12 Jan 2014

Poush 29, 1420 Rabiul Awal 10, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 289

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

5 | BLOCKADE HITS TOMATO YIELD

7 | LIKE A MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRY

20 pages | Price: Tk10

9 | SOUTH SUDAN ARMY FIGHT

13 | BARIDHARA HOLD MOHAMMEDAN

BNP backtracks from blockade, shutdown No agitation programmes till further notice n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla After a nerve-racking wait for two and a half months people are likely to heave a sigh of relief as the BNP-led 18-party alliance has eventually postponed all kinds of agitation programmes from Monday.

However, the road-water-railway blockade across the country on Sunday will be in place, said a press release of the BNP. The party insiders, while explaining the reason behind such a decision, said they would like to give a pause in their programmes to observe political situation of the country and to see how international communities react to the new government.

But when insisted if the decision to

cancel their programmes came close on the heels of any gesture of goodwill from the government they replied in the negative.

The opposition combine has enforced hartal and blockade programmes since October 26 last year with brief pauses occasionally and non-stop road-water-railways blockade from January 1 this year.

Since the agitation programmes started scores of people were killed, many others burnt to death while hundreds of others injured. At one stage the agitation took on a violent nature and the capital was cut off the whole country giving the economy a big jolt.

The opposition alliance’s blockade will start on Sunday at 6am and end on Monday at 6am. All sorts of programmes

have been postponed until the further notice,” Shamimur Rahman Shamim, assistant office secretary of the BNP, told the Dhaka Tribune last night.

Earlier, party’s acting secretary general issuing two separate press releases said the indefinite blockade would resume from today with a pause on Monday and Tuesday. But just after an hour, Shamim made the announcement of postponing the indefinite blockade till further notice.

On the day BNP chairperson held a meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Dhaka at her Gulshan office where she went after 16 days without the national flag in her car.

Khaleda told the Chinese ambassador that they wanted talks to hold  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

MPs waiting eagerly for a phone call Ershad’s plan to take Reza Chowdhury and n Kamran Emran Hossain Shaikh

Former CJ Habibur Rahman dies n Tribune Report Muhammad Habibur Rahman, a former chief justice and also chief adviser to the 1996 caretaker government, died at a city hospital last night. He was 84.

Public Relations Officer Mostafizur Rahman of United Hospital confirmed his death to the Dhaka Tribune. He said: “Justice Habibur Rahman died on the way to the hospital. The doctors declared him death on arrival.”

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia offered condolences at his death.

The noted scholar authored around 70 books on law, language, literature, Rabindranath Tagore, anthropology and religion. He was conferred on Bangla Academy award in 1984 and Ekushey Padak in 2007.

Justice Habibur retired in 1995 as the chief justice and served as the first chief adviser to the constitutionally-established caretaker government from March 31 to June 23, 1996. In 1994, he delivered a verdict in favour of Ghulam Azam that restored citizenship of the former Jamaat-e-Islami chief.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

INSIDE Business

B1 The development partners have cut their aid commitment due to the long spell of political standoff in the country.

News

4 The commissioning of a new gas compressor station in Ashuganj has been delayed as the officials of its contractor firm are scared of to Bangladesh because of political unrest.

Most of the lawmakers elected in the January 5 poll are reluctant to leave Dhaka as they are expecting a call from the Cabinet Division that usually requests potential candidates not to leave the capital if they are chosen for the council of ministers.

The anxieties driven by expectation among the MPs, irrespective of parties, reach high as President Abdul Hamid is set to swear in the new cabinet at 3:30pm today at the Bangabhaban.

Seeking their inclusion in the government, the hopefuls have also been contacting the Awami League

top brass and even the president.

Party sources say the new cabinet is likely to be a 47-member one having at least four from the Jatiya Party.

Speculation is rife that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would form a government of “national consensus” incorporating representatives from all parties.

Many of them persuading president, PM, her family In the last cabinet formed after the 2008 election, Hasina had picked up some very low-profile leaders as cabinet members leaving the senior and veteran lawmakers aside.

Even a first-time MP, elected from

women’s reserve seat, became speaker of Jatiya Sangsad. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury earned reputation for her capacity to maintain order in the House.

Some MPs have already got calls from the cabinet secretary who first gets the list of the selected MPs to be inducted in the cabinet.

It is learnt that Matia Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Nurul Islam Nahid, Amir Hossain Amu, Hasanul Haq Inu, Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Mazibul Haque, Anisul Haque, Mohammad Nasim, Rashed Khan Menon, and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Anisul Islam Mahmud and Ziauddin Ahmed  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

‘control’ of MPs fails n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, who first filed nomination and later seemed stubborn to boycott the 10th parliamentary poll, reportedly failed to meet his party MPs inside the parliament building after taking oath yesterday.

The former military dictator finally took oath as MP of the Rangpur 3 constituency yesterday, ending speculations that he might stick to his decision to snub the January 5 election.

According to the constitution, yesterday was the last date for taking oath

for becoming a member of parliament.

Ershad told Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who administered his oath that he had come because the people of his constituency had elected him their representative.

Sources said his plan was to ask the party MPs to reconsider their decision to make his “defiant” wife Rawshan Ershad the opposition leader and consider him for the post instead.

Rawshad led a section of the influential leaders of JaPa to contest the poll when Ershad was taking treatment for  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Gazette to mismatch JaPa’s two-in-one role in JS n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

Children take part in a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, protesting recent attacks on Hindus across the country, including killing and abuse of children RAJIB DHAR

HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party (JaPa) has no scope for joining the next cabinet, according to the established parliamentary rules, as the Jatiya Sangsad authorities yesterday published a gazette notification confirming senior JaPa leader Rawshan Ershad as the leader of the opposition of 10th parliament.

Induction of JaPa MPs in the Awami League-led cabinet, to be sworn in today, in line with the demand of the former military dictator’s party would not match with the established form of Westminster pattern government which Bangladesh has been following since 1991.

Rawshan led the party during the January 5 elections upon directives of the party chairman.

Publishing of the gazette strips BNP chief Khaleda Zia of her post of the opposition leader of ninth parliament.

This is for the first time in 23 years, Khaleda, a three-time prime minister, holds no post in a parliament formed since 1991.

“According to the number of seats, it is clear that Rawshan Ershad is the new opposition leader. The gazette has been done,” Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The rules of procedure of parliament authorises the speaker to determine the opposition leader stipulating that the opposition leader is the person who is the leader of the highest number of MPs of the parties or groups opposing the treasury bench.

In the Westminster form of government, followed in many Commonwealth countries, presence of the opposition is a must. Legislature without opposition makes it a “rubber stamp” parliament.

Any party sharing power becomes  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Fresh attacks on Hindus despite protests

Jamaat-Shibir a name of political predator

n Tribune Report

It was almost 12pm last Thursday.

Sub-Inspector Bani kept nodding off in his room at Shibganj Police Station but as this correspondent stepped in he woke up with a start.

When this correspondent identified himself as a newspaper reporter he mumbled an apology saying that overnight work made him feel dizzy.

When asked why he had to work round the clock he said a couple of months ago the area was quite peaceful but suddenly it turned restive with Jamaat-Shibir men unleashing a reign of terror.

Just in front of the duty officer’s room an on-duty constable of the police station in a feeble voice said he even did not squeeze out time to take his uniform off before he went to sleep.

“I just went to have a couple-of-

Despite protest from different organisations and administration’s assurance to protect Hindu community members, attacks on the minority continue.

Yesterday morning there was a fresh attack on one Ram Gopal Chakrabarti and his family at Daspara in Paikpara of Brahmanbaria town, the Dhaka Tribune Brahmanbaria Correspondent reported.

Three people were injured in the incident.

After the attacks, panic gripped the Hindu communities in the area.

Ram Gopal said he, his wife and daughter were injured when miscreants attacked them demanding extortion.

Officer-in-Charge of Brahmanbaria Sadar model police station Kamal

Pasha said police visited the area and were working to arrest the attackers.

The Hindus came under attack soon after the completion of general election on January 5 in different parts of the country allegedly by BNP-Jamaat activists who were resisting the election.

Meanwhile, the Ganajagaran Mancha supporters met up with the Hindus community members of Malopara at Abhoynagar in Jessore after their road march reached there Saturday noon.

Speaking at a rally, Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarkar assured the affected people that they would be with the affected Hindu community members.

He said their activists would continue protest against the attacks on Hindu community members.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Jamil Khan, n Mohammad back from Shibganj

hours sleep with my dress on and attended the duty again.”

When he was asked about his dayand-night duty without any respite he said: “All are working hard at the police station as we have to protect our police station its property, arms and ammunition.”

Petrified police are passing sleepless night while Hindus living in horror As the discourse went on another constable Rauf came over and said: Please do something for us or else it will be a difficult for us to be on patrol duty where we are numbered but they come in thousands.”

An officer of the police station in return for anonymity said they were not only passing sleepless night in fear of attack but also dared not arrest the activists of Jamaat-Shibir. Even the mem-

bers of the joint force have not come to help them.

The members of the Joint Force in a drive picked up Jubo Dal leader Salahuddin and soon after the incident, they launched an attack on Shibganj Bazar and set afire the shops. They also killed an Awami League leader, he said in a trembling voice.

Law enforcers have reportedly failed to arrest any Jamaat-Shibir toughs involved in sabotage and killing. Even after a month of Awami League leader Golam Rabbani’s house was set on fire police are yet to arrest anybody in connection with the arson attack.

In the aftermath of another big incident in which Awami League leader Enamul was burnt to death being trapped inside his shop police could do nothing. Even just a day after the incident local Jamaat-Shibir goons brought out a procession in broad daylight.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Khaleda invited for the oath n Tribune Report Leader of the Opposition of the Ninth Parliament Khaleda Zia has received the invitation card requesting her to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new government.

ASM Saleh Uddin, personal secretary to the opposition leader, confirmed receiving the letter to the Dhaka Tribune last night.

He said they had received the invitation card that was sent to Khaleda Zia from the cabinet division for joining the ceremony. She was invited as the chairperson of the BNP – the main opposition of the ninth parliament.

When asked whether Khaleda Zia would attend the programme, Saleh Uddin said he had no idea.

Khaleda Zia has served as the prime minister of the country three times and opposition leader twice. She lost her post of the leader of the opposition in the House yesterday when the Parliament Secretariat appointed Rawshan Ershad of Jatiya Party as the new opposition leader.

The present poll-time interim cabinet would be dissolved immediately after the new cabinet took oath at 3:30pm on Sunday, said Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan.

The cabinet division issued an order in this regard on Thursday.

He made this remark last night at a press conference held at the cabinet conference room at the Secretariat.

President Abdul Hamid had already approved the lists of prime minister, ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers of the new government. The order for appointing them would be issued on Sunday, he added.

He also said the new government would appoint some deputy ministers to the cabinet. There was no deputy minister in the previous Awami Leagueled 14-party alliance government.

Bhuiyan said President Abdul Hamid will administer the oath of the ministers of the new cabinet at his official residence Bangabhaban.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take oath first and the ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers would follow, he added.

Immediately after the conclusion of the oath-taking ceremony, the prime minister would appoint some noted personalities as her advisers. Before that, the existing advisers to the prime minister would resign, he said.

Around 1,000 guests, including Khaleda Zia, have been invited for the programme. l

Khaleda comes Jamaat-Shibir out of house after 16 days  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

After remaining confined to her Gulshan residence for 16 days, the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia got out of her house yesterday.

She went to her political office in Gulshan which she had last visited on December 25.

She arrived at her office around 7:40pm to hold a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Li Jun. The former premier rode her white Nissan Petrol that did not carry the national flag. However, her car was escorted by police.

For the first time in 23 years, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will not hold any parliamentary post – either as leader of the House or leader of the opposition – as she has enjoyed since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991.

Some hundred party leaders and activists including her advisers Osman Farruk and Sabihuddin Ahmed received Khaleda after she arrived at her office yesterday.

In a press statement Khaleda alleged that she had been kept under house arrest and was not allowed to meet her party leaders and activists.

Additional law enforcers including RAB and police were deployed around her Gulshan residence from December 25, a day after she announced March for Democracy programme in the capital.

Earlier, police barred Khaleda from coming out of her residence to join the March for Democracy programme on December 29 which was later extended by a day.

On January 8, the barricade and the law enforcers were withdrawn from in front of her house.

While in confinement, some diplomats went to met Khaleda at her residence and also some foreign journalists went to interview her. l

2 Jamaatis held in Jessore rape case n Our Correspondent, Jessore Police yesterday apprehended two Jamaat activists in connection with the gang-rape of two Hindu women in Rishipara of Hazrail village under Monirampur upazila in the district on Tuesday.

The victims and locals told journalists that a group of miscreants numbering about 7, raped two housewives in the village storming the houses equipped with arms at night.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Reshma Sharmin stold Dhaka Tribune that about 7 armed miscreants committed the heinous crime.

Later, two cases were filed with Monirampur police station accusing unidentified persons in this connection.

Monirampur police station Officer-in-Charge Mir Rezaul Hossain said two activists of Jamaat-e-Islami were arrested by the police on suspicion.

However, police did not disclose details regarding the arrest. l

Contacted, AKM Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Station, said the situation was now under control. Asked about the arrest he said the investigating was on and police detained several people but refused to give their names for the sake of probe.

Meanwhile, minority Hindu people of the area are also passing their days in constant fear. This correspondent conversed with Ananda Karmakar for a short while in Karmakar area of Ranihati.

In course of the conversation Ananda said the area full of natural resources has now turned into a valley of death.

Surprisingly not a single soul came into sight in the Shibganj Bazar soon

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administers oath to Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad at the parliament yesterday

MPs waiting eagerly for a phone call Gazette after the sun sank in the west.

“Jamaat-Shibir hoodlums threaten us with dire consequence after each police raid saying that if something wrong happens to them we have to lose our lives,” says Ananda.

As many as 3,000 Hindu families live at Shibganj. Most of them cannot think that Bangladesh is no more a safe land for them.

“They can only take our lives but we will go nowhere,” vowed Saheb Kumar, a student of Sahnewaz Rahmatullah College and residence of Karmakarpara of Ranihati area.

However, Basir Ahmed, police super of Chapainawabganj, said the law and order of the district was under their control. l

BNP backtracks from blockade  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

inclusive, free, fair and credible elections.

After the departure of Chinese ambassador, Khaleda Zia held a meeting with the party senior leaders at her office. They requested Khaleda to withdraw the blockade as people had started defying the programmes.

Another senior leader said as the international community has taken the waitand-see policy the party has given a few days’ pause in the movement to send a positive message about their intention of resolving the crisis through talks.

“We want to observe the situation and the government’s attitude towards the opposition. After that we will go for the next course of action and make sure people’s participation in it. But there is less possibility of calling any hartal or blockade this month,” he said seeking anonymity.

The opposition combine has enforced the indefinite blockade from January 1 demanding cancelation of the 10th parliamentary elections and after January 5 they demanded cancellation of the election terming it “farcical and stage-managed”.

After the January 5 national polls, countries including USA, UK, European Union, France, United Nations, Australia, Russia, Germany, Japan and South Korea expressed their disappointment over the elections and also expressed concerns over the ongoing violence.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on January 10 in a rally warned the opposition parties of doing any excess and of stern action to stop any sort of violence. Earlier, on January 6, Hasina asked her arch rival Khaleda to leave Jamaat.

In an interview with the New York Times Khaleda on January 6, just a day after the parliamentary poll, said Jamaat was not BNP’s permanent ally rather a strategic partner and she could cut tie with it when time comes.

Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami that has earned infamy in the recent violent and mindless street skirmishes for firebombing vehicles and trains and petrol-bombing innocent people, sought suggestions of grassroots over how to involve mass people in its movement.

Jamaat was largely blamed for attacks on Hindu minority people in many places across the country.

Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, working committee member of Jamaat, said: “We are mulling over a new strategy of campaign involving a wide participation of people. The decision will be relayed soon.”

However, a senior Jamaat leader seeking anonymity said the central committee sought suggestions from the district Mojlish-e-Sura committees about their thoughts on how to wage the next course of action.

“The district committees will send their suggestions within a few days,” he said. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

have received calls from the Cabinet Division.

“I will be in Dhaka. I am yet to get any phone call; hopefully I will get a call,” Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, an organising secretary of the AL, told the Dhaka Tribune around 9pm.

Jatiya Party (JaPa) MP Moshiur Rahman Ranga last night told the Dhaka Tribune that he had received a call from the Cabinet Division for being accommodated in the cabinet as a state minister.

Another AL lawmaker Abdur Rahman (Faridpur) told the Dhaka Tribune that he was expecting a call from the Cabinet Division soon. “I am not leaving Dhaka. I hope I will get a call,” he said.

The aspirant candidates have been lobbying with the prime minister, her son, relatives and other close friends for a possible induction in the cabinet. Many of them are loitering in and around the premier’s official residence Ganabhaban.

A huge number of MPs have turned to the president, who loves to meet the lawmakers, for persuasion.

Atiur Rahman Atik (Sherpur 1), firsttime MP and former upazila chairman Md Sohrab Uddin (Kishorganj 2), JaPa lawmaker Mujibul Haque (Kishoreganj

3), Afzal Hossain (Kishoreganj 5) and Faridul Haque Khan (Jamalpur 2) are some of the MPs who met the president for a recommendation to the prime minister.

The MPs are also lobbying with AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Advisory Council member Tofail Ahmed, Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu, prime minister’s sister Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s daughter Saima Hossain Putul and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and the prime minister’s advisers HT Imam, Gowher Rizvi and Moshiur Rahman.

In addition to the members of the previous cabinet and the interim cabinet, many new faces join the competition to lobby for a berth in the cabinet.

Mohammad Nasim, Abdul Matin Khasru, Mahabub Ul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapon, Nurul Islam BSc, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, AHM Mustafa Kamal, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, Mirza Azam, SM Mostofa Rashidi Suja, Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Habibay Millat, Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Nasrul Hamid Bipu are also among the hopefuls. l

Fresh attacks on Hindu  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

A deletion of about 100 people distributed relief materials among the victims.

People of different sections including Jessore Science and Technology University Vice-Chancellor Abdus Sattar joined the marchers at Malopara and expressed solidarity.

The Hindus were seen happy after getting people who expressed solidarity with them.

Sifat Mehnaz, upazila nirbahi officer, Abhaynagar, told the Dhaka Tribune a total of 298 members of 51 families were affected in the attacks.

“They were given adequate relief materials,” she added.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Reshma Sharmin, assistant superintendent of police, Jessore, said 42 people were held in connection with the attack so far.

Mostafizur Rahman, deputy com-

missioner, Jessore, said a three-member probe body was formed to inquire into the incident.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Bangladesh Communist Party strongly condemned the incidents of rape of two Hindu women in Monirampur in Jessore.

The organisation urged the masses to form committee to prevent communal violence in every village of the country.

They also demanded exemplarily punishment of the perpetrators and ban of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

Human chain and processions were also held in Magura, Nilphamari, Sherpur, Laxmipur, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Chandpur, Madaripur, Pabna, Lalmonirhat, Narayanganj and Chittagang. Different organisations demanded special tribunal to punish perpetrators. l

Ershad’s plan to take ‘control’ of MPs fails  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

“illness” at the Combined Military Hospital.

Despite Ershad’s refusal to campaign, he got elected in the Rangpur 3 seat and his party mates secured 32 other seats.

Minutes after Ershad left the parliament premises around 12:15pm amid tight security by intelligence agency personnel, a JaPa-team, led by Presidium Member Mujibul Haque, handed over Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury a letter confirming the party’s decision to make Rawshan Ershad the next opposition leader.

Ershad entered the speaker’s office around 11:50am under the watch of some intelligence officials, who have been practically guarding him since December 12.

His car entered the Jatiya Sangsad through the driveway, which is off limits for everyone other than the prime min-

BPS

ister, the speaker, the opposition leader, the deputy speaker and the chief whip.

Parliament authorities restricted the entry of journalists as Ershad sneaked into the speaker’s office on level five of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

A DGFI official guarded the room of the speaker’s private secretary. Only two journalists, including the Dhaka Tribune reporter, were present in the private secretary’s chamber.

Parliament Secretary Ashraful Mokbul and other officials entered the room amid tight vigilance of the intelligence personnel. Ershad conversed with the Speaker for a while over a cup of tea.

He discussed about the chilly temperatures in Dhaka and his hometown Rangpur, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury later told the Dhaka Tribune. “[Finally] you come,” a smiling speaker greeted Ershad.

“I have to come as the people of

Rangpur 3 [constituency] want me,” the speaker quoted Ershad as saying.

He then went to the parliament secretary’s room for signing the register.

Around 12:15pm, the JaPa chairman left the parliament building through the same route while the other journalists kept waiting at the main entrance of the building.

“We tried to meet him, but failed.

Sir [Ershad] also wanted to meet us,” Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune after handing over the letter to the speaker.

Party insiders told the Dhaka Tribune that Ershad took the “u-turn” on the January 5 poll as the BNP had convinced him that the election would not take place and the army would take over, said a party presidium member, who was also a member of the interim cabinet.

Some of the ambassadors also reportedly told him that the poll would

not take place, he said.

Party sources also said Ershad now wanted to tighten his grip on the party as the Awami League had apparently succeeded in forming a parliament despite violence and BNP’s poll boycott, said another pro-Rawshan presidium member.

At present, most of the JaPa MPs are reportedly loyal to Ershad’s wife Rawshan. The sources also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rated Rawshan more than her husband, who once announced that Jatiya Party was nothing without him.

At the meeting with Sheikh Hasina on Thursday, Rawshan demanded that the Awami League should induct some of her MPs in the cabinet so that Ershad could not distract them.

Although Sheikh Hasina did not make any definitive commitment, she told Rawshan that she would consider the demand. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

part of the government and the party no more enjoys the right to criticise the government, according to “Practice and Procedure of Parliament” written

by MN Kaul and SL Shakder.

E May in his book “How Parliament Works” also makes a clear distinction between the treasury and the opposition benches in parliament which enacts laws and ensures transparency and accountability of the executive.

On Thursday, Rawshan led some of her party MPs to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to demand some positions in the cabinet of ministers for boosting up the JaPa. Hasina did not make it clear whether she would induct them in the cabinet or not.

“The ministers will not criticise the government, but our MPs will blast the treasury,” JaPa lawmaker Mujibul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said Pakistan, one of the countries having the worst records of parliamentary practice for frequent military intervention, had an instance of such practice.

However, several Awami League leaders including Mohammad Nasim, Suranjit Sengupta and Amir Hossain Ami have openly opposed JaPa’s contradictory role. l

Habibur Rahman  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Born in 1930 in Murshidabad of undivided Indian subcontinent (now West Bengal), he completed higher secondary from Kolkata Presidency College.

Later he moved to Rajshahi with his family.

After completing BA honours from Rajshahi College, he took admission in Dhaka University and completed honours (1949) and masters (1951) in history. He also obtained LLB from the DU. During that time, he had been the vice-president of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall Students’ Council in 1951 and played a key role in the 1952 Language Movement. He was also arrested on February 21, 1952 along with many others from a procession that was brought out defying the section 144 imposed by the Pakistani ruler.

Justice Habibur began his career as a temporary lecturer of DU history department on May 1, 1952. But he had to step down four days later for participating in the Language Movement.

He also taught history at Sirajganj College, Jagannath University (formerly Jagannath College) and Rajshahi University.

He also completed honours in modern history in 1958 and masters in 1962 at Oxford University.

