January 03, 2014

Poush 20, 1420 Rabiul Awal 1, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 280

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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20 pages plus 32-page weekend supplement and 8-page Opinion Survey supplement | Price: Tk10

9 EGYPT CLASHES

12 TRIAL OF MALLAM ILYA

Jan 5 polls unacceptable to 77%

Four bombs go off near Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence n Kailash Sarkar Four crude bombs were exploded near the residence of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the capital’s Gulshan amid presence of a huge contingent of forces from police, Rapid Action Battalion and intelligence agencies.

The bombs went off one after another just 30 yards away from the residence of Khaleda Zia on the Road-70.

Witnesses said bombs were blasted at 6:45pm at the place where two sand-laden trucks had been parked.

But the trucks were removed immediately after the explosions.

After the explosion the entire area was engulfed in smoke.

Contacted, Rafiqul Islam, officerin-charge of Gulshan Police Station, however said the bombs exploded on the Road-70 near the American club which is far away from the residence of Khaleda Zia whose residence is  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

INSIDE Business

B1 With the surge in domestic air passengers due to continuous blockades and shutdowns, tickets are now available in black market at higher prices.

Sport

13 A goal each from Aminur Rahman Shojib and Uche Felix helped Team BJMC begin their BPL campaign with a 2-1 victory over Soccer Club Feni at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Age profile

The BNP support is relatively consistent across voters aged over 25, and markedly higher for voters aged 18-25  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Current government sufficient for holding free fair election

Country going in wrong direction

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Swing to BNP but two major parties still close

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Perception: who will win?

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The male respondents were slightly more satisfied with the trials than the female. Respondents aged 35 and above were more approving to the war crimes trials than those in the 18-35 age group.

Meanwhile, 53.2% of the respondents replied in the negative to the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;are you in favour of barring Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in the elections?â&#x20AC;? A little of the 33% of the respondents replied â&#x20AC;&#x153;yes,â&#x20AC;? while 13.4% said they â&#x20AC;&#x153;do not know.â&#x20AC;? ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Satisfaction with the war crimes tribunal

Bar on Jamaatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in election

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LATIF HOSSAIN/DT INFOGRAPHIC â&#x20AC;˘ PHOTO: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN/DT

74% happy with war crimes trials n Tribune Report

DT

Although nearly three-fourths of the respondents of a Dhaka Tribune opinOPINION ion poll expressed POLL satisfaction with the ongoing trial of war crimes, more than half of them are against barring Jamaat-e-Islami from contesting national elections.

Despite propaganda against the

war crimes trial and some criticism and controversy surrounding the trial process, 74% of the respondents of the Dhaka Tribune opinion poll have expressed satisfaction with the trial.

Nearly a half of them (36.3%) said they were highly satisfied.

Among the remaining, 9.3% declined saying anything because they said they were â&#x20AC;&#x153;not sureâ&#x20AC;? about the issue and 16.2% have expressed dissatisfaction with the trails. Of the latter, 10% were highly dissatisfied.

DT

Around 47% people think that the current government is sufficient OPINION enough to hold POLL free and fair polls while nearly two among five people are either confused or think otherwise.

The observations came from a survey conducted by the Dhaka Tribune that interviewed 2,438 people.

The Dhaka Tribune survey asked the interviewees if the interim government was sufficient enough to hold a free and fair election.

According to the respondents, 12.9% replied â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolutely not,â&#x20AC;? 24.7% â&#x20AC;&#x153;most likely not,â&#x20AC;? 30.4% â&#x20AC;&#x153;most likely so,â&#x20AC;?

16.9% â&#x20AC;&#x153;absolutely soâ&#x20AC;? while 15.1% were not sure.

Even if it is assumed that Awami League voters will say the current government is sufficient to hold the polls, at least one in five non-AL voters are also content to vote under the current government which is an interesting observation, says the survey.

The observation suggests that even though there is a higher degree of dissatisfaction within the nation and voters are broadly against the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, there is also a higher degree of confidence in the electoral process.

According to the survey, there is an indicator that the BNP could have done well if it had taken part in the election, since it revealed slightly higher voting preferences for the BNP compared to the AL. From the gender perspective, female voters were slightly more likely than men to say the current government was sufficient.

WR ON G

DT

More than threequarters of the people in Bangladesh think that the JanOPINION uary 5 general elecPOLL tions without the main opposition BNPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation will not be acceptable, according to a Dhaka Tribune opinion poll.

However, around 41% of the respondents say they will cast their votes even if it is not an inclusive election. Of them, 16.35% refuse to indicate which party they want to vote for.

The nationwide opinion poll based on interviews of 2,438 respondents of different ages, economic status and educational backgrounds also says had the BNP participated, the 10th parliamentary polls could have been a neckand-neck fight between the two major parties â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Awami League having 36% support while the BNP enjoying 37%.

Interestingly more male voters indicate intention to vote for the BNP than the AL, while more women are interested in voting for the AL than BNP according to the survey that has error below 3%.

The survey was conducted between December 14 and 22 last year over mobile phones â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a method which Gallup, a US-based performance-management consulting company, follows in such opinion poll.

Majority of the respondents (53.3%) say â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? in response to the question whether they will cast their votes if the

BNP boycotts the polls whereas 40.8% voters reply in the affirmative.

Around 71% of the respondents say Bangladesh is heading towards a wrong direction, with 23.21% saying that the country is on the right track.

As many as 74% respondents are either satisfied or highly satisfied with the trial of the war criminals. More than 53% people have opposed the ban on Jamaat-e-Islamiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participation in the polls while 33.3% support the prohibition.

When asked which party they think would win in their constituencies if the BNP participated in the election, most respondents choose the BNP over the Awami League (44% to 38%). â&#x20AC;&#x153;This points to a swing [of the voters] to the BNP from the last elections, fully in line with the history of anti-incumbent swings in the national elections,â&#x20AC;? says the survey.

Also, majority people think the current government is sufficient for holding a free and fair election. Just a little less than half of the respondents (47%) think the government is capable against nearly two in five (38%) saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;most likely notâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;definitely not.â&#x20AC;?

The survey also finds that if all the parties participate in the election, it seems in general that as income level goes up, the support swings towards the BNP.

If â&#x20AC;&#x153;BNPâ&#x20AC;? does not participate, will you vote?

W

n Tribune Report

Election without BNP not acceptable

E

Had BNP participated, election would have been too close to call; 41% say they will vote despite BNP boycott

47% vote for polls under current government n Tribune Report

Bomb attack injures 10 at Lalbagh election rally of AL candidate

BNP men campaigning for Haji Selim

n Kailash Sarkar

n Muktasree Chakma Sathi

More than 10 people, including three women and a child, were injured yesterday in a bomb attack at a rally in Lalbagh, organised by Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin, Awami Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election candidate for the Dhaka 7 constituency.

Witnesses and police said unidentified criminals hurled three powerful bombs from the top of a building adjacent to the gate of Islambagh Eidgah grounds around 5:30pm, as people were preparing to bring out a procession at the end of a rally.

The injured victims Monir Hossain, 20, Kamrul Islam, 20, Md Yiad, 11, Alamgir Hossain, 42, Monowara Begum, 30, Khaleda Akhter, 22, Helena, 35, Faruq Rahman, 27, Belal Ahmed, 25, and Imran, 20 have been admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Sources at the DMCH said three

Some BNP activists are campaigning for Haji Mohammad Selim, an Awami League leader who is contesting independently in Dhaka 7, an Old Dhaka constituency.

Wishing to be anonymous, a Jubo Dal vice-president told the Dhaka Tribune: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will not vote in the national elections, but we are campaigning for the independent for two reasons. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Haji Selim is a good man and close to the people in the constituency and Awami League should be defeated.â&#x20AC;?

Independent candidate Haji Selim was allotted the symbol elephant. He is also a joint secretary of the Dhaka Metropolitan unit of Awami League.

Boat, the party symbol, was allotted to Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin.

The Dhaka 7 constituency consists of Lalbagh, Chawkbazar, Kotwali and Bangshal.

ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Monir, 16, takes rest in a DMCH bed after getting treatment yesterday. The shop employee was injured in a bomb blast in the election campaign procession of Awami League candidate Mustafa Zaman Mohiuddin for Dhaka 7 constituency MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

The BNP youths campaigning for Haji Selim are mostly the followers of local BNP leader Mir Ashraf Ali Azam.

On the other hand supporters of BNP leader Nasiruddin Pintu, convicted for his involvement with the BDR mutiny, remain inactive.

Along with the BNP men, a portion of local Awami League activists is also campaigning for Haji Selim.

Greater Lalbagh Thana Shecchashebak league Joint General Secretary Mobarak Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are campaigning for our leader Haji Selim, even though he did not get the partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nomination.â&#x20AC;?

Pointing out that despite Haji Selimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to fight against the party candidate, he did not lose his membership in Dhaka City Awami League committee, Mobarak said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems that our leader Sheikh Hasina will embrace him if he wins as an independent candidate ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Jamaat martyrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; buried Family of AL leader burnt alive at his without bath, autopsy shop do not dare file case n SHIBGANJ: A DEN OF JAMAAT-SHIBIR

Jamil Khan, n Mohammad from Shibganj It was almost 10 yesterday. A balmy winter morning. Nazmin Haque, daughter of Awami League leader Enamul Haque burnt alive last Monday, was sifting through the burnt wreckage of her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop.

Three days into the murder Nazmin was looking for something left behind by her father so that she could treasure it forever as a lasting memory of her father.

Enamul Haque was burnt alive inside his shop on Monday at Shibganj Upazila Bazaar of Chapainawabganj district.

Nazmin with tears welling up in her eyes said she could not even touch her father for one last time.

Eyewitness said some youths, never before seen in the area, aged between 20 and 25 appeared from nowhere at 6:30pm and started to vandalise the shop. They set fire to a motorbike parked in front of the shop.

Enamul, president of Shibganj Banik Samity and upazila Awami League advisor, sensing danger asked salesmen of the shop to bring down the shutter and leave the place quickly.

All of them dashed out of the shop but the owner could not make it. He stayed back inside the shop fearing attack once he is out. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He could never think that those attackers would put his shop on fire,â&#x20AC;? says Nazmin.

The shop is just within two-minute walking distance from Shibganj Police Station and five-minute from fire ser-

vice and civil defense office but the rescue began almost one hour after the shop was sent on fire.

Before police and fire service men reached the spot Enamul was roasted alive and hardware and painting materials worth around Tk50,00,000 gutted.

When asked about the delay AKM Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Station, told the Dhaka Tribune that the fire service could not make it in time as the roads leading to the shop were narrow.

About cases in this connection he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have waited for two days for the family to respond but as they have not yet filed any case we are preparing to do it and investigation in this regard is on to trace the criminals.â&#x20AC;? ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Emran Hossain, back from Satkhira

Jamaat-Shibir men barred farmer Sofed Ali from having his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post-mortem examination and bathing of the corpse before burial since he was termed a â&#x20AC;&#x153;martyr.â&#x20AC;?

Eighth-grader at a local madrasa Arijul Islam, 14, was a Shibir activist. He was shot dead during violent clashes between the BGB and the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir at Goranbaria of Kolaroa on December 3.

Even his father believes that students of madrasa are meant to become Shibir activists. Sofed Ali is a firm believer of Jamaat-Shibir propaganda, and is unwilling to accept a reality otherwise.

Despite losing his son, Sofed Ali ap-

peared to be highly spirited on December 27 when this reporter met him.

After his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death, Sofed Ali had to bury his son without a bath as the Jamaat-Shibir men suggested that a â&#x20AC;&#x153;martyrâ&#x20AC;? should not be subjected to the last bath before burial, let alone an autopsy.

Same was in the case of brothers Arif Billah and Ruhul Amin, who were killed in BGB firing on March 4 afternoon at Ufapur village in Kolaroa. They were buried unbathed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;martyrs.â&#x20AC;?

Their elder brother, who preferred to be anonymous, said his brothers put spirit above everything. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were labourers, who worked on condition that they would be given space when the party needs them.â&#x20AC;?

Most of the Goranbaria villagers are considered as Jamaat-Shibir supporters ď&#x201A;&#x2021;ď&#x201A;&#x2021; PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, January 3, 2014

Already won, AL MP now bats for fellow n Tribune Report Uncontested-elected Awami League lawmaker of Jessore 1 constituency Sheikh Afil Uddin has directed the party men to “rig vote” so that the party candidate for Jessore 2 seat wins “unopposed” in Sunday’s general elections.

Afil, who is also the vice-president of Jessore district unit Awami League, called for bringing out victory procession within 11:59am on Sunday after casting “false votes by occupying the polling centres.”

He made the directives while speaking as chief guest at a views exchange meeting of Monirul’s polling agents on Parbazar High School premises in Jhikargachha upazila on December 30.

A video clip of his speech reached journalists yesterday.

Ruling party-nominated candidate Monirul Islam, who is also the organisational secretary of Jessore district unit, is contesting against independent candidate Rafiqul Islam for Jessore 2 constituency.

Rafiqul was state minister for energy in Awami League’s previous term.

He was also a whip in parliament. Currently, he has no vital post in the district unit.

A campaigner for Rafiqul handed over a compact disc containing Afil’s speech to the district returning officer.

Contacted, District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Mostafizur Rahman said an investigation committee was looking into the matter.

Afil was not available on phone to make a comment on the issue. l

Bangladeshi youth found dead in NY n Tribune Report A Bangladeshi was found dead in New Work in the US on Wednesday midnight.

The deceased was identified as Aronno Haque, 22, a resident of Queens in New York.

Police said he was last seen on Monday afternoon near Union Square Par, reports CBS New York.

His personal belongings was found near the Central Park Lake on Tuesday.

Police did not disclose any further detail about the case. A report by Daily News America, however, has claimed Aronno took his own life. l

Eid-e-Miladunnabi on January 14 n UNB

Anando, a police official who was injured in Rajshahi bomb attack on December 26, is being taken to BSMMU for better treatment yesterday

EWG: EC, candidates violating code of conduct

AL leader killed n n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

A union-level Awami League leader was killed last night allegedly by unknown miscreants in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila.

Deceased Raju Ahmed, 24, of Durakuti village in sadar upazila, was the general secretary of Mogholhat union unit Awami Tarun League, a wing of the ruling party. His associate, Jubo League activist Swapan Kumar, 25, and his motorcycle had been missing since the incident.

The victim was first stabbed indiscriminately and then strangled to death, Lalmonirhat sadar police chief Jamir Uddin said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Tribune Report

The Election Working Group (EWG) has accused the Election Commission and several candidates of violation of the electoral code of conduct ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections scheduled for January 5.

EWG, a non-partisan network of 29 leading civil society organisations, reported on two weeks’ of findings since the announcement of the election schedule on November 25 by the EC. A total of 180 long-term observers of the network are working in 143 constituencies, covering all ten electoral regions in 55 of the country’s 64 districts.

The EWG report said before the allocation of symbols, Jatiya Party had

urged the EC to not issue the party’s election symbol plough to any other political party. The party also submitted a letter to the Election Commission to withdraw the symbol from the polls.

But the EC did not withdraw the nomination papers of JaPa candidates.

Awami League continued its party meetings at Ganabhaban, the prime minister’s residence, after the election schedule was announced. The party’s parliamentary board meeting was held on November 27, a day after the declaration of the election schedule.

EC was not seen taking any actions against this.

The report mentioned that as per the election schedule, the last date for withdrawal of nominations was De-

cember 13 but in some constituencies Awami League candidates withdrew their nominations after that time.

Citing media reports, EWG said in Cox’s Bazar 1 constituency, one of the Awami League candidates withdrew his nomination on December 14.

A majority (78%) of the candidate nominations came through recommendations made by the central parliamentary board or party high-ups of their respective parties.

Only in approximately one-fifth of the cases, recommendations for candidate nominations came from the district or upazila party committees, which according to the Representation of the Public Order is the proper process for nomination.

The report said in violation of the electoral code of conduct, early campaigning by some political parties was observed in 28 of the 143 constituencies (20%).

Awami League candidates were involved in campaigning in 24 of these, according to the report.

Estimated expenditure by Awami League candidates on campaigning was also observed to be significantly higher than that of other parties.

Observers noted a significant increase in election-related violence over the last few months. Instances of political and election violence were observed in 66 constituencies (47%). A majority of these incidents were perpetrated by BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. l

Bomb attack injures 10 at Lalbagh election rally

4 bombs go off near Khaleda

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

among the injured – Monir, Kamrul and Alamgir – were in critical conditions.

Pedestrians were also among the victims, said the relatives of the victims.

“Two or three unidentified criminals hurled three bombs from the top of an adjacent building.

The bombs exploded creating heavy sounds.

But how they fled the scene could not be seen because of heavy smoke which engulfed the entire area,” said injured victim Belal Ahmed.

Some locals claimed that local criminal Miah, a brother of Haji Delwar of Killarmor, and his aides might have made the attacks.

Meanwhile, Mostofa Jalal and State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam, who

was also present at the rally, visited the victims at the DMCH later in the evening.

Following the visit, the AL candidate said top ranking criminals – who were seen sitting inside the rally venue – were responsible for the attack. Jalal, however, did not elaborate who those criminals were loyal to.

He added: “The attacks were made in an attempt to reduce my sky-high popularity.”

The candidate urged the government for proper investigation and arrest of the real criminals as well as responsible persons.

On the other hand, Abdur Rouf, publicity secretary of Lalbagh thana unit of Swechchhasebok League, directly alleged rebel candidate Haji Mohammad Selim for the attacks.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Rouf alleged: “None but the cadres of Haji Selim made the attacks.”

Haji Mohammad Selim, a former lawmaker in the same constituency and a joint secretary of Awami League’s Dhaka city unit, however snubbed out the allegation, saying: “I am not interested or involved in such activities. I am busy with my publicity activities. If anybody wants to involve me, it will be a wrongdoing for him.”

State minister Quamrul Islam said an investigation would reveal the criminals responsible and arrests would be made as per the investigation.

Contacted, Harun-ur-Rashid, deputy police commissioner of Lalbagh division, said they were looking into the matter and trying to identify and arrest the responsible criminals. l

‘Jamaat martyr’ buried without bath, autopsy  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

who have played a key role in snapping the road communication of Satkhira with rest of the country for several weeks last month.

They began staging all-out demonstrations in February last year and have been guarding the roads around the village since the month of Ramadan in July.

Moreover, even though Sofed Ali could hardly afford to arrange a programme on the fourth day of his son’s death, on that day he entertained over 5,000 people in a traditional ceremony of feeding locals.

As many as 33 dekchi (large pan for cooking) of Khichuri was cooked at the event when some 140 volunteers worked to serve the attendees, said Akbar Ali, Arijul’s next-door neighbour.

The money was raised from the villagers by the Jamaat-Shibir men, he added.

Shibir men spent Tk28,000 for cementing the grave and raising a brick wall around it. The wall is covered with expensive tiles.

Sofed Ali believes that “real Koshai Quader” is still alive and currently working as a government employee. He claims that father of the executed Quader Molla had introduced Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman into politics.

“Delawar Hossain Sayedee is blamed for the crimes committed by one Delu

Shikder,” he said.

Jamaat’s preparing the ground for anti-government and anti-war tribunal activities worked perfectly on February 28 last year when its leader Sayedee was given death sentence for crimes against humanity. Thousands of people flooded the district town following a rumour that Sayedee’s face had been seen on the moon as a sign of Allah’s disappointment over the verdict.

Jamaat-Shibir cadres from the district and adjacent district Jessore led the mob to the district Circuit House for setting it on fire. Seven Jamaat-Shibir activists were shot dead as law enforcers tried to protect the government establishment.

After failing to set the district town on fire, Jamaat switched to its plan B – spreading violence throughout the district. Hundreds of trees were chopped to block roads, participated by ordinary villagers, who hurled bricks and crude bombs at the law enforcers. The roads were dug up to obstruct movement of vehicles, mainly those of the law enforcers.

Loudspeakers of mosques were used in many cases during law enforcers’ drives to announce that the Indian force had intruded and the villagers should come out with arms to resist them.

At Agardari, known as Jamaat-Shibir Cantonment in Satkhira, an announce-

ment was made on December 15 asking villagers to come out. The joint force convoy of about 40 vehicles had to retreat from their operation against criminals responsible for the recent violence.

Political abuse of Islam in the bordering district evolved after the India-Pakistan partition in 1947. Hindu elites from the area migrated to India and the places were filled by the Muslims returning from India. Another such religious exodus took place in 1965 and an anti-India sentiment was sowed in the minds of the people by Muslim League.

Khan A Sabur, a Muslim League politician, had been elected lawmaker from Khulna until 1969. Muslim League won all the three constituencies by a huge margin in the 1969 election. It is the base of Muslim League on which Jamaat made its foundation in Satkhira.

Jamaat continued to win parliamentary elections from constituencies in Satkhira until 1991, when the Awami League won a seat for the first time.

Senior Jamaat leader Shamsur Rahman was the secretary of Satkhira Peace Committee in 1971. He was a four-time lawmaker from Satkhira 2 from 1986 to 2001. Jamaat had always an upper hand in the parliamentary elections in Satkhira except for the 1996 and 2008 elections. l

located on the Road-79.

Asked, the OC said they could not identify and arrest the criminals. “We are trying to identify and arrest them.”

The OC evaded the question about

how criminals could blasted bombs and fled away safely despite the presence of a huge number of forces amid the restriction on the movement of people and transports on the roads near the residence of Khaleda Zia. l

74% happy with war crimes trials  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Those against barring Jamaat were mostly men while the breakdown was equal for those who supported the cause.

Of the respondents from the 18-35 age group, 53% were against barring Jamaat and 33% were in favour. The gap, however, was a lot narrower when it came down to the 35-50 and above age group – 45.4% against and 40% in favour.

60.4% respondents from the low income group (monthly earning of Tk5,000 or less) were against barring Jamaat while 25.3% opined in favour of imposing restrictions. The figures are 50.6% and 37.1% respectively for those belonging to the high income group (monthly earning of Tk50,000 and above).

The government has already executed Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. Appeals against the death sentences against Jamaat leaders Delawar Hos-

sain Sayedee, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed are currently pending with the Supreme Court.

The International Crime Tribunal, formed to try war crimes charges, have observed on many occasions that Jamaat-e-Islami, a key component of the 18-party opposition alliance, was involved with war crimes as a party in 1971.

The decade-old demand for banning Jamaat as a party was brought to the forefront by the Ganajagaran Mancha, a platform of bloggers and online activists that emerged to protest against the initial sentence of lifetime imprisonment handed down to Quader Molla.

The demand gained momentum following the recent violent acts and those that Jamaat staged soon after Sayedee had been given death sentence.

Earlier this year, as per a High Court verdict, the Election Commission cancelled Jamaat’s registration, barring the party from contesting the upcoming parliamentary polls. l

Family of AL leader burnt alive  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

As he was asked about the reason behind the attack OC Mizanur blamed the cadres of BNP leader Salahuddin as what he said the attack was launched after the arrest of the BNP leader.

However, locals of the area gave a different version. Many people of Shibganj said local Jamaat unit leader Modasser and his associates asked for Tk1, 00,000 as party donation recently from Enamul but he refused to pay the money. Some businessmen, small traders and rickshaw pullers, though tightlipped initially fearing Jamaat-Shibir men, in return for anonymity blamed the Islamist party for the murder.

When asked why the family did not file any case Enamul’s daughter said

they were scared of further attack if the case is filed. When enquired about the identities of the attackers she flew into a rage: “Ask police who they were.”

Tasiqul Islam, general secretary of Banik Samiti, told the Dhaka Tribune that a couple of months back some miscreants vandalised the shop of Jamaat leader Modasser and since then his party men have been demanding donation from Enamul.

He said they even threatened him.

However, Abdul Aziz, general secretary of upazila Jamaat, evading the question of who might have killed the Awami League man he told the Dhaka Tribune that the day Enamul was killed local people was protesting the arrest of BNP leader Salahuddin. l

Eid-e-Miladunnabi, the day of birth and demise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM), will be observed on January 14 (Tuesday) as the moon of Rabiul Awal was sighted in Bangladesh sky yesterday.

The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting after reviewing information related to the sighting of Rabiul Awal moon.

The meeting was held at the Islamic Foundation’s Baitul Mukarram conference room with the committee’s vice-chairman and Religious Affairs Secretary Kazi Habibul Awal in the chair.l

Jan 5 polls  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

years. Conversely, while the Awami League support is similar to that of the BNP for voters aged between 25 and 50 years, it is markedly lower for voters of 18-25 years of age and higher for those of 50 years or more.

Gender profile

More male voters (37.6%) will vote for the BNP than the Awami League (34.8%) with the preference reversed for women (37.7% for the ruling party against 34.7% for the main opposition).

Data gathering

A survey questionnaire was prepared in early December. Each of the respondents was interviewed over telephone for five to seven minutes by trained call centre advisers. Random mobile phone numbers were generated by a computer programme prior to making the calls. l

47% vote for polls  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

A total of 49% female respondents voted for the current interim government.

They said the interim administration was sufficient for holding a free and fair election while 32% female voters described it as “most likely not” or “definitely not.” Meanwhile, 46% male respondents consider the government sufficient to hold free and fair polls while 39% are against it.

From the income groups’ perspective, people from the lower income group (less than Tk5,000) mostly think the current government is able to hold free and fair polls. Of them, 52.80% rely on the government while 34.50% are against it.

Most people of higher income group who earn Tk50,000 and above cannot rely on the current government for holding free and fair polls. l

BNP men campaigning  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

and will consider his dedication towards Awami League.” In the 1996 national elections, Haji Selim left BNP and won from Dhaka 7 constituency with Awami League’s nomination. In 2008, however, Selim did not get the party ticket.

Asked whether they had faced any problems from the party campaigning for an independent, Mobarak said, “Not at all. We are working for Haji Selim and our leaders know that. I informed Greater Lalbagh Thana Shecchashebak League President Debashish Biswash that I was working for Haji Selim, and he was okay with it.”

Dhaka City (south) Jubo League Vice-President Nazmul Hossain Tutul, who is campaigning for the party candidate Mohiuddin, told the Dhaka Tribune Awami League was hoping to win in the constituency.

He alleged that a few days back a scuffle between Jalal and Selim’s followers took place while campaigning.

“Selim’s hired goons attacked us while we were campaigning for our party candidate,” Tutul alleged.

When asked about the incident, Mobarak said, “Things happen. That was a petty issue. We are okay now. After all, our root is one.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Friday, January 3, 2014

Casualty, violence wane as elections near

Speaker asks govt to ensure Khaleda’s security n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

n Tribune Report With only two days to go for the national polls, the second day of countrywide indefinite rail, road and waterway blockade called by the opposition to resist the elections passed with a loose knot yesterday.

Apart from a few sporadic clashes with law enforcers, and incidents of vandalism and explosion, the day was dominated mostly by arrests of the opposition men by law enforcers in several districts.

In the capital, the impact of blockade has been fading away as the city dwellers braved tension. There was huge traffic on the roads and increased presence at educational institutions while markets and malls had crowds yesterday.

Blockade supporters torched two buses, including one owned by the BRTC in Dhaka, and over 100 crude bombs were exploded during separate clashes with the police. The clashes left eight Shibir activists injured.

Around 85 leaders and activists of the BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami were arrested in five districts.

Moreover, the opposition alliance has called separate hartals in Chittagong, Bogra and Sylhet districts from tomorrow demanding the cancellation of Sunday’s general election and protesting the “confinement” of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. In Rajshahi, miscreants hurled two crude bombs targeting the motorcade of Awami League Presidium member Mohammad Nasim in Charghat upazila in the afternoon. He escaped the attack unhurt.

In another incident, blockaders hurled a hand bomb at a pick-up van carrying police at Daspukur in the city around 8am, said Ziaur Rahman, OC of Boalia police station. No one was injured in the attack as the bomb missed the target.

Meanwhile, the law enforcers recovered four crude bombs left abandoned near the residence of Shawkat Uddin, a

Firefighters douse a burning bus after opposition activists set it on fire at Mirpur in the capital yesterday lawyer, around 11am at Mahishbathan of the city.

In Sonatola upazila of Bogra, at least 10 people including two police personnel were injured in a tripartite clash among the activists of the Awami League and the BNP, and the police.

The clash erupted when the BNP activists vandalised an office of the ruling party in Baluarhat Bazar area around 10am, said Md Khalequzzaman, OC of Sonatola police station.

In Sirajganj town, pickets in front of the local BNP office hurled two hand bombs aiming at a patrol team of the police. No one was injured.

Blockade supporters in Natore vandalised a truck at Dighapatia and an auto-rickshaw at Station Bazar in the morning. Potato trader Mofazzal Hossain who was in the truck sustained injuries.

In separate drives on Wednesday night and early yesterday, the police and members of the joint forces arrested 95 activists of the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir from separate places of Joypurhat, Satkhira, Chittagong, Khulna, Natore, Jhenaidah and Nilphamari districts.

They were arrested on charges of carrying out vandalism and subversive activities during the recent hartal and

blockades, police said.

Unidentified criminals set a bus of Mirpur-Azimpur route on fire in Mirpur Section 2 around 10am and a BRTC double-decker bus at Gulistan around 6pm. Three passengers sustained minor injuries in the Mirpur arson attack.

