31 December 2013

TMAG

Two steps forward, two steps back

Poush 17, 1420 Safar 27, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 277

Long Form

7

The brightest and the best: The legacy of the greatest Britons and Bengalis

9

International

B1

Special Report: Japan’s homeless recruited for Fukushima clean-up

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

2013 IN RETROSPECT

Tensions carried forward n Julfikar Ali Manik

situation in Bangladesh, Khurshid commented by calling it “an obvious uncertainty” and “delicate” with the two main political parties in deadlock.

“We don’t take sides in elections in a friendly country. For democracy to prosper there should at least be a commitment that violence will not be allowed to distort the democratic process,” he added.

The Hindu report said officials at the Indian foreign ministry have been

2013 has been a year of uproars for the country.

Many things happened for the first time this year – some of these were so horrific that they drew the attention of the whole world, while some were considered positive signs and jubilant events for the nation. But the political turbulence at the end of the year upsets the most.

The outgoing year inherited many challenges from 2012, war crimes trials, designed to ensure justice in the tenure of this government; in the garment industry, improving safety in factories after deadly fire at Tazreen Fashions; and in politics, arranging a polls-time government for peaceful elections.

Yet the upcoming year, 2014, also inherits many similar challenges from the outgoing one.

Many pending war crimes cases in the Supreme Court and the International Crimes Tribunal, the repercussions from the collapse of Rana Plaza in April, which caused havoc for the industry, and no consensus between the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP over the interim government issue has pushed the country into a deeper political crisis.

These all will remain the biggest challenges to deal with in the New Year.

Among the many firsts, the nation saw the first implementation of a war crimes verdict, against Abdul Quader Molla this month.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Khaleda’s movement still restricted Having failed to carry out its march again yesterday, the BNP-led 18-party alliance announced nonstop “peaceful” blockades from January 1 to resist what it called a “farcical election” slated for January 5.

The opposition alliance will also stage demonstrations across the country today, protesting against the obstruction of its “March for Democracy” programme.

P3

AL CANCELS RALLY

“The blockade programme will start at 6am on January 1 and continue until the announcement of the cancellation of the election schedule,” Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, adviser to the BNP chairperson, said yesterday evening at his residence.

The BNP-led opposition alliance failed to observe its Dhaka march programme on Sunday and Monday.

Previously, it had observed five spells of nationwide blockades, demanding that the schedule for the 10th

national elections be cancelled and the polls be held under a non-partisan interim government.

On Sunday, BNP Vice-Chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed announced that party leaders and activists would keep staging sit-ins at bus, train and launch terminals across the country.

The same day Khaleda Zia said the “March for Democracy” programme would continue on Monday, but she reportedly did not attempt to come out of her residence as of 9pm last night. Her Gulshan office and the party’s Nayapaltan central office were deserted as no leaders and activists showed up.

No major attempts by opposition men to gather at Nayapaltan were seen yesterday, and vehicle movement was considerably higher than on Sunday.

Journalists had waited since yesterday morning in anticipation that Khaleda might attempt to come out and join the march. In the afternoon, there were rumours that she was making preparations to leave the house, but no such attempts were seen.

Law enforcers also kept Khaleda’s  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Toughest year yet robust growth

20 pages plus 16-page T-Mag tabloid | Price: Tk10

Now nonstop blockades from Jan 1 n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Business

A policeman frisks a passenger of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Shanir Akhra in the city yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

India, US in tangle over Bangladesh n Tribune Report

India hinted that it wants to reach an understanding with the United States regarding Bangladesh in the final phase of the current Congress government.

“There were obviously some differences of perception that I noticed last time I was there (Washington),” Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid told Indian daily The Hindu.

The differences were “particularly over the actions of the present govern-

ment (in Bangladesh) with regard to some of their own internal situations,” he added.

Khurshid pointed out that India’s understanding of Bangladesh would be “helpful” to the US. “While the US is at some distance from Bangladesh, we are right next to it.”

“So our understanding of the region and the sentiments of its people should be helpful in the positions they (United States) want to take.”

Regarding the prevailing political

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Clockwise from top left: Law enforcers stand guard in front of the National Press Club yesterday, following an attack on the club l BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman is being taken into custody after she left BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence yesterday l An elder travels on a wheelchair as there was lack of passenger vehicles because of restrictions surrounding BNP's 'March for Democracy' programme l Awami League activists chase pro-BNP lawyers in front of Supreme Court yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

PM: Agitation democratic right, but not killing people n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government had no problem with the agitation programmes of the opposition as it is their democratic right.

“You can go for your agitation programme, we have no objection. It is your democratic right. But you have to stop the killing of innocent people and hindering the academic life of the students,” she said.

The prime minister made the observations after receiving the results of Primary School Certificate (PSC) and Ebtedayee terminal examinations-2013 from Primary and Mass Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at her official residence Ganabhaban.

She said the agitation programme of the opposition is against the government, but it is very unfortunate that they “opted for subversive activities against the general people of the country.”

Hasina alleged that the opposition

had been killing people and setting fire to properties and they hired hooligans for doing such destructive activities.

“The opposition is now conducting their agitation programme with the help of the hired hooligans. This is no movement at all; people have no confidence in this agitation programme.”

Talking about the opposition sponsored hartals and blockades, the prime minister said she had repeatedly requested the opposition leader to withdraw the programmes at least during the exam dates.

“I requested her not to enforce hartals and blockades on the exam dates.

But she had denied my request and said she will impose hartals.”

Mentioning that the opposition had enforced hartal on November 4, the first date of the JSC examination, Hasina said: “We also went for agitation programmes [in the past]. But is killing people an agitation programme?”

She said: “The opposition is now en-

Now nonstop blockades  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Gulshan residence cordoned off like on the previous day. Four sand-laden trucks were parked, blocking the roads leading out of the house.

Law enforcers requested journalists to leave the front of the Russian Embassy for security reasons. The media left the place and took positions on the other side of the road. Residents of the adjacent buildings refused to let them use the rooftops, claiming that police had asked them not to allow journalists in their buildings.

When journalists were barred from crossing barricades on Sunday to cover activities around Khaleda’s residence, they used buildings in the vicinity to take pictures and enter her residence.

BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman, lawmaker Rasheda Aktar Hira and former lawmaker Newaz Halima tried to enter Khaleda’s residence around noon but the law enforcers prevented them and picked them up. Police, however, released them two hours later.

At 4pm, the party’s Sports Affairs Secretary Col (retd) Abdul Latifattempted to enter Khaleda’s house o discuss the upcoming T20 World Cup issue and the opposition’s pr grammes, but he also failed to enter the house.

At 5pm, BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, and Khaleda’s advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed, entered the house as the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Gibson was scheduled to meet the BNP chairperson.

The British envoy went to meet Khaleda around 5:30pm. However, neither Gibson nor the BNP leaders said anything about the hour-long meeting.

When Mobin came out of Khaleda’s house after the meeting, law enforcers detained him and sent him to the Detective Branch office. Reaz and Sabihuddin took shelter in Khaleda’s residence to avoid arrest or detention.

Protesting Mobin’s detention, Sylhet district BNP called a daylong hartal in the district and metropolitan area for Wednesday. l

India, US in tangle  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

engaged in closing the gap with the US “for quite some time.”

The move to close the gap with the US over the Bangladesh issue takes place ahead of the end of the incumbent Congress’s rule, which will end on May 31 of next year.

A series of diplomatic talks have been held in and outside Bangladesh between several countries, including the US and India, ahead of the country’s national polls on January 5.

Recently, the United States directly initiated a move to mediate a dialogue between the Awami League and BNP, the two major political parties, ahead of the polls.

However, such attempts have failed since the BNP is not included in the polls and more than half of the 300 constituencies have already been won uncontested. l

gaged in killing people in the name of agitation.”

Hasina thanked the students, guardians, teachers and others concerned for completing the exams defying all odds and preparing the results within the stipulated timeframe.

Describing her government’s efforts for the development of the educational standard of the country, the prime minister said the main aim of her government was to put the education system of the country on a strong base.

In this connection, Hasina mentioned the distribution of free textbooks, introduction of school feeding programme and formation of education trust fund.

She requested the guardians and teachers not to put unnecessary pressure on the students. “You [teachers and guardians] have to make them understand that they have to study regularly for their own interest. This will bring them good results in the future.” l

Khaleda declared ‘unwelcome’ in Gopalganj n

Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

Awami League’s Gopalganj unit has declared the main opposition leader and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia persona non grata in the district due to a comment she made about Gopalganj, the home district of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

On Sunday, Khaleda Zia angrily blurted out that the name of Gopalganj would be changed At a demonstration held in front of Bangabandhu University College in Gopalganj town, Chowdhury Emdadul Haque, general secretary of the ruling party’s district unit, said former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia would not be welcome in the district.

Government declares Jan 5 general holiday n UNB

The protesters, led by district AL president Raja Miah Batu, also gave an ultimatum to have all pictures of Khaleda Zia and her eldest son, Tareq Rahman, removed from the district.

During an exchange with police personnel posted outside her Gulshan residence in the capital on Sunday, Khaleda Zia angrily blurted out that the name of Gopalganj would be changed. She made the remark without mentioning who would rename the district.

The district unit of the Chhatra League, the ruling party’s student wing, also brought out a protest rally at Bangabandhu College and paraded through the town, setting fire to effigies of Khaleda Zia. On Sunday, AL supporters held spontaneous demonstrations across the district, demanding that Khaleda apologise for her unsolicited remark. l

Dhaka: The government has declared general holiday for January 5 in 59 districts to facilitate franchise by the voters in the 10th parliamentary elections.

The public holiday was announced for all government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices, organisations, agencies and educational institutions in those districts except Joypurhat, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Chandpur and Rajbari, said a PID handout yesterday.

There is no need to arrange vote-casting in the five districts as constituencies under the districts got single candidates who are set to be elected unopposed.

The Election Commission will arrange election in 146 constituencies of 300 on January 5 as the rest 154 constituencies got single candidates across the country.

On November 25, the EC announced schedule for the general election. l

the year due to political violence and planned atrocities. After the verdict in the war crimes case against Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee on February 28, his followers carried out atrocities in many districts, especially in the northern region.

Sayedee’s followers bluffed people, saying that they had seen their leader in the Moon. Over the year the Jamaat men, especially before and after the verdicts against war criminals who are leaders of their party, carried out attacks on police, ordinary people, and torched and vandalised vehicles.

There were many other political atrocities carried out either by the BNP or the Jamaat in different places of the country, including mayhem in Sitakunda and Fatikchharhi of Chittagong, Satkhira, Chapainawabganj, Lalmonirhat.

The people of those areas still have to suffer for the attacks.

Besides scores of killings, the country lost some eminent citizens who died natural deaths including former president Zillur Rahman, a veteran politician of the country.

Abdul Hamid, then speaker of the parliament, took the oath as the new president. Against the backdrop of these changes, the ruling Awami League alliance moved to make a new speaker in parliament, Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury was appointed as the first female speaker of the country.

As the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP could not reach a consen-

sus over the polls-time government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina moved forward with plans for the 10th parliamentary elections, to be held on January 5, amid the opposition’s boycott threat. This political issue has created huge and manifold crises, impacting on people’s security and the economy amongst other things.

Continuous violent blockade programmes across the country, especially the killing of people by burning them alive in vehicles, allegedly by the opposition men, and the slaughtering of political rivals, has created a sense of insecurity among the people. Blockades have hugely hampered the normal life of the people, academic activities, trade and business.

On the other hand, the ruling government’s bar on the opposition holding political programmes, and the arrest of many of their leaders, has put the ruling party and its alliance partners in line for huge criticism. They have been blamed for being “dictatorial” against the opposition.

The whole political crisis has gotten powerful countries, and the UN, engaged with the government and the opposition in an attempt to solve the country’s political crisis, which will remain the biggest challenge for the political players next year.

The current year ends today, leaving people in fear of more suffering in the New Year as the political turbulence continues. l

Tensions carried forward  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Centring on Molla’s case, the nation also saw an unprecedented spontaneous movement against war criminals and the anti-liberation force Jamaat-e-Islami. Initiated by some young bloggers, the movement continued nonstop for 21 days since beginning on February 5. The international community also praised the mass upsurge, known as the “Shahbagh Movement,” for its peaceful nature, which is unusual for the country.

When this movement was at the top of discussions, the people also saw another unprecedented street violence programme of religious fanatics. A little known fundamentalist group Hefazat-e-Islam suddenly surfaced to foil the Shahbagh Movement, labelling its leaders and activists “atheists.” Their two rallies at Shapla Chattar in the capital – one in April and another in May – frightened the nation for their atrocities and the 13-point demand they made. Those were termed by many to be “medieval demands.”

Centring on the May 5 rally, the Hefazat supporters carried out violence in Dhaka and some other places in the country that killed at least 40 people.

They wanted to continue their sit-in on the street to help the opposition BNP and Jamaat movement topple the government. Law enforcers launched a 10-minute-long operation at night to drive them away from the city’s financial hub.

But that operation also created huge

crisis and challenges as the opposition launched propaganda claiming that the police had killed 2,500-3,000 people during the operation, which was not true at all.

Before all these, the Rana Plaza collapse on April 24, five months after the Tazreen fire that killed 112 garment workers, came as the worst ever deadly industrial incident in world history.

More than 1,130 garment workers were killed because of the collapse of the faulty building where five factories were housed.

Following the incident, the US government suspended Bangladesh’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facilities in their markets. Many other threats including not purchasing garments from Bangladeshi factories put the industry in grave crisis. It came as a huge threat to Bangladesh’s economy as the garment industry makes a tremendous contribution to the country’s economy.

The Rana Plaza victims’ families have been struggling in many ways as many of them did not get compensation, many children have become orphans, many workers have become physically crippled, many others are suffering from the trauma of the tragic collapse while many other jobless workers have become a burden to their families.

Besides the large number of deaths due to the collapse, several hundred people were also killed throughout

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Hardly any BNP activists during Dhaka march Security measures loosened on second day

n Tribune Report No programmes from the opposition party activists were observed across the country on the second day of their “March for Democracy” and the first day of a sit-in programme.

No major movement by opposition activists was seen in the capital except a clash between BNP and Awami League supporters at the Supreme Court premises.

Pro-BNP lawyers brought out a procession inside the apex court premises in the morning supporting the “March for Democracy” programme and a clashed with Awami League supporters. Both groups pelted stones at each other for more than half hour, creating panic and tension in the area.

The surrounding areas of the BNP headquarters at Nayapaltan were blocked as strict security measures were taken to prevent any sort of unwanted occurrence.

The tight security blanket in the capital was loosened compared to Sunday. Many businesses, shops and other offices were open from the morning.

Some local buses were on the streets, however passengers were few because of the restrictions imposed by law enforcers at all entry points of the city. A good number of rickshaws, taxicabs and CNG run vehicles ran in the streets.

In Malibagh Chowdhury Para area two handmade bombs were exploded.

In Abdullahpur, presence of law enforcement was thinner compared to

Sunday. In the morning people walked, but as the day moved on several public transports became available.

People alleged of harassment in the hands of law enforcement at the entry points of the capital. Many were turned back as they failed to satisfy law enforcers on the reasons why they needed to enter the capital. Ruling party activists accompanied the law enforcement at many checkpoints.

Although there were no programmes observed by the opposition, ruling party activists took out processions in many areas with sticks. Such processions were held at the Rajmoni Cinema Hall area at Kakrail, in the surrounding areas of Awami League central office at Bangabandhu Avenue and on Mirpur Mazar Road.

3

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

At the Babubazar point, police check posts were withdrawn after yesterday noon and trucks and lorries started moving to the local storehouses.

Long route transport services did not resume across the country.

Supporters of the 18-party alliance blocked the roads at Dada intersection of Kurigram city, causing huge traffic congestion across the city, our correspondent said.

Our Meherpur correspondent reported that no long-route buses had left the town due to transport strikes that began on Friday. The Meherpur Minibus Owners Association general secretary, who is also the president of the Sadar Upazila Awami League, said they had suspended services fearing violence. l

Awami League cancels Jan 2 Suhrawardy rally n Emran Hossain Shaikh The ruling Awami League has cancelled its January 2 rally at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan because holding it would violate the Election Commission’s electoral code of conduct.

Instead, the party will arrange campaigns in the electoral constituencies in the capital, in which party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take part.

Awami League Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that the rally was not taking place.

“EC rules do not permit rallies in capacious places [so close to the national elections]. For holding a rally, we will also have to use loudspeakers and build a big stage. The EC code of conduct does not allow that either,” Mrinal said.

A couple of days ago, Sheikh Hasina expressed her desire to stage a major showdown by holding a big rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan before the January 5 elections, party insiders said.

Mrinal also said on January 1, the party chief would attend campaigns in favour of party candidates at Kafrul, Pallabi and Uttara. The next day, she would attend two election rallies in two other constituencies in the capital.

EC rules do not permit rallies in capacious places, so close to the national elections Party sources said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her address to the nation on Friday would explain why holding the January 5 elections was mandatory from the constitution’s point of view. She would also highlight the initiatives taken by the government to make sure that the opposition parties joined the elections and in the wake of the ongoing political turmoil.

This will be Sheikh Hasina’s last address to the nation during her current term in office. l

n Kailash Sarkar

DMP restricts 31st celebrations n Kailash Sarkar

Journalists yesterday condemned and protested the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner’s comment that militants hold meetings at the National Press Club and advised him to concentrate on maintaining law and order instead of making such comments.

Asked about the attack on the press club by ruling party men on Sunday, Commissioner Benazir Ahmed at a press briefing at the DMP media centre yesterday said: “We have information that militants hold meeting at the press club. A sector uses it as a shelter out of political interests, which should not be.”

Leaders of the National Press Club later held a meeting, protesting and condemning the police official’s comments and his role.

In a press release, press club President Kamal Uddin Sabuj and General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmad outright rejected the allegations made by the DMP commissioner and said his comments were baseless and irresponsible.

Asked about the attacks on lawyers on the Supreme Court premises by ruling party men, the commissioner said: “The High Court is a sacred place, but outsiders use it as a shield. We will request the honourable court to take actions following an investigation.”

On obstructing the movement of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, however, he declined to make any comment. l

Residents of Dhaka city will be celebrating the 31st night on the eve of the New Year in a different mood as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has banned staying out in Hatirjheel area after 8pm and holding of any kind of open air functions.

It has asked people to return to their homes by the time and has also discouraged access to residential hotels and restaurants.

The crossings at Phoenix Road, Road 11, Chairmanbari, Amtoli, Shooting Club, Badda Link Road, Group 4, DOHS Baridhara, United Hospital, Notunbazar will remain closed.

Residents of Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas have been asked to use only the Kemal Ataturk Avenue for entering between 8pm and 5am on January 1.

No one except Dhaka University teachers, students and employees will be allowed to enter the campus area.

Residents there have been asked to use the High Court-Doyel Chattar road and keep their identity cards with them.

The DMP has also advised residents of these areas to return to their homes by 8pm and those who do not live there are discouraged to go to these places.

At a press briefing, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed said the moves had been taken to avoid “any disorder in view of the prevailing situation of Dhaka ahead of the upcoming January 5 national polls.” l

DMP: Press club used by militants

Activists of Awami Jubo League gather at the Bangabandhu Avenue with sticks yesterday

Shamsher Mobin and 250 others arrested Awami League man killed, 65 injured The 90 included a Shibir cadre who n Kailash Sarkar were arrested with 200 crude bombs, Over 250 BNP-led 18-party alliance activists, including BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, were arrested in Dhaka and nine other districts yesterday. An Awami League leader was killed in Sirajganj and 65 people were injured in clashes with law enforcers and ruling party activists across the country.

Detective Branch (DB) personnel arrested the BNP vice-chairman from in front of party chief Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence in the evening, immediately after he came out of a meeting between the BNP chairperson and the British envoy in Dhaka.

Witnesses said a DB team asked the BNP leader to get into their vehicle as soon as he came out of Khaleda’s residence around 7:35pm.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of DMP, also its spokesman, confirmed the arrest and said he was taken to the DB headquarters at Minto Road, but he did not say why he was arrested.

Another BNP Vice-Chairman Selina Rahman, along with BNP MP Rasheda Begum Heera, and former MP Newaz Halima Arly, were also detained. However they were released later.

The three BNP leaders were detained at the gate of Khaleda’s residence while they were trying to enter the house around 1:25pm. They were taken to Gulshan police station and freed around 3:30pm.

Meanwhile joint forces arrested around 90 people in the capital’s Mohammadpur and Mirpur areas while police arrested around 15 people in different places.

gunpowder, banners and publications at a mess in Mohammadpur – while the rest were arrested during clashes at different places.

Additionally seven people were injured in a clash with police in Lalbagh.

A shoe factory worker, Shariful Islam, 20, sustained injuries in an explosion, and a cake vendor, Yusuf Ali Khan, 50, sustained bullet wounds in a clash between police and opposition men at Nawabpur. A student Md Rafi, 18, sustained injuries from a crude bomb blast in front of the National Press Club.

In Habiganj, a clash between BNP activists and police accompanied by ruling party men, left over 20 people injured in Chunarughat upazila. Police and army personnel launched separate drives immediately after the clash Several other people were also injured in clashes between pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers and ruling party men inside the Supreme Court.

In Sirajganj, Sports Secretary of Sadar upazila unit Awami League Saiful Islam was stabbed to death, allegedly

by BNP men, in the afternoon.

Around 25 Jamaat-Shibir men were arrested for subversive acts in Ullapara under the district during the afternoon.

In Chandpur, around 30 people sustained injuries, of them 12 with bullets, when Jamaat-BNP and Shibir men locked in clashes with police, BGB and Rab men several times.

During clashes that started in the afternoon and continued into the evening, police fired 42 rounds, and teargas canisters, at the Jamaat-Shibir men who attacked with homemade weapons, sticks, bombs and brick chips, vandalising 18 vehicles.

In Habiganj, a clash between BNP activists and police accompanied by ruling party men, left over 20 people injured in Chunarughat upazila. Police and army personnel launched separate drives immediately after the clash.

BNP men attacked police at noon when they detained two BNP activists in Modhyabazar at a procession.

In Khulna, at least 54 BNP and Jamaat-shibir men were arrested at different places in the city and district, said Additional Commissioner of KMP Rasheda Begum.

She said 10 of them were arrested in the city and 44 in the district, including eight in Batiaghata, two in Terokhada, three in Dighalia, two in Phultala, 15 in Dumuria, two in Dakop, seven in Paikgacha and five in Koyra.

In Chittagong, 59 people were arrested in overnight drives at different places in the city and across the district for their alleged involvement with recent violence.

Of them, 49 BNP-Jamaat-Shibir men were arrested in Satkania, Sitakunda, Banshkhali and Lohagara upazilas of the district, and 10 at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

A joint forces drive arrested three Jamaat men in Meherpur, three BNP men at Fatullah, Narayanganj, a Jamaat leader in Kolarowa upazila. In addition, Police in Feni arrested eight people, including the Joint Convener of the BNP district unit Samsuzzaman Samu. l

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Pro-AL lawyers condemn SC skirmish, not AL men n Udisa Islam Pro-Awami League lawyers have condemned Sunday’s skirmishes on the Supreme Court premises, although none of them said anything about the involvement of Awami League activists with the incident.

Shahedur Rahman said: “I am also a lawyer and actively involved with the party [Awami League]. But I think we have to condemn whatever has happened. If we label them as ‘outsiders’ and keep mum, they will get the wrong message.”

However, a junior lawyer, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that everyone knew the identity of the attackers. Apparently indicating at the Awami League activists, who allegedly launched the attack on pro-opposition lawyers, he said: “Therefore, we need to admit that; not only for protecting the environment of the apex court but also our constitution.”

Yusuf Hossain Humayun, member of the Awami League Advisory Council, yesterday said: “Existing rules do not allow any kind of political activity on the Supreme Court premises. But the BNP lawyers brought out a procession supporting the ‘March for Democracy.’”

However, when Humayun was making the comment yesterday, pro-Awami League lawyers brought out a procession on the SC premises.

When asked whether any Awami League activist was involved in Sunday’s skirmish, SM Rezaul Karim, former secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said: “I do not know.

Those who entered were outsiders.”

Yesterday it was the Mohila Jubo Leauge, led by its president Nazma Akhter and Secretary Opu Ukil, who hurled bricks at a procession of pro-opposition lawyers.l

SCBA calls for strike n Nazmus Sakib

The Supreme Court Bar Association, led by pro-opposition lawyers, yesterday asked judges and lawyers to observe a “work abstention” in all the courts of the country today, in protest against the attack made on the pro-BNP lawyers on Sunday.

“The attack is like a strike on the judicial system,” AJ Mohammad Ali, president of the organisation told a press briefing held at the SCBA building yesterday.

The apex court premises again experienced clashes yesterday, as fighting broke out between the pro-Awami League men and the pro-opposition lawyers, though not violent like the previous day.

The lawyers who support the opposition’s programme against the January 5 polls brought out a procession at the SCBA building around 11:35am. When the demo reached the main entrance of the court, activists of Jubo Mohila League threw bricks and shoes at them.

The pro-opposition lawyers in retaliation hurled stones.

In the meantime, AKM Shamul Islam, the Supreme Court registrar, reached the spot to observe the situation. But he faced the wrath of pro-BNP lawyers.

Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, a pro-BNP lawyer, termed him a “collaborator of Awami League” and alleged that he

had allowed the ruling party-backed hooligans to storm the court premises on Sunday. The registrar, however, denied his role in Sunday’s incidents.

They told him that it was the duty of the registrar to ensure security of the lawyers.

In reply, Shamsul said it was not possible to shield them all the time. “Do you want to cross the gate?” he asked.

The pro-opposition lawyers said they did want to cross. Few minutes later, the registrar left the spot whereas the clashes continued for 15 more minutes.

When the lawyers left the place, stick-wielding activists of Muktijoddha Projonmo League joined with Jubo Mohila League, and tried to enter the court premises but were resisted by the law enforcers.

Around half an hour after the clash stopped, a procession of more than 100 pro-Awami League lawyers led by former Bar Council vice-chairman and Bangabandhu Ainjibi Parishad President Abdul Baset Majumdar reached the main gate amid slogans against the BNP-Jamaat. Senior lawyer Yusuf Hossain Humayun, also member of the Awami League’s Advisory Council, condemned the attack on lawyers. He said: “Yesterday’s [Sunday’s] incident is disrespectful towards the Supreme Court and a violation of the ethics of practice.” l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Top bureaucrats to retire by March

Memo protesting attacks on DU teachers n Arif Ahmed

Public administration ministry completes preparations to fill the vacancies and made a list of officers for posting Abul Quasem, Mosharraf Hossain, ernment Secretary Abu Alam Md Shan Mohosinul Karim AKM Yahya Chowdhury and Hafizur hid Khan will also retire on the same

day.

The Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Shaikh Md Wahid Uz Zaman, Secretary of Internal Resources Division and NBR Chairman Md Ghulam Hussain, BPATC Rector AZM Shafiqul Alam, Land Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman and OSD Secretary Nurul Haque will retire by March 7.

Among the additional secretaries, OSD Sitangshu Sen, Swapan Kumar Sarker, Mahbubul Alam and Syed Mustafizur Rahman, the Home Ministry’s Mainuddin Khandker, the Finance Division’s Emdadul Hoque, the Agriculture Ministry’s Abdul Hamid, BRDB Director Tohid Uddin Ahmed, DTCB Executive Director Aftabuddin Talukder, Principle Information Officer Aminul Islam, Director of Department of Jute Azim Uddin Ahmed Choudhury and Chief Electrical Inspector of Railways Ekramur Rahman will retire by February 28.

According to the public administration ministry, most of the officials who will retire shortly are trying to get a contractual appointment and so communicating with the government top brass. l

BNP-backed White panel teachers of Dhaka University submitted a memorandum to the university’s vice-chancellor yesterday, criticising the “unprovoked” attacks made on teachers and demanding the dismissal of the officer-in-charge of Shahbag police station.

A group of teachers, led by former Pro-VC AFM Yousuf Haidar and Secretary General of Dhaka University Teachers Association Dr Mamun Ahmed, met with VC AAMS Arefin Siddique and submitted the memorandum.

The teachers alleged that they had been attacked without provocation by the activists of Awami League while attending a rally at the National Press Club on Sunday.

They also said police officials on duty, led by Shahabag police station’s officer-in-charge Shirajul Islam, did nothing to stop the attackers and even used expletives while deterring them from going to Paltan to join the opposition’s “March for Democracy”.

“It was a totally unprovoked attack and we demand punishment of those involved. We will form a human chain on January 1 protesting the incident,” said Dr Mamun Ahmed.

On Sunday, around six teachers were injured after they came under attack from some activists of Muktijoddha Projonmo League at the Press Club. l

A good number of high-level civil bureaucrats will retire by March next year as their two-year extension ends.

The government had extended the retirement age to 59 from 57 years on December 26, 2011.

None of the senior officials and civil servants have retired in the last two years.

According to the public administration ministry, a total of 10 secretaries and senior secretaries, and 17 additional secretaries will go into retirement by March 31.

Of them, three secretaries and five additional secretaries will retire from January 1.

Agriculture Secretary SM Nazmul Islam already started his post-retirement leave (PRL) yesterday.

Parliament Secretariat’s Senior Secretary Ashraful Moqbul, Science and Technology Secretary Rafiqul Islam and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Secretary Mohammad Golam Quddus will end their service today. They will be sent on PRL tomorrow.

Among the additional secretaries, the Madrasa Education Board’s Chairman Abdun Noor and OSD bureaucrats

Rahman Bhuiyan will attend the office for the last time today. Their PRL period will start tomorrow.

Foreign minister reassures envoys of their security

Cox’s Bazar to have most dispiriting Hafiz on 2-day remand n new year moments

n Tribune Report Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has assured foreign diplomats of their security and of the diplomatic zones in Gulshan, Baridhara and Banani areas of the city.

He gave the assurance at a meeting with the envoys of the European Union nations, a foreign ministry press release confirmed.

Adviser to the Prime Minister for International Affairs, Gowher Rizvi and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque were also present at the meeting.

The foreign minister said the government would leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety and security of diplomatic missions in Bangladesh as well as their residences, schools and cultural centres.

The session was also attended by the ambassadors, high commissioners and CDAs of the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Denmark. l

WEATHER

Change in temperature unlikely

n UNB

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

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

A mild cold wave is sweeping over Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions 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 6:42am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 28.0 degree Celsius was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and lowest 9.2 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

24.3 26.5 22.4 21.6 24.5 24.5 25.4 28.0

13.6 14.0 09.5 10.8 13.0 13.0 11.9 15.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:20am 6:40am 12:01am 3:46pm 5:22pm 6:43pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

According to the public administration ministry, a total of 10 secretaries and senior secretaries, and 17 additional secretaries will go into retirement by March 31 Senior Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: “The public administration ministry has already finished its preparations for filling up the vacancies immediately after the secretaries retire. We have finalised the lists of officers for posting.

“The lists have already been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office for consent.

But we are yet to get instructions from the government high-ups.”

When asked whether the orders posting those officers will be issued by today, he said: “It may take time until next week. But, we are prepared.”

Among other officials, the contractual appointment of the Prime Minister’s Secretary Molla Waheduzzaman will expire on January 17. Local Gov-

The road in front of the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office remained vacant yesterday as law enforcers put barricades on both sides of the road MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

n Our Correspondent The celebration of this year’s New Year’s eve in Cox’s Bazar is set to be the most dispiriting of its kind in several years, as months of persisting political turmoil and unrest have affected the seaside town like everywhere else.

Hotels, motels, resorts and guesthouses – usually decked out in anticipation of a tourist influx during the celebration – have witnessed dismal booking figures so far. Many hotel reservations were cancelled in the past one week alone.

The situation has forced hotel owners and event management firms to stop elaborate preparations, with many cancelling previously planned concerts and entertainment programmes.

The businessmen said they had been affected equally by the present conditions in the country, and that the loss to their business this year could run into millions of taka.

Cox’s Bazar is usually one of the most visited spots during the new year celebration. Most celebrations take place in the hotels, seaside areas and beaches and on average about 300,000 revellers

US embassy closed on Jan 1 n Tribune Report

The American Embassy, including the Consular Section and the American Center with the Archer K. Blood American Center Library and the Education USA Student Advising Center, will be closed on Wednesday on the occasion of New Year’s Day. New Year’s Day is an American holiday. Emergency services for American citizens will be available. The embassy requested persons concerned to call, if necessary, 885- 5500 and ask for the duty officer. l

and vacationers visit the town during this time of the year.

The business has been showing “a downward trend” in the past four months, according to Sifat Ullah, manager of the Hotel Sea Gull. “Like every year, we had preparations to celebrate the arrival of new year with revelry, through open-air concerts and all that.”

“But all plans had to be cancelled, because of the existing turmoil and security crisis in the country.”

Kibria Khan, president of Cox’s Bazar Tour Operators Association, said the association had organised around 20 celebration programmes in Inani Beach, Himchhori and Saint Martin’s Island on the new year’s eve last year. “But this year we are organising only one.”

Hotel Ocean Paradise, one of the most popular five-star hotels in the district, had, as of yesterday, advance bookings for only 100 rooms out of its 300. Sayed Alamgir, a public relations officer of the hotel, called the situation “unprecedented.”

“There is no way of knowing if even those bookings would remain.”

“Usually, we make elaborate preparations for New Year’s Eve; this year it will

be different. We are organising only two programmes. The performers had been invited to come five days prior to the day to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

However, the situation might have a long-running negative impact on the business, argues Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of Cox’s Bazar HotelMotel Owners Association. “It has been a terrible year for us businessmen. I fear this situation will continue to take its toll on our bay-based tourism and hospitality businesses in the future.”

He urged the government and political parties to restrain themselves from doing anything detrimental to the industry.

Contacted for comments, Tofael Ahmad, additional police super of Cox’s Bazar, said he was not expecting large crowds to gather at the tourist spots of the district. However, there will be a five-tier security arrangement across the important points.

“We will do everything necessary to provide security to the residents and visitors of the district. Aside from police officials, there will be officials from Rab and other law enforcement agencies in order to maintain law and order.” l

A Dhaka court yesterday granted a twoday remand for BNP Vice-President Maj (retired) Hafizuddin Ahmed , rejecting his bail in a case of the murder of a police officer and an arson attack in the capital’s Banglamotor.

Pro-BNP lawyers held a rally in front of the CMM court building while pro-Awami League lawyers gathered there got into a heated exchange with them Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate HarunOr-Rashid passed the order after hearing the petitions for his bail, remand and remand rejection. Defence counsels filed the rejection and bail pleas, saying Hafiz had been arrested to suppress the opposition’s movement and to destroy the opposition party.

Masud Ahmed Talukder said Hafiz was not listed in the FIR. “The police showed him arrested in this case under instructions from the ruling party,” he said.

Shah Alam Talukder, a public prosecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, opposed the bail petition.

200 crude bombs hauled, 3 Shibir men held n Kailash Sarkar Three activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, a student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, were held with 200 crude bombs in the capital’s Mohammadpur area in the early hours of Monday.

The haul was made during an ongoing crackdown in the capital in view

of the continuing agitation programme of the main opposition BNP. Police said the raid began at 1:30 and continued till Monday morning.

During this time, 200 crude bombs, huge publication materials and smallsized national flags were seized from a mess on Razia Sultana road of Mohammadpur.

Three Shibir activists were held from the mess.

However, details identities of the arrestees could not be confirmed in initial reports.

Mohammadpur police station Officer-in-Charge Azizul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune on Monday morning. l

Fire at Russian Embassy n UNB A fire broke out on the Russian Embassy premises at Gulshan 2 in the capital yesterday morning, but no one was injured in the incident.

Fire service officials said the fire erupted in a tin-shed waiting room of the embassy around 9am and soon engulfed the entire room.

Two fire fighting units doused the blaze around 9:30am. The cause of the fire is unknown. l

Belal made ambassador to the Netherlands n Tribune Report

Restriction on motor vehicles in election areas n UNB The government has asked the deputy commissioners and metropolitan police commissioners concerned to impose a restriction on the plying of motorised vehicles in 59 districts for 24 hours starting from January 4 midnight in order to smoothly hold the national election on January 5.

The restriction will remain in force from 12am (midnight) on January 4 to 12am the following day in all districts except Joypurhat, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Chandpur, said a notification issued by the communications ministry yesterday. Besides, there will be a ban on the plying of motorcycles from January 3 midnight to January 7 midnight. l

After the hearing, pro-BNP lawyers held a rally in front of the CMM court building. Pro-Awami League lawyers also gathered there and got into a heated exchange with the other group. Police intervened and dispersed them.

The case was filed with Ramna police station following an arson attack on a police vehicle on December 24 that killed constable Ferdous Khalil.

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ali Hossain of Ramna police station produced Hafiz before the court seeking a sevenday remand.

On December 25, SI Nazrul Islam of Ramna police station filed a case in connection with the arson attack against BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 20 other leaders and activists from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chattra Shibir.

On Sunday evening, the Detective Branch of police arrested Hafizuddin Ahmed from the National Press Club area when he came out from a press conference where he had announced that the opposition’s ‘March to Democracy’ programme would continue.

On Friday, BNP lawmaker Mahbub Uddin Khokon was also interrogated by the police at the jail gate as a part of the same case. l

A few construction workers at Paltan in the capital pass a idle day, watching television yesterday as they had no work amid the ongoing political situation MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The government has appointed Sheikh Mohammad Belal as the ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands.

He was also concurrently accredited to Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He is currently working as the director general of the East Asia and Pacific wing of the foreign ministry, said a press release from the ministry.

He completed his masters in international relations and commerce from Monash University of Australia. He also received a masters degree from Harvard University in public administration in 2012.

Belal belongs to the 10th BCS batch and has served in Australia, Malaysia, the US and Uzbekistan in different capacities. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Highest number of PSC passes and GPA 5 scores since introduction Minister links it to government measures; many believe scripts being marked generously n Mushfique Wadud This year, the result of the Primary School Certificate examinations broke all the previous records with the highest pass rate and highest number of GPA 5 scoring candidates since the introduction of the examination for class five students in 2009.

The pass rate is 98.58% this year and 240,961 students achieved GPA 5.

The pass rate in the PSC equivalent for madrasa students, Ibtedayi Certificate Examination, is 95.80% and 7,253 students achieved GPA 5. The results were published yesterday.

The pass rate and number of GPA 5 scores has been increasing over the years.

The PSC exam was first introduced in 2009. That year the pass rate was 88.84%. The pass rate was 92.34% in 2010, 97.26% in 2011, 97.35% in 2012 and 98.58% this year. In the first two years, there was no system of GPA 5. In 2011, 105,673 students got GPA 5 and in 2012, 230,220 students.

This year, students took the exams amid political tension. Several examinations were postponed due to hartals called by the opposition parties. The exams began on November 20. They were scheduled to end on November 28 but were delayed until December 6 because of opposition programmes.

Moreover, rumours that the question papers had been leaked surfaced during the exams. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid admitted that the question papers were leaked in some parts of the country.

Despite this the result broke the all the previous records.

PSC examinees of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Monipur High School and College celebrate after receiving their results yesterday When asked what contributed to the good results, Nahid said the government had taken some measures, which contributed to the good results.

He said that the pass rate was evidence that the quality of education was increasing.

However, some examiners and officials of the Directorate of Primary Education said examiners had been instructed to mark scripts generously.

“As there was political instability and question papers were leaked, we had instructions that we should mark the scripts generously. We tried to give as many marks as possible,” an examiner in Mymensingh told the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

Former director and a professor of Dhaka University’s Institute of Educa-

tion and Research, Siddiqur Rahman, said while increasing the pass rate and GPA 5 scores normally means that quality of education is improving, there should be research on this.

“Pass rates and GPA 5 scores are increasing in all public examinations in the last couple of years. There should be a research on whether the increase is due to improving quality or due to any other reasons,” he said.

Farhad Hossain, principal of Monipur High School and College, which topped the merit list among schools, said that he sees the increasing pass rate positive.

He said that normally in the primary level, pass rates remain high.

“Before the introduction of PSC when there were annual examinations con-

A day labourer in Rajshahi returns without getting any work because of the ongoing unrest in the country. The photo was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

ducted by schools, normally a hundred percent of students used to pass the examination. I do not see the increasing pass rate in PSC as abnormal,” he said.

Nahid handed over the results to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the morning. The minister then officially announced the results at a press briefing at the secretariat at 12:30PM. After that, students collected results from their schools. The results were also available at the Directorate of Primary Education’s website and through mobile operators’ short messing system.

Nahid also said the result that they got from the field officials of Amtoli village of Borguna district, has some deviation and that the result is postponed. He said that it would be published in 7 days.

A total of 2,961,237 students took

DHAKA TRIBUNE

the PSC exams. Of them, 2,639,045 were school students and 322,192 were madrasa students.

All students passed in Jessore and Lalmonirhat districts, the highest in the country, and 95.77% in Sylhet, the lowest.

In 73,600 schools and 7924 madrasas no students failed the exams, while in 46 schools and 294 madrasas no students passed.

In terms of pass rate, male students performed slightly better than female students. The pass rate among male students was 98.62% and 98.54% among female students.

Monipur High School and College was first in the country in terms of pass rate and GPA 5 scores, National Ideal School came second, and Milestone Preparatory KG School came third. l

Barisal-Dhaka transport suspension triggers fears of job losses n Our Correspondent, Barisal The suspension of Dhaka-bound passenger carriers from Barisal region since Friday, has not only added suffering of the daily life but also triggered fears of job losses among the low income people.

After visiting Barisal river port and bus stations, this correspondent found thousands of Dhaka-bound passengers stranded at different points.

They expressed concerns that they might lose their jobs.

Monir Hossain of Jhalakathi said he might lose his job in Saudi Arabia as he would miss his flight on early today.

Abdul Jabbar of Barguna said he had been working at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and had to get there by yesterday’s office opening hour, but he failed.

“I do not know how I and other lowpaid people will satisfy our employers,” he helplessly said.

Mansur Dewan of Barisal said he had been working at a private factory in the Kamrangir Char area of Dhaka, and that he would lose his if job, as he had failed to get there by yesterday.

Rashid Haoladar of Pauakhali, a garments worker at Savar, said he did not know whether he would be sacked from his job.

Dr Mizanur Rahman, member secretary of Barisal Bivagio Swartha Sangrakkhan Parishad, said the suspension of transportation not only created hazards in professional sectors, but also isolated the capital from the country. This would have more bad effects in the coming days. l

Dense fog disrupts communications

300 magistrates to control polls n Mohosinul Karim

n Abu Bakar Siddique

The government has appointed 300 executive magistrates to oversee law and order and avoid election anomalies during the upcoming elections.

The public administration ministry yesterday issued an order, appointing them and giving them the magistracy power to take immediate action if it was necessary.

According to the order signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Rezaul Karim, at least two magistrates out of the 300 would discharge their duties in each of the 147 electoral constituencies where the polls will be held.

They will discharge their duties from January 3 to January 6.

The executive magistrates, who have been working in different ministries and divisions, will return to their offices after January 6, the ministry order said. l

Road and waterway communications all across the country, including the major river routes of Paturia-Dowlatdia and Mawa-Keurakandihave been disrupted over the last few days because of dense fog.

On Sunday, ferry operations on the Mawa-Keurakandi route remained suspended for over eight hours, creating a few kilometre-long tailbacks on both the sides of the river.

Sirajul Islam, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTA) at Mawa, said:“Water transport remained suspended to avoid accidents. However, the ferry service resumed at 7:45 yesterday morning, after 8 hours.”

BIWTC sources said the ferry service was totally haltedon Sunday at 11:45pm

as Ro Ro Ferry Shah Mukhdum, Ferry Raniganj and Ferry Kanakchanpa were anchored.

Sirajul Haque, manager of BIWTC at Mawa said these three ferries were anchored out in the river to avoid accidents, as signal lights could hardly be seen in the dense fog.

The suspension of the ferry service caused traffic jam on both sides of the river Ghat, causing immense suffering for the passengers.

Meanwhile, a mild cold spellhas hitthe northern parts of the country, giving way to cold-related diseases and causing suffering for the poor.

The Met office yesterday recorded the lowest temperature as9.2 degrees Celsius-in Ishwardi. 8.5 degrees Celsius, the lowest temperature this season so far, was alsorecorded in the same district on December 28. l

Sufferers blast both govt, opposition

HC allows a candidate to contest upcoming polls

UP chairman killed in ‘shootout’ n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

n Abu Bakar Siddique

n Mohammad Zakaria

A union parishad chairman was killed in a “gunfight” with joint forces in Satkhira yesterday afternoon.

The deceased was Agardhari Union Parishad Chairman Anwarul Islam.

Sources said there were several cases filed against him including a murder case.

The district BNP unit claimed that Anwarul was their active supporter.

Satkhira sadar circle Assistant Police Superintendent Kazi Moniruzzaman said members of the joint forces were heading towards Agardhari Kushkhali area, an upazila which is a stronghold of the Jamaat-e-Islami around 12:45pm.

Miscreants intercepted the law enforcers at Shikri and opened fire from a plum orchard, while the joint forces fired back in retaliation.

The clash left Anwarul injured, he was pronounced dead Satkhira Sadar Hospital. l

Amena Khatun makes a living selling bananas at a makeshift roadside shop at Abdullapur in the capital.

The 60-year-old grandmother collects bananas from a wholesaler on credit, and makes a small profit selling them throughout the day.

However, recent political programmes like blockades, hartals and protest marches have been ruining her livelihood – even pushing her into huge debt – as she is unable to run her business smoothly.

“I already owe Tk35,000 to the wholesaler as I failed to pay him on time because of reduced sales,” said Amena, who lives in a slum in Uttara Sector-8 with her only son and his family.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Amena said there are fewer people around during opposition-called shutdowns and her sales go down. Also, whatever little money she makes, she has to spend on food and other essentials, the prices of which usually go up during continuous hartals and blockades.

In addition, perishable foods like bananas do not keep for long, so she loses money daily.

“I do not know whether I will be able to repay the wholesaler in this life, or whether I will die with the loan,” Amena rued.

Like Amena, most small vendors – from vegetable sellers to tea stall keepers who run their businesses on the footpaths or by the roadsides of Dhaka – have been incurring huge losses in the

present political climate.

“The situation makes me so vulnerable that I do not feel comfortable returning home at the end of the day as I repeatedly fail to manage food for my six family members, day after day,” said Tota Mia, who runs a tea stall near Tongi bridge on the outskirts of the city.

‘The situation makes me so vulnerable that I do not feel comfortable returning home at the end of the day as I repeatedly fail to manage food for my six family members, day after day’ “I have already taken a Tk10, 000 loan with interest from a lender at my village home in Fulpur, Mymensingh,” he added.

Terming the prevailing situation as “helpless”, Tota Mia blamed both the government and the opposition parties for his suffering, saying “they are doing this kind of politics for their own interest and the common people do not have any say”.

Echoing him, Rashidul Islam, a vegetable vendor, blasted politics in Bangladesh as a “popular profession for making money that is pushing both sides to quarrel over power”.

Rashidul said he believes that the people would live in peace if the two top leaders of Awami League and BNP were to retire, as they were “the main problems of the country”. l

Just five days before the 10th parliamentary election slated for January 5, one more candidate secured his candidature following a High Court order yesterday.

Independent candidate ASM Kamrul Islam of Comilla 8 got the chance to contest the polls, reducing the total number of uncontested constituencies to 153.

Jatiya Party backed candidate Nurul Islam Milon was set to be elected un-

contested from this constituency.

The Election Commission has instructed the returning officer concerned to allocate election symbol to the candidate, said Basudev Roy, deputy secretary of its legal wing.

Kamrul’s nomination was cancelled at the appeal hearing in EC while the nomination remained valid after scrutiny by the returning officer.

Earlier, two candidates – Mahfuzur Rahman of Chittagong 3 and Jatiya Party backed Zafar Iqbal Siddiqi of Nilphamari 1 – also got chances to contest

the polls.

With the latest additions, the number of candidates participating in the January 5 elections stands at 389 and elections will be held in a total of 147 parliamentary constituencies.

Officials at the commission said ballot papers would have to be reprinted following the latest additions.

Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangladesh and Coast Guard will be deployed from tomorrow to January 7 to maintain the law and order situation during the polls. l

Nakugaon customs station will turn into a land port n Our Correspondent, Sherpur Nakugaon customs station in Nalitabari upazila of Sherpur is going to turn into a fully-fledged land port, which will help develop road communication with neighbouring countries like India and Bhutan.

The shipping ministry has already issued a notice in this regard under the Bangladesh Sthala Bandar Kartipaksha (land port authority) Act 2010, sources said.

A Tk1.73 crore project for broadening the road from Nakugaon to Nokla upzila, to facilitate access to the new land port, is expected to be completed soon.

To improve communication with neighbouring districts, a 216 km-road from Sylhet to Sunamganj was extended by building a bridge over the Bhogai River in Nalitabari, while another bridge was constructed on the Brahmaputra River between Bogra and Rangpur.

Sources said there was a possibility of connecting the new land port to the trans-Asian highway. Nakugaon is only 200km from the border with Bhutan.

Local businessmen said they could make profits by importing fruits, marble, car spare parts, spices, onions, ginger, wood and bamboo through the land port.

Besides, a large amount of foreign

currency could also be earned by exporting readymade garments, jute, salted hilsa, pangash fish, silk sarees and cosmetics using the port.

Recently, coal and stones have been imported through the port, while cement and mosquito nets were exported.

“A trilateral business structure will be established with Bangladesh if the Nakugaon customs station becomes a land port,” said AM Hakam Hira, general secretary of Nakugaon Land Port Importing-Exporting Union.

The Nakugaon customs station started operation in April 1995. The government issued a notice on September 2011 to upgrade it to a land port. l

CU reschedules viva tests n CU Correspondent Chittagong University authorities yesterday rescheduled the “H” unit spoken admissions exam for January 3, said Prof Khan Tawhid Osman in a press release.

The statement also said the candidates for 2013-2014 academic session would have to bring their SSC and HSC mark sheets, along with their registration cards, to the examination. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Railway pensioners in trouble in Chandpur n Our Correspondent, Chandpur Hundreds of retired railway employees in Chandpur failed to draw their monthly pension, apparently because of a drop in ticket sales which funds their retirement benefits.

The authorities have cited the political crisis and lack of security on the railways as the reasons behind the drop in sales, which has made a big dent in their earnings.

So far only 150 pensioners out of the 623 affiliated with Chandpur-Boro Station have received their pension for the month of December. Many, coming from different areas of the district, returned empty-handed.

Sokhina Begum, a former railway employee now living in Motlob area, said: “My family depends on the money I get from my pension.”

“I wouldn’t have come for the lump sum if I had an alternative. No one understands the pain and suffering that we pensioners have to go through if we

do not have the money on time.”

Another pensioner, Ainul Haque said, “We got the monthly pension for October in November. Only 205 pensioners were able to manage that.”

In this regard, Assistant Station Master of the station Sirajul Islam said the failure to pay pensions had to do with the drop in sales. “Previously, we would have earned Tk100,000-150,000 by selling tickets for the Meghna Express but yesterday we earned only Tk1,500.”

The passengers are afraid of commuting by train because of the violence and acts of sabotage on the railways, according to the Station Master of Chandpur Boro Station Md Hossain Majumder.

“There are consequences to the violent developments in the sector. We are struggling to manage pension funds because of these developments.”

He said he would inform the higher authorities about the matter, and do as instructed. l

Three children take textbooks, which were supplied by the government before the New Year, on a van at Rajshahi’s Godagari upazila yesterday

Seven murdered across the country WB-supported project n helping improve rural connectivity Tribune Report

At least seven people have been killed in separate incidents in Joypurhat, Gazipur, Satkhira, Gaibandha and Pabna since Sunday night.

Panchbibi police of Joypurhat recovered the bodies of three youths yesterday afternoon.

Officer-in-Charge Md Noor Hossain said some miscreants slaughtered the three youths, adding that all of them hailed from Bogra.

Superintendent of Police Md Hamidul Alam said Saikat, 26, of Kalaihata village under Shibganj upazila of Bogra; with Bipul of the same upazila, and along with Rasel, a Tejgaon College student; went to Dinajpur’s Hili to visit his in-law’s house.

Bipul called his mother that night saying that they were returning to Bogra, the SP added.

The motive behind the killing was unclear. At the time of filing this report, no one has been arrested.

In Gaibandha, a union parishad member was shot dead by miscreants at Khanchapara under Fulchhari upazila early yesterday.

Locals and police said the criminals attacked the house of Abdul Karim around 2am and fired several rounds,

leaving Karim and his wife injured inside the house. The culprits forcibly brought Karim outside the house and hacked him to death him with sharp weapons before leaving the scene.

Injured Amela Begum was admitted to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital in a critical condition.

Officer-in-Charge of Fulchhari police station M Mashiur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune that Karim might have been killed by rivals over a fight for supremacy in the area.