Justice Habibur changed his profession in 1964 when he took up law and joined the Dhaka High Court Bar. He held the offices of assistant advocate general in 1969, vice-president of the High Court Bar Association in 1972 and member of Bangladesh Bar Council the same year.

He served as a judge of the High Court Division from 1976 to 1985, Appellate Division of the Supreme Court during 1985-1995, acting chief justice 1990-1991 and as chief justice of Bangladesh in 1995. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

PM asks businesses to act against violence She censures BNP-Jamaat acts while inaugurating DITF 2014 n BSS Blasting the BNP-Jamaat nexus for their “terrorist acts” across the country in the name of so-called movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday sought cooperation of the business people to stop such destructive activities for the sake of development.

“You cannot remain silent. You will have to be vocal and play a role against such destructive acts of the BNP-Jamaat nexus. Because such destructive acts will not bring any welfare for the people and the country,” she said.

The premier also sought their cooperation to complete the ongoing development projects speedily. “We hope to complete our unfinished tasks with the support of all,” Hasina said while addressing the inaugural function of 19th

Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

She said the BNP chief could not forget the debacle in 2008 national election. “So Begum [Khaleda] Zia has declared a war against the people to take the revenge of that defeat by taking the side of anti-liberation forces [Jamaat-e-Islam].”

The prime minister said Khaleda wanted dead bodies as she had announced that some people would die in the movement and the countrymen would have to accept this.

“They tried to resist the January 5 polls, but failed. They only caused damage to the socioeconomic uplift of the people,” Hasina said. “For this, the BNP leader will have to be accountable to the countrymen one day.”

She said the BNP-Jamaat terrorists had torched and vandalised thousands of vehicles, fell thousands of trees, and removed fishplates and uprooted rail tracks. The government offices, power plants, business establishments, footpath shops and even innocent animals were also attacked.

Also the Awami League chief, Hasina said after the January 5 polls, the BNP-Jamaat hoodlums attacked the Hindu people and supporters of the AL at different parts of the country. More than one dozen AL leaders and workers were killed only in Satkhira, she mentioned.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the commerce ministry jointly organised the month-long fair, the country’s biggest and most popular trade exposition, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. l

3

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Ershad’s oath makes JP a ‘business firm’

UK to continue to support Dhaka n UNB

n Manik Miazee

Amid speculations about the UK aid programmes in Bangladesh, British High Commissioner Robert W Gibson yesterday said his country would continue to support the poorest and most marginalised people in Bangladesh.

“The UK aid is a partnership between the people of Britain and the people of Bangladesh,” the diplomat said in a statement. “We continue to support the poorest and most marginalised people in Bangladesh as part of our global efforts to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.”

Earlier, The Telegraph in a report said the UK government was reviewing its funding of aid programmes in support of Bangladesh’s parliament in light of the current “political situation.”

Bangladesh, the fourth largest recipient of the UK government aid, was given £274.9m in 2013-14 fiscal year, with £265m planned for 2014-15.

Although most of this money is given to international agencies and non-government organisations, 30% goes directly or indirectly to the Bangladesh government to support its health, education and climate change programmes.

The UK Aid has budgeted to spend £56.3m over a five-year period on the two parliamentary support projects that are now under review, with over £12m remaining to be spent this and next year. Not all of the project’s money is spent on parliamentary activities.

On January 6, Senior Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi urged the “new government” and all political parties to act in line with the interests of the people of Bangladesh.

Commenting on the January 5 elections, she also said: “Bangladesh is an important partner for the UK and we’ll continue to support its people in their aspirations for a more stable, prosperous, and democratic future.” l

HM Ershad did not do a good job for the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and its activists by taking oath as a lawmaker, observed a section of party leaders who withdrew their nomination papers before the 10th parliamentary poll following the party chief’s instruction.

They said it was awful for the JaPa activists as “the party leaders do politics without giving any clarification.” The activists just follow the orders of the party chief. But Ershad has taken the oath without considering thoughts of its activists.

The disgruntled leaders also claimed that they were ready to participate in the January 5 election, but had to withdraw their nomination papers following Ershad’s order on December 3.

They said such a decision would weaken the party’s root-level.

JaPa Presidium member Ahsan Habib Linkan said the party had turned into a contractual firm, “it is not a political party now.

“The Jatiya Party earlier had a vision

and mission, which do not exist now. I will decide on what to do after getting a clarification from Ershad,” said the leader who had submitted nomination paper for Kushtia 2 constituency.

Another Presidium member Golam Habib Dulal told the Dhaka Tribune: “The government has compelled the party chief to take oath as an MP. Some beneficiaries of such decision are dominating Ershad for their personal benefits, without thinking about the party activists and the nation.”

He also said it would not bring any good for the party. “The activists expect Ershad to clear his stance on the decision as soon as possible.”

Senior leader Hossain Khan said Ershad was unwilling to take the oath, “but the government has made him bound to do so.

“Those, who have formed alliance with the government for benefits, cannot cling to power for a long time,” said the Presidium member who withdrew his nomination paper submitted for Dhaka 9 constituency. l

People on rush before blockade resumes today n Tribune Report The two-day pause in the BNP-led combine’s indefinite blockade ended yesterday and people are going to suffer again today after a brief respite.

The two-day relief apparently gave people a “safe time” to make trips and finish works. Thus since Friday the city roads had huge traffic and on several highways there were unusual congestion that continued yesterday.

The alliance enforced the countrywide rail, road and waterways blockade programme from January 1, demanding cancellation of January 5 parliamentary poll’s results, release of its leaders and protesting the killing of opposition men on the election day.

On Thursday, the opposition combine postponed blockade for Friday and Saturday and enforced it today.

Yesterday, a bullet-riddle body of a Shibir activist was recovered at Polashbari upazila in Gaibandha district.

Reporting traffic congestion, our Tangail correspondent said hundreds of passengers remain stuck in a 70-kilometre tailback on Dhaka-Tangail highway since Friday night due to a heavy rush of vehicles.

Heavy fog descended that slowed down the speed of a large number of vehicles.

The tailback which began around 10pm Friday stretched from Bangabandhu bridge area to Chandra in Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur until evening.

Witnesses said till 12 noon hundreds

of vehicles remained stuck on the twolane highway, the entry point of 26 districts including 16 northern districts.

Komol, Ratan and Sabina, all passengers of a Dhaleswari Paribahan bus, said they had left Mohakhali bus stand around 5:30am and till 2pm they could reach only Pakulla.

Md Aftabuddin Khan, a businessman in Bagra town, said he set out for Dhaka early Saturday morning and had to walk at least 10 kilometers from Jamuna East to Elenga to catch a Dhaka-bound bus.

In the capital on almost all signal points, vehicles stuck extra time while the vehicle movement was slow due to unusual pressure of vehicles. Trains, buses and launches had extra crowd of passengers.

Arrest and drives continued

Police arrested 20 leaders and activists of Rajshahi district unit BNP including its general secretary Kamrul Moni. In Satkanina of Chittagong, they arrested six Jamaat-Shibir men on charges of their involvement in violence at the upazila in recent times.

A Shibir activist Borhan Uddin, 31, was arrested from Feni’s Daganbhuiyan upazila’s Jaylaskar union and recovered four petrol bombs from his house.

In Meherpur, police arrested four activists of the 18-party alliance.

Meanwhile, in Chittagong city, Jamaat- Shibir activists blasted eight crude bombs and vandalised four vehicles in Ek Kilomitre area under Chandgaon police station in the morning. l

Burnt housewife dies at DMCH n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Law enforcers seize all the belongings of the Jamaat-e-Islami Paltan office yesterday. They also sealed the office

Election expense returns by Feb 7 n Mohammad Zakaria

US, China urge dialogue for political stability

All candidates standing for the justheld parliamentary elections will have to file their election expenditure returns by no later than February 7.

Deputy Secretary of Election Commission Mihir Sarwar Morshed yesterday said the candidates would have to submit their spending records along with a copy of affidavit to the returning officers of their constituencies, which would then be forwarded to the commission.

According to the electoral laws, all winning and losing candidates and even those winning uncontested must file their expenditure returns within a month of the publication of the gazette notification on election results.

The gazette for the 10th parliamentary poll was published on January 8.

Officials at the commission said a failure to submit the returns in time would be punishable by a maximum jail term of seven years or fine, or both. l

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Robert Menendez sent letters to the leaders of the two main political parties urging them to end the current deadlock, eschew street violence, and open negotiations for a free, fair and inclusive election.

He also expressed concern about the ongoing political stalemate in Bangladesh and urged the leaders to work towards finding a mutually agreed way out of the crisis.

“I again urge renewed negotiations that will lead to free, fair, peaceful and inclusive elections and an immediate end to politically motivated violence,” said Menedez, in his similarly-phrased letters to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia on December 8.

Earlier, two days after the January 5 election was held, the US Senate passed a resolution condemning violence in

DHAKA TRIBUNE

the country and urged political leaders to engage in direct and substantive dialogue.

“The ongoing political deadlock has had serious economic consequences and will further weaken the confidence of international investors. To end this downward spiral, I strongly urge you to begin negotiations,” Menedez wrote, reiterating his government’s position on the matter.

Meanwhile, at a press briefing at the Chinese foreign ministry on January 9, a ministry official said China was following the situation in Bangladesh and stressed the need for dialogue.

“China follows the situation there and hopes that political forces there could realise (the importance of) political stability, social tranquillity and economic growth through dialogue, and consultation with the long-term and fundamental interests of the country in mind,” the spokesperson said. l

An injured housewife who was burnt while baking herself around a gas stove died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday morning.

The deceased Shirin Akhter, 40, wife of Rezaul Karim from Hijaltali under Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur.

Her family members said at first fire caught at Shirin’s veil and then spread on whole body on Friday afternoon.

She was admitted to the near Mirzapur Kumudini Hospital in Tangail in critical condition. Later, doctors transferred her to the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital where she died. l

16 Rohingyas pushed back n Our Correspondent, Bandarban Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sent back 16 Rohingyas to Mayanmar yesterday afternoon.

Lieutenant Colonel Md Khalid Hsan said; “The BGB men detained the Rohingya men conducting several drives in Ghundhum and Tumbru BOP border areas.” Later, they were sent back to Myanmar.

BOP provides necessary foods and medical treatment to the Rohingya men before sending them to Myanmar. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Political unrest delays Ashuganj gas station commissioning n Aminur Rahman Rasel The commissioning of a new gas compressor station in Brahmanbaria’s Ashuganj has been delayed as the officials of its contractor firm expressed concerns in coming to Bangladesh because of political unrest.

“The station is ready for commission since last one month. But the officials of Hyundai Engineering Company Ltd have left the country in fear of ongoing political violence,” Jameel Ahmed Aleem, managing director of Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“They are supposed to come tomorrow [today] but still they said they have been observing the situation to be ensured of a secured visit here,” he said.

The project was completed in last November, ahead of its scheduled deadline of July this year, and was now waiting for commissioning. If the station could be commissioned this month, it would have helped mitigate the present gas crisis.

The GTCL constructed the compressor station to enhance gas pressure.

“The compressors will raise gas supply in Ashuganj line to 1,500 cubic feet from 1,200 cubic feet, and in Elenga from 300 cubic feet to 500 cubic feet,” Amzad Hossain Majumder, project director for the installation of compressor stations at Ashuganj and Elenga, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“Hopefully the new compressor in Ashuganj will improve gas pressure significantly, particularly in the industrial areas.” he said.

“Another compressor is expected to be in operation in Tangail’s Elenga in April this year,” Amzad claimed.

Officials said the process had been delayed after a compressor for Ashuganj had earlier been dropped in the river Meghna while being unloaded from a barge at the Ashuganj launch terminal, causing extensive damages to the compressor.

For this, the authorities blamed “the negligence” and “the lack of proper care” of the contracting firm.

The compressor station of Elenga was also facing delay in commission for the negligence of contractor firm, an official of the GTCL said.

The Tk8.54bn project is being funded jointly by the government and the Asian Development Bank. The project to install two gas compressors was revised three times since 2006 Earlier, the government signed agreements with Hyundai Engineering Company Ltd of South Korea to set up the two compressors.

The Tk8.54bn project is being funded jointly by the government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The project to install two gas compressors was revised three times since 2006. The biddings for the works were cancelled twice.

As the gas supply was hit by the weakness in pressure recently, the government gave special care to expedite the installation work of the Ashuganj compressor, said official sources. l

2 cops withdrawn for bribery n Our Correspondent, Mirsharai Two policemen were withdrawn from the Mirsharai police station in Chittagong after allegations of bribery against them were proven true.

The two are SI Ismail Hossain and ASI Alim Sheikh, both sent back to the Chittagong district police lines.

The two officials were placed under departmental investigation after they

WEATHER

Light rain likely n UNB Light rain or drizzle is likely to occur at one or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and the regions of Jessore, Kushtia, Comilla and Noakhali until 6pm today.

Weather might remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, Met Office said.

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

Mild cold wave is sweeping over the regions of Mymensingh, Madaripur, Sitakunda, Teknaf, Srimangal, Jessore and Chuadanga and it may continue.

Night temperature may rise by 1-2 degree Celsius and day temperature may fall by 1-2 degree Celsius over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:30pm today and rises at 6:44am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 29.5 degree Celsius was recorded in Sitakunda and lowest 08.8 degrees in 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

27.2 26.4 23.0 19.7 26.8 27.4 27.5 28.7

11.7 13.4 10.4 11.4 11.7 10.5 12.0 12.4

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:23am 6:42am 12:07am 3:54pm 5:30pm 6:50pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

accepted bribe money from a contesting party at a polling centre of Sandwip upazila during the January 5 parliamentary election.

Contacted, the officer in charge of Mirsharai police station Mohammad Ehsanul Kader refused to comment on the matter. However, Hafij Akhter, Chittagong district police superintendent, said it was an “official decision.” l

Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council organises a rally in front of Central Shaheed Minar yesterday, protesting the recent attacks on Hindus

No progress in pir, photojournalist Aftab murder cases n Kailash Sarkar

Police is yet to detain anyone in the much-talked-about murder cases of self-proclaimed commander-in-chief of Imam Mahdi’s forces, Lutfor Rahman Faruk, and veteran photojournalist Aftab Ahmed.

The force has blamed the ongoing political instability for not being able to concentrate on the cases duly.

The family members of the victims have expressed frustration as weeks have been passed since the incidents occurred.

The self-proclaimed pir (religious leader) Faruk, along with his son and four disciples, was slaughtered at his Ramkrishna Mission Road residence in the evening on December 21 while the killers numbering to eight, kept other members of the family and some disciples confined in another room.

“Ehushe Padok” winner photojournalist Aftab Ahmed was killed at his Wapda Road residence in the capital’s Rampura area on December 25.

Abdullah Al Faruk, younger son of pir Faruq, said they had been visiting the

Detective Branch office and approaching concerned police officials to know about the progress of the investigation, but the lawmen did not show any positive sign.

“We are constantly in touch with the police but they are just asking us to wait”, said Abdullah.

“My mother and sister-in-law [wife of Sarwarul Islam Monir, Abdullah’s elder brother] have fallen ill. They are traumatised after witnessing the killings of my father, brother and four other people in front of their eyes”, said Abdullah.

He suspected that fanatics might have killed his father, brother and four others for their religious views and practices.

Jahangir Hossain Matobbor, deputy commissioner of DB (east), told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are trying our best to unearth the mystery and arrest the killers.”

The DC said they could not give proper concentration to the investigation as they had to remain busy in dealing with existing political unrest.

“Ekushe Padak” winner photojournalist Aftab Ahmed was killed at his Wapda Road residence in the capital’s Rampura area on December 25. The

body of the 80-year-old journalist was recovered from his house in the morning with his hands and legs bound by ropes.

Afroza Ahmed Borna, daughter of Aftab Ahmed, expressed frustration over the progress of investigation into the murder case of her father.

Although more than two weeks have passed police could make any headway to arrest her father’s chauffeur Kabir Hossain, the prime suspect in the case who was now on run, said Afroza.

A large amount of cash that Aftab obtained from selling one of his apartments and books was the probable cause behind the killing, Journalist Zahirul Huq, a longtime time colleague of the late Aftab Ahmed suspected.

Inspector Kripasindhu Bala, officerin-charge of Rampura police station, said they were trying to arrest the driver.

Deputy Commissioner of the Detective Branch Jahangir Hossain said they would inform the media whenever there is a progress in the investigation.

Monowar Ahmed, son of the deceased journalist, filed a case in this connection which was underway, he said. l

B unit viva starts at Dhaka University n DU Correspondent The viva voice examinations to enrol in the Dhaka University’s B unit for the 2013-14 academic sessions would be held at the dean office of arts faculty. The exams would be started on January 15.

The announcements came from the university website. Prof Sadrul Amin, dean of arts faculty, signed the announcement paper. Aspirant who secured their positions from1 to 2500 in the written test would face the viva from January 15 to January 19, the notice added.

The students must come with their necessary papers including admit cards of the admission test, grade sheets of SSC and HSC, downloaded copy of subject choice form and two copies of passport size photograph during the viva voce.

Further information would be available to Arts Faculty dean office notice board and the university Website: admission.eis.du.ac.bd l

Leaders of Chittagong city unit BNP at a press conference yesterday alleged that the Awami League government was trying to make the attacks on minorities an issue to supress the opposition and their movement.

Senior Vice-President Abu Sufian of city unit BNP said the government has been terming their movements as subversive activities and was arresting their leaders and activists rampantly.

He said: “The premier minister on Fri-

Resist those who are torching schools, burning people: Nahid n Tribune Report Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday urged the mass people to resist the anti-liberation forces who are burning people by throwing petrol bombs, torching schools, damaging vehicles and wealth in the name of resisting elections.

During a visit to Saidul Islam, who is a professor of Gabindaganj Girls’ College in Gaibandha and was injured during election violence on January 5, at Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s burn unit yesterday, the minister made the comment.

“Identify the people, who are involved in such inhumane activities, and come forward to resist them,” Nahid said.

He added that the anti-liberation forces, like the Pakistani occupation forces, were attacking the Hindus, and expressed concerns that they were damaging the country’s education system.

Nahid also visited other injured people who were under treatment in the burn unit. l

CU re-schedules viva exams n CU Correspondent

Guardians of O Level and A Level students form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, urging BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia not to enforce hartal or blockade at night until January 29 NASHIRUL ISLAM

'Government wants to use minority issue to suppress opposition' n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

DHAKA TRIBUNE

day said her government will be stricter to resist sabotage but her intention is to increase oppression on the opposition.”

He urged the government to give back their political rights and allow them to hold political programmes according to the constitution. “People will raise their voice if the government does not stop their oppression,” he added.

The press conference was organised after the city unit leaders failed to hold their countrywide protest programme in front of their Nasiman Bhaban office in the afternoon. l

The authorities of Chittagong University yesterday re-scheduled the vivavoce of admission test for B2 unit to B7 unit undergraduate courses for 20142015 sessions. The date was fixed on January 17 and 18 at Dr Abdul Karim Bhaban.

Earlier the exams were delayed several times in last month showing unavoidable reasons.

Prof Sekandar Hossain, acting dean of arts and humanities faculty, said the viva exams of different subjects of B3 to B7 unit were set on January 17 while that of B2 was set on January 18.

The candidates have to bring their SSC and HSC marks sheet along with the registration card during the vivavoce, said the professor adding that the time and venue would remain unchanged. l

BRTC to run special buses for Ijtema n Mohosinul Karim State-owned transport agency Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will operate special bus services from January 21-February 3 for Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest religious congregation of world Muslim community.

Bishwa Ijtema will start on January 24 at the Ijtema ground in Tongi on the banks of river Turag.

BRTC will provide at least 300 of its buses for carrying the participants to the Ijtema ground from and back to different places around the country.

Communication Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday informed the media about the special services while visit-

ing the Ijtema road (Tongi-Bypass-Kamarpara).

The minister went to the sudden visit to observe the real condition of the road and the progress in the maintenance work.

The Roads and Highways Division of the communication ministry is doing the Tk 2.25 crore maintenance work of the 12.3km road in the area to keep congestion at tolerable levels during the Bishwa Ijtema. The drainage system of the area will also be improved and cleared before the congregation begins.

The minister said the expected date for completing maintenance and improvement work of the roads and the drainage system was January 20.

The first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema

would be held from January 24-26. The second phase of the Ijtema will be held from January 31-February 2.

According to the BRTC, the special buses will be operated from Aricha, Paturia, Mirpur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Comilla, Bhairab, Kuti Chowmuhani, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Birishiri, Netrokona, Sonapur, Char Jabbar, Laksmipur, Kalmakanda, Madan, Monohardi, Mirkadim, Mohanganj, Akhaura, Mymensingh, Saidabad, Gulistan, Gabtoli, Kamalapur, Mohakhali, Azimpur and Joydevpur during the 14 days of Ijtema.

The double-decker buses will also carry passengers from in front of the Kakrail Mosque in the capital to the Ijtema ground. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Hartal, blockade hit tomato cultivation Farmers counting heavy losses as they cannot send the vegetable to markets due to shortage of vehicles Jamil Khan, n Mohammad back from Godagari Tomato cultivators in Chapainnawbganj district incur heavy losses this season as they do not get prices of the vegetable due to hartals and blockades.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the vegetable has been cultivated on 3,333-hectares of land in the district.

The vegetable has also been started collecting from the field since last week of October.

The farmers do not get prices as they cannot send the vegetable to Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet due to shortage of vehicles.

During a field visit on January 3, this correspondent met a 45-year- old Hazra who said with tears welling up in his eyes that she had a 16-year-old daughter and her marriage was fixed on a local boy on January 19. But she is hardly able to profit from the farming despite month-long hard work.

“We took four bighas of land on a Tk40,000 lease and cultivated the vegetable spending Tk50,000 more including fertiliser,” she said.

“We have been able to collect only Tk1,00,000 by selling the vegetable and a huge amount of tomatoes worth over Tk3, 00,000 lakh remain unsold in the field,” she added.

A couple of months ago, the 40kg green tomato was sold at between Tk2,500 and Tk1500, but now it is being sold at Tk120 to Tk150.

According to sources, thousands of family in the area like Hazra cultivated the vegetable. After paddy, tomato is the second important crop in the district.

Farmer Ziaur Rahman said: “A huge

Huge amount of tomato worth crores of taka decompose in the field as farmers and traders are not being able to send these tomatoes to other parts of the country because of continuous hartals and blockade programmes by the BNP-led 18-party alliance. The photo was taken from Rajshahi’s Godagari upazila yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE amount of tomatoes have been piled up in the field as I do not get chance to send it to market due to shortage of vehicle.”

Farmer Selim said he would fail to

pay the loan which he took from a local NGO during the time of farming.

Meanwhile, whole sellers in the area said earlier Tk25,000 to Tk26,000 were charged by a trucker to freight the veg-

etable to Chittagong and Dhaka, but now the truck is charging Tk1,20,000 as freight cost.

Dr Saiful Alam, agriculture officer of Godagari upazila, told the Dhaka Tri-

bune tomato was cultivated in the area commercially for the last 10 to 12 years and over Tk4 billion was earned yearly.

“We are in fear this year, the earning might not reach Tk1 billion,” he said. l

Prime accused in constable Irregularities and corruption delays Valukshi-Baradulari canal re-excavation murder case held n Our Correspondent, Barisal Alleged irregularities and corruption had been delaying the re-excavation of Valukshi-Baradulari canal under Gournadi upazila of Barisal.

After visiting the spot, it was learnt that the re-excavation of 7km long portion of the canal from Khan Bari of Baradulari to Valukshi Bazar, connecting Palardi River at the cost of Tk42 lakh started from January 1, 2013 and was scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2013.