Four people sustained burn injuries as blockade campaigners set fire to a bus and three human haulers in separate incidents in Sadar and Muktagachha upazilas on Thursday, according to UNB. One of the injured, driver of a human hauler, Anwar Hossain, was admitted to Muktagachha Upazila Health Complex.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Meanwhile, blockaders set ablaze a bus in Charpara area of the district town, leaving three people injured, said Golam Sarwar, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model police station.

Meanwhile, Rab personnel on information recovered 43 abandoned hand bombs at a place in Bijli Moholla of Mohammadpur in the morning, said Senior Assistant Superintendent Raihan Uddin Khan.

In Bhatara, police detained three Shibir men when they clashed with the law enforcers around 8:30am. The clash left at least five Shibir men injured. l

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury yesterday asked the government to ensure security of Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia and remove all barriers the BNP chief had been facing at this moment as alleged by her party MPs. Shirin talked to the state minister for home and the inspector general of police as eight BNP MPs led by Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque called on her at the parliament office asking her if Khaleda was arrested or under house arrest.

The BNP delegation submitted a memorandum to the speaker.

Shamsul Hoque Tuku, the state minister, told the speaker that Khaleda was neither arrested, nor confined or under house arrest – that all such actions warranted a legal procedure.

“Envoys of different countries have been meeting her [Khaleda], which proves that she is not arrested,” the speaker told the Dhaka Tribune, quoting Tuku. “Security around her residence was beefed up for guaranteeing her security.”

IGP Hassan Mahmood Khandkar echoed Tuku while speaking on setting up barricades on the entrance to Khaleda’s house. The BNP chief could not come out of her residence as the police kept sand-laden trucks parked at the entrance that obstructed the movement to and from the residence.

“Prioritising the security of the opposition leader, you should ensure that she does not face any inconvenience,” the speaker told the state minister and the IGP. “I can only bring the matter to the notice of the executive,” she told the Dhaka Tribune. Zainul Abdin Farroque called the speaker on Wednesday night, seeking an appointment. l

Election needed to prevent Many AL men back independent Awlad illegal takeover: PM against JaPa’s Babla in Dhaka 4

Army may stay a while in places: CEC n Mohammad Zakaria

n Emran Hossain Shaikh

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad said yesterday the Election Commission would decide whether the timeframe of army deployment would be extended after January 9 considering the situation.

“If needed, the timeframe of army deployment in some areas may be extended. The commission will decide this considering the situation,” he told reporters after a meeting with the president at Bangabhaban yesterday.

Tthe CEC said the army would be in the field at least till January 9 to maintain law and order during the polls.

“The commission will ensure a peaceful environment for voters to cast their votes,” he told reporters after a meeting with the president at Bangabhaban.

He was asked about the opposition’s non-stop blockade to resist the elections.

“Vehicles are not allowed to run in a constituency before the elections anyway. Only approved vehicles can run during the elections. There will be no problem in casting votes during the elections due to the blockade,” he assured.

Four election commissioners and EC Secretary Muhammed Sadique were also present at the meeting. l

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has said her government has introduced a permanent electoral system like the other parliamentary democracies of the world, with an aim to prevent unconstitutional takeover of state power.

“The [January 5] elections will be held under an independent and powerful Election Commission; not under any unelected individual,” Hasina said in her nationally broadcasted address to the nation yesterday.

Hasina, also the prime minister of the interim government, said her party had put in all-out efforts to bring main opposition BNP to the elections.

She also said she had been trying to bring the opposition chief to a discussion to find a peaceful way out to a compromise. But instead of accepting her call, the opposition chief had chosen the path of violence.

Referring to her party’s commitment to keep the democratic process in the country undisturbed, Hasina said the January 5 elections would be held constitutionally.

She urged the people of the country to vote in a festive mood just like the way did in the five city corporation

polls and the by-elections during her tenure.

She also called upon people to cast their votes in favour of their preferred candidates and thus give a solid foundation to democracy.

According to the Election Commission, apart from the Awami League, the chiefs of five out of the 12 parties contesting the polls will get the chance to address the nation.

In her yesterday’s address, reiterating the pledge for making Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021 and developed by 2041, Hasina said: “Just like before, we want full support from the people. We want you to vote for the boat [Awami League’s electoral symbol]. Let us come forward along the path of peace, democracy and prosperity, forgetting all the differences between us.”

The two-time prime minister, on behalf of her party, pledged to implement all the verdicts in the war crimes cases if elected to power again.

Referring to the Awami League’s election manifesto, Hasina said: “We will not enact any law against the holy Qur’an and the Sunnah. We will build a peaceful society in which all religious groups will coexist by ending terrorism, militancy and communalism.” l

n Mushfique Wadud Residents of Dhaka 4 constituency, where ruling Awami League withdrew its nominee to favour Jatiya Party in line with a political understanding, are expecting a tough contest in Sunday’s elections as a section of local AL leaders are supporting an independent candidate in defiance of the party’s decision.

Securing the south Dhaka seat will not be easy for JaPa aspirant Syed Abu Hossain Babla, as his main rival, expelled city AL leader Awlad Hossain, has strong influence among local party supporters.

Awlad Hossain, a former personal secretary to AL chief Sheikh Hasina, decided to contest the 10th parliamentary polls as an independent after incumbent lawmaker Sanjida Khanam withdrew her candidacy following a party directive.

Babla, a former lawmaker and JaPa presidium member, is contesting with the “plough”, while Awlad got “elephant” as his symbol.

Speaking to party activists and voters in the constituency, it was found that despite Sanjida’s supporters backing Babla, most local AL leaders were working for Awlad behind the scenes.

1OTH NATIONAL ELECTIONS

Awami League divided in Dhaka 15 n

Udisa Islam

Despite the absence of the opposition, election in Dhaka 15 (Mirpur-Kafrul) promises to be a tough contest. In this seat, the Awami League-nominated candidate will fight with an independent candidate who is also involved with Awami league’s politics.

For the 10th parliament elections, Kamal Ahmed Mojumdar MP was nominated from Awami League.

Ekhlas Uddin Molla, another Awami League politician, is vying independently with the elephant symbol. Another candidate Md Saiful Islam is from ruling ally Jatiya Samajtanrik Dal (JSD).

Ekhlas Uddin Molla was with BNP in the 1996 elections. He joined Awami League in 2008 but failed to get party nomination. After that he decided to contest the polls as an independent candidate. Molla is the brother of Dhaka 16 MP and Awami League candidate Iliyas Uddin Molla. Local Awami activists who oppose Mojumdar are working for Molla openly.

“Mr Mojumdar always makes money. He has very little organisational ca-

pability. We want some changes here this time for the sake of our party,” an Awami League activist said, seeking anonymity.

Yesterday the Dhaka Tribune spoke to several voters in the area. Most of the voters are not interested in the election since there is no opposition.

A voter said this was an in-house battle, since both candidates were Awami League leaders.

Last month a mobile court fined Kamal Ahmed Mojumdar Tk25,000 for violating the electoral code of conduct by putting up posters.

This lawmaker received public attention when he assaulted a female television journalist at Monipur High School in Mirpur in 2012. The journalist had gone to the school to interview Mojumdar, the school committee chairman, on the school’s decision to charge admission fees much higher than that fixed by the government.

From Taltola to Mirpur 10 intersection all roads are full with posters of Mojumdar and Molla. This seat has over three lakh voters. Some voters are concerned about security and are unwilling to cast votes. Babu

Mia, a businessman from Kazipara, said his family was not interested in voting this year, as they were concerned about security. There are eight voters in his family.

An elephant accompanied by a band marches the length of Rokeya Sarani every day seeking vote for Molla. Many voters however, said this was pointless as most of the time people did not know what it was about.

At Senpara bus stand, Rashedul Hassan, 44, said he would vote for Mojumdar because he was the Awami League candidate.

“An independent candidate can never do anything for people,” he said.

Mojumdar became an MP in Mirpur in a 1991 by-election when BNP MP Harun Rashid died. He was reelected in 1996 and 2008. This time he got nominated against three strong contenders including Jamal Mostafa from Kafrul Awami League and SM Zahid, a Jubo League central leader.

On the other hand Ekhlas Uddin Molla is from a family that has been in politics for three generations. His grandfather was the president of Mirpur Union Parishad for 27 years. l

Raja Mia, a Jubo League leader of Shampur union, told the Dhaka Tribune that a good number of local AL leaders and activists were supporting Awlad.

“Although you do not see them campaigning for Awlad Hossain because of the party’s decision, they will do their duty on election day,” Raja said.

Awlad Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the general people were with him, and he would win the race.

On December 18, AL cancelled Awlad’s membership and relieved him of all party posts. The party also directed its supporters to refrain from cooperating with Awlad, who was the joint general secretary of AL’s Dhaka city unit.

On the other hand, Sajjad Hossain, a local Chattra League leader, said pro-Sanjida leaders and activists were supporting Babla.

Abdul Gafur, a tea stall owner in Karimullah Bagh, anticipated a close contest between the two candidates.

He said Babla, who was an MP during HM Ershad’s regime in the 1980’s, had made some contributions, including taking the initiative to supply piped gas to the area.

“So, Babla will have some advantage,” Gafur said.

Babla himself told the Dhaka Tribune that except a few expelled local leaders, most AL activists were supporting him.

“The handful of expelled AL leaders who are working against me will not matter, and I am hopeful of winning,” he said.

The constituency encompasses Dhaka South City Corporation wards 47, 51, 52, 53 and 54 and Shampur union.

There are a total of 2 28,517 voters, a good number of whom are small traders. Of the area’s manifold problems, locals deem waterlogging as the worst.

Campaign publicity in the area indicate that the election will likely be closely fought. Both candidates have almost the same number of posters, banners and festoons covering the walls or hanging over roads across the constituency.

However, the number of electioneering offices in the area are relatively small. Locals said only a small number of supporters were seen canvassing for either candidate, and very few campaign processions were held.

Mainul Islam, who sells tea in Dania, said during past elections, huge crowds used to gather around his stall. But this time, there were very few customers. l

JaPa unveils election manifesto n Manik Miazee

A group of Jatiya Party leaders, loyal to Rawshan Ershad, yesterday unveiled their election manifesto for the 10th parliamentary election scheduled on January 5.

JaPa Presidium Member Anisul Islam Mahmud announced the eightpoint election manifesto just two days before the polls at a conference in Hotel Sonargaon of the capital.

In the manifesto, the party demands that “full faith in Almighty Allah” be restored to the country’s constitution.

The party leader said JaPa was contesting the polls in 64 constituencies with symbol “Plough” to protect the constitution.

The main objective of the party was to keep the constitution functional, he added.

While formally announcing the eight-point election manifesto, Anisul claimed it was the decision of Ershad and his wife Rawshan to join the polls.

The presidium member said other leaders of the party failed to attend the programme because of their hectic schedules.

No other frontline leaders except Kazi Firoz Rashid was present during the manifesto-unveiling programme.

Asked about withdrawal of nomination papers, he said those who did not withdraw their nomination papers were in the polls.

In reply to a query, Anisul claimed that JaPa Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Presidium Member GM Quader would also participate in the election.

He added that the duo were busy with election campaign and so they failed to attend the programme.

Earlier, both Ruhul Amin Howlader and GM Quader stated that they would stick to the party chief’s decision not to go to polls.

Anisul Islam Mahmud also de-

scribed himself as a minister because he did not send his resignation letter to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Seven JaPa leaders, four ministers, two state ministers and an adviser to the prime minister took oath on November 18 as members in the interim cabinet.

Ershad had earlier declared that he would not take part in the upcoming elections slated for January 5.

Head of JaPa Research and Strategy Wing Bobby Hajjaj in a statement on Wednesday said he held a video conferencing with the party leaders and assured them that Ershad was not in the polls. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, January 3, 2014

Yusuf ordered annihilation of pro-liberation activists n UNB The defence for detained war crimes suspect AKM Yusuf yesterday cross examined the 18th prosecution witness whose questioning was closed earlier by the tribunal.

Freedom fighter Sikder Habibur Rahman told the International Crimes Tribunal 2 that razakars, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation forces, had setup makeshift camps at Kachua of Bagerhat district in April-May 1971. The Peace Committee was formed in Khulna first and later its branch was extended to Kachua, he said.

Asked about the meeting held in Kachua on April 22, 1971, the witness said accused Yusuf had been introduced at the meeting as chairman of the Peace Committee of Khulna.

Later the tribunal adjourned the proceedings until January 9.

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

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

Yusuf faces 13 charges of crimes against humanity including genocide, killing, loot, arson, deportation of people and religious conversion.

Earlier, in his deposition, witness Habibur said Yusuf at the Peace Committee meeting had given an inflammatory speech asking his followers to annihilate the freedom fighters, Awami Leaguers and people belonging to the Hindu community. Following his speech, armed cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami and Muslim League had looted at least 10 Hindu dominated villages surrounding Kachua and took the booties to Bagerhat.

Habibur named several villages including Bishekhola, Gozalia, Tofakhali, Bhasagram, Moukhiya and Khalishakhali where the atrocities had taken place.

He also said Yusuf had been a candidate in the 1970 national election, founded the razakar force in Khulna with Jamaat members and later joined the Peace Committee.

According to the prosecution, Jamaat leader Yusuf was a member of the Malek cabinet in occupied Bangladesh, a rubberstamp government backed by the Pakistan junta. He also acted as the chairman of the Peace Committee in Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna districts. l

Members of Sammilito Muktijoddha Front form a human chain in front of Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday demanding trial of war criminals

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Jaruzelski Opposition lawyers protest attack Hafiz sent to jail after appointed as new Sanaul Islam Tipu and Meanwhile, Attorney General Mah- president ASM Abdur Rob and some n Nazmus Sakib bubey Alam lambasted the BNP-led pro-opposition journalists expressed two-day remand USAID mission 18-party alliance for its programmes solidarity with the hunger strike.

Pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers and Banshowed him arrested in two other casAfter a brief protest, the Supreme that he said resulted in “sufferings for director to Dhaka Court Bar Association (SCBA) yester- justice seekers.” n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu gladesh National Lawyers Forum also es and prayed for another 20-day police organised a rally in front of the Dhaka “Pro-opposition lawyers in the remand. day threatened to declare further proA Dhaka Court yesterday ordered n Tribune Report The CMM court fixed the remand grammes if an initiative to investigate name of movement have obstructed Judge’s Court protesting the “confine- to send Major (retd) Hafizuddin The US Agency for International Development (USAID) appointed Janina Jaruzelski as its new mission director to Dhaka, the US embassy said in a press release.

Jaruzelski is set to take the responsibility at a time when Bangladesh is a partner country for three major US Government development initiatives- Feed the Future, Global Climate Change and the Global Health Initiative.

Jaruzelski, a member of the senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor, has served USAID since 1995 in Washington, DC and overseas posts.

Before her assignment in Dhaka, Jaruzelski was the USAID Mission Director in Bolivia.

Prior to her service at USAID, Jaruzelski was counsel to the US House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee. She also worked at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and at the Macmillan Publishing Company. l

into the attack made on pro-BNP lawyers was not taken within 72-hours.

SCBA President AJ Mohammad Ali made the statement after holding a symbolic hunger strike from 10am to 1.30pm at the Supreme Court premises.

The Supreme Court resumed yesterday after 20 days of winter vacation but could not conduct its sessions smoothly due to the ongoing opposition blockade. Though the Appellate Division sat, the High Court did not.

On December 29, the day of opposition’s Dhaka march programme, ruling party supporters attacked pro-BNP lawyers who were demonstrating at the main entrance of the Supreme Court. A female lawyer, Simki Imam Khan, was beaten brutally with sticks.

the judiciary from performing its functions. Lawyers who are not involved in politics do not want such programmes.

Pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers are trying to destroy the livelihoods of ordinary lawyers,” he told reporters.

The attorney general also said an investigation into the untoward incident was needed.

“It cannot be allowed that outsiders use the Supreme Court for their political interests,” he said.

Bikalpa Dhara President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Krishak Sramik Janata League chief Kader Siddique, Chairman of Bangladesh Kollan Party Syed Muhammad Ibrahim and Barrister Moinul Hossain, former adviser to the caretaker government, JSD

WEATHER

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

Light to moderate fog might occur over the country during midnight until morning, Met Office said.

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

The sun sets in the capital at 5:24pm today and rises at 6:42am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 29 degree Celsius was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf and lowest 9.2 degrees at Srimangal 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

25.2 27.0 25.8 22.0 26.4 26.6 25.6 29.0

13.5 13.6 11.0 11.6 13.0 11.5 12.7 15.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

5:21am 6:41am 12:03am 3:48pm 5:24pm 6:45pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Almost all kinds of vehicle move in the city amid non-stop blockade yesterday. The photo was taken from Farmgate DHAKA TRIBUNE

ment” of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her home, the attack on Simki Imam Khan and the attack on journalists and university teachers on the same day.

Lawyers brought black flags to the event that went on till 2pm.

Ruhul Amin Gazi, the acting convener of the National Professional Unity Forum, Sawkat Mahmud, Jaynul Abedin Mejbah, AJ Mohammad Ali and other professional leaders and activists attended the programme.

Acting secretary of Jatiyatibadi Ainjibi Forum Md Sanaullah Miah presided over the meeting. Some three hundred lawyers attended the programme.

Speakers at the rally demanded release of all arrested opposition leaders. l

Ahmed, rejecting his bail prayer in a case filed against him for killing police and arson attack at the capital’s Banglamotor.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Harun-Or-Rashid passed the order after hearing the petition for his bail.

On December 30, the same court granted a two-day remand for Hafiz.

Investigation Officer Md Ali Hossain, sub-inspector of Ramna Police Station, produced Hafizuddin before the court after completion of the remand.

Defence counsel Jaynul Abdin Mejbha submitted the bail petition in which he said the government showed him arrested to suppress the opposition movement.

Earlier, Motijheel police officials

hearing on January 9. One case was filed on November 5 with the Motijheel Police Station.

Sub-inspector of Motijheel Police Station ASI AKM Azizul Haque filed the case for killing a police man and injuring a number of others in front of New Anar Bakery near Kamalapur Bazar on the second day of the previous 60-hour hartal.

In another case filed with the Motijheel Police Station Hafiz was accused of torching seven cars and blasting several cocktails in front of Motijheel Ideal School on September 24.

Sub-Inspector Humayun Kabir Hawlader in the case accused 53 named and unnamed 80-90 people for the incident on September 24. l

Security to be maintained in uncontested seats

43 hand bombs recovered in capital n Kailash Sarkar

n Mohosinul Karim

Rapid Action Battalion personnel recovered 43 hand bombs form capital’s Bijli Moholla in Mohammadpur yesterday morning while conducting a drive.

Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Raihan Uddin Khan said the Rab members, acting in a tip-off, recovered the abandoned hand bombs from near a building in Bijli Moholla around 11:30am.

He said: “The criminals had been preserving the bombs to carry out subversive acts.” He added that raids were being conducted in the area to arrest the culprits involved with the incident. l

Despite deployment of armed forces and additional law enforcers for the upcoming election, the government fears the deterioration of law and order situation in 153 constituencies, where the candidates have been elected uncontested.

Field level high officials and chiefs of the local law enforcing agencies have been asked to remain alert to avoid any breach of law and order situation.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan yesterday told the Dhaka

Tribune: “The government is not reluctant about the law and order situation of those areas, where the polls would not be held.”

He said the law enforcers would work to control law and order situation and resist any miscreant, who will try to disrupt the electoral atmosphere.

He further said: “Upazila level administration will also be kept alert.”

Additional forces will be kept ready as striking forces, and would be sent and deployed in those areas, where necessary, the cabinet secretary added. l

Election worker of JaPa Fire damages mill, shops and candidate held with gun valuables in three districts n

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Police held an election worker of Jatiya Party candidate in Barisal and recovered one pistol, four rounds of ammunitions and a magazine (ammunition storage attached to a firearm) from his possession yesterday.

The arrestee is Md Mamun Rari, an election worker of JaPa candidate for Barisal-3 constituency Golam Kibria Tipu, a lawmaker of Ershad-led JaPa. Locals said Mamun was a Jubo League cadre who came from Dhaka yesterday to work for Awami League backed JaPa candidate Golam Kibria Tipu.

Shahiduzzaman, officer-in-charge of Airport police station said detective branch of Barisal Metropolitan Police had arrested Mamun from the police station area under BMP.

He denied providing any further detail.

Sub-Inspector Ahsan Kabir of the detective branch of BMP said they had arrested Mamun during a vehiclecheck at Tumchar Bazaar area where an election rally of Golam Kibria Tipu was scheduled to be held.

Shoyeb Ahmed, deputy commissioner (headquarter) of BMP said the arrestee would be sent to police station after interrogation.

Tipu Sultan, a Workers Party nominated candidate and the only rival of Golam Kibia Tipu in the constituency, alleged that the JaPa candidate was using muscle power and money.

He also alleged that since Tipe was still a lawmaker, he was using his influence to manipulate the election procedure.

Golam Kibria Tipu was not reachable over mobile phone. l

n Tribune Report

A total of 16 shops, a steel mill and a car was damaged in fire incidents in Chittagong, Kishoreganj and Madaripur in the last two days.

In Chittagong, a steel mill and a private car was gutted in fire early yesterday in Chittagong city’s Sher Shah, under Bayezid police station, and Teribazar area.

Fire brigade sources said the fire at Multi Steel Mill in Sher Shah had originated from an electric short-circuit around 12:30am.

Md Jashim Uddin, deputy assistant director (DAD) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters in Chittagong said a unit of Bayezid Fire Station went to the spot and doused the fire after one and an half hour attempt.

Asked about the loss, fire service sources said some of the machineries

at the mill were burnt and damaged.

About the other incident, DAD Jashim said fire gutted a private car on Katapahar Road in the city’s Teribazar area around 1:30am when the battery of the car’s engine was blasted.

A fire fighting unit, on information, went to the spot and extinguished the fire, added the DAD. The fire brigade officials estimated the loss in the incidents to be over Tk5 lakh.

In Kishoreganj, at least three shops were gutted in a devastating fire that broke out in a stationery shop in Dorga Bazar area in Pakundia upazila yesterday morning.

Fire service sources said the fire had originated from an electrical short-circuit around 9:30am and soon engulfed nearby shops.

Upon receiving information, a unit of Kishoreganj fire service rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after an

hour-long effort with the help of locals, Kishoreganj Fire Service Station Deputy Assistant Director Prannath Saha said.

The owners of the shops claimed approximately Tk30 lakh worth of goods were destroyed in the fire.

In Madaripur, at least 13 shops of Sahebrampur Market in Kalkini upazila were burnt down Wednesday night.

Owners of the shop claimed that they had a total loss of almost Tk50 lakh. About the cause of fire, they said it might have occurred from an electric short-circuit.

Locals said they saw flames in some of the shops around 2:30am on Wednesday night and tried to douse the fire.

Later, three units of Fire Service and Civil Defence from Madaripur and Gouronadi upazila reached the spot and doused the fire after two hours attempt. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Friday, January 3, 2014

City Corporation, Rajuk neglect duties fearing political tension

Aspiring lawmaker’s aide held with firearms

City dwellers deprived of services, 36 development projects in limbo

n Kailash Sarkar

n

Abu Hayat Mahmud

Officials of the two city corporations and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) are showing indifference towards their duties of serving the city dwellers fearing political instability centring the 10th parliament election slated on January 5.

Sources at the three apex government-run city service and development authorities claim that fear of possible political unrest, including programmes like hartals and blockades after the polls have retarded their operations.

The sources also alleged that most of the high-ups in Dhaka South City Corporations (DSCC), Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Rajuk have been appointed through political lobbying; as a result, they were now more concerned about the result of upcoming polls rather than their respective responsibilities.

Visiting the office of DSCC, DNCC and Rajuk in last two weeks, this correspondent found most of officials ab-

sent in the office and unavailable over phone.

Prof Dr Sarwar Jahan, head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Buet, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Political unrest goes unabated, but it is not acceptable that the city corporations and Rajuk’s services would plummet showing this as a cause.”

He also said as most of the officials of these organisations had been appointed on deputation, they might likely be anxious about aftermath of the election, but that should not stop them from serving the public.

They are holding political instability and election as a cause behind their lack of responsibility, he added.

Residents of different areas in both DSCC and DNCC alleged that the potholes on the streets have not been fixed; no measure had been taken to fix the drainage system, garbage management and mosquito menace in the areas. Especially they complained about lack of mosquito drives as mosquitoes become dominant during dry season.

The cleaners hardly follow the cor-

poration’s rules.

Keramot, a cleaner in Sobhanbagh area under DSCC, said: “The schedule for collecting wastes in this area is in the morning, I came in the afternoon because in the morning I was collecting waste in another spot.”

Prof Dr Sarwar Jahan, head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Buet, told the Dhaka Tribune: ‘Political unrest goes unabated, but it is not acceptable that the city corporations and Rajuk’s services would plummet showing this as a cause’ Rajuk is running 19 big-scale projects while DSCC and DNCC are running seven and 17 projects respectively-all of which are at a halt at this moment because of the negligence of authorities who fear political tension as aftermath of the parliamentary polls.

However, denying such allegation, DSCC Chief Executive Officer Md Ansar Ali Khan said: “It is not negligence

of the city corporation officials fearing political tension. Political unrest is currently obstructing smooth run of the projects and as a result they might not be completed within schedule.”

“The non-stop blockades impede the process of providing all types of services’” he added.

DNCC Chief Engineer Brigadier General Mohammad Abul Khayer said: “The construction of different projects and services by the corporation are being hampered because of the oppositions’ movements. So, amid such political situation it is difficult to set deadlines for the projects.”

He claimed that the corporations’ staffs and labours are not being able to move freely because of the blockades which are creating hindrance in providing public services.

Rajuk Chief Engineer (implementation) Md Emdadul Islam said: “Most of the development projects are currently in limbo in the wake of continuous blockades and strikes.”

“All the projects will resume after the January 5 polls,” he added. l

DHAKA 6 CONSTITUENCY

Rapid Action Battalion yesterday arrested with firearm an aide of an aspiring lawmaker Saidur Rahman Shahid, alias “Shahid commissioner” vying as an independent candidate for the 10th parliamentary election from Dhaka 6 constituency.

The arrestee was Hafizur Rahman, 50, businessman and close friend of the contestant.

The elite force made the arrest after conducting a raid on the Gandaria residence of the independent candidate.

Rab 10 Operation Officer Fazle Rabbi said: “Acting on a tip-off, a Rab team raided the house of Saidur and arrested Hafizur with an illegal firearm around 11am.”

“Two more licenced firearms were also found in his possession.”

The contestant was, however, not available in the house at that time, said Fazle Rabbi.

Meanwhile, commissioner Saidur at a press conference in Dhaka Reporters Unity claimed Rab arrested his friend based on a false allegation made by his political opponent.

The independent contestant alleged

that his opponent was trying to downplay his popularity in fear of being defeated in the election.

Asked about this, the Rab official denied the allegation of Saidur.

According to Rab, Police and local sources, awarded with death penalty for murder, Saidur tried to win polls ticket from the ruling Awami League to vie for the January 5 election, but failed.

The ruling party nominated Mizanur Rahman Dipu, who died of cardiac arrest last week, while Jatiya Party leader Kazi Firoj Rashid was also a contestant in the Dhaka 6 constituency.

Saidur Rahman Shahid was a councillor of ward 38 of Dhaka City Corporation. He was freed on bail from Faridpur jail in 2010 after serving over seven years in jail.

He was sentenced to death on May 29 in 2003 on charges of shooting advocate Habibur Rahman Mondol to death in Chandra Mohan Basak Lane at Banogram in old Dhaka on August 20, 2000.

Saidur was also accused in the murder of Shahadat Hossain Sikder, commissioner of ward 90, on September 29, 2003, and Juba Dal leader Sujan in Sutrapur on May 4, 1999. l

JSD-backed candidate in Barisal questions administration’s integrity n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal An independent candidate contesting the general elections from Barisal-2 constituency yesterday accused the local administration of meddling in election affairs in favour of her Awami League rival and demanded immediate redeployment of the army.

Sabina Aktar, contesting with “pineapple” symbol with the backing of ruling alliance partners Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Workers’ Party (WP), made the allegation at a press conference.

Barisal-2, comprising Ujirpur and Banaripara upazilas, is one of the three constituencies in the district where elections will be held. The remaining constituencies were won uncontested by single candidates.

In the conference, Sabina, wife of Uzirpur Upazila Chairman and Organising Secretary of JSD-Barisal unit Abul Kalam Azad Badal, read out a written statement reflecting on her election preparedness.

She began by lambasting her oppo-

nent, Advocate Talukdar Md Yunus, for using the support of administration in his campaigns, influencing the election commission and violating electoral codes of conduct.

“He is an outsider in the region and knows too well that a fair fight will bear no fruit for him. So he is doing everything possible to make sure it does not happen,” she said.

“The local administration is working in his support, putting pressure on the general voters to vote for Awami League and getting police to raid the residences of JSD and WP activists, calling them Jamaat-Shibir activists.

“He [Talukdar] even had the army withdrawn from the constituency three days ago. He did that to continue with his election intrigues uninterrupted.

“We had informed the administration, police and election commission of our concerns and requested them to keep pro-AL people off election duties.

But they did nothing.”

However, Talukdar Md. Yunus, district AL secretary and the immediate past lawmaker from Barisal-1 constitu-

ency, denied all allegations and said he would welcome any decision including deployment of army and investigations into allegations against him. “All I want is a fair and peaceful election.”