Karim had been involved in terrorism and robbery, and was accused in a number of criminal cases.

The dead body of a fish trader, hung from a mango tree, was recovered in Gazipur’s Kaliakoir area yesterday morning.

The deceased, Mobarak Hossain, 32, had a dispute with his neighbour, Azhar, over the boundary wall of the house. Laili Begum, wife of the deceased, said that friends of Azhar might have hung the body up after killing him.

Sub-Inspector Shafikul Islam of Kaliakoir police station said Mobarak had been missing since Sunday afternoon, adding that they recovered the body the after getting information from the locals. The body was sent to Gazipur

Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

In Satkhira, the dead body of a cattle trader was recovered yesterday morning at Shikri village under Satkhira Sadar upazila.

The deceased, Liakat Ali, was found by his family members.

Kushkhali UP Chairman Anwar Biswas said Liakat was returning at home by a truck from Kadamtala area on Sunday evening, adding that he might have slipped and died while getting down from the truck, as there was bruise marks in his head.

OC Inamul Haq of Sadar police station said police were working to unveil the mystery of the incident.

A kid was hacked to death in Gopinathpur village in Sathia upazila of Pabna on Sunday night.

The deceased, Shahdat Hossain, 14, hailed from the same village.

Police and locals said Shahdat’s friends stabbed him inside his residence on Sunday night due to previous enmity. He was taken to Sathia Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries, they added.

OC Shahed Mahamud of Sathia police station said police sent the body to Pabna Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, adding that a suspected youth was arrested in this regard. l

Farmers harvest green vegetables in the field at Rajshahi’s Godagari upazila yesterday. The farmers alleged that because of the ongoing political crisis in the country they were not even being able to get their production cost DHAKA TRIBUNE

Barisal fire gutted 50 shops n Our Correspondent, Barisal A devastating fire gutted more than 50 shops, with some properties worth Tk8 crore, at Shaheberhut under Agoiljhara upazila in Barisal on Sunday.

Fertiliser dealers, stationers, grocery stores, hotels, restaurants, studios, pharmacies, building suppliers and residential houses.

Fire Service sources said at least 51 shops gutted and the losses caused by the fire were between Tk5 -7 crore. The businessmen claimed their losses were about Tk8 crore.

Bishwajit Haldar, secretary of Sahe-

berhut Bazaar Committee, said the fire was started by an electric short-circuit at a tailor’s shop, named Student Tailors, around 8:30pm Ainul Islam, station manager of Gournadi Fire Service Station, said fire service units from Gournadi and Ujirpur reached the scene around 9:15pm and brought the flames under control by 1am.

Agoiljhara Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Abul Kalam Talukdar, said a probe committee would be formed to investigate the incident. Upazila Project Implementation Officer Shachindranath Boidya said a fund would be set up immediately to facilitate the rehabilitation of the victims. l

7 Myanmar citizens held in Bandarban n Tribune Report Police arrested seven Myanmar citizens from Haludia area under Bandarban sadar upazila yesterday morning, for illegally entering Bangladesh territory.

Sub-Inspector Nasir Ahmed of Bandarban sadar upazila said they were arrested in separate raids in the Haludia area. The arrestees in their confessional statements said they had entered Bangladesh through different border areas of Naikhongchhari.

A case was filed against them with the Naikhongchhari Thana. l

n UNB The Rural Transport Improvement Project (RTIP II), supported by the World Bank, will help improve the rural road network in the countryside, benefiting approximately 22 million people.

RTIP II, aimed at maintaining and improving around 5,250 km of union parishad and upazilla roads in 26 districts, said a WB press release.

The WB is providing $302 million for the project. The financing was in the form of a zero interest credit with 40 years to maturity and a 10-year grace period, including a service charge on disbursed funds of 0.75%, from the International Development Association (IDA) The release said that the project will also pilot the restoration of rural waterways to provide year round connectivity to the poor and isolated rural communities, who have no road access but have access to waterways, which are open for service only part of the year.

Approximately 22 million people living near roads and waterways, which

will be rehabilitated and maintained, will be benefited by this initiative.

The project was also developing a comprehensive rural roads transport safety framework, and is to implement sustainable enhancements to the Local Government Engineering Department’s (LGED) capacities in planning, monitoring, finance, asset management, administration and governance.

A recent review of the implementation status of the project found that progress has been made in all components of the project.

Regarding the rehabilitation and periodic maintenance of roads, a total of 114 contracts (777 km) have been awarded for about $23 million, spread out in 26 districts. Of these, nine have already been fully completed, while another 96 contracts were under implementation.

The finalisation of the second year implementation program for all components was well underway with the screening of the selected roads in progress. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Road accident kills four n Tribune Report Road accidents killed four persons in three districts yesterday.

Among them three were in Pabna and one in Gopalganj.

The deceased Shah Alam, 34, a truck driver, Nabir Uddin, 48, and another unidentified victim were killed in a truck accident in Pabna and Anis Khan, 24, a day labourer, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Gopalganj.

Our Pabna correspondent reports three people were killed when a stoneladen truck slipped off the road and fell into a roadside ditch in Santhia upazila under Pabna yesterday.

Shahed Mahamud, officer-in-charge of Santhi police station, said the accident happened around 7:30am.

The day labourer was killed as a motorcycle ran over him around 4:30am.

The accident took place at Haridaspur Neemtala area under Sadar upazila of Dhaka-Khulna highway.

Md Zakir Hossain Molla, officer-incharge of Gopalganj sadar police station, said Anis went to the place to unload sand from a truck.

He died at the scene when a motorcycle hit him from the back and ran over him. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The brightest and the best

This is the concluding part of a two-part article on the legacy of the greatest Britons and Bengalis

I

n Jamil Majid

The ultimate choice of Sir Winston Churchill, as the greatest Briton in history, was not entirely unexpected or a surprise. He exemplified, perhaps better than anybody else, Britain’s eccentricity, bigheartedness, and strength of character

n 2002 BBC organised an elaborate programme, spread over weeks, to determine whom the British public considered the greatest Britons in history. Over 30,000 people were polled to identify persons who epitomised greatness to the public. A list was compiled of the 100 individuals who received the highest votes. The top 10 were then profiled in a series of hour-long TV films, in which eminent presenters argued for their favourites to be named the greatest Briton in history.

The grand finale of the programme was a live 2 hour TV debate – where the presenters argued for their choices – ahead of a final vote by viewers to choose the greatest Briton in history. Mo Mowlam, who served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Tony Blair, argued for Sir Winston Churchill, while former Conservative Cabinet Minister, Michael Portillo, made the case for Queen Elizabeth I. Over 1.6 million viewers participated in the final vote to choose the greatest Briton in history, Winston Churchill, who polled 28.1% of the votes, was adjudged the winner. In second place, the surprise choice, with 24.6% of the votes, was Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a distinguished engineer who lived in the 19th century. Brunel was the creator of the Great Western Railway, and had designed ships, tunnels and bridges. Others in the top 10 were, in descending order, Diana, Princess of Wales, Charles Darwin, Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Queen Elizabeth I, John Lennon, Admiral Horatio Nelson and Oliver Cromwell.

The nature of the whole exercise was such that the results were less an objective assessment than a reflection of public perception and sentiment.

Former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Roy Hattersley, described the programme as an “artificial contest” and a “trivial exercise.” One expert observed with gentle irony that the results showed a healthy respect for scientists and writers, and an equally healthy disrespect for politicians. It is in any case not easy or simple to compare the contributions of highly gifted individuals of different eras across multiple disciplines.

Greatest Britons of history, Sir Winston Churchill (left) and Isambard Kingdom Brunel

No 59, but Elizabeth Taylor and Vivien Leigh did not find places. Richard Burton was included, but not Laurence Olivier or John Gielgud.

Guy Fawkes, who was executed in 1606 for trying to blow up Parliament, was in the list – at No 30 – as was James Connolly, Irish nationalist, who was executed in 1916 for his role in the Easter Rising. Henry VIII and Thomas More were both included. Henry II was placed at No 90; Thomas Becket, however, did not find a place. Queen Victoria was at No 18, two places behind

Greatest Bengalis in history, (clockwise, from top left) HS Suhrawardy and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Rabindranath Tagore, and Jagadish Chandra Bose WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Former Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher, Lloyd George, Tony Blair and the Duke of Wellington were in the list of the 100 greatest Britons, but Gladstone, Disraeli, Attlee, Pitt the Younger and Harold Wilson were not. William Blake was at No 38 in the list, but not included were Milton, Wordsworth, Keats and Byron. Julie Andrews was at

Mrs Thatcher; the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, was at No 24, and the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, was at No 61.

Footballers David Beckham and Bobby Moore were included, but not cricketers WG Grace or Jack Hobbs.

Aneurin Bevan, Tony Benn, and also Enoch Powell, on the other side of

the political divide, were in the list.

Beatles Paul McCartney and George Harrison, musicians John Lydon, David Bowie, Robbie Williams, Freddie Mercury and Boy George, singer Cliff Richard, and writers JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen all found places.

Brunel’s place at No 2 in the list has been attributed to a vigorous campaign by students of Brunel University, who wanted their institution’s namesake to figure high on the list of all-time great Britons.

The ultimate choice of Sir Winston Churchill, as the greatest Briton in history, was not entirely unexpected or a surprise. As Mo Mowlam put it, he exemplified, perhaps better than anybody else, Britain’s eccentricity, big-heartedness, and strength of character. Churchill certainly possessed extraordinary qualities of leadership, and, incidentally, was a Nobel Laureate for literature. Some of his comments over the years, though, would suggest that there was also a less savoury, almost bigoted, aspect to him. A few examples of his more outlandish observations: 1. India is a godless land of snobs and bores.

In a letter to his mother, 1896.

2. I do not admit … that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia … by the fact that a stronger race, a higher grade of race ... has come in and taken its place.

To the Palestine Royal Commission, 1937.

3. I do not understand the squeamishness about the use of gas … I am strongly in favour of using poisonous gas against uncivilised tribes.

Writing as president of the Air Council, 1919.

4. I hate Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion.

Comment to LS Amery, secretary of state for India and Burma, 1942.

Churchill, as some scholars have noted, believed in some form of social Darwinism.

In 2004, BBC Radio’s Bangla language service conducted a survey of its listeners – estimated to be 12 million – to determine who they considered the greatest Bengali of all time. The programme was a simpler version of the one that chose the greatest Britons in history. Listeners were invited to submit 5 nominations each, in order of preference. They responded enthusiastically, by e-mail and post. Of the more than 100 nominations received, a short list of 20 was compiled, based on points awarded according to the order of preference of listeners.

On March 26, the National Day of Bangladesh, BBC began to announce – through a countdown spread over 20 days – the names of the 20 great-

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

est Bengalis, as per the results of the listeners’ poll. On April 14, the Bengali New Year, the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was announced as the greatest Bengali in history. In second place was Rabindranath Tagore. The others who made it to the top 20 were, in descending order, Kazi Nazrul Islam, AK Fazlul Haque, Subhas Chandra Bose, Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hussain, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Maulana Bhashani, Raja Rammohan Roy, Titumir, Lalon Shah, Satyajit Ray, Professor Amartya Sen, the 1952 language movement martyrs, Dr M Shahidullah, Swami Vivekananda, Atish Dipankar, General Ziaur Rahman and HS Suhrawardy.

Atish Dipankar was the only name from ancient times in the list of 20 greatest Bengalis.

There are, of course, a few others who could have found places in the list of 20, but did not. Nawab Sirajuddowla, for example, is an iconic figure of history. Opinions may differ though as to whether he would qualify as a Bengali. Sirajuddowla was born and brought up in Bengal, but almost certainly did not speak Bangla. The ancestors of the Nawabs of Bengal were from West Asia.

There is also the instance of Professor Satyendra Nath Bose, who collaborated with Einstein in important areas of research. Professor Burton Feldman, in his book, “The Nobel Prize: A history of genius, controversy and prestige,” describes Bose as “truly exceptional,” a rare example of an eminent scientist “selfless enough not … to crave priority.” Bose’s name, as Feldman put it, “is perpetuated in the important Bose-Einstein statistics and the ‘messenger’ particle named the boson.” Satyen Bose taught at the University of Dhaka in the 1920s. In 1974, the university introduced the Bose Professorship in the Department of Physics, and also established the Bose Centre for Advanced Study and Research in Natural Sciences in his honour.

CLR James, who wrote felicitously and with great insight on cricket, believed that “art, science, philosophy are modes of apprehending the world, history and society.” Great people are, almost by definition, few and far between, and of them not all wear “a halo in their own lifetimes.” Trying to compare and assess them is an academic exercise that is both challenging and fun, but does not serve any obvious constructive purpose. It does add though to one’s perspective and appreciation of history. It also affords a pointer of sorts as to how historians, scholars and also the laymen of the future will look back on great events, and the movers and shakers of present times. l Jamil Majid is a freelance contributor.

Great people are, almost by definition, few and far between, and of them not all wear ‘a halo in their own lifetimes.’ Trying to compare and assess them is an academic exercise that is both challenging and fun, and adds to one’s perspective and appreciation of history

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Second blast in Russia’s Volgograd kills 14 n Reuters, Volgograd

A bomb blast ripped a trolleybus apart in Volgograd on Monday, killing 14 people in the second deadly attack in the southern city in two days and raising fears of further violence as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympics.

The morning rush-hour bombing, which left mangled bodies in the street, underscored Russia’s vulnerability to militant attacks less than six weeks before the Sochi 2014 Games, a prestige project for President Vladimir Putin.

Sunday’s blast came less than 24 hours after a suicide bomb blast killed at least 17 people in the main railway station in the same city, a major transport hub in southern Russia.

A Reuters journalist saw the blueand-white trolleybus reduced to a twisted, gutted carcass, its roof blown off and bodies and debris strewn across the street. Federal investigators called the blast a “terrorist act.”

“For the second day, we are dying.

It’s a nightmare,” a woman near the scene said, her voice trembling as she choked back tears. “What are we supposed to do, just walk now?”

The consecutive attacks will raise fears of a concerted campaign of violence before the Olympics, which start on February 7 in Sochi, about 430 miles southwest of Volgograd.

In a video posted on the web in July, the leader of insurgents who want to carve an Islamic state out of the North Caucasus, a string of Muslim provinces south of Volgograd, urged militants to use “maximum force” to prevent the games from being held.

“Terrorists in Volgograd aim to terrorize others around the world, making

Egypt police arrest Al-Jazeera journalists n AFP, Cairo Egyptian secret police have arrested an award-winning Australian journalist and an Egyptian reporter for the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera channel on suspicion of illegally broadcasting news harming “domestic security,” the interior ministry said. Al-Jazeera confirmed the arrests in a statement and said police also detained a producer and a cameraman. Officers of the National Security service raided their makeshift bureau at a Cairo hotel on Sunday, arresting two of the journalists and confiscating their equipment, the ministry said in a statement.

It did not identify the journalists, only mentioning that one was a “Muslim Brotherhood member” and the other an Australian. Al-Jazeera English identified them as Cairo bureau chief Mohamed Adel Fahmy, and Australian reporter Peter Greste. It said producer Baher Mohamed and cameraman Mohamed Fawzi were also arrested on Sunday evening.

The raid came after authorities listed the Muslim Brotherhood movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi as a “terrorist organisation,” making membership in Islamist group or even possession of its literature a crime. l

The wreckage of a trolleybus following the suicide attack that destroyed it, killing 14 people them stay away from the Sochi Olympics,” said Dmitry Trenin, an analyst with the Moscow Carnegie Centre.

A female suicide bomber from the North Caucasus killed seven people on a bus in Volgograd in October.

A spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, said: “Our condolences go to all those affected by today’s bombing in Volgograd. Unfortunately, terrorism is a global phenomenon and no region is exempt, which is why security at the Games is a top priority for the

IOC. At the Olympics, security is the responsibility of the local authorities, and we have no doubt that the Russian authorities will be up to the task.”

In power since 2000, Putin secured the Games for Russia and has staked his reputation on a safe and successful Olympics, even freeing jailed opponents including oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the Pussy Riot punk band to remove a cause for international criticism at the event.

Putin was first elected after winning popularity for a war against Chechen

AFP

rebels, but attacks by Islamist militants whose insurgency is rooted in the war have clouded his 14 years in power and now confront him with his biggest security challenge.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either of the Volgograd attacks, which left dozens wounded in addition to the deaths. Health Ministry spokesman Oleg Salagai told Rossiya-24 TV that 14 people were killed in the attack and 28 wounded.

Putin ordered law enforcement agencies to take measures to enhance securi-

Unidentified attackers opened fire on the German ambassador’s residence in Athens with an assault rifle on Monday, but no one was hurt in the early morning attack, police said.

At least four shots hit the metal gate of the high-security residence, which lies on a busy street of a northern suburb, police said. Sixty spent bullet cases have been collected so far.

Anti-German sentiment has grown during Greece’s prolonged economic crisis, and many of those struggling with record unemployment and plummeting living standards blame Germany’s insistence on fiscal rigor for their economic woes.

Germany is the biggest single contributing nation to Greece’s 240-billion euro bailouts which have kept the country afloat since 2010 and saved it from bankruptcy.

The German ambassador’s residence was the target of an attack in 1999, when members of the now dismantled extremist group November 17 fired a rocket-propelled grenade that hit its roof.

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras spoke to the German ambassador Wolfgang Dold, who was at home at the time of the incident, and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos expressed his “outrage and outright condemnation” over the attack.

It was a “cowardly terrorist act clearly targeting Greece’s image abroad a few

Iran resumed technical talks with world powers in Geneva on Monday, a vital step in implementing a nuclear deal signed last month which suspends key elements of Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

The talks between expert teams from Iran and six world powers are meant to translate the political deal into a detailed implementation plan by the end of January, Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, quoted an unnamed source as saying.

A key sticking point appears to be how much advance information Western governments will get so they can verify that Iran is meeting its end of the deal before they lift any sanctions.

The third round of talks between technical experts from the permanent UN Security Council members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - plus Germany, are set to last a day and resume in 2014, IRNA reported, a sign of the complexities facing the negotiators in reaching agreement on practical steps.

They began work on December 9 but Iran broke off the talks in protest at the US blacklisting an additional 19 Iranian companies and individuals under existing sanctions.

Iranian officials said the move violated the spirit of the deal but US officials said it did not breach the agreement.

Iran rejects Western fears that its nuclear work has any military intentions and says it needs nuclear power for electricity generation and medical research. l

Egyptian soldiers injured in bomb attack

S Sudan forces brace for ‘White Army’ assault n Reuters, Juba

n Agencies

Hundreds of people fled South Sudan’s flashpoint town of Bor as the army warned of an imminent attack by the “White Army” militia on Monday, two weeks into ethnic fighting that has ravaged the world’s newest state, officials said.

More than 1,000 people have been killed since clashes erupted in the capital, Juba, on Dec. 15 and spread to oil-producing regions, unsettling oil markets and raising fears of a civil war between the main Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups. The White Army - made up of Nuer youths who dust their bodies in white ash - has in the past sided with Riek Machar, the Nuer former vice president of South Sudan who the government accuses of starting the fighting.

But a spokesman for the government of South Sudan’s Unity state, now controlled by forces loyal to Machar, on Sunday denied Machar was in control of the White Army fighters, raising the prospect that the violence was spreading beyond the control of widely-recognised ethnic leaders. “The (White Army) are now not very far from Bor so an attack is imminent,” Sudan army (SPLA) spokesman Philip Aguer said by phone from Juba, 190 km (120 miles) south of Bor by road. l

At least four people have been injured in an explosion near the military intelligence building in Sharqiya, in Egypt’s Nile Delta, the third bombing on the mainland in less than a week.

Three men left a car laden with 20kg of explosives by the entrance to the building on Sunday morning, and detonated it from a distance with a remote control, according to an Egyptian army spokesperson. The military is conducting a search of the area for the assailants.

Attacks on police and military installations have become a regular occurrence in Egypt Colonel Ahmed Ali, a spokesman for the army, said the intelligence building was partly damaged by the blast. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Attacks on police and military installations have become a regular occurrence in Egypt.

On Tuesday, a powerful car bomb exploded near a police station in Mansoura, another city in the Delta, kill-

ing 14 people and injuring more than 150 others. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, a Sinai-based group, claimed responsibility for the bombing in a statement posted online.

But the army-backed interim cabinet nonetheless blamed the Muslim Brotherhood, and the next day designated the Brotherhood as a “terrorist organisation.”

Hundreds of members have been arrested over the past few days for staging protests, and there were reports in local newspapers on Sunday that some of the group’s remaining leadership had fled the country.

On Thursday, a homemade bomb exploded near a bus in Cairo, injuring five passengers. Police said they defused two other bombs planted in the same area. It was one of the first attacks in Cairo that targeted civilians.

Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis has staged hundreds of attacks against police and soldiers on the Sinai peninsula, but it has recently carried out several high-profile bombings on the mainland.

The group claimed credit for a September assassination attempt on the interior minister in Cairo. l

Security personnel and others inspect the site of an explosion outside a military intelligence building in Anshas, a rural village in Sharqiya province AP

Gunfire at German ambassador‘s residence in Athens n Reuters, Athens

ty after Sunday’s attack when a bomber detonated explosives in front of a metal detector at Volgograd station.

Police said additional officers were being deployed to railway stations and airports nationwide, but the attacks raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures.

The police force in Volgograd has been depleted in recent months as some 600 officers were redeployed to Sochi to tighten security around Olympic sites, a local police officer told Reuters.

More attacks can be expected before the Olympics and cities in southern Russia where the Games are not being held are easier targets than Sochi, said Alexei Filatov, deputy head of the veterans’ association of the elite Alfa anti-terrorism unit.

“The threat is greatest now because it is when terrorists can make the biggest impression,” he said. “The security measures were beefed up long ago around Sochi, so terrorists will strike instead in these nearby cities like Volgograd.”

Monday’s blast was so powerful it blew out the third-storey windows of a nearby apartment building, and witnesses said passengers were flung from the bus by the blast.

“We ran outside. There was smoke and people were lying in the street. The driver was thrown far. She was alive and moaning ... Her hands and clothes were bloody,” said Olga, a clerk in a shop near the scene of the blast.

A city of about 1mn, Volgograd is one of the venues for the 2018 soccer World Cup, another high-profile sports event Putin has helped Russia win the right to stage, and which will bring thousands of foreign fans to cities around Russia. l

Iran nuclear talks resume n Reuters, Dubai

days before the start of the Greek presidency,” Venizelos said, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

With a reputation for being Europe’s problem child, Greece takes on the ro-

tating European Union presidency for six months starting January 1, hoping to show how far it has come since it almost crashed out of the common currency bloc 18 months ago.

No one has claimed responsibility yet for the 3.40 a.m. (0140 GMT) attack. A police official who spoke on condition of anonymity said at least two assailants on foot were involved. l

IN OTHER NEWS Thousands evacuated as El Salvador volcano spews ash

Some 2,000 people were evacuated in eastern El Salvador Sunday when the Chaparrastique volcano belched and spewed a column of ashes high into the sky. The 2,330 meter high volcano began erupting around 1630 GMT, and authorities suspended scores of flights across parts of the small Central American country. No victims were reported. The volcano belched for about 2.5 hours, the environmental ministry said. President Mauricio Funes late Sunday took to the airwaves to tell his nation that, while the eruptions seemed to have ceased, there could be more volcanic activity in the next days.The Chaparrastique is the most active of El Salvador’s 23 volcanoes, though it has not had a major eruption since 1976, local officials said.

Seven Vietnam schoolchildren drown during seaside picnic

Seven Vietnamese schoolchildren drowned while swimming in the sea during a picnic near the southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh City, local police said Monday. The school trip ended in tragedy on Sunday after the children were swept out to sea by strong waves at Can Gio beach, a coastal area on the outskirts of Vietnam’s second city. According to the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper, the children, aged between 12 and 14 years old, were part of a group of nearly 100 students who were attending the school-organised picnic. The students came from Nguyen Binh Khiem Upper Secondary School in neighbouring Binh Duong province. Drowning is one of the main causes of child death in Vietnam, especially Police forensic experts search for evidence following a gun attack outside the German ambassador’s residence in Athens

REUTERS

during the hot summer months and in rural areas. Some 3,500 children die by drowning each year, according to Tuoi Tre figures.

Body washes up on Beckham’s hideaway island in Maldives

A dead body has washed up at an exclusive island resort in the Maldives where English football star David Beckham is taking a hideaway Christmas holiday with his family, police said Monday. Investigations were underway to establish the cause of death of the man, whose body was found floating near a jetty on Sunday at the One and Only Reethi Rah resort near the capital island Male, police said. “The body was removed to a morgue and investigations are underway,” police spokesman Hassan Haneef told AFP by telephone.

In a second incident, a stock of fireworks brought in for New Year’s Eve exploded on the island Sunday, shattering the calm for guests who pay up to $12,700 a night for a room. Police said the dead man, identified as a Sri Lankan national, was not a guest or an employee of the upmarket resort where Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich was also reportedly staying. Beckham, his wife Victoria and their four children remained at the de luxe resort despite the problems on Sunday, tourism sources said. The couple visited the Maldives a year ago and stayed at the same resort, but that holiday was dampened by incessant rain. Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb told reporters last week that several international celebrities were spending their Christmas holidays in the nation of more than 1,000 coral-fringed islands scattered across the equator.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Eight ‘terrorists’ shot dead at police station in China n AFP, Beijing Eight attackers armed with knives and explosives were killed Monday during a “terrorist attack” on a police station in China’s Xinjiang according to authorities, the latest deadly incident in the largely Muslim region.

One of the attackers was held in the clash in Shache county, said the official website of the government of Xinjiang, where mainly Muslim Uighurs are the largest ethnic group.

The website, which called it a “terrorist attack” said: “Police took decisive action, shooting eight people and arresting one.” Officials were investigating, it added.

The area, around 200 kilometres (124 miles) south-east of Kashgar, is known as Yarkand in the Uighur language.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang called it a “violent terrorist attack.”

“It testifies once again to the anti-society and anti-human nature of the three evil forces, and they have caused great damage to the state, the society and the people,” he said at a regular briefing.

Beijing refers to what it calls ethnic separatism, religious extremism and terrorism as the “three evil forces.”

Authorities have blamed “terrorists” for a series of similar attacks this year in Xinjiang, a sprawling and resource-rich region four times the size of Japan and rich in oil and natural gas.

Rights groups and outside scholars, however, say unrest is spawned by cultural oppression, intrusive security measures and a wave of immigration

by China’s Han majority.