World Food and Agriculture Organization funded the re-excavation project to increase food production by extending irrigation facilities under

a specified design and schedule, said Moti Lal Roy, sub-assistant engineer of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Gournadi office.

Local IRRI-Boro block managers and farmers said labours of the contractor only re-excavated 2-3 feet deep earths and deposited those on the slopes – inside the canal, causing re-siltation that is hampering free water flow.

On other hand, in collaboration with the BADC authorities the contractor of the project had been using two 5qeusec electric pumps and one 2quesec electric pump to supply water in the canal for water irrigation in 17 IRRI blocks.

Different block managers and farmers of the area alleged that the authorities had been supplying water to the canal before completing the re-excavation to erase the evidences of the irregularities and corruption in the project.

As the depth and width of the canal were not fixed before starting the project, the work would not give any satisfactory result for the farmers in developing production, they added.

AKM Abdul Hye, executive engineer of BADC Barisal office, said the contractor had completed 3.68km out of 7km work within December 31, 2013.

Md Faruk Mia, owner of Faruk and Brothers, contractor of the project, had denied the allegations. l

Biting cold throws life into disarray

Asst commissioner killed in a road crash n Tribune Report

n Tribune Report

Four people were killed in separate road accidents in Gaibandha, Tangail and Gazipur yesterday.

In Gaibandha, Assistant Commissioner (land) Abidiyo Mardy for Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha was killed in a road accident on Bogra-Rangpur Highway in Kata area of the upazila in the evening, reports our correspondent.

Gobindaganj UNO Mamun-ul-Hasan said Abidiyo was on his way to his office in the upazila headquarters from Dhamurhat Naogaon riding on a hired motorcycle.

As he reached Kata, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw had hit the motorcycle, leaving the motorcyclist and Abidiyo seriously injured. Locals rescued them and took them to Gobindaganj Health Complex but the attending doctor declared Abidiyo dead.

Meanwhile, in Tangail one was killed and 20 others were injured in a road accident at Kashil Chairmanbari on Tangail-Basail road under Basail upazila. Identity of decease could not be known yet, reports our correspondent.

Officer-in-Charge Md Salauddin Miah of Basail police station said accident took place around 3pm when a Dhaka-bound passenger bus of Dhaleswari Paribahan fell down into a ditch. The injured were admitted to Basail Upazila Health Complex and Tangail General Hospital, OC added.

In Gazipur, two people were killed in a road accident in Masterbari area on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in the afternoon. The deceased were Jamal, 29, and Shyamol, 25, reports UNB. Iqbal Hossain, sub-inspector of local highway police, said a Mymensingh-bound truck from Mirzapur of Gazipur crashed into Jamal and Shyamol around 1pm while crossing the road, leaving them dead on the spot.l

Biting cold coupled with chilly wind had paralysed the normal life in Thakurgaon for the last few days.

People, who earn livelihood by selling labour, had been suffering badly because of bone-chilling cold, as they do not have sufficient warm clothes, reports UNB. Local Met office said a cold wave was sweeping the region for the last few days.

In addition, bone-freezing wind along with dense fog had been blowing since yesterday morning, intensifying the persistent cold and crippling public life.

Worst, it began drizzling yesterday morning, adding woes to the sufferings of the local people.

Poor people, especially day labourers, were the worst sufferers of the situation. Many of them were found burning straw at many places to stay warm.

Cold-related diseases have broken out as a number of people including

children have been affected by cold and were admitted to different local hospitals.

Three children had died of cold-related diseases at Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital yesterday morning, said the hospital sources.

With the three, the number of people died of cold-related diseases in the district stood at 14.

District Civil Surgeon Afzal Hossain Tarafder said some 110 children with cold-related diseases were receiving treatment at the Sadar Hospital.

He also said of the admitted children, 56 were suffering from pneumonia while 44 from diarrhoea.

Besides, some 56 more children were admitted to other hospitals and clinics for cold-related diseases.

Meanwhile, two day-labourers died of cold-related diseases in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari yesterday morning.

The deceased were identified as Rahmat Ali, 50, of Magura Balapara village, and Wazed Miah, 52, of Putimari union of the upazila. l

30 hurt, 5 arrested in clash n

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

At least 30 people, including seven police personnel, were injured in a clash in Hossainpur upazila under the district yesterday.

According to sources, UP member Abul Hossain of Tan Sidla village got locked in a clash with Rouf Mia in the village over establishing supremacy in the area, leaving 30 injured, including seven police personnel, while the latter

went there to bring the situation under control at 5:30pm.

Of the injured, five were admitted to local health complex while the police personnel were given first aid.

Police also arrested five people including two UP members in this connection.

Hossainpur police station Officer-in-Charge Mir Mosarraf Hossoin said additional police were deployed in the area to avert untoward situation. l

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong The prime accused of a police constable murder case was arrested from the port city’s CRB Sat Rastar Mor after a gunfight between his cohorts and the Detective Branch of police personnel early yesterday.

Babul Akhter, additional deputy commissioner at CMP Detective Branch, said the cohorts of arrested Mohammad Arsel alias Arsel opened fire on DB men during a drive conducted around 4am.

The DB also opened fired in retaliation and nabbed Arsel, he said, adding that the arrestee received bullet injuries, while two policemen also sus-

tained injuries.

Arsel was undergoing treatment at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, while injured police constables Quader Mostafa and Hamid Sharif were admitted to Dampara Divisional Police Hospital.

Earlier, three other accused – Sumon, Sohel and Mitu Das – were arrested in the case filed in connection with the killing of Police Constable Md Abdul Kaiyum, who was deployed at the bungalow of Chittagong range’s deputy inspector general.

Miscreants hacked Kaiyum to death and injured three other police constables near the bungalow on November 3 when the policemen reportedly resisted the miscreants from mugging. l

60 people held in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Police rescued 60 people from Bahaddarhat Bus Terminal in Chittagong while they were being illegally taken to Malaysia yesterday.

Four members of the trafficking gang were arrested in this connection.

The arrestees were Mir Kashem Ali, 25, Sohel Rana, 28, Mohammad Anwar, 25, and Mohammad Ridwan, 28, all of them from Cox’s Bazar district.

Chandgaon police said they caught the trafficking gang around 4am while they were attempting to leave the city for Teknaf through two reserved buses.

Abdur Rouf, officer-in-charge of Chandgaon police station, said most the victims were hailed from Jessore, Sirajgonj, Jhenaidah, Narsinghdi and Pabna.

Earlier, police in separate drives rescued 108 persons and nabbed nine traffickers from Chittagong on November 23, December 8 and December 27 in 2013 when they were assembled for trafficking to Malaysia by sea.

According to police sources, four syndicates have been engaged in trafficking people abroad by sea.

Sources also said human trafficking gangs active in the region usually used Teknaf sea route for trafficking, but in the winter gangs prefer the Chittagong route as the sea remained calm during the season. l

Three arrested for cutting hill n Our Correspondent, Mirersarai Three people have been arrested for cutting a hill in Mirersarai of Chittagong without approval of the authorities.

Upazila administration and Jorarganj police detained Abdul Majid, Abdur Raqib and Ajmat Ali red-handed on Friday. They were shown arrested in a case filed the previous day and sent to jail.

Sub-Inspector Ariful Islam of Jorarganj police station lodged the case.

Sources said local influential Nasir Uddin Didar sold the soil of Darbar Tila at Sonapahar of Jorarganj union to Reza Construction. Workers of the firm were cutting soil of the hill for the last few days.

Nasir, the prime accused in the case, admitted the activities. He introduced himself as a local representative of the firm. Another accused Shakwat Hossain, deputy manager of Reza Construction, claimed the company had approval to cut one acre of the hill. He said the company had purchased 10.5 acre hilly land from the Dhaka Environment Directorate in 2011.

“The administration has unnecessarily lodged the case against us,” he alleged.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Muhammad Ashraf Hossain said: “The government does not permit anyone to cut hills.

Reza Construction was cutting soil from railway’s land. They showed us fake papers.” l

Miscreants remove the fishplate of Sirajganj-Ishwardi rail track near Sirajganj sadar upazila

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Poor policing makes SirajganjIshwardi rail route unsafe n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj Around 81-km railway line from Sirajganj Bazar Station to Ishwardi bypass under the district has become unsafe due to poor security.

According to sources, miscreants uprooted fishplates, paddle-clips and rail tracks over the few days at four points of the railway line during the opposition’s hartal and blockade.

An assistant driver – Mahbubul Alam – sustained burn injuries as mis-

creants hurled petrol bomb at Rajshahi-bound train Silk City Express on January 9.

As many as 31 police men under the GRP are not provided vehicle. They also do not get any travel allowance.

Department of Railway (western zone) recruited over 300 Ansar men on December 6. But the railroad from Sirajganj to Ishwardi remained insecure due to lack of security.

Lacking of logistic support is also considered as reason behind the

problem.

According to the GRP sources, around 12 trains including Dhumketu, Sundarban, Silkcity, Chitra, Padma, Ekota, Lalmoni, Drutojan, Ranhpur Express, Sirajganj Express, operate through the railroad.

Sirajganj GRP Officer-in-Charge Ali Akhbar said: “Around 39 points are considered risky on the line.”

“It is not possible for us to ensure security with insufficient manpower,” he said. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Feature

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Need for speed Jannati Hossain, CEO of Velocity, knows how to ‘pimp your ride’ this year,” Jannati says. n Tasnuva Amin Nova When it comes to “pimping your

“I

can’t keep long nails because I have to fix cars,” Jannati tells me, showing me her shortly manicured fingers.

Jannati Hossain owns a car modifying shop in Dhaka called Velocity. With a love of cars since childhood, she has kicked her passion into fifth gear gear.

Newly launched Torque magazine is for aficionados of ‘anything that runs on wheels’ COURTESY This North South University student is also the editor of Torque magazine, which launched on December 31. It is the first automobile magazine in Bangladesh that deals with all kinds of vehicles, from bicycles to sports cars.

In our patriarchal society, where female drivers are still viewed as aliens on wheels, Jannati has good reason to feel like a celebrity. With her vast knowledge about interiors, exteriors and engines, she knows exactly what needs to be done to turn a mediocrelooking car into a “super car.”

ride,” Velocity offers a wide range of body kits that can transform an ordinary vehicle, making it look like a sports car.

Jannati recalls a customer with a sedan who wanted to surprise his wife.

His only specification was: “I want my Starlet not to look like a Starlet.” When he came back a few days later, after Velocity had done its work, the customer could not even recognise his car. “Imagine how surprised his wife must have been,” Jannati laughed.

Currently Velocity offers a wide range of car modification services, which include “making car doors open like Lamborghini doors or butterflies, and anything that can be done in Bangladesh.”

They also specialise in interior car modifications, such as swapping out seats with different styles.

However, Jannati does not want to do anything to a car that is unsafe or obscene – which includes inappropriate stickers – by Bangladeshi standards.

Jannati and her friend Raymen Mohammad Siddique, the chief operating officer, opened the shop two years ago, and they currently have a team of five employees. Raymen has extensive experience in modifying cars, and he has been tinkering with his car since he was in school.

It was not until last year that profits actually started coming in. “I invested all my personal savings into the company after our silent partner left. This company is my baby,” Jannati said in a possessive tone.

They have a contract with a garage in Uttara where they send cars to complete heavy tasks; the rest they are able to do in their own workshops, one located in the same neighborhood and the other in Bashundhara.

A speaker of seven languages including French, German and Chinese, the undergraduate English student at

Jannati Hossain dreams of owning a Ferrari one day. Meanwhile, she enjoys her souped up Toyota Carina SX NUS has a vision to expand her business into the countries whose languages she speaks.

Growing up with two brothers, Jannati always longed for toy cars, which nobody ever bought for her. But she would slyly influence her brothers to break open their cars to bring out the inside parts. With those parts, she would then build prototypes of other cars, or sometimes even ships. She pointed to an advertisement of Need for Speed, the famous computer car game, and told me that she loved playing this in her childhood.

My 22-year old interviewee is a keen observer of her clients: “Most of my customers are males. The very few females who come in actually don’t care about much beyond the exterior. Because women wear heels, I think they want their cars to look smart when they

step out of its doors.”

Her knowledge about cars has also been enriched through reading.

“Given the backlash against being a girl and the environment here, I have to be very well read.” To that end, Jannati

One of Velocity’s first modified cars, a Honda Civic Type R

even skateboards, given that they are cool enough.” She told me that her team is currently working on the latest technology for cyclists in Bangladesh for a future edition.

As I browsed the very first issue of

In our patriarchal society, where female drivers are still viewed as aliens on wheels, Jannati has good reason to feel like a celebrity

reads many articles on the internet, and is inspired by works in the US and UK. About her own magazine Torque, Jannati said: “We don’t mind talking about anything that runs on wheels,

Velocity’s body kits can transform an ordinary vehicle into a sports car, or make the doors open like a Lamborghini’s The first thing this car enthusiast recommends for a car of any model is an engine swap. This, she says, is the smartest way to improve a machine’s performance. It can even increase the longevity of an automobile.

“I’d say those who take care of their car engines are the smartest drivers. Good performing engines are the in-thing for car modification

COURTESY

COURTESY

Torque, laid out on the coffee table in the cafe where we met, I came across an article on Paul Walker. The actor has recently been in news for his death in a tragic car accident.

I asked if she was a fan of this Fast and Furious heartthrob. “Well, he was the sweetheart of the movie, with his blue eyes. He used to remind me of my brother who also had a car accident recently, but was saved by a miracle,” she said.

She pointed to the page and switched to professional gear: “This article talks about how the scarlet 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, in which Walker died, might not have had the Porsche Stability Management System (PSMS) usually installed during manufacturing. This device warns the driver when the car goes out of control or when there are any other abnormal signals, and is mandatory in all cars of the brand. Who knows – it could have saved his life.”

Being CEO and editor does not stop Jannati from getting her hands dirty in the tinkering activities when needed.

Jannati went under a car dressed in a long T-shirt and jeans, her work clothes, to fix something.

She described the feeling as “empowering.” l Velocity is located at Road 19, Plot 1, Uttara, Sector 11, Dhaka.

A lending hand Two young students bring a community library to their Natore village Rakib and Shamim had always want- spend time productively, as opposed to n Sohara Mehroze Shachi ed to undertake development initia- engaging in drug abuse and other harmful

R

akib Islam and Shamim Islam, two twenty-three-year-olds honors candidates at Nabab Sirajuddaulah college of Natore, are visionary youth leaders. While still students, they have established a community library in their village.

“Donate one book and get the opportunity to read many more” is their slogan.

tives for their community, but they did not know how to plan and execute such projects. When they heard of the Leadership Development Program (LDP) – a USAID funded project of Counterpart International – they signed up.

During the training, Rakib conceived the idea of establishing a library in their village as an outlet for young people to

Rakib and Shamim (left) distributing books to children at Shibdur village youth library

activities usually prevalent in the village.

Rakib reached out to the local school headmaster to let him use some school space for the library. The headmaster agreed and allocated a room in the primary school for the initiative. The community members wholeheartedly supported Rakib’s endeavour, and Shamim got involved in implementing his plan.

In September 2013, their mini library was born.

To collect books, the duo personally went door to door in their community, and they have already collected more than 300 books of different genres. Daily newspapers are also available at the library, which people can read for free.

Each day from 3pm-10pm the library remains open and 30-40 people of all ages come daily to peruse the books and newspapers.

The aim of LDP is to inspire and equip citizens with the necessary skills to become agents of change in the democratic processes and development for their communities. Under this program, training for youth leaders is imparted in three phases: action and advocacy, informed citizenship, and communication and leadership.

With the help of grants from Counterpart, Rakib and Shamim plan to expand their village library into a ful-

The local headmaster has temporarily allocated a room in the primary school for the initiative ly-fledged information center, with facilities such as: internet, photocopiers, printers and information on agriculture and health care. These may sound insignificant to the privileged, but such facilities are a novelty for people in their village, and their initiative is a necessary and commendable one.

The success of their first initiative has

inspired these ambitious youth leaders to undertake further development projects.

The Department of Youth Development (DYD) of the Ministry of Youth and Sports has youth training centers in most areas, but they are often handicapped by a shortage of facilities and/ or qualified personnel to impart training. In the near future, the duo intends

COURTESY

to start adult education initiatives, farming schools and English language classes -- involving students from their university and other LDP leaders.

They also plan to spread social awareness in their community regarding issues such as child marriage, drug addiction and the dowry system – prevalent vices in their community. l

International

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Israel’s Ariel Sharon South Sudan army fight for final rebel stronghold dies at 85 n Agencies Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has died, according to local media reports. He was 85 years old and had been in a coma since 2006 when a stroke incapacitated him at the height of his political power.

Officials at Tel Hashomer hospital near Tel Aviv, where Sharon was being treated for most of the past eight years, announced a week ago that Sharon’s health had deteriorated sharply and that he was in “grave condition” with his family at his bedside.

Sharon first had a small stroke in December 2005 and was put on blood thinners before experiencing a severe brain hemorrhage on January 4, 2006.

After spending months in the Jerusalem hospital where he was initially treated, Sharon was transferred to the long-term care facility at Tel Hashomer hospital.He was taken home briefly at one point but returned to the hospital, where he has remained since.

In September, Sharon underwent

surgery to insert a new feeding tube.

Sharon was one of Israel’s most iconic and controversial figures. As one of Israel’s most famous generals, he was known for bold tactics and an occasional refusal to obey orders.

As a politician he became known as “the bulldozer,” a man contemptuous of his critics while also capable of getting things done. A prominent hardline voice over the decades, he was elected prime minister in 2001. In mid2005, he directed a unilateral withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip, ending a 38-year military control of the territory.

It was a shocking turnaround for a man who had been a leading player in building Jewish settlements in captured territories. He later left his hardline Likud Party and established the centrist Kadima Party. He appeared on his way to an easy re-election when he suffered a stroke in January 2006.

His deputy, Ehud Olmert, took over and was elected prime minister a few months later. l

n Agencies South Sudanese government troops are battling for the recapture of the last remaining rebel stronghold of Bor, the army said, a day after wresting control of a key northern oil city.

“There is still fighting near Bor,” South Sudan’s army spokesman Philip Aguer told AFP news agency on Saturday, amid government efforts to mobilise thousands of more troops and deal a final, crushing blow to Riek Machar, former vice president and his allies.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council meanwhile urged President Salva Kiir to free political detainees loyal to rebel leader Machar, in order to kick-start stalled peace talks.

The UN leader also warned that evidence of widespread atrocities committed during the nearly monthlong conflict would be investigated, and that “perpetrators of serious hu-

UK politicians accused of Iraq war crimes n Agencies The International Criminal Court has been asked to investigate the actions of former members of the British cabinet and troops over allegations of “systematic torture” in Iraq.

The European Centre for Constitutional Human Rights, based in Germany, and the Public Interest Lawyers firm, based in England, said in a statement that they had jointly filed a complaint to the ICC. The complaint called for the “opening of an investigation” into the actions of senior British officials “in particular the former minister of defence Geoff Hoon and secretary of state, Adam Ingram, for systematic torture and abuse of prisoners in Iraq between 2003 and 2008.”

More than 400 Iraqi prisoners have contacted PIL in the past few years, alleging “serious abuse and humiliation” on the part of British soldiers, the two organisations said. “Our legal team has exhausted all legal avenues” to obtain justice in Britain, said Phil Shiner, a public interest lawyer. A 250-page document was handed over to the ICC, comprising 85 particularly representative cases and more than 2,000 accusations of abuse documented over five years, said the two organisations. l

AFP

Iran and the EU have appeared to make progress in resolving outstanding differences on how to implement a landmark nuclear deal, but the United States said discussions were not yet finalised.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, met a senior EU official in Geneva on Friday to iron out details of the November 24 accord under which Iran agreed to curb its most sensitive nuclear work in return for sanctions relief.

After the meeting, he said that the sides had found “solutions for every difference” but more consultations were needed before an agreement could be announced.

“Now we are taking the solutions... home, all of us,” Araqchi said. “Hopefully tomorrow we can either confirm or not, but hopefully confirm.”

A spokesman for the EU, Michael

man rights violations will be held accountable.”

The fighting has forced around a quarter of am to flee their homes and caused “very substantially in excess” of a thousand dead, according to the UN.

Ukraine’s ex-interior minister and current opposition leader Yuriy Lutsenko was under intensive care in hospital Saturday after being beaten in fresh clashes that erupted between pro-EU demonstrators and club-wielding police.

A few hundred nationalist demonstrators protested late Friday outside a Kiev court that had earlier in the day sentenced three men to six years in prison for allegedly plotting to blow up a statue of Soviet founder Lenin near the city’s main airport in 2011.

Ukrainian television showed several protesters being carried by stretcher to an ambulance that had been rushed to the scene. A parliamentary human rights ombudsman said 11 opposition members had been injured and that one person besides Lutsenko remained hospitalised overnight.

Russian state television said the Berkut anti-riot troops began firing tear gas and making arrests after being pelted with rocks by protesters who were trying to block police vans as the three convicts were being led out of the courthouse.

Power struggle between Turkey’s two leaders heats up n

The deepening corruption scandal shaking Turkey’s political establishment seems to have pitted Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan against his longtime political ally President Abdullah Gul, observers say.

Although the two leaders have never openly positioned themselves against each other, they now seem to have trouble concealing the discord between them over the role of the judiciary in the high-profile graft probe that poses the most serious challenge to Erdogan’s 11 years in power.

“It would not be a surprise if Gul, who is in favour of a stance that prevents the row from becoming more ‘bloody’, threw more weight behind the issue,” said Oral Calislar, a columnist for the liberal daily Radikal.

Erdogan, grappling with a damaging graft inquiry that targeted cabinet ministers and top businessmen, has been in a battle with the judiciary since the corruption scandal broke out last month. The Turkish strongman has branded the probe as a “smear campaign” to undermine Turkey’s ambitions to become a major political and economic power, and last weekend he

Mann, said “very good” progress was made “on all the pertinent issues,” but added that results of the talks still had to be validated by more senior officials.

EU negotiates with Iran on behalf of six world powers - the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - in diplomatic efforts related to Tehran’s nuclear work.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the technical talks were making good progress but reports that a deal had been finalised were inaccurate.

“There have been a few outstanding issues, but at this point, the reports that everything has been finalised are incorrect,” she said.

The seven countries need to agree when the nuclear accord goes into effect, when the EU and the US ease economic sanctions in return for Iranian nuclear concessions, including verification of Iranian action. l

REUTERS

The International Crisis Group, an independent think-tank, said it believed as many as 10,000 people have been killed in just four weeks of fighting in the world’s youngest nation, which only won independence from Khartoum in 2011. l

Ukraine’s interior ministry added that 20 of its officers had been injured.

Opposition news sites published photographs and video images of Lutsenko with his head bandaged and a large patch over his right eye.

Lutsenko’s wife Irina said her husband had suffered a concussion and head injuries after being attacked by police while he was trying to break up the unfolding violence. “He has been placed in intensive care. They are going to keep him under observation,” she told Ukraine’s opposition Hromadske television channel. l

n AFP, Bangui The resignation of the Central African Republic’s rebel leader-turned-president raised hopes Saturday of an end to sectarian strife that has pushed the nation to the brink of collapse.

Under intense diplomatic pressure, Michel Djotodia stepped down Friday during a special regional summit in Chad, which called his move a “highly patriotic decision.”

Djotodia had come under fire for fail-

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish president Abdullah Gul called it a “judicial coup.”

