is trading at an extremely high 50 times its projected annual revenue.

That’s evidence of both hype and the expectations being imposed on social media companies to deliver growth.

Facebook’s shares rebounded after its IPO flop last year. LinkedIn and Yelp also gained. But there were losers in the social media world: Shares of Groupon and game-maker Zynga tanked.

Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) If a bank fails:

Central authority with power to close failing banks

McDonald’s Corp. has shut down a website intended to provide employees with work and life guidance after it generated negative publicity for the fast-food company. The McResource program has been criticized as creating unrealistic budgets and offering advice that was out of touch with its workers’ pay. The website, which was run by an outside company, also reportedly discouraged workers from eating fast food. McDonald’s, based in Oak Brook, Ill., said Thursday that it was having its vendor take down the website. “Between links to irrelevant or outdated information, along with outside groups taking elements out of context, this created unwarranted scrutiny and inappropriate commentary,” the company said in a statement. – AP

US mortgage rates rise to 4.48%

Common wind-up fund

which covers costs of closing or bailing out banks National authorities supervise the other 6,000

55 billion euros in fund by 2025 Paid for by levies on all eurozone banks

Transition phase (2015-2025)

Smaller savers protected

If a bank fails before 2025, the SRM can borrow money from governments, markets or the eurozone’s country bailout fund (the European Stability Mechanism)

Deposit guarantee scheme protects savers with less than 100,000 euros when a bank fails

ing the patient immediate treatment,” Schulz told an EU leaders summit Thursday.

“If a bank cannot be wound up

within a weekend in order to prevent a run on the banks, the system is too complicated,” he said.

A banking union built on this ba-

sis “would be the biggest mistake yet in the resolution of the crisis” and could even “jeopardise financial stability.” l

Average US rates for fixed mortgages crept higher this week but remained low by historical standards. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan increased to 4.48% from 4.47% last week. The average on the 15-year fixed loan rose to 3.52% from 3.51%. Mortgage rates peaked at 4.6% in August on expectations that the Federal Reserve would reduce its $85bn a month in bond purchases. Those purchases push mortgage and other long-term rates lower, and encourage borrowing and spending. – AP

US economic growth gauge strengthens slightly: ECRI A measure of future US economic growth increased last week while the annualized growth rate slowed, a research group said on Friday. – Reuters

Apple asks US court to ban Samsung phones, tablets Apple has asked a federal judge to bar US sales of Samsung smartphones and tablet computers in the blockbuster patent case involving the two electronics giants.