“Directly shooting to death protesters accused of so-called terror is... the latest means to suppress Uighurs,” said Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for exile group the World Uyghur Congress (WUC).

“Uighurs are enduring Chinese discrimination and humiliation,” he added in an email.

Government economic policies aimed at developing the region have raised Uighur living standards, though Han dominance of the economy has helped foster continued resentment.

Xinjiang has seen regular violent incidents this year, including one in the Turpan area that left 35 people dead in June.

The latest violence came after 16 people, including two police officers, were killed in a clash near the Silk Road city of Kashgar earlier this month. l

Policemen display the explosive material recovered near the residence of former president Pervez Musharraf

REUTERS

China says Japan PM’s war shrine visit ‘shuts door’ on talks

Pakistan police find explosives near Musharraf’s house

n Reuters, Beijing

n AFP, Islamabad

China said on Monday that its leaders will not meet Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his visit to a shrine seen by critics as a symbol of Tokyo’s wartime aggression, underscoring the deteriorating ties between Asia’s two biggest economies.

Abe had repeated his hopes for talks with Beijing last week, when he visited the Yasukuni shrine where Japanese leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal after World War Two are honoured along with those who died in battle.

The visit infuriated China and South Korea, both of which were occupied

by Japanese forces until the end of the war, and prompted concern from the United States about rising tensions between the North Asian neighbours.

Abe said then that relations with China and South Korea were important and he hoped “for an opportunity to explain to China and South Korea that strengthening ties would be in the national interest.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said at a daily news briefing that “Abe has himself shut the door on talks with Chinese leaders.”

“Since assuming office, Abe has mis-

calculated on Sino-Japan ties, and made mistake after mistake, especially visiting the Yasukuni Shrine which houses ‘Class A’ war criminals. These people are fascists, the Nazis of Asia,” he said.

“Of course the Chinese people don’t welcome such a Japanese leader, and Chinese leaders will not meet him.”

Qin called on Abe to “admit his mistakes to the Chinese government and people.”

South Korea said it would not now

take part in talks on shared defence and intelligence agreements Seoul and Tokyo had been planning to hold next month.

“I hope there would be no acts next year which destroy trust between two countries or worsen the public sentiment by digging up the wounds of the past,” President Park Geun-hye said in a meeting with aides.

It was the first visit to Yasukuni by a serving Japanese prime minister since 2006. l

N Korea recalls UNESCO envoy n AFP, Seoul

A priest leads Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he visits the Yasukuni war shrine

AFP

S Korea’s railway workers end strike n AFP, Seoul

Thousands of South Korean railway workers on Monday ended a threeweek partial strike after lawmakers promised to reflect their opinions in the government’s controversial plan to reorganise railway services.

More than 6,000 unionised workers of the Korea Railway (Korail) – about one third of the firm’s entire staff – had been on a strike since December 9 in

Pakistan police on Monday found explosives on a road close to the home of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, two days before he is to appear before a treason tribunal.

The 2.5 kilos (5.5 pounds) of explosives and two detonators were found around two kilometres (1.2 miles) from the retired general’s home on the edge of Islamabad.

The discovery was made close to where five kilos of explosives were found last Tuesday, as Musharraf’s treason trial was due to start.

The case was adjourned to Wednesday because of the security alert.

The treason allegations are the latest in a series of serious criminal charges relating to Musharraf’s 1999-2008 rule,

brought against him since he returned from exile in March.

“We have found five packets of explosive material, each weighing half a kilo, with two detonators,” police chief for Bani Gala, Abdul Rauf Kayani, told AFP. He said the material was found on the central reservation of Park Road, the main road leading to central Islamabad from the leafy suburb where Musharraf lives.

“It is not clear who put the packets here but we have impounded them and begun an investigation,” Rauf said.

Musharraf said Sunday he had not yet decided whether to attend Wednesday’s hearing, at which the charges against him are to be read out.

On Sunday he denounced the case as a “vendetta” against him, and said

protest at the management overhaul plan they feared would spark mass layoffs and pay cuts.

Korail union chief Kim MyungHwan said all striking workers including train drivers would return to work by 11:00 am (0200 GMT) Tuesday.

The move came after Seoul lawmakers promised to form a parliamentary committee to ensure that the workers’ opinions would be reflected in the controversial reorganising process.

The eight-member committee was formally formed later on Monday.

The government this month announced a plan to spin off part of the Korail and allow several other state-run firms to buy the shares in the spinoff.

It said the move was aimed at revitalising the debt-ridden railway, which has suffered from chronic and growing losses.

But railway workers suspect the move is a prelude to privatisation and demanded that the government scrap the plan. l

North Korea’s deputy ambassador to UNESCO returned home Monday after being recalled as part of a purge prompted by the execution of the once-powerful uncle of leader Kim Jong-Un, a report said.

Jang Song-Thaek, once the North’s unofficial number two and Kim’s political mentor, was put to death on December 12 on an array of charges including treason and corruption.

The shock purge – staged in an unusually dramatic and public fashion in the isolated communist state – was the biggest political upheaval since the young ruler took power after the death of his father and the former leader, Kim Jong-Il, two years ago.

Seoul’s spy chief earlier this month said two of Jang’s associates had also been executed, while Pyongyang reportedly recalled some diplomats or

trade officials overseas who were believed to have been close to Jang.

Hong Yong, the North’s deputy permanent delegate to UNESCO, and his wife were spotted at Beijing airport Monday before taking the flight to Pyongyang, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.

Hong, one of Jang’s associates, took the post only six months ago, it said, quoting a diplomatic source in Beijing.

Yonhap said earlier this month that Jang’s nephew and the North’s ambassador to Malaysia, Jang Yong-Chol, had been recalled.

It said last week the North’s ambassador to Sweden, Pak Kwang-Chol, and his wife had also been summoned back to Pyongyang.

Pak, who had taken the post in Sweden in late 2012, was seen at Beijing airport being escorted by North Korean officials before taking the flight to Pyongyang on Friday, Yonhap said. l

he had the backing of the country’s powerful army.

“I have no doubt with the feedback that I received that the whole army is... totally with me on this issue,” Musharraf told reporters at his farmhouse on the edge of Islamabad.

The 70-year-old returned to Pakistan to run in May’s general election – won by Sharif – after several years of self-imposed exile.

But he was barred from running and hit with a series of criminal cases dating back to his time in office.

These include murder charges over the assassination in late 2007 of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as charges over the death of a rebel leader, a deadly military raid on a radical mosque and the detention of judges. l

70 journalists killed in 2013 n AP At least 70 journalists were killed on the job around the world in 2013, including 29 who died covering the civil war in Syria and 10 slain in Iraq, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The dead in Syria included a number of citizen journalists working to document combat in their home cities, broadcasters who worked with media outlets affiliated with either the government or the opposition, and a handful of correspondents for the foreign press, including an Al-Jazeera reporter, Mohamed al-Mesalma, who was shot by a sniper.

Six journalists died in Egypt. Half of those reporters were killed while reporting an August 14 crackdown by Egyptian security forces on demonstrators protesting the ouster of President Mohamed Morsi. l

Special Report: Japan’s homeless recruited for Fukushima clean-up n Reuters, Sendai Seiji Sasa hits the train station in this northern Japanese city before dawn most mornings to prowl for homeless men.

He isn’t a social worker. He’s a recruiter. The men in Sendai Station are potential labourers that Sasa can dispatch to contractors in Japan’s nuclear disaster zone for a bounty of $100 a head.

“This is how labour recruiters like me come in every day,” Sasa says, as he strides past men sleeping on cardboard and clutching at their coats against the early winter cold.

It’s also how Japan finds people willing to accept minimum wage for one of the most undesirable jobs in the industrialised world: working on the $35bn, taxpayer-funded effort to clean up radioactive fallout across an area of northern Japan larger than Hong Kong.

Almost three years ago, a massive earthquake and tsunami levelled villages across Japan’s northeast coast and set off multiple meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Today, the most ambitious radiation clean-up ever attempted is running behind schedule.

The effort is being dogged by both a lack of oversight and a shortage of workers, according to a Reuters analysis of contracts and interviews with dozens of those involved.

In January, October and November, Japanese gangsters were arrested on charges of infiltrating construction giant Obayashi Corp’s network of decontamination subcontractors and illegally sending workers to the government-funded project.

In the October case, homeless men were rounded up at Sendai’s train station by Sasa, then put to work clearing radioactive soil and debris in Fukushima City for less than minimum wage, according to police and accounts of those involved. The men reported up through a chain of three other companies to Obayashi, Japan’s second-largest construction company.

It’s how Japan finds people willing to accept minimum wage for one of the most undesirable jobs in the industrialised world

Obayashi, which is one of more than 20 major contractors involved in government-funded radiation removal projects, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

But the spate of arrests has shown that members of Japan’s three largest criminal syndicates - Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai - had set up black-market recruiting agencies under Obayashi.

“We are taking it very seriously that these incidents keep happening one after another,” said Junichi Ichikawa, a spokesman for Obayashi. He said the company tightened its scrutiny of its lower-tier subcontractors in order to shut out gangsters, known as the yakuza. “There were elements of what we

The tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had been doing that did not go far enough.”

Part of the problem in monitoring taxpayer money in Fukushima is the sheer number of companies involved in decontamination, extending from the major contractors at the top to tiny subcontractors many lay-

ers below them. The total number has not been announced. But in the 10 most contaminated towns and a highway that runs north past the gates of the wrecked plant in Fukushima, Reuters found 733 companies were performing work for the Ministry of

Fukushima that would have been barred from traditional public works because they had not been vetted by the construction ministry.

The 2011 law that regulates decontamination put control under the environment ministry, the largest spending program ever managed by the 10-year-old agency. The same law also effectively loosened controls on bidders, making it possible for firms to win radiation removal contracts without the basic disclosure and certification required for participating in public works such as road construction.

Reuters also found five firms working for the Ministry of Environment that could not be identified. They had no construction ministry registration, no listed phone number or website, and Reuters could not find a basic corporate registration disclosing ownership.

There was also no record of the firms in the database of Japan’s largest credit research firm, Teikoku Databank.

“As a general matter, in cases like this, we would have to start by looking at whether a company like this is real,” said Shigenobu Abe, a researcher at Teikoku Databank.

“After that, it would be necessary to look at REUTERS whether this is an active company and at the background of its executive and directors.”

Responsibility for monitoring the hiring, Environment, according to partial contract terms released by the ministry in August un- safety records and suitability of hundreds of small firms involved in Fukushima’s deconder Japan’s information disclosure law.

Reuters found 56 subcontractors listed tamination rests with the top contractors, on environment ministry contracts worth a including Kajima Corp, Taisei Corp and Shitotal of $2.5bn in the most radiated areas of mizu Corp, officials said. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Present government should perform like CTG

Bangladesh to send more peacekeepers to South Sudan

The present government’s overall performance may be noticeable, but it needs to uphold, retain and ensure the level of standard a country like ours ought to have.

The difference we usually notice during CTG is indeed laudable. During a caretaker government, everything seems to be in order – people lead a decent life, motorcyclists wear helmets while driving, auto-rickshaw and rickshaw drivers ask for fair fares and run by their meter, vehicles are better maintained, and so on. Every sector tries to stay in line, to ensure order in the running of our country.

Now we notice unfit vehicles in very poor states, and CNGs and auto-rickshaws drivers go only to destinations they choose, while taking an unfair fare from our pockets, let alone going by the meter.

It is high time the government acted more seriously, and followed the CTG’s guidelines to ensure the standards we should have.

Hasnat

December 25

December 28

Something to cheer about

I

n spite of the political instability plaguing the nation, a record high of GPA 5 results has been achieved by Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate Candidates this year.

A record pass rate was also achieved. Amid the gloom and doom faced by so many sectors due to the political crisis, it is a silver lining that our students are doing well.

The record high may have been influenced by the board deciding to include the score of the fourth or optional subject in the total marks. Nevertheless, given that our students have had to deal with serious uncertainty and exams being rescheduled at short notice, the dedication they have demonstrated with these results deserves praise.

A record 89.94% of candidates passed the examination this year, while 172,208 students earned a GPA 5. This is a massive increase from the 46,942 GPA 5s that were achieved last year.

This year also bore good news in terms of breaking down the gender gap. More female candidates were registered for the exam than male candidates, signaling a step towards equal opportunity.

We congratulate our youngsters on their successes in the JSC and JDC, despite tremendous uncertainty, and wish that future batches will have to face fewer political obstacles than this one.

Given that our students have had to deal with exams being rescheduled at short notice, these results deserve praise

Stop hurting food producers

A

s the country continues to get assaulted by hartals and blockades, our food sector is paying a steep price.

Poultry producers are estimated to have faced a loss of Tk4,000 crore in the last three months because of hartals and blockades. Huge losses have been incurred due to the disruption affecting vehicles carrying chickens, eggs or poultry feed. Breeders who have been unable to transport poultry feed to their chickens have been forced to kill 3 million dayold chicks because they cannot be fed.

Bangladesh’s frozen food exporters have also incurred losses of a staggering Tk180 crore during the October-December period because of their failure to ship products due to the uncertain political climate. According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), exports of frozen food fell in the July-November period to $325m from $544m in the last fiscal year.

Over 10,000 tonnes of frozen shrimps and fish, valued at over Tk1,000 crore, have had to be stored in warehouses because they could not be shipped. Shrimp exporters have been forced to sell at lower prices due to being unable to ship their wares to buyers before Christmas.

Our food supply is being decimated as farms are being shut down and millions are finding themselves on the verge of unemployment. Action must be taken immediately to stop these senseless losses.

December 24

Usman Khan Perhaps the BNP knows something that the government is not willing to fess up to??

Tandua ketra Kindly give up calling BNP and AL political parties.

Think of doing away with these two anti-people bands. Only then will you stop wasting time and energy.

Khaleda: March to Dhaka December 25 Excellent news conference!

She shows all the hallmarks of an ex-prime minister, through her responsible choice of words and action plans. sim

Mabrook Khan Should Bangladesh be more judicious in choosing where to send peacekeepers and finite resources, considering the current domestic turmoil?

UGC accuses scores of public university teachers of ‘negligence in duty’

Why the BNP silence on Pak resolution?

mithun ahmed Khaleda is right on the money on the Pakistan issue. It is a foreign policy matter which should be resolved through diplomatic channels. There is one government at a time and the incumbent government should deal with these issues in one voice on behalf of the country. It is not for everyone to chime in.

Having said this, the foreign ministry and the government have made colossal mistakes in many foreign policy issues, including occasional irresponsible remarks. These remarks – of which many were directed to the World Bank, UN, US and EU – show that it is still a country of rustic chieftains.

Gene De Bad Only 1,000? Come on Hasina, you can do better. Send 5,000 peacekeepers.

Dhaka New Super Market needs urgent repairs

December 24 It’s better to tear down this worn-out dilapidated ancient structure, and build a world-class super-mega mall in its place, with a car park for at least 5,000 cars for the areas surrounding it.

The design should be flawless, focusing mainly on alleviating the suffocating environment in Dhaka, and with enough playgrounds on one floor for the children of Dhaka.

Javed Zaman

December 25 Teachers are also human, and the government is duty-bound to ensure security for its people.

If the government failed in this endeavour, then the chain of command has also failed. Nothing new here. And the government should not act as if it doesn’t understand the reason behind this.

Nazmul Khair

Three DU students suspended for sexual harassment December 25 This is excellent news.

Md Walid Akram Hussain

Be Heard Nine-year-old girl ‘raped’ to death in capital December 25

A horrible story to wake up with in the morning!

Why weren’t Antara and Mitu living in the same room? If one had to sleep with aunt Fatema, it should have been the younger one, Antara. Or was it that Fatema was protecting the elder sister, from her visiting brother ie the girls’ maternal uncle? Too many questions come to mind.

WaliulHaqueKhondker

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

Our food supply is being decimated.

Action must be taken immediately to stop this senseless loss

CROSSWORD

PEANUTS

CODE-CRACKER ACROSS 1 Agitate (4) 6 Floor covering (3) 7 Mexican dollar (4) 9 Slightly cold (4) 10 Fashions (5) 11 Himalayan kingdom (5) 12 Kimono sash (3) 14 English Channel port (5) 17 Sways to and fro (5) 20 Before (poet) (3) 21 Rose red dye (5) 23 Vends (5) 25 Prima donna (4) 26 Snare (4) 27 Fabled monstrous bird (3) 28 Remaining (4)

DOWN 1 Length of army front (6) 2 Seemingly mocked by fate (6) 3 Govern (4) 4 Colour (3) 5 Long-leaved lettuce (3) 7 Sport (4) 8 Cut off (5) 10 Insane (3) 13 Breed of dog (5) 15 Italian city (6) 16 Retract (6) 18 Large brown seaweed (4) 19 Distress signal (3) 22 Worshipped image (4) 23 Place for pigs (3) 24 Lacking discipline (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Homage to a great patriot n Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury

D

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Note what she said

P n

Mohammad Ali Sattar

redictably, the “March for Democracy” program of the opposition did not materialise, thanks to the effective government-blocking of all communications to and from the capital. The entry and exit points of the city were tightly logged up by the law enforcement agencies, and stick-wielding ruling party supporters.

Unsurprisingly, the opposition leaders were aggressively hounded by the joint forces. One by one, they were taken into custody, thus making life hard for the “democracy march” organisers to hold its planned rally in front of the BNP head office. The hunt began well in advance of the day.

The country was waiting for a fierce showdown after the ruling party members declared their own strategy that alongside the police, their party activists would be on the streets with sticks in hand to take on the democracy marchers.

The winter morning was indeed cool. People waited with apprehension.

Assumptions ran galore. To me, the nation was actually focused on the reaction of the BNP chairperson, who was virtually confined to her house not being allowed to see any party member.

She was not even permitted to visit her party office in Gulshan. In sum, she was asked, unofficially, to remain indoors and forget about her intended march for democracy.

Later events that unfolded in the day were nothing new to the people of this land. We have been witness to such senseless violence many times in the past.

Things were more or less average as people were in a reconciled mood and prepared to see the day off with relative peace, due mainly to low or no turn-out of the opposition activists in any corner of the city.

As the day wore on and the news of Begum Zia striding out of her house to head for the rally point started filtering out in the air, it was a hyped up atmosphere. Bangladesh was suddenly glued to the TV screens to see and hear whatever the BNP chairperson had to say.

the sovereignty of the country.

She emphatically said that the present government of Sheikh Hasina was involved in the BDR killings in 2009, and also claimed that the members of Hefazat-e-Islam were also brutally dealt with by the government forces.

She questioned why the prime minister did not send her force to save the BDR officers when they were being killed by the unruly jawans.

She termed the present election process a preposterous exercise. It

Although her expressions were of disappointment and anger, she raised issues that deserve thoughtful attention

And she said lots. To many observers, Begum Zia had her purpose served.

She spoke her mind to the nation via the media.

I think we should take her remarks and comments seriously and study those in earnest. Although her expressions were of disappointment and anger, she raised issues that deserve thoughtful attention of all.

She strongly expressed her concern about the ruling party’s role with regards to our neighbouring country.

To this, she referred to the fate of Sikkim. She called upon those who were present there not to be pawns of the government, and asked all to be alongside the people and safeguard

was “sharing and selection” that took place in the name of elections, she remarked. She asked the PM to allow her to walk out so that she could prove if the people were with her. She finally confirmed that the BNP would go ahead with its chart the next day (December 30).

When someone like Begum Zia, who is the present leader of the opposition and three-time former prime minister, takes up issues in public, these should be measured with due concentration and magnitude.

Her unease about dangers of Bangladesh’s sovereignty, about the ruling party’s alleged allegiance to our big neighbour, her suspicions about

the presence of foreigners in sensitive areas in the country, her claims of the present governments connection with the BDR massacre, and ruthless oppression of religious leaders and orphans by government forces – all need to be looked into with highest priority by the ruling party and its allies.

The government cannot ignore the remarks and claims, and ought to come out with satisfactory answers, if it cares to counter those.

In a quick retort to Begum Zia’s unrehearsed address, AL secretary general Syed Ashraful Islam, while talking to the press, brushed off her speech. We expected a somewhat mature and pragmatic approach by this senior member of the ruling party.

His claims that Begum Zia actually did not wish to attend the planned rally and requested the government to beef up her security were not taken in good grace by many. His remarks about her attire were rather repulsive.

Syed Ashraf asserted that the government did not prevent the holding of the rally, and it was the failure of the BNP to garner support for its rallies.

He also said that BNP had never been triumphant in gathering people for its meetings any time in the past.

The day witnessed street skirmish, nabbing of more opposition leaders, and the shocking mayhem carried out by the conflicting parties inside the highest seat of justice.

We are certainly at war against ourselves. And war brings only destruction. l Mohammad Ali Sattar is a journalist, political analyst and DT columnist.

What do the common people want? n Mehrin Chowdhury

E

veryone seems to have an opinion nowadays regarding saving the nation from tyrants, or saving the religion which is being strangled by non-believers. No one is ready to give up their position for the sake of the countrymen and their troubles. People are dying in numbers unwarranted, while the real culprits are absconding.

his son returning home from college safely. A regular three meals a day, and occasional family gatherings without any sort of external disruption is enough. It is this simple. However, sadly, the people of our country are unable to even achieve this little bit of peace without interference.

Every mother has to think twice before their children’s exams regarding how to commute to school safely.

Every father has to worry about his

Every mother has to think twice before their children’s exams regarding how to commute to school safely

What does freedom mean in the eyes of the common man? It is probably a regular day without hartals and oborodhs where he can earn his daily living without any extra hassle, a day when he doesn’t need to worry about his daughter going to school safely, or

son being checked on the roads and mistakenly being taken to jail for scrutiny. Is this democracy?

If any of the political parties and their constituents are asked about the unwarranted intrusion, they would simply blame each other. Meanwhile,

the regular people are counting losses each day as their business products are rotting laden on trucks. In certain cases, they are burning because miscreants decided to set ablaze the entire carriage.

Our beloved motherland is on fire because political parties cannot make up their minds. They cannot compromise due to intense rivalry between themselves. The common man does not care about who the ruling party is or who the opponent is; they only care about peace and sovereignty.

Every five years before the election time, the same chaos and feud resumes, the same fight for power continues until the stronger force takes the throne. This is not what was supposed to be, this does not denote democracy in any sense. Maybe we have forgotten what the real essence of democracy is in the first place. It is a government selected by the people, for the welfare of the people.

Patients are dying on the roads unable to reach the city for enhanced treatment. People are unable to attend to their regular work in a country already suffering from unemployment. Schools have been given early vacations to maintain the safety of the

young ones.

Public examination candidates are praying for safety on the roads while attending the compulsory examinations. The nation’s balance of payments is steadily increasing on the negative side. Tension resides in every household regarding the future, businesses are counting losses daily and watching rising interest rates.

Banks are wary of the eroding reserves because of consumer agitation and removal of cash. Every single sector is affected negatively because major political parties cannot or do not want to come to any compromise.

This cannot be the result of democracy. This cannot be the result of a long nine months’ war to give birth to an independent and proud nation called Bangladesh.

The common people want democracy back in their beloved country. They want leaders who do not simply want a piece of the throne, but someone who will unite the country back into one nation following true democracy and immediately put a stop to this current insanity that is going on in the name of democracy. l Mehrin Chowdhury is a freelance contributor.

ecember 31. Justice KM Subhan passed away on this day in 2007, a champion of human rights and freedom of religion, and a symbol of unity among the progressive forces of Bangladesh. A man of great altitude, yet so humble. A person of a great caliber, yet so simple.

I came in touch with this great man for the first time in 1988. This meeting was at a simple ceremony in Dhaka Art College. He was talking strongly about justice and constitutional rights. Little did I know at that moment, this very conviction and zeal of his would serve our oppressed community later in an unprecedented manner.

The second interaction with him was in 1992. Our central Ahmadiyya mosque and mission in Dhaka was attacked and partially burnt on October 29 by fanatics. A special in-depth report was published in the Dhaka Courier the following week. He wrote a very comprehensive article regarding the anti-Ahmadiyya atrocities in Brahmanbaria.

I went to thank him. He said, “No need to thank me, just doing my duty towards fellow Bangladeshis.” And he meant it. He never did anything for reward or recognition. Whatever he did, he did it from his sincere commitment.

This was just the beginning. He wrote against the radicals and fanatics repeatedly quoting the constitutional guarantees in the popular dailies, attended the roundtable discussions and made himself available for protests against any untoward threats and abuses.

He rose against all injustices. We have observed this in the cases of the oppressed Christians, the Hindus and the Ahmadiyya Muslims alike. He stood as a tireless soldier in the cases of gender abuse. In 1995, he came to a procession to our mosque to show solidarity, in 1999, he kept his commitments intact.

From 2003 to 2006 he remained vigilant against all odds and gave everything in his capacity to uphold the constitutional and human rights of Bangladeshi Ahmadiyyas. Despite his ill health, he went to see martyred Imam Shah Alam’s family in Raghunathpur Baak village under Jessore District.

He went to Uttor Bhabanipur, Kushtia. He went to remote Jatindranagar village of Satkhira district and to Khulna city to meet the bomb attack victims personally. He went to Bogra Ahmadiyya Mosque to defend the Ahmadiyya property physically.

He repeated the same in the case of Narayanganj. He was a young man of 80 years then. I once tried to thank him by saying: “You have done so much for us.” He stopped me, saying, “I have serious objection to your words ‘you’ and ‘us’. In Bangladesh we are all one and the same. There is no ‘you’ and no ‘us’ here.”

I naturally felt so small in front of him. I could never express my gratitude to him truly. I can only salute his zeal, commitment and loving memory.

In his personal life, he used to fast during Ramadan. He used to tell me, “I don’t have any problem fasting, except my tea. I miss my tea very much.” He used to break his fast with two or even more mugs of tea. He was very fond of tea.

Anyone who has been close to him must have noted this. He liked to prepare and serve the tea himself whenever he had guests in his study.

He was a profound reader. We used to exchange books. We discussed the issues later after reading the materials.

He was such a humble man. Whenever I had the opportunity to visit his Malibagh residence, he made it a point to see me off up to my car and hold the doors open for me or my colleague

until we entered. These were his noble attributes.

I have witnessed many a time, he went happily to respond to doorbells himself when the housekeeper failed to respond promptly. In few occasions, I have seen the same scenario being repeated in closing the main gate in my rear-view mirror. Such was the height of his courtesy and humility.

This very rare person lived a very simple life. I saw him returning from his usual evening walks alone from Ramna Park a number of times. Naturally, I had to ask him to be cautious about his own personal security, if not for himself, at least for society. “I will not let my enemies have the satisfaction of making me feel insecure in my own beloved country,” was his reply. I was defeated yet again.