Erdogan repeatedly lashed out at Muammer Akkas, a Turkish prosecutor who said he had been prevented from expanding the corruption investigation and described a new police regulation obliging those carrying out probes to inform superiors as “unconstitutional.”

Although the regulation was later abolished, the government sought to further clip the wings of the judiciary

AFP

by proposing legal amendments which will limit the authority of the Higher Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), the country’s top judicial regulatory body.

Amid this fray Gul, who had stayed mum on the issue for a long time, broke his silence and came to the defence of the judiciary. He countered Erdogan by saying that the judiciary should be free from government interference. l

A 58-year-old Utah woman is expecting a baby she is carrying for her daughter, with plans to give birth to her own granddaughter, reports said Friday. Julia Navarro, a Peruvian who lives in the western US state, agreed to be implanted with one of her daughter Lorena McKinnon’s fertilized eggs after the 32-year-old had a string of miscarriages. “As a family, we have to help each other,” Navarro, who is expecting to give birth the baby in early February, told The Salt Lake Tribune newspaper. Navarro, a nurse’s aide, had to undergo tests to ensure she was physically fit to give birth.

She had been menopausal for about 12 years but gave herself hormone shots every day for three months to prepare for being implanted. She and her daughter also had to sign contracts about parental rights and take three months of state-ordered counselling. “The psychologists wanted to make sure we knew what we were getting into – that we were mentally prepared,” said McKinnon. “Mostly, surrogacy contracts are with people you don’t know.

“It was weird to have a contract with my

mom.” Doctors gave her only a 45% chance of an egg being successfully implanted. But it worked the first time, and the pregnancy has gone smoothly, with no morning sickness, cravings or discomfort. McKinnon read up on pregnancy tips. “I told her to drink more water... not to eat peas – I had heard they were bad – and not to cross her legs because it might hurt her circulation,” McKinnon said of her mother. But Navarro reminded her that she had given birth to two daughters, and “knew how to do it, thank you very much.” “It’s worked out better than I ever expected... I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but we haven’t had any complications,” said the baby’s father Micah McKinnon. “I’m pretty happy about it,” he said. The McKinnons said they would like more children, after the soon-to-be birth of their first baby from eggs fertilized in vitro. “We still have five embryos left,” said Lorena McKinnon.

‘Blacks for sale’ online ad sparks outrage in Brazil

A shocking ad on one of Latin America’s biggest online marketplaces, offering “blacks for sale for one real” ($0.42), has

ing to rein in the mainly Muslim rebels who brought him to power in March 2013 and whose abuses triggered retaliatory violence by Christian militias.

Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye, whose notoriously bad relations with Djotodia had crippled the state’s ability to take any decisive action against armed gangs, also quit.

In Bangui, news of the double resignation was greeted with joy, with thousands of people descending on the streets, shouting “it’s over, it’s over.” l

Fallujah pact in the making to keep army out n Agencies Negotiators are working on a deal to evade an Iraqi military intervention in the city of Fallujah, under which al-Qaeda-linked armed groups who seized the city would cede control to Sunni Muslim tribal leaders.

Military and local officials said on Friday that tanks, artillery and troops around the city 70km west of Baghdad would not attack while efforts to end the

OTHER NEWS Woman to give birth to own granddaughter in US

Stranded foreign nationals are being evacuated from the Central African Republic following appeals from neighbouring countries.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is starting an airlift on Saturday, one of three charter flights this weekend, to repatriate 800 Chadians from a refugee camp near the capital Bangui.

“Several concerned governments including Mali, Senegal, Niger and Chad have already organised evacuation flights, but need additional resources to cope with all the migrants wanting to leave the CAR and those arriving home, who are often destitute,” said IOM West Africa Director Carmela Godeau, in a statement published on the organisation’s website.

“The evacuation of these migrants must be done quickly and in an orderly manner to avoid people trying to leave on their own overland and taking terrible risks, in desperation.”

Up to 100,000 people have been living in a makeshift camp near Bangui’s airport due to violence between the predominantly Muslim Seleka fighters, who seized power last March, and Christian militias.

On Friday the country’s interim president Michel Djotodia agreed to resign after failing to halt inter-religious violence, leading to gunfire and celebration on the streets of Bangui.

The resignations of Djotodia and Nicolas Tiangaye, the prime minister, were announced in a statement issued at a two-day summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) in neighbouring Chad.

Talks to decide on new leadership will take place in CAR, it said.

Under an agreement brokered by the CEEAC last year, CAR’s transitional assembly (CNT) elected Djotodia to his position as interim president in April to take the former French colony to elections, due at the end of this year. l

President’s resignation brings rare hope to C Africa

AFP, Istanbul

Iran says progress made in nuclear talks n Agencies

South Sudan government troops reclaim rebel-controlled areas

Ukraine ex-minister beaten in fresh Kiev clashes n AFP, Kiev

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon

Foreigners to be airlifted from CAR n Agencies

sparked outrage in Brazil and a police investigation. The ad featured a photo of two black children, and suggested any blacks purchased could “serve as carpenters, masons, cooks, security guards, nightclub bouncers, janitors, garbage collectors, or housekeepers.” Within a few hours, some 1,700 Brazilian responded with outraged comments. Government officials also weighed in, with the agency in charge of racial equality urging online vendor MercadoLivre to turn over information on the author of the ad to bring charges against him. The ad was “an offense to the entire society,” rights official Carlos Alberto Silva Junior told AFP Friday. “Incitement to discrimination or prejudice by race, colour, ethnicity or religion” is punishable by two to five years in jail and by a fine, he added.

He emphasized that the Internet sites should assume their share of responsibility and put in place filters to block any racist content. MercadoLivre, the biggest online buying and selling community in Latin America, said it has turned over account information for the person who posted the ad, which went up Sunday, to Rio de Janeiro police and an investigation was planned.

standoff peacefully were under way.

“The decision was made not to attack the city and to create space for local leaders to defuse the crisis,” said Falih al-Essawi, a member of Anbar’s provincial council who is involved in the negotiations with community leaders in Fallujah.

“The central government totally agreed to this and they fully backed us,” Essawi told Reuters news agency by telephone. l

One in 10 babies in England are now Muslims n AFP, London Almost one in 10 babies and toddlers in England and Wales are Muslim, according to new analysis of census figures published Friday, illustrating the growth of the minority community.

Some 317,952 children aged under five, or 9.1%, were registered as being Muslim in the 2011 census, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show.

As a measure of how the religious demographics of England and Wales are changing, the figure is nearly double the 4.8% of the whole population who are Muslim, while fewer than one in 200 people aged over 85 are Muslim.

It is also an 80% increase on the 176,264 Muslim under-fives recorded in the 2001 census.

“It certainly is a startling figure,” David Coleman, professor of demography at Oxford University, told The Times newspaper on Friday. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Tens of thousands join India anti-graft party n AFP, New Delhi

Thai anti government protesters clash with riot policemen during a rally at a stadium to register party-list candidates in Bangkok

Seven injured in Thai protest shooting n Reuters Seven people were wounded, one seriously, after gunmen opened fire on anti-government protesters in Bangkok early on Saturday, heightening fears of more violence when protesters try to “shutdown” the capital next week in their long-running bid to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

“Two shootouts occurred in the early hours of this morning at an intersection near the Khao San Road tourist area. Altogether seven people were injured, most of them anti-government protesters. We are still investigating who the gunmen were,” said national police chief Adul Saengsingkaew.

One of the injured protesters remains in a critical condition, according to the Erawan Medical Centre which monitors Bangkok hospitals.

The incident follows clashes between government supporters and protesters on Friday outside Bangkok that left at least six people injured.

At a celebration to mark national Children’s Day on Saturday Thailand’s army chief, Prayuth Chan-ocha, said he feared an escalation in violence next week.

“I am concerned about security because there will be many people. The violence is increasing...,” said Prayuth.

“We can think differently but we

cannot kill each other. Please don’t use violence.”

The turmoil is the latest episode in an eight-year conflict that pits Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against the mostly poorer, rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was overthrown in a military coup in 2006.

The protesters accuse the Shinawatra family of corruption and nepotism. Yingluck called a snap election for February 2, but this failed to placate protesters, who want her government to resign to make way for an unelected people’s council to oversee political reform.

Many Thais believe the military will soon step in to break the political deadlock, especially if the protests turn violent, and rumours of an impending coup have intensified.

The army has staged or attempted 18 coups in 81 years, but it has tried to remain neutral this time.

The authorities say they will deploy more than 14,000 troops and police on Monday, including police at the main airport, to maintain order in the streets.

Protesters led by former opposition politician Suthep Thaugsuban aim to paralyze Bangkok starting Monday for between 15 and 20 days. They plan to block seven main intersections, causing gridlock in a city clogged with traf-

AFP

fic at the best of times, and say they could block other areas as part of their prolonged siege of the city.

Paralyzing Bangkok is the latest bid in a two-month attempt by protesters to topple Yingluck. Eight people, including two officers, have been killed and scores injured in violence between protesters, police and government supporters in recent weeks.

The government has repeatedly played down talk of a military intervention but officials said on Friday it had a plan to counter a coup if there was one.

“I don’t think any coup will happen... this Monday the army and the police will take care of the (security) situation,” Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul told foreign media on Friday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at a news conference in New York on Friday urged all sides to show restraint as Thailand’s latest round of protests gathered pace.

“I am very concerned that the situation could escalate in the days ahead, particularly next Monday... when protesters said they will shut down Bangkok,” Ban said.

“I urge all involved to show restraint, avoid provocative acts and settle their differences peacefully, through dialogue.” l

India’s new anti-graft party has signed up tens of thousands of members in a nationwide recruitment drive as it seeks to build support ahead of general elections, an official said Saturday.

The Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party plans to contest seats in the elections due by May following its success in the Delhi state polls last month in which it routed the scandal-tainted Congress party that rules at the national level.

“We had nearly 50,000 people sign up in the first three hours of our membership drive,” senior party leader Gopal Rai told AFP. The party is spearheaded by Arvind Kejriwal, 44, a former taxman who has modelled himself as an anti-corruption activist and is now Delhi’s chief minister.

Observers say the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) popularity suggests it could become a bigger movement that could threaten the grip of the main parties, Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on national politics.

The AAP has also drawn a string of high-profile recruits in a boost to its national aspirations and efforts to change the face of India’s graft-ridden politics.

Prominent banker Meera Sanyal and GR Gopinath, the founder of a

9

Sunday, January 12, 2014

budget airline, are among those who have signed up with Kejriwal’s party.

Kejriwal has said the party’s target is to enrol 10m members by January 26.

The AAP’s success in the Delhi elections “has spread hope for honest politics throughout the country. So many people want to be a member of the party and work for change,” said Rai. A public meeting called Saturday by the AAP to hear grievances saw a huge crowd turn up in central Delhi, armed with written complaints.

The meeting had to be called off midway as the crowd exceeded expected numbers, leading to chaos and a near stampede.

AAP officials promised to streamline the process to avoid future similar scenes. A new anti-corruption hotline launched this week was similarly overwhelmed by thousands of calls on its first day.

Kejriwal has said his cabinet will sit in front of Delhi government offices every Saturday to hear public grievances in what he called a “Janata Durbar” or people’s court.

“It’s the duty of every government to resolve grievances,” said Kejriwal.

The step marks another novel move by the party founded a year ago to connect with the public. l

India says ‘no standoff ’ with US in diplomat row n AFP, New Delhi India said Saturday there was “no standoff ” with Washington after it expelled a US diplomat in a bitter row over the arrest and strip search of an Indian consulate official in New York.

Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid’s comments came a day after New Delhi gave a US diplomat 48 hours to quit the country over the dispute that has seriously strained bilateral ties.

“There is no standoff between India and the US,” Khurshid told reporters, adding “if there are any issues” the countries will “sort them out mutually.”

Relations began fraying when Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul-general in New York, was arrested last month on charges of visa fraud involving her domestic servant and lying about how much she paid her.

Shortly before her indictment Thursday, Washington granted the Indian officer – who has denied all charges – full diplomatic immunity, allowing her to return to India in what appeared to be a compromise worked out with New Delhi.

But the announcement late Friday that India had ordered the US diplomat to leave in apparent reprisal for its envoy’s treatment in New York suggested New Delhi was not ready to be entirely forgiving. l

Karzai condemns US shooting of Afghan child n Agencies Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned US troops for accidentally killing a four-year-old boy in the southern province of Helmand, in an incident set to add fresh strain to troubled relations between the two countries.

Naeem Baloch, Helmand’s governor, told Karzai about the shooting on Friday during a meeting in Kabul, which comes as the US and Afghanistan wrangle over a deal to allow some US troops to remain in the country beyond this year.

“We condemn the killing of this boy in the strongest terms,” Aimal Faizi, presidential spokesman, told the AFP news agency.

“We have been calling for the complete end of military operations in residential areas. This demand has not been taken seriously by foreign troops and the result is civilian casualties including women and children.”

The US-led NATO coalition in Afghanistan issued a statement expressing “deepest sympathies to the family who suffered the loss of a loved one” in the incident on Wednesday and vowing to investigate “what happened and why.”

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Relations between the US and Afghanistan have been poor for years, and negotiations over the bilateral security agreement (BSA) have erupted into a long-running public dispute. Karzai made a surprise decision not to sign the agreement promptly despite having pledged to do so, leading to the threat of a complete withdrawal of NATO troops by the end of 2014. It now seems unlike-

AFP

ly that the deal will be signed on time.

Faizi said a ban on military operations in civilian areas was one of the Afghan conditions of signing the BSA. “The ball is the US court,” he said.

“We are waiting for practical steps to be taken to end to these operations and for the launch of a peace process.

We believe the US can deliver on these demands.” l

Pakistan honours teenage bomb hero with bravery award

Afghan officials say they will provide election security

n AFP, Islamabad

n AFP, Kabul

A Pakistani teenager who sacrificed his life to stop a suicide bomber, saving the lives of hundreds of students, has been honoured with the country’s highest award for bravery. Aitzaz Hassan, 15, a student in Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has become a national hero after tackling the bomber who came to attack his school on Monday, with hundreds of students inside.

Hassan died in hospital after the bomber blew himself up at the school gates. No one else was wounded or killed in the incident.

The office of Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif said it had advised President Mamnoon Hussain “to approve the conferment of Sitara-eShujjat (star of bravery) to Shaheed (martyred) Aitzaz Hassan.

“Shaheed (martyred) Aitzaz’s brave act saved the lives of hundreds of students and established a sterling example of gallantry and patriotism,” it said in a statement issued late Friday. An official in prime minister house told AFP on Saturday Hasan’s family is expected to receive the posthumous award on March 23, Pakistan’s national day following the president’s ceremonial approval.

News of Hassan’s act led to an outpouring of tributes on social media.

Pakistani newspapers, TV channels and social media sites had demanded a recognition of Hassan’s bravery, calling him a hero and calling for him to receive the nation’s highest award.

Pakistan private TV channel “express NEWS” on Saturday broadcast footage from his village Ibrahimzai, in Hangu district in the troubled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, showing groups of people laying floral wreaths on his grave and hailing him as a hero. l

Afghan forces will provide security for the vast majority of polling stations in the upcoming presidential elections, an official said Saturday, a key test for the country as NATO troops withdraw.

A plan for security arrangements at the poll has been sent to the Afghan election commission for review, interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi told reporters in Kabul.

“Based on our assessments, security can be provided to 6,431 polling centres out of 6,845 centres. The plan will cover 93.96 per cent of the country,” Mr Sediqqi said.

“Around 414 centres will remain inactive, which is a small%age and will not affect the election process,” he said without elaborating on their exact locations. The bulk of NATO’s remaining troops in Afghanistan are due to pull out by the end of 2014 and a credible presidential election is seen as crucial to stability.

More than 100 homes were destroyed in the fire but there were no immediate casualties

REUTERS

Fire partially destroys ancient Tibetan town n AP Fire has partially destroyed an ancient Tibetan town in China’s Shangri-La county, with more than 1,000 fire-fighters deployed to tackle the blaze.

The fire started on Saturday morning in Dukezong, which dates back 1,300 years and is famous for its cobbled streets and wooden houses.

He Yu, a resident, said she woke to loud, explosion-like sounds.

“The fire was huge. The wind was blowing hard, and the air was dry. I was scared because my home is a little distance away from the ancient town,’’ she told news agency AP. “It kept burning, and the fire-fighters were there, but there was little they could do because they could not get the fire engines onto the old town’s narrow streets.”

Local authorities said more than 100 houses were destroyed and that

fire-fighters, police and volunteers tried to bring the 10-hour blaze under control.

There was no immediate report of casualties, and the cause of the fire was unclear, although a provincial news site said it started in a guesthouse on an old street. Chinese state media said most structures in Dukezong were made of wood and the fire spread easily because of dry weather. Shangri-La county was once called Gyaitang Zong but changed its name in 2001. l

More than a thousand polling centres remained closed in the 2009 election, mostly in the southern and eastern provinces, and the polling was marred by allegations of fraud.

Afghanistan’s election on April 5 will be the country’s first ever democratic transfer of power, and the election is viewed as a test for 12 years of international intervention since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

It also remains a key test for around 350,000 Afghan security forces who have recently taken over full security responsibility from NATO, as the force completes its withdrawal.

“The biggest change this time is that security for the elections will be provided by Afghan security forces,” Sediqqi said. President Hamid Karzai cannot stand for a third term, and 11 candidates are vying to succeed him.

Among the leading contenders are former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who ran against Karzai in 2009. l

Three injured in Malaysia plane crash n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Two people were seriously injured and a third suffered minor injuries after a small private plane crashed in Malaysia, police said Saturday.

The plane, a Cessna 172 believed to be used by a local flying club, had three adults on board when it crashed late Friday in a forest area just north of the capital Kuala Lumpur, local police

chief Abdul Rahim Abdullah told AFP. “We were alerted of the crash late Friday and immediately launched a search and rescue operation,” he said.

“We found the three men early today” with local assistance, Abdul Rahim added. All three crash victims have been admitted into a public hospital after a two-hour journey out of the jungle.

Abdul Rahim said cause of the crash was being investigated. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

No impunity for violence

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Hasina’s election makes space for itself in history

T

he aftermath of the parliamentary elections has witnessed waves of violence, particularly against minority communities. On election day, villagers in Jessore district were attacked by Jamaat-Shibir activists, forcing hundreds to flee by jumping into the river. Now two women from the same district have reportedly been raped as well.

In the midst of these inexcusable crimes, the political blame game continues. It is a disgrace to the whole nation that while vulnerable minorities who are citizens of our own country are viciously attacked, political parties can seem more interested in accusing each other, rather than bringing the perpetrators to justice.

This type of blame game is encouraged by the fact that communal crimes have not always been properly investigated in the past. Such impunity must end.

People need protection by the law, not political point-scoring.

We must make sure that crimes are properly investigated and guilty parties are punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Not only must impunity be ended but efforts must be made to ensure that victims and their families should also be adequately compensated. It is important to act effectively to stop all violent attacks and to prevent unspeakable violations of the rights of minorities recurring in the country.

Law enforcement authorities have a solemn duty to ensure that all people can live without any fear of being attacked.

Where they have not been effective, they must be held accountable. The failure to protect our own people is a great shame for us all.

Impunity must end.

People need protection by the law, not political pointscoring

Invest in sanitation to improve health

D

haka city’s public toilets are a municipal disgrace. In the first place, very few are provided for residents by the two city corporations, but to make matters worse, those few which they do oversee are poorly maintained and highly insanitary.

There is no excuse for appalling conditions in public toilets.

The city is not short of water and labour with which to clean facilities. The risk of water-borne disease spreading and the pollution and public nuisance exacerbated by the lack of adequate sanitation is too high to ignore.

The city corporations badly need to increase the meagre amount of funding, reported to be only TK55lakh for the whole of Dhaka, which they make available for public toilets in their development budgets.

Ensuring access to proper sanitation is a basic obligation of government from which everyone benefits. At the citywide level, this clearly requires better co-ordination of municipal services like waste disposal and water supply. The benefits of larger public works such as scheduled investments in sewage plants, are lost however if individuals do not have access to adequate toilet facilities in the first place.

Investment in new facilities is needed as well as properly maintaining existing ones. Encouragement and incentives can also be given to improve the accessibility and quality of toilets owned and operated by private businesses, such as shopping malls and restaurants, as well as in public spaces.

Municipalities must devote more resources to ensure proper access to sanitation.

January 9 The 10th parliamentary election will be known as a bad case, as the worst election in the history of Bangladesh.

Hasina has already lost her good image in the meantime. Some of us cannot remember our Liberation War in 1971, but the current situation makes it seem as if it is now worse than that war. Civil society, indeed everyone, is against such an election, except for the Awami League.

One of my relatives is the administrative head of a district and another is a polling officer in Dhaka, but they along with their families are going through a very difficult time. People even now cannot forget the logi baitha, and now arson has been added to their troubles.

Sheuly Haque

Turnout 30%, says Election Working Group January 6

Zihad Naime I don’t think that’s true. Turnover was not more than 20%.

Om Ar Hmmm not more than 15 %!!

Zahurul Islam Does it matter at all?

Popularise growing Banglamoti rice

January 9 In 2008 a piece of optimistic news appeared in print media, mentioning that BRRI had developed a variety of rice, namely Banglamoti, that was similar to the Basmati rice of Pakistan and India, but its yield was double. Both Pakistan and India export aromatic Basmati rice to USA, Europe, and to Middle-Eastern countries, and earn a great amount of foreign currency.

Experimentally developed Banglamoti rice was cultivated in different regions in Bangladesh and the result was very encouraging. The news also mentioned that Banglamoti could be produced in both Amon and Aush seasons. It was further hoped that within ten years, half of the land of rice production in Bangladesh would be engaged in growing the Banglamoti variety.

Five years, or ten seasons, have passed, but in the main wholesale rice markets in Dhaka, Banglamoti rice is not available. The well-off in Bangladesh consume imported Basmati rice in social functions. But the common men and women cannot afford it, as the import cost on it is too high. It was hoped that as aromatic Banglamoti yield is double to that of Basmati, the general public would be able to regularly consume Banglamoti, and a good amount of Banglamoti rice could also be exported to earn foreign currency.

A recent report states that the long Banglamati paddy could not be husked in the traditional rice mills. A few mills in Gazipur can husk Banglamoti paddies and produce Banglamoti rice.

The department of agriculture needs to initiate a special project to popularise the growth of Banglamoti rice amongst the farmers in every district, and also take measures to solve the problem of husking it.

Md Ashraf Hossain

11th general election ASAP January 7

The 10th election is over, but please let there now be peace in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised to offer the 11th election soon after this one.

Would the PM please start processing asap a more involved election in which most political parties can participate freely and fairly?

I request her to please keep her excellent and timely promise and want to thank her in advance. I also request the opposition political parties to please extend their cooperation so that the government can fulfill its promise.

Hasina: 11th polls will happen when it happens January 6

She should stop mocking us.

Parveen Ahmed

Ball-like object claiming lives of children January 7 Kids should be taught not to pick up strange objects.

PA

Muktijoddha Dr Emarat Hossain Pannah

No one is listening January 6 Civil society and almost everyone from each party has urged the government to stop the one-sided election of the 10th Parliament. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid requested not to blaze the schools, where people came to vote, but both have happened in full swing!

We, the public, are in big trouble! Wonder when our troubles will end.

MM Khaled Ahsan

Hindus feeling more insecure by the minute January 8

That’s horrible! adnan_ahmed

Vegetables get costlier as supply disrupted January 7

After all this, now what are we people to do?