Shohidul Alam, deputy commissioner and returning officer for the six constituencies of Barisal, said he had been informed of the allegations. “We will investigate them and take whatever steps necessary for conducting a fair election.”

In the 10th national elections, scheduled for January 5, voters of only three constituencies of the district will be able to exercise their franchise.

These are: Barisal-2 (Ujirpur-Banaripara upazila), Barisal-3 (Babuganj-Muladi upazilas), and Barisal-4 (Mehendiganj upazila).

A total of 780,227 voters from Barisal-1 (Gournadi-Agoiljhara upazilas), Barisal-5 (City Corporation and Sadar upazila) and Barisal-6 (Bakerganj upazila) would be deprived of voting. Two Awami League candidates and one Jatiya Party candidate had already won in the constituencies without a contest. l

Supporters of independent candidate for Dhaka 16 constituency Sardar Mohammad Mannan bring out an election campaign procession in the city’s Mirpur yesterday RAJIB DHAR

225 out of 266 polling centres ‘vulnerable’ in Bogra

n Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra

Election posters of MP candidates flood a road in Kadamtali area ahead of January 5 polls. The photo was taken yesterday

RAJIB DHAR

14-party alliance leaders to have tough contest in Satkhira 1 n Our Correspondent, Satkhira Two leaders of Awami League-led 14-party alliance are expected to have a neck-to-neck contest in Satkhira 1 constituency in the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections, as both candidates have been doing their election campaign in full swing.

Satkhira District Worker’s Party Secretary Mustafa Lutfullah has got the party nomination and will contest the polls with “boat” symbol. On the other

hand, Kendrio Sainik League Organising Secretary SM Mujibur Rahman will contest the polls as an independent candidate with the symbol “deer.”

The constituency has arrangement of 146 polling centres for a total of 380,208 voters.

Local activists of Awami League have been divided into two groups centring the polls.

Young supporters of the ruling party have been campaigning for the independent candidate, while elder sup-

porters have been advocating for Mustafa Lutfullah.

Meanwhile, supporters of BNP, Jamaat and Jatiya Party (Ershad) are not willing to cast their ballots in the constituency as Ershad and BNP-led 18-party alliance will not take part in the polls.

However, a section of BNP and Jatiya Party supporters has been campaigning for SM Mujibur Rahman.

Locals think it is tough to predict the winner. l

The local administration has identified 225 polling centres out of total 266 as “vulnerable” and rest 41 as “normal” in two constituencies of Bogra, district Election Officer Md Younus Ali said yesterday.

The remaining five constituencies will see no polls as lone candidates of those constituencies would be declared winner.

Younus said the polling centres were identified in two groups according to the field level report.

Md Mozammel Hoque, superintendent of police, Bogra, said local administration had taken initiatives to ensure security of the risky polling centres of the district.

Bogra election office sources said over 7 lakh voters would cast their votes on January 5 in Bogra 6 (Gabtoli and Shahajahanpur) and Bogra 4 (Kahaloo and Nandigram) constituencies.

The election office sources said all 73 polling centres in Shahajahanpur upazila of Bogra 6 and 57 polling centres in Kahaloo upazila of Bogra 4 were identified as risky. l

Election fever grips Khulna townsfolk n Tribune Report Election fever has gripped the people in 3 constituencies of Khulna as seven candidates are continuing hectic campaigns to win the January 5 National Parliamentary Election.

Electioneering is gaining momentum with contestants observing various programmes to attract the electorates. Roads, lanes and by-lanes, look crowded with the movement of contenders and their supporters in their respective areas.

People from all walks of life, especially party leaders, activists and supporters, are holding rallies in favour of their respective candidates.

Leaflets with symbols and photographs of the candidates printed on them are being distributed among the voters.

Seven Member of Parliament candidates have so far formed different types of committees and been conducting their campaign under the party banner excepting Nany Gopal Mondol and Moniruzzaman Khan

Gono forum asks government to postpone polls n Tribune Report Gono forum has urged the government to postpone the January 5 general election.

It also urged to hold a national dialogue involving all political parties as well as intellectuals and professionals to find a way to resolve the ongoing political crisis.

In a joint statement on Thursday, Gonoforum president Dr Kamal Hossain and general secretary Mostafa

Mohsin Montu voiced grave concern over the next general election scheduled for January 5.

They said the upcoming parliamentary polls will deepen and lengthen the existing political crisis in the country.

The security of lives, property and jobs, as well as people’s struggle for survival will be at risk while the country’s education, trade and commerce, and economy will collapse due to political uncertainly, the statement said. l

Khokon as they are independent candidates.

In Khulna-2 constituency (Sadar-Sonadanga), Khulna city unit general secretary Mizanur Rahaman Mizan is campaigning door-to-door and holding meetings in each wards under the party banner while Jatiya Party (Monju) candidate Rasheda Karim is campaigning in the city’s Sadar and Sonadanga thana area.

In Khulna-3 constituency (Khalishpur-Daulatpur-Khanjahan Ali), AL central leader Begum Monnuzan Sufian is contesting with his Moniruzzaman Khan Khokon. Khokon, ex-general secretary of Daulatpur thana unit AL and recently expelled from the party.

In Khulna-1 constituency (Batiaghata-Dakop), all three candidates are engaged in hectic poll campaigns in their areas.

The candidates are Panchanan Biswas (Awami League), sitting lawmaker Nani Gopal Mondol (Independent) and Sunil Shubho Roy (Jatiya Party-Ershad). Nani Gopal was also expelled from Awami League. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Friday, January 3, 2014

Textbooks reach schools despite all odds Education minister says Bangladesh sets a record in free textbook distribution the new academic year. n Tribune Report “Despite political instability, we Textbook Distribution Festival was observed across the country yesterday as textbooks were distributed to all students of primary and secondary level.

A total of 30 crore copies of textbooks were distributed to over 3.73 crore primary and secondary level students across the country.

Dhaka Tribune correspondents across the country reported that students had got textbooks in even the remotest parts of the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the occasion by distributing textbooks among the students at Ganabhaban.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid formally distributed textbooks to students of Government Laboratory High School in the city yesterday.

Speaking at the programme, Nahid said Bangladesh had set a record by distributing free textbooks to a large number of students on the first day of

have distributed 1,213,871,172 copies of textbooks to 16 crore students from 2010 to 2014. Distributing such amount of textbooks under government initiative to remote parts of the country on the first academic day is the first in the history,” he said.

“We are really happy as the textbooks have reached the students amid ongoing violence and subversive acts

by BNP-Jamaat men,” Nahid said.

Our Jhenaidah correspondent reported that students had expressed their joy as they got textbooks on the first school day of new academic year.

The textbook distribution festival was observed at Jhenaidah Wazir Ali high school ground yesterday morning.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Safiqul Islam inaugurated the distribution.

A total of 151,500 students including 26,500 madrasa students received the textbooks. About 95% of the books

Wave of attack on Hindus continues in Lalmonirhat n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat Inhabitants of Shalmara village under Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat have been living in panic as a temple was torched by some unidentified miscreants in the early hours of yesterday.

The gang set fire to the Shalmara Sarbojanin Puja Mandir after spreading petrol over it when the villagers were sleeping, police said after visiting the temple in the morning.

Sensing the fire, locals rushed to the spot, but then the temple was burnt to ashes.

Expressing concern at the attack on the temple, President of the temple managing committee Profulla Chandra Roy said Shalmara temple was a sacred place for the villagers and they had been doing veneration there for the last 20 years.

Valuables worth about Tk2lakh were damaged in the fire, he added.

Member of Valabari union parishad Subhas Chandra Roy said unidentified miscreants torched the temple to cre-

ate panic among the Hindu people.

A panicked situation has been prevailing in the locality as people of Hindu community are fearing that they might be attacked further.

Chairman of Aditmari upazila, also Senior Vice-President of district Awami League, Sirazul Haque said the miscreants tried to create panic among local people so that they would not dare to cast vote in the national polls scheduled to be held on January 5.

Officer-in-Charge of Aditmari police station Aslam Iqbal said they were trying hard to identify the miscreants’ gang who were involved with the torching of Shalmara temple. No one has been arrested in this connection yet.

On December 15, a temple of the Hindu minority was attacked in Patgram upazila allegedly by the Jamaate-Islami activists after three Shibir men died in the area.

A gang of unidentified miscreants set fire to a temple of Durgaat Kakinain under Kaliganj upazila in the district on October 30. l

Cheerful students of Chikandandi Katakhali Government Primary School at Hathazari upazila in Chittagong after receiving new books yesterday

Hill cutting goes unabated in the Bhorakhali area of Bandarban Hill district as a section of influential people are carrying the illegal act posing serious threat of landslides, alleged the locals.

By using the name of administration, some unscrupulous and influential individuals are cutting hills and selling the soil illegally.

After visiting the area, it was found that the hill beside Haji Saleh Miah Government Primary School in Bharakhali area under the sadar union, has been cut down exposing the locals to risks of landslides.

Hilltops are being leveled to collect

soil for constructing houses, said the local administration.

A gross allegation coming from locals is that, Samsul Alam, husband of Women Counselor of Balaghata Municipality Ferdous Akhter, has been cutting hills illegally but residents of that area remain silent out of fear.

Some labourers have cut a huge hill in the area and took the earth for sale on a truck. Before cutting the hills a number of Segun trees were also cut down, claimed the locals.

When contacted, Samsul Alam said he took permission from the Deputy Commissioner, stating that he would collect the soil by cutting a portion of the hill and use it to level the land on the school premises.

Rajbari District Primary Education Officer Mohammad Fazlul Haque said in accordance with the demands of the primary schools, the books were sent to all the five upazilas’ education offices.

Our Sirajganj correspondent said the textbook distribution festival was observed at the Sirajganj Collectorate School yesterday. Deputy Commissioner Billal Hossain inaugurated the distribution. l

were distributed on the first school day.

Our Chandpur correspondent says the textbook distribution festival was observed at district Shilpakala Academy. Deputy Commissioner Ismail Hossain inaugurated the programme, he reported, adding that some 17 lakh textbooks would be distributed among the students.

Our Gopalganj correspondent reported that Awami League presidium member Sheikh Selim inaugurated the

textbook distribution in the district.

Selim said the government gave priorities on education and the sector was progressing.

Our Kurigram Correspondent said Deputy Commissioner ABM Azad inaugurated the textbook distribution festival at Kurigram Government Girls’ High School. Some 30 lakh textbooks in secondary schools and madrasas and 22 lakh copies of textbooks among primary students were distributed.

Three killed in 3 districts n Tribune Report

Tobacco cultivation still on in Rangpur region

Road accident kills one, hurts 15 n Tribune Report

Three people were killed in Pabna, Sirajganj and Satkhira on Tusday and Wednesday.

A man was beaten to death at Vobanipur village of Ishwardi upazila in Pabna on Thursday morning. Police arrested a suspect in this connection, reports our correspondent. The victim was Md Abu Hossain, 50, a fish trader of village Vobanipur , family sources said.

Biman Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi police station, said Rafique Mondol of the same village had a longstanding enmity with Abu. Rafique attacked Abu around 8am and beaten him up. Abu succumbed to his injuries in Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex.

In Sirajganj, police recovered the dead body of a middle aged woman at Chuniyahati in Sadar upazila. The victim, 42, was found from a crop field and there was a scarf around her neck, reports our correspondent.

In Satkhira, police recovered the body of a madrasa student from a pond at Godown intersection in Shyamnagar upazila on Wednesday night, reports UNB. The deceased was Mojahidur Rahman Liton, 21, a student of Shyamnagar Alia Madrasa and hailed from Mirzapur village of the upazila. l

n Tribune Report

Road accident killed one in city while 15 others were injured in separate accidents in Narayanganj.

The deceased Abdul Mannan, 32, who died in a train accident, was an army man and hailed from Saturia, Manikganj.

Kamalapur General Railway Police said the man had been hit by a running train in the capital’s Banani around 11pm on Wednesday.

Our Narayanganj correspondent reports, at least 15 workers were injured as an Antim Garment industry bound bus carrying the workers of the factory fell into a roadside ditch at Moikuli around 7am yesterday.

After the accident, agitated garment workers blockade the Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Barpa under Rupganj upazila and staged demonstration.

During the demonstration they also vandalised two vehicles.

At one stage of the demonstration, the workers attacked Altex Industry, a company near Antim Garment. Then the workers of Altex came out from the factory and a series of chase and counter chase took place.

Later, Rupganj police brought out the situation under control. l

Hill cutting goes unabated in Bandarban n Our Correspondent, Bandarban

Our Mirsarai correspondent said textbooks festival was observed at Mirsarai Upazila TDC Auditorium. About nine lakh textbooks were distributed among primary and secondary students.

Our Rajbari correspondent reported that students of the primary and secondary schools, madrasa and vocational training institutes in five upazilas of Rajbari district got new books yesterday.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

However, later he allegedly cut whole of the hill and could not provide any legal document showing approval of the deputy commissioner, when asked.

A labourer Hashem said: “We have cut around 70 feet of land behind the school. We have been covering the lower land there and selling each truck of surplus earth at Tk500.”

Locals alleged that the local administration had not taken any step to prevent the illegal hill cutting by different government and private organisations despite repeated pleas.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Amir Abdullah Md Manjurul Karim said he would inform the matter to the deputy commissioner. l

Despite efforts to discourage tobacco cultivation farmers of Rangpur region are still continuing tobacco cultivation on land to earn more profits.

According to Department of Agricultural Extension, farmers have extensively cultivated tobacco on the dried up riverbeds and char (shoal) land this year.

Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam said farmers were still showing interests in tobacco farming mainly to earn more money.

Farmers have so far cultivated tobacco on 14,221 hectares of land in Rangpur. District wise break-up are 2,516 hectares in Rangpur, 240 hectares in Gaibandha, five hectares in Kurigram, 10,745 hectares in Lalmonirhat and 705 hectares in Nilphamari.

The farmers had cultivated tobacco on 17,828 hectares of land in Rangpur division last year against only 12,696 hectares in 2011.

Cultivation of tobacco decreased in recent years as the farmers had cultivated the crop on 33,500 hectares of land during 2009-2010

Ban on carrying passengers by motorcyclists lifted

n Tribune Desk Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) on Thursday withdrew the ban on the motorcyclists on carrying other persons on their vehicles.

BRTA director (enforcement) Matiur Rahman says the restriction will come into effect from Thursday.

Earlier on December 29, BRTA imposed the ban for checking terrorist activists and ensuring security for people.

The restriction came following recent observation that miscreants, who ride motorcycle as co-rider, carried out sabotage by hurling petrol bombs and blasting crude bombs targeting vehicles and law enforces in the capital and across the country. l

Chhatra League activists arrested in Magura

n Our Correspondent, Magura

The hill beside Haji Saleh Miah Government Primary School in Bharakhali area in Bandarban has been cut down, exposing the locals to landslides DHAKA TRIBUNE

Three Chhatra League activists were arrested with two cans of petrol at Magura bus terminal on Wednesday.

The arrestees were Shazzad, 24 , Lemon, 22, and Rana, 19 .

MA Hashem Khan, officer-in-charge of Magura police station, said the arrestees were wandering in the bus terminal area around 9pm.

Out of suspicion, police nabbed them and recovered two cans of petrol and a match from their possession.

Police suspected that the Chhatra League members had a plan to torch bus ticket counter of Azibar. l

and on 19,050 hectares during 20102011 seasons in the region, the DAE sources said.

Farmers – Echahaq Ali, Aiyub Ali, Azizul Islam and Abdul Khaleque of Kathihara village in Rangpur – said they had cultivated tobacco on 1.5 to 2.5 acres of land this season.

“We cultivate tobacco as the tobacco companies encourage us directly or indirectly through providing necessary inputs, cost-free seedlings and incentives with an assurance of lucrative prices,” they said.

Farmers Mokbul Hossain, Shamsul Haque, Abul Hossain and Yasin said they had cultivated tobacco on more land this season to earn more profits than cultivating other crops.

The farmers said they generally spent Tk20,000 to 22,000 for per acre of land in farming tobacco to produce 20 maund per acre to earn a net profit of over Tk60,000 on an average.

Associate Director (Agriculture) of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid said farmers could earn more profits by farming wheat, sugarcane and others in relay methods with intercropping of other crops using the latest technologies. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Five ‘robbers’ arrested in Gazipur

One held with 3kg gold in Benapole

Police arrested five alleged robbers from College Gate area at Pubail in the city early yesterday while they were about to commit a robbery. Being tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in the area at about 1.30am and arrested the robbers while they were preparing to commit robbery, said police. Police also seized a foreign made pistol, two machetes, two knives and a pick-up van used in robbery from their possession. – UNB

Police arrested a man along with 3kg of gold at Kagojpukur in the town yesterday evening. The arrestee was identified as Momin Uddin, son of Hasu Morol of the village.

Officer-in-charge of Benapole Port Police Station Kaiyum Sardar said acting on secret information, a team of police conducted a drive in the area and arrested Momin along with 36 gold bars weighing 3 kg while he was going to Sadipur border from the town in an easy-bike. The market value of the seized gold would be around Tk 1.70 crore, said the OC. – UNB

Five brick kilns in Gazipur fined Tk19 lakh Department of Environment yesterday fined five brick kilns in Gazipur Tk19 lakh for the violation of environment laws. After a hearing at the DoE Dhaka headquarters, its director (monitoring and enforcement) Md Alamgir fined the brick kilns’ owners on various grounds, including the use of older 120-foot chimney without taking the environment clearance and operating bricks kilns inside city corporation area. The brick kilns are located in Konabari and Bhawal Mirpur areas of Gazipur. The owners of the fined brick kilns attended the hearing and vowed to replace the brick kilns from the city corporation areas within the next six months. – UNB

Union parishad office gutted in Sunamganj

Miscreants set ablaze Islampur union parishad office under Chatak upazila of the district this morning. The fire gutted valuable documents of the union parishad. On receiving the information, police rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of local people. Chairman of Islampur Union Parishad Adv. Sufi Alam Sufi recorded a general diary with Chatak police station in this connection. – BSS

CU to go on 3-day closure for polls Chittagong University will go on a three-day vacation from Saturday on the occasion of 10th parliamentary election. Farhad Hossain, deputy registrar of Information and Photography Department, said all academic and official activities of the university would remain suspended from January 4 to 6. He also said three days of vacation had been announced considering the convenience of the students of different constituencies across the country so that they can cast their votes smoothly. – Tribune Report

Couple held with yaba tablets in Savar

The Narcotic Control Department in a drive arrested a couple and recovered 1,600 pieces of yaba tablets from Hemaetpur-Jadurchar area of the upazila on Wednesday evening.

The arrested were identified as Nur Mohammad, 38, and his wife Asma Akhter, 30. On a tip-off, a team of the department conducted a drive in the area and arrested the couple from a house of one Abdul Barek and recovered the tablets after searching their bodies, said NCD Inspector Jasmine Akhter. – BSS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Friday, January 3, 2014

7

Democracy at crossroads

Life, and the economy at a standstill due to the ongoing political unrest

A

n Ifty Islam patient in intensive care or a slow-moving train wreck – I’m not sure which of these analogies best describes the state of democracy in Bangladesh – maybe both? There is clearly no glory on either side and Bangladesh’s democracy and the bulk of the people are the casualties.

The elections on Jan 5 will go ahead but with 153 seats out of 300 uncontested due to the opposition boycott, the ruling AL have already won what is widely recognised internally and externally as a non-credible election.

The US, EU and Commonwealth have all refused to send electoral observers.

When we look ahead to what might happen in 2014, a compromise between the two major parties looks increasingly like wishful thinking and we may need an external shock to get democracy, or at a minimum the economy, back on track. Business leaders and ordinary citizens are becoming increasingly frustrated and horrified by political events but the $64,000 question is what will force change and what comes next?

Hence once can see 5 main possible scenarios: 1) An AL led government forcefully stays in power for its next 5 year term – this seems the least likely scenario; 2) The opposition BNP/Jamaat street agitation forces the Al government to announce fresh election in an exact replay of 1996, albeit with the AL and BNP roles reversed.

3) The President declares a state of emergency, the army is deployed.

There is a new election in which all parties contest and the BNP will most likely win.

4) A new political party emerges to challenge the AL and BNP and wins the new elections in much the way that Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party did in the recent Delhi elections. Alternatively, even if they don’t win a majority, they secure enough votes to be a swing variable to the main two parties in a new coalition government.

5) After a state of emergency, we see a repeat of an army-supported neutral or technocratic caretaker government that exercises a longer-term mandate as in 2007-08.

The population, and indeed the economy cannot withstand more than a further 3-6 months of the current situation; something has to give and a new political equilibrium needs to be found in 2014

The economic cost from the opposition blockades has been worse than any previous round of political turmoil. So what end game to the current political impasse is in prospect for 2014?

Firstly, notwithstanding both the Dec 29 BNP March on Dhaka (which the government has successfully stopped ironically mimicking the opposition with a blockade of their own) and the call on Dec 28 by a number of leading civil society groups for the election to be postponed, it will almost certainly take place on Jan 5 and a new Awami League government will take office on Jan 6. But the 153 uncontested seats and extremely low prospective turnout as a result of the BNP boycott will immediately call into question the credibility, legitimacy and hence sustainability of this new Government. The BNP and their Jamaat allies will almost certainly resume and most likely intensify their street violence, blockades and hartals (strikes) to force new elections.

There is often a lot of discomfort in discussing army interventions in the domestic Bangladeshi political dialogue, as scenario 5 would be extra-constitutional. But since Bangladesh has seen army-backed regimes for almost half of the countries’ history since Independence in 1971, and the last army-backed government was only 5 years ago, it is clearly a risk if the political situation deteriorates further. What one can say is that the Bangladesh army appears to be the least partisan, or politicised, of all state institutions and enjoys a degree of respect and credibility with the population. Anecdotal evidence suggests they remain reluctant to become involved and it seems likely that a majority of senior officers would prefer the political parties to find a solution.

But the critical unanswered question right now is how confident are we that a compromise and a solution between the political leaders is likely that can defuse the current stalemate and chaos in the country?

The views of the foreign powers, most notably the US, EU and to some extent India will be important as will the attitude of the UN. India appears to be the only major country to openly support the re-election of the AL government. But the recent visit by India’s foreign secretary, a bureaucrat, to visit all the political parties in Dhaka and express a preference for Al re-election, has been perceived as unwanted intervention by India in the sovereign affairs of Bangladesh, and has fuelled a growing element of anti-Indian sentiment among the population.

While fears of BNP election win, allowing increased Jamaat influence, is understandable, it is important for India to avoid having a hostile neighbour on its eastern as well as western flank, especially given the strategic importance of Bangladesh in fighting terrorist elements in the NE provinces of India known as the Seven Sisters. There has been at least some recognition of this in public with India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid stating on Dec 29 that “We don’t take sides on what happens 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.”

However, he also acknowledged that there were differences with the US, “particularly in the dealing of the present government (in Bangladesh) with some of their own internal situations ...” Khurshid suggested that India’s understanding of Bangladesh would be “helpful” to the US, stating: “While US is at some distance from Bangladesh, we are right next to it.” However it is far from clear that India’s geographic proximity gives it either a better understanding of Bangladesh’s political dynamics or more importantly the right to dictate.

Would India be comfortable about China’s foreign minister coming to Delhi and meeting Congress and BJP to influence their upcoming elections because they are India’s larger neighbour with an economy four times as big and common borders?

But political reality does still suggest external influence, particularly from the US and UN, will be important behind closed doors. A leading political commentator, David Bergman, stated in his New Age op-ed on Dec 29, the role of the United Nations will be closely watched as seven years ago Bangladesh was facing an election crisis similar to the one the country is now experiencing, when its resident coordinator in Dhaka took action that many believe instigated the army to seek a state of emergency that lasted for nearly two years. He stated: “On January 11, 2007, Renata Lok Dessallien issued a public statement threatening the Bangladesh army’s involvement in peacekeeping operations if it supported the elections that were due to take place later that month. In

an apparent direct response, on the same evening, the army chief Moeen U Ahmed marched into the office of the president and self-appointed caretaker chief Iajuddin Ahmad and compelled him to proclaim a state of emergency.”

In this context, the emergency in South Sudan this past week and the need for additional UN Peacekeeping forces at short notice resulted in Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon calling PM Hasina requesting an extra battalion of Bangladeshi soldiers. So this lever does not appear to be open for now. But the political situation remains extremely fluid and international pressure may shift again if political violence escalates and the law and order situation in the country deteriorates to crisis levels.

Indeed the evidence from the rest of Asia has been that the most successful economies have prospered under authoritarian regimes such as China or Vietnam currently, or South Korea under President Park. Alternatively hybrid regimes defined by a democracy but one where one party stays in power, notably Singapore.

The Economist Mar 27, 2013 article “Autocracy or Democracy” noted that “growth induced democracy in East Asia, democracy did not lead to growth. They compared North and South Korea, which were both poor in 1950 and under dictatorial regimes from the end of the Korean War until 1980. From 1980, per capita incomes diverged. The same year South Korea began democratising. But South Korea’s better institutions developed due to dictators’ policy choices.” Moreover, in a study of 100 economies from 1960 to 1990, Robert Barro found that prosperity tends to inspire democracy.

Bangladesh is also a prime illustration of the “Iron Law of Oligarchies,” a theory developed by Belgian sociologist Jan Michels. The political elites secure both financial resources and patronage while in power to secure an “iron grip” on power that is to some extent self-perpetuating or at the very least difficult to break. Both political parties dispense money at national all the way to grass-roots levels to secure both political agitation and votes.

Patronage is used quite systematically and strategically to maximise political benefits. It has been estimated that the cost of re-election in even a rural parliamentary seat in Bangladesh is $500,000, a massive multiple of MP salaries. A sad state of affairs but unfortunately the realpolitk of Bangladesh is guilty of polarisation and vengeful power politics.

Ironically Bangladesh’s current “democracy” is dominated by two ladies who rule their parties with an iron fist – in as authoritarian a manner as one can imagine. There is absolutely no tolerance for dissenting voices even among senior ministerial colleagues.

While the political system was based on the British system of parliamentary government with the PM “primus

RAJIB DHAR

We have crossed a Rubicon or a point of no return on the need to move to a new order, and away from the politics of violent agitation that characterises the two political parties

inter pares,” or first among equals, this is as far from the truth as one can get.

So internal party reforms within both the AL and BNP will require a dramatic change within the parties or both of the current party leaders to retire.

Alternatively a third political party or force would need to emerge, but the failure of someone of the stature of Nobel Prize winner Professor Yunus to achieve this during the caretaker regime period of 2007-08 underlines the difficulties.

There have been protests in the past few months by a broad range of business and civil society groups: from FBCCI, the apex corporate trade body, to the BGMEA, which represents the powerful RMG sector. But it is patently obvious that neither political leader is listening, and the pursuit of power and the winner-takes-all nature of Bangladeshi politics is drowning out all reasonable calls for a compromise. An external shock is likely to be necessary to force change, rather than voluntary altruism, or concerns on the plight of their electorate and the suffering of innocent casualties, in motivating either leader to change course and compromise.

Things remain uncertain, but the population, and indeed the economy cannot withstand more than a further 3-6 months of the current situation; something has to give and a new political equilibrium needs to be found in 2014.

Let me conclude by stating my own preference: a political system that gives Bangladesh an economy that achieves 8%+ growth – this will require, alongside a focus on capturing a bigger chunk of the China relocation trade in the RMG sector and increase sectoral exports to $30bn by 2015, fostering other export sectors in footwear, toy assembly, light engineering and shipbuilding. Foreign direct investment and the establishment of multiple economic zones have to be prioritised to deliver substantial new infrastructure projects to overcome energy and transportation/logistical blocks. Education and vocational training has to be increased to take advantage of Bangladesh’s demographic dividend and see remittance growth increase to $30bn in 2020 as Bangladeshis move into higher value-added jobs overseas.

The citizens of Bangladesh should think carefully about what kind of government best suits their interests.

I’m a supporter of democratic freedoms, but democracy that is confined to having the right to vote only, is an insufficient goal in itself given that the political system fails to provide a higher standard of living, and more critically, safety and security for its citizens.

My preference would be for a national government for Bangladesh that includes technocrats as well as politicians from both the AL and BNP, which would be in power until Bangladesh’s 50th anniversary in 2021, when we will have seen average growth rates of 8% and the emergence of a new generation of political leaders.

I accept that I don’t know how we form this national government.

However, I believe we have crossed a Rubicon, or a point of no return on the need to move to a new order, and away from the politics of violent agitation that characterises the two political parties. I am upbeat about Bangladesh’s economic prospects when we look beyond the near-term political turmoil of the next 6 months.

Bangladesh’s economy has continued to exceed expectations; given a stable environment, an enabling environment, and vision from a future government, a dynamic private sector powered by a young population of 160 million will likely surprise to the upside, and reward the patience of long-term investors who look beyond the current political battleground.

As the recent election of Arvind Kejriwal as the seventh chief minister of Delhi illustrated, the electorate is capable of upturning the political order when corruption and poor governance fails to deliver. I’m not sure what the “Black Swan” event will be for Bangladesh politics, but I am hopeful we will be surprised by the outturn.

I remain optimistic that the current political morass, characterised by mindless and pointless violence of the political parties, will be a precursor for a re-generation of a political system in Bangladesh that prioritises the welfare of its citizens over its politicians. l Ifty Islam has worked as an economist and Banker in London, New York and Dhaka.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Friday, January 3, 2014

Kerry arrives in Israel to revive flailing peace talks n Reuters, Jerusalem US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel on Thursday in his latest bid to reenergize peace negotiations and find scarce common ground between pessimistic Israeli and Palestinian officials.