He wrote against the radicals and fanatics and made himself available for protests

This man taught me a lot. Despite the age gap between us, and my different background, he made me so comfortable around him. He always used to respect all, and earned the respect of all in return.

The last meeting was on December 31, 2007 at his place, the day he left us for his permanent abode. I had a very pleasant two-hour sitting with him.

We had discussions on a few books that day.

I saw him studying the Cambodian war crimes tribunal act as I entered.

During our course of discussion he said, “Dear Maulana, I am always optimistic, never pessimistic. I always fight for a genuine and just cause. I am always a winner never a loser.” He was giving me the substance of a true patriot. He was a true activist in the real sense of the term.

He was an institution onto himself. I left with a very pleasant feeling that day at 1pm. I left a few books on his table that day with the expectation of meeting him soon. But he passed away the same day in the afternoon.

He had a massive heart attack during his usual afternoon walk, and passed away instantly.

I saw the books lying on his table the next morning when I went to pay my deep respects to him and meet his bereaved family members. Then I realised, I must have been the last person to have met him with an appointment that day. “Justice KM Subhan had a very large family,” I told Rehan and Adnan very proudly later, “and I happen to be a member of that family.”

Today is his sixth death anniversary. If he had lived, he would have completed his 89th year by now. I don’t observe death anniversaries as a ritual.

But I can always pray for this great man on this day. May his soul rest in peace and attain salvation for ever.

May Allah reward him amply for the precious services he has rendered to us and to the whole nation. I pray to Almighty Allah from the core of my heart: “Allahummaghfir Lahu Warhamhu wa Adkhilhu fee Jannatin Nayeem.” O my Lord! Please forgive him and have mercy on him and grant him a paradise filled with Divine Bounties, Ameen. l Abdul Awwal Khan Chowdhury is Missionary In Charge, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Bangladesh.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013, a happening year for TV celebs n Entertainment Desk

This year was full of drama serials, single-episode plays and telefilms on the small screen and the TV stars had a very busy year. 2013 was bursting with many new talents in the fields of directing, acting, modeling and more.

Most of these actors and actresses worked on a great number of ventures, but, very few quality productions were seen.

We present here some of the TV celebrities who strengthened their positions in the acting world by working on a few good productions that added a different dimension to their careers and also made a positive impact on small screen audiences.

Popular actor Mahfuz Ahmed’s popularity on the television screen has never been unstable.

Last Eid-ul-Fitr, he acted in a single episode drama, Dure Jabo Bole, which was about the sacrifices one needs to make due to poverty. The telefilm, Adharer Obosha, which he also wrote and directed, highlighted a business tycoon’s person-

Ronni Ahmmed honoured at the New Florence Biennale 2013 n Entertainment Desk Celebrated Bangladeshi artist Ronni Ahmmed has received a prestigious award for his ten-minute animated video Seven Hundred Miles of Sleep Walking at this year’s Florence Biennale.

The producer of this animatedfilm is the Mermaid Art Foundation.

The International Biennial of Contemporary Art in Florence is one of the very few European art events where notable artists from all over the world gather in Florence.

Seven Hundred Miles of Sleep Walking is a multimedia video work consisting animation, music and video images. It has a linguistic approach and is also a new interpretation of Ronni Ahmmed’s, who has been working on myth, absurdity, spirituality, and politics through his art for the last twenty years. The video contains such elements with new experimentation. l

al life. Mahfuz Ahmed’s new drama series, Buno Chaltar Gaye, where he works simultaneously as a director and actor, has also been able to keep fans enthralled.

Talented actor Shatabdi Wadud has worked in Jayanta Rozario’s Caught Behind, SM Sumon’s Love and Life, Ferary Farhad’s Story, and many more. After successfully playing a multitude of versatile characters, he elevated the expectations of his audience and kept them spellbound. His mind-blowing acting on Oporadh Bishoyok Golpo was also commendable.

The popular actor of Bangladeshi showbiz, Apurbo, demonstrated his singing talents at a charitable show, the Bangladesh Australia Friendship Fair at Sydney, earlier this year.

He lent his voice to a title track of the drama series Bhalobashar Chotushkon. He is working on his silver screen debut

as an action hero in Ashikur Rahman’s upcoming film Gangstar.

Bidya Sinha Saha Mim has become an unstoppable force in the media. Mim was one of the busiest actresses of the small screen this year. In the telefilm Trump Card, by Mizanur Rahman, she played a negative role which was appreciated by critics. Beside this, she has been busy shooting several films.

Zakia Bari Momo has already made a place within the hearts of thousands of fans with her acting skills and simple elegance.

Momo was involved in different dimensional dramas this year, namely Nilpory Nilanjna, directed by Shihab Shahin, Mayti Kotha Bolibe Kintu Prem

Koribe Na directed by Salauddin Lavlu, Ezaz Munna’s Kobirajer Bouer Akjon Chele Bondhu Chilo, Eclipse directed by Mabrur Rashid Banna, Jockey by Kaiser Ahmed and many others. She also lent her voice to the title track of a drama series.

By overcoming all the previous controversies that made her absent from the media for about two years, the glamorous and talented actor of the small screen, Prova, once again reinforced her position in showbiz this year. She made a mark by working on a single episode drama, Motinuddin Je Karone Dhaka Eshechhilo, and the drama series Aparajita. She paired up with veteran actor Tariq Anam Khan for the first time in a single-episode drama titled Wheel Chair-er Joddha. l

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

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

Film

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

Monalisa to make a comeback after settling divorce n Entertainment Desk Model turned actor Monalisa’s conjugal life with Faiyaz Sharif Fashbir may be coming to an end soon. She got married to US expatriate Faiyaz, a businessman, on December 12 last year but within a year the relationship is on the verge of collapse.

The charming actor was hardly seen in the showbiz after marrriage, and rumours of their separation buzzed in the media earlier. But this time Monalisa, who is right now staying in US, herself made a clear statement to a source: “Our relationship did not work out well for some internal reasons and now we are heading towards divorce.” She said that after finishing the formalities she will appear regularly on the small screen.

“Acting and modelling have made me known to the audience. I want to work in showbiz regularly once again. I hope the viewers will be as supportive as they have always been.”

Monalisa is a popular personality in the Bangladeshi showbiz arena. She acted in many single episode dramas and TV serials, and in many television commercials. l

ON TV MOVIE 6:30pm Star Movies 7:16pm HBO

DRAMA 8:00pm Sony

Saraswatichandra

9:30pm Sony Nandini

COMEDY 2:30pm Star World Modern Family

9:00pm Z Cafe Happy Endings

Ananta Jalil

12:00pm Fox Traveller The Outdoor Room

9:00pm AXN

So You Think You Can Dance?

Arefin Shuvo

Ananta Jalil ‘s Nisshartho Bhalobasha is the most commercially successful cinema of the year. Not only did it gross highest, it also had the biggest budget ever to hit the box office. The actor created a huge fan following and did not disappoint them, as his film was successful in securing the top position.

Popular model and actor, Arefin Shuvo who made his debut on silver screen three years back also stood up for this year’s competition through Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini which was commercially and critically successful. On the other hand, Bhalobasha Jindabad made fair business because of his popularity.

Shakib Khan

Bappy Chowdhury

‘’King of Dhallywood” Shakib Khan gave four commercially successful films this year – Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini pairing with Dhallywood diva Jaya Ahsan, Bhalobasha Ajkal with Dhallywoods new sensation Mahiya Mahi, Full N Final with Bobby and My Name Is Khan with Apu Biswas.

Anisur Rahman Milon

MISC

Mita Noor tops Bangladesh Google search n Entertainment Desk Mita Noor secures fourth position in the top 10 most searched individuals in Bangladesh of 2013, on Google.

Bangladeshi actress Mita Noor, who died recently, was among the top 10 most searched personalities on Google Bangladesh in 2013.

Google recently released the chart of people who were the most searched for, on the internet in Bangladesh.

According to the chart, Mita Noor secured fourth position among the top 10 Individuals who were searched most this year.

The TV actress and former model was found dead in her own drawing room during the early morning of July 1, 2013. It is assumed that she committed suicide.

Her body was found hung with a scarf with no clues left to investigate the exact cause of her death. Mita

10 OF THE TOP FILM STARS OF 2013

Avatar

The Fighter

Legendary actress Suchitra Sen is in a serious condition after she was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata following a respiratory tract infection, doctors said yesterday.

The 82-year-old actress, who lives a secluded life and stays locked up inside her apartment, was admitted to Belle Vue Clinic earlier this week after she complained of breathlessness.

The clinic has formed a five-member-committee to monitor the health of its star patient 24x7 led by cardiologist Dr Subrata Moitra.

Sources in the Belle Vue Clinic said Sen is now on oxygen and has complained of chest pain following which her chest’s CT scan was also done.

She is being administered antibiotics and oxygen, they said.

Beginning her career with the Bangla film Shesh Kothai in 1952, Sen went on to receive a National Award for her performance in the 1955 Hindi film Devdas and is the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival - best actress award for Saat Paake Bandha in 1963 Moscow film festival.

But after her 1978 movie Pronoy Pasha with Soumitra Chatterjee flopped, she disappeared from the public eye and even allegedly refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005 preferring not to make a public appearance. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Suchitra Sen critically ill

One of the popular faces of showbiz, Anisur Rahman Milon debued on silver screen this year in one of the commercially successful film Dehorokkhi. His second film Poramon also did a fair business at the box office.

Seven films of Bappy Chowdhury were released in this year and all of them done fair business at the box office. His co-actors were Mahiya Mahi, Bobby, Achol and Sara Zerin.

He got mixed responses from his fans and critics.

Mahiya Mahi

‘Feminism in Hollywood has a long way to go’

Borsha

Borsha is able to place herself at one of the top actors this year. She became talk of the town because of her relationship with husband Anata Jalil.

On the other hand, Nisshartho Bhalobasha helps her to be in the list as it was most successful film of the year.

Bobby

Jaya Ahsan

Dhallywood diva Jaya Ahsan debut in Tallywood this in the film Aborto. On the other hand, National Award winning actor worked in full-phrase commercial film with Shakib Khan in Shafiuddin Shafi’s Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini. This film was one of the commercially successful films of this year.

Mahia Mahi as the best female actor of the year 2013, declared by Asian TV’s popular show Movie Bazaar’s survey for 2013, conducted through social networking site Facebook.

Noor was one of the few actresses in Bangladesh who wasn’t a victim of any scandals for a long period in her career. l

Tisha

Dhallywood’s new heartthrob Dehorokkhi, directed by Iftakar Chowdhury was a success at the box office. Full and Final, starring Shakib Khan was also another hit film of this year.

Tisha has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for Public Diplomacy for a period of two years by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea this year.

On the other hand, her recent film Television gained critical acclaim worldwide. l

n Entertainment Desk Hollywood actor Keira Knightley says even though the discussion about feminism is gaining momentum, it will still take years for Hollywood to attain gender equality.

The 28-year-old actress said she is happy that conversations regarding feminism are taking place.

“I think it’s great, what’s happening at the moment. I think it’s great that the discussions are finally being allowed to be had (about feminism).I thought it was really weird for a long time, and I think it’s great that we’re coming out of that,” Knightley said. “Hollywood has a really long way to go. I don’t think anyone can deny that, really, and I think as much as you are getting more women playing lead roles. They’re still pretty few and far between,” she added. l

Sport

Did you know?

Jack Kallis is the only player in cricket history to achieve the mark of 10,000 runs and more than 200 wickets in the Tests and ODIs each

Batting

DAYS TO GO

15 Pakistan trust in bowlers to overcome SL

n Reuters, Durban

272 3371.6 848 9535 292 5 0 32.65 2.83 6/54

SCORECARD, DAY 5 India 1st innings: 334, SA 1st innings: 500 India, second innings (overnight 68-2) C Pujara b Steyn V Kohli c De Villiers b Steyn R Sharma lbw b Philander A Rahane b Philander M Dhoni c Petersen b Peterson R Jadeja c Morkel b Peterson Zaheer Khan lbw b Peterson I Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn Mohammed Shami not out Extras (b4, w2)

14 Schumacher still ‘critical’

Perfect farewell for King Kallis

1995-2013 166 280 40 13289 224 55.37 58 45 16 0 147 1

Bowling

Innings Bowled: Overs: Maidens: Runs Conceded: Wickets: 5 Wicket Innings: 10 Wicket Innings: Average: Economy Rate: Best bowling in Innings:

DHAKA TRIBUNE

0 7 5

KALLIS IN TEST Career Span: Matches: Innings: Not Outs: Runs: Highest Score: Average: 50s: 100s: Ducks: Pairs: Caught Out: Stumped Out:

13

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

32 11 25 96 15 8 3 1 1 6

Total (86 overs) 223 FoW: 1-8, 2-53, 3-68, 4-71, 5-104, 6-146, 7-154, 8-189, 9-206 Bowling: Steyn 21-8-47-3, Philander 16-443-3, Morkel 16-6-34-0, Peterson 24-3-74-4, Duminy 8-2-20-0 South Africa, second innings A. Petersen not out 31 G. Smith not out 27 Extras (w1) 1 Total (0 wkts, 11.4 overs) 59 Bowling: Shami 2-1-4-0, I. Sharma 5-1-29-0, Jadeja 4-0-16-0, R. Sharma 0.4-0-10-0 Result: South Africa won by 10 wickets Series: SA won the two-match series 1-0

South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is carried by teammates after winning their Test match against India on the final day at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa yesterday AP

BNP’s yes and no n Mazhar Uddin The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is working on a pilfer-proof security plan for the Asia Cup and the ICC World T20 2014. Both multi-national events are scheduled to be hosted by Bangladesh in February and March, but have fallen into jeopardy due to the current political turmoil, which has raised security concerns for the participating team.

The secretary of the sports affairs of the BNP Colonel (rtd) Abdul Latif sat in a meeting with the CEO of the BCB yesterday regarding the issue.

Colonel Latif complained that if there is no security for the former prime minister of the country where she can’t even attend the peaceful meeting how can she hold talks regarding such issues, “When an ex-prime minister couldn’t move freely, she is not allowed to join the peaceful meeting. There is no security for other people. In such situation, how can she holds talks with you and provide the assurance of the security?

“You couldn’t get access to come from Comilla or the other side from Buriganga, then what type of security will the government give them (Foreigners)? If there should be an accident, like in Pakistan, then what will be the situation?” he said.

Earlier before the New Zealand series, Latif said that BNP have always given priority to the country’s sports over his party’s political programmes. “We have always kept the game on top. Af-

ter getting the request from BCB during the New Zealand series, our leader announced that cricket will be free from the political programmes,” said Latif.

The sports secretary of BNP informed that the chairperson of the party is not free and urges the people to free their leader for the betterment of cricket, “Our madam should be freed from the confinement. It will be good for the cricket, the country and for the peace.”

Colonel Latif informed that he already requested the BCB president Nazmul Hasan to invite all the high commissioners for a tea party to solve the problem.

“I request the board, though I’ve already requested BCB president Papon (Nazmul Hasan) that you should invite all the high commissioners to have a tea party, where he could invite prime minister and chief opposition leader to have tea in the interest of the cricket, people and the country.”

However Latif who went to meet with the opposition leader with the letter from BCB yesterday but informed that he was not able to meet with Khaleda Zia for security reasons.

Meanwhile the member of the BNP standing committee Lieutenant-General (rtd) Mahbubur Rahman informed that cricket should be kept away from all sorts of politics. “I can’t say anything official from our party but all I want to say, cricket should always be kept away from politics for the betterment of cricket in Bangladesh,” he said. l

Captain Graeme Smith scored the winning runs as South Africa knocked off a modest 58-run target to beat India by 10 wickets in the second test at Kingsmead and win the two-match series 1-0.

The top-ranked nation achieved victory soon after tea on the last day to complete a highly satisfying result against their closest challengers in the world test rankings.

“India are always a big challenge and it was always going to be important for us to do well against them,” Smith said at the post match presentation It was also fitting farewell for South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis who made a century in his final test.

South Africa were 59 without loss in their second innings after India had been bowled out for 223 earlier in the day, failing to offer much resistance after being precariously placed at 68 for two overnight. Only Ajinkya Rahane offered a bright spot for the Indians, coming within four runs of his maiden test century.

He was the last Indian wicket to fall, just after lunch on Monday, swinging wildly on 96 with only the last tail-ender Mohammed Shami left in support.

South Africa took just 11.4 overs to knock off the required runs with Alviro Petersen 31 not out and Smith unbeaten on 27 after a six and a four from the last two balls of the game.

Spinner Robin Peterson emerged as the unlikely match hero, overshadowing his fast bowling colleagues with a four-wicket haul in India’s second innings to add to brisk the 61 runs he scored on Sunday, batting at number nine in South Africa’s first innings.

But nine wickets in the match for fast

n The fourth South African to score a cen-

tury in his final Test.

n He is the third highest run getter in Tests

with 13,289 runs. He was dismissed just after passing Rahul Dravid’s 13,288 and fell 89 short of Ricky Ponting’s 13,378.

Kallis averages 55.37, the second highest after Kumar Sangakkara’s 56.98, among batsmen with at least 10,000 Test runs.

n Kallis averages 61.86 at No 4 position,

the best among batsmen who have at least 4000 runs at No 4. Kallis also passed 9000 runs batting at the position and only Sachin Tendulkar, with 13,492 runs, has scored more at No 4.

n With his 23rd hundred in Tests in South

Africa, Kallis has emulated Ricky Ponting’s feat of 23 hundreds at home

n Amongst the No 4 batsmen, Kallis is the

only one to have averaged 60-plus in Tests (minimum 5,000 runs)

bowler Dale Steyn earned him the man of the match award and he became the second fastest player to reach 350 test wickets.

On his last day of test cricket, Kallis, regarded as South Africa’s finest cricketer, was not troubled in the slips and did not bat in the second innings.

“Last day of Test cricket for me,” he tweeted before play. “I have so many wonderful memories and stories, thanks to my family, friends, team mates and fans. Tough day.”

But there was more of a clinical edge than heavy emotion on Monday as South Africa went about their task with business-like efficiency to emphasis their status as the top-ranked test team.

Kallis was taken by his team mates on a lap of honour, waving to the crowds and being forced at one stage to down a can of beer. l

Friends face-off in final

Afghanistan possible fifth team in Asia Cup n Minhaz Uddin Khan n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Afghanistan national cricket team might participate as the fifth side in the Asia Cup 2014. A definite decision on the matter will be decided at the general meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on January 4.

According to a report in the media, ACC proposed that the participating countries – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - add Afghanistan to the multi-nation tournament.

Bangladesh Cricket Board acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury confirmed the matter. The BCB official who will attend the ACC meeting in Sri Lanka next month, added that the possibility of adding a fifth side in the tournament w ould be discussed at the gathering.

Adding a new side in the competition will lead to changes in the tournament schedule. The tournament is scheduled to begin on February 24 and according to the old fixture, end on March 24. However, Afghanistan coming in as the fifth team will extend the tournament by at least three days.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has always been against the inclusion of Afghanistan in the tournament; however, the scenario this time might be different. It was learnt from ACC sources that the BCCI might retract their objection and Afghanistan are likely to participate in the tournament. l

Prime Bank Cricket Club and UCB BCB XI are all set to clash in the Amber Victory Day Twenty20 finale today.

The match at Sher-eBangla National Stadium is expected to be a scintillating contest between the sides led by two leading cricketers of the country.

Prime Bank led by ace all-rounder Shakib al Hasan is the favourite in the final as they have been on top in most of the 10-day long tournament. A defeat in the Shakib less first game saw the side bounce back strongly with three consecutive wins. With a sharp bowling attack Prime had almost confirmed a berth in the finals prior to their nail biting defeat against UCB BCB XI in their second meeting.

It was that win by UCB BCB XI that put three sides – Prime Bank, Mohammedan Sporting and UCB BCB XI on equal six points. In the last phase of the league UCB BCB won against Mohammedan while Prime Bank registered a

comfortable victory over Abahani Limited to confirm their spot in the final.

Alongside cricket, the game will also see two of the best friends from the national dressing room – Shakib and Tamim, captain of UCB BCB XI – battle it out for the glory.

Upon query both the star cricketers informed the media that the off-field relation will not affect the game rather every effort will be to steer their teams to the win.

“Yes we are good friends but we often overlook that when we face each other in the field. It will be the same in the game tomorrow (today) and hope the game will be competitive,” said Prime Bank skipper Shakib to the media yesterday.

The left-arm all-rounder returned to the field earlier this month after recovering from dengue fever which denied him from playing the ODI series and the lone Twenty20 game against New Zealand in October.

“To be honest I am surprised with my individual performance. I think I am doing better than expected as I was out of the field for three months due to

illness,” said the former national skipper.

Shakib informed of counting on the bowling in the final against UCB BCB XI today. Tight bowling has been the main reason behind Prime Bank success in the tournament, but UCB BCB XI captain Tamim is not worried about the statistic.

“They (Prime Bank) have a very good bowling attack but we have won against them chasing 173 runs so this should not matter to us. We will be cautious, but not worried,” said Tamim.

With an average squad Tamim sees the journey to the final as a dream run.

“We have always seen ourselves as an underdog in the tournament but the format of the game is funny. Our players performed on field, turning the onpaper abilities wrong, and thus we are in the finals,” said Tamim before adding that wins in the last three games will allow them to have the momentum in the final.

The game will start at 2:30pm and will be televised Live on Bangladesh Television. l

Mohammedan’s Portuguese coach due today n Raihan Mahmood Dhaka Mohammedan’s newly appointed Portuguese coach Jose Rui Capela Batista is scheduled to arrive in the capital today to take charge of the football team.

Club manager Amirul Islam Babu said the coach is scheduled to land in the morning. “If there is not a flight

delay, he will land at the airport at 11:00am. We will receive him and bring him to the club. We are eager to see him at the club,” said Babu.

The traditional crowd pullers featured in the curtain raising tournament of the season Federation Cup without any head coach, as Saiful Bari Titu had not been officially signed by the club at that time. Assistant coach Jewel Rana

guided the team as Mohammedan crashed out from the quarter-final stage. Mohammedan lost to arch rivals Dhaka Abahani 2-0 in the group stage and were ousted by eventual champions Sheikh Jamal in the last eight 1-3.

Former Nigerian World Cup footballer Emeka Ezeugo was the last foreign coach of the Black and Whites in 2011 season. l

Tamim Iqbal of UCB-BCB XI

Shakib al Hasan of Prime Bank

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Schumacher still ‘critical’ n AFP, Grenoble

(From L) Neurosurgeon Professor Stephan Chabardes, Professor Jean-Francois Payen, Assistant Director Marc Penaud, Professor Emmanuel Gay and Professor and Michael Schumacher's friend Gerard Saillant give a press conference about Michael Schumacher's health condition at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire hospital in Grenoble, French Alps yesterday AFP

Wenger hails resilience of table-topping Arsenal

POINTS TABLE Team 1 Arsenal 2 Man City 3 Chelsea 4 Everton 5 Liverpool 6 Man United 7 Tottenham 8 Newcastle 9 Southampton 10 Hull City 11 Swansea City 12 Stoke City 13 Aston Villa 14 Norwich City 15 West Brom 16 Cardiff City 17 Crystal Palace 18 Fulham 19 West Ham 20 Sunderland

P 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19

W 13 13 12 10 11 10 10 10 7 6 5 5 5 5 3 4 5 5 3 3

D 3 2 4 7 3 4 4 3 6 5 6 6 5 4 9 6 1 1 6 5

L 3 4 3 2 5 5 5 6 6 8 8 8 9 10 7 9 13 13 10 11

GD Pts 19 42 33 41 16 40 13 37 21 36 10 34 -2 34 5 33 6 27 -1 23 -1 21 -11 21 -7 20 -16 19 -5 18 -15 18 -16 16 -22 16 -10 15 -17 14

n Reuters

Arsenal, long accused of being too weak during an eight year spell without a trophy, showed their growing resilience in Sunday’s narrow win at Newcastle United that sent them back to the top of the table, manager Arsene Wenger said.

The Londoners moved one point ahead of Manchester City with the 1-0 success thanks to Olivier Giroud’s second half header and some, mostly, resolute defending in the final stages as they sank deep to protect their slim advantage.

Wenger, looking for his first league title since 2004, hailed the uncharacteristic quality shown by his side, who made it back-to-back league wins after the 6-3 defeat by City and home draws with Everton and Chelsea.

“In the last 15 minutes ,we have

shown another aspect of our team - resilience, fight. We threw our bodies in the box,” the Frenchman was quoted as saying by Arsenal.com.

“You have seen today a technical aspect of our team that was quite good but as well a mental aspect that was needed in a game of that stature.

“There is something in the team that is special on the mental front where we have many times been questioned.

“But we have shown that at West Ham when we were 1-0 down, we have shown that again today when we were a bit backs to the wall in the last 15 minutes. There’s a great solidarity and a great spirit in the side.”

Arsenal had led the league by five points earlier this month but defensive frailties were exposed at City before disappointing draws with Everton and Chelsea moved them off top spot and

left many pundits questioning their title ambitions.

Further dropped points looked likely as they trailed relegation candidates West Ham United 1-0 away in the second half of Thursday’s clash before fighting back to claim a 3-1 win which they followed up with Sunday’s success.

“We’ve come out of very difficult games,” Wenger said.

“We played Everton, we played Man City, Chelsea, at West ham, at Newcastle and we dropped some points but I felt it was more down to the heavy schedule and short recovery time we had than to the difficulty of the games.”

They host Cardiff City on Wednesday before Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie at home to arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur marks the end of the hectic run of Christmas fixtures. l

Michael Schumacher, the retired seven-time Formula One champion who often braved death on the tracks, remained in a critical condition yesterday after an off-piste skiing accident in the French Alps.

The German racing legend, who turns 45 at the end of the week, had been skiing off-piste Sunday with his 14-year-old son in the upmarket Meribel resort when he fell and hit his head on a rock, prompting an urgent evacuation by helicopter.

In an update to reporters on Monday, doctors at the hospital in the southeastern city of Grenoble where he is being treated said it was still too early to make a prognosis on the famous patient.

Stephan Chabardes, the professor who operated on Schumacher, said the former racer arrived in hospital on Sunday in an agitated state and was not able to answer questions.

His condition “rapidly deteriorated” and he fell into a coma, he told reporters.

Payen said he was operated on and put into an artificial coma, adding he had been partially protected by his helmet. “If someone had had this type of accident without a helmet, they would definitely not be here,” he said.