Zaidul Islam

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CALVIN AND HOBBES

Ensuring access to proper sanitation is a basic obligation of government from which everyone benefits

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YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Facebook politics n Niyonta Nahia Chowdhury

F

PMO

No room for confusion

I

n Gowher Rizvi

n the last few days, newspapers, commentators and talk show experts have been proffering conflicting views as to the legality of the members-elect of parliament taking oath of office before the end of tenure of the ninth parliament on January 24.

The discussion has, quite unnecessarily, caused confusion in the minds of the people. Some of the comments coming from leaders of political parties are understandably politically motivated. It is, however, less easy to understand how our learned legal scholars, constitutional experts, eminent editors of the dailies, and pontificating stars of TV talk shows are making the same mistakes. This is largely because, wittingly or unwittingly, the commentators are reading the constitution selectively, or ignoring those parts of the constitution that do not fit their argument.

Our constitution is quite precise, clear, and has left nothing in doubt.

The references to “oath taking” and “assumption of office” are discussed in two different articles of the constitution. The first is a “general oath” that is applicable for offices that require taking an oath, and the second refers only to the members-elect of the parliament.

The general provision for “oath of office” is found in Article 148(3). It says: “Where under this constitution a person is required to make an oath before he enters upon an office he shall be deemed to have entered upon the office immediately after he makes the oath.”

The confusion seems to have been caused by the phrase that a person

“shall be deemed to have entered upon the office immediately after taking the oath.” As will be seen, this provision is not applicable to the parliament members-elect.

If one reads the constitution further, one will discover that the constitution has made a clear exception for the members of parliament. Article 123 (3) proviso elaborates the conditions for the oath-taking of the MPs when a parliamentary election is held “in the case of a dissolution by reason of the expiration of its term, within the period of 90 days preceding such dissolution.” This was precisely the case with the January 5 elections that was held under Article 123(3) sub-clause (a).

reads as follows: “I will faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter according to law …”

These words unequivocally distinguish between the taking of the oath and the assumption of the office by the new MPs on a future date.

This clearly shows that there is no question of two parliaments – the 9th and 10th parliaments – existing at the same time. The 9th parliament remains in place until it expires on January 24. The 10th parliament will come to life when convened by the president on January 25, or as soon as possible after that date.

Perhaps it would also be useful to clarify why there was an urgency

It is important that the newly elected government adheres to constitutional norms. We must also be wary of creating unnecessary confusion The proviso under Article 123 (3) says the member-elect under Article 123(3) sub-clause (a) “shall not assume office as members of parliament, except after the expiration of the term referred to therein.” The constitution had correctly anticipated that the election of a new parliament would overlap with the old by a few weeks, and hence it made a separate provision taking this into consideration.

The framers of the constitution, perhaps anticipating such confusion, had further clarified the situation in the Third Schedule of the constitution.

The text of the “Oaths and Affirmations” prescribed for the MP-elects

to swear in the new members of parliament whilst the members of the 9th parliament were still in situ.

This arises both from constitutional and practical compulsions. Under Article 148 (2A) of the constitution, it is obligatory for the speaker of the parliament to administer the oath to the members-elect.

There are also some compelling practical and logistical reasons as to why the oath has to be administered.

First, it is only after the oath has been administered that the majority party can elect its parliamentary leader.

Second, until the parliamentary leader is elected, the leader of the majority

party cannot request the president to convene the new parliament (after the expiry of the old). Third, and perhaps most importantly, the person elected as the leader of the parliament is also the prime minister-designate. She must select her cabinet, swear them in, and begin the work of the state without any delay.

The need for constitutional propriety and rule of law is vital for strengthening and institutionalising democracy. To that extent, it is important that the newly elected government adheres to constitutional norms and conventions. However, we must also be wary of creating unnecessary confusion, chaos and rancour that will detract the government from getting on with its task of addressing the urgent needs of the people.

The people of the country have suffered for months. The violence, arson, deaths, mayhem, destruction of private and public property, loss of livelihood and businesses, and disruption of schools and colleges must be brought to an end. The minority community must be kept safe from death and carnage, and be able to sleep and pray in their temples without fear.

Children should be able to play without being blown up by bombs and explosives. The daily wage labourers can bring home their income to feed their families. These are the important tasks ahead for the nation. We must not create further distractions or confusion. Instead, we must come together, put aside our differences, and make sure we put the interest of the people first. l Gowher Rizvi is Adviser to the Prime Minister, and Professor Emeritus of Public Policy.

or the past few days, between combating a viral fever and trying to finish my term papers, I have been attempting to keep up with our immortal political uproar by lazily typing in “Bangladesh news” into Google search. Inevitably, the results fired back at me were from English dailies like The Telegraph and The Independent.

The very day a female lawyer of the opposition was brutally attacked, it became international news. The first result my search brought back was an appropriately condemning article on it

by Huffington Post.

It has now been several days since an entire Hindu community was looted, torched, and ravaged, and its members attacked by opposition goons because they participated in the elections despite Jamaat activists’ warning against it, and not yet has a single word been said by any of those maternally concerned Western cohorts of egalitarianism.

A similar trend is seen across the general population of our favourite cybernetic city of Facebook as well.

My newsfeed, which was previously deluged with pictures of and statuses about the hideous attack on the lawyer by a plethora of friends and pages, is now a barren land of tumbleweed and selfies.

Somewhere in the back pocket of that same Facebook, I found a passage that crisply summed up this constant privileging of Muslims and constant marginalisation, rejection, and persecution of minorities in our country.

Some very important things were said, and I feel it my responsibility to share a bit of it. Unfortunately, there was no indication of who the author was.

An entire Hindu community was ravaged, and not a word has been said by Western cohorts

“This campaign of violence seeks to carve out a new national identity, a Bangladeshi identity which makes the political aspirations leading up to 1971 irrelevant, an identity that rejects the state that was founded on the values of economic justice, secularism and pluralism.

“These are not just attacks on a religious minority, these are attacks on the fundamental values that midwived the birth of Bangladesh. And make no mistake, once there are no Hindus left in Bangladesh, they are coming for you.”

Now, I must add a disclaimer that speaking against opposition hooliganism should not be taken as speaking in favour of the elections that took

place. I, for instance, am as opposed to the elections as I am to the violence perpetuated by the opposition.

But I see so many people changing their profile pictures to a black poster that cleverly personifies voting rights and depicts a gravestone with the words “Born in 1991, Died in 2014” and joining pages highlighting this poster, and I wonder if they were in some sort of unfortunate comatose state between the years 1996 and 2008.

I will not participate in this well-intended but fundamentally flawed Internet movement

I am confident that most people are entirely aware, but just to briefly recap: BNP’s conduct in the 6th parliamentary elections in 1996 led to the Awami League and other opposition parties boycotting it, and the need to hold a second election four months later under the supervision of the caretaker government whose elections management role was installed by demand from the current ruling party (the role that very government is now ironically trying to abolish).

Again, BNP’s appointing of their very own Iajuddin Ahmed as chief adviser of the caretaker government in 2006 led to the Grand Alliance boycotting the elections, and its subsequent postponement till the end of 2008, along with the two-year military-backed caretaker government rule.

So let’s take a look at the cases. 1996 – boycott. 2006 – boycott and a two year political crisis. 2014 – abolishing the caretaker government with the offer of multiple ministerial positions for opposition parties in the all-party interim government, leading to boycott.

So while I do appreciate the poster’s comic element and its message of democratic uprising, I will not participate in this well-intended but fundamentally flawed Internet movement, for reasons similar to why I wouldn’t change my profile picture to the spinoff of the HRC logo for LGBT rights, or the PETA logo for animal rights.

I am an advocate of LGBT rights, but I am not going to support an organisation that tries to achieve those rights through racist, xenophobic and elitist policies. I am an advocate of animal rights, but I am not going to support slogans that try to achieve those rights through fat-shaming and ableism. I am an advocate of democratic rights, but I am not going to support movements that try to achieve those rights through false advertising. l Niyonta Nahia Chowdhury is a freelance contributor.

Choosing politics, choosing democracy n Naeem Ahmed

I

n the days of yore, when men were men, and giants strode the earth, there used to be a website. It was called unheardvoice. It was, for a while, very good. Then it stopped being as good. Then it disappeared. So it was with great interest that I recently read a column in the Dhaka Tribune by Asif Saleh, one of the founders of unheardvoice.

is about choosing sides.” But democracy, as far as we know, is about the freedom to choose sides, but maybe as importantly, the freedom not to choose any side. The freedom to be left alone. In fact, the majority of the people in our country have not chosen sides. Their votes alternate between the two parties, election after election, with the result that neither of the two parties has ever managed to get a majority of the votes cast, since 1991.

Democracy, as far as we know, is about the freedom to choose sides, but maybe as importantly, the freedom not to choose any side What does Mr Saleh want? He wants us to stop blaming the Awami League for the recent violence. He wants us to label the current ongoing political agitation by the opposition, including presumably the December 29 road march to Dhaka, as “terror.” And he advances the notion that while the AL is responsible for its failure in “stating clear and convincing terms for an interim government,” everything else going on in Bangladesh today, including the grisly violence and murder we are seeing every day, is BNP’s fault — directly or indirectly.

Mr Saleh’s piece is labelled “Politics

However, we have a funny kind of democracy currently in Bangladesh. One where you are not free to contest an election, or withdraw your candidacy, if you want. Where you are not free to resign from the cabinet, nor from the parliament, if you want. And, depending on who you are, you may not even get to choose whether you need to be admitted into a hospital or not.

“Politics is about choosing sides.”

Which is ironic, because that’s exactly what the AL refuses to let the people of Bangladesh do. For if you think about it, what is a general election, except for a gigantic exercise of choosing sides?

You stand in the voter booth, and you choose a side. Or if you don’t show up to vote, you are also choosing a side.

But one way or another, a choice is made.

Except for the just concluded elections, of course. An election in which people in 154 constituencies, out of 300, did not have to choose sides.

Their representatives had already been elected. So perhaps, there should be a postscript to Mr Saleh’s formulation: “Politics is about choosing sides … as long as you choose mine.” Or perhaps, in Orwellian terms: “All sides good, my side better.”

Mr Saleh further thinks that anyone who has not chosen a side in the current conflict is somehow a Razakar. Of course, if you choose the wrong side, as Sajeeb Wazed Joy explained to us when talking about the EU’s decision not to send election observers, you are also a Razakar. You see how much fun this could be? Perhaps the US, which also didn’t send election observers, is full of Razakars. But Mr Wazed lives in the US. But perhaps, Mr Saleh is confused about what the word means. He says: “Razakars in 1971 were not necessarily malevolent people. They were scared to take sides, they wanted the safety of not having to choose.” Which is funny, because I thought Razakars were the people who in fact did choose sides – the wrong side.

I thought they were the people who systematically unleashed a campaign

A funny kind of democracy? of murder, looting, and rape against their fellow countrymen. That instead of being afraid to choose, they chose, to paraphrase Indiana Jones, poorly.

Mr Saleh’s call to choose has already become irrelevant in today’s Bangladesh. The choice is no longer between AL and BNP. Mahfuz Anam wrote: “We want to tell the prime minister and the AL that it is no longer a matter between the ruling party and the opposition. It is between the voters and the un-elected parliament that is being forced upon us. Election belongs to

WIKIMEDIA

the people and we feel that it has been taken away from us. And again, we as voters cannot and will not accept this.”

Which side is that coming from?

Mr Saleh wants people to choose a side. If I were him, I would worry less about people choosing a side and more about people judging his side. His side can keep postponing the judgment, but, sooner or later, it’s coming. l Naeem Ahmed is a freelance contributor.

This article was first published in jrahman. wordpress.com.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Sunday, January 12, 2014

13TH DHAKA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

31 films will be screened today n Entertainment Desk

The wining photograph of the contest

Photography exhibition going on at Drik n Afrose Jahan Chaity A photography exhibition is going on at Drik Gallery from January 9 until January 13. The exhibit is a part of a photography competition which is organised

by Robi Axiata Limited and Drik.

The prize-giving ceremony held on January 9 was also the inauguration of the exhibition. The event is the culmination of a photography training campaign that was launched on the Robi Facebook fan-page on November 14, 2013. Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Chairman of Bishwa Sahitya Kendra was chief guest of the programme.

The completely online campaign, titled Robi Photo School, was run in association with eminent photographer and founder of Drik Gallery, Shahidul Alam, and offered short video tutorials

by Shahidul Alam giving tricks and tips on photography.

Each video had a separate theme including: Portrait, Street life photography and Landscape. Following each video on the fan-page, Robi Facebook fans were invited to upload their own photos taken using the techniques taught.

The photos were transferred into an app through which the participants

could collect “likes” to win attractive prizes.

The first prize, won by Mohammad Fahim Ahamed Riyed, was a 1-year scholarship at Pathshala (Drik Gallery).

First prize was, however, based on the judges’ choice rather than the number of “likes” on the fan-page of facebook.

The popular choice award, a Canon EOS 60D camera was won by Meem Atiqur Rahman, and the popular choice award runner-up, the winner of a Canon EOS 600D camera was Md Neyamath Ullah Sikder. The final award was presented to Hasibul Hasan, who won an iPhone 5S. About the first prize, Shahidul Alam, photographer and founder of Drik Gallery said: “The winning photograph is a great image out of many. However, it stands apart from the rest because of a tenderness and sensitivity that is rare.

It rises above the aesthetic requirements of a well-crafted photograph, to become an important social document that is gentle, evocative and deeply significant. It is an image many would have missed. A situation most would have passed by and where many photographers would have put their camera away, if only for protection from the elements.” l

Thirty-one films including three Bangladeshi films will be screened today at the ongoing Dhaka International Film Festival’s third day, at different venues across the capital.

The films cover six categories- “Retrospective,” “Cinema of the World,” “Children’s Film, “Women Filmmakers,” “Short and Independent Films Section,” and “Spiritual Films Section.” The festival features a competition in three categories- Asian and Australian and those of the six segments.

Five films will be screened today at the main auditorium of National Museum from 10am to 9pm in the “Cinema of the World” and “Retrospective and Tribute” categories, The Deflower-

The Deflowering of Eva Van End

TODAY IN DHAKA

Bahram Time: 3pm – 8pm Dhaka Art Center (DAC) House-60, Road-7A Dhanmondi

Film

Shoptopodi Time: 6:00pm – 8:30pm International Digital Cultural Archive, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Shegun Bagicha

Sahraa Karimi, an Afghan film director and screenwriter is currently in Dhaka, as her films are being showcased at the 13th Dhaka International Film Festival. Dhaka Tribune caught up with the filmmaker to know about her storytelling techniques and more.

What was your first work as a professional?

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

Festival

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

I am a film director from Afganistan. I studied in the Czech Republic and have acquired my PhD from the Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Film in Slovakia. A year ago, I returned to Afganistan and started working.

I will be screening two of my best work at the 13th Dhaka International Film Festival. One is a long length documentary and another is a short length fiction film. I’m also a jury member of Spiritual Section: Interfaith Jury for Spiritual Films. I have participated in the International conference on women in cinema, with my keynote paper titled Filmmaker as Civil Activist.

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

Iccheghuri will air tonight at 8:15pm on NTV. The interesting drama features popular soap actors such as Aparna, Mishu Sabbir, Sporshia, Shumon Patwari, Kazi Asif, Partha Barua, Shahriar Huda, Tahsan as guest actor and many more. The drama will be telecasted every week on Saturday and Sunday respectively

My first work was a documentary titled Searching for Dream and it is a nice coincidence that my first film was also exhibited in Dhaka International Film Festival 2006. I created both fiction and documentary film and during my studies I made 30 short films.

Your film ‘Light Breeze’ is going to be exhibited at the 13th Dhaka International Film Festival. Tell us about it.

Light Breeze is a fiction film, but it also has elements of my personal experience as an emigrant from Iran to Slovakia. My parents are of

Sherlock season three finale airs today n Entertainment Desk

The season finale of popular TV series Sherlock, written by Steven Moffat ,airs today at 8.30pm on BBC One. His Last Vow ticks all the boxes.

For Sherlock Holmes sticklers, the episode is based on an original Arthur Conan Doyle story and also makes meaningful use of plot devices and characters from elsewhere in the canon.

Sherlock fan girls will be hooked throughout at twists, turns and revelations – and the cliffhanger ending might just make their heads explode. Meanwhile, general viewers in search of a smart, thrilling adventure and great performances will be satisfied too.

Lars Mikkelsen manages to be simultaneously magnetic and repellent as master blackmailer Charles Augustus Magnussen, the man who believes he can own anyone he chooses. It’s a scene-stealing performance from the Danish star better known to fans of The Killing as mayoral candidate

ditorium - All Alone at 10am, Song Of Silence at 1pm, I’m Sleepy at 3pm, Jonakir Alo at 5:30pm and Gending Sriwijaya (The Robbers) at 7:30pm.

In the Australasian Competition category, four films will be screened at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Miss Zombie at 10am, Steppe Man (Colcu Cholchu) at 12pm, Parviz at 3pm and Josh (Against The Grain) at 5pm.

Seven films will be screened from the Woman Filmmaker category at EMK Centre, Light Breeze and Amar Protibad Amar Dekha Itihash from 10am to 12pm, Glorious Deserter (Deserteur) at 12pm, Haraka Haraka and Have You Seen The Arana? from 3pm to 5pm and Ekoda Ek Deshe (Once upon a time in a Country) and Istanbul Aku Datang at 5pm. l

Jonakir Alo

Sahraa Karimi: Woman’s storytelling technique varies greatly from that of a man’s

Tell us about yourself and your work.

Exhibition

Gravity Blockbuster Cinemas Jamuna Future Park

ing of Eva Van End at 10:30am, Ferox at 1pm, Pied Piper at 3pm, About Elly at 5:30pm and Fireworks Wednesday at 7:30pm.

Ten foreign films from Short & Independent and Spiritual Section will be screened at the Sufia Kamal Auditorium from 10:30am to 9pm.

Evedeki Yabancilar (Strangers In The House) and Boom Sheppada from 10:30am to 1pm, Demi Ucok at 1pm, Mohamed And The Fisherman and The Long Farewell from 3pm to 5:30pm, The Light Swami Vivekananda at 5:30pm and Turkish Dream, 18 km, Efimera, A Life Suspended from 7:30pm to 9pm.

In three sections, Australasian Competition, Woman Filmmaker and Children Section, five films will be screened at the Public Library au-

Troels Hartmann. Look out for the shockingly casual way in which he desecrates Sherlock’s Baker Street sitting room.

In an interview earlier this year, Martin Freeman joked that “the show’s not called John yet,” but after this episode it almost feels like it should be. The idea that Dr Watson is simply the everyman foil to the more flamboyant characters is called into question with a neat bit of analysis of John’s psyche.

If there’s a letdown, it’s the denouement of the main story, which serves Mikkelsen’s character poorly and makes Sherlock appear rather naive – but that will quickly be blasted out of viewers’ brains by the mind-boggling final moments.

Sherlock’s third series debuted on BBC One on New Year’s Day, attracting an overnight audience of 9.2m viewers.

The show has since posted the biggest-ever increase from overnights to consolidated figures, with an increase of over 3.5m seeing final figures for The Empty Hearse reach 12.7m. l

Afghan origin and during the early years of their marriage, they moved to Iran, where I was born.

The film is set around a young girl with a docile and calm nature, who emigrated to Slovakia from Afghanistan. It is a common notion that displacement has the power to make one feel out of their depth and this fact is portrayed in the film.

Your film ‘Afgan Women behind the Wheel’ is also going to be exhibited, please elaborate.

Yes, it is to be showcased in the festival. Afgan Woman behind the Wheel is a documentary, I made it in 2009. The feature is about four women, one of them is a taxi driver and the other three wants learn driving a taxi from her. The film is metaphorical and it demands the basic human rights of these women. It got 19 awards from around the world, including Academy Awards in Slovakia.

you think that your work is inspired by Iranian New Wave Cinema?

European new wave and new trends are close to my work as I have been residing outside Iran for about 12 years. I don’t believe in Iranian New Wave, as the western critiques term it. For me, it’s like an Iranian new way of telling stories. I believe that Italian Neo-realism, French New Wave and Romanian New Wave have effects on my films.

What is your inspiration?

I have this drive within myself to communicate with the world, not just my own people.

Filmmaking for me is the mode of that need to communicate, rather than being just a job or means for earning.

How do you feel about being a woman filmmaker?

Do you have cooperation with woman filmmakers of Afganistan, as another short film of an Afghanistani woman filmmaker is going to be exhibited in DIFF?

Many critiques in Afghanistan says that my films are full of feminism. I believe that women can be equally good filmmakers, like men.

Also, a woman’s storytelling technique varies greatly from that of a man’s.

No, we don’t have such opportunities in Afghanistan, for lack of funding and other difficulties. I work individually outside the country and I have some funding in Slovakia. l

Your childhood was spend mostly in Iran. Do

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SRK and Bhansali team up again for Bajirao Mastani n Entertainment Desk For almost 15 years Sanjay Leela Bhansali has nurtured a dream—to make a film on Peshwa Bajirao and his ladylove Mastani. Finally, it seems the search for the lead pair is half over. The buzz is that Bhansali is going to sign Shah Rukh Khan as Bajirao.

He had conceptualised the project with his Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam pair and then real-life sweethearts Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead.

But, with the end of the love affair, Bhansali had no option but to put his dream project on hold.

The first schedule of Bajirao Mastani is likely to kick off in the mid of the year, revealed a source. The film will roll with a humongous budget, which could probably be the highest in Bollywood till date. SRK’s

company Red Chillies Entertainment might co-produce the film with Bhansali. The historical drama has seen several casting changes and has never really taken off until now.

A source from the industry tells: “After his film Ram-Leela released in October 2013, Bhansali has now started work on his next production, Bajirao Mastani. He wants to begin shooting in April 2014, but the film’s scale is such that it needs extensive pre-production work.”

There are also rumours that Bhansali is keen to cast Deepika Padukone opposite Shah Rukh in the film with Katrina Kaif playing Bajirao’s wife Kashibai. “Bhansali has just worked with Deepika, so he might cast her again in this one. He is in talks with both Deepika and Katrina,” adds the source. l

Did you know?

Suresh Raina is the leading runscorer in IPL history (2,802). He will this year become the first man to play 100 IPL matches

Sport

Sunday, January 12, 2014

0 6 3 DAYS TO GO

14 Kiwis trounce WI in opening T20

Baridhara hold Mohammedan n Shishir Hoque A lackluster Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited side were held to a goalless draw by Uttar Baridhara Club in their second Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

It was Uttar Baridhara’s first ever point in the premier league after their promotion to the top flight football this season, while it was the Black and White’s second consecutive draw in the league after a 1-1 draw against Muktijoddha on January 3 under the new Portuguese coach Rui Jose Capela Batista.

Batista could well have been disappointed with his national star forwards

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS Mohammedan

0-0

Baridhara

misunderstanding between 14”AMintu Sk and Bayebeck al-

lowed Abul Kalam Azad Sumon to hold the position but the forward’s tipping shot from the top of the box missed the bar.

Shohag circled around a defender inside the box and passed the ball forward to Jahid Hossain whose weak shot was no trouble for the keeper.

Sumon drifted into the penalty area but his shot was saved by diving goalie Mamun Khan.

Wahed Ahmed skipped beat two defenders to enter the penalty area and shot just inches over the bar.

Osman Goni made a decent save to deny Tapu Barman’s shot from the d-box.