His visit, the 10th to the region in under a year, aims to lay the foundations of a “framework agreement” that addresses the core issues of the decades-old conflict and open the way for an independent Palestine, according to US officials.

But on the question of borders, security, refugees and the status of Jerusalem, leaders from both sides have sounded far apart this week.

Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin on Thursday rejected the creation of a Palestinian state based on the lines pre-dating the 1967 Six Day

Uganda president ‘won’t be pressured’ to sign anti-gay law

n AFP, Kampala

Uganda President Yoweri Museveni will not rush to approve a controversial anti-gay draft law, widely criticised internationally but overwhelmingly backed by local political and religious leaders, his spokesman said Thursday.

Uganda’s parliament adopted the bill on December 20. It will see repeat offenders jailed for life, sparking an international outcry as lawmakers hailed it as a victory against “evil.”

Deputies voted overwhelmingly in favour of the text, which has been condemned by rights activists and world leaders – with US President Barack Obama describing it as “odious” and Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu comparing it to apartheid.

But gay rights activists in Uganda say the legislation has widespread support in the fiercely homophobic nation.

An earlier draft not approved by parliament had proposed the death penalty for repeat offenders. Some Ugandans have raised concerns that donor aid could be restricted if the bill is signed into law, while British tycoon Richard Branson has urged companies to boycott Uganda over the draconian bill. l

Rwandan ex-spy chief found ‘murdered’ in S Africa

n

War, in which Israel captured and occupied Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

“The Jordan Valley must be under Israeli sovereignty forever,” he said, referring to the border area with Jordan, from which Palestinians want a full Israeli withdrawal.

“The 1967 borders are Auschwitz borders,” Ha’aretz newspaper quoted him as saying, suggesting that any such move would lead to the destruction of Israel.

On Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas renewed a call for all Israeli settlers and soldiers within the 1967 lines to be evacuated, saying he would not hesitate to reject a bad deal.

“We will say “yes” to any ideas suggested to us which meet our rights. But we will not fear and will not hesitate for a moment ... to say “no,” whatever

the pressure, to any proposal which detracts from or doesn’t fulfil the higher national interests of our people,” he said in a speech.

Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat last month said a framework agreement could allow the talks to be continued for another year. However, earlier this week, he said the US-brokered talks were “failing” and threatened to haul Israel before the International Criminal Court.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, a senior US State Department official said Kerry was not expecting a breakthrough during his latest visit, when he is due to see Netanyahu and Abbas separately on several occasions.

The official, who declined to be named, said an eventual framework accord would act as a guideline for reaching a full peace treaty by the end of April. l

Somali residents look at the wreckage of two cars on January 2, 2014 in Mogadishu after they exploded the day before

Deposed CAR leader denies Somali Islamists claim Mogadishu bombing n orchestrating violence Reuters, Mogadishu

n AFP, Paris Francois Bozize, the former Central African leader, denied backing Christian militias that have wreaked havoc in the country and called on the current president who deposed him to resign in an interview broadcast Thursday.

The Central African Republic has plunged into chaos since mainly Muslim Seleka rebels staged a coup in March, prompting French forces to intervene last month after hundreds died in violence pitting the former rebels against Christian militias known as the anti-balaka (anti-machete).

Michel Djotodia, the Seleka leader who was installed as president of the former French colony, has accused Bozize of supporting the Christian militias battling his former rebels – a claim the latter denies.

“It is the Seleka who brought disorder to the country, misery and death.

The anti-balaka phenomenon has appeared following abuses committed by the Seleka in the country,” Bozize – who is in exile in an undisclosed lo-

cation – said in a telephone interview on RFI radio.

“That’s what triggered the appearance of the anti-balaka. From my position, I did not create a so-called anti-balaka rebellion.”

Asked whether he condemned the atrocities perpetrated by the Christian militias, he responded: “That’s what you say. I’m not on the ground. That’s what the press says. If they have committed (atrocities), then I condemn them.”

The sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, an unstable and impoverished country, is believed to have killed more than 1,000 people last month and sent tens of thousands fleeing.

Bozize called on Djotodia to resign “so that the situation be brought under control once and for all.”

French President Francois Hollande, who gave the green light for 1,600 French troops to be deployed in the country, has called for new elections to be held.

Bozize did not rule out returning to the country and running in any future vote. l

Islamist militants in Somalia said on Thursday that they carried out the triple bombing on a Mogadishu hotel that killed at least 11 people.

Al Shabaab, who are battling African peacekeepers for control of territory in southern and central Somalia, said its bombers had targeted intelligence officials who were meeting at the Jazira hotel at the time.

“The apostates are the eyes and the ears of the invaders and these attacks

serve as a well-deserved punishment for their role in guiding and assisting the invading forces in their crusade,” al Shabaab spokesman Ali Mohamud Rage said in a statement.

Al Shabaab said it had killed more than a dozen people in Wednesday’s attack. A private ambulance service director said his medics had recovered at least 11 bodies.

The assault on the Jazira hotel, one of the securest places in the coastal capital, underscored worries in neighbouring countries and beyond that

n AFP, Prague The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic died after a blast at his Prague home, which police said was likely caused by the explosion of an anti-theft system on a safe he was opening.

Jamal al-Jamal, 56, suffered “very serious injuries” in the blast on Wednesday – believed to be an accident rather than a terror attack – and was

taken to Prague’s military hospital in an artificial coma, said Jirina Ernestova, spokeswoman for the emergency services.

Daniel Langer, surgeon at the Prague military hospital to which Jamal was taken, told Czech television the ambassador had suffered devastating “head, belly and chest injuries following an explosion.”

Jamal, who took office in October, had only recently moved to the new residence

on the northern outskirts of Prague.

The Palestinian foreign ministry said the blast occurred on Wednesday morning as Jamal “was opening an old safe which had been brought from the previous embassy (building) to the new one.”

“Minutes after opening the safe the explosion took place, causing serious injury to Jamal, who was taken to hospital and operated on,” the ministry said in a statement. l

OTHER NEWS

FLOODS IN EUROPE

Baby dies after being shot in Philippine New Year revelry

A three-month old baby boy has died after being accidentally shot during raucous New Year celebrations in the Philippines, police said Thursday. The revelry left nine other people across the country wounded by stray bullets, while 793 were injured by firecrackers, said Health Department Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag. The infant was hit in the head by a stray bullet from a gun that was being fired into the air as part of festivities in the northern town of Caoayan in the early hours of January 1. The child died in hospital later, Modequillo added. Police are looking for the person who fired the gun, while the governor of Ilocos Sur province has offered a reward for information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest, the police chief said. Last year’s revelry left one dead and 25 wounded by stray bullets, and a further 800 injured by firecracker explosions.

‘Only’ 1,067 vehicles torched in France over New Year’s Eve

This long time exposure picture taken on January 2, shows the city center of the western city of Quimperle flooded by the Laita river. Britanny is placed under flood warning because of heavy rains and high tidal coefficient AFP

Turkey seizes arms in truck bound for Syria

Canadian MP threatened with arrest, expulsion from Sri Lanka

n AFP, Istanbul

n AFP, Colombo

Turkish security forces have seized a truck laden with weapons bound for Syria and arrested three people including a Syrian, local media reported on Thursday.

Acting on a tipoff, security forces on Wednesday stopped the truck in the southern province of Hatay on the Syrian border, Hurriyet newspaper reported.

A significant quantity of ammunition and weapons were discovered in the truck, whose drivers claimed they were carrying aid on behalf of the pro-Islamic Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH).

Somalia could slip back into anarchy if recent military gains against rebels are not consolidated.

An attack on a Kenyan shopping mall in September in which dozens of people were killed highlighted the militants’ ability to strike beyond Somalia’s borders.

Islamist suicide bombers struck the Jazira hotel in September 2012 as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was giving a news conference just two days after his election by lawmakers.

Exploding safe kills Palestinian envoy to Prague

AFP, Johannesburg

Rwanda’s former spy chief has been found strangled after attending a meeting at a hotel in Johannesburg, where he had been living in exile, officials said on Thursday as police launched a murder probe.

The body of Colonel Patrick Karegeya, 53, was found slumped on a hotel bed, his neck swollen, in the upmarket area of the city on New Year’s Day, police said.

“A towel with blood and a rope were found in the hotel room safe,” police said in a statement. “There is a possibility that he might have been strangled.”

Karegeya was the former head of Rwanda’s external intelligence service and has lived in exile in South Africa for several years.

His party was first to announce the death early on Thursday, saying that he was strangled after attending a meeting at the Michelangelo Towers in Johannesburg’s upmarket Sandton district.

It was not immediately clear if he was killed on Tuesday night or on Wednesday.

Karegeya leaves behind his wife Leah and three children. l

AFP

But IHH dismissed the allegations as “slanderous.”

“Our organisation has nothing to do with this case,” a spokesman for the relief group told AFP. Turkey is a vocal critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has openly supported the rebels fighting his regime, but has always denied arming them.

In December, local media reported that Turkey had shipped 47 tonnes of weapons to the rebels since June.

But Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz denied weapons of war had been sent to Syria, saying only hunting rifles had been exported. l

A Canadian lawmaker said Thursday she was intimidated and warned she could be deported during an ongoing visit to her birthplace of Jaffna, the war-battered Tamil heartland of Sri Lanka.

Rathika Sitsabaiesan, an ethnic Tamil, was subjected to “political intimidation” and warned of possible arrest and deportation, according to a statement on her New Democratic Party’s (NDP) website.

“My experiences since arriving in Sri Lanka are a reminder that defend-

ing principles of human rights is not easy,” she said in the statement, adding: “I was warned I could be subject to arrest and deportation.”

Sitsabaiesan, 32, said she look forward to ‘learning more about the country of my birth’ The statement did not say who had intimidated her, but added that Sri Lankan authorities had informed the Canadian High Commission (embassy) in Colombo that there was no order to arrest her.

However, Tamilnet.com, a group sympathetic to the former Tamil Tiger rebels, said she was virtually under house arrest at her hotel in Jaffna on Tuesday, a claim vehemently denied by police.

Sitsabaiesan, 32, said she look forward to “learning more about the country of my birth.”

Sitsabaiesan, who immigrated to Canada with her family when she was five years old, was elected to the House of Commons in 2011. She has been a fierce critic of the Sri Lankan government, according to Canadian media. l

Some 1,067 vehicles were torched in France over New Year’s Eve, Interior Minister Manuel Valls announced, a marked drop from last year in what has become a turn-of-the-year tradition in rundown areas. Every year, the night of December 31 to January 1 sees hundreds of cars set ablaze across the country in an orgy of vandalism – as much a tradition as champagne and oysters in more affluent parts of France. Briefing reporters late on Wednesday, Valls said the number of cars torched over this New Year’s Eve had dropped by more than 10%.

The Seine-Saint-Denis department that neighbours Paris, the poorest in France, was the clear winner with a total of 80 burnt cars, he added. Authorities had stopped publishing official figures of the number of burnt cars after it was discovered a district-by-district breakdown was fuelling a destructive competition between rival gangs.

But last year, Valls had promised to publish the figures again. Some 53,000 policemen were deployed across the country during New Year’s Eve to try and avoid any violence, but three people were knifed and died, including one in Paris.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Friday, January 3, 2014

China denounces US for sending Uighur ‘terrorists’ to Slovakia n Reuters, Beijing

Muslim Brotherhood supporters clash with Egyptian riot police during a demonstration in the streets of El Zeitun

AFP

Clashes erupt between police and pro-Morsi students in Egypt n AFP, Cairo Two people died on Wednesday in clashes between Egyptian police and student supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi protesting against the new military-installed authorities, security officials said.

The pro-Morsi coalition spearheading the Islamist protest movement, which has called for nationwide strike action, confirmed two demonstrators were killed. One of them was shot in the head, security officials said. State television reported that a policeman had also been shot in the clashes, but was in a stable condition.

Police said they only used tear gas to break up the protests near the defence ministry and accused the Islamists of using arms.

However, the pro-Morsi alliance in a statement accused “militias of the putschist authorities” of killing the two men and injuring three others.

The Brotherhood, to which Morsi belongs, was designated a “terrorist” group last week by the authorities, which accused it of a bombing north of the capital that killed 15 people.

The Islamist movement denied the accusation.

Police also fired tear gas at a pro-Morsi student protest in the Nile Delta city of Zagazig, the deposed leader’s home town, security officials said.

Pro-Morsi students have staged defiant demonstrations at universities across Egypt, and earlier Wednesday the pro-Morsi Anti-Coup Alliance called for more protests.

“As the students’ strikes succeed in shaking the corners of the coup regime, the coalition of parties, movements and groups defending democracy in Egypt calls for a gradual, decisive nationwide strike,” it said.

Police seized an underground press in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria for allegedly printing leaflets against the security forces, security officials said. Two people were arrested.

The Brotherhood’s designation as a “terrorist” group carries harsh penalties.

It could mean death sentences for convicted Brotherhood leaders and five years’ imprisonment for participants in protests.

Promoting the group either in writing or verbally can also lead to prison sentences. l

China’s Foreign Ministry criticised the United States on Thursday for sending the last three Uighur Chinese inmates at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre to Slovakia, saying they were “terrorists” who posed a real security danger.

Yusef Abbas, Saidullah Khalik, and Hajiakbar Abdul Ghuper are the last of 22 Muslim minority Chinese nationals to be moved from the Guantanamo Bay military prison in Cuba, according to the Pentagon.

Slovakia’s Interior Ministry confirmed that it would take in the three. Uighurs are a Turkic-speaking Muslim people from China’s far western region of Xinjiang.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said the three were members of the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which Beijing labels a terror group.

“They are genuine terrorists. They not only threaten China’s security, they will threaten the security of the country that receives them,” he told a daily news briefing.

“China hopes that the relevant country ... does not give asylum to terrorists, and sends them back to China as soon as possible.”

Qin added that China did not appreciate a recent US State Department call for Chinese security forces to exercise restraint following the latest outbreak of violence in Xinjiang, also blamed by Beijing on “terrorists.”

The US government has said it will not return the Uighurs to China because they would face persecution there “These remarks neglect the facts and are feeble,” he said. “We urge the United States to abandon their double standards when it comes to terrorism, and immediately stop saying one thing and doing another, to avoid sending the wrong message to violent terrorist forces.”

The United States said it was grateful to Slovakia for its “humanitarian gesture.”

Pakistan’s Musharraf in hospital n Reuters, Islamabad Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf was taken to hospital with chest pains on Wednesday while on his way to face treason charges in a special court in the capital, Islamabad.

It was the third time that Musharraf has failed to appear in court to face the charges. The first two times he cited security concerns.

Musharraf, 70, seized power in a 1999 military coup when he was army chief. He later became president and ruled until 2008.

The treason charges relate to his imposition of a state of emergency in 2007, when he was manoeuvring to extend his rule in the face of growing opposition from the public and the judiciary.

Musharraf’s lawyers say he does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court and accuses it of bias.

A spokeswoman for Musharraf said he had been taken to a military hospital in the city of Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.

The case is being closely watched for any impact on the relationship between Pakistan’s three power centres - the military, an increasingly assertive judiciary and the fledgling civilian government.

There is concern that the trial of the former military leader could anger the army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half its history since independence in 1947.

Musharraf recently told reporters the whole army supported him though the military leadership has given no indication that it might intervene in the trial. l

Indian teenager gang-raped and burned alive n AFP, Kolkata An Indian teenager was gang-raped in two separate attacks and then died after being set on fire, sparking protests in the eastern city of Kolkata, police said on Thursday. The 16-year-old was assaulted first on October 26 and then again the day after by a group of more than six men near her family’s home in Madhyagram town, about 25 kilometres (15 miles) north of Kolkata.

The second rape occurred as she was returning home after reporting the first attack at a police station.

She was then set on fire on December 23 and died in a state-run hospital late on New Year’s Eve, police said.

“She gave us a dying declaration in front of the health officials that she was set on fire by two persons close to the accused when she was alone at home on December 23,” local policeman Nimbala Santosh Uttamrao told AFP. Police made their first arrests on Wednesday, two months after the ini-

tial crime, local police chief Rajiv Kumar told AFP. “The accused tried to kill my daughter by setting her on fire to hush up their crimes,” the victim’s father, a migrant taxi driver from India’s poorest state Bihar, told AFP. Neither he nor the victim can be named for legal reasons. Several hundred activists on Wednesday protested in Kolkata over the crime, which was shocking in its brutality, even after a year when sex crimes have been widely reported in India. Rampant rape, assault and harassment of women in India was in the spotlight in the past 12 months after the fatal gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a moving bus in New Delhi in December 2012 sparked nationwide outrage.

The parliament has since passed tougher laws to punish rapists.

Activists say rape victims in India often face severe threats and intimidation from their attackers after the assault, while police often discourage them from lodging complaints. l

A Chinese man who tried to fly a hot-air balloon hundreds of kilometres to islands disputed between Beijing and Tokyo was rescued by Japan’s coastguard after ditching in the sea, an official said Thursday.

The 35-year-old took off from China’s Fujian province on Wednesday morning in an attempt to land on one of the Tokyo-controlled islands, the Japan Coast Guard official said. They are hotly disputed between Beijing, which regards them as its territory and calls them Diaoyu, and Tokyo, which calls them Senkaku. Tensions have at times reached feverish heights.

In the event the pilot sent a request for help several hours into his flight and ditched in the sea, with a Japanese rescue helicopter picking him up 22 kilometres south of his goal, the official said.

The man, who was unhurt, was handed over to a Chinese patrol ship outside Japanese territorial waters, he added.

Reports identified the man as Xu Shuaijun, a balloonist who in 2012 became the first man to pilot a hot-air balloon over northeast China’s Bohai Bay. On his verified account on Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter, Xu posted a short

message declaring that he had been returned safely to the city of Fuqing in Fujian province.

“I have returned safely,” Xu wrote.

“Thanks everyone for your concern.”

His supporters wrote back with words of support, with many declaring him a “hero” who had done well even if he had fallen short of his target.

“So awesome!” one user wrote. “What innovative thinking and action!”

Xu did not post any further details on his voyage and did not immediately respond to a request by AFP for comment.

Beijing declined to acknowledge any Japanese role in his rescue. Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters that a “Chinese coast guard vessel patrolling in waters of the Diaoyu islands learned that one Chinese balloonist fell into the water.”

Some attempts by activists from both sides to land on the islands have been blocked, but in 2012 about a dozen members of a right-wing Japanese group swam ashore from a 20-boat flotilla. Earlier, 14 pro-China activists sailed to the islands from Hong Kong on a similar trip.

Regional tensions rose in late November when China abruptly declared a new Air Defence Identification Zone over the East China Sea, including the disputed islands. l

Bus crash in western India kills 27 n AFP, Mumbai At least 27 people died and 17 were injured in western India on Thursday when a local bus slid off a mountain road into a valley, police said.

“The driver lost control after a tempo (three-wheeled vehicle] rammed into the bus along a sharp turn, causing it to fall into a 250-foot (80-metre) valley,” local policeman Sangram Singh Nishandar told AFP. The accident happened near a popular picnic spot in the Thane district of Maharashtra state, 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of Mumbai.

Around 140,000 people were killed in Indian road accidents in 2012 – which works out to 16 an hour – according to the government’s National Crime Records Bureau.

Bad roads, speeding vehicles and poor driving were among the contributing factors. l

Cambodian troops in riot gear break up factory strike n Reuters, Phnom Penh

A young Indian boy joins social organisations activists during a silent protest rally condemning rape

AFP

Japan rescues Chinese balloonist Malaysian authorities seize Bibles in ‘Allah’ row n AFP, Tokyo

Most of the Uighurs at Guantanamo were captured near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in late 2001, and were believed to have trained with the Taliban. But US officials have deemed they pose no threat to the United States.

In 2008, a US court ordered that they be released. They have been resettled in El Salvador, Switzerland, Bermuda, Albania, and the Pacific island nation of Palau.

The US government has said it will not return the Uighurs to China because they would face persecution there.

Many Uighurs chafe at restrictions on their culture, language and religion, though the government insists it grants them broad freedoms.

The region has been beset by violence with at least 91 people, including several police, killed in unrest in Xinjiang since April, according to state media reports.

China has blamed some of the violence on Islamist militants with connections to foreign groups, including al Qaeda, plotting holy war. l

n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Islamic authorities on Thursday seized hundreds of Bibles from a Christian group and questioned two of its officers, one of them said, amid tensions over the use of the word “Allah.”

A court in October barred a Malaysian Catholic newspaper from using “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its Malay-language edition – a verdict which was welcomed by Muslim conservatives but which sparked concern among Christians, a minority in the multi-faith country.

After the verdict, Prime Minister Najib Razak, walking a tightrope between pleasing his conservative Muslim ethnic Malay base without alienating non-Muslim minorities, assured Christians the practice of their religion would not be threatened.

But Islamic officials from the central state of Selangor on Thursday seized 16 boxes containing more than 300 Bibles from the Bible Society of Malaysia, said the society’s president Lee Min Choon.

Lee said he and a colleague were also detained “under a state law, which prohibits the use of the word Allah

by non-Muslims.” They were later released but must meet authorities again next week.

Most of the seized Bibles – imported from neighbouring Indonesia where Malay is also spoken – were in Malay. A few were in Iban, a language spoken by one of the country’s indigenous groups.

“We have been using them (the Bibles) ever since the society started (in 1985), and even before that,” Lee told AFP. “This is the first time we have been raided.”

The church says the word ‘Allah’ is the most accurate translation for ‘God’ and has been used for decades in Malaysia Officials from the Selangor Islamic Religious Department did not immediately return a request for comment.

The Council of Churches of Malaysia said in a statement it was “alarmed” by the raid and urged the government to “protect religious rights as provided under the Federal Constitution.”

The dispute over the use of “Allah” by non-Muslims erupted in early 2009,

when the Home Ministry threatened to revoke the publishing permit of the Catholic newspaper the Herald for using the word.

Authorities said using “Allah” in non-Muslim literature could confuse Muslims and entice them to convert.

The Catholic Church sued, claiming violation of its constitutional rights.

The church says the word “Allah” is the most accurate translation for “God” and has been used for decades in Malaysia and elsewhere.

A court upheld the church’s argument later that year and lifted the ban.

But a higher court overturned that ruling in October, reinstating the ban.

The ban’s removal had triggered a series of attacks on churches and other places of worship in early 2010, using Molotov cocktails, rocks and paint, and sparked fears of wider religious conflict.

Muslims make up 60% of the country’s 28m people, while Christians account for about 9%. Malaysia has largely avoided overt religious conflict in recent decades, but tensions have slowly risen along with what many see as an increasing Islamisation of the country. l

Cambodian troops armed with batons and rifles broke up a protest on Thursday by textile workers demanding a doubling of wages as part of a nation-wide strike by unions allied with the main opposition party.

Witnesses said around 100 soldiers wearing riot gear and carrying assault rifles used force to clear hundreds of workers protesting outside their factory about 20 km (12 miles) west of the capital, Phnom Penh.

“Soldiers beat up everyone,” said labour rights activist Chhorn Sokha of the Community Legal Education Centre. “They had sticks, electric batons, slingshots and stones.”

At least 10 protesters were detained and it was not known yet how many were hurt, she added.

Photographers, including one from Reuters, were hit by batons while covering the protest. Two witnesses said they also saw troops striking a Buddhist monk. The clashes mark a violent turn after two weeks of relatively peaceful strikes, marches and demonstrations of unprecedented scale in Cambodia. Security forces, which have a reputation for zero-tolerance, have so far exercised restraint.

The garment workers, whose industry is a major employer worth $5bn a year to the economy, have joined protests led by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which says it was cheated out of more than 2m votes in an election last July.

The CNRP has courted some 350,000 garment factory workers with the promise of a minimum monthly wage equivalent to $160, a proposal dismissed by the government as unsustainable. Their support for the CNRP represents one of the biggest challenges to the 28-year rule of authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen. He has been credited with steering Cambodia away from being a warscarred failed state to a promising frontier market, but opponents say his power comes not from the people, but from the sway he has over independent institutions and allege he rigged the election, which he denies. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Friday, January 3, 2014

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Listen to the people

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he Dhaka Tribune opinion poll published today contains good news for both the AL and BNP as well as a blueprint for a possible way forward.

All that is needed is for both sides to examine the results objectively and not try to only see what they want to see.

The key point for both sides to note is that a fully contested election would have been within the margin of error, according to the poll. Thus, both sides have a fighting chance of winning and both sides should welcome a free and fair election process. More importantly, both sides owe the general public such an election.

The AL should note that 71% of the people feel that the country is heading in the wrong direction and that almost 77% of the public feel that an election without the BNP is unacceptable.

The BNP should note that 47% of the public feel that an interim government system for administering elections would be acceptable, while the AL should note that 38% feel the opposite.

When it comes to war crimes trials, almost three-quarters of the population are satisfied with how they are being conducted, whereas it should also be noted that the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in elections is opposed by more than half of the people.

In short, there is support for positions held by both sides, and the lesson for both parties should be that there can be no alternative to working together to come to a resolution that will prove mutually acceptable to both parties as well as to the general public.

There can be no alternative to working together to come to a resolution that will prove mutually acceptable to both parties as well as to the general public

People must become united to save the country

Real estate tycoon has no apartment!

I took up the pen to write but what could I write? A deep foreboding is clutching at my heart. Only 42 years have passed since our independence, but already everything is disintegrating around us fast.

All this is happening because Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is defying advice from others, unanimously abolished the caretaker government system and pushed the country towards a perilous situation. And those who are protesting against it are being harassed and arrested on flimsy grounds.

We are outraged by the government’s low esteem for the people. Does it think that the public does not understand anything, or does it not care?

Prime Minister Hasina is constantly blaming Khaleda Zia for the loss of lives and property. We do not know if all the havoc is created by the opposition, but we are sure about one thing. The reason behind this turmoil is the discarding of the CTG, so is not Hasina mainly responsible for the volatile situation?

Nur Jahan

December 28

January 1

EC rejects AL’s request to stop Dhaka march December 28

Aleef Khan As if the EC has the power to do anything to stop it when the government will be doing whatever necessary to thwart the march and colour it as violent. Any attempt to portray EC as neutral is nothing but a joke. Is there any credibility at all of this constitutional body?

Tejpal I doubt if KZ will let it be free and fair. She will create problems, immaterial of what you say.

Aleef Khan Tejpal: Why doesn’t the government have the courage to let it happen as they declared to make it peaceful? When the government is making a full crackdown on the opposition, how do you now expect it to be peaceful?

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

A welcome boost for jute

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he long-awaited implementation of the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act 2010 begins this month.

According to the Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, an additional 1.5m bales of jute will need to be manufactured to meet requirements. This will result in more essential products, such as paddy, fertiliser and sugar, being packaged with jute sacks and reduce the use of less environmentally friendly synthetic packaging.

Increased local demand will stimulate production and help the country’s jute processors to catch up with the major jute industries of China and India, which dominate 70% of the international market.

Worldwide demand for jute and jute-based products is growing due to its durability and environmental advantages.

The jute industry has a golden opportunity to reinvigorate itself by capitalising on this demand and taking advantage of Bangladesh’s status as a major producer. Government support for production and procurement of jute should help jute farmers to benefit from the growing demand for the fibre and is a welcome boost for the industry.

Increased local demand will stimulate production and help the country’s jute processors to catch up with major jute industries

Parveen Perhaps, he does not trust the quality of the apartments he builds.

Hasina announces AL manifesto

Can there be a national reconciliation?

December 28

December 27

The author should be happy to learn that most other issues which he cites as impediments to a possible reconciliation are all byproducts of the impunity henceforth enjoyed by the 1971 war criminals. Hence, sooner the ICT finish off with their business, quicker will be the process of reconciliation. Some differences would be there as would be necessary to pursue two different political platforms, which is expected and welcome.

WaliulHaqueKhondker

A peaceful way forward December 27

An editorial with an appeal to peace, which is a universal desire, albeit of all Bangladeshis too. But the government is likely to look into the minutiae of the speech ie the “March for Democracy” is being accompanied by the sworn opposition to war crimes trial, and Jamaat-Shibir, whose mayhem during the past weeks have been confused by many to be an andolon by BNP for credible election under non-party caretaker government But we know the mayhem was intended to silence the voice of war crime trial supporters of the country who could be as many as, if not more than, the supporters of non-party CTG. How would these two opposing issues be segregated in the march? People have no direction yet.

Wakho

Moon Ahsan Hahaha. Joke of the millennium.

Arch Bishop The joke is that the manifesto promised “strengthening of the ACC” just a few weeks after this regime emasculated it to protect its MPs and bureaucrats.

Wacef Chowdhury So this means there are no plans to hold an election in the near future.

10 injured in Hizb-ut-Tahrirpolice clash in capital December 28

As far as I know, Hizb-ut-Tahrir is not a “militant” organisation. Rather, it is a political party legal in Tunisia, Lebanon, Indonesia, Malaysia, UK, Denmark, etc. jamil

Little known lawmaker amasses huge wealth

December 27 The best business in Bangladesh is the business of politics!