Schumacher a ‘crazy daredevil’ News of Schumacher’s accident stunned the Formula One community and his former teammates joined thousands on Twitter in wishing him a speedy recovery.

“My thoughts are with Michael Schumacher at this tough time.. Michael more than anyone has the strength to pull through this,” tweeted British F1 driver Jenson Button.

Schumacher’s former teammate at Benetton Martin Brundle wrote on Twitter: “Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it.”

He added that the German was “a crazy brave skydiving/bike racing daredevil”.

In his native Germany, fans were anxiously awaiting the next update on Schumacher’s condition and the media was awash with the news.

“We’re very upset. We know him

MAIN POINTS n Schumacher “is in critical condition. One can

describe it as life-threatening,” said JeanFrancois Payen, head of intensive care.

n Schumacher was admitted with “major

brain trauma,” the hospital said. “His limbs moved spontaneously but he was unable to respond to questions,” said neurosurgeon Stephan Chabardes.

n Scans showed he suffered a serious blow

to the right side of his head. He was immediately operated on to relieve bleeding and bruising in the brain.

n A post-operation scan showed “wide-

spread lesions on both sides of the brain,” according to Chabardes.

n He is currently in an artificial coma, re-

ducing his temperature to around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) to reduce swelling and stop unnecessary brain activity that uses up oxygen. “Right now, our goal is to reduce all external stimuli and oxygenate his brain as much as possible,” said Payen.

n Schumacher suffered a major blow to the

head but was partially protected by his helmet, said Payen. “If someone had this type of accident without a helmet, they would definitely not be here.”

really well. He’s a fighter, we’re crossing fingers that he will win this battle,” said Michael Viehmann, president of a Schumacher fan club in Kerpen, where the retired racer grew up.

Schumacher’s accident comes after several off-piste skiers died or were injured in the Alps, and on Sunday authorities in the Savoie department where Meribel is located asked skiers to be extra “vigilant”.

Schumacher, who won the last of his world titles in 2004, definitively retired in 2012 in the Brazilian Grand Prix, in which he finished seventh, after an abandoned attempt to quit six years earlier.

Since his debut in 1991, the German towered over the sport, winning more Formula One world titles and races than any other. He had a record 91 wins and is one of only two men to reach 300 grands prix.

Schumacher’s duels in his heyday with Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, fired by an unquenchable competitive spirit, have gone down in Formula One lore. l

Stoke’s Walters slams fixture schedule

Suarez accused of diving by Mourinho

n AFP, London

Luis Suarez’s “wild nature” was on display as he tried to win a penalty with an “acrobatic swimming pool jump” that deserved a yellow card for simulation, according to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea had done well to stifle the Liverpool marksman before the flash point in the final stages of their absorbing 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday that left Mourinho and Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers in firm disagreement.

Trailing after goals by Eden Hazard and Samuel Eto’o following Martin Skrtel’s early strike, Suarez set off after Chelsea fullback Cesar Azpilicueta only for Eto’o to block his run, leaving the Uruguayan on the floor appealing in vain to referee Howard Webb.

“The player is amazing and I love his quality, commitment and ambition to play,” Mourinho told British media

Stoke City forward Jon Walters has criticised the Premier League’s jampacked year-end fixture schedule after his side had to play two away games in four days.

Matches come thick and fast in England during the festive period, but whereas some clubs benefited from back-to-back home games, a number of teams had to play away from home twice.

West Bromwich Albion travelled to Tottenham Hotspur and then West Ham United on December 26 and 28, while Southampton had to visit Cardiff City and Everton.

Stoke’s fans, meanwhile, had to make a 700-mile (1125-kilometre) round trip to take in the 5-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Thursday and

Sunday’s 3-0 reverse at Tottenham Hotspur.

“Got to say fair play to all the Stoke fans who travelled to both away games at Christmas time and never stopped singing! #hardcore,” Walters wrote on Twitter.

“Also a big well done to whoever sorted out the fixtures over this period!

It was nice for every team who were at home on the 26th to be home again on the 28th/29th.

“That’s a fair way of doing things for fans and players alike who have to travel length and breadth of the country at Christmas time!!”

This season, Premier League clubs have been obliged to play four times in the space of 12 days over the Christmas period, prompting complaints from managers. l

n Reuters

of Premier League top scorer Suarez, banned for 10 games after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in a game last April. “I know him from his time at Ajax. A very nice boy. He does everything to win, and Brendan has done a very good job with him because he’s changed.

No doubt, he’s changed.

“But when you are losing, the nature comes out of the player. The wild nature, the cultural nature of the player. Culturally, people from that area, they like it.

Not just that area. There’s a corner in Europe, where I belong too, where they like that too.

“One of the things we have good in this country is we don’t like simulation.

It’s not good for our game. Azpilicueta had the ball, he was leaving the box, and now Suarez is doing an acrobatic swimming pool jump to try and get the penalty because he’s so clever he knows he’s in the penalty area right in front of the Liverpool supporters.

Luis Suarez reacts against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London on Sunday “I hate players who try to provoke situations, and he tries too much to provoke these situations. Suarez lost that duel with Azpilicueta, Eto’o comes in

REUTERS

and it looks like somebody shot him in the back. Webb is 10 metres away and the only mistake he made was not giving him a yellow card.” l

Mourinho praises 'Celtic not getting credit due' ‘fantastic’ Terry n AFP, Inverness after 600th game n

PSG players arrive at a training session in Doha yesterday ahead of their friendly match against Real Madrid in Doha on January 2

AP

Reuters, London

Chelsea captain John Terry is far from finished and playing as well as ever after 600 matches for his club, manager Jose Mourinho said on Sunday.

The 33-year-old former England skipper, whose form was said to be in decline last season, turned out for Chelsea for the 600th time in their 2-1 home victory over Liverpool in the Premier League.

The win lifted Chelsea into third place, two points behind leaders Arsenal and pushed Liverpool down to fifth, four points further back.

“More important than the accumulation of the 600 matches is that he played every minute of the 19 matches in the Premier League this season amazing for a player who last season lots of people said was going down,” Mourinho told reporters. l

Neil Lennon says Celtic are not getting the credit they deserve after his side recorded their seventh straight victory in the Scottish Premiership following a 1-0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The Hoops have dropped just six points in their opening 18 fixtures and have reached the New Year undefeated in the Scottish Premiership for only the fifth time in the club’s history.

The Glasgow giants are firmly on course to retain their title and have already amassed an 11 point lead at the top of the table at the half-way stage.

However, the Hoops crashed out of Europe with five defeats in six Champions League matches and were knocked out of the League Cup by Championship side Morton.

And with Rangers, who are

traditionally Celtic’s biggest rivals for the title, languishing in League One as they attempt to make their way back to the top of Scottish football some critics say there is a lack of competition for Lennon’s side at the moment.

But after the win against Inverness, he had nothing but praise for his players.

“There are some people who say there is a lack of competitiveness in the league but the players still have to go out there and win the games and still have to prepare mentally and physically,” Lennon said.

“I cannot speak highly enough of what the players are trying to achieve at the moment.

“It was a great win and another clean sheet. We had to work hard for it but that’s back to back victories away from home and 18 games unbeaten.

“It is a fantastic achievement and the players are giving us everything. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Coaching greats good for the game: Federer

QUICK BYTES

Isinbayeva shocked by attacks in Russian hometown

n

Russia’s double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva on Monday said she was devastated and shocked by two deadly attacks that have rocked her hometown of Volgograd in southern Russia. “It is hard for me to talk now,” Isinbayeva told the ITAR-TASS news agency. “None of my family or loved ones suffered. But I feel terrible, simply terrible.” Isinbayeva, who enthralled Russia with her victory in the World Athletics Championships in Moscow this summer, is probably the most famous living resident of the city. The athletics star was born in Volgograd in 1982 to a Russian mother and father of Dagestan origin. She still trains in the city under the guidance of her coach since childhood, Yevgeny Trofimov. Volgograd is primarily known as the site of the World War II Battle of Stalingrad, seen as a turning point in the conflict which paved the way for the defeat of Nazi Germany by the USSR. – AFP

Vettel ‘shocked’ by Schumacher accident German Formula One quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel said Monday he was shocked by the skiing accident that left his compatriot Michael Schumacher with a serious head injury.

“I am shocked and I hope that he’ll be feeling better as soon as possible,” Vettel, 26, told German sporting news agency SID, an AFP subsidiary. “I wish his family much strength now.” Schumacher, who turns 45 on Friday, remains in critical condition after neurosurgical surgery at a Grenoble hospital, following his skiing accident Sunday when he fell and hit a rock.

– AFP

Durant powers Thunder over Rockets for best record NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant netted 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to spark Oklahoma City past Houston 117-86 Sunday, giving the Thunder a league-best record of 25-5. Reggie Jackson, playing in place of the injured Thunder star guard Russell Westbrook, scored 16 points and passed out a game-high eight assists and Thabo Sefolosha added 13 points for Oklahoma City. The Rockets, who fell to 21-12, were led by 17 points from reserve guard Aaron Brooks and 15 each from Chandler Parsons and reserve Omri Casspi. Dwight Howard managed only nine points and nine rebounds as Houston fell behind 16-14 after the first quarter and were blitzed in the second half. Durant produced his seventh 30-point and 10-rebound effort of the season as the Thunder won at home for the 14th time in 15 tries in their first game of the season against Houston. Westbrook is not expected to return until after the NBA All-Star Game in February after right knee surgery.

– AFP

Indian flag hopes on ice ahead of Sochi Games

He may be India’s main medal hope in February’s Winter Olympics but Shiva Keshavan still doesn’t know if he will compete under the national flag when he hurtles down the ice on his luge in Sochi. Keshavan, a veteran of four previous Olympics, is well accustomed to obstacles in his career representing a country better known for its sun-baked cricket pitches than frozen speed tracks. At his first Olympics in Nagano, Japan, in 1998, the then 16-year-old competed with a borrowed sled, an oversized jacket and ill-fitting shoes.

And he was only able to enter the 2010 Vancouver Games when a group of Indian lawyers clubbed together to buy him a $10,000 replacement for a sled that he had smashed in training just before departing for Canada.

– AFP

Pakistan cricket team captain Misbah-ul-Haq (L) and Sri Lanka cricket team captain Angelo Mathews (R) hold the series trophy during a press conference at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are due to play three Test matches, the first starting today at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi AFP

Roger Federer, who has taken on childhood hero Stefan Edberg as part of his team, thinks the recruitment of former great players as coaches will be good for tennis in the long term. The 17-times major champion said bringing the likes of Edberg, Ivan Lendl, who coaches Andy Murray, and Boris Becker, who is now working with Novak Djokovic, back into the sport was a positive move.

The 32-year-old, who earlier this week said Edberg had taken some coaxing to get involved, had been surprised at Becker’s involvement, though.

“I didn’t think he wanted to become a coach, I didn’t expect to see him back on tour, that was a bit of a surprise,” Federer told on Monday. “But then again, I’m happy to see former greats and legends excited to be doing such a job and wanting to help the next generation and it brings them back into the game. “I think it’s a good thing, I think in tennis we have tendency to, I won’t say drive out, our legends and former greats (but) I think we should integrate them more. l

Pakistan trust in bowlers Doolan called up to to overcome Sri Lanka Australian squad n

Pakistan will rely on their strong bowling line-up led by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal to tame Sri Lanka in the threematch Test series starting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Tuesday.

Pakistan won the preceding one-day series 3-2 on the back of penetrative bowling and strong batting, but captain Misbah-ul Haq warned that they need to be at their best to beat Sri Lanka in the Tests.

“Ajmal has been performing a key role for us and we hope for the best in this Test,” said Misbah, who led Pakistan to a 1-1 series draw against world number one South Africa in their last Test series, in the UAE in October.

“We know each other well so it will be a good contest,” said Misbah. “We know that the Sri Lankans are good in these conditions, and with players like (Kumar) Sangakkara and (Mahela) Jay-

awardene, they are a dangerous side.

“So we need to play good cricket to win.”

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in the UAE in 2011, with Ajmal taking 18 wickets in three Tests while Umar Gul (14 wickets) and Junaid Khan (12) shouldered the burden of the pace attack.

Despite the loss, Sangakkara scored 516 runs including a double century in Abu Dhabi. He and Jayawardene are the stalwarts of the team’s batting.

Sangakkara, a stylish left-hander, was also the star when Sri Lanka beat Pakistan 1-0 at home last year, scoring 490 in three Tests.

By contrast, Pakistan’s batting has been vulnerable and they were dismissed for 49 and 99 this year.

But Mohammad Hafeez’s return to form, with three centuries in the onedayers against Sri Lanka, and the experience of Younis Khan and Misbah will boost them.

US thrash Spain n

Spain’s Hopman Cup title defence is all but over after they were beaten 3-0 by the United States on Monday.

The Spanish pairing of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Daniel Munoz-De La Nava were also beaten by the Czech Republic on Sunday and while they still have one group tie left, they cannot reach Saturday’s final of the mixed teams tournament.

Medina Garrigues was thrashed 6-3, 6-1 by world number 12 Sloane Stephens in the women’s singles.

The towering John Isner then cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 victory against the outclassed De La Nava, the world number 194 who was only called up for the tournament at the last moment to replace the injured Tommy Robredo.

In the mixed doubles, the Americans completed a clean sweep when they came from a set down to win 4-6, 6-0, 10-4 in a match tiebreak.

It was the first tie of the tournament for the United States, who are aiming for a record seventh title in Perth.

Stephens, who reached the semifinals of the Australian Open in January, was far too good for the struggling Medi-

na Garrigues, ranked 100th in the world.

Although the Spaniard was moving better than in Spain’s opening tie when she battled knee soreness, she also appeared to be discomforted by the Perth heat and served several double faults late in the match.

The emerging Stephens had far too many shots for the veteran, hitting a number of impressive winners off both wings and wrapping up the match with a commanding overhead.

Medina Garrigues won all but one of her four singles matches as she teamed with Fernando Verdasco to win the title earlier this year, but has won just five games in her two outings this week.

Stephens, 20, was satisfied with her first outing of the new season.

“I am really excited to get my first win of the year here, I played really solid,” she said.

“It was a little hot so I tried to keep my composure but I’m really happy with the way I played and happy to be back here in Australia.

“I thought it was a good way to start the year off.”

The big-serving Isner, ranked 14th in the world, took just over an hour to dispose of Munoz-De La Nava. l

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 7:00AM Memphis v Chicago 9:30AM LA Clippers v Phoenix Star Sports 4 8:00AM Hopman Cup Italy v Australia Star Sports 1 2:30PM Big Bash T20 Adelaide v Perth

15

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

John Isner of the US (L) shakes hands with Daniel La Nava of Spain (R) after defeating him in their men's singles match on day three of the Hopman Cup in Perth yesterday AFP

Misbah said the Test series was expected to be close but Pakistan had a slight edge in the bowling.

Herath and senior batsman Jayawardene both missed the one-day series for family reasons.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka will also aim to give their coaches a winning sendoff.

Pakistan’s Dav Whatmore and his Sri Lankan counterpart Graham Ford will leave their jobs after the Test series.

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews refused to accept that Pakistan started as favourites.

“Both sides are equally matched and with Mahela and Herath back, we will be at full strength in the Tests and we will look to be more competitive,” he said.

“Pakistan have a very strong bowling attack but we have the batsmen to handle them so we must counter-attack and be smart.” l

n Australia on Monday added batsman Alex Doolan to their squad ahead of the final Ashes Test against England as doubts remained over the fitness of some players.

Cricket Australia said the Tasmanian was the only addition to the squad which is leading the series 4-0 and firm favourite to win the fifth Test starting Friday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Doolan is expected to be available if all-rounder Shane Watson is ruled out after suffering a groin strain dur-

ing the fourth Test win in Melbourne.

Fast bowler Ryan Harris is also battling chronic knee soreness.

“With some players still being assessed by our medical team after four demanding Tests, we have decided to add Alex to ensure we have sufficient cover in our batting line-up should it be required,” national selector John Inverarity said. “Alex is a talented player who came under strong consideration for selection ahead of the Ashes series after a string of solid performances in four-day cricket for Tasmania at the start of this season, but also after an excellent finish to last season.”

Despite the call-up, bowling coach Craig McDermott predicted no changes to the attack for the fifth Test.

“I fully expect we’ll have the same team, or the same bowling group in Sydney,” he said. “I’m very confident that will happen. Watto proved that (fitness) yesterday – he ran between wickets pretty well.” l

Flower backs Cook, to discuss coaching future in Sydney n England team director Andy Flower has backed Alastair Cook’s captaincy and will have talks with his new boss in Sydney this week about his own future in the wake of the tourists’ fourth straight loss in the Ashes series.

Flower, one of the principal architects of England’s brief rise to the pinnacle of test cricket in 2011, is contracted to the end of the Ashes which wraps up with the fifth and final match in Sydney.

Both Flower and Cook have faced calls to step down from their positions after England’s eight-wicket loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, which gave the hosts a 4-0 lead in the series.

“Paul Downton the new managing director has arrived in Australia and I’ll

Sharapova dominates on return in Brisbane n Maria Sharapova returned after four months out injured with a completely dominant 6-3 6-0 victory over France’s Caroline Garcia in the opening round of the Brisbane International on Monday.

The world number four showed no signs of the shoulder injury which has kept her off court since the Western and Southern Open in August as she raced into the second round in 64 minutes on Pat Rafter arena. “I was pretty sick of the off-season and I was ready to get going,” a beaming Sharapova said on court.

“I missed the game, I wanted to come out here and really perform well and I tried to do that.”

Clearly frustrated after so long without any competitive action, the 26-year-old Russian came out firing on all cylinders and raced to a 3-0 lead against her 74th ranked opponent.

The four-times major champion, watched by her new coach Sven Groeneveld, ruthlessly dismantled the big serve that has created excitement around the 20-year-old Garcia. l

be meeting with him in Sydney,” Flower told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

“We’ll talk about the leadership of the national team with regards to the coaching position.

“I’m very motivated to contribute to English cricket and that’s what I’m going to do.” Former England wicketkeeper

Downton was appointed in October to take over from the outgoing Hugh Morris in February but is making a special trip Down Under to cast his eye over the team. The entire England staff is set to be reviewed after the fifth test in Sydney and Flower’s possible departure would likely be followed by several more, including batting coach Graham Gooch.

Cook’s captaincy has come under mounting scrutiny with each loss in the Ashes tour, and by any measure, the 29-year-old endured a poor test in Melbourne.

Apart from dropping two catches at first slip in the first half-hour of day four when his team needed quick wickets, Cook’s field placements and bowling changes were heavily criticised by former players and pundits on both sides. l

Serena rivalry making me a better player, says Azarenka n Victoria Azarenka thinks her rivalry with Serena Williams is making her a better player and is looking forward to renewing it over the next four weeks at the Brisbane International and the Australian Open.

World number two behind the 17-times major champion, Azarenka will only meet Williams if both players make the final at the Pat Rafter arena next weekend and Melbourne Park on Jan 25.

The Belarussian, who has won the Australian Open for the last two years, has a 3-13 record against Williams but split last year’s four matches and beat the American 7-5 6-3 in an exhibition match in Thailand at the weekend.

“I think it’s great, first of all, to be a part of that rivalry because it really helps you to grow as a player, as a person,” the 24-year-old told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.

“You learn things about yourself and what you need to improve, because when somebody is taking you to the limit you really have a good look at what you have to do better to rise up.

“I definitely enjoy that and love tough competition. To take that challenge for me every time is very exciting. That’s what I wake up for and train hard for.”

Azarenka avoided Williams altogether in Australia last year, firstly in bizarre circumstances in Brisbane when she was forced to withdraw from their semifinal meeting after a pedicure went wrong. They were again scheduled to meet in the last four in Melbourne before an injury-hampered Williams lost her quarter-final to compatriot Sloane Stephens. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Nilphamari Jamaat brings businessmen to its fold, seeking donations Jamil Khan, n Mohammad from Nilphamari The impoverishment of paupers facing the threat of extinction in the district creates a platform for Jamaat-e-Islami and their financial institutions to play the role of Samaritans, bringing the helpless under the party’s umbrella.

Part of the district’s ultra-poor population, originally river erosion victims from neighbouring Gaibandha, Mymensingh and Netrakona, are the beneficiaries of this aid.

The dedicated Jamaat leadership arrange livelihood for the downtrodden by managing loans from the Islami Bank in Nilphamari.

While investigating, this correspondent found that the poverty-ridden people were sponsored on generous terms by the commercial bank, and an intermediary of the party arranges the financial help.

The intermediary is none but the Polashbari upazila Jamaat Amir Prof Abu Helal of Chanderhat College.

Prof Helal manages funds for local Jamaat-Shibir activists.

The Jamaat leader is operating several rice mills and a big ceramic shop named Sanita Ceramic through different owners.

A portion of the profits is donated by the owners, going to the party at the local level.

Within a 20-kilometre distance, the bank has established two big branches to serve Jamaat-accredited borrowers.

Of the two branches, one is situated at Sayedpur, which is the commercial zone of Nilphamari, while another is in the district headquarters.

If one went to the bank with a reference from Jamaat men, one can take out a loan very easily, said a source.

Anowar Hossain, the manager of Islami Bank of Nilphamari district, told

Hazi Faruk, owner of Sanita Ceramic and Rokon (a party position) of Jamaat-e-Islami, said they made generous donations to several social programmes organised by different organisations.

Jamaat upazila Amir Prof Abu Helal said his party believed in peaceful politics and claimed it was not involved in any kind of sabotage.

About financing for local politics, he said: “We obtain funds from donations and business activities.”

However, police show a lack of interest in how the party got funding.

Mohammad Zubayedur Rahman, the police super of Nilphamari, told the Dhaka Tribune that Jamaat-Shibir activists get their financing as they do in other districts.

“We have no information about how they get their funds. We are just trying to trace and arrest those involved in committing sabotage,” the police official said. l

Abducted boy killed in capital n Tribune Report The strangled body of a schoolboy, abducted four days ago from the city’s Lalbagh area, was recovered from a pond in Keraniganj upazila yesterday.

Shakil Hossain, 11, was a fourthgrade student at a school in the old part of the capital and lived with his family.

Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam of Keraniganj Model police station said Shakil’s body bore several injury marks.

“The kidnappers demanded a ransom of Tk340,000 after taking him away. They conveyed their demand to his family over phone. However, the number they used was found switched off when his family tried to contact them later,” he said.

Police arrested a paternal uncle of the victim named Salamot Hossain in connection with the incident yesterday.

“We came to know of the abduction after his father lodged a GD on December 28. We are now trying to know if anyone else helped Salamot,” the official said. The body has been sent to Sir Salimullah Medical College morgue for postmortem examination. l

The manager denied the claim that a political reference was key to taking out a loan for the impoverished population.

To delve into the bank’s sponsorship for business, this correspondent posed as a would-be businessman seeking financial support to start a new business

and asked a drugstore owner Amiruzzaman in the district’s Boro Bazar area how to take out a loan.

Amiruzzaman said: “There are many opportunities and you could also get a loan from the bank if you really want to establish a business in the district.”

“But you have to wait till the political situation turns normal because those who would manage a loan for you are on the run,” he said.

The drugstore owner added: “An educated person like you would easily get support from the bank, as I did.”

The Dhaka Tribune investigation found that “Moonlight” – the district’s biggest drugstore located at Chourangi intersection – was owned by a Jamaat man.

Besides, a large tobacco business was established in Ramganj area from where tobacco companies bought raw materials and a portion of the profits went to a Jamaat fund.

Later that month, in another petition, he sought High Court directives asking the prime minister to advise the president to dissolve parliament before announcing the polls schedule.

On October 3, another Akhand petition sought directives to hold the next two parliamentary polls under a caretaker government system.

Earlier in the year, he filed separate writs against the city corporation polls and sought directives regarding the necessity of the two parties holding a dialogue.

High Court practitioner Asaduzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune: “For the Court to rule in favour of a public interest litigation, there should be a prima facie. People may decide to report something they have seen. But if the court finally sees that there is nothing then it will discharge the petition and charge the petitioner for wrongdoing. But, we never follow up.”

In common law jurisdictions, prima facie denotes evidence that – unless rebutted – would be sufficient to prove a particular proposition or fact.

Asaduzzaman also said: “Nowadays, 80% of the writ petitions are not properly drafted. If someone does it only to show off then the court must not entertain it.” l

An activist of Awami Jubo League throws bricks at pro-BNP lawyers in front of the High Court yesterday

the Dhaka Tribune they were financing over 6,000 small and big businesses across the district since 2000.

Some of their loans are in excess of Tk1cr. Asked about political references for such loans, he said: “Actually, we look at the type of business and other aspects of the loan applications.”

The dedicated Jamaat leadership arrange for a means of livelihood for the downtrodden by managing loan from the Islami Bank in Nilphamari

The jack of all writs... n Udisa Islam

A High Court lawyer, who has filed at least 15 writ petitions in the name of public interest litigations this year, has said his recent petition challenging the legality of the speaker of parliament was filed only to grab the media’s attention.

Earlier this year, advocate Mohammad Yunus Ali Akhand filed another writ petition challenging the evaluation system of the medical admission test because, reportedly, his daughter had failed to score enough points to get admission into a public medical college.

Sources said, some of the 15 writs that he filed this year, most of which were related to politics, had never in fact been heard by the court. Some of the benches even refused to keep his writs in records at all.

Recently, in reply to a question from a journalist about the petition challenging the speaker, Akand got witty: “Journalists are having lazy times because of the blockades. So, to give them some work, I filed the writ.”

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury became the first female speaker of parliament in April, eight months before Akhand filed the writ on December 24.

AKM Shamsul Islam, registrar of the High Court, said: “Too many cases are already pending. Many more are still in the waiting list. How can we manage if someone keeps on filing one writ petition after another?”

In his December 24 writ, citing the 15th amendment to the constitution, Akhand said the speaker must be elected from among the 300 members through competitive voting.

When asked why it took him eight months to file the writ, Akhand, on a more serious note, said: “It has been in my mind for a long time, but I did not get the time to file it.”

On November 3, Akhand filed a petition seeking directives to the political parties to not enforce hartals and blockades when public examinations were ongoing.

On November 14, in another plea, he challenged the legality of ministers and state ministers enjoying security protocols and state monetary benefits after having “surrendered” their posts.

Three days before that, ministers and state ministers of the immediate past government sent letters to the prime minister expressing what they said was their “intent” to resign.