Nigerian striker Akindele showed great control to take a powerful volley, following a lobbed pass from Nigerian defender Quadri Larne. Mamun Khan produced a superb save.

Substitute Nigerian midfielder Demian Chigozie slid a fine ball into the path of Mostafa Seddik but the Egyptian forward could not meet the ball.

30” 30” 45” 51”

56”

60”

Zahid Hasan Emily and Wahed Ahmed - as well as Egyptian forward Mostafa Seddik - who were unable to create enough chances and displayed a lack of finish touch.

Traditional crowd-pullers Mohammedan were unable to distinguish themselves with newcomers to the top flight Uttar Baridhara Club. Indeed, it was Uttar who battled solidly in the first half and went on to pile on the pressure in the second.

It was the Bangladesh Championship League runners-up who created the first chance in the 14th minute.

A misunderstanding between Mohammedan defenders Mintu Sk and Bayebeck Fombagne allowed Abul Kalam Azad Sumon hold gus position for a while but the forward’s tipping shot from the top of the box missed the bar.

Mohammedan had their first chance at the half hour mark through a long throw from Tapu Barmon. Receiving the ball from the right back inside the box, midfielder Habibur Rahman Sohag circled around a defender and passed the ball forward immediately to Jahid Hossain, but the winger’s weak shot was easily taken by the keeper.

Moments later, Uttar Baridhara counter-attacked with Nigerian midfielder Kosoko providing a through ball to Abul Kalam Azad Sumon who drifted into the penalty area and took a shot that was saved by diving goalie Mamun Khan. Wahed Ahmed could have scored the opener in the 45th minute when he skipped past two defenders to enter the penalty area but he shot just inches over the bar.

Baridhara goalkeeper Osman Goni made a decent save to deny Tapu Barman’s shot from the d-box six minutes into the second half. The best chance came five minutes later. Baridhara’s Nigerian striker Akindele showed great control to receive a lobbed pass from Nigerian defender Quadri Larne but his powerful volley was superbly saved by Mamun Khan.

At the hour mark, Nigerian midfielder Demian Chigozie, who had come in for Wahed Ahmed early in the second half, slid a fine ball into the path of Mostafa Seddik but the Egyptian forward was slow to connect with the cross. l

JOY AND THE DESPAIR

Uttar Baridhara players Shohidul Islam Swapan and Shomuruddin Bhuiyan (L) embrace emotionally, while a Mohammedan player is left downhearted at the end of their Bangladesh Premier League match at the BNS yesterday MUMIT M

Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) awarded Bangladesh golfing ace Siddikur Rahman and national cricket team star opener Tamim Iqbal the best sportsperson of the year awards for 2011 and 2012 respectively at the National Sports Council (NSC) auditorium yesterday.

In all, 18 players and organisers were honoured by the county’s oldest sports journalist organisation in different categories.

Footballer Mamunul Islam, cricketers Shakib al Hasan and Salma Khatun, gymnast Syque Cesar, ICC vice-president and former BCB president AHM Mostafa Kamal, Islami Bank Limited

Defending champions Usha Krira Chakra set up a semi-final date with Sonali Bank in the UCB Club Cup Hockey after defeating Ajax 10-1 in the last match of group A at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday and in the other match of the day, Abahani beat Sonali Bank 2-0 to top group B. National forward Moinul Islam Koushik set the turf ablaze by scoring four goals. The wily forward opened his account in the 32nd and added to his tally in the 59th, 62nd and 63rd minutes and all of his strikes were field goals.

The other six goals were scored by Mamunur Rahman Chayan, Krishna Kumar, Maksud Alam Habul, Arshad Hossain, Jahid bin Talib and Rimon Kumar Ghosh.

The consolation for the losers was netted by Nurunnabi Rupom. Usha topped the group with six points and Ajax who also have one point like Azad, moved to the semis due to goal difference.

Abahani rode on the strikes of Khorshedur Rahman, who dragged a penalty corner in the 46th minute and forward Hasan Jubaer Niloy added the second in the 66th minute to beat Sonali Bank. Abahani, who earlier beat Wanderers 8-0, topped the group and Sonali Bank finished runners-up.

The first semi-final scheduled to be held Monday at 12:30pm will be played between Abahani and Ajax, while Usha and Sonali contest the second semifinal at 2:30pm. l

Baridhara delighted with first BPL point n Raihan Mahmood Mohammedan’s Portuguese coach Jose Rui Capela Batista pointed out he needs another three quality foreigners to transfer turn his team into winners after a goalless draw against Uttar Baridhara at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday, while his counterpart Md. Alamgir, visibly happy with his first point in top flight football, said they were determined to fight till the last minute - and the point was the reward of total teamwork.

Baitista looked upset and said it

Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, the chief guest and DU VC AAMS Arefin Siddique, the special guest, pose with the BSPA Award winners at the NSC gymnasium yesterday MUMIT M

(sponsor), FM Fahad Rahman (chess) and former athlete Saidur Rab received awards for the 2011 calender year.

Mamunur Rahman Chayan (hockey), Mushfiqur Rahim (cricket), GM Enamul Hossain Rajib (chess), Mahbub Harun (hockey coach), Sohag Gazi (emerging cricketer), Lutfur Rahman Badal (organiser), Walton (sponsor) and BCB’s former member Riazuddin Al Mamun were awarded for the year 2012.

Speaker of the Bangladesh parliament, Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury handed over the awards to the nominated sportspersons as chief guest, while vice chancellor of University of Dhaka AAMS Arefin Siddique was also present on the occasion as special guest. l

15 Hazard, Torres send Chelsea top

Usha crush Ajax, Abahani top Sonali n Raihan Mahmood

had been a bad day. “We dominated the scene and we got five to six scoring chances but we failed to score a goal.

It’s disappointing and I think it’s a bad day for me and also for the team.

“I have just conducted about one week of training and I hope the situation improves in another week. I want goals from my forward line but they are not providing it. It’s a problem for me and I have to sort it out,” said the Portuguese.

However he was quick to add that he had already asked the team management to bring three quality foreign

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

n Shishir Hoque

13

UCB CLUB CUP HOCKEY

players in the three most important positions, “I need a good central defender, a playmaker and a forward. I think if I get that, then the team will be a winner in all departments.”

Mohammedan manager Amirul Islam Babu however, said the draw was not acceptable by any yardstick. “Uttar Baridhara is the number 10 team and we have formed out team to win the title. I can’t accept it, my players have to improve,” he declared.

Uttar Baridhara coach Md. Alamgir thought his team could play better in the upcoming days. “I think my for-

BCL starts today

Siddikur, Tamim earn top BSPA awards

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prity and Popy win in Bangkok n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh girls Afrana Islam Prity and Popy Akther tasted victories in the Consolation Round of ITF Under-14 Asian Championships Divisions-2 at the Asian Tennis Center, Bangkok yesterday.

Prity beat Perera Probaddhi of Sri Lanka 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 while Popy overpowered Anbold Khandsuren of Mongolia 6-2, 6-0.

However, the boys could not follow the footsteps of the girls as Md. Reday Hasanlost 6-1, 6-1 to Sri Lanka’s Dissanyake Nuwanth and Naimul Islam Amiyo lost to Huzaifa Abdul Rehman of Pakistan 6-0, 6-0. After conceding defeat in their respective singles, matches Reday and Amiyo lost to Kusumo Putro Iswandaru and Wirawan Stefano of Indonesia 6-0, 6-0. l

The second edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League will begin today with defending champions Walton Central facing Islami Bank East Zone at BKSP 2. In the other first round game, BCB North Zone will lock horns with Prime Bank South Zone at BKSP 3.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board tournament committee, along with the cricket operations department planned to stage the second season of the firstclass tournament with the intention of getting the national cricketers ready for the busy cricket schedule which starts with the home series against Sri Lanka later this month.

“Playing good cricket will be our intention and of course, we will like to defend the title,” said Central Zone batsman Shamsur Rahman told the media at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

He added, “The two games that we will be playing will not only help me personally but also prepare us (national cricketers) ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka. I believe everyone will look forward to perform here and go into the international series with momentum.”

National opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, who will probably lead the East Zone, is also excited to have some longer-version games ahead of the international series.

“We (the national team) haven’t played longer version matches since the New Zealand series in October, so these two games will do help us to get match practice. The four best teams have the top cricketers from the

country and for that reason, I believe the tournament will be competitive and will produce high quality cricket,” he said.

Alongside those who see the tournament as a platform to get ready for the future international missions, there are also a few who see it as an opportunity to get into the limelight. A third group are looking at the tournament as a chance to regain form.

FIXTURE

Jan 12-15 Central Zone v East Zone at BKSP-2 North Zone v South Zone at BKSP-3 National discard Shahriar Nafees, who will play for Central Zone, is eying to regain his touch in the tournament. “I have been shot of runs for a while, which is why the tournament is important for me. I am thankful to the BCB and the franchises for pulling up the strings and arranging the tournament and special thanks to my side Walton Central Zone for selecting me, and giving me an opportunity,” he said.

This season’s tournament will be a fragmented affair. The first two rounds will be completed by January 21, but will break for the Sri Lanka series, the Asia Cup in February and the ICC World Twenty20 in March.

The BCB tournament committee made the decision to accept such a long gap in the tournament as the franchisee representatives requested that as many national players could participate in the event.

Consequently, the tournament will resume with the third round at a time convenient for the country’s top players. l

wards could not score the goals only because they are short of practice. I used a formation of 1-4-3-2. With that, there is one sweeper back, the attackers need more concentration and I think they will acquire it with the span of time, we took the field to fight,” said the veteran coach.

Forward Abul Kalam Azad Sumon, who failed to score from a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, said the team had been nervous but the game had not been as difficult as they had anticipated and the result had given the side confidence to continue growing. l

Under-19 cricket squad announced n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket Board yesterday announced a primary 21-member Bangladesh U-19 squad for the ICC U-19 World Cup. The preparation camp for the young cricketers will start from January 15 and will continue up to February 7, before the mega event in the UAE begins from February 14.

Sixteen nations, divided into four groups, will participate in the competition. The top two sides from each group will progress to the quarterfinals while the bottom two from each group will compete in the Plate Championship quarter-finals.

Bangladesh have been placed in Group B with three-time champions Australia, Namibia and Afghanistan.

The side will lock horns with Afghanistan in their opening game on February 15 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Stadium, before playing Namibia and Australia on February 17 and 19 respectively.

The following players have been selected for the camp by the BCB and have been asked to report to the Sahara-BCB National Cricket Academy on January 14. l

SQUAD Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Musaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hassan, Saeed Sarker, Joyraj Sheik, Mohammed Jasim Uddin, Abu Hider Rony, Rifat Pradhan, Mustafizur Rahman, Nihad-Uz-Zaman, Jubair Hossain, Rahatul Ferdous, Prosenjit Das, Zakir Hasan, Sifat Islam, Nahid Hasan, Munim Shahriar, Mohammad Sumon, Mohammad Noor Alam

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Sunday, January 12, 2014

New Zealand trounce West Indies in opening T20 n AFP, Auckland

New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum hits the ball during their Twenty20 international match against the West Indies at Eden Park in Auckland yesterday

Pellegrini wants more from Man City n

AFP, Manchester

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes his side must improve if they are to reclaim the Premier League title this season.

City travel to Newcastle on Sunday looking to move back to the top of the Premier League, with current leaders Arsenal not playing until tomorrow.

They have improved on their earlyseason form which led them to away defeats at Cardiff, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Sunderland. Now they are on an nine-game unbeaten run in the Premier League and are just one goal shy of their total for all competitions last season.

Brendan Rodgers hopes the mem-

Bolt, Fraser-Pryce win Jamaica’s sportsman of year n AFP, Kingston Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man, and sprint queen Shelly-Ann FraserPryce, were named Jamaica’s Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year on Friday.

The 27-year-old Bolt, who won his second IAAF World Championships sprint double title in Moscow in 2013, ended the Championships by anchoring a Jamaican quartet to the gold in the men’s 4x100m relay.

Bolt, who won ten 100m races and was unbeaten in his five races over 200m, was overjoyed with taking his third straight and fifth overall Jamaica Sportsman of the Year title.

Meanwhile, Fraser-Pryce, who had the best season of her career, won the sprint double in Moscow. She won the 100m in a world-leading 10.71 and three days later topped the 200m field in 22.17.

Fraser-Pryce also said 2013 was a difficult year. l

ory of Liverpool’s opening day win over Stoke can help inspire his Premier League title-chasers to a rare away victory over the Potters.

Liverpool have never won at the Britannia Stadium and their last away

FIXTURES Newcastle Stoke City

v v

Man City Liverpool

league win at Stoke came at the Potters’ old Victoria Ground back in 1984.

Daniel Agger will miss the trip to Stoke with a calf injury but striker Daniel Sturridge returned to training this week after an ankle problem. l

AFP

An unbeaten 85-run stand between Brendon McCullum and Luke Ronchi laid the foundation for New Zealand’s 81-run win over the West Indies in their opening Twenty20 international yesterday.

The New Zealand batting was backed up by tight bowling, led by Nathan McCullum who celebrated his 50th Twenty20 international with figures of four for 24.

New Zealand, who elected to bat first, appeared in trouble at 105-3 after 13 overs before McCullum and Ronchi lifted them to 189-5 which proved too big a target for the West Indies.

The tourists were five for 64 after 11 overs in their reply before staggering through to be eight for 108 at the finish.

Brendon McCullum had gone in to bat in the fourth over when the removal of Martin Guptill started a minicollapse of the New Zealand top order.

McCullum, who faced 45 balls, hit four sixes and two fours while Ronchi hit four sixes and three fours from 25 deliveries. Best recovered from his first over hiding to finish his four overs with figures of three for 40, while Nikita Miller took two for 26.

The West Indies reply was quickly in trouble when Adam Milne, a 21-yearold quick who New Zealand are slowly introducing to international cricket, removed Lendl Simmons with his fourth ball, a 150 kmh delivery.

Nathan McCullum quickly ripped

n AFP, Melbourne England go into the opening one-day international in Melbourne today desperate to salvage some pride, but face a torrid task with a fired-up Australia vowing no let-up after dominating the Ashes.

The first of five matches, a daynighter, is the first opportunity to see how the shell-shocked tourists progress from their nightmare Test series, with captain Alastair Cook demanding an improvement, and quickly.

“I am desperate to try and turn it around,” he said after the 5-0 Ashes whitewash.

“When you strip everything down, every single player has to go back and

have a look at themselves, have a look at their techniques. Have a look at the way they’ve bowled and start rebuilding again.

“And that hunger has to come from within to do it.”

The series could see either team reclaim the number one limited-overs world ranking, depending on how India fare when they face New Zealand in a five-match series that begins in Napier on January 19.

India are currently the top-ranked one-day team in the world, followed by Australia and England, with all three building towards next year’s 50-over World Cup. A rattled England head into the series without the experience of Kevin

Pietersen and Jimmy Anderson, who have both been rested, with Cook leading a team that has much to prove.

He also needs to rebuild dressing room discipline with Test wicketkeeper Matt Prior on Thursday saying that during the Ashes, the players had shown a lack of respect for both the captain and coach Andy Flower -- who is reportedly at odds with Pietersen.

Australia have recalled dynamic opener David Warner while captain Michael Clarke, who missed the one-day series in India last year with chronic back trouble, also returns.

But the tourists have been given some respite from Ashes man-of-theseries Mitchell Johnson, with the leftarm paceman rested for Melbourne

Khurram Manzoor 73; N. Pradeep 3-62, R. Herath 3-26 SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 388

M. Jayawardene 129, Silva 95; Junaid Khan 3-102 PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS

(overnight 132-3) Khurram c Prasanna b Pradeep 6 Ahmed Shehzad c Prasanna b Herath 9 Hafeez c Prasanna b Pradeep 1 Younis Khan c Prasanna b Lakmal 77 Misbah-ul-Haq b Herath 97 Asad Shafiq c Karunaratne b Eranga 23 Sarfraz Ahmed not out 70 Bilawal Bhatti b Eranga 32 Saeed Ajmal not out 7 Extras: (b1, lb7) 8 Total: (for seven wkts; 123.3 overs) 330

n

Reuters, Sydney

Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro served notice of his strong form ahead of the Australian Open when he crushed defending champion Bernard Tomic 6-3 6-1 in the final of the Sydney International yesterday.

The 2009 U.S. Open champion simply overpowered the talented but inconsistent Australian on Ken Rosewall Arena, bringing the one-sided contest to a close with a booming service winner after 53 minutes to claim his 18th career title.

Seeded fifth at Melbourne Park, the 25-year-old looks to be approaching the sort of form that secured him his greatest triumph at Flushing Meadows before a wrist injury nearly ended his career.

“Finals never are easy, but I was surprise by my level tonight. I think I played great,” said Del Potro. l

NEW ZEALAND

M. Guptill c Charles b Best J. Ryder c Charles b Miller B. McCullum not out R. Taylor c Bravo b Miller C. Munro c Fletcher b Best C. Anderson c Powell b Best L. Ronchi not out Extras: (b5, w1, nb1) Total: (5 wickets; 20 overs)

25 22 60 5 22 0 48 7 189

Bowling Badree 4-0-25-0 (1w), Best 4-0-40-3, Narine 4-0-46-0 (1nb), Miller 3-0-26-2, Bravo 4-0-24-0, Russell 1-0-23-0 WEST INDIES

J. Charles c Ronchi b Neesham 16 L. Simmons c Ronchi b Milne 0 A. Fletcher c Ryder b N. McCullum 23 K. Powell c Guptill b N. McCullum 12 D. Bravo c Ryder b N. McCullum 10 A. Russell c Guptill b N. McCullum 0 C. Walton c Munro b Neesham 9 N. Miller not out 15 S. Narine c Milne b Neesham 0 S. Badree not out 14 Extras (lb2, w7) 9 Total: (8 wickets; 20 overs) 108 Bowling Southee 4-0-36-0 (2w), Milne 4-0-15-1, Neesham 4-0-16-3 (5w), N. McCullum 4-0-24-4, Anderson 4-0-15-0

after terrorising the tourists with 37 wickets during the Ashes.

“It’s important that we put out the best side we possibly can but we have to understand it’s been a hectic five Test matches and some of the Test boys especially are getting a bit weary,” coach Darren Lehmann said.

Ashes victors Brad Haddin, George Bailey and Shane Watson are all likely to play, although they too could be rested for one or more of the other four matches in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

Bailey was one of the few Australians to underperform during the Ashes and will be looking for some big scores to rescue his Test spot for next month’s three-Test tour of South Africa. l

Isner edges Taiwan’s Lu to win Auckland Open n AFP, Auckland

SCORECARD

Del Potro lifts Sydney title

SCORECARD

England aim to secure pride in ODIs

PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS 165

Fall of wicket 1-11 (Shehzad), 2-12 (Hafeez), 3-19 (Manzoor), 4-148 (Younis), 5-200 (Shafiq), 6-245 (Misbah), 7-312 (Bhatti) Bowling Lakmal 22-3-62-1, Pradeep 19-3-50-2, Herath 43.3-8-124-2, Eranga 33-9-70-2, Mathews 5-1-9-0, Sangakkara 1-0-7-0

out Kieran Powell (12) Andre Fletcher (23) and Andre Russell (0) and after 11 overs the West Indies were 64-5 and staring at a run rate of 14. l

Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq is bowled out as Sri Lankan wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene (R) looks on during the fourth day of their second Test at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai yesterday AFP

Misbah leads Pakistan’s resistance n AFP, Dubai

Skipper Misbah-ul Haq led Pakistan’s resistance with a gritty 97 to thwart Sri Lanka’s victory bids on the fourth day of the second Test in Dubai yesterday.

Misbah missed his sixth Test hundred by a mere three runs but a career best 70 not out by Sarfraz Ahmed and a defiant 32 by Bilawal Bhatti kept Pakistan’s fight to take them to 330-7 at close on a cloudy day.

When bad light and drizzle ended play 15 overs before schedule, Saeed Ajmal was on seven and Pakistan were leading by 107 runs with a full day’s play remaining.

Sarfraz added an invaluable 67 runs for the seventh wicket with Bhatti to frustrate the Sri Lankan bowlers who bowled with discipline and patience on a pitch which had little response for bowlers.

Sri Lanka will look for an early wrap

up of Pakistan’s second innings to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series after the first Test ended in a draw in Abu Dhbai last week.

The third and final Test will be played in Sharjah from Thursday.

When left-arm spinner Rangana Herath spun one across Misbah’s bat to hit the off stump just 20 minutes before tea it looked as if the match would be over soon but Sarfraz and Bhatti kept the fight before Eranga bowled Bhatti in the dying moments.

Sarfraz improved on his highest Test score of 40 he made against South Africa at Centurion earlier this year by posting his maiden half century. He has so far hit seven boundaries during his 123-ball stay.

Sri Lanka had a good chance of dismissing Sarfraz at 51 but paceman Suranga Lakmal dropped a regulation caught and bowled chance to add to his

team’s woes after Misbah foiled them for nearly two sessions.

Misbah’s valiant effort helped Pakistan avoid their first-ever innings defeat against Sri Lanka before his 412-minute resistance ended.

Herath said Sri Lanka will look for early wickets. “The pitch is still 50-50 so if we can get them for another 50 more we can win,” said Herath.

Misbah, who took 38 balls to add to his overnight score of 53, hit eight boundaries and a six under difficult circumstances. He added an invaluable 129 for the fourth wicket with Younis Khan (77), 52 with Asad Shafiq (23) for the fifth and 45 for the sixth with Sarfarz to help Pakistan avoid innings defeat but finally succumbed to some persistent effort from Herath who has figures of 2-124.

Paceman Nuwan Pradeep had the best figures of 2-50 while Eranga took 2-70. l

Big-serving American John Isner beat Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun in two tight sets in the Auckland Open final yesterday to complete his preparations for next week’s Australian Open in style.

The world number 14 edged Lu 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (9/7) to win the eighth title of his career – and his second in Auckland – in a match with no service breaks.

“This is the only title I’ve won outside the US. This is an amazing feeling. I will cherish this one for sure,” Isner said.

“I’m going to go into the Australian Open with a lot of confidence, which players will tell you is sometimes hard to come by. I’m one of the few players going there on a winning streak, so I have that on my side.”

Lu, ranked 62 in the world, was playing in his first Tour final, having knocked out four-time champion and world number three David Ferrer in the semi-finals. l

Nishikori follows Chang example with Kooyong title n AFP, Melbourne Japan’s Kei Nishikori emulated the feat of his new American coach Michael Chang by winning the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne yesterday, beating Czech player Tomas Berdych 6-4, 7-5.

Chang, who won the Australian Open warm-up event three times in the 1990s, was in the stands to watch his protege’s success. They have a big history at this tournament. A lot of legends have won it,” said Nishikori.

“I really enjoyed this week, I’m very happy to put my name on this trophy along with Michael,” added the 24-year-old, who plays Australian Marinko Matosevic in the opening round of the Australian Open, which starts on Monday. l

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

15

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Alonso always committed to staying at Real

QUICK BYTES

Barca angry after Rosell targeted over Neymar contract

n Reuters, Barcelona

Barcelona have reacted angrily to a request by the state prosecutor to open proceedings against club president Sandro Rosell for the alleged misappropriation of funds in last year’s purchase of Neymar. The Brazil forward signed for the Spanish champions in the close season for 57.1 million euros ($78.1 million), of which 17.1 million euros went to his former club Santos.