Wali

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Letting contracts (6) 5 Jurisprudence (3) 7 Added clause (5) 8 More than one (6) 10 Early freshness (3) 12 Sail support (4) 13 First woman (3) 14 Small nail (4) 16 Melody (4) 17 Zodiac sign (3) 18 Offspring (4) 20 Tree (3) 23 Reel (6) 24 Roof’s projecting edge (5) 25 Pale (3) 26 Seabird (6)

Zahurul Islam Why shall he own just an apartment when he lives in a sprawling bungalow?

If he is homeless then he can share my small apartment at Dhaka! :-)

DOWN 1 Facial features (4) 2 Quickness of perception (6) 3 Efface (5) 4 Fine sediment (4) 5 Was leading (3) 6 Land measure (3) 9 Utter wildly (4) 11 Bundle of notes (3) 14 Curved (4) 15 Duty list (6) 16 Golf mound (3) 17 Unbound (5) 18 Pace (4) 19 Spoken (4) 21 Meadow (3) 22 Homo sapiens (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

Op-Ed

DHAKA TRIBUNE

11

Friday, January 3, 2014

The bold step forward n Waseem Alim

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Which party can make itself look the worst?

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MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

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Pick your poison

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n Zafar Sobhan

up, that ought to do it.

The pictures of not one but two (presumably pro-BNP) women lawyers being beaten by AL mobs on the Supreme Court premises have pretty much sunk whatever goodwill the government had gained in the past month, as the two parties try to outdo each other in their race to show who cares less for public opinion.

Back in September, the BNP was holding a winning hand. Not due to anything that they had done to merit the goodwill of the voters, mind you, but merely being in the opposition for five years had gifted them a solid lead in the polls. They were on the right side of the caretaker government issue, with anywhere from 70-90% of the country supporting their position.

So what did they do? They proceeded to declare war on the Bangladeshi people with an unprecedented campaign of brutality that left scores of innocent bystanders dead and the economy in ruins. The BNP campaign did more to boost the image of the AL than anything the government had done in five years in office.

Then it was the turn of the government again. After five years of steadily diminishing popularity, all of a sudden, courtesy of the opposition’s odiousness, they were starting to look good by comparison. So then what did they do?

First, they somehow managed to contrive an election with a shocking

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153 uncontested seats, disenfranchising fully 48 million, and making a mockery of the people’s right to choose. Even with the BNP boycotting, this was pretty poor stuff.

As if that was not enough, they solved the wrong problem by doubling down and forcibly keeping the JP in the election by effectively not allowing them to withdraw, a bizarre inversion of normative election-time thuggery.

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of the opposition’s stellar turn on the 29th, threatening to rename Gopalganj and speaking in a demonic tone reminiscent of Linda Blair in the Exorcist. It was a salutary reminder in case anyone had forgotten (I almost had, actually) that she can be every bit as venomous and vindictive as her counterpart.

The most noteworthy aspect of the performance of the two parties over

Their message to the public is to suck it up. This is as good as it gets. There is no alternative

Next, in order to thwart the BNP’s long march program, they did exactly what the BNP had been doing for the past month and which they (and the rest of us) had been complaining about bitterly, by shutting down both inter-city and intra-city communication networks, treating the country to what amounted to a government sponsored blockade/shut-down.

Then, just in case there was anyone left to speak well of them, they let their goons loose on protesting BNP lawyers and viciously assaulted two women lawyers on camera.

It is almost as though the two parties are in a competition to see who can make itself look the worst.

In which connection, I would be remiss if I did not mention the leader

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the past month is that neither is acting much like they care what they look like to the public.

It is true that with the upcoming elections a joke, that neither really needs to solicit our votes, but, still, there has to be a new election sometime, and you would imagine that political parties in a democracy would be alive to the apparently quaint notion that it makes sense to keep in with the public.

The sad truth is that the actions of the AL and the BNP, not just this past month, but for as long as I have been following politics, betray a deep contempt for the voting public. The parties consistently insult the intelligence of the people and take them for fools, because, at the only level the parties

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understand and respect, that of power, that is what we are.

Thus, the AL tells us that if we don’t vote for them, the terrorists win. It doesn’t matter how poorly we rate their performance, if we want the war crimes trials to continue, we must vote for them. To do otherwise is to give the enemies of liberation free rein to run riot and wreak vengeance on us all.

The BNP tells us that if we don’t vote for them, the fascists win. It doesn’t matter how poorly they performed last time in office or their crimes in opposition, we have no choice but to vote for them. To do otherwise would be to end up in a one-party state where no kind of independent thinking or dissent or deviation from party orthodoxy will be tolerated.

Both parties figure that we have nowhere else to go. They don’t need to offer much in the way of performance or policy other than the claim that the other side is worse, and so they don’t even try. It is this knowledge that the voters have nowhere else to turn that underpins the arrogance and contempt of the parties toward the public and public opinion.

Their message to the public is to suck it up. This is as good as it gets.

There is no alternative.

But what do you do if you secretly agree with both parties when it comes to their assessment of the other?

Pick your poison. l Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

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Commoners’ party? Not a chance! n Ekram Kabir

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e must thank Towheed Feroze for bouncing the idea to have a political party of the common people (“How about a party of the common people?” published December 30 in the Dhaka Tribune). Indeed, it’s the finest form of wish we’ve heard in years.

Since our political parties are engaged in destruction and power-mongering that ruined our dream to have a normal, let alone decent, living in an independent country, the rise of the common people in politics would be highly welcome.

a political party that may usher in a sustainable change in that country.

The message that we received from the AAP win in India is that the common people there are quite powerful.

Who are these common people? Are they community or alliance-less people? Are they socially backward fools, or disinterested in politics?

The commoners of Delhi are extremely politically conscious people, but they don’t have trust in the present set of politicians. They realise they are educated, unemployed, poor and neglected lots there, and they find a common psychological state of mind to unify against the present elitist

We, the common people, have also lost our existence, as we are always looking up at this set of politicians for our benefits We’ve been thinking, talking, and desiring to have a change in our country for a long time now. We always hoped someone different – not those who have ruled Bangladesh so far – would be at the steering helms of the country.

And now, we’re again inspired by the success of the common people in our neighbouring state.

However, despite the fact that Kejriwal’s AAP has swept Delhi elections and formed the government there, it needs more time to be truly called

political culture.

They are also a lot who never were rent-seekers by using political lobbies.

AAP has given them the strength to get together. Since they are “aam admi,” they don’t have any faith in the socio-political theories that are churned out every day by politicians and analysts on TV talk shows. They simply wanted to prevent corruption and what they called “thieves” from the political arena.

The reason Bangladesh may not

get a party of aam admi is because we haven’t seen the presence of that section here. There are no aam admi that can form a political party and win polls. We have seen organised movements against the governments, area-based movements against the establishment for social or economic causes, movements against the dictator and war of independence (that doesn’t seem over yet).

It may sound quite rude, but it’s close to difficult to identify common people in Bangladesh. The common people, who have staged movements including the freedom movement, are now lost in a jungle of intellectual poverty.

Whenever we thought of a change, as we still do, the first thing that popped up in our minds is the socalled “third force,” and that force has always been the defence forces of this country. This force has always used force to bring about the “change.”

And when they came, they were so far away from the dreams of the common people that they themselves became more tyrannical and they had to bow out from their own rhetorics.

A few of them spoke of unifying the common people, but ended up in the same manner as the politicians did since our independence.

Of course, we have a handful of civil society representatives whom we could think of, who could organise us, the commoners. Unfortunately, our experience with our civil society reps isn’t very promising. They are so

politically active, siding with either this party or that party, that it won’t be unfair to call them “political activists” of our elite-centric politics.

At the same time, they are also seen reaping benefits from political lobbies.

This set of people may not have the ability to organise us.

Similarly, we the common people have also lost our existence, as we are always looking up at this set of politicians for our benefits. If any single member of these “common people” runs into any trouble, or wants to solve any problem in their personal lives, we always seek help from the same politicians, who, to our minds, have brought the country to this situation.

So you see, we have lost our aptitude and courage to live without the help of the people who we want to depose through commoners’ politics.

Yes, we could think of our havenots for bringing about a changerevolution. But there again, we have successfully fed them our micro-credit concept for losing their ability to revolt. Micro-credit, to our minds, has been the tool for killing the will to stage a revolution, as it keeps them afloat but prevents them from becoming proletarians. So, they won’t also ever say anything in favour of change.

In that case, it seems we may have to wait for a long time to have our own aam admis. l Ekram Kabir is Executive Editor of Natunbarta.com.

t is sad that even after two decades of democracy, our leaders think that politics is about using hard force to win. I will not disagree that hard force is probably the best sort of power one can have, but at the end of the day, any good strategist should know when and how to use it. The main problem is that our history is replete with so many successful uses of hard force that we find it impossible to exercise restraint.

For 400 years, our country has been used as a breeding ground for labour, lesser beings who are expected to do the dirty work of proper humans.

The Pakistanis tried to continue in the footsteps of the British. The only problem in their design was that the world around them had changed.

Slavery became unfashionable, and they had to promise us the status of “equals”, at least on paper.

As we progress on this war path, we quickly race towards the bottom of the basket

We all know what happened with that grand design. We paid a steep price and we continue to pay it to this day – we became a bottomless basket. It has been 40 years since Mr. Kissinger labelled us, and we still continue to prove him right. Of course, we have made progress but it is risky progress, one that could get sucked into the basket with no bottom anytime. Our task is to build a solid foundation for the basket.

The main reason for the lack of foundation is that many of us haven’t yet learnt to treat our fellow countrymen as human beings. Given that, we do not hesitate against using hard force to control them. Our strategists still believe that they can rule by using hard force and divine right – and they can, for the most part.

Unfortunately for them, the forces around the world have made it much more difficult to use this age-tested method.

The challenge for Bangladeshi politicians has been about taking the middle path – the path between deadly competition and stupid tolerance. We must thank both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition for making it easier for our politicians to follow this path. They created the opposite poles that are so elemental to democracy. For more than two decades, they have nurtured our nascent democracy.

They have both served selflessly, and they have acted as a bastion for what is good in the country. Most importantly, they stamped out the culture of nonsensical killings that our previous dictators thought were necessary to seize and hold on to power. They have done more for this democracy than anyone ever will.

Of course we must not forget the strategists who grouped around these leaders, making politics ever more exciting and interesting – without actually killing each other (for the most part). They moved the country forward, and continue to do so to this day. Most of them, I am sure, are patriots – perhaps a bit selfish, but you need to be that to achieve things. We understand, it’s a power game.

The point is that we are a more democratic nation than we ever have been. I cannot speculate on the type of government that existed more than 500 years ago – but we have better governance today than we did in known history. Our rules of society are as egalitarian as they ever have been, and we have built a strong sense of national identity – something that we sorely lacked for most of our history.

As I write this, we are about to take several steps backward from this pinnacle. People who take the backward step usually think that they are going forward. Indeed, what has been done by the government and the opposition has likely been done with the best of intentions.

But it is affecting us, all of us. More importantly, as we progress on this war path, we quickly race towards the bottom of the basket – which as you

know does not exist.

The premise that a democratic government should not have a period of autocratic rule in between is correct. That is how a true democracy must function, our leaders know this much better than anyone else. Madam Prime Minister, you are right that the caretaker system should be abolished and that there is no logical reason to trust the caretaker government more than we trust you. Given that we have to abolish the caretaker government at some point, there is absolutely no reason why it should not be done now. It will no doubt solidify the foundations of this country.

However, Madam Prime Minister, perhaps we are too young for it.

Perhaps we do not trust each other enough. We have come a long way in a very short time, but are we ready to truly trust other Bangladeshis – beings who have been bred to work at the whims of others?

Madam Prime Minister, not everyone in the country shares your vision unfortunately. Some of us are in fact brought up in a way that we do not trust anyone – not even you. Our honored opposition leader is therefore correct in her stance to challenge this position. Even if we trust you, we do not trust your men – candidates who you will put up to contest in the 300 seats. We actually doubt that you trust them fully yourself.

At the end of the day, politics is about winning, and a political party should aim to win even at the expense of higher principles. That is what political parties are created for, and that is what they will likely remain. Only once you become the government are you given the responsibility of thinking about the greater good of Bangladesh.

Unfortunately for you, you are wearing both hats – you lead both the government and the Awami League.

Madam Prime Minister your many hats are a source of concern for us.

We trust you a lot, but not enough.

When all is said and done, we do not know which hat will rule supreme: Bangladesh or AL. The point of this article is to offer a solution. A solution that will not be suggested by your underlings because they fear for their status with you too much – after all, loyalty is the strongest currency in politics.

Madam Prime Minister, take the backseat. Do not personally compete in these elections, stay in power and ensure that these elections are run in the fairest manner possible. Stay at the helm of the AL and create a party that will outlast you. Put up your best candidates, and hope that you get to pick the next prime minister.

You should declare this unequivocally, and you should ask the leader of the opposition to join you in your pledge – perhaps even make your pledge conditionally. We would like the two of you to hold on to the nuclear buttons.

We cannot have a healthy democracy if two people are fighting over and over again

We need to know that you are acting in the interest of the nation, and not solely in the interest of the AL. This is the strongest signal that you could send to us.

Your minions may advise you otherwise, because of course they do not want a fair playing ground – don’t listen to them.You have a chance to end this bottomless business once and for all.

From a bigger perspective too, this is the right step for the nation. We want a healthy democracy and we cannot have that if two people are fighting for the same seat over and over again. It does not leave room for others to develop leadership capabilities. Plus for you personally, Madam Prime Minister, you have everything to win and nothing much to lose.

You have created the orchestra – both of you actually. Now watch it play. l Waseem Alim is a freelance contributor.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Trial of Mallam Ilya premiered The 3rd show will be held today at the same venue n Shadma Malik Theatre troupe BotTala is presenting back to back showsings of The Trial of Mallam Ilya at the Natmandal auditorium of the University of Dhaka from January 1 to 3. The show premiered on January 1. The story has been adopted from an African play by Ghanian playwright Mohammad Ben Abdallah, translated by Soumya Sarker, and directed by Mohammad Ali Haider. The 3rd show will be staged today.

The premiere opened with the presence of 43 playwrights and the lighting of diyas on the premises of Dhaka University. The number of playwrights attending signified the 43 glorious years of Bangladesh’s victory.

BotTola, a leading theatre troupe, is known for reflecting the voice of the people. During the unrest prevailing in the country, BotTola has held numerous events to convey social messages to the masses.

Also, the theatre has staged a number of street performances in various places. This time, the troupe has focused on the political unrest in the country. The fifth production of BotTola has added to their credit.

The play starts in complete dark-

ness — the story revolves around Mallam IIya, an unjust leader and a youth of 30, who gets captured. Acting against their orders, the rebels take Ilya to a secret place where they set up a court and put him on trial, accusing

The play portrays the current political situation in the country. The drama criticises the politicians who work only for their own benefit rather than for the people him, as well as his whole generation, of corruption, sedition and treason against the state. According to the rebels, they have been exploiting and abusing power to meet their own interests, while the people suffer. The play takes a dramatic turn when the shrewd Ilya manages to turn the table and put the blame on Malwal.

The director says: “The play portrays the current political situation in the country. The drama criticises the politicians who work only for their own

Chirkutt to perform at IGCC today n Entertainment Desk

benefit rather than for the people. We believe the play relates to the recent condition of our country. The conflict is apparently political — the so-called revolution against the so-called ill governance. The Trial of Mallam Ilya represents a turbulent statehood reflecting the political condition of any newly independent nation. The events of the play will remind the audience of the political instability of pre and post 1975 Bangladesh.” He adds: “Also, it was an attempt to stage a drama which is not based on the European concept. It was a challenge to convert the African culture to meet the social context of our country.”

The lighting of the background is a blue-sky colour, as it depicts that with time, the colours change. Also the chorography lights were presented in bright colours. When the set was ready for the war, the lighting was red to represent bloodshed.

The play features Pankaj Majumdar, Kazi Ruksana Parvin Ruma, Samina Luthfa Nitra, Imran Khan Munna, Mizanur Rahman, Taufique Hasan, Bakirul Islam, Humaira Akhter, Abdus Salam, Hasnain Shikdar, Evan Reaz, Mohammad Rahim and Sheyuti Sheen Shahgufta. l

Friday, January 3, 2014

Chirkutt has carved out a name for themselves in the hearts of the music lovers of Bangladesh with their energetic live performances and powerful lyrics. The fusion band will perform today evening at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre in Gulshan.

Chirkutt has so far released two hit albums Chirkuttnama and Jadur Shohor. Chirkutt’s numbers have

ON TV MOVIE 7:10pm Zee Studio The Hunted

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Underworld

received a great deal of airplay, and they have also performed for television dramas and film soundtracks.

Few of their highly catchy songs are: Jadur Shohor, Kanamachi, Khajna, Bondhu, Katakuti and more.

Chirkutt’s fame has transcended the borders of Bangladesh and has reached foreign shores, courtesy their performances at several reputed international music festivals, such as the India Music Week and the Jaffna Music Festival in Sri Lanka where they repre-

sented new dimensions of Bangladeshi band music to critical acclaim.

They recently participated in the Chirkutt-Casa Murilo Collaboration Tour Norway’13 which featured six w i d e l y- a c c l a i m e d concerts in six Norwegian cities. Their music videos have been featured also on MTV India. l

Pari airs on NTV n Entertainment Desk

Based on a true story of dream catchers, telefilm Pari will air on NTV at 2:30pm today. Written and directed

by Wahid Anam, the telefilm features Lutfor Rahman George, Shatabdi Wadud, Saju Khadem, MM Morshed, Marzuk Rassel, Moushumi Hamid and many more.

The plot of the telefilm revolves around a group of people who want to go to Malaysia by hiding themselves in a small ship.

They sold everything for this dangerous and life-threatening journey in order to have a better future.

They are tired of the long journey and afraid of their unknown destination. l

COMEDY 9:00am Star World Modern Family

8:00pm Comedy Central Anger Management

MISC 10:00am Travel XP

Great Indian Hotels

9:30pm AXN A scene from The Trial of Mallam Ilya

SADIA MARIUM

Top Gear

Sonali Danar Chil airs on Channel 9

UK TV show uncovers lost Van Dyck masterpiece n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk

Celebrated singer, Balam, will perform live on Maasranga Television today at 2:30pm. In this musical phonolive programme titled Ichche Ganer Dupor, Balam will sing his own favourite songs, and also songs requested by the audience

The single episode drama Sonali Danar Chil will air on Channel 9 tonight at 9:10pm. Written by Samaresh Majumder and directed by Habib, the drama features popular soap actors, such as Tawhid Abir, Aparna, Monira Yusuf Mami, Apurbo Majumder and many more.

The story of the drama revolves around a boy named Nitul who has recently completed his A-levels and applies for higher studies abroad.

Lately, he feels that he is in love with a girl named Neha who he met on facebook. Neha, however, has stopped communicating with him over the past few days.

Nitul becomes sad about it and meets his next-door neighbour Tonni.

She introduces him to Bangladeshi culture and its beauty. She gives him

A scene from Sonali Danar Chil a poetry book written by Jibanananda Das. He becomes interested in Bangladesh’s natural beauty. The day his flight

is fixed, he writes a letter to his family and leaves home to explore Bangladesh and its villages. l

A British television show dedicated to valuing people’s usually modest antiques said on Sunday that it has uncovered a “hidden masterpiece” worth up to 400,000 pounds.

The painting by 17th-century Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck depicts a bearded Brussels magistrate wearing a ruff and was brought to the show by an English priest who bought it in an antiques shop for only 400 pounds.

Father Jamie MacLeod, who purchased the painting because he liked the thick gold-colored frame, plans to sell the portrait to fund the restoration of bells at the chapel of a religious retreat he runs in Derbyshire, England.

Philip Mould, an art expert working for the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, had suspected that the painting might be an original Van Dyck and had urged the cleric to have the canvas stripped back to its original paintwork and authenticated. l

Khans seem to rule Bollywood again in 2014

Katrina declines Ranbir’s marriage proposal

The race to the “100 Crore Club” and beyond will get more exciting in 2014 with Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman Khan battling it out at the box office, even as a crop of upcoming actors and their films are set to challenge the Khan reign in Bollywood.

January’s most anticipated film is Jai Ho, which will mark Salman’s return to the big screen after a gap of one and a half years. Slated for January 24 release, Jai Ho will see him play the role of a common man with lot of muscle power.

The actor is releasing his second film Kick on July 27 this year.

Aamir ended 2013 with Dhoom 3 and he looks set to have another great year in 2014. He has teamed up with his 3 Idiots director Raj Kumar Hirani for PK. The story of the film has been kept under tight wraps and is set to release on June 6.

After the triumphant journey of ‘Chennai Express’ at the box office, Shah Rukh Khan is also in the race with two films. He is back with his friend Farah Khan with the aptly titled Happy New Year and he recently revealed that he will star in Yash Raj Films’ Fan. The film where SRK will play the role of an ardent fan, will be directed

by Band Baaja Baarat helmer Maneesh Sharma.

The Khan rule for over two decades is

n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk

facing fierce challenge from newcomers like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Sushant Singh Rajput.

Ajay Devgn is preparing himself for two big-budget films Action Jackson and Singham 2.

Akshay Kumar also has two releases this

year with It’s Entertainment and Holiday.

Priyanka Chopra has a lot to live up to in her upcoming film where she plays the role of Olympian Mary Kom. Directed by Omung Kumar and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the biopic will tentatively release in July.

Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan’s Shaadi Ke Side Effects is another film to watch out in 2014.

Sajid Khan is looking forward to put the debacle of Himmatwala behind him with another comedy Hamshakals starring Saif Ali Khan-Reitesh Deshmukh. l

Even though the two have remained tight lipped about their whirlwind romance, Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif’s alleged love life isn’t hidden from everyone. If reports are to be believed then Katrina has apparently declined Ranbir’s marriage proposal.

It seems Ranbir needs a dash of luck when it comes to convincing rumoured girlfriend Katrina. According to reports, Katrina said no to Ranbir’s marriage proposal as she wants to focus on her career.

R a n b i r seems to be serious about his relationship with Kat and in an interview even spoken about getting married at the age of 28.

Katrina and Ranbir’s marriage rumours grew stronger after Ranbir’s cousin Kareena Kapoor teased him on Koffee With Karan about Kat and even addressed her as his sisterin-law. l

Did you know?

Manchester United have gone the equivalent of two full Premier League seasons without conceding a penalty (76 games)

Sport

Friday, January 3, 2014

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

0 7 2 DAYS TO GO

14 Bold Spurs leave Man United 11 points adrift

15 Bhatti’s double gives Pakistan edge in first Test

BJMC coach Nasir relieved with the win n Raihan Mahmood

Team BJMC goal scorers Aminur Rahman Sajib and Uche Felix (1 & 2 L) celebrate their victory over Soccer Club, Feni at the BNS yesterday

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS Team BJMC

2-1 Soccer Club Feni

Aminur 47, Felix 67,

Okalawon 86

9’

Receiving a through ball from Ismael Bangoura, Shojib entered the penalty area and took a shot against onrushing goalie that went outside the bar.

A lovely cross from Shahanur Rahman Rony found unmarked BJMC defender Shakil Ahmed in the six yard box, whose shot hit the woodwork.

Nigerian midfielder Samson Iliasu’s powerful strike from the

16’

40’

edge of the box flew an inch over the bar.

47’

Aminur Raahman Shojib put BJMC ahead, slotting the ball home past onrushing Feni keeper Ariful Islam after a through pass from Nigerian midfielder Uche Felix.

GOAL!

Felix beat Feni keeper 67’UzzalUche in a one-on-one situation GOAL!

and finished to double the lead.

Wassiou Okalawon headed 86’in a cross of Akrazzuman Liton GOAL!

from the right flank to reduce the margin for the visitors.

BJMC edge past Feni n Shishir Hoque A goal each from Aminur Rahman Shojib and Uche Felix helped Team BJMC begin their Bangladesh Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Soccer Club Feni at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Shojib’s opener early in the second half was doubled by Nigerian midfielder Uche Felix in the 67th minute before Beninese striker Wassiou Okalawon reduced the margin for Feni late in the game.

BJMC, who finished fourth in the league last season, did everything they could do to put the ball in the back of the net in the first half and continued to dominate in the second half. The attacking trio of Shojib, Felix and Samson Iliasu constantly threatened the Feni defense and it was Shojib who initiated the first real attack with just nine minutes on the clock.

After receiving a through ball from

Trainer appointed for women’s cricket team n Minhaz Uddin Khan A trainer has been appointed for the Bangladesh national women’s cricket team for the first time since the team earned ODI status. The move by the BCB women’s wing has been made to follow the rules of the ICC Women’s World Twenty 2014. According to the tournament rules, every participating teams needs to have a trainer and in order to fulfill the requirement, the BCB has appointed Kirti Bishwanath from India.

“ICC told us that the women’s team needs to have a trainer, that’s why we have appointed Kirti until the Twenty20 World Cup,” BCB women’s wing chairman MA Awal Chowdhury told the media yesterday.

Kirti has worked for the India Women’s Athletics team and also with the India U-19 women’s cricket team.

The Bangladesh women’s team are scheduled to have few practice matches ahead of the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament and camp is likely to resume within the next few days. l

Guinean striker Ismael Bangoura, Shojib broke into the penalty area and took a shot against an on rushing goalie, but his attempt was off target.

BJMC was unlucky not to take the lead in the 16th minute when defender Shakil Ahmed’s header hit the woodwork from close range. A lovely cross from Shahanur Rahman Rony found Shakil unmarked in the six yard box, but his attempt hit the woodwork and bounced off the goal-line before a Feni defender cleared the ball.

BJMC, who finished fourth in the league last season, did everything they could do to put the ball in the back of the net in the first half and continued to dominate in the second half In the 40th minute, Nigerian midfielder Samson Iliasu attempted a thunderbolt from the edge of the box that flew just an inch over the bar.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials flew to Colombo, Sri Lanka to attend the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting where one of the main points of discussion will be the fate of hosting the Asia Cup Cricket, which Bangladesh is scheduled to host. Before leaving the country, BCB officials had a meeting with the home ministry at the secretariat yesterday regarding security issues for the upcoming events in Bangladesh.

Kamal Uddin, the additional secretary of the home ministry, headed the

meeting and top Rab officials along with other highly placed people from other intelligence agencies, were also present.

Asia Cup Cricket is scheduled to take place from February 24 to March 7 in Bangladesh but recent political unrest in the country has led to security concerns and the world media has been speculating that the tournament might be shifted to another country.

It was learnt that the meeting between the BCB officials and the home ministry was about the security plans for the upcoming World T20 Championship, Asia Cup and the upcoming Sri

DPL payments yet to be made n Minhaz Uddin Khan It has been more than two months since the Dhaka Premier League concluded with Gazi Tank Cricketers lifting the title for the first time. However, the majority of the 12-participating clubs are yet to pay their cricketers in full for their service. It was learnt that most of the cricketers have only received 40% of their respective remuneration.

By contrast, the 56 cricketers and the team staff from the recently concluded Amber Victory Day Twenty20 have already been paid in full.

Four teams participated in the week long tournament in which Prime Bank Cricket Club emerged as the champions. The Victorians received Tk2m while the runners-up earned Tk1m.

The total budget of the tournament was Tk27.5m and each team had a budget of Tk4.3m.

Each side had 14 cricketers in total, off which three were ‘A’ Category cricketers entitled to Tk 250,000 each while the other 11 were of ‘B’ Category who received Tk150,000 each. This rounded

up to a total of Tk2.4m paid to the cricketers for their services. Each coach was paid Tk110,000, the managers received Tk50,000, physiotherapists Tk25,000 and team boys Tk 10,000 each.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan assured timely payments for the cricketers ahead of the tournament and has lived up to his word.

“All the cheques are ready. Prime Bank and UCB BCB XI players and officials were paid right after the final match. Many of the cricketers from Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club have also received their payments,” BCB game development chairman Khaled Mahmud told the media yesterday.

The cricketers received payments for the Victory Day Twenty20 largely due to the commitment of the BCB president. However, the scenario is different for the Dhaka Premier League and many of the cricketers have still not been paid for the second edition of Bangladesh Premier League which took place in February last year. l

Zia drops to third place n Tribune Desk

Javed Omar bids adieu today

Grandmaster Ziaur Rahman suffered his first defeat at the Masters event in the 89thHasting International Chess Congress as he lost to Georgian GM Mikheil Mchedlishvili in the 5th round on Wednesday at Horntye Park, Hastings, East Sussex in England.

The game opened with the Colle system and Zia, playing with the white pieces, lost in 50 moves. The result saw the Bangladeshi fall from first to third place with 3.5 points after the 5th round. l

Former national opener Javed Omar Belim will bid adieu to his long cricket career in an exhibition match between the Legends of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association at the Sahara BCB National Cricket Academy today.

The Twenty20 match is billed to start at 9:30am.

Commonly known as Gollu among the cricketing circle, Javed’s memorable farewell will be given by former national stars Mehrab Hossain Opee, Habibul Bashar, Minhajul Abedin Nannu, Akram Khan, Faruk Ahmed, Khaled Masud Pilot, Khaled Mahmud Sujon, Athar Ali Khan, Enamul Haque Moni, Sanwar Hossian, Anisur Rahman, Hasibul Hossain Shanto, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Shahriar Hossain Biddyut and Jahangir Alam . Current national star Mashrafe bin Mortaza was also consented to be present on the occasion.

Javed who made his ODI debut in 1995 played 59 ODI’s till 2007 and also featured in 40 Tests from 2001 to 2006.