People brave violence, transport shortage to meet daily needs Islam Shaon and n Ashif Syed Samiul Basher Anik

Shohag overcomes hunger to score GPA 5 n Our Correspondent, Chandpur “Most of the days we did not have any food at home, and my son had to go to school without having anything. I could not provide my son with good food or clothes. I cannot make anyone understand, how painful it is for a mother. I begged for food from nearby houses and fed my sons.

Some days, we all starved and cried as we could not manage anything,” explained Shirin Begum, embracing her elder son Ibrahim Hossain Shohag, who overturned the plight of poverty to earn GPA-5 in yesterday’s published Primary School Certificate (PSC) examination results.

Getting the news of his result, Shohag rushed to his mother, who works as house help. His father Mir Hosain is a day labourer, who cannot work daily because of his illness.

Shohag’s family home does not have a kitchen, her mother cooks at others’ kitchen, where she works, if they can manage food. Shirin had always felt ashamed as a result.

However, Shohag’s extraordinary result has given her a reason to forget all suffering and miseries. She hoped her son

would do better in the future and make their dreams come true.

“We two (Sohag’s parents) could not cross the boundary of class V. Nowadays it is hard to live well without being educated. I will make my son educated, and I took that oath on the very day Sohag was admitted to the school,” she said.

When asked, Shohag, with a smile on his face, said: “I will be a doctor.”

“I usually hear from other guardians that their children do not eat, and they have to run after their children to feed them. It saddens me to think of Shohag when I hear these stories. I can do nothing but sigh,” said Manik Bhoumik, principal of Shohag’s school, Sunrise Kindergarten.

“Shohag is a talented boy. Apart from PSC, he took part in many private scholarship exams and achieved them in talent-pools,” said Manik.

Meanwhile, Shohag’s mother was anxious about her son’s student life.

She said: “I am very happy with his result. But I feel afraid when I think about the future of his studies.”

Manik urged wealthy individuals in the society to give a helping hand, so Sohag can continue his studies. l

The tense situation that gripped people on Sunday seemed to have given way to undaunted courage as thousands of city residents came out yesterday, braving the likely violence centering around the opposition’s “March for Democracy”.

The city dwellers, who could not but go out for emergency needs, suffered as much as the days before yesterday, since the “government-sponsored traffic restriction” kept almost all vehicles off the roads.

Law enforcers put barricades up across the city and searched people.

The number of rickshaws, vans, auto-rickshaws, private cars and goods-laden vehicles rose significantly, but the thin presence of passenger buses actually made no difference to the ongoing suffering.

A huge contingent of police, Border Guard Bangladesh and Rab were seen posted at different parts of the capital amid fears of a clash between opposition men, police and pro-government activists.

No long-route buses ran from the inter-district bus depot and no water vehicles left the capital from the Sadarghat Terminal.

The government had de-linked the capital from the rest of the country since Thursday evening, by snapping all communication networks between Dhaka and other districts, in a bid to resist the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance’s agitation programme.

The opposition alliance announced the “Dhaka march” demanding that the government arrange the election under a non-partisan interim administration to avert polls fraud.

As the government foiled the “march” towards Dhaka, and did not let BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to come out of her Gulshan residence,

the leader of the opposition yesterday announced a day extension of the programme.

The Kamalapur Railway Station also looked bare as no trains left or came to the station for the second consecutive day, and for “security reasons” the authorities asked all waiting passengers to leave the station.

Visiting the station, a large number of railway security forces were found patrolling the platform and adjacent areas. They were also on guard at the entry gates and asking people to go back home.

‘We will go to Chittagong.

Last night, they said the train would run in the morning, but now they did not let us enter the platform area’ “No train will leave now. Come later,” a guard told this correspondent around 2pm. Later, examining the ID card he let the newsman in.

There were no passengers on the platform except the security guards.

Rab, Police and BGB men were standing outside the terminal building.

“We will go to Chittagong. Last night, they said the train would run in the morning, but now they do not let us enter the platform area,” alleged Sheuli Begum. The woman, with her college student son, was waiting outside the building.

Officer-in-Charge of railway security Mujibur Rahman said they had not been letting any passengers enter the platform area since Sunday night for security reasons.

“The decision came from the highups,” he said.

From Gabtoli bus station, only some small buses left the capital to nearby destinations including Manikganj and

Aricha, however, long-route bus services remained suspended.

Shyamoli Paribahan counter manager Mohammad Saiful told the Dhaka Tribune they were not running services for fear of violence, but that the decision might be changed at night.

“This is only for lack of passengers.

We need to fill at least 40 seats to run the services. As soon as we get instructions from the higher authorities, we will run services,” he claimed.

Ambia Akhter, a mother, was seen waiting with her six-month-old child at the Gabtoli Bus terminal around 2pm.

“I came to Dhaka a few days back to consult a doctor for my daughter.

We consulted the physician on Saturday morning, but we have since been waiting to go home because there is no transport,” she told the Dhaka Tribune.

Contacted, Md Faruk Talukder Sohel, managing director of Shohagh Paribahan, and a representative of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners’ Association, said they were instructed to book seats for the long-route bus services around 4pm.

However, Association of Bus Companies President Khandker Rafiqul Hossain Kajol told the Dhaka Tribune last night they had not yet taken any decision on whether to resume services or not.

“People who feel safe are running services, but we have yet to decide,” he said.

Our Barisal correspondent reports that Dhaka-bound road and water transport will resume from Monday night. It was suspended on Friday night after pressure by the law enforcement agencies.

Barisal Bus and Launch Owners Association, and sources in different booking offices and ticket counters, said they had decided to resume the services of Dhaka-bound vehicles, as their central committee and law enforcement agencies permitted them to do so. l

RAJIB DHAR

Boy burned while playing with fire n Ashif Islam Shaon

“Aunty…my body is burning...pour some water please,” Mahadi, an eightyear-old boy, was crying before he fainted on a bed of Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s burns unit yesterday evening.

The boy did not know that the flames they were playing with could be dangerous. In the afternoon with three playmates and cousins, he poured some kerosene on a pile of scrapped paper after they had set fire to it.

Mahadi was playing near our house with three friends and cousins. The kids were trying to light up some scrap papers to get heat The flames exploded and burnt 67% of his body, including the respiratory system. The incident took place in Nayagao of the city’s Kamrangirchar area around 4:30pm. An hour later he was admitted to the burns unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

“Mahadi was playing near our house with three friends and cousins. The kids were trying to light up some scrap papers to get heat,” said Amirul, a cousin of Mahadi.

“The papers were making smoke.

So Mahadi brought a kerosene jar from home and poured some on the pile.

But the kerosene burst into flames and burnt him,” he said.

Mahadi studies in class four at Suchana Academy in the area. His father Md Habib went abroad six years ago and his mother Mukta Begum married again.

“My father gave shelter to Mahadi and his two younger brothers — Nehal and Mehedi,” said cousin Amirul.

Doctors at DMCH said they had no hope of the boy’s survival.

“He does not know that his injuries are that severe. He is looking for his parents and siblings,” said Amirul. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Continue to the Business section...

Business

EXCHANGE RATES Average selling rates to public in BDT Banks Rupali Bank Currencies SELL BUY 77.4 77.8 USD 105.329 108.55 EURO 1.18 1.336 INR 20.537 21.006 SAR

Sonali Bank SELL BUY 77.4

77.8

105.862

108.323

1.18

1.28

20.534

21.01

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2013 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Toughest year yet robust growth The RMG in 2013 witnessed several incidents including Rana Plaza disaster n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

the trade facilities.

On June 27, the US government suspended the GSP because of concerns over labour rights and workers’ safety that intensified after hundreds of workers died in the worst global garment industry accident.

The European Union raised question over democracy and human rights as they would go for a review on the safety issues and the trade preferences for Bangladesh. “The issues coupled with the political unrest would influence negatively the reviews on trade preferences by the US and EU,” Parvez said.

The country’s readymade garments industry was stated to have passed the toughest ever year in 2013 since it started growing in 1980s.

The year faced worst ever fire incident and deadliest ever factory building collapse, followed by cancellation of Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) by the US authorities and repeated threats by global apparel buyers to cancel orders.

Despite the adversities that also include prolonged political unrest, exports rose substantially thanks to demands stimulated by low cost production mainly due to cheaper labour, who eventually won an announcement for increased wages.

“It was a year of nightmare,” said Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

Bangladesh witnessed several incidents including Rana Plaza building collapse, fire at Smart Garment, Aswad Composite Knitting Limited throughout the year that killed over 1,144 workers and nearly 3,000 sustained injuries.

The Rana Plaza building collapse following Tazreen Fashion fire incident raised question among the buyers about the factory safety and workers’ security, creating an image crisis and thus offering a big challenge to the industry.

The GSP suspension, followed by a threat to review the EU trade preferences under the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative, are also big challenges that might leave the sector in danger if the major importers do not reconsider

BSEC opens probe against investors n Tribune Report

The securities regulator has opened probe against some investors for their alleged involvement in manipulating shares prices of some scrips.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has formed an enquiry committee to conduct investigation against some investors involved with influencing share prices in various securities, according to a statement posted on the websites of stock exchanges.

The regulator has also formed another enquiry committee to conduct an enquiry into holdings of more than 10% of total shares of listed Takaful Islami Insurance Limited jointly by non-listed Star Share Bazar Limited and Golam Mostafa, Managing Director of Star Share Bazar Limited.

Both the committees have been asked to submit the investigative reports to the commission within next 30 working days.

The committees have been asked to submit the report within 30 working days.

The BSEC has also decided to dispose of the proceedings against Monno Ceramic Industries Ltd., its directors, managing director and company secretary for non-compliance of securities laws in connection with the delayed submission of audited financial statements for the year ended on June 30, 2013. l

Financial markets close today n Tribune Report The country’s financial and capital markets will remain closed for the clients today – the year-end 2013.

Banks and financial institutions will not provide services to the clients due to the bank holiday when they would prepare their book closure.

Trading at the stock exchanges also remain suspended as their transactions depends on the banks.

The financial market would, however, resume tomorrow. l

B4

RMG WAGES

The EU, meanwhile, warns Bangladesh of restoring political stability and protecting human rights as well as ending violation of democratic practices by the political parties. Implementation of new wage structure also threw a challenge to the owners, especially the small and medium entrepreneurs.

“We had an advantage of cheap labour. Now we are close to our competitor in terms of productivity and wage,” said Ferdous Perves Bivon, a BGMEA director. He said around 40% capacity would remain idle due to lack of orders, which would cast shadow in implementing new wage structure – another big challenge ahead.

On November 21, the government-formed wage board announced Tk5,300 as minimum wage with a basic pay of Tk3,000 for entry-level garment workers and 5% of basic as yearly increment.

A number of Small and medium factories would not be able to pay work-

Banks get one more year to adjust single borrower limit n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank has extended the deadline by one more year for adjustment of the single borrower exposure limit by the commercial banks to facilitate financing operations of their subsidiaries, mainly brokerage houses and merchant banks.

Banks will have to adjust the excess amount of loans to their respective subsidiaries by December 31 next year, instead of today, said a circular issued yesterday.

They have been asked to bring down the limit compulsorily within the specified period without extending the existing loan limit under any circumstance.

The decision was taken in the backdrop of severe liquidity crisis in the capital market, said a senior executive of the central bank.

In May, the Bangladesh Bank had extended the deadline for the adjust-

ment of banks’ exposure to share market from August 31 to December 31 this year.

Although a bank is allowed to lend maximum 15% of its paid up capital to a single borrower, many of the banks violated the rule in 2010 when the market witnessed a boom.

But, after the central bank’s taking a hard line against the anomalies, the market crashed in January.

Currently, 30 commercial banks out of a total of 56 are running 32 brokerage houses and merchant banks as their subsidiary companies. l

Greater development cooperation with the emerging economies as part of “south-south cooperation” model could be highly beneficial for Bangladesh in achieving its middle income aspiration, experts told a workshop in Dhaka yesterday.

To that end, deeper collaboration with the emerging economies of the south is needed in the areas of trade, overseas employment and technical cooperation, they said.

The experts expressed the views at the workshop on “South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Bangladesh” at the NEC conference room organised by the Economic Relations Division (ERD).

“South-south cooperation is evolving as a significant platform for promoting development between the southern countries,” said ERD Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad.

“It is gradually becoming an effec-

tive way of building effective development cooperation between the low and middle income countries of the southern region.”

He said: “Our current vision is beyond the MDGs since we want to be middle income country. Thus, our challenges and expectations are higher and broader. We have to ensure both quantitative and qualitative aspects of development.”

Representatives and high officials from ERD and other government ministries and departments as well as civil society organisations took part at the workshop.

Recommendations from the workshop are expected to provide input for the upcoming high level meeting on Global Partnership to be held in Mexico in 2014 as well as for the Foreign Assistance Policy of Bangladesh that is now under formulation.

Speakers at the event discussed in detail the present status and the future

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Amid all odds including political turmoil, labour unrest and factory accidents, the country’s garment sector exports reached $21.2bn this year as of November, registering 21% growth compared to the same period last year, showed Export Promotion Bureau data.

The government has attributed the growth to competitive prices of the Bangladesh products.

“Apparel exports have continued to grow as we offer competitive prices in the global market,” said EPB vice chairman Shubhashis Bose.

The 2013 was not a good year at all for Bangladesh’s RMG sector as it faced several workplace accidents including the deadliest Rana Plaza collapse which killed over 1,000 workers. The intensified political violence and repeated labour unrest also hit the sector throughout the year.

Pressures from different labour rights groups and destination countries prompted the RMG factory owners to take initiative for ensuring workers’ safety. Wages have also been increased.

Exports have increased, but the unabated political unrest has cost the exporters higher. They were forced to send goods through the expensive air shipment because of the back-to-back blockades and hartals called by the opposition. Buyers have also cancelled orders.  B3 COLUMN 5

Supply shortage makes vegetables dearer n Tahmidur Rahman The prices of vegetables in the capital’s kitchen markets shot up substantially as supplies remained almost stalled due to no movement of vehicles from outside Dhaka.

The situation was created from Saturday due to the government’s restriction on the movement of vehicles to Dhaka apparently to make unsuccessful the opposition’s “March for Democracy” called for Sunday and was extended till Monday.

Suppliers failed to send goods also to elsewhere across the country as trucks stayed off the roads, connecting southern and northern regions.

It was a government-sponsored blockade by default, traders said.

Vegetables took the worst hit in the kitchen markets as prices increased

by Tk5 to Tk20 per kg yesterday as compared to last week that witnessed a pause after the opposition blockade.

Tomatoes were sold at Tk60 a kg yesterday against Tk50 on the previous day (Sunday) while aubergine Tk40 to Tk50 instead of Tk25 to Tk30, cucumber Tk40 instead of Tk30 and beans Tk30 instead of Tk20.

South-south cooperation key to middle income status n Tribune Report

ers in accordance with the new wage structure and have to shut down the factories, said BGMEA vice president Shahidullah Azim. He said it would have been better if the wages set commensurate with the industry capacity.

Meanwhile, the Alliance and Accord platforms of American and European Union committed to provide tangible safety improvements and benefits to Bangladeshi garment workers, especially to the women who make up around 80% of the RMG workforce.

Their comprehensive efforts are expected to bring constructive changes in making compliant the factories in Bangladesh, but it is a tough test for us and we have to overcome it successfully to achieve sustainable development in the sector, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB).

He said there will be no need for branding Bangladesh as the global brands were working for the country.

Murshedy said their goals are to provide rapid implementation of programmes like safety, workers’ empowerment, and the long-term support necessary to advance sustainable changes in an industry that is vital to the economic future of Bangladesh.

At the fag end of this year, he observed, the political unrest left the country’s economy, including the apparel sector, into deep crisis.

Besides making their own efforts to overcome the industry odds, the apparel sector leaders urged all to ensure a congenial political environment in the country to facilitate them facing the challenges and maintain the robust export growth. l

Exports grow 21% in 11 months

potential of South-South Cooperation and Triangular Cooperation in the context of Bangladesh. In doing so, they explored the potential areas for such cooperation, existing institutional and policy arrangements for such collaboration as well as possible challenges.

The workshop explored the potential of trade opportunities for Bangladesh with the Southern economies while focusing on the current constraints and also providing suggestions for more policy coherence and greater collaboration.

The workshop specially stressed on the potential of overseas employment opportunities for Bangladeshis in some of the emerging Southern economies such as Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Middle-eastern labour markets.

They emphasised eliminating both the supply side and demand side constraints to make the global labour market more beneficial for the southern countries. l

Similarly, per piece of cauliflowers and cabbages were sold at Tk25 a piece yesterday instead of Tk20 as on Sunday.

The price of local variety of onions rose by almost four times to Tk70 to Tk80 per kg instead of Tk20 last week.

The sudden suspension of trans-

ports put a stop to the last week’s reducing trend in the prices of vegetables, said Md Emran Master, president of Bangladesh Kanchamal Arrot Malik Samiti.

“Series of blockades from both the political players have interrupted the supply chain once again.” l

Tax return deadline expires today n Tribune Report

The deadline for submission of income tax returns by individual taxpayers expires today with poor response mainly due to political turmoil.

According to the income tax ordinance, the NBR can fine Tk1,000 at a time and Tk50 for each day if any TIN holder fails to submit the returns within the deadline Though there are around 13 lakh valid TIN holders, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) received around 8 lakh returns till Thursday, officials said.

The situation has made the NBR high-ups disappointed for failure to attract taxpayers despite extension of the deadline for three times.

According to the income tax ordinance, the NBR can fine Tk1,000 at a

time and Tk50 for each day if any TIN holder fails to submit the returns within the deadline.

However, the ordinance allows taxpayers to seek extension for submission of the return subject to valid reason.

The Deputy Commissioner of Taxes can allow maximum three months to the respective taxpayers.

The revenue body has made several efforts but failed to bring taxpayers under the newly introduced Electronic Taxpayers Identification Number (eTIN) since only 9.5 lakh taxpayers registered with the new system.

The system was introduced on July 1 to boost revenue collection, reduce hassles and prevent issuance of fake TINs. The deadline for E-TIN registration also expires today and there would be no effectiveness of old manual 10-digit TIN from tomorrow. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stocks end year on happy note

Turnover (Volume)

94,221,217

Institutional buying binge boosts turnover n Kayes Sohel

'In perspective of suffocating political affairs, the bourse passed a robust final session of the year' The benchmark DSEX index gained nearly 57 points or 1.4% to settle at 4,266. The index has been trading around 2013 highs as it traded close to 4,270 throughout the session, compared to the year high of 4,439 in November, 2013.

The blue chip comprising index DS30 was up 16 points or 1% to 1,446.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, closed at 8,377 with a rise of 107 points.

“It is purely institution-based rally,” said Abdul Awal, managing director of Multi Securities and Services Ltd. But retailers still adopted “wait and see” policy because of political uncertainty, he said.

The year-end portfolio rebalancing by investors caused increased activities, contributing to a 44% boost in turnover to Tk380 crore, recovering from previous session’s 2-month low.

Prices of more than 70% issues closed higher as out of 288 issues, 214 advanced, 51 declined and 23 remained unchanged.

“In perspective of suffocating political affairs, the bourse passed a robust final session of the year,” said IDLC Investment in its daily market analysis.

Year-end effect helped gain indices, it said.

All the sectors, except ceramics which edged down, were in positive zone, led by life insurance that rose almost 5%. It was followed by non-banking financial institutions that gained 1.9%, telecommunications 1.7% and banks 1.7%. Power and Pharmaceuticals edged up by 1% and 0.9% respectively.

In continuation of most of the trading session in last few weeks, market saw lackluster trading, as investor sentiment bleak on collapse economic activities over political violence, said Lanka Bangla Securities.

Though some dubious price movements in small cap stocks spurred the short-term rally in index, market ended on low note forming no specific direction eyeing poor investment scenario and lower credit demand at present, it said.

Golden Son, a manufacturing company, saw the highest liquidity for the second consecutive session as its shares worth Tk234.6 million changed hands.

Other turnover leaders included Bay Leasing, Appollo Ispat, Lanka Bangla Finance, Familytex, Delta Life Insurance, Generation Next Fashion, National Life Insurance and United Commercial Bank. l

DSE LOSERS Company GeminiSeaFoodA Eastern Lubricants -A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z National Housing Fin.-B NCCBL Mutual Fund-1-A Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z Libra Infusions-A Islamic Finance-A First Lease- A Union Capital -A

Closing (% change) -4.54 -3.30 -2.63 -2.38 -2.30 -2.22 -2.15 -2.09 -2.06 -1.98

CSE LOSERS Company Samata LeatheR -Z Islami Ins.BD-A Eastland Insur -A NLI 1st M F-A GPH Ispat Ltd-A Mercantile Insur -A Green Delta M.F.-A Argon Denims Limited-A Orion Infusions -A SonarBangla Insu. -A

Closing (% change) -9.73 -6.43 -3.97 -3.19 -2.85 -2.58 -1.85 -1.79 -1.69 -1.59

4266.55

(+) 1.35%

1466.25

(+) 1.10%

13202.94

(+) 1.28%

10839.27

(+) 1.41%

8377.36

(+) 1.30%

Average (% change) -4.15 -3.56 -12.24 0.06 -1.95 -0.30 -2.15 0.53 0.90 -0.57 Average (% change) -3.72 -5.91 -3.59 -2.67 -6.77 -0.83 -0.19 -0.35 -1.81 -1.63

ANALYST

Closing average 150.00 306.67 6.67 33.39 8.53 13.29 405.00 19.00 33.81 34.69

Closing average 21.76 32.14 45.90 9.10 51.37 26.43 5.36 93.44 40.76 24.67

Closing 149.40 307.50 7.40 32.80 8.50 13.20 405.00 18.70 33.20 34.60

Closing 20.40 32.00 45.90 9.10 51.20 26.40 5.30 93.10 40.80 24.70

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 431.51 642.30 77.33 620.30 133.50 185.36 1.16 712.95 221.00 0.78 14.44 31.94 28.07 86.44 39.11 88.54 272.96 119.10 54.02 57.15 0.43

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

239

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

42

% change 11.30 16.82 2.03 16.24 3.50 4.85 0.03 18.67 5.79 0.02 0.38 0.84 0.73 2.26 1.02 2.32 7.15 3.12 1.41 1.50 0.01

Million Taka 38.31 58.41 5.39 95.42 21.05 15.37

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,058.16

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.95

Turnover (Million Taka)

64.40 20.83 0.05 0.94 5.62 1.61 8.74 4.65 2.32 17.38 11.50 9.96 11.97 0.03

Closing (% change)

Meghna Life Ins. -A Fine Foods A Imam Button -Z Janata Insur -A Delta Life Insu. -A Eastern Bank - A National Life I -A ACI Formulations-A MutualTrust Bank-A Delta SpinnersA

9.70 9.63 9.59 9.09 7.83 7.35 6.74 6.52 6.41 6.23

Average (% change) 9.71 6.22 8.63 9.13 4.16 5.45 6.98 6.54 6.07 6.93

67.40 78.00 23.64 261.78 21.15 608.71 40.75 42.86 319.47 29.24

Closing average 109.71 23.58 7.93 26.41 260.13 28.81 321.81 80.12 16.60 40.88

Closing

Daily high

67.80 78.00 23.80 266.70 21.10 614.50 40.90 43.00 326.00 29.10

Closing

67.80 78.00 23.90 269.60 21.60 617.10 42.10 43.40 328.00 30.10

Daily high

109.70 23.90 8.00 26.40 267.10 29.20 324.80 80.10 16.60 40.90

110.00 23.90 8.00 26.60 269.30 29.30 326.50 81.00 16.80 41.90

Daily low 65.00 78.00 22.00 248.70 20.70 582.10 36.00 37.00 290.00 25.00

Daily low 109.00 22.90 7.70 26.30 250.00 28.50 313.00 78.20 16.50 38.90

Yearly high 92.9 183.9 33.0 8500.0 27.5 943.7 46.0 51.1 345.0 34.0

Yearly high 128.5 33.0 14.5 317.0 7799.0 34.4 339.0 96.0 22.7 46.0

Yearly low

Turnover in million

13.0 45.2 13.2 225.8 10.7 87.0 25.0 12.4 220.0 22.5

Yearly low

3.023 0.008 4.598 141.428 0.497 1.887 38.822 5.072 90.785 4.765

Turnover in million

87.2 13.5 7.0 24.2 228.3 23.0 225.0 65.1 13.2 26.0

0.077 2.052 0.048 0.037 13.592 0.092 0.869 0.128 0.091 8.232

393.94

Turnover (Volume)

11,470,559

Number of Contract

16,237

Traded Issues

209

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

167

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

41

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

1,978.39

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

23.98

Yearly high

Daily low 145.80 300.00 7.40 31.70 8.50 12.50 390.10 17.20 32.00 32.00

280.7 496.0 10.3 57.7 12.8 19.2 703.3 25.8 51.9 39.9

Yearly high

Daily low

22.20 36.00 45.90 9.10 52.00 27.00 5.40 96.00 41.50 24.70

CSE

CSE GAINERS Company

20.40 32.00 45.90 9.10 51.20 26.10 5.30 90.10 40.30 24.60

Yearly low 92.5 195.0 6.9 18.6 7.4 10.5 170.0 12.6 21.0 18.5

Yearly low

25.4 38.2 72.0 15.8 62.8 35.1 7.7 100.0 59.4 35.0

9.0 23.0 38.1 7.1 35.0 21.0 4.7 28.8 36.0 20.8

Turnover in million 0.075 0.092 0.004 13.524 0.627 2.288 0.162 11.701 43.614 4.363

Turnover in million 0.054 0.033 0.046 0.014 0.565 0.211 0.032 1.065 0.073 0.037

It is purely institution-based rally, but retailers still adopted 'wait and see' policy because of political uncertainty

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

288

9.89 9.70 9.17 7.41 7.11 7.04 5.96 5.91 5.88 5.82

Closing average

CSE key features December 30, 2013

151.00 315.40 7.60 34.50 8.80 13.60 420.00 19.70 34.90 38.00

Daily high

Traded Issues

Rahima Food -Z Modern Dyeing -Z Fine Foods A Delta Life Insu. -A Samata LeatheR -Z CVO PetroChem RL-Z Delta SpinnersA Legacy Footwear -A National Life I -A Eastern Bank - A

Average (% change) 12.46 9.20 7.75 4.78 7.09 5.50 6.62 6.17 3.85 6.13

TUE

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Daily high

91,634

Closing (% change)

MON

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index DS - 30 Index CSE All Share Index CSE - 30 Index CSE Selected Index

Company

3,818.38

Number of Contract

Stocks finished the final session of the year on a happy note yesterday, spurred by the institutional buying binge.