Barca club member Jordi Cases filed a complaint seeking clarification over what happened to the remaining 40 million euros and on Friday the state prosecutor asked the judge overseeing the case to open proceedings against Rosell, who denies wrongdoing. The judge has yet to rule on the prosecutor’s request. “Barcelona Football Club wishes to express its most energetic indignation about the report by the state prosecutor on the signing of Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior,” Barca said in a statement on their website (www. fcbarcelona.es) on Saturday.

–Reuters

Lazio captain Mauri has ban reduced to six months

Lazio captain Stefano Mauri had his ban for failing to report match-fixing cut from nine months to six on Friday.

He will be allowed to play again from next month following an appeal to the National Tribunal of Sporting Arbitration (TNAS). “TNAS announces that in relation to Stefano Mauri and FIGC the Arbitration Board has partially upheld the demand for arbitration and accordingly upheld the decision of the National Disciplinary Committee dated Aug. 2, 2013, in which the player was handed the penalty of six months suspension,” the body said in a statement. Mauri, 34, had initially been banned for six months in August by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) for keeping quiet about match-fixing in Lazio’s games against Genoa and Lecce in May 2011. The midfielder was one of eight players accused of sporting fraud relating to Lazio’s final two matches of the 2010-11 season, when they beat Genoa 4-2 at home and Lecce by the same score away.

–Reuters

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 6:30AM Philadelphia v New York 08:29 AM Portland v Boston 12:00AM Pakistan v Sri Lanka 2nd Test, Day 5 Ten Golf 4:30PM Volvo Golf Champions Durban, SA - Day 4 Star Sports HD1 9:30AM Australia v England 1st ODI Italian Serie A 5:30PM Torino v Fiorentina 8:00PM Cagliari v Juventus La Liga 10:00PM Real Betis v Osasuna 12:00AM Espanyol v Real Madrid 2:00AM Levente v Malaga Star Sports 4 English Premier League 8:00PM Newcastle v Man City 10:00PM Stoke City v Liverpool 6:00AM (Monday) Australian Open 2014 Star Sports HD2

Xabi Alonso was never tempted to leave Real Madrid and his main consideration before signing a new contract was whether he could play at his best after an injury-plagued start to the season, he said on Friday.

Alonso finally put pen to paper this week, however, on an agreement that will see him stay at the Bernabeu until 2016.

Real Madrid will be able to make ground on at least one of their title rivals, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid, when they travel to Espanyol on Sunday. Los Blancos lie five points off the top of the table and will be confident of closing the gap having not lost in any of their last 11 meetings with the Catalans. l

FIXTURES

Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard celebrates scoring against Hull City during their English Premier League match at The KC Stadium in Hull yesterday

Hazard, Torres fire Chelsea top n AFP, London Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored two excellent goals as Chelsea won 2-0 at Hull City on Saturday to climb to the top of the Premier League table.

Hazard, who turned 23 on Tuesday, broke the deadlock early in the second period at the KC Stadium before Torres marked his 200th Premier League appearance with a late goal.

Victory moved Jose Mourinho’s side

into first place above former leaders Arsenal, who visit Aston Villa on Monday, and set them up nicely for next weekend’s home game with Man United.

Everton climbed back into the Champions League places with a 2-0 victory at home to Norwich City.

Gareth Barry put Everton ahead in the 23rd minute with a fine 20-yard shot that fizzed into the top-right corner, with Kevin Mirallas adding a freekick shortly before the hour.

Tottenham Hotspur are a point behind Roberto Martinez’s side in fifth

v v v v

Vallecano Osasuna Real Madrid Malaga

0-2

West Ham Cole 42, Noble 90

Everton 2-0 Barry 23, Mirallas 59

Norwich

AFP

trick of his professional career as Sunderland won 4-1 at Fulham to climb off the foot of the table and close to within a point of safety.

West Ham United spoilt Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first home game as Cardiff City manager as goals from Carlton Cole and Mark Noble gave Sam Allardyce’s side a 2-0 win that took them out of the bottom three at their hosts’ expense.

In the day’s other game, a 66th-minute strike from captain Adam Lallana gave Southampton a 1-0 win at home to West Bromwich Albion. l

RESULTS Cardiff

Fulham Sidwell 52

1-4

Hull

0-2

Southampton Lallana 66

1-0

West Brom

Tottenham 2-0 Eriksen 50, Defoe 73

Crystal Palace

Sunderland Johnson 29, 69, 85-P, Ki 41 Chelsea Hazard 56, Torres 87

Rampant Juve eye Serie A record n AFP, Milan Champions Juventus travel to Cagliari expecting to reinforce their lead at the top of Serie A as the Italian top flight reaches the halfway stage this

weekend.

Juventus played second fiddle to early season pacesetters Roma for the first three months of the season but in the lead-up to the Christmas break, Antonio Conte’s men moved up a gear.

And on their return from wellearned holidays last week, the Bianconeri hit three unanswered goals against Roma in Turin to put a dent in the Giallorossi’s title hopes.

Heading into the 19th round of matches Juve (49 points) have an eightpoint lead on Roma with Napoli, in third, a further two points off the pace.

However as the pundits herald this season’s Juve as one of the best, Andrea Barzagli has called for calm.

Nevertheless, with Roma slipping up again and Napoli already 10 points behind, the pundits have been going Juve-crazy this week.

FIXTURES Torino Atalanta Cagliari Verona Roma Sassuolo

v v v v v v

Fiorentina Catania Juventus Napoli Genoa AC Milan

Cagliari, meanwhile, will welcome the champions without Radja Nainggolan, the Belgian international midfielder who signed for Roma in midweek on a four-year deal.

AC Milan, meanwhile, trumped Roma in the transfer market stakes this

week when Japan international star Keisuke Honda was officially unveiled by the club following his free transfer from CSKA Moscow.

For outside observers, Honda - reportedly a target for several major clubs – could arguably have made a better choice. Milan are currently languishing in the bottom half of the table and face a daunting challenge to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

However, when asked why he chose Milan, Honda insisted: “When I was a kid I watched football on television every week and Serie A was the most famous league in Japan.

“My dream was to play for Milan and now that dream has come true.”

Milan are currently 11th, 27 points behind Juve and 17 behind Napoli in the final Champions League qualifying spot. They travel to struggling topflight new boys Sassuolo, needing no less than three points. l

I can knock off Nadal, Djokovic, warns Federer n

5:00PM La Liga Getafe v Rayo Vallecano 1:45AM Italian Serie A Sassuolo v AC Milan Ten Action French Ligue 1 2013/14 7:00PM FC Nantes v FC Lorient 10:00PM Evian Thononv Marseille 2:00AM LOSC Lille v Stade Reims Ten HD 6:30PM Ram Slam T20 Challenge Knights v Lions

place after beating Crystal Palace by the same score at White Hart Lane.

After Palace winger Jason Puncheon horribly miscued an early penalty, Christian Eriksen broke the deadlock in the 50th minute from Emmanuel Adebayor’s flick-on.

A day after his imminent move to Toronto FC was announced, Spurs striker Jermain Defoe was granted a warm reception after coming on a second-half substitute and he claimed a well-taken goal with 18 minutes remaining.

Adam Johnson scored the first hat-

Getafe Real Betis Espanyol Levante

Roger Federer of Switzerland holds hands with current Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus as she plays a shot during the Kids Tennis Day before the Australian Open 2014 in Melbourne yesterday REUTERS

AFP, Melbourne

Roger Federer warned he was still a force to be reckoned with Saturday as he heads into the Australian Open armed with a new, bigger racquet and with Stefan Edberg in his corner.

The 17-time Grand Slam-winner, now 32, said world number one Rafael Nadal and defending champion Novak Djokovic should be wary of the other top 10 players at the season’s first major.

“Well, I think it’s normal that they are considered, you know, the one and two favorites for the tournament,” said Federer, emphasising the word “considered”.

“Of course, we do believe we can knock them off, yes,” he added, referring to the other members of the world top 10.

Federer has more Grand Slam titles than any other player but only one, Wimbledon 2012, in the last four years. He is currently ranked at world number six.

But Federer is hoping a switch from a 90-inch to a 98-inch racquet, and the arrival of boyhood hero Edberg, will pay dividends.

“I mean, look, my life on tour is pretty much settled. It’s always solid routines. He’ll just fit in nicely into that,” Federer said of the sixtime Grand Slam title-winner. l

BCB directors Naimur Rahman Durjoy (L) and Akram Khan pose with prizes for scoring centuries in a friendly match against Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) at the Sahara-BCB Academy ground at SBNS yesterday COURTESY

Niang goal denies Monaco n AFP, Paris Monaco’s prospects of overhauling Paris SaintGermain at the top of Ligue 1 appeared to take another blow on Friday, as Claudio Ranieri’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Montpellier.

Layvin Kurzawa put Monaco in front in the 52nd minute at the Stade de la Mosson, but the hosts drew level midway through the second period when M’Baye Niang converted the rebound after his penalty had been saved by goalkeeper Danijel Subasic.

The result in what was the first Ligue

1 game of 2014 means that leaders PSG could pull five points clear of the principality club with a win at bottom side Ajaccio on Saturday afternoon, while Lille can leapfrog Monaco into second by beating Reims on Sunday.

Ranieri handed Colombian striker Radamel Falcao his first start in a league game since late November after injury for the away side, who had surprisingly lost 2-1 at home to Valenciennes in their last match before Christmas.

However, Montpellier showed great spirit to come back and win a penalty when the quick feet of Cabella enticed veteran defender Eric Abidal into committing a foul inside the box. l

Rooney sent for sunshine cure n AFP, Manchester Manchester United manager David Moyes revealed Friday that Wayne Rooney had been sent away on warm weather training in a bid to overcome his groin injury.

The 28-year-old England striker has missed United’s last two games with a groin injury but it was hoped he could return to face Swansea this weekend as the Premier League champions look to end a three-game losing streak in all competitions.

Moyes said Rooney had been sent away to sunnier climbs with a fitness coach and his family before a hoped for return at Chelsea on January 19.

“Wayne has been sent away on a sort of hot weather break,” said Moyes, who didn’t specify where the training would take place.

“His groin has not recovered yet. We have sent the fitness coach with him and he is away with his family.

“Hopefully we can get him fit for Chelsea and we will see how he is. He will do some work with the fitness coach.”

“He has an injury, we have to hope he gets better. We have given it a chance to heal but we feel the best thing to do is to let him work in warmer weather and go away with the family and hopefully it will get him better,” Moyes added. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Bt brinjal release soon amid hide-and-seek n Abu Bakar Siddique The government is all set to release four varieties of Genetically Modified brinjal, known as bt brinjal, at the farmers’ level this month and the distributors’ level by next season amid hoax created by officials related to the production of the controversial crop.

Rafiqul Islam Mondol, director general of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they would distribute the seeds among 20 farmers in four different regions – Jamalpur, Gazipur, Rangpur and Ishwardi – by this month.

Each of the farmers will demonstrate the bt varieties in each bigha of land.

“Currently the field-level offices are selecting the farmers who will demonstrate the new varieties,” he added.

On October 30 last year, the agriculture ministry issued a circular to release four varieties of GM varieties named bt Uttara, bt Kajla, bt Noyontara and bt Isd 006 amid condition of cultivating the crops in limited scales.

The circular stated that the cultivation would commence as per the production manual prepared following bio-safety guidelines amid concern of the environmental activists at home and abroad over the environmental and health hazards of GM crops.

However, MK Sultan, director (research) of BARI yesterday said it had decided to observe the matter three more years before releasing the bt brinjal varieties at commercial-level.

He said this at a discussion on the potentials and problems of bt Brinjal in Bangladesh at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa).

“We will not use the bt varieties at commercial-level by next three years,” Sultan said adding that they would stop the cultivation if it was found to be hazardous for public health during the trial period.

However, the BARI chief said they could release the seeds at distributers’ level from the next season (winter) if the target of adequate seed production was achieved by this time.

“We have received several applications from seed companies who are

willing to be distributors,” he added.

In response to a question on marketing the product, Rafiqul said: “The National Committee on Bio-safety has directed us to ensure labelling of the bt brinjal while marketing it.

“However, we do not know whether it is possible to maintain labelling of a crop while marketing in the rural markets as the people are not used to see such kind of trends,” he said.

BARI claims that the use of pesticide on bt variety will be reduced remarkably as it contains anti-insect organism.

Environmental activists, however, have raised serious concerns about the biological and health hazards at home and abroad that the new breed of brinjal may pose. They also said the government has released the GM varieties without having adequate examinations of the hazardous aspects of the new breed.

“The National Committee on Bio-safety, who approved the release of the GM varieties, took very little time to look into the pros and cons of the matter with regard to different bio-safety rules and regulations,” said Farida Akhter, executive director of research organisation Ubinig.

Challenging the release of bt brinjal, the NGO and several other individuals filed writ petitions with the High Court seeking its directives for further assessment of the process. The court, however, rejected all the petitions.

Brinjal is one of the most popular vegetables in Bangladesh as well as in South Asia.

The three bt varieties have been developed from local varieties by inserting bt gene into them. The gene is patented by US seed giant Monsanto.

BARI developed the varieties after seven a seven-year experiment starting in 2006 with the technical support of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco) of India in which Monsanto had 26% stake.

Mahyco’s brinjal varieties, developed with the financial support of USAID, were banned in India in 2010 after their harmful effects had been exposed. In addition to India and Bangladesh, the same group earlier developed genetically modified brinjal varieties in Philippines which was stalled by court order, considering its health hazards. l

Many Hindu families of Jessore’s Monirampur upazila abandoned their homes following the recent attacks on Hindus in the area. The photo taken yesterday is of an empty home in Hajrail of the upazila DHAKA TRIBUNE

SSC candidates choked by blockade n Mushfique Wadud

Candidates fear poor results in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations scheduled to start from February 9.

Because of the prolonged political programmes, they could not prepare themselves up to satisfaction, claimed a number of students.

Some schools curtailed the number of exams under the “pre-test” for the SSC candidates, while some kept rescheduling the exams.

The pre-test examinations are generally held in December, however, last year, it could not be held smoothly as the month was marked with continuous shutdowns and blockade programmes.

Moreover, most schools could not offer the special coaching classes to the examinees, which are usually provided

to candidates prior the board exam, because of the political programmes.

A number of examinees and teachers told the Dhaka Tribune that if situation continued like this majority of the students might draw very poor marks in the examination.

“Classes were not held properly throughout the year. Our syllabus could not be completed because of the hartals and blockade programmes and now the political programmes are hampering our last minute preparations,” said Ahmed Ismail Mamun, an SSC candidate from capital’s Monipur Hight School and College.

“In normal scenario, we are supposed to take the model tests and solve problems through private tuitions at this hour, but because of the political situation, we are not being able to do so,” he said.

After two days of break, the rail, road

and waterway blockade called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance has resumed from today for an indefinite period.

Last year, the Primary School Certificate, Junior School Certificate, Higher School Certificate, O level, A level and SSC examinations were severely hampered by the opposition sponsored blockades and hartals, largely marked with violent forms of agitations.

Examinations were postponed and rescheduled several times. Several hundred school hours were lost while the annual examinations were delayed.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said the ministry did not have any plans to postpone the SSC examinations.

Terming country’s present condition as “now good,” the minister said there was no question of deferring the examinations. They would be held as per the schedule announced previously. l

Health specialists fear Nipah virus outbreak after two deaths n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

People gather to see the body of the Shibir activist found abandoned near Brac intersection of Palashbari upazila town in Gaibandha yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

Shibir activist found dead n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

The body of an Islami Chhatra Shibir activist – who had allegedly been held in custody by law enforcers – was found abandoned at the Brac intersection area of Palashbari upazila town in Gaibandha yesterday morning.

The victim was identified as Nazmul Sakib, 25, who hailed from Gridharipur area of Palashbari upazila town and was an office secretary of the Shibir’s town unit.

Locals and family sources said Sakib

had received bullet wounds on January 3 during a clash with law enforcers at Gridharipur. On the same day, he received medical treatment at a private clinic in Rangpur in secrecy and took shelter at his relative’s house there, said Milan Miah, a rokon of local Jamaat.

On the evening of January 9, law enforcers detained Sakib when he paid another visit to the clinic, said a close relative of the victim on condition of anonymity.

Locals later found Sakib’s body on the Bogra-Rangpur highway early yes-

terday morning and notified the police, who then sent the body to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

A witness said the body bore several injury marks on the head and other parts of the body.

Officer-in-Charge of Palashbari police station Nasir Uddin Mondal confirmed the recovery of Sakib’s body, but he could not elaborate on how he was killed.

The OC added that a process was underway to file a case with the police station in this regard. l

Health specialists have expressed concerns about a potential fresh outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus (NiV), following the confirmation of two recent deaths from NiV infection and four more suspected fatalities.

Laboratory tests at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has confirmed that two boys – aged 13 and 14 – died from NiV infection at Shibaloy and Ghior of Manikganj district on the last week of December last year.

Both of them died after being infected with the virus by drinking raw datepalm sap (Khejurer Rosh).

Sources said it was also suspected that the deaths of four more people including a five-year-old boy at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) last week, may also be linked to NiV infection.

The deceased were Sayedur Rahman, 45, from Bagha upazila of Rajshahi; Naznur Rahman, 5, from Pabna’s Ishwardi; Mojibur Rahman, 20, from Naogaon; and Hasanuzzaman, 20, from Natore’s Bagatipara.

Doctors at the RMCH said they suspected that the deaths may have been caused by Nipah infection as all four patients had the history of drinking raw date-palm sap.

Prof Dr Mahmudur Rahman, director of the IEDCR, however told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the Nipah virus was not found in the single sample of the deceased that had so far been tested at the lab. Samples from two other deceased would be tested by Monday, he said, adding that sample from another patient had not yet arrived at the IEDCR. As a preventative measure for the

disease, Dr Mahmudur urged people not to drink raw date-palm sap and also urged the product’s sellers to refrain from selling raw sap. A mass awareness programme about the disease was also needed across the country, he added.

Seeking anonymity, several senior health officials said the health education bureau spent money by publishing NiV health message advertisements on newspapers, but failed to initiate any direct programme to create awareness among the masses.

Laboratory tests at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has confirmed that two boys – aged 13 and 14 – died from NiV infection at Shibaloy and Ghior of Manikganj district on the last week of December last year Prof Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of the Communicable Disease Control (CDC), said the CDC had launched a programme at 18 upazilas in the Nipahprone areas to create awareness among the raw date-palm sap sellers. The CDC director however said he had no knowledge about the four suspected NiV deaths in Rajshahi.

The NiV – an enveloped RNA virus belonging to genus Henipavirus – is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus, which is transmitted by the drinking of virus-contaminated raw date palm sap or through close physical contact with Nipah infected patients.

The NiV infection has a fatality rate of 78%, with 148 people out of the 189 reported cases between 2001 and May 2013 – succumbing to the disease in the country. l

3 JCD men held for arson attack in Bangla Motor n Kailash Sarkar The detective branch of Police yesterday disclosed the arrest of three youths for a series of arson attacks, including those on a police bus and a passenger bus in the capital’s Bangla Motor and Paribagh areas killing at least three persons including a traffic police.

The arrestees are Rabiul Islam Nayan, 26, Mohammadpur thana unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal joint convener, activists Anupam Chandra Roy, 24, a final year student of Law Department in Stamford University, and Jobayer Hossain, 22, hailing from Narsinghdi district.

Of the three arrestees, Rabiul resided at Sher-e-Banglanagar while Anupam and Jobayer at Moghbazar.

“All of them were arrested from near Sonargaon intersection on December 6,” claimed DMP Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam.

Monirul said the three youths admitted their involvement in the attacks with petrol bombs on a police bus at Bangla Motor on December 24 and another passenger bus on January 3 at Paribagh. A central JCD leader was the mastermind behind the attacks.

Rabiul hurled the petrol bombs while Anup was driving a motorcycle carrying them, said the police official.

“Jobayer took part in the attacks after he was assured of a post in the city unit JCD and Anupam in the private university unit of the party.” He added that the trio was also been given cash.

The attack at Bangla Motor killed traffic police constable Ferdous Khalil and injured two others. l

Student injured in explosion, bus torched in city n Kailash Sarkar A school student sustained severe injuries as opposition supporters blasted bombs in the capital’s Lakshmibazar ahead of today’s blockade. The opposition activists also set a bus on fire in Pallabi area in the evening.

Md Parvez, a student of class VIII at Dhaka Collegiate School, was injured when two bombs were exploded in Lakshmibazar around 5pm yesterday.

He was passing the place on a bicycle, witnesses said.

The victim was first taken to nearby National Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital at night.

Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, said unidentified criminals had hurled the bombs.

Meanwhile, a group of blockade supporters torched a bus of Shikor Paribahan around 8:30pm near the Journalists’ Residential Colony at Kalshi of Pallabi.

On information, Fire Service and Civil Defence sent one unit and douses the fire. 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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SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Political standoff takes toll on foreign aid n Kayes Sohel The development partners have cut their aid commitment due to the long spell of political standoff in the country.

In first five months of the current fiscal year ended in November, the foreign aid commitment stood at US$1.5bn, a sharp drop of 21% from $1.9bn in the same period a year ago, according to the Economic Relations Division.

The donor agencies are complaining that the targeted objectives would not be achieved with the commitment amount accumulating due to the long political turmoil, said an official. “The government’s spending is very slow too.”

The development partners like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have repeatedly been urging the government to strengthen the spending capacity and make the implementation mechanism dynamic.

In the last couple of months, no significant foreign aid commitments were signed with major donors like WB, ADB, Japan, UK’S department for International development (Dfid) and USAID, officials said.

Foreign aid disbursement by the government also took a heat of the current political turmoil as it remained static during the period. According to ERD, the donors had disbursed $989m in loans and grants in July-November period of this fiscal, only $18m higher from the same period a year ago.

The lower growth of aid flow to the country would not only affect the development work, it would also impede the economic growth. The foreign aid target in the current fiscal year is $520m more than $2.78bn received in fiscal year 2012-13.

Since the country is passing through political turmoil over the last couple of months, utilisation of foreign aid was affected. The implementation rate of foreign-financed development projects was also poor this time, resulting in lower aid disbursement.

According to Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division, the government ministries and agencies had spent 20% of Tk658 crore annual development programme, in which 33% funds came from foreign assistance.

Former finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam said foreign aid flow might decline further in future.

“Recent stance of USA and EU countries about the Bangladesh political issue might influence major donors like World Bank and IMF about aid disbursement,” he said.

The international community, particularly the USA and the EU, have already reacted to one-sided election by refraining from sending observers.

The former finance adviser said project implementation will be slowed down in days to come as supply of administrative machineries would be disrupted by the political programmes. l

Exhibitors and visitors unhappy n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

DITF 2014 opens in Dhaka yesterday

RAJIB DHAR

PM OPENS DITF

Business assured of help to recover losses due to political unrest n Tribune Report Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated the month-long Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2014 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The fair was originally scheduled to begin on January 1 but deferred by 10 days following frequent requests made by the participants.

As per the new schedule, the fair will end on February 10.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the Ministry of Commerce jointly organised the country’s biggest trade exposition – a platform for both local and foreign producers to showcase their products.

This year, exhibitors from 12 countries are displaying their goods before the local and international buyers.

They are from India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Iran, South Korea, Thailand, US, UK, Turkey and Singapore, apart from Bangladesh.

There are 96 pavilions, 49 mini pavilions and 316 stalls in the event.

Machinery, carpets, cosmetics and beauty products; electronic, jute, leather and sports goods; sanitary

products, toys, ceramics, fabrics, processed foods, furniture and handicraft will be showcased in the fair. Entry fee for each person has been fixed at Tk30.