Javed Omar was a regular player in the 1997 ICC Trophy that paved the way for Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup Cricket.

Currently aged 38, Javed Omar did not officially declare his international or domestic retirement. l

Security meeting for upcoming events n Mazhar Uddin

BJMC, who were semi-finalist in the recently concluded Federation Cup, finally got their reward two minutes into the second half. Aminur Raahman Shojib put the home side ahead, when he drove the ball past onrushing Feni keeper Uzzal, after a through pass from Nigerian midfielder Uche Felix.

Feni had their first chance after seven minutes and could have equalized the level when Akbar Hossain Ridon fired the ball over the crosspiece from 10 yards after a cutback from Wassiou Okalawon.

However, BJMC maintained the pressure and doubled the lead in the 67th minute through Nigerian Uche Felix. Felix comfortably beat Feni keeper Uzzal in a one-on-one situation and finished calmly, after a long ball from Shakil Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Wassiou Okalawon restored some pride for the visitors in the 85th minute when the Beninese forward headed in a cross from the right flank by Akrazzuman Liton to reduce the margin for Feni. l

MUMIT M

Team BJMC coach Ali Asgar Nasir exuded a sigh of relief after his team started the Bangladesh Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Soccer Club Feni at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. His counterpart Gambian Omar K Sise was categorically disappointed and said the second goal was definitely an off-side goal.

Nasir said he was facing some offthe-field problems and it was hard for him to gel the team together. “After the Federation Cup, I did not find all the players, especially the foreigners together. I could not work on some specific plans, I was a little worried but with a win, I am relieved,” he said.

Forward Aminur Rahman Sajib said, “I was determined to score a goal to prove I am a true professional. I want to score more and consolidate my position in the national team,” said Sajib, who was in the trials but could not make it in the Saff Championship.

Omar, the Gambian coach of Feni Soccer, said he would have liked to see the match finish in a 1-1 tie. “The second goal was obviously an off-side goal, the linesman was standing in front of me and he was behind the line of the ball. It was charity of from the linesman,” said Omar.

Lanka series starting later this month.

However the CEO of the BCB Nizamuddin Chowdhury informed that it was just routine work which took place before any home series. “It was our routine work. We always have a meeting with the home ministry before any home series,” he said.

According sources, the security provided for the visiting teams will be same as prime ministers and presidents receives, with Rab, BGB and Swat all working together.

Each team will be protected by an assistant police super with a unit of joint security force. l

n Raihan Mahmood

The triumphant Mohammedan Blues display their CJKS Chess trophy yesterday

Woman power lifts Mohammedan Blues n Raihan Mahmood Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club Blues’ all women team won the CJKS Chess League at the MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong yesterday.

The two International Masters of the country Rani Hamid and Shamima Akhter Liza, Fide Master Sharmin Sultana Shirin, Mahmuda Haque Chowdhury Molly and Masuda Begum played for the Mohammedan Blues.

They won all seven of their matches to emerge winners of the event. Quality Sports, comprising Fide Master Abdul Malek, Candidate Master Mahtabuddin Ahmed Robin, Masum Hossain, Mujibur Rahman and Nasir Hasan, finished runners-up with 11 points.

In the last round, Mohammedan beat Pachlaish Juba Sangha 4-0 while Quality outplayed Agrabad Comrade Club 3.5-0.5. A total of 14 clubs participated in the league. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bold Spurs leave United 11 points adrift n AFP, Manchester Emmanuel Adebayor inspired Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-1 win at Manchester United on Wednesday that is likely to have ended the champions’ hopes of retaining the Premier League title.

Christian Eriksen doubled Spurs’ lead, after Adebayor had claimed his fourth goal in five games under new manager Tim Sherwood, before Danny Welbeck replied in vain for United.

Adebayor was stretchered off in the 70th minute, but not even that injury could take the shine off a Spurs performance that left United in seventh place and trailing leaders Arsenal by 11 points.

Tottenham were required to weather a bright and breezy opening from their hosts, but by the time Adebayor struck his 34th-minute opener, the London club were good value for their lead.

The goal came following a blistering counter-attack as Kyle Walker broke up a United foray and Spurs exploited space on United’s left.

Eriksen picked out Adebayor with a superb cross that the Togo international met, outjumping Chris Smalling in the process, to place an accurate header beyond the dive of David de Gea. Adebayor, revelling under the new White Hart Lane management, almost had a hand in a second goal minutes later as he won the ball in midfield and

found Aaron Lennon, whose cross was put wide by a sliding Roberto Soldado.

A two-goal advantage would not have flattered Tottenham, with Lennon squandering arguably the best chance of all as he raced onto Soldado’s 14th-minute pass, only to be denied by De Gea. It was a stark contrast to the opening exchanges, when Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris appeared fortunate to escape after seeming to handle the ball outside his box as he thwarted a United attack. Welbeck was then denied by the Frenchman and Lloris enjoyed a slice of luck when he saved Smalling’s fierce shot with the inside of his thigh before the rebound squirmed over the byline for a corner.

But for all their early possession and swift attacking play, United failed to really test Lloris in the opening hour.

Wayne Rooney’s frustration earned him a 41st-minute booking for a petulant tug at Mousa Dembele, while Welbeck dived in an unsuccessful attempt to earn a penalty after Vlad Chiriches made the slightest contact with him.

Appreciating the dire situation, United manager David Moyes made a bold double substitution on the hour, bringing on forwards Shinji Kagawa and Javier Hernandez for midfielder Michael Carrick and full-back Smalling.

The move saw Antonio Valencia switch to right-back and it back-fired when he responded slowly as Spurs made it 2-0 in the 66th minute. l

POINTS TABLE TEAM 1 Arsenal 2 Man City 3 Chelsea 4 Liverpool 5 Everton 6 Tottenham 7 Manchester 8 Newcastle 9 Southampton 10 Hull City 11 Aston Villa 12 Stoke City 13 Swansea City 14 West Brom 15 Norwich City 16 Fulham 17 Cardiff City 18 Crystal Palace 19 West Ham 20 Sunderland

P 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

W 14 14 13 12 10 11 10 10 7 6 6 5 5 4 5 6 4 5 3 3

D 3 2 4 3 8 4 4 3 6 5 5 7 6 9 5 1 6 2 6 5

L 3 4 3 5 2 5 6 7 7 9 9 8 9 7 10 13 10 13 11 12

GD Pts 21 45 34 44 19 43 23 39 13 38 -1 37 9 34 4 33 3 27 -3 23 -6 23 -11 22 -2 21 -4 21 -16 20 -21 19 -17 18 -16 17 -11 15 -18 14

Moyes furious with Webb n AFP, Manchester

David Moyes labelled a controversial decision by World Cup final referee Howard Webb as “scandalous” in the wake of his team’s 2-1 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

The Manchester United manager was incensed by a late decision not to award United a penalty kick when Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris challenged home winger Ashley Young and questioned whether England’s most respected official should be operating in the Premier League.

Despite television pundits widely backing Webb’s decision not to give United the penalty, an award that would surely also have led to the goalkeeper’s dismissal, Moyes was

adamant that the 42-year-old Yorkshireman should be dealt with by the PGMO, the body who appoint match officials.

“It was a scandal,” fumed Moyes.

“It’s reckless, it’s late, it’s in the penalty box, I don’t know what else you can say.

“If you follow through on a player anywhere else on the pitch, foot-high, it’s a sending off and a penalty kick.

Ashley Young gets the ball and he follows through. It’s an incredible decision that didn’t go our way. It’s one of the worst I’ve seen.

“You only hope the people who put the referees in there look to see if the referees are doing as well as they can.

But they keep picking them don’t they?

The people who employ referees are

going to have to look at that.”

The United manager’s angry mood was not helped by Webb showing a yellow card to United youngster Adnan Januzaj for “simulation” in the second half.

It is not the first time this season the talented winger has been punished for diving but, on this occasion, Moyes believed his player was more sinned against than sinning.

“It was a terrible decision,” added Moyes. “Adnan gets bumped, the boy tried to nudge him off the ball. That was a terrible decision.”

United have now dropped 26 points in the current campaign, one more than they squandered all of last season in winning the title in Alex Ferguson’s farewell term. l

Tottenham Hotspur's Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen (R) celebrates with teammate Aaron Lennon after scoring the second goal during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northwest England, on Wednesday AFP

Lampard, Ivanovic ruled out for a month

n Reuters

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and defender Branislav Ivanovic will be out of action until the end of January, the Chelsea website (www.chelseafc.com) reported on Wednesday.

Following a 3-0 Premier League win at Southampton that left his side two points behind leaders Arsenal, manager Jose Mourinho said the injuries they sustained in Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Liverpool would rule the pair out for about a month.

Serbian Ivanovic suffered a knee injury and was substituted in the first half while England international Lampard sustained a muscle injury and did not come out for the second half. l

Vladimir Petkovic declared himself to be “proudly” continuing in his job as Lazio coach, he said in a statement on Wednesday amid media reports that his predecessor Edoardo Reja took charge of training for the last three days.

Switzerland announced on Dec. 23 that Petkovic had agreed to take over as their national team coach from next season, replacing Ottmar Hitzfeld who will leave after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Italian media have reported that the appointment angered Lazio president Claudio Lotito who intends to fire the Bosnia-born coach rather than allow him to see out his contract which runs until June.

Lazio, whose next match is at home

Allardyce blames 'irresponsible' Nolan

Oscar told me he dived: Mourinho

West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce laid the blame for his side’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham on “irresponsible” captain Kevin Nolan who was sent off for lashing out in their key relegation clash on Wednesday.

The English Premier League London derby was level at 1-1 shortly before halftime when Nolan was dismissed by referee Mark Clattenburg after he pushed and kicked out at Fulham defender at Fernando Amorebieta as they chased a long ball.

“He is responsible for us probably losing the game more than anybody else,” Allardyce told reporters of Nolan after the defeat which left them stuck in 19th place in the table.

“You can expect it from a youngster ... but not Kevin,” he added. l

Jose Mourinho revealed Oscar admitted diving in a failed attempt to win a penalty and get Southampton goalkeeper Kelvin Davis sent off in Chelsea’s 3-0 win at St Mary’s.

Brazil midfielder Oscar had only been on the pitch for a matter of seconds after replacing Juan Mata when he went into the book for his theatrics and Blues manager Mourinho made it clear he thought referee Martin Atkinson had made the right decision.

Oscar then went on to set up Fernando Torres for Chelsea’s first goal and scored the third himself after fellow Brazilian Willian had made it 2-0.

Asked about Oscar’s dive, Mourinho added: “It was a fair yellow card. I

n Reuters

n AFP, Southampton

don’t like it but his explanation to me I also accept.

“He said to me; ‘when I saw the goalkeeper coming I was thinking ‘penalty, red card, goodbye’ and the goalkeeper - he is a 35 or 36-year-old man (Davis is 37) with lots of experience - thought ‘I am going to stop’.

“Oscar found himself in a moment of contradiction - and we are speaking about fractions of a second - where he thinks ‘contact, penalty, red card’ and there was certainly no contact.

“Oscar is a clean player who was waiting for the goalkeeper to come and smash him because that’s what normally happens in those situations.”

Mourinho also opted against criticising Mata, who reacted angrily after making way for Oscar -- a show of dissent that will inevitably intensify speculation that the Spanish midfielder could

n Reuters, London

Arsenal are facing a crisis in attack ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup tie against rivals Tottenham Hotspur with Nicklas Bendtner injuring his ankle scoring in the 2-0 Premier League win over Cardiff City on Wednesday.

The Dane replaced the unimpressive Lukas Podolski in the second half but, having made a big impact during his 23 minutes on the pitch, he had to come off near the end and joins first-choice striker Olivier Giroud on the sidelines.

“Unfortunately he (Bendtner) got injured today and it looks like it is not a question of days, but weeks, with a

sprained ankle. I am very sad for us, but for him as well,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told reporters. The victory was wrapped up in added time by Theo Walcott at The Emirates and kept Arsenal one point clear at the top.

Without Bendtner and, more importantly, Giroud for the third round clash at home to in-form Spurs, the Gunners must rely on Podolski who looked rusty and was disappointing in his first league start since September after injury.

Wenger added that he felt sorry for Bendtner, who was almost sold during the close season after being loaned out to Sunderland and Juventus for the two previous campaigns. l

I’m still Lazio coach says Petkovic as Reja runs training n Reuters

Manchester United manager David Moyes (R) runs onto the pitch as he appeals for a penalty for his player Ashley Young during their English Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England on Wednesday REUTERS

Arsenal facing striker crisis ahead of Spurs FA Cup tie

be leaving this month, with a number of sides from his home country keen to sign him. Mourinho insisted however that any move would not be instigated by him. “I want to keep him,” he said.

“I don’t want him to go. That is my opinion, my wish. But my door is open.

The club’s door is open too so when a player wants to speak to us we are there waiting for them.”

Mourinho also played down Mata’s reaction to being substituted. “I think it’s frustration about the result because we knew we had to win,” he said.

“If we didn’t the difference to the leaders is bigger and when he came out of the team we were losing two points.

“So I think his frustration is about that because at the conclusion of the game, everybody - including him - was celebrating the victory in the dressing room.” l

to Inter Milan on Jan. 6, have not made any official comment on Petkovic’s situation.

“The coach feels that he is proudly still the coach of Lazio,” said a statement released by Petkovic’s lawyer Paco D’Onofrio. “(He) asks for a fair and direct meeting with president Lotito in order to clarify the absurd misunderstanding which has arisen, for the sake of the fans, the players and especially of the club.”

“Petkovic has learned with surprise and sadness about the news of a dispute by Lazio against him, as well as his closest collaborators, following his the commitment he has properly assumed with the Swiss federation and which starts next season,” added the statement.

“Immediately after signing the contract on Dec. 23, his moral commitment, as there is no sporting or legal obligation in this sense, was to immediately tell president Lotito before the news became public, reiterating the obvious commitment of continuing the project with Lazio until the end of the season.”

Petkovic took over Rome-based Lazio at the start of last season, replacing Reja who resigned after being in charge for two camaigns.

He led them to seventh place in Serie A and the Coppa Italia title by beating neighbours AS Roma in the final.

This season has been less impressive and they are 10th in the table with 20 points from 17 games. Petkovic’s future had been the subject of speculation before the Swiss announcement. l

Ex-United star Solskjaer named Cardiff manager n AFP, London

Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as the new manager of Cardiff City, the Premier League strugglers announced yesterday.

The 40-year-old joins from Norwegian club Molde and succeeds Malky Mackay, who was sacked on December 27 after his relationship with club owner Vincent Tan broke down.

“Cardiff City Football Club are delighted to announce that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has joined the club as first team manager,” read a statement on the Cardiff website.

“Following discussions with Tan Sri Vincent Tan and club chairman Mehmet Dalman, Ole, joining Cardiff City

from Molde FK, today.”

Solskjaer, who attended Cardiff ’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal on Wednesday in the company of Tan, has signed a “rolling contract”. Cardiff were promoted to the Premier League after a 51-year absence last season, but Solskjaer arrives to find the south Wales club one point and one place above the relegation zone. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Friday, January 3, 2014

QUICK BYTES

SCORE CARD

Shakib to play in Big Bash League

Sri Lanka 1st innings 204 (A. Mathews 91; Junaid Khan 5-58, Bilawal Bhatti 3-65) Pakistan 1st innings (overnight 327-4) Younis Khan b Eranga Misbah-ul-Haq c Sangakkara b Herath Asad Shafiq c Silva b Lakmal Adnan Akmal c Senanayake b Eranga Bilawal Bhatti c Prasanna b Mathews Saeed Ajmal lbw b Herath Rahat Ali b Herath Junaid Khan not Extras: (lb2, nb2, w1)

Country’s leading all-rounder Shakib al Hasan is all set to touch another milestone in his career by becoming the first Bangladeshi to play in Australia’s domestic Twenty20 competition the Big Bash League (BBL). The south paw will be featuring for the Adelaide Strikers in the popular tournament, informed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Wednesday. The left-handed, who will depart for Australia as soon as he receives the visa, will play for the Strikers for at least two weeks and may play longer depending on his team’s progress in the competition. Shakib was chosen as a replacement for Strikers’ injured captain South African Johan Botha and the club’s director of cricket Jimmy Cox has sent an e-mail to the BCB asking for the all-rounder, confirmed BCB. Shakib earlier featured in three different T20 leagues – Friends Life T20 in England, Indian Premier League (IPL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL) - outside Bangladesh. The Adelaide Strikers are currently second in the BBL table with five points from three games. Their next two matches are scheduled to take place on January 5 and January 9 against the Sydney Sixers and the Melbourne Stars respectively.

–MU

Sheikh Jamal invited to IFA Shield

New Dhaka powerhouse Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited are expected to take part in the 121-yearold tournament IFA Shield in India later this month. Last year’s league runners-up received an invitation from All India Football Federation (AIFF) to participate in the tournament, which is considered the fourth oldest club cup competition in the world. The 14-day tournament is scheduled to begin on January 29 and Sheikh Jamal might play in the quarter-final immediately.

Debu Mukharjee, director competition of AIFF, called Sheikh Jamal president Monjur Kader on the phone yesterday to invite Jamal to the tournament. This will be the first time in five years that a Bangladeshi club will participate in the one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sub-continent. Mohammedan participated in the invitational tournament in 2008.

–SH

Arsenal players send Schumacher get well message Players from Premier League leaders Arsenal sent stricken Formula One great Michael Schumacher a get well message after their 2-0 home win over Cardiff City on Wednesday. Following the match at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s German forward Lukas Podolski posted a picture on Facebook of him and several of his team-mates holding an under-shirt bearing the message ‘GET WELL SOON SCHUMI’. In a written message, Podolski said: “Tough game, important win and we are on top position again. But our thoughts are with you, Michael. All the best wishes from AFC team to you. Poldi.” Seventime world champion Schumacher began the new year in an induced coma in a hospital in the French city of Grenoble after hitting his head on a rock while skiing in the Alps. The German sustained severe brain injuries in the incident, but his condition was described on Wednesday as “stable”.

– AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 6:30AM Miami v Golden State 9:00AM Sacramento v Charlotte 12:00PM Pakistan v Sri Lanka 1st Test, Day 4 Star Sports 4 8:00AM Hopman Cup France v Spain Ten Sports WTA Brisbane International 7:30AM, 4:30PM Semi-final 1, 2 Neo Prime 3:30AM (Saturday) West Indies Tour of New Zealand 4th ODI Star Sports 1 2:45PM Big Bash T20 Perth v Sydney 5:30AM (Saturday) Australia v England 5th Test, Day 2

Total: (all out; 129.1 overs)

136 135 13 6 14 0 0 4 5

383

Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-59, 3-83, 4-301, 5-329, 6-342, 7-369, 8-378, 9-378 Bowling: Lakmal 33-9-99-2, Mathews 13-1-43-1, Eranga 30-6-80-3, Herath 35.1-9-93-3, Senanayake 18-2-66-0 Sri Lanka 2nd innings D. Karunaratne b Junaid 24 K. Silva c Akmal b Junaid 81 K. Sangakkara c Younis b Bhatti 55 M. Jayawardene c Shafiq b Bhatti 0 D. Chandimal not out 24 Extras: (lb2) 2

Total: (for four wkts; 61.3 overs) 186 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-146, 3-150, 4-186 Bowling: Junaid 13.3-0-46-2, Ali 17-6-33-0, Bhatti 14-1-65-2, Ajmal 13-3-30-0, Hafeez 4-1-10-0

Sri Lankan batsman Jayawardene leaves the field after being dismissed during the third day of their first Test against Pakistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday AFP

Cook can take solace from Clarke’s experience n Reuters England skipper Alastair Cook admits to feeling less than 100 percent as he contemplates a possible 5-0 Ashes drubbing but he could look to the experience of his opposite number for an object lesson in how quickly fortunes can turn around.

Michael Clarke has certainly plumbed greater depths in the three years since he first took charge of Australia in a test in the final encounter of the 2010-11 series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It has been England’s turn to be battered physically and mentally in this series, though, and Cook will lead his side out on Friday desperate to win the fifth test, avoid the dreaded series sweep and salvage a little pride.

“When you lose games of cricket, and you lose they way we have, it’s a tough place to be as a captain, certainly when you come on a big tour,” Cook told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

“It does affect people, make no mistake about it. It hurts for me, but it is what it is.

“All the criticism you get when you lose it’s always exaggerated and it’s kind of hyperbole when you win because that’s the way the media work.

“For me to say I am 100 percent right would be wrong, but I am proud of the way I’ve handled myself in this series.

“But I do know that I have a hell of a lot to learn as a player, as a captain, and I hope we can put in a good performance in this test match.”

Clarke has been showered with plaudits for his captaincy in this series but has not forgotten that earlier this year he was pilloried when Australia were swept 4-0 in India and lost 3-0 in England.

“In the last six months we’ve gone from the worst Australian side ever to tour India, to one of the best Ashes wins in cricket history,” he told reporters at the SCG. “It’s the up and down rollercoaster that you go through as a player, and it’s no different as a captain. l

Bhatti’s double gives Pakistan edge in first Test n AFP, Abu Dhabi Paceman Bilawal Bhatti removed experienced Sri Lankan batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene off his successive deliveries to put Pakistan in command of the first Test on Thursday.

The 22-year-old debutant removed Sangakkara (55) with the last ball of his tenth over and then had Jayawardene off the first of his next to leave Sri Lanka at 186-4 in their second innings at close on the third day on a Sheikh Zayed Stadium pitch which had eased out for batsmen.

Junaid (2-46) built on the strikes by dismissing Kaushal Silva for 81, caught behind in the last over of the day.

Before that Silva and Sangakkara added 99 for the second wicket which had thwarted Pakistan’s pace-cum spin attack in the last session.

Dinesh Chandimal was the unbeaten batsman at close with 24 as Sri Lanka, who conceded a 179-run lead in the first

ORS targeting accuracy, time saving in cricket: Taufel

McIlroy targets two major wins in 2014 n Reuters, London

n AFP, Abu Dhabi

Former world number one Rory McIlroy feels like he has his mojo back and wants to win two major championships this year to make up for a poor season in 2013.

The young Northern Irishman ruled the golfing roost in 2012, winning five titles, but a change of equipment and some off-course legal distractions coincided with a slump in form that has seen him slide to sixth in the rankings.

McIlroy ended a 12-month drought by landing last month’s Australian Open title and he said that victory had restored his belief going into the new season.

“I feel that my game is really coming back, going down to Australia and winning,” the 24-year-old told the BBC. “Beating (world number two) Adam Scott down there was really nice and while it doesn’t make up for the other weeks during the year, it gives me some momentum for 2014. “I won a major in 2011 and 2012 but not in 2013 so I’ll try to make up for that with two this year.”

McIlroy, who announced his engagement to former world number one tennis player Caroline Wozniacki earlier this week, said he was learning to handle the pressure of competing for golf’s top prizes. l

Simon Taufel, five-time umpire of the year, Thursday said a new trialled system will help attain more accuracy and save time on referred decisions during international cricket matches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is trialling a new review system, called Officiating Replay System (ORS), in which a non-match umpire is provided with direct replays during a match.

ICC introduced the Decision Review System (DRS) in 2008 on a trial basis. The system allows both teams to challenge decisions made by on-field umpires and have them referred to the TV official.

The new system, aimed at further improving the prevalent DRS, was first trialled earlier this year in the Old Trafford Test in the Ashes between Australia and England, and then in the fifth oneday international between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi last week.

The trial continues during the ongoing first Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi as well as the remaining two Tests in that series. Taufel, now ICC manager for umpires’ training and performance after his officiating retirement in 2012, said the ORS will help in efficiency

and accuracy in refered decisions.

“It’s a separate technology trial which is independent of what is happening with third umpire in this Test, and we are looking at different options to better serve the game of cricket and have less interruptions and less breaks in play, and improve decision-making as much as we can,” Taufel told reporters.

Taufel, declared umpire of the year from 2004 to 2008, explained the system which will be provided to the third umpire after the ORS is approved.

“It is a series of monitors that will provide direct footage to those monitors in High Definition (HD).

“I am able to say to the operator that I want to so and so replay this angle or I want to combine these two images together and he can quickly construct those images for me in what is an amazing shortness of time,” said Taufel about the system.

Under the ORS it will be possible to look at a boundary check in under five seconds and look at the front-foot noball check in around two seconds, said Taufel, who officiated 74 Tests, 174 onedayers and 34 T20 matches.

Taufel said the ORS will give television umpires more options. l

Bangladesh karate team finish runners-up n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh karate team finished runners-up in the 4th International Karate Championship held at Mumbai India yesterday. Bangladesh earned a total of 11 gold, nine silvers and six medals bronze in the four day meet.

Hosts India emerged as the champions clinching a total of 127 gold medals. Bhutan finished third with eight gold medals. Bangladesh earlier finished runners up in the Team Kata and Kumi behind hosts India.

The meet organised by Sito Reo Karate School saw a total of 387 participants from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka demonstrate their karate skills. l

Bangladesh karate team receives the runners-up trophy at Mumbai yesterday

innings, are now seven runs ahead with six wickets in hand.

Earlier, Pakistan were dismissed for 383 runs in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s 204.

Silva’s dismissal has given Pakistan a sniff of victory on fourth day. He hit 11 boundaries during his 275-minute stay and gave Sri Lanka a confident start of 47 with Dimuth Karunaratne (24).

Silva, playing only his fourth Test, used his feet well against spinner Saeed Ajmal and looked comfortable against Pakistani bowling, reaching his maiden half-century with a single off Junaid.

The experienced Sangakkara, who hit an epic double hundred to draw a Test at the same venue against Pakistan in 2011, brought up his 43rd Test fifty with a crisp cut shot off Bhatti for his sixth boundary.

It was Bhatti (2-65) who seeemed to have got Sangakkara on 29 when a sharp delivery trapped the left-hander leg before and English umpire Richard Kettle-

borough upheld the appeal but the intelligent batsman challenged the decision.

Telvision replays showed the ball was pitched on leg-stump and the umpire had to change the decision.

But Bhatti had the last laugh as he forced an edge off Sangakkara which was smartly snapped up in the slips by Younis Khan.

Sangakkara hit six boundaries during his 98-ball stay.

Next over, Bhatti had a ball rear up from a good length which forced Jayawardene to hand an easy catch to gully for a first-ball duck.

In the morning Sri Lanka’s pace and spin attack brought their team back in the game by taking the last six wickets for an addition of just 54 runs after Pakistan resumed the day at 327-4.

Paceman Shaminda Eranga finished with 3-80 while left-arm spinner Rangana Herath took 3-90 -- all his three wickets coming in ten balls on the day. Fast bowler Suranga Lakmal grabbed 2-99. l

Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates after defeating Kaia Kanepi of Estonia at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane on yesterday AFP

Sharapova survives scare to set up Serena semi n Reuters, Brisbane Maria Sharapova rallied to beat Kaia Kanepi on Thursday and next faces Serena Williams in the Brisbane International semi-finals knowing she must dramatically improve to end a run of 13 straight defeats against her nemesis.

World number one Williams comfortably ousted Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 6-3 6-3 in 61 minutes, winning the first set without losing a point on serve - a feat the American had not achieved since she was a junior.

Sharapova was involved in an errorstrewn battle, coming from a set down to defeat Estonia’s Kanepi 4-6 6-3 6-2 in two hours.

The pattern was set at the start as the match began with four successive breaks of serve.

Had 2012 champion Kanepi been in better form, the Sharapova-Williams showdown that the tournament organisers hoped for would have been scuppered.

The Russian improved as the match went on and in the third set her service accuracy improved to 84 percent, nearly

double her efforts in the first two sets.

“You’re going up against a great champion that’s playing great tennis at the moment,” Sharapova told reporters of her clash with Williams. “You know that you have to raise your level in order to beat her. “I think the intensity level of our matches are always high. I think she goes up and wants to play the best tennis against me.”

When asked about her frosty offcourt relationship with Williams, the Russian replied: “I have said everything I have to say about it”. The American played down the animosity between the pair, saying: “I don’t have anything against her”.

Elsewhere, second seed Victoria Azarenka let slip nine match points before finally beating Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-1. The Belarusian next plays fourth-seeded Serb Jelena Jankovic who defeated German Angelique Kerber 6-7 (8-10) 6-3 6-1.

In the men’s event, unseeded Australian Lleyton Hewitt beat sixth-seeded Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-5 6-3 and next faces Romanian qualifier Marius Copil in the quarter-finals. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Friday, January 3, 2014

Police to use ambulances for carrying Over 50% candidates own over Tk1 crore out patrolling on election day properties: Shujan 28 ambulances to be sent to different police stations in Dhaka questions about the justification of an from ENT hospital and one from Bann Moniruzzaman Uzzal emergency vehicle like ambulance be- gladesh Secretariat Clinic.

The police in Dhaka city are set to use ambulances belonging to different public medical establishments – for carrying out patrols and maintaining law and order during the 10th parliamentary polls on January 5.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has issued a letter of request to different medical colleges, specialized and other public hospitals for sending a total of 28 ambulances to 28 police stations of Dhaka.

The ambulances’ doctors, nurses, staffs and the primary instrument for treatment were also told to be kept ready for assisting the police.

Dr Md Shah Newaz, director (administration) of the DGHS, issued the letter on January 1, terming the issue as a “very emergency matter” in the letter.

Seeking anonymity, several senior officials of public hospitals raised

ing used to control law and order. They also claimed that health service of different medical colleges and specialised hospitals would be hampered, as the emergency ambulance service would not be available.