After previous session’s marginal gain, the market remained upbeat from the beginning till the end of the session, as institutional investors purchased shares to rebalance their portfolios at the yearend, analysts say.

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features December 30, 2013 Turnover (Million Taka)

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

% change 9.72 14.83 1.37 24.22 5.34 3.90 0.00 16.35 5.29 0.01 0.24 1.43 0.41 2.22 1.18 0.59 4.41 2.92 2.53 3.04 0.01

Million Taka 469.81 700.71 82.72 715.72 154.55 200.73 1.16 777.35 241.83 0.84 15.38 37.56 29.67 95.18 43.76 90.87 290.34 130.60 63.97 69.12 0.47

Total

% change 11.15 16.63 1.96 16.99 3.67 4.77 0.03 18.45 5.74 0.02 0.37 0.89 0.70 2.26 1.04 2.16 6.89 3.10 1.52 1.64 0.01

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

News from trade server EASTLAND: BSEC is not in a position to process the application for issuance of Rights shares of Eastland Insurance Company Limited as the Company has failed to disseminate any specific decision regarding the rights issue, rather requested to keep in abeyance for indefinite period, which is not practicable.

TRUSTBANK: The Company has further informed that the EGM of the Company will be held on February 06, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Trust Milonayaton, 545 Airport Road, Dhaka. Record Date for EGM: 12.01.2014. Other information of the EGM as announced earlier.

DBH: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the surveillance rating of the Company as "AAA" in the long term and "ST-1" in the short term based on audited financial statement of the Company up to 30 June 2013 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

DESHBANDHU: The Company will be placed in "B" category from existing "A" category with effect from December 30, 2013 as the Company approved 5% stock dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

RIGHT SHARE: ARAMITCEM: Subscription 23.03.2014 to 17.04.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 09.01.2014. RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014.

IPO Subscription: Emerald Oil Industries Limited subscription date 06-12 January 2014, NRB upto 21 Januray 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

Matin Spinning Mills Limited subscription date 26-30 January 2014, NRB upto 08 Feburay 2014. @ Tk. 37/-, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

HAKKANIPUL: 5% Cash, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 13.11.2013.

GEMINISEA: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 04.12.2013.

PTL: 12% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 12.12.2013.

DESCO: 10% Cash & 15% Stock, AGM: 04.01.2014, RD: 05.11.2013.

ANWARGALV: 7% Case for general shareholders, AGM: 13.01.2014, RD: 11.11.2013.

MPETROLEUM: 70% Cash & 20% Stock, AGM: 17.01.2014, RD: 28.11.2013.

POWERGRID: 15% Cash, AGM: 18.01.2014, Time: 10:00 AM. RD: 01.12.2013.

EASTRNLUB: 30% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

DSE NEWS: Trading at DSE will remain closed on December 31, 2013 due to Bank Holiday.

Dividend/AGM

ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD: 29.12.2013.

JAMUNAOIL: 90% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

EXIMBANK: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has approved the revaluation report on three fixed assets comprising land and building of the Company. As per revaluation, an increase of Tk. 206.78 crore will be accounted for in the Balance sheet of the Company as at 31.12.2013.

USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: postponed, RD: 07.11.2013.

SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM: 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.

ETROSPIN: 10% Stock, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 17.11.2013.

PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM: 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.

DAFODILCOM: No dividend, AGM: 30.12.2013, RD: 21.11.2013.

SAMORITA: 30% Stock, AGM: 11.01.2014, RD: 25.11.2013.

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Golden Son -A Bay Leasing.-A Appollo Ispat CL -N LankaBangla Fin. -A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Delta Life Insu. -A Generation Next-A National Life I -A Argon Denims Limited-A UCBL - A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N Golden Son -A R. N. Spinning-A LankaBangla Fin. -A Delta Life Insu. -A Generation Next-A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N UCBL - A Bay Leasing.-A UNITED AIR-A

Volume shares 3,614,461 4,469,984 4,526,800 2,489,643 2,604,000 540,250 3,075,660 284,177 933,520 3,498,811 Volume shares 1,446,600 324,975 476,937 220,500 52,250 255,720 178,250 363,821 218,640 525,171

Value in million 235.00 188.46 165.54 164.37 153.90 141.43 114.01 90.79 88.91 88.70 Value in million 53.05 21.22 17.67 14.66 13.59 9.49 9.32 9.23 9.14 8.66

% of total turnover 6.15 4.94 4.34 4.30 4.03 3.70 2.99 2.38 2.33 2.32 % of total turnover 13.47 5.39 4.49 3.72 3.45 2.41 2.37 2.34 2.32 2.20

Daily closing 65.60 42.50 36.60 66.50 58.10 266.70 36.90 326.00 94.90 25.10 Daily closing 36.70 65.80 36.90 66.60 267.10 37.20 51.80 25.20 42.60 16.40

Price change 2.82 3.91 0.00 1.99 -1.02 7.41 2.50 5.88 -0.11 1.21

Daily opening 63.80 40.90 36.60 65.20 58.70 248.30 36.00 307.90 95.00 24.80

Daily high 65.90 43.80 37.30 67.20 60.60 269.60 37.80 328.00 96.30 26.00

Daily low 58.00 37.00 35.70 60.00 57.50 248.70 32.80 290.00 86.00 23.00

Daily average 65.02 42.16 36.57 66.02 59.10 261.78 37.07 319.47 95.24 25.35

Price change 0.82 3.13 0.82 2.15 7.83 3.05 0.19 0.80 5.71 0.00

Daily opening 36.40 63.80 36.60 65.20 247.70 36.10 51.70 25.00 40.30 16.40

Daily high 37.40 66.00 37.30 67.50 269.30 37.80 53.40 25.60 43.20 16.70

Daily low 35.80 63.90 35.00 64.30 250.00 36.40 51.20 25.00 39.40 16.30

Daily average 36.67 65.31 37.06 66.49 260.13 37.13 52.30 25.37 41.79 16.48

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Golden Son the top market leader at DSE Rising raw material cost hits its Q3 profits n Tahmidur Rahman Golden Son Limited (GSL) yesterday emerged as the top market leader at Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Its turnover valued more than Tk23 crore was changed hands, making up 6% of the total DSE turnover.

On the day, its stock prices rose 2.35% to Tk65.6 each before rising as high as Tk65.9 and falling as low as Tk64 during the trading hour. The company’s face value is Tk10 each.

The stocks registered a gain of more than 36% during the past four weeks.

Stock brokers say recent disclosure by the company on building a toy-manufacturing factory drove the current stock to 52-week high.

Earlier, the company has obtained a positive credit rating from Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB).

The company obtained a rating of “AA3” based on audited, unaudited financial statements and bank liability up to September 2013.

Diversifying business model

On December 22, the company announced that it has already approved to set up a toy-manufacturing factory in its premises in Chittagong by its subsidiary, GSL Export Limited. The subsidy was previously known as M/S GSL Dyeing Limited but changed according to a company disclosure on September 2, 2013.

The Bangladesh-Taiwan joint venture company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Stephen Christenson, a German industrialist and businessman, to commence production by April next year.

The fully export oriented toy-manufacturing venture came to existence only after Stephen decided to shift his business to Bangladesh. He said recent increases in labour and production costs in Latvia and China drove them to Bangladesh for availing better resources at a lower expense.

Under the agreement, Christenson will own 50%, Golden Son will own 40%, and GSL managing director, Belal Ahmed will own 10% stakes in GSL Export Limited.

GSL Export has taken over a floor

space of more than4,645 square metres from Golden Son to set up the factory.

The new produce line will be in addition to the existing factory premises.

Currently, the GSL makes an array of products: CPU casing, LED light, aerosols, household items, perfumes, body sprays, air-fresheners, garment accessories, sporting toys, fans, fan accessories, and garment accessories.

“I formed the GSL Export Ltd a long time ago, to explore a new business for a better diversification in order to lower business risks, but political uncertainty delayed the overall process,” Belal Ahmed, managing director of GSL, told the Dhaka Tribune earlier.

Company financials

An increase in the cost of sales along

with a decrease in non-operating income has resulted in lower profits both in the third quarter and the first nine months of the current year.

The company’s sales stood at Tk139.5 crore in the first nine months of the current year against Tk130.8 crore in the same period last year.

According to its unaudited half-yearly reports, the company has reported an increase of Tk6 crore in its cost of sales that was mainly due to un-proportional increase in raw materials than in sales. In addition the cost of factory overhead has also increased

by Tk1.3 crore within a year.

Increase in expenses has lowered the recent quarterly profit despite higher sales.

The GSL’s third quarter (July-September) net profit was Tk9.3 crore against Tk12.3 crore in the same period a year earlier. Its nine months (January-September) profit has declined to Tk30.6 crore from Tk39.7 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.

According to its latest unaudited reports, the company listed under the engineering segment at the bourses has earnings per share of Tk2.51 each and a price to earnings ratio of 19.6 as of yesterday.

The company has net asset value of Tk28.69 as of 2012.

Currently the sponsors hold 45.29%, general public 33.71% and institutional investors rest stakes of the company. l

Exports grow 21% in 11 months  B 1 COLUMN 6

“In last three months, we had to pay extra charges for air shipment as we could not send goods to the sea port due to blockades,” said BGMEA vice president Reaz Bin Mahmood.

He said the growth had been better if the political situation was peaceful.

EPB data showed the knitwear export in January-November period stood at $10.4bn with 21.7% rise from the previous year’s $8.5bn.

Woven products earned $10.8bn growing at 20% as the previous year’s figure was $9bn.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh set a RMG export target $24bn for the current fiscal year, of which 40% or US$9.65bn archived in the first five months.

“The export performance is satisfactory,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Exporters Association of Bangladesh (EAB).

“This was possible because of the sincerity and efforts of entrepreneurs

World shares ending bumper year, Japan gets best gains since 1972 n Reuters

BMW, Toyota agree on joint sportscar platform - paper n Reuters

Carmakers BMW and Toyota have agreed to develop a joint platform for sportscars, BMW’s development chief Herbert Diess told a German newspaper.

“We have agreed on a joint architecture for a sports car. What is important is that there will be two different vehicles that are authentic to the two brands,” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung yesterday quoted Diess as saying.

BMW and Toyota had in January signed an agreement to cooperate on various areas including lithium-air batteries and lightweight technology.

They also said at the time they would study the potential for a joint platform for a mid-sized sports vehicle in a feasibility study to be completed by the end of 2013.

Frankfurter Allgemeine said that Diess declined to provide details on the models that would result from the cooperation. l

World stocks were putting the finishing touches on a bumper year yesterday, steady at a six-year peak as rising benchmark bond yields and commodity prices underscored expectations of firmer global growth in 2014.

Britain’s FTSE 100 .FTSE, Germany’s DAX .GDAXI and France’s CAC 40 .FCHI all made minor adjustments to their substantial annual gains as investors consolidated a stellar period for equity markets.

In Tokyo, Japanese shares .N225 ended 2013 with a flourish, up 0.7%56.7%for the year - as the yen skidded to a fresh 5-year low for a third straight session.

Unlike the past few years when financial markets lurched from the debt crisis in Europe to US political deadlock, investors are generally upbeat on the global economic outlook next year.

Jeremy Whitley, head of European equities at Aberdeen Asset Management, said one of the reasons for the optimism was that company earnings should improve next year.

“Our belief is that earnings will recover given the improving macroeconomic environment as policy remains very accommodative,” he said, regarding Europe.

“However, it is important to be cognizant of the potential headwinds which include the strength of the euro, austerity fatigue ... and the need for an overarching banking union to provide confidence in the banking system.”

Thin year-end conditions made for

six years.

Japan’s competitors, however, have been complaining about the weak yen.

South Korea’s deputy finance minister warned the yen was falling too fast, and the head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission said the impact on neighbors needed to be monitored.

Italy in focus

People walk past an electronic information board at the London Stock Exchange in the City of London REUTERS some more lively moves in the currency market. The euro vaulted as high as $1.3892 on Friday before falling back and on Monday, it was last at $1.3753 having moved between $1.3727 and $1.3769.

Support for the single currency came from comments by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi in Germany’s Der Spiegel that he saw no urgent need to cut interest rates again and no signs of deflation.

“At the moment we see no need for immediate action. We don’t have Japanese conditions,” he said.

Weak yen

The rouble fell yesterday following a second bombing in as many days in the Russian city of Volgograd, though eq-

B3

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

uity investors largely shrugged off the unrest.

The dollar was up at 105.36 yen after reaching a peak at 105.415. The yen has posted ninth consecutive weeks of falls against the dollar, the longest such run since 1974.

Like the huge rise in the Nikkei .N225, which has seen its best performance since 1972 this year, it is the aggressive policies of Japan’s government and its central bank that have been driving the plunge in the yen.

There were more promising signs for the country’s economy when the Asahi newspaper reported Japan’s most influential business lobby has agreed to encourage its members to raise workers’ pay for the first time in

Underpinning both the dollar and euro in recent weeks have been widening yield premiums over Japanese debt.

Yields on the US benchmark 10year Treasury note have climbed to their highest in more than two years at 3.02%t. The comparable Japanese yield is just 0.735%.

Analysts at RBS note that yields on the 30-year Treasury bond were approaching any important level at 4.0%, which marks the top of a bull channel going back two decades. A breach there would be viewed as very bearish for bonds.

The only new factor for European bond markets on Monday was a 5.5bn-euro Italian debt sale.

It came along with disappointing news for Italy’s third-biggest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, after it was forced to delay a 3bn euro ($4.1bn) share sale because of shareholder opposition.

Gold edged down to $1,205 per ounce as it trudged towards its biggest annual loss in over three decades at nearly 30%, while Brent and U.S. crude oil were steady at $112.17 and $100.23 a barrel respectively. l

and workers.”

The EAB president however feared the December exports might decline as production had been hampered by the ongoing political unrest.

“This is a hardest time for the country’s RMG sector, but hopefully will overcome the challenges.”

According to a latest survey conducted by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, over 34 factories lost orders worth $3.77m in last one month as manufacturers failed to make shipments on time due to strikes and blockades.

The exporters also spent $1.15m in air shipments to meet the deadlines, while shipment delays cost 28 exporters $7.83m and vandalism cost 13 factories $2.3m.

The factories face price cuts amounting to $1.72m.

As per BGMEA data, around 44 lakh workers are employed in the industry and 80% of them are women. l

China’s Xi to take personal charge of pushing through reforms n Reuters

Chinese President Xi Jinping will head a group steer economic and social reforms, the official Xinhua news agency said yesterday, underscoring his determination to push through change amid fears of resistance from vested interests.

China last month unveiled its boldest set of reforms in nearly three decades, relaxing its one-child policy and further freeing up markets in order to put the economy on a more stable footing.

The Communist Party pledged to let the market play a “decisive” role in the economy and said it would set up the group to steer the changes.

The announcement that Xi will take personal charge means the team will be more powerful than the State Commission for Restructuring the Economy, which drew up a reform blueprint that led to the shutdown of thousands of inefficient state-owned firms and the loss of millions of jobs in the 1990s.

The move could also ease market fears that promises of reform may not be matched with action in the face of resistance from vested interests, such as powerful state-owned companies.

There had been speculation that Premier Li Keqiang or Han Zheng, Shanghai’s party chief, could head the leading group to plan and coordinate reforms among various state agencies. l

Premiere Bank opens new branch

NRB Global Bank inaugurates new branch NRB Global Bank Limited opened its Agrabad Corporate Branch at Chittagong recently. Vice Chairman of the bank Mohammad Hanif Chowdhury inaugurated the branch as the chief guest.

Among others, Director and Chairman of Audit Committee Mohammad Fazlay Morshed, Directors Monjor Alam Seth, Morshedul Alam, Managing Director Md Abdul Quddus were present on the occasion. l

CEO of MASkargo Mohd Yunus Idris handed over “Mega Tonners Award 2013” to the leading agents of Aerospeed. Chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed, Director and CEO Sk Bashir Ahmed Mamun, Director Tanvir Ahmed of Aero Speed International Ltd were also present

Premiere Bank inaugurated its 80th branch at Gulshan Link Road, Dhaka recently. Managing Director of the bank KAM Majedur Rahman has attended the event.

Additional Managing Director M Rizaul Karim, Deputy Managing Director Tarek Riaz Khan, Deputy Managing Director Dewan Anwarul Latif along with senior officials and staffs of the newly inaugurated branch were also present. l

SIBL launches winter clothes drive campaign In order to help the distressed people of the country, Social Islami Bank Limited (SIBL) recently inaugurated a campaign to distribute warm clothes among the poor. The campaign titled “Staying Close” was inaugurated by the Chairman of the Boards of Directors of SIBL, Dr Md Rezaul Haque.

Among others, Managing Director of the bank Md Shafiqur Rahman was also present at the occasion. The campaign is being organised by the Social Islami Bank Foundation of the bank. l

Grameenphone introduces 3G in Rangpur Grameenphone (GP) launched 3G in Rangpur on commercial basis with colourful programmes yesterday.

The inauguration programme was held at the Police Community hall with the presence of Farid Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur as the chief

guest. Mostofa Sohrab Chowdhury, President, Chamber of Commerce, Rangpur and Nasir Hossain, cricketer of Bangladesh National Cricket Team were present. The guests experienced various services of Grameenphone 3G at the inauguration ceremony. l

A 10 days-long training course on 'Capacity development in banking for ICC officials' is being held at Al-Arafah Islami Bank Training and Research Academy. Managing Director of the bank Md Habibur Rahman inaugurated the course as chief guest

Bangladesh Lions Foundation elects new chairman The 37th annual general meeting of Bangladesh Lions Foundation was held recently. In the meeting AKM Rezaul Hoque was elected as the Chairman of Bangladesh Lions Foundation for the year 2013-2015. He is presently GLT Coordinator, MD-315 and Chairman & Managing Director of NF Group. He has previously been district governor of Dist-315A1 & Council Chairperson, MD315, Bangladesh. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Will new wages better their life? n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Deprived, frustrated and frightened, the apparel sector workers have apparently been cushioned by the increased wages being implemented from this December.

The damage caused to the victims and survivors of the factory disasters in 2013 was huge and irreparable.

The workers are now trying to heal their wounds inflicted by those accidents and hope to live a better life with the raised salaries.

“New wage will definitely improve my life. We wish to live a better life as do other people,” said Sumaya, a worker of IDS Group’s garment factory in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Her salary has increased to around Tk8,000 per month from Tk5,000.

Sumaya, abandoned by her parents who are a broken couple, lives with her grandmother at a shanty room in the city.

Over 40 lakh workers employed in the country’s RMG sector had nothing other than the announcement of a new wage structure to raise their hopes of living during the outgoing year.

A flash-back shows the outgoing year was in fact a nightmare for the readymade garment workers, particularly for those who worked in Rana Plaza, Tazreen Fashion and other factories which met accidents.

“When we look back, the year 2013 was full of factory accidents. Hundreds of workers lost their lives while thousands became disabled and more turned jobless,” said Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation.

“The new wage structure was only the good news. We hope all the factories will implement the increased wages from December this year,” she added.

Nazma Akter demanded the factory owners and others concerned improve workplace safety and ensure workers’ rights.

“The owners’ negligence caused those accidents happened in the country’s garment sector. So, we want workplace safety and workers’ rights

NEWS IN BRIEF India clears Tesco’s $110m investment plan The foreign investment regulator has approved a $110m investment plan by Tesco, formally paving the way for the British retailer to venture into Asia’s third-largest economy.

Tesco this month took the initial steps to becoming the first foreign company to set up a chain of supermarkets in India’s $500bn retail sector after announcing it had applied to buy a 50 percent stake in Tata Group’s Trent Hypermarket. - Reuters

Low interest rates cannot continue forever: German FM German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told a newspaper yesterday that low interest rate policies adopted by central banks around the world could not continue forever.

Schaeuble told Bild daily that expansive monetary policy around the world caused problems for long-term investments. - Reuters

Nokia Solutions chairman to step down after Microsoft deal Nokia said the chairman of its networking equipment unit, Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN), will step down following the sale of the Finnish company’s mobile phone business to Microsoft.

Jesper Ovesen, who joined NSN in 2011 when it was still a joint venture between Nokia and Siemens, will continue for a while as an advisor after the mobile phone business is transferred to Microsoft, Nokia said yesterday. - Reuters

BSE Sensex falls from three-week highs as IT majors slide The BSE Sensex fell yesterday, retreating from a three-week closing high in the previous session, as investors booked profits in IT bellwethers including Infosys, while cement makers declined on concerns about subdued construction activity. - Reuters

Spain retail sales jump 1.9% in November Spain retail sales rose 1.9% year-on-year on a calendar-adjusted basis in November, National Statistics Institute (INE) reported yesterday, after registering a revised fall of 0.3% in October.

Retail sales had been falling every month for three years until September, when they rose due to residual effects from the impact of a rise in value-added tax (VAT) in September 2012. - Reuters

With the new wage structure effective from December the coutnry's garment workers start dreaming of a better life must be ensured.”

Sirajul Islam Roney, president of Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employee League, has termed the announcement of new wage structure as a “big achievement” for the garment sector workers.

“The new wage is a big achievement for us. It will ensure a living wage.”

Roney also stressed the need to improve the workers’ safety and rights.

Workers are happy now as they are

going to draw increased wages in early January as the wages of December. But the accidents like Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashions fire made many jobless and are still reeling from their injuries.

The new wage structure has not brought any good news for the jobless workers.

Ashraful Islam, a 30-year-old survivor of the Rana Plaza collapse, now lives in Savar. His only living means are donation and compensation now.

RAJIB DHAR

But without job, it will be difficult for Ashraful who has a six-year old girl and wife, to continue live. He also has to support his parents living in village.

“The government has started inspection to ensure infrastructural integrity and fire safety by the end of 2014,” said Mikail Shipar, Labour and Employment secretary.

He said the inspection capacity has been increased to cover all factories.

On November 21, the govern-

ment-formed wage board in finalised Tk5,300 as minimum wage with a basic of Tk3,000 for entry-level garment workers.

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) also set Tk5,600 as minimum wage for the RMG workers working in the EPZ areas across the country.

After the accidents, the ensuring workers’ rights and safety has become a centre point of debate. The workers

demanded allowing trade unionism in factories. The law also allows the trade unionism.

Allegations are there that forming trade unions still face obstructions.

“Obstacles against forming trade unions still exist in factories. However, trade unionism is practised to some extent,” Nazma Akter told the Dhaka Tribune.

Sirajul Islam Roney said trade unions would play an important role to ensure workers’ rights.

“Law has been amended to make sure the workers are enjoying their rights by giving them liberty to form trade unions,” said secretary Mikail Shipar. l

Chinese users welcome Apple, China Mobile deal n AFP, Beijing

Chinese users welcomed a long-awaited tie-up between Apple and China Mobile, the world’s biggest wireless operator, but analysts warned Monday that the deal’s impact depends on the quality of the carrier’s 4G network.

The US technology giant and China Mobile on Sunday unveiled the agreement to bring the iPhone to customers on a network with an estimated 760 million subscribers and until now dominated by low-cost Android smartphones.

The US company’s iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c phones will be available at China Mobile and Apple retail stores across mainland China starting January 17, they said in a joint statement.

Chinese mobile phone users gave the deal a rousing ovation, hailing it as “a marathon love affair that finally came to a happy ending”, in the words of one fan.

“It finally comes - I’ve been waiting for so long that I’m exhausted,” a user with the online handle Gluttonous Miser posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

Apple iPhones can currently be used on China Mobile’s 2G network but not on its higher-speed 3G network due to a home-grown standard the carrier has adopted.

While users were generally upbeat, some raised concerns about the cost of the devices to be offered by China Mobile.

“Come on, the price must not let us down, it has to be encouraging, better not to go over 4,000 yuan ($660),” wrote another user.

The unsubsidised price of the iPhone 5c, a model with a slightly reduced cost to appeal to budget-conscious consumers and available in a range of colours, is $550 in the United States but higher in other countries, often due to tax and regulatory issues.

In China the 5c currently sells at more than $700, and the 5s goes for $870 on Apple’s official China site. Apple and China Mobile said that pricing details under the new deal would be announced “at a later date”.

However, analyst Ben Bajarin at Creative Strategies said he expects “some kind of subsidy” for the iPhone in China.

“Carriers know the iPhone is the best smartphone on the market at helping them sell premium services.

This is why it will always be relevant,”

China smartphones: subscribers, handsets Growth of China Mobile Total subscribers (millions)

763.3 649.6 522.3 369.3 246.6

3.4

15.6 6.5

45.1

69.6

710.3 584

457.2

301.2

141.6 204.3 117.7

1997 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 2013

Smartphone market share 20%

Samsung 15

Lenovo

Apple

10

Coolpad Huawei

5

0

ZTE April

May

June

Source: Counterpoint/ChinaMobile, AFP

July

2013

Aug

Sept.

Oct.

he said in a tweet.

Negotiations between Apple and China Mobile took years, with one key hurdle reportedly being the US company’s demand for sales volume guarantees.

The deal gives Apple a bigger entry into the huge Chinese market, as the company is facing declining market share and seeking to counter the flood of low-cost smartphones from rivals.

Even though global iPhone sales grew 25.6% in the third quarter from a year earlier, growth was slower than the overall market and Apple’s worldwide market share fell to 12.9% from 14.4% in the same period last year, according to a survey by market intelligence firm IDC. But analysts said that the immediate benefit from the partnership will be limited, given that many of China Mobile’s customers are already using iPhones, lessening the prospect of a sharp boost to sales.

China Mobile’s stock price closed at HK$80.55 ($13.3), up just 0.8%, indicating investors remained sceptical about returns on the deal that are still subject to uncertainties.

The main rationale for the deal was likely both companies’ strategy in the 4G era, which will allow users to - among other things - watch movies and play games on mobile networks at a much faster speed and in better quality, analysts said.

In the statement, Apple and China Mobile said the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c “both offer more 4G LTE bands than any other smartphone in the world”.

“The collaboration between Apple and China Mobile will give a big boost to the development of China’s homegrown 4G/TD-LTE technology,” it said.

China granted licences to three state-owned operators early this month to offer services on the new network, and China Mobile is rolling out the world’s biggest 4G network.

“If (China Mobile’s) 4G network comes online (with good quality), the impact will be rather big,” Xu Zhipeng, a Beijing-based analyst with research firm Zero2ipo Group, told AFP. However, given the operator’s problem-prone 3G network, it will take time for Chinese users to build up confidence and accept the new network, he said.

“Customers may take a wait-andsee attitude towards its 4G network and will not rush to (grab an iPhone) as its price is rather high,” Xu said. l