Sources said the requisitioned ambulances included three from Dhaka Medical College Hospital, two from Chest Disease Hospital, one from Civil Surgeon’s Office, one from Public Employees Hospital, six from National Cardiovascular Institute, one from National Mental Institute, two from Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, one from National Kidney Disease Hospital, three from Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, two from National Eye Institute and Hospital, two from National Cancer Research Institute and Hospital, two from National Institute of Orthopedic and Rehabilitation, one

It has been learnt that the ambulances will be sent at the following police stations: Demra, Jatrabari, Shyampur, Sutrapur, Wari, Kadamtali, Gendaria, Kotowali, Bangshal, Chalk Bazar Model, Lalbagh, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Mirpur Model, Mirpur, Pallabi, Kafrul, Rupnagar, Bhashantek, Gulshan, Cantonment, Khilkhet, Bhatara, Banani, Dokkhinkhan, Uttarkhan, Turag, Uttor-Purbo, Uttor-Poschim and Airport police station.

Seeking anonymity, a DMCH official said the hospital has been told to send away all its three ambulances, which are used to carry non-resident doctors, nurses and other officials for emergency calls.

Services would be hampered by the absence of all ambulances, the official said, adding that alternative initiatives would be made to continue the services.

The National Mental Institute was asked to send one ambulance, although it did not own any, an official of the institute said.

The DGHS officials however later told the institute that it did not need to send any ambulance as the vehicle would now be arranged from other sources.

Despite requests made to DGHS officials, several senior hospital officials have reportedly been told that they were bound to send the ambulances as it would be used for national interest.

When contacted, Dr Shah Newaz said the divisional commissioner of Dhaka recently wrote a letter to the DGHS for arranging the ambulances.

The DGHS director however denied claims that hospital services would be hampered, saying the authorities would take alternative steps to ensure that services were not disrupted. l

n Tribune Report More than half of the candidates, including those elected uncontested, of the 10th parliamentary polls have more than Tk1 crore wealth, NGO Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik said in a report yesterday.

The report that analysed the candidates’ affidavits published on the Election Commission’s website, said out of the 153 candidates elected uncontested, 115 have more than Tk1 crore wealth.

The number is 162 from among the 387 candidates running for the remaining 143 seats.

Of the total of 540 runners for all the 300 seats, 103 have wealth worth over Tk5 crore.

SHUJAN Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder read out the report at a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday.

He said it is unconstitutional for

lawmakers and ministers to amass wealth illegally in the name of doing business as lawmakers was unconstitutional.

The report also said out of the 387 waiting for contest, 50.18% submit tax returns.

Badiul said a total of 86 aspirants did not provide information, while many others did not mention the value of their properties in the affidavits that they had submitted.

He added that a total of 226 out of 387 took loan from banks while 89 out of 153 elected uncontested took loan at different times.

Twenty two out of those elected unopposed and 37 out of the 387 MP-aspirants are facing criminal charges of various sorts, the report says.

Of the 540 aspirants, 43 have got SSC ad 60 HSC degrees while 202 are graduates, 180 post-graduates and three did not mention their educational qualifications. l

Uncertain future awaiting family of Chandpur deceased n Our Correspondent, Chandpur The family of Faruk Patwari – who was killed during clashes between blockade supporters and Border Guard Bangladesh members in Chandpur on Wednesday – now faces a life of uncertainty, as they do not know who would take care of them after the death of the family’s sole earner.

“My father left the house yesterday morning to work at the crop field, but police [BGB] killed him,” 10-year-old Sajib Patwari, the eldest son of Faruk, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Faruk’s seven-year-old son Zahid Hasan and six-month-old daughter Jannat Akhter were too young to comprehend the loss and seemed puzzled to see so many people at their house.

The mother of the deceased was lamenting, saying who would bring medicines for her, while Faruk’s wife Sufiya Begum was fainting frequently.

The sudden death of Faruk had also left the neighbours without proper words to console the bereaved family.

Faruk supported his five-member family by selling fruits from his mobile-store at the local Debpur Bazar and by working at other people’s crop fields

when political turmoil did not allow him to sell fruits.

On Wednesday, Faruk was among the 20 people who were injured when BGB forces opened fire on pro-blockade activists after they hurled brick chips and vandalised the frontier guards’ vehicles on the Chandpur-Comilla Highway near Mahamaya Palli Bidyut area.

Faruk was later brought to Chandpur Sadar Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.

Following the incident, the 18-party alliance staged an eight-hour strike from 6am to 2pm yesterday, protesting the killing of Faruk, who was also an activist of Juba Dal. Shwapan Mahmud, chairman at Shahmahmudpur union under Chandpur sadar upazilla, called for proper punishment to be served for the killing.

Mahbub Morshed, officer-in-charge of Chandpur model police station, said police had filed a case against at least 200-300 people, including 15 named activists of the opposition alliance, in this connection.

Following a post-mortem, the deceased was buried at his family graveyard yesterday afternoon. l

One arrested in AL ARSON ATTACK leader Saiful killing case n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj n Ashif Islam Shaon

Primary students cherish the happy moments of receiving new textbooks all over the country. The photo was taken from Rupganj in Narayanganj

Two friends fighting for lives

DB police arrested an enlisted convict on Wednesday night in connection with the killing of local Awami League leader Saiful Islam of Bayatara village under sadar upazila.

Arrestee Abu Taleb is a cousin of Joban Ali, also an accused in the case.

Police arrested him in Pathrail Kendri Bazar area under Bhuapur upazila of Tangail.

Nasir Uddin, in-charge of Sirajganj detective police, said the BNP-Jamaat miscreants called Saiful Islam on December 29 and hacked him to death.

Abdul Khalek, nephew of the deceased, lodged a case against 30 miscreants including some BNP activists and robber Joban Ali. Later, the case was transferred to detective police.

Earlier, three people were shown arrested in the case after 20 people arrested on the very day of the incident. l

They were not related by blood, yet their friendship was one typified only by blood-brothers, developed in early years and cemented through their union as partners in business. The two childhood buddies are now struggling for their lives at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The unit received a total of three patients yesterday, including the two buddies Alamgir Hossain (42) and Lokman Hossain (38), after a brief reprieve from the continued communication blockades that marked the immediate past month.

The three were injured as their goods-carrying covered van was torched by pickets in Gazipur on Wednesday, the first day of the opposition-enforced non-stop blockade.

Alamgir and Lokman received burns covering 10% and 11% of their bodies

respectively – not considered critical in medical terms – but doctors say their condition could prove otherwise since the flames had hurt their respiratory systems.

Hailing from Rangpur’s Kotowali region, the two had known each other since their childhood and come to Gazipur to do business together, said Saleha Begum, Alamgir’s wife.

“They were good friends and did business together. They would bring vegetables from Manikganj and sell them at Konabari.”

They chose the first day of the year to take their consignments of vegetables, thinking the auspicious occasion would save them from any eventualities on the streets.

“They were tired and went to sleep.

Around 11pm when the van reached Safipur of Kaliakour, just one kilometre off Konabari, a group of pickets hurled a petrol bomb in their direction,”

Saleha said.

They were jolted awake by the explosion and found themselves writhing in pain as the flames had engulfed them. Driver Moksed Ali, who also received a minor injury, continued to drive despite the attack and pulled off only after he was sure there was no more danger around.

Locals then came to their rescue and had an ambulance take them to DMCH, following the advice of doctors of a local clinic. They were admitted to the burn and plastic surgery unit early yesterday.

Abdul Halim, a nephew of Lokman, said the two families had no one but the injured two to take care of them.

“We don’t want justice. We want them to recover soon. Their families need them,” he said.

Doctors at the hospital released covered van driver Moksed after primary treatment. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Auto-rickshaw driver sues CMP DC, 2 others for bribe n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong A CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver yesterday lodged a case with a Chittagong court against three traffic officials of Chittagong Metropolitan Police including the deputy commissioner (north) for seeking bribe from him.

The court ordered Additional Commissioner (Crime and Prevention) Banaz Kumar Majumder of CMP to investigate the matter and submit the report to the court on January 28, said sources.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Mujibur Rahman passed the order yesterday after the court hearing. Plaintiff CNG driver, Ejahar Mia, lodged the case with the court.

The accused are North zone DC (Traffic) Kusum Dewan, Traffic Inspector Mir Nazrul Islam and Traffic Sergeant Mamunul Haq of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).

According to the case document, the

CNG-run auto-rickshaw, Chatta Metro Tha 11-6851, which was bought in 2003

by Ejahar was stolen from the city’s Baro Quarters area under Pahartoli police station in 2009.

The CMP traffic recovered two CNGs, holding the same number plate, from the city’s Wasa intersection on April 29, 2013.

The plaintiff claimed that one of the recovered CNGs was his.

When he communicated with the traffic officials, including the DC, showing necessary document for taking back his vehicle, the traffic officials demanded bribe of Tk2,00,000.

As Ejahar did not give the bribe, the traffic division handed over the CNG to a counterfiet owner and the traffic police officials also sued Ejahar in a forgery case.

Ejahar lodged the case with the court under Anti-Corruption Act 1947 and Criminal Procedures Code, said Md Fuad Hasan, bench assistant of the court. l

Recurring issues keep BNP from its focus n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Locals catch two alleged thieves at Shekherchar Panchabati area in Rajshahi city yesterday.

They were accused of stealing a chair and a pressure cooker. People of the area said drug addiction pushed the young people of the locality to commit such petty crimes DHAKA TRIBUNE

The BNP has apparently failed to stick to its core demand – elections under a non-party caretaker government – in the face of “situations created one after another by the government” keeping the party away from its ongoing movement.

Senior and mid-ranking BNP leaders who are expected to be on the streets for the nonstop blockade programme are now busy to “free” Chairperson Khaleda Zia, whose residence has been cordoned off by law enforcers since Saturday, the day before the opposition alliance’s “March for Democracy” programme was scheduled.

A group of BNP MPs led by opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque yesterday submitted a memorandum to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and also sought an appointment with President M Abdul Hamid “to know if Khaleda was under house arrest.”

“The government is creating situations one after another to divert people’s attention. But its ill motive to mislead the people of the country from our movement will not succeed,” a senior leader said yesterday.

BNP lawmakers who went to meet the speaker were, however, not seen when Khaleda tried to come out of her residence to join the Dhaka march.

Although the opposition leaders and

activists were heard chanting slogans in protest against Khaleda’s “confinement” – Khaleda Ziar kichhu hole jolbe agun ghore ghore (every house will be set on fire if anything happens to Khaleda) they were not seen attempting to enter her house.

BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our main demand is an election under a non-partisan government and, at the same time, freeing Khaleda Zia from confinement and reopening of her office and the party office.”The opposition lawmakers will meet the president at 4pm today at Bangabhaban.

The alliance had enforced nonstop blockades on November 26, just a cou-

ple of days before the UN special envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco visited Bangladesh and held a series of meetings with BNP and Awami League leaders to resolve the prevailing political crisis.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla was executed on December 12 which forced the Islamist party to take to the street.

Khaleda announced the “March for Democracy” programme on December 28 and law enforcers have since cordoned off her residence.

Many BNP leaders believe that waging a movement is not hard for the party if the all 486 executive committee members, except some 35 who are in jail, take to the street. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

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B3 Meghna Condensed Milk biggest gainer at DSE

B4 Bad days for printers thanks to uncontested polls

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Domestic air tickets in black market

The most vulnerable workers n Asif Showkat Kallol

Airlines cash in on the influx of passengers as blockades paralyse highways n Muhammad Zahidul Islam With the surge in domestic air passengers due to continuous blockades and shutdowns, tickets are now available in black market at higher prices.

Passengers alleged that when the airlines show all tickets sold, the black market has now become a source of costlier tickers.

Some also alleged that the airlines staff are involved in the black marketing of tickets.

However, the airlines refuted the allegations and said if outsiders are involved, the companies have no tool to stop them as there is no system of showing traveller’s passport like in international journey.

Apart from it, the domestic airlines have also raised fares capitalising on the influx of blockade-hit travellers, said the passengers.

“We have to pay higher prices for air tickets in domestic routes now,” said Murad Hossain, a regular passenger in Dhaka-Chittagong route.

“As we have no other option for travelling during the blockades and hartals, the airlines are taking the chance of it raising fares.”

He said when the fare in the Dhaka-Chittagong route was generally Tk4,000 for an economy class ticket, it has soared to Tk6,000-6,500 after the highways are affected by the continuous blockades.

Another passenger tarvelling in the same route made the same allegations.

He said the staff are themselves complicit with manipulating ticket sales.

“Promotional tickets are not found now. But they do exist and the airlines staff are selling it to the customers at higher prices,” said Yasir Adnan, a passenger.

When contacted, Quamrul Islam, assistant general manager of United Airlines, ruled out the fare hike.

“I can confirm you that there has

been no increase in fares for last couple of months,” he said, adding they however needed to “reorganise” fares in different routes in November.

“There are five categories of fare on the basis of how early a passenger buys his ticket. In the range, the fair will go up as the flight time comes closer. If someone seeks ticket just few hours before the flight, he will have to pay the highest fare in the range.”

About the black marketing, a high executive of Regent Air ways said they do not have any mechanism to prevent it.

“In the current system, any person

can travel in a domestic route with the ticket bought in other’s name,” he said.

The airline operators said the occupancy rate has increased to 60-100% during the ongoing political turmoil.

In Bangladesh, four airlines operate domestic flights – the Bangladesh Biman, United Airways, Regent Airways and Novo Air. Bangladesh Biman is state-owned and the three others are private companies.

“We have no tickets unsold in Dhaka-Jessore route for next three days (till Saturday),” United Airways’ Quamrul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“If someone now comes to buy Sunday’s ticket, he will have to pay the highest price,” he added.

Bangladesh Biman and Novo Air however say they see no increase in their passengers because of blockades which have paralysed road transportation.

Novo Air is known to charge higher than other competitors as it claims that it offers better service. According to the airlines, it’s rather losing market share during the political unrest.

“Our occupancy rate has dropped below 30% in December from 50% during October-November period,”

Jobs of the informal sector workers have affected seriously due to the ongoing political unrest while it is at stake in the formal sector like readymade garments, labour officials said.

They believe the escalating political unrest has not yet badly hit the formal sector like readymade garment, textiles and agro-based industry. But the workers of construction, transportation, hotel and restaurants are losing their jobs every day.

“The workers of the formal sector are not losing jobs in a huge number,” Labour Secretary Mikail Shiper told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We have no authority to lend hands in the informal sector, but they are the most vulnerable to the political unrest,” he said, however.

The secretary said the government is satisfied with the formal sector as the workers were not losing jobs as such while there is no labour unrest in the RMG sector thanks to the announcement of the new minimum wage.

Garment manufacturers and exporters say a total of 11 garment factories closed down due to the prolonged blockades and hartals during last three months while production declined by 15% during the last couple of months.

Nurul Islam, a staff of a prominent restaurant in Dhaka, said he has been forced to leave his job because poor customer presence at the restaurant these days. “We are just redundant as the sales drastically dropped.”

The truck of Manuir Hossain was set on fire in Gazipur recently as he said: “I have no choice but to sit idle with the burned truck.” He has not enough money to repair the truck. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) data shows more than 40% of the total 5.41 crore employed labour are working in the informal sector. A total of 1.5 crore people are working in the construction, hotel, restaurant, transportation and communication sectors. l

said a high official of NovoAir, requesting anonymity.

“On Wednesday, there were only eight passengers Dhaka-Jessore route and 15 passengers in the return flight.”

The official said: “NovoAir is a luxurious operator. Our regular passengers have cancelled traveling due to political unrest. When other operators are fully occupied, then some passengers come to us.”

“The political situation is making us lose.”

On the other hand, Bangladesh Biman is now busy operating international flights. l

Fuel oil demand drops as transport paralysed BTRC approves service ‘Disruption of diesel supply to the growers for powering irrigation pumps was also a cause’

n Asif Showkat Kallol The fuel oil consumption has decreased by over 24% as continuous blockades and shutdowns have disrupted vehicular movements across the country.

According to Bangladesh Bank data, two million tonnes of the energy was consumed in July-October period of the current fiscal year – less than the usual consumption.

“Transport sector has been paralysed by the political turmoil, which caused decline in the demand,” said a senior official at the power and energy ministry.

Diesel could not be transported to the farmers to irrigate Aman and Boro paddy fields on time during the period because of the same reason, the official added.

“Disruption of diesel supply to the growers for powering irrigation pumps was also a cause (for the decreased fuel use.)”

The transport owners said they had been unable to ply their vehicles on the streets because of political violence as the continuous attacks were being perpetrated upon the vehicles.

“We are at a constant risk of facing political violence on the streets and highways. Our loss is huge for last couple of months,” said Rustom Ali, general secretary of Truck-Covered Van Owners Association.

Bangladesh Bank data shows, the import also fell by 24.2% to $1.2m during the four-month period from $1.5m one year earlier.

The suspension of power generation in several diesel-fired plants and the closure of the country’s lone crude oil refiner, the Eastern Refinery Ltd, at that time also pushed down fuel oil consumption, said a high official of energy ministry.

According to energy ministry, the country’s diesel consumption declined almost by 75% to around 3,000 tonnes per day during hartals and blockades.

The usual consumption is around 12,000 tonnes per day.

Others like furnace oil, kerosene and jet fuel did not however face that

much impact of political unrest, according to official sources, as vehicles are not run by these fuels.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation chairman Md Yunusur Rahman ruled out any fuel oil, including diesel, crisis in the country. “There is no crisis of fuel oil and no crisis of diesel.”

He hoped the vehicular movements

would increase on the highways as law enforcers are giving security there.

BPC estimated it would need to import 5.40m tonnes of crude and refined oil in 2014, which is 1.9% higher than that of last year.

For this, it will require an estimated amount of $5bn. Last year, the import costs BPC the same amount.

BPC currently has term deals to

import refined oil products from the Kuwait Petroleum Corp, Malaysia’s Petco, Philippine National Oil Company, Emirates National Oil Company, Egypt’s Middle East Oil Refinery, Maldives National Oil Company, PetroChina and Indonesia’s BumiSiakPusako.

The corporation has also deals to import crude oil from Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. l

quality guideline for mobile operators n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission approved a guideline for the mobile telecom operators to improve their service quality.

A meeting chaired by BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose gave the approval yesterday.

Under the guideline, the operators will have to ensure a call success rate of 75% to maintain the service standard. And for data service, the operators will have to maintain at least 80% speed rate of offer announced.

The guideline says at least three call attempts out of four have to be successful in access to network to maintain service quality.

The quality of service parameters for mobile telecom service has introduced a new benchmark with 13 key performance indicators to assess mobile phone operators’ service quality.

“We have approved the guideline today (Thursday) and within a very short time it will be published in gazette,” BTRC vice chairman Md Giashuddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune.

Officials said although the guideline has been approved, some of the issues

still remain unsettled. Before publishing the guideline in gazette, the regulator will settle them.

“Mobile phone operators will provide monthly and quarterly reports to the regulator. They also audit the report,” said a BTRC high official.

Generally, complaints are prevalent against the operators’ voice service in Bangladesh, so regulators concentration based on it.

BTRC want to monitor the quality of river, rail and high ways side, where mainly customers usually suffer.

Parameters have also been included to fix congestion in network.

BTRC also want to monitor operators customer cares, who they deal with the subscribers and what their responds.

There is customer care number 121 which was supposed to be made tollfree, but the operators didn’t.

Instead, they made a separate number 158 toll-free as there was a BTRC directive to introduce charge-free customer care number. But the fact is that the customers are completely unaware of the number.

Mobile operators are concerned about the guideline but declined to make any comment on it officially. l

STOCKS DSEX DS30

0.65%

4314.09

1.81%

1505.08

▲ ▲

CSEX

0.66%

8478.37

▲

EXCHANGE RATES Average selling rates to public in BDT Banks Rupali Bank Currencies SELL BUY USD 78.4 77.4

Vehicular movements become almost halted during the blockade leading to lower consumption of fuel

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sonali Bank SELL BUY 80

79

EURO

109.27

106.04

107.9

103.9

INR

1.33

1.18

1.28

1.18

SAR

21.01

20.54

21

20

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stocks continue to post modest rally n Tribune Report

Company

Turnover (Million Taka)

and 1.6% higher respectively.

The financial sectors – banks, financial institutions and insurance – performed poorly.

Lanka Bangla Securities in its daily market analysis said after rising around 24 points in first one hour, the market became volatile.

At the end of the trading session, the benchmark index closed to a new high level extending to last one month’s peak and approaching towards next resistance level of 4,400, it said.

IDLC Investment said despite prevailing uncertainty, the last trading session before election ended positive. Gainers took a marginal lead over the losers as out of 289 issues traded, 150 closed higher, 74 lower and 32 remained unchanged.

Newly listed Appollo Ispat was the most traded stock, followed

by Lanka Bangla Finance, Summit Purbanchal Power Company, Golden Son, Generation Next Fashion, Square Pharmaceuticals and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company. l

Stocks registered modest rally for the third straight session amid volatility yesterday with persistent poor trading.

Initially hesitant market ended in green, led by institutional buying support. The benchmark DSEX index gained nearly 28 points or 0.7% to settle at 4,314. The blue chip comprising index DS30 rose 26 points or 1.8% to 1,505. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, closed at 8,478 with a rise of 55 points.

Participation in trading continued to drop, indicating lower volume of trade. Turnover at the DSE stood at Tk370 crore, a fall of 10% over the previous session.

The engineering sector, led by Appollo Ispat, contributed 17.6% to the total market turnover - highest among all sectors. After a long time, telecommunications saw the highest gain of more than 2%.

It was followed by power and pharmaceuticals, which closed 1.7%

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features January 2, 2014 4,119.74

Turnover (Volume)

Friday, January 3, 2014

100,101,844

Number of Contract

104,826

Traded Issues

291

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

195

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

89

Rahima Food -Z Padma Oil Co. -A IDLC Finance -A Samata LeatheR -Z CVO PetroChem RL-Z Meghna Petroleum -A Aramit -A B I F C -A ApexAdelchi Ftr -A MutualTrust Bank-A

The Ibn SinaA

Closing (% change) 9.88 8.68 8.27 8.06 7.44 6.21 6.10 5.78 5.73 5.52

5.23

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

7

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,066.68

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

25.05

Company Rahima Food -Z Northern G Insur-A Padma Oil Co. -A ApexAdelchi Ftr -A Aramit -A IDLC Finance -A ACI ZERO Bond-A Meghna Petroleum -A Imam Button -Z Sandhani Life -A

Closing (% change) 9.86 9.84 8.72 8.58 8.50 7.61 7.50 6.55 6.25 5.20

Average (% change) 10.47 7.22 6.02 7.99 8.39 4.89 6.60 3.65 4.28 5.63

5.43

Average (% change) 9.91 19.95 6.77 8.56 7.40 6.15 7.50 4.96 7.69 5.29

Closing average 74.46 270.63 67.10 22.84 659.78 220.46 349.61 18.18 431.66 17.26

104.64

Closing average 70.20 41.30 269.99 434.25 356.14 67.18 881.50 220.58 8.54 74.90

Closing 74.50 274.20 68.10 22.80 660.20 224.10 351.10 18.30 435.70 17.20

104.60

Closing 70.20 41.30 274.20 434.30 359.80 67.90 881.50 224.40 8.50 74.90

Daily high 74.50 274.30 69.10 23.20 660.50 226.00 356.00 18.70 440.00 17.70

106.00

Daily high 70.20 41.30 274.20 435.00 359.80 69.30 881.50 226.00 8.80 74.90

Daily low 72.00 253.50 58.00 22.40 650.00 200.00 334.00 17.50 422.00 16.00

99.40

Daily low 70.20 41.30 253.10 434.00 344.00 64.20 881.50 214.00 7.90 74.90

Turnover in million 1.995 80.238 74.258 0.217 2.428 98.910 7.237 8.155 23.396 4.188

11.764

Turnover in million 0.070 0.062 6.453 0.347 0.321 9.495 0.002 2.026 0.030 0.037

Latest EPS

Latest PE

13.0 45.2 13.2 225.8 10.7 87.0 25.0 12.4 220.0 22.5

Latest EPS

3.023 0.008 4.598 141.428 0.497 1.887 38.822 5.072 90.785 4.765

Latest PE

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

MON TUE

CSE key features January 2, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

434.18

Turnover (Volume)

12,460,279

Number of Contract

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 20 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS Company R. N. Spinning-Z Midas Financing-Z Argon Denims Limited-A Sinobangla Indu.-A Bay Leasing.-A Usmania Glass -Z Reliance Insur -A Standard Ceramic -A Miracle Industries -B Bank Asia -A

Closing (% change) -9.76 -9.02 -8.32 -6.29 -6.12 -6.07 -5.14 -5.00 -4.59 -4.35

CSE LOSERS Company Usmania Glass -Z R. N. Spinning-Z Argon Denims Limited-A Pioneer Insur -A Bay Leasing.-A Sinobangla Indu.-A Apex Foods -A Daffodil Computers -Z Samorita Hospital -A Appollo Ispat CL -N

Closing (% change) -9.93 -9.76 -7.20 -6.81 -6.81 -5.38 -4.91 -4.29 -3.30 -3.27

4286.15366

(+) 0.46%

1478.38058

(+) 0.83%

13262.74620

(+) 0.45%

10919.83590

(+) 0.74%

8422.92310

(+) 0.54%

Average (% change) -9.16 -9.01 -6.56 -2.66 -2.75 -7.40 -5.12 -5.00 -2.10 -0.87 Average (% change) -10.73 -9.23 -6.36 -6.81 -1.96 -2.88 -4.90 -5.51 -3.30 -1.55

REMINDER

Closing average 33.61 35.33 88.99 30.73 41.00 131.82 75.60 38.00 19.16 22.71

Closing average 124.34 33.64 87.50 64.30 40.97 30.70 93.00 13.20 90.90 36.10

Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 360.11 733.14 70.51 637.37 158.90 389.82 2.26 906.54 210.07 0.80 16.08 31.69 16.44 88.48 35.16 73.77 173.77 88.36 57.19 69.12 0.21

Daily high

33.30 35.30 87.00 29.80 39.90 133.00 75.60 38.00 18.70 22.00

Closing

Daily high

Traded Issues

217

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

139

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

69

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

8

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

1,984.26

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.05

Turnover in million

Daily low

34.60 36.00 96.00 32.10 42.90 137.00 75.60 38.10 20.10 24.00

124.30 33.30 86.40 64.30 39.70 29.90 93.00 13.40 90.90 35.50

33.30 35.00 85.50 29.60 38.30 127.50 75.60 38.00 18.60 20.70

126.00 34.60 91.50 64.50 43.00 32.40 93.00 13.50 90.90 37.10

164.561 0.212 66.114 10.816 47.815 6.090 0.076 0.057 4.608 5.737

Turnover in million

Daily low 124.20 33.30 85.40 64.10 39.00 29.60 93.00 12.60 90.90 35.30

Latest EPS

Latest PE

6.11 -2.48 3.33 0.64 1.56 5.68 4.59 1.01 0.12 1.41

Latest EPS

0.093 26.961 0.786 0.064 6.149 2.840 0.005 0.271 0.045 48.194

5.5 -ve 26.7 48.0 26.3 23.2 16.5 37.6 159.7 16.1

Latest PE

5.68 6.11 3.33 5.75 1.56 0.64 3.96 0.76 2.24 1.60

21.9 5.5 26.3 11.2 26.3 48.0 23.5 17.4 40.6 22.6

There will be no trade on Sunday since the government has declared the day as general holiday on account of holding national election

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲

18,175

% change 8.74 17.80 1.71 15.47 3.86 9.46 0.05 22.00 5.10 0.02 0.39 0.77 0.40 2.15 0.85 1.79 4.22 2.14 1.39 1.68 0.01

Million Taka 36.12 77.90 4.55 95.83 15.58 29.40 86.46 21.32 0.15 1.37 3.81 4.18 8.25 6.95 2.46 8.89 8.06 10.01 13.19 0.02

CSE

% change 8.31 17.93 1.05 22.06 3.59 6.77 0.00 19.90 4.91 0.03 0.32 0.88 0.96 1.90 1.60 0.57 2.05 1.86 2.30 3.04 0.00

Million Taka 396.23 811.04 75.06 733.20 174.48 419.22 2.26 993.00 231.38 0.94 17.45 35.51 20.62 96.73 42.11 76.23 182.65 96.43 67.20 82.31 0.22

Total

% change 8.70 17.81 1.65 16.10 3.83 9.20 0.05 21.80 5.08 0.02 0.38 0.78 0.45 2.12 0.92 1.67 4.01 2.12 1.48 1.81 0.00

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 ICB M. FUNDS: Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) has informed that BSEC has extended the term of 8 Mutual Funds of ICB (i.e. 1st to 8th ICB Mutual Fund) up to December 31, 2014.

BEDL: Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has announced the entity rating (surveillance) of the Company as "AA2" based on audited financial statements up to June 30, 2013; bank liability position as on December 30, 2013 and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

NPOLYMAR: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as "A+" in the long term and "ST-3" in the short term in consideration of financials of the Company up to 30th June 2013 (audited) and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

GEMINISEA: The Company will be placed in "Z" category from existing "A" category with effect from January 01, 2014 as the Company did not approve any dividend for the year ended on September 30, 2013.

RNSPIN: The Company will be placed in "Z" category from existing "A" category

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LankaBangla Fin. -A Golden Son -A Generation Next Fashions-A R. N. Spinning-Z Appollo Ispat CL -N Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Delta Life Insu. -A Tallu Spinning -A Meghna Petroleum -A Mercantile Bank -A

Padma Oil Co. -A IDLC Finance -A Argon Denims Limited-A UCBL - A Bengal Windsor-N BD Building Systems -A First Lease- A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Summit Purbanchol Power-N BATBCL -A

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N R. N. Spinning-Z Golden Son -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N LankaBangla Fin. -A Generation Next Fashions-A Tallu Spinning -A People`s Leasing-A IDLC Finance -A Beach Hatchery -A

UNITED AIR-A Bengal Windsor-N First Lease- A Delta Life Insu. -A UCBL - A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Padma Oil Co. -A Bay Leasing.-A

Summit Purbanchol Power-N

Barakatullah E. D.-A

Volume shares 3,242,348 3,450,035 4,535,020 4,895,983 4,502,200 2,287,500 449,150 2,554,308 448,661 4,885,845

296,488 1,106,622 742,900 2,560,129 996,200 901,650 1,818,706 1,118,000 898,940 30,800

Volume shares 1,335,200 801,350 349,596 282,750 197,150 349,060 277,875 384,328 141,327 299,000

544,933 130,800 247,000 29,000 295,875 205,512 23,900 150,100 93,680 165,506

with effect from January 01, 2014 as the Company failed to hold AGM in the year 2013.

USMANIAGL: The Company will be placed in "Z" category from existing "A" category with effect from January 01, 2014 as the Company failed to hold AGM in the year 2013.

DAFODILCOM: The Company will be placed in "Z" category from existing "A" category with effect from January 01, 2014 as the Company did not approve any 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.

80.24 74.26 66.11 65.13 64.72 63.14 61.78 60.45 56.97 52.28

Value in million 48.19 26.96 22.88 15.31 13.72 13.28 10.98 10.00 9.49 9.20

8.98 8.51 8.39 7.87 7.52 6.70 6.45 6.15 5.95 5.82

% of total turnover 5.48 5.46 4.16 3.99 3.94 3.25 2.97 2.45 2.40 2.04

1.95 1.80 1.60 1.58 1.57 1.53 1.50 1.47 1.38 1.27

% of total turnover 11.10 6.21 5.27 3.53 3.16 3.06 2.53 2.30 2.19 2.12

2.07 1.96 1.93 1.81 1.73 1.54 1.49 1.42 1.37 1.34

USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: postponed, RD: 07.11.2013.

DESCO: 10% Cash & 15% Stock, AGM: 04.01.2014, RD: 05.11.2013.

ANWARGALV: 7% Case for general shareholders, AGM: 13.01.2014, RD: 11.11.2013.

MPETROLEUM: 70% Cash & 20% Stock, AGM: 17.01.2014, RD: 28.11.2013.

POWERGRID: 15% Cash, AGM: 18.01.2014, Time: 10:00 AM. RD: 01.12.2013.

EASTRNLUB: 30% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

JAMUNAOIL: 90% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM: 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.

PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM: 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.

SAMORITA: 30% Stock, AGM: 11.01.2014, RD: 25.11.2013.

Dividend/AGM

Value in million 225.81 224.95 171.57 164.56 162.51 133.81 122.33 101.05 98.91 84.02

ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD: 29.12.2013.

Daily closing 69.30 63.80 38.00 33.30 35.40 57.60 268.20 39.20 224.10 17.20

274.20 68.10 87.00 25.30 63.80 69.30 33.70 54.20 63.40 1595.20

Daily closing 35.50 33.30 63.80 54.20 69.50 38.10 39.30 25.90 67.90 30.10

16.40 63.90 33.80 265.20 25.30 32.40 274.20 39.70 63.50 35.20

Price change 4.21 -2.74 2.98 -9.76 -3.28 -0.86 0.56 2.89 6.21 2.99

Daily opening 66.50 65.60 36.90 36.90 36.60 58.10 266.70 38.10 211.00 16.70

Daily high 71.00 68.00 38.70 34.60 37.10 59.80 275.90 41.00 226.00 17.50

Price change -3.27 -9.76 -3.04 4.63 4.35 2.42 2.88 1.57 7.61 -3.22

Daily opening 36.70 36.90 65.80 51.80 66.60 37.20 38.20 25.50 63.10 31.10

Daily high 37.10 34.60 67.20 55.80 70.80 38.70 40.60 26.50 69.30 32.00

8.68 8.27 -8.32 0.80 1.43 2.51 1.51 4.84 2.92 -0.49

0.00 1.59 1.50 -0.71 0.40 0.93 8.72 -6.81 2.58 4.45

252.30 274.30 62.90 69.10 94.90 96.00 25.10 26.00 62.90 65.90 67.60 71.80 33.20 34.70 51.70 55.60 61.60 63.80 1603.10 1700.00

16.40 62.90 33.30 267.10 25.20 32.10 252.20 42.60 61.90 33.70

16.70 66.20 34.90 276.00 25.80 33.20 274.20 43.00 64.00 35.80

Daily low 60.00 60.00 34.00 33.30 35.30 57.00 267.50 36.50 200.00 15.20

Daily average 69.64 65.20 37.83 33.61 36.10 58.50 272.36 39.56 220.46 17.20

Daily low 35.30 33.30 63.30 51.80 67.00 33.50 38.30 25.50 64.20 29.50

Daily average 36.10 33.64 65.46 54.15 69.61 38.06 39.52 26.02 67.18 30.78

253.50 58.00 85.50 23.10 63.20 61.00 30.00 51.80 57.00 1592.30

16.30 63.20 33.30 263.60 25.00 31.00 253.10 39.00 62.10 34.40

270.63 67.10 88.99 25.44 64.97 70.03 33.97 54.07 63.38 1697.27

16.48 65.09 33.97 271.53 25.43 32.59 269.99 40.97 63.49 35.19

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

AFC Agro gets 60 times higher IPO subscription n Tribune Report

Meghna Condensed Milk biggest gainer at DSE

The initial public offering (IPO) of AFC Agro Biotech has been oversubscribed by more than 60 times, indicating strong investor interest in the company.

Investors ordered shares worth over Tk700 crore against the offer of Tk12 crore, according to the company officials. The bio-pharmaceutical and biochemical manufacturer has issued 1.2 crore ordinary shares of Tk10 each under the fixed price method.

Of the total IPO, 10% kept for non-resident Bangladeshis, 10% for mutual funds, 20% for the investors affected by the late 2010 market crash and 60% for resident Bangladeshis. Lottery draw of the IPO would be held next week.

The raised fund will be used for purchasing new machinery and meeting IPO expenses. The subscription started from December 8, and ended on December 12 for general investors and December 21 for non-resident Bangladeshis.

As per the company’s half-yearly financial statement for the year ended on June 30 last year, the earning per share (EPS) and net asset value (NAV) per share were Tk1.01 and Tk11.10 respectively. Imperial Capital and Sigma Capital Management acts as the issue managers of the company that produces agro-based pharmaceutical fermentation products.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission approved the IPO of AFC Agro Biotech on October 8. l

Meghna Condensed Milk Industries Limited shares registered highest gain of 10% to Tk9 each on the Dhaka Stock Exchange yesterday.

The “Z” category or junk stock swung between Tk9 and Tk8.2 during the trading hour. The company’s offer value is Tk10 each share.

Its turnover worth more than Tk0.18 crore was changed hands, making up 0.05% of the total DSE turnover.

According to its third quarter unaudited statement, the company has made losses of Tk1.84 crore from Tk1.27 crore in the same period a year ago.

The figure shows its losses increased by 45% due to higher extremely high administrative and financing costs, according to the company’s balance sheet.

The excessive administrative costs are due to higher depreciations as seen in the annual report of the year 2012.

The financing costs increased as the

Supun joins Robi as CEO n Tribune Report

Supun Weerasinghe has joined as the new chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director of the leading mobile phone operator Robi on Wednesday.

Supun Weerasinghe replaces out-going Robi CEO Michael Kuehner, who retired from full time corporate life. Michael will, however, continue to be a member of the Board of Directors of Robi Axiata Limited.

“I look forward to empowering Bangladesh with affordable, high quality wireless data and internet connectivity,” Supun stated on his appointment.

“I am enthused by the challenge of steering it through the next phase of growth.”

Previously Supun Weerasinghe served as Group Chief Strategy Officer at Axiata Group in Kuala Lumpur. l

Piling up bank credit cuts its profitability n Tahmidur Rahman

company took loans in 2001 for financing a project and to maintain the business operation. The financing cost was growing as the company failed to pay its loan interest because of the poor performance.

It borrowed Tk27.4 crore from Sonali Bank at 8% interest per annum in 2001 to finance the project, mortgaging

its land, buildings, plant, machinery, finished goods and also personal guarantees of the directors.

Currently, the amount of loan accumulated Tk63.6 crore as of March 31, 2013.

The company’s nine months (January-September) losses stood at Tk102.6 crore, a sharp increase of 158% from

the losses of Tk39.8 crore it made in the same period a year earlier.

The accumulated losses are increasing despite rising sales because the management has to cope up with its annual financing cost, said an analyst.

On November 18, 2013, the company’s auditors Ahmed Zaker& Co said the company is still to be regarded “Going Concern matters” and thus it is assumed that the entity has neither the intention nor the need to liquidate or curtail materially the scale of its operation.

“Going Concern” is a term for a company that has the resources needed in order to continue to operate indefinitely.

Established in 2001, Meghna Condensed Milk is a concern of Meghna Group of Industries. Fresh is also the company’s brand.

Fresh Sweetened Condensed Milk in Bangladesh is now being produced by the Group in joint collaboration with APV Nordic Dairy Denmark. l

n AFP, Singapore

ropean hours and the rest of the day with a slew of (manufacturing) reports to jumpstart 2014,” he said.

The commodities-based Australian dollar meanwhile fell to 89.15 US cents from 89.36 cents in Singapore on Tuesday after figures showed that factory activity in China had slowed.

China, the world’s number two

economy, is Australia’s largest trading partner according to Canberra, spending billions on resources it needs to fuel its growth, while Australia is China’s seventh largest partner.

The greenback was mixed against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

The dollar rose to Sg$1.2656 from Sg$1.2654 on Tuesday, to Tw$29.86

FIs close on Sunday n Tribune Report

US dollar trades near five-year high against yen The US dollar traded near a five-year high against the yen in thin Asian trade Thursday as investors began the new year with renewed optimism about the world’s top economy.

The greenback eased to 105.30 yen from 105.33 yen in New York on Tuesday, after touching 105.41 on Monday - its strongest since October 2008.

The euro was down to $1.3752 in Singapore afternoon trade from $1.3753, and to 144.80 yen from 144.89 yen.

Desmond Chua, market analyst at CMC Markets in Singapore, said the dollar gained support from “upbeat US economic reports”, tracking a positive lead from Wall Street on Tuesday.

The US Conference Board on Tuesday released data showing consumers in the United States turned sharply confident about the economy and job market in December.

Its consumer confidence index rose to 78.1 from an upwardly revised 72.0 in November.

The October index plunged to 72.4 during a 16-day government shutdown, from a level of 80.2 in September.

The survey came after the government reported in early December that the US unemployment rate had dropped to a five-year low of 7% last month while jobs growth accelerated.

The S&P Case-Shiller 20-city composite home price index also released Tuesday showed a gain of 13.6% yearover-year, the largest annual increase since February 2006, although smaller than the 13.8% rise expected by analysts.

Chua said Asian trade was subdued Thursday owing to the closure of Japanese markets for a public holiday.

“Trading activity will pick up in Eu-

B3

Friday, January 3, 2014

from Tw$29.85, to 1,051.30 South Korean won from 1,049.80 won and to 32.92 Thai baht from 32.79 baht.

It eased to 12,163 Indonesian rupiah from 12,170 rupiah, to 61.83 Indian rupees from 61.86 rupees and to 44.32 Philippine pesos from 44.40 pesos.

The Chinese yuan bought 17.40 yen from 17.36 yen. l

The financial institutions located in 59 districts across the country will remain closed on Sunday to facilitate officials franchise their votes.

The FIs in the districts of Joypurhat, Rajbari, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Chandpur will however remain opened, said a circular Bangladesh Bank issued yesterday. l

Oil prices rise in upbeat start to 2014 n AFP, London Global crude oil prices edged higher yesterday as investors anticipated upbeat US stockpiles data and grew more optimistic about the world’s top economy, analysts said.

Brent North Sea crude for February added 30 cents to $111.10 a barrel nearing midday in London.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in February, won just 29 cents to $98.71 per barrel.

Sanjeev Gupta, head of the Asia-Pacific oil and gas practice at consultancy firm EY, said prices were buoyed by “signs of revival in the US economy”.

Kelly Teoh, market strategist at IG Markets in Singapore, said investors were looking ahead to the release of US stockpiles data on Friday, with thin Asian trade due to the closure of Japanese financial markets.

The report, usually released on Wednesday, has been postponed due to the New Year’s Day holiday.

According to analysts polled by Dow Jones Newswires, the average forecast is that crude oil supplies fell 2.2 million barrels last week.

“Everyone’s just looking at the inventories ... I don’t think, in terms of fundamentals, anything has changed which is why the movement is very subdued,” Teoh told AFP. Investors are also monitoring the situation in crude producer Iran after the IRNA news agency on Wednesday said experts from Tehran and world powers have chosen January 20 to begin implementing a deal on Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Iran and the so-called P5+1 nations - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany - have been holding technical talks on implementing a deal reached in November on Iran’s controversial nuclear ambitions.

Tehran’s crude exports have been halved to 1.2 million barrels per day following crippling international sanctions imposed on it for allegedly covertly pursuing a nuclear weapons capability alongside its civilian programme.

The Islamic republic, a member of the OPEC cartel, insists its uranium enrichment is for purely peaceful purposes. l

AB Bank appoints new MD

Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital Society holds AGM Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital Society (IIEIHS) organised and conducted its 26th Annual General Meeting - 2013 at the newly opened auditorium of the hospital recently.

Society Chairman Mirza Ali Behrouze Ispahani chaired the

event. The AGM 2013 was attended by the general members and life members.

The chairman mentioned that our main concern is to provide services at minimum/free of cost for which the hospital was built. l

Ayesha Memorial Hospital (Pvt) Ltd held its annual conference at the city recently. The chairman Preeti Chakrabarti, Director Dr Ashish Kumar Chakrabarti, GM Operation Dr Kazi Rafiqul Alam, Head of Accounts Ananda Kumar Shaha, Manager H and H Shaheda Khatun and Md Atiq Ullah Khandakar were present

AB Bank Limited (ABBL) appointed Shamim Ahmed Chaudhury as President and Managing Director (Acting) with effect from January 10.Prior to his present position Chaudhury was working as Additional Managing Director in AB Bank.

He started his banking career as a Management Trainee with American Express Bank Limited in 1980.During his career spanning more than three decades, Chaudhury has served in various capacities at home and abroad with national and multinational financial institutions. l

Fu-Wang Ceramic holds AGM Fu-Wang Ceramic Industry Limited held its 18th Annual General Meeting at Spectra Convention Centre Limited, Dhaka recently. The Meeting was presided over by the Managing Director Khaled N. Kabir, FCA. Independent Directors Mustafa Mohiuddin, Masudur Rahman and Nilufar Anjum along with

a large number of valued shareholders were present in the meeting. Company Secretary Nurul Islam Chowdhury conducted the meeting. Shareholders unanimously approved 10% stock dividend for all shareholders for the year ended 30 June 2013 and also passed other agenda of the meeting. l

BHBFC discloses impressive profits Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation BHBFC achieved profits Tk 857.6m during 6 months in the fiscal year 2013-2014. From July 2013 to December 2013, the Corporation gained income totaling to Tk1,220.4m. During the same time of the last fiscal year the amount was Tk1,119.7m and the amount of expenditure was Tk 362.8m. During the time mentioned above, the amount of loan sanction, disbursement and recovery were respectively Tk 2,222m, 2,259.7m and 2,004.5m that resulting in total loan balance is Tk 29,298.4m.

Compared to December/2012, it increased to 8.55%. l

DCCI Entrepreneurship project Chief and DIU Board of Trustees Chairman Md Sabur Khan conducting a motivational workshop and guideline for business and company formation for the students of Daffodil International University at DIU Auditorium recently

Milk consumer promotion programme winners receive awards Winners of Milkman Flavoured Milk Consumer promotion programme have been awarded recently. Prize giving ceremony arranged in this regard at PRANRFL Center, corporate headquarters of PRAN RFL Group recently. PRAN Dairy Assistant Brand Manager Debashish Bhakta handed over the prizes where Assistant Product Manager Shamim Jahan and other officials of PRAN dairy were also present on the occasion.

Total 49 winners from week 4 to week 10 were awarded in the program.

1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winner of week 4 are Ayman Mohammad Abdullah, Dipon Chondro das and Md Nuruzzaman, winner of week 5 Md Asif Abdullah, Md Ikbal Ahmed and Md Nur Alom, winner of week 6 Nur Alom, MdToiful Islam and Shekh Azahar Hossain, winners of week 7 Abdur Rouf, Md Rony and Saad Hossain Shaial, winners of week 8 Ishrak Rahat Arnob, Jahanara Beauty and Mahir labib Chowdhury, winners of week 9 Abul kasem, Shajan and Jarin Tasmeen Toaha, winner of week 10 Lupa Sultana Ifat, Mohit Imtiaz Emon and Tamim Hossain.

1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winner got Tab, PS2 and PSP respectively. Another 28 participants won By-cycle, scooter, Skating board, Skating Shoe. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bad days for printers thanks to uncontested polls n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Dr Didar, owner of Prime Printers, had printed around 50 lakh posters for election campaigns during the last general polls held in 2008, and made a quick buck worth Tk22 lakh amid huge festivity created due to the election-fever like situation across the country.

After a break of a long five-year, Didar who once again dreamed for making another quick bucks, as like as the previous electioneering, by printing huge number of posters, a head of the upcoming polls slated for 5 January, is no more enthusiastic, rather, he has become totally frustrated as his dream has already been shattered in the wake of the uncontested national polls, in which 153 candidates are poised to be elected without any election race.

As the upcoming national poll has become just a matter of maintaining formalities in the rest of the seats, the longstanding traditional competitive practices of printing posters in favour of the respective candidates has also lost its glamour as well as its importance as a whole.

In the backdrop of such one-sided election of compromise, the country’s entire printing sector business faced a serious setback at a time when it was expected to be picked up.

Like Didar, many others, among the printing press owners, have mostly passed idle and frustrating time since the announcement of election schedule for the 10th parliament as they are entirely deprived of making such occasional money, failing to get any order for election posters.

Didar, also president of Metro Politon Press Owners Association (MPPOA), printed only 15,000 poster this year. His earning came down to Tk27,000, which is a 98.77% lower compared to the earnings of last election period.

This scenario is not only for Dr Didar but also for the others who are engaged

NEWS IN BRIEF Slow start to 2014 for shares, China disappoints World share markets made a soft start to 2014 yesterday in the wake of disappointing data on Chinese manufacturing, while investors showed renewed appetite for commodities and the dollar as the new year got underway. Gold grabbed the limelight with a 1.5% jump to $1,220 an ounce, recouping just a little of the losses that made last year its worst in three decades. – Reuters

Asia’s manufacturers buoyant at end 2013, China a question mark Asia’s manufacturing sector ended 2013 on a strong note, with expansion hitting multi-year highs in export-driven Japan and Taiwan, but signs of moderation in China raises concerns about the outlook for the new year. Both official and private measures of manufacturing activity in China fell in December, reinforcing views the world’s second-largest economy lost some steam in the final quarter of 2013. – Reuters

Euro zone factories end 2013 on a high, but France a worry: PMIs Euro zone manufacturing grew at the fastest rate since mid-2011 in December on brisk business in Germany and Italy, setting the stage for a solid start to the year after a tumultuous 2013, a survey showed yesterday. – Reuters

China factory activity surveys confirm slowing momentum China’s factory activity slowed in December, official and private manufacturing surveys showed, reinforcing views that growth in the world’s second-largest economy moderated in the final quarter of 2013. The final HSBC/ Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) slipped to a threemonth low of 50.5 in December from 50.8 in November. Yesterday’s reading was unchanged from a preliminary figure issued last month. – Reuters

BSE Sensex falls the most in nearly 1-1/2 months The BSE Sensex more than 1% yesterday, posting its biggest single-day percentage fall in nearly 1-1/2 months as profit-booking hit blue chips such as ICICI Bank for a second consecutive day.

– Reuters

Brent edges over $111, but weak China data drags Brent crude rose past $111 a barrel on Thursday on a drop in US inventories and output cuts in Libya and South Sudan, but slowing economic expansion in China may hold back further gains.

– Reuters

Mike and sound service business dull too n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Supporters campaign for a candidate of the 10th parliamentary election boycotted by the opposition in printing business specially during the election period as their business suffered setback due to one alliance election to be held on January 5, 2014.

“I had printed posters for 15 parliament member candidates in the last election but this year I did not get a single order from any candidate as most of the MPs has already been elected unopposed,” said Md Slahuddin M Khan Uzzal, secretary of MPPOA. In 2008 election period, a total of 100 candidates had printed posters from Nilkhet and Katabon area, which came down to only 10 this year, he added.

Commenting on the financial losses of the sector Salahuddin said, “The sector has incurred a loss of Tk200

crore this time due to the one-sided election of compromise. Those who are contesting also do not need campaign as there are no competitors in sense of real competition.’’

Some owners told the Dhaka Tribune printing business were even much better before the declaration of election schedule as aspirant cand dates from all the political parties had printed posters in different ways like greetings exchange on various occ sions such as Eid, Puja and New year.

A part from that some people also printed posters seeking blessing and supports on behalf of the respective candidates, they added.

Md Aslamul Hoque, who has been elected from Dhaka-14 as unopposed in 10th parliament has printed 5 lakh

stickers before the election schedule, said printer wishing anonymity. But he did not print any posters after the announcement of schedule as he was elected uncontested, he added.

“I had an order to print 1.5lkah posters for a candidate, but the order has been canceled later on as the candidate was declared elected MP unopposed,” said owners of Modina Printers and Publishers.

On the other hand election commission also put restrictions on the election expenses and banning on color posters has also cast a negative impact on the printing business, he added.

Businessmen, who run their business on credit, facing more difficulties to pay installment to the banks as their

RAJIB DHAR

business came down by 50% due to the political unrest and no business in election-time business.

“I have bought a high quality machine for my printing house taking credit from banks but cannot pay the installment due to the ongoing dull business continued for last few months, said Abdul Quddus, director of Omasis Printers.

Meanwhile, the total printing business are going through a tough time as 50% orders fall in the season due to the ongoing political deadlock.

Production came down to 50% in last three months as the overall printing business has fallen sharply due to the ongoing political violence, which ultimately counts huge losses, said Salahuddin Khan. l

World manufacturing ends 2013 on a strong note n Reuters

Global manufacturing ended 2013 on a strong note as major exporters like Japan, Germany and Italy posted their fastest growth in years, although China’s performance remained modest, surveys showed on Thursday.

Years of loose monetary policy, along with soaring stock markets, appear to be bolstering economic confidence. That bodes well for a global economy that has struggled to shake off the effects of financial crisis and recession.

Euro zone manufacturing grew at the fastest rate since mid- 2011 in December on brisk business in Germany and Italy, Markit Purchasing Managers’ Indexes (PMIs) showed. Add in the fastest growth in 7 1/2 years for Japanese manufacturing and no major slowdown in Chinese manufacturing output, and the stage is being set for a solid start to the year.

“Looking ahead, the hope for the euro zone is that recent improved confidence will encourage businesses to lift their employment and investment plans as 2014 progresses, and will also encourage consumers to spend more,” said Howard Archer, the chief European and UK economist at IHS Global Insight.

Markit’s Euro zone manufacturing PMI rose to 52.7 in December from 51.6 in November, above the 50 threshold for growth.

While business is showing signs of life, unemployment in many euro zone countries, particularly among young people, remains high. However, the PMIs showed almost two years of job cuts across euro zone factories nearly ended last month.

Manufacturing appears to reviving in several euro zone countries that have struggled since the sovereign debt crisis broke out more than four years ago. Factory activity expanded slightly in Spain. Irish manufacturing clocked a seventh month of growth.

Even Greek manufacturing activity grew.

In Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, manufacturing grew at its fastest pace since mid-2011, with its PMI rising to 54.3 from 52.7. The Dutch posted their fastest rate in more than two years.

But the euro zone’s No 2 economy, France, is still lagging. Its PMI fell sharply to 47 from 48.4, a seven-month low, marking faster contraction as the year drew to a close.

Chris Williamson, the chief economist at Markit, noted that euro zone manufacturers have begun raising prices, suggesting some strengthening in almost non-existent pricing power.

Weak euro zone inflation, at just 0.9% in November, has worried policymakers at the European Central Bank.

The latest PMIs suggest disinflation among manufacturers, at least, may be ending.

“It seems likely that the manufacturing sector will help drive a meaningful, albeit still modest, recovery in the wider economy,” Williamson said.

The mood in the euro zone was further boosted last month with news Ireland emerged from its international bailout, while posting fast economic growth in the third quarter.

In Britain, which in the last several months has been outperforming the euro economies, the manufacturing PMI unexpectedly slipped to 57.3 from 58.1. Even so, manufacturing output

probably grew by 1% in the fourth quarter alone, according to Markit.

A similar report from the US is expected at 1358 GMT, followed by the more closely watched Institute for Supply Management PMI at 1500 GMT. A Reuters poll of economists predicted a slight dip to 57.0 in December from 57.3.

Asian output rising

In Asia, performance was a bit more mixed. Already lackluster output slowed in India, owing mainly to weak domestic demand. But orders from abroad picked up.

“The most striking feature of today’s PMIs was the rise in the output component recorded everywhere but India,” wrote Krystal Tan, Asia economist at

consultancy Capital Economics.

The HSBC/Markit PMI for China slipped to a three-month low of 50.5 in December, consistent with a dip in the official government PMI to a fourmonth low of 51.

Capital Economics’ Tan noted that new orders growth in Asia, while not as strong as output, was better for most economies than it was just a few months ago.

“This fits with our view that the region’s manufacturing sectors are on a gradual road to recovery, supported by loose monetary policy and strengthening external demand.”

The PMIs for South Korea and Indonesia, important emerging economies in Asia, both rose in December but remained at relatively low levels. l

A worker cuts a metal at a sheet metal processing company Yamada Manufacturing in Daito, Osaka

REUTERS

It was around 2pm yesterday. Md Faruq, an operator of Taj Mike and Sound Service at Katabon University market, was taking a nap putting his head on the table to pass his idle time as his business is going through a very bad time when he shouldn’t have any moment to waste at the fag end of the national election campaign.

He finally woke up as the correspondent knocked the door. As soon as he woke up, he questioned: Sir, do you need any mike and sound service? The operator became hopeless and annoyed as the negative answer could not make him happy in the wake of his continued dull business.

As asked about his business situation on the occasion of 10th parliament election, frustrated Faruq told the Dhaka Tribune “There has been no business at all as most of candidates have been elected unopposed elected.’

“We had to receive orders for mikes and sound services all most every day during the last general elections held in 2008, but this year, we have hardly received any order from any clients since the declaration election schedule , said Faruq.

He also said all kinds of programmes excepting government or ruling party’s ones are not being allowed to hold, which also enhanced the sufferings of this business. Despite, we had some orders but most of them were cancelled at the eleventh hour as the authorities concern did not allowed the clients to hold the schedule programme, he added.

Habib Sound Service and Tarongo Sound Service of the area also suffering the same in their business as like as Taj Mike and Sound Service.l

Sri Lanka cuts lending rates to further spur growth n AFP, Colombo Sri Lanka’s central bank yesterday cut a key lending rate by 50 basis points to 8% after inflation eased to its lowest level in nearly two years and as the economy shows signs of sustained growth.

The move by the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka represents the fourth consecutive reduction since December 2012. The deposit rate was kept at 6.5%.

The bank said it expected the island’s economy grew 7.2% in 2013, up from 6.4% in 2012 after announcing last week that inflation had hit a 22-month low of 4.7%.

“Economic growth is expected to accelerate further during the new year, while inflation is projected to remain in mid-single digits,” the bank added in a statement.

It cut the two rates by 50 basis points in both October and May, while reducing them by 25 points in December 2012.

The bank has announced a slew of recent figures indicating a pick-up in the economy, which recorded strong growth in the two years after the end of bloody civil war in 2009, but has dipped since.

It forecast overseas trade will continue to rebound as developed nations see improvements in their economies, while it also said the country’s trade deficit had narrowed to $7.8bn by the end of 2013.

“The external sector is also envisaged to improve further, with the expected recovery in advanced economies and structural measures adopted domestically to strengthen the sector,” the bank said.

The country’s balance of payments also improved to record a surplus of $700m in calendar 2013 compared to a modest surplus of $150m the previous year, it added.

Remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad grew, helping the country amass foreign reserves of $7.1bn in December, up from $6.8% in October.

President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also the finance minister, told parliament in November he expected the economy to grow 7.5-8% in calendar 2014, up from a provisional 7.2% in 2013 and 6.4% in 2012.

The economy recorded 8% plus growth for two straight years after troops crushed separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. l