There have been requests from various quarters not to allow Pakistani exhibitors taking part in the fair. However, the organisers said Pakistani companies are participating in the fair since the trade fair has no link with politics.

The organisers are expecting that the country will fetch higher export orders through the mega trade event this year. Businesses got orders worth Tk157 crore at the last year’s DITF. They are also expecting nearly one lakh visitors every day to the mega event. A pavilion titled “Bangabandhu Memorial Pavilion” has also been set up in the DITF this year too for projecting the history of the Liberation War before the young generation.

Inaugurating the 19th edition of the annual event, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged businessmen to maintain standards of goods so that overseas customers cannot complain about the quality of products.

She suggested the businessmen to diversify products for capturing new export markets across the globe, re-

ducing their dependence on the traditional markets, and also asked them to take steps for expanding their local markets. She asked the factory owners to look after their workers properly and assured them of all-out government support in the future.

About various government facilities for the development of the country’s industrial sector, Hasina said more facilities are waiting for them to recoup the losses they suffered in recent months because of the ‘BNP-Jamaat’s destructive activities’.

“After forming the new government, we’ll give you some more facilities,” she assured the businessmen. She said Bangladesh exported $27.03bn in 201213 fiscal despite continuous hartals and blockades.

Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed, Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) vice chairman Subhashish Bose also spoke on the occasion. President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the Dhaka International Trade Fair. l

The major exhibitors at the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DIFT) expressed frustration over poor presence of visitors on the first day of the country’s biggest trade show.

On the other hand, visitors, who came to enjoy the inaugural session of the DIFT, become frustrated as most of the stalls and pavilions are still under construction.

Presence of visitors are very poor compared to the opening day of last year due to the prevailing unrest situation, said Sadekur Rahman, a salesman of Delhi Aluminium at the DIFT. During the last year’s opening day, “we had good sales on the first day, but this year till 4pm we are yet to open our selling accounts,” he added.

“We are in a great doubt about the expected sales volume and visitors’ turnout, because of political deadlock, Mohammad Rubel Rana, executive-sales and marketing of Smartex told the Dhaka Tribune.

There will be ‘Ekhusey Book Fair’ in February, which could also cast negative impact on the DIFT’s turnout and sales volume, he added.

Expressing his utter frustration another salesman Masud said, We sold the products worth Tk80,000 on the very first day of the last DIFT, but today it came down to around Tk10,000.

After talking to the visitors, it was learnt that visitor are not also happy with the beginning of the fair as most of the stalls and pavilions are still under construction.

‘We have come to the fair to enjoy the display of products and to choose some out of those but most of the stalls and pavilions are not yet decorated, said Md Asikur Rahman, a sixth semester student of a private university.

It happens in every year, as it takes six to seven days to start the fair in full swing and this year, it is much more complicated to complete all the stalls and pavilion before inauguration because of the looming uncertainty due to the political unrest, said commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed while talking to the Dhaka Tribune. l

BADC seeks loan from Sonali Bank to Private operators owe Tk3,000cr to BTRC import fertiliser

Kohinoor Chemical week’s worst loser at DSE n Tahmidur Rahman n Asif showkat kallol Kohinoor Chemical Company (Bangladesh) Limited has came out to be the worst performing stock of the past week at Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Its share price dropped by 9.54% to Tk351 a share in the past week. Shares of the company valued at Tk14.33 lakh were traded. In the first quarter (July-Sept) of the current fiscal year, the beauty product manufacturer posted net profit of Tk1.99 crore against Tk1.51 crore in the same period a year ago, according to its financial statement.

The company experienced consistent increase in its revenue from sales over the last couple of years. According to its latest annual report, the company reported an increase in sales of Tk23.6 crore as the annual sales totalled Tk316.9 crore in 2012-2013 against Tk293.3 crore in the previous period. The additional sales were generated by increases sales of detergent powder, washing and toilet soaps.

The company’s revenue from net sales stood at Tk271.9 crore in 2012-2013 after VAT and supplementary duty deductions.

Among local sales, the company’s star product in terms of contribution to total sales is toilet soap. Its sales last year stood at Tk195.1 crore.

The company also exports washing soap that contributed Tk12.83 lakh to net sales in the year 2012-2013. The export revenue saw a fall as the company had exported washing soap worth Tk30.8 lakh in the year 2011-2012.

The company listed in the segment of pharmaceuticals and chemicals at DSE has a restated net asset value of Tk14.53 as of 2013, making the current stock price higher than 24 times its net asset value. l

Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) has sought loans from the state-owned Sonali Bank for importing fertiliser for the upcoming Boro season.

The government, however, took a rigid stance in issuing counter guarantees against any credit due to fund crisis created in the wake of the political turmoil.

These days, it has become a rare instance to get a counter guarantee for credits from the finance division even for the state-owned companies and corporations such as Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, Bangladesh Chemical Industry Corporation and BADC, said a senior official of finance division.

Apart from the fund crisis, he said International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also tightened its debt ceiling on Bangladeshi state-owned companies and corporations, he said.

The finance division has asked the

BADC to pay its all the unpaid bills or loans earlier received from Sonali Bank as soon as possible while the corporation filed a fresh request for loan worth about Tk309 crore for importing urea fertiliser for the upcoming Boro season, said the official.

Boro is the key crop of the country, which contributes 55% of the total food grain production. The total rice output was around 3.38 crore tons in the current fiscal year, of which Boro contributed 1.88 crore tones. The target of Boro production has been set at 1.89 crore tons for the next season.

“As Sonali Bank is suffering from a serious fund crisis despite the government provided the Bank with about Tk2,000 core in the current fiscal year.

So, under such a circumstance, the bank is not in a position to provide the required loans to the BADC,” said a banking division source.

The default loans of Sonali Bank stood at Tk 12,363 crore on December 31, 2012, up from Tk 5,705 crore in

the same period of the previous year, thanks to the Hall-Mark and other financial scams, according to the preliminary data of the state-run bank.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has reportedly said the government would not give any counter guarantee of credits to BADC for importing one lakh tons of urea from Indonesia until and unless it pays back all the previous unpaid loans of Sonali Bank by February 15.

During the financial year 2010-2011, finance division gave counter grantee of Tk2,631 crore to BADC but it took loan of Tk2,505 crore. The unpaid loan was Tk94 crore in the same fiscal year. The default loan of BADC rose to Tk366 crore in 2011-12 fiscal year and it was Tk2,130 crore in 201213 fiscal year, according to the proposal.

According to the Food Crop Wing (FCW) under the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Bangladesh Fertiliser Association (BFA), the total requirement for urea in the next Boro season is around 18.5 lakh tonnes. l

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The private sector telecommunication operators have not paid the regulator a revenue of Tk3,036 crore, which is over 55% of what Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission contributed to the national exchequer in the last fiscal year.

The outstanding revenue was, however, accumulated over a period of seven years since 2007 to mid-November last year, according to a report BTRC submitted to its 161th commission meeting recently.

“Gateway operators, especially international gateways (IGWs), mainly contributed to increase the outstanding. As most of them are politically influential, BTRC could not take action against them,” a high official at the telecom watchdog told the Dhaka Tribune.

The private operators have not fully paid the fees, charges and revenue sharing, contributing to accumulate the outstanding – it increased by over 16% only in four and half months from Tk2,611 crore as of June last year.

During the period, the outstanding of two state-owned companies – Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) and Teletalk – reduced by about Tk175 crore or 11%.

According to a report BTRC sent to the post and telecommunication ministry, BTCL’s outstanding was about Tk1,625 crore in June last year, which came down to Tk1,450 crore. Another state owned company Teletak, the country’s first 3G mobile phone operator, also paid a substantial amount of the dues as it now came down to about Tk28 crore from about Tk32 crore in June.

After June outstanding revenue of

some 28 private IGW operators was Tk500 crore, but it went up to Tk946 crore in mid-November last year. Only six politically-backed IGWs’ increased the dues by more than Tk600 crore, sources said.

Of them, BTRC last week filed a certificate case against Telex Ltd having an outstanding of only Tk92.5 crore.

But other operators owned by former ministers’ daughters, sons and close relations are opportune ones that have not faced any legal action yet.

The total due of the Interconnection Exchange (ICX) operators was Tk211 crore in June last year, but after November it stood at Tk249 crore while that of International Internet Gateway (IIG) amounts increased to about Tk9 crore from Tk30 lakh only.

Citycell, the oldest mobile phone operator, could not pay any money in 2013. Their total dues stood at Tk249 crore till mid-November, rising from Tk145 crore in June. BTRC had sent a letter to Citycell and gave them 15 days ultimatum in the last week of November, but the deadline is already over.

Of the Citycell’s outstanding, 2G licence renewal fee is Tk229 crore and others are spectrum charge, revenue sharing and social obligation fund.

The two Wi-Max operators – Banglalion and Qubee – owe to the telecom regulator respectively Tk33 crore and Tk18 crore, which was Tk29 crore and Tk15 crore in June last year. Besides, 12 private land phone (PSTN) operators have not paid Tk30 crore. Different private companies, internet service providers (ISPs) and some government departments have not deposited spectrum charges amounting to about Tk26 crore, which was Tk24 crore in June last year. l

B2 STOCK WEEKLY

Institutional investors keep market afloat n Kayes Sohel

tary policy statement for second half of fiscal year 2013-14 is the most important trigger point for capital market, it said, adding that the market makers are anticipating monetary easing to boost up economic activities. However, it said real investment from entrepreneurs is still low due to continuous political clashes.

Zenith Investments said investors may still be cautious about the political stance, however, they also seem enthusiastic to indulge themselves in the market thus boosting support level and helping the market in making its ground stronger.

IDLC Investment said hope for a breathing space in political frontier influenced the week positively.

“Announcement of new incentives to textile sector assisted it to break out of its losing streak. In the mean time, expectations regarding upcoming monetary policy statement seemed to have come into play from the final session, influencing banks positively.”

During the week, gainers took a strong lead over the losers on DSE as out of 297 issues traded in the past week, 218 advanced, 56 declined and 23 remained unchanged.

All the major sectors ended in green except banks which lost 0.2% in the past week. Engineering was the biggest winning sector that gained more than 5%, driven by National Tubes that surged over 20% following its positive earnings.

Among other well performing sectors, pharmaceuticals, fuel & power, non-banking financial institutions and telecommunications were notable. l

Stocks witnessed rally for the second consecutive week on buying pressure particularly from institutional investors.

During the week that ended Thursday, the benchmark DSEX soared 94 points or 2.3% to 4,407, which is 7-week high. The blue chip index DS30 rose 50 points or 3.4% to 1,555.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, gained more than 249 points or 3% to close the week at 8,663. The stock exchange shortened trading session to four days from usual five due to general holiday on Sunday on account of 10th national election.

Volume of trade increased as the daily turnover averaged Tk457 crore, registering a 28% rise over the previous week’s average of Tk357 crore.

“The institutional investors are pouring fresh fund into stocks contributing to consolidate the market with a positive attitude,” said LankaBangla Securities in its weekly market analysis.

Investors seem to be highly optimistic about market direction ahead as the investors are expecting the new government to take popular decisions that would boost economic activities, it said.

The government has reduced source tax in ready market garment (RMG) sector from 0.8% to 0.3% to boost the largest export earning sector as they are badly hit by recent political clashes, it said.

The central bank’s consideration of expansionary and balanced mone-

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 20 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS Company Kohinoor Chem -A 4th ICB M F-A GeminiSeaFood-Z Standard Ceramic -A Bank Asia -A I P D C -A EBL NRB M.F.-A 3rd ICB M F-A Fareast Finance-N Dutch Ban. Bnk- A

Closing (% change) -9.54 -7.41 -5.64 -5.51 -4.19 -3.92 -3.57 -3.25 -2.99 -2.93

CSE LOSERS Company Aramit -A Standard Ceramic -A Bank Asia -A I P D C -A Hakkani P& Paper -B National Life I -A AB Bank 1st Mutual Fund-A B I F C -A Bay Leasing.-A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A

Closing (% change) -12.79 -7.99 -7.89 -5.83 -5.07 -4.72 -4.11 -3.87 -3.00 -2.82

4407.82597

(+) 2.17%

1555.60669

(+) 3.36%

13663.1943

(+) 2.15%

11285.4239

(+) 2.61%

8663.4456

(+) 2.18%

Average (% change) -9.56 -7.26 -6.04 -4.67 -4.79 -2.08 -3.69 -3.15 -2.32 -2.66 Average (% change) -12.55 -7.97 -9.08 -2.95 -5.07 -5.06 -4.11 -1.95 -0.97 -2.82

ANALYST

Closing average 350.89 190.00 140.00 37.93 20.69 19.73 8.10 193.70 16.41 102.82

Closing average 341.07 38.00 20.63 19.42 33.70 305.00 7.00 17.63 38.90 6.90

Weekly closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 1347.73 1840.81 325.47 3267.01 796.49 2554.22 6.66 2502.74 1673.76 1.90 126.38 456.63 193.57 719.54 128.31 283.99 436.71 541.47 503.84 582.40 0.87

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Weekly high

351.00 191.10 140.60 37.70 20.60 19.60 8.10 193.70 16.20 102.60

Weekly closing

380.00 204.40 144.00 39.00 22.00 20.40 8.70 193.70 17.00 105.00

Weekly high

340.10 38.00 21.00 19.40 33.70 305.00 7.00 17.40 38.80 6.90

356.00 38.00 21.50 20.40 36.00 345.00 7.00 17.90 40.40 7.00

DSE GAINERS

CSE key features January 6-9, 2014

Company

Turnover (Million Taka)

18,290.49

Turnover (Volume)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

399,949,215

Number of Contract

436,695

Traded Issues

297

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

236

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

57

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,126.15

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

25.77

Meghna Con. Milk -B Meghna PET Ind. -Z National Tubes -A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z Samata LeatheR -Z Shampur Sugar -Z Sinobangla Indu.-A MBL 1st M. F.-A Savar Refractories-Z Delta SpinnersA

Closing (% change) 43.33 36.23 20.41 17.57 14.23 12.00 10.34 9.52 9.44 9.23

CSE GAINERS Company CVO PetroChem RL-Z Samata LeatheR -Z Prime Insur -A Apex Foods -A Imam Button -Z ApexAdelchi Ftr -A Olympic Ind. -A Sinobangla Indu.-A Delta SpinnersA Miracle Industries -B

Closing (% change) 33.26 20.42 16.99 13.12 12.50 9.87 9.59 9.59 9.45 9.29

Average (% change) 46.76 36.51 19.53 16.67 13.74 13.33 8.96 9.51 8.13 Average (% change) 23.97 20.38 16.99 13.14 12.63 9.87 8.32 8.14 7.62 9.02

Closing average 12.90 9.46 88.33 8.75 28.06 8.50 32.09 6.91 60.00 43.38

Closing average 750.00 28.89 35.80 105.22 9.01 490.00 160.15 31.90 43.35 20.07

Weekly closing 12.90 9.40 88.50 8.70 28.10 8.40 32.00 6.90 60.30 43.80

Weekly closing 750.00 28.90 35.80 105.20 9.00 490.00 161.20 32.00 44.00 20.00

Weekly high 12.90 9.60 90.00 8.90 29.80 8.50 32.80 7.00 61.00 44.20

Weekly high 782.00 29.30 36.00 111.00 9.70 510.90 164.90 33.00 44.50 20.50

Weekly low 9.60 7.30 70.00 7.20 25.00 7.10 27.60 6.20 58.00 39.00

Weekly low 700.00 25.00 33.60 100.00 8.50 450.00 150.00 27.90 39.70 18.10

Turnover in million

Latest EPS

6.365 2.516 69.151 0.088 3.881 0.188 38.683 12.199 0.051 226.767

Turnover in million

-4.60 -0.52 1.84 -5.64 -0.08 -45.28 0.64 1.48 0.40 1.16

Latest EPS

0.878 0.844 0.208 0.561 0.295 2.106 9.186 12.183 21.099 2.960

-6.76 -0.08 2.36 3.96 -2.20 28.27 6.32 0.64 1.16 0.12

Latest PE -ve -ve 48.0 -ve -ve -ve 50.1 4.7 150.0 37.4

Latest PE -ve -ve 15.2 26.6 -ve 17.3 25.3 49.8 37.4 167.3

CSE key features January 6-9, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

1,840.57

Turnover (Volume)

47,741,222

Number of Contract

72,529

Traded Issues

241

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

179

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

59

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,037.25

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

24.69

Weekly low

Turnover in million

338.00 191.10 121.10 34.40 18.20 17.30 7.90 192.10 16.10 96.00

Weekly low

1.528 0.259 0.868 0.402 17.556 10.190 6.160 0.097 40.389 11.871

Turnover in million

335.00 38.00 20.20 19.00 33.10 301.00 6.90 17.10 37.90 6.60

Latest EPS 9.80 35.20 -15.39 1.01 1.41 0.91 0.40 31.96 -0.97 9.21

Latest EPS

0.651 0.038 0.295 0.243 0.257 6.097 0.318 0.730 8.513 0.021

11.53 1.01 1.41 0.91 0.44 12.46 0.60 0.13 1.56 1.24

Latest PE 35.8 5.4 -ve 37.6 14.7 21.7 20.3 6.1 -ve 11.2

Latest PE

Weekly news from trade server Audited/unaudited Financial Reports:

AIBL1STIMF: (Q3): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 31st December 2013 (Oct'13 to Dec'13), the fund has reported net profit/ (loss) of Tk. 10.91 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.11 as against Tk. (22.76) million and Tk. (0.23) respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit was Tk. 92.88 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.93 for the period of nine months (Apr'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 29.05 million and Tk. 0.29 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

MBL1STMF: (Q3): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 31st December 2013 (Oct'13 to Dec'13), the fund has reported net profit/(loss) of Tk. 28.16 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.28 as against Tk. (25.90) million and Tk. (0.26) respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit was Tk. 111.37 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 1.11 for the period of nine months (Apr'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 31.14 million and Tk. 0.31 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

LRGLOBMF1: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on

31st December 2013 (Oct'13 to Dec'13), the fund has reported net profit/(loss) of Tk. 118.93 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.38 as against Tk. (57.08) million and Tk. (0.18) (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment: ULC: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to change the name from United Leasing Company Limited to United Finance Limited. The execution of the name change of the Company shall be subject to the approval of shareholders in the General Meeting and all concerned Regulatory Authority.

ULC: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to purchase 9,503 sft. commercial space at the 9th floor of SEL Rose-N-Dale, 116 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Dhaka at a total cost of Tk. 140.04 million (approximately) excluding the cost of registration, VAT, AIT and any other admissible cost subject to approval of Bangladesh Bank.

Miscellaneous

UNITEDAIR: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on June 30, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts.

POWERGRID: The Company has further

informed that the 17th AGM of the Company will now be held on January 25, 2014 at 10:00 AM at Auditorium of Engineers Institution, Bangladesh, 8/A, Ramna, Dhaka-1000 instead of January 18, 2014. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

Final Status of IPO of AFC Agro Biotech Ltd.: All concerned are hereby informed that the final status of the IPO of AFC Agro Biotech Ltd.: Total subscription received from General Public=Tk. 4,926,660,000, Affected Small Investors=Tk.593,405,000, NRB=Tk. 252,095,000 & Mutual Fund=Tk. 1,418,100,000. Total subscription received=Tk. 7,190,260,000 against Public Issue of IPO of Tk. 120,000,000 which is over subscribed by 59.92 times.

SAIHAMTEX: The Company has informed that the cash dividend for the year ended on June 30, 2013 has been credited to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts through Bangladesh Electronics Fund Transfer Network (BEFTN) system and Dividend warrant (Folio) has been dispatched through Register Post/Courier Service in time.

EASTRNLUB: The Company has further informed that due to unavoidable circumstances, the 45th AGM of the Company will now be held on January 25, 2014 at 3:00 PM instead of 10:30 AM. Other information of the AGM will remain unchanged.

29.6 37.6 14.6 21.3 76.6 24.5 11.7 135.6 24.9 5.6

The institutional investors are pouring fresh fund into stocks contributing to consolidate the market with a positive attitude

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 7.37 10.06 1.78 17.86 4.35 13.96 0.04 13.68 9.15 0.01 0.69 2.50 1.06 3.93 0.70 1.55 2.39 2.96 2.75 3.18 0.00

Million Taka 119.47 165.45 27.04 396.25 102.39 197.16 0.00 246.86 140.42 0.32 17.42 18.15 34.38 51.87 25.22 12.01 28.80 45.75 79.67 132.05 0.06

CSE

% change 6.49 8.99 1.47 21.53 5.56 10.71 0.00 13.41 7.63 0.02 0.95 0.99 1.87 2.82 1.37 0.65 1.56 2.49 4.33 7.17 0.00

Million Taka 1467.20 2006.26 352.51 3663.26 898.88 2751.38 6.66 2749.60 1814.19 2.22 143.80 474.78 227.95 771.42 153.53 296.00 465.51 587.22 583.51 714.45 0.92

Total

% change 7.29 9.97 1.75 18.20 4.47 13.67 0.03 13.66 9.01 0.01 0.71 2.36 1.13 3.83 0.76 1.47 2.31 2.92 2.90 3.55 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

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Golden Son -A LankaBangla Fin. -A S Purbanchol Power-N Generation Next-A Appollo Ispat CL -N Summit Power -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Square Pharma -A Meghna Petroleum -A Grameenphone-A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N Golden Son -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N S Purbanchol Power-N LankaBangla Fin. -A UNITED AIR-A Generation Next-A Orion Pharma-N Beach Hatchery -A

Volume shares 12,069,855 10,517,660 9,824,455 12,518,660 12,402,600 8,956,257 10,396,988 1,731,886 1,485,162 1,592,429

Volume shares 3,633,000 1,446,004 2,714,699 1,293,000 985,500 718,290 2,778,643 1,251,940 717,960 1,315,091

Value in million 812.76 777.47 680.51 463.35 455.79 378.24 368.07 345.28 341.19 332.51

Value in million 133.64 97.32 95.71 68.49 68.20 53.12 46.84 46.56 44.86 39.92

% of total turnover 4.44 4.25 3.72 2.53 2.49 2.07 2.01 1.89 1.87 1.82

% of total turnover 7.26 5.29 5.20 3.72 3.71 2.89 2.54 2.53 2.44 2.17

Weekly closing 68.20 75.80 71.00 36.80 36.60 43.00 36.40 202.40 236.80 208.70

Weekly closing 36.60 68.10 36.40 55.50 70.90 76.00 17.10 37.00 62.70 30.90

Price change 7.23 6.61 8.23 -0.27 -2.14 8.31 8.66 3.21 6.00 1.16

Weekly opening 63.60 71.10 65.60 36.90 37.40 39.70 33.50 196.10 223.40 206.30

Weekly high 69.20 76.80 73.00 38.00 38.20 44.10 37.50 203.00 238.50 212.90

Weekly low 58.00 65.20 61.00 33.20 36.10 36.00 30.50 183.00 212.00 198.00

Weekly average 67.91 75.39 71.46 37.13 36.72 43.49 36.42 201.84 234.38 210.09

Price change -1.35 7.24 8.66 5.92 7.75 7.19 1.79 -0.27 3.98 5.82

Weekly opening 37.10 63.50 33.50 52.40 65.80 70.90 16.80 37.10 60.30 29.20

Weekly high 38.20 69.50 37.00 56.00 72.70 77.90 17.30 38.10 64.50 32.50

Weekly low 36.20 64.00 33.00 51.50 65.60 70.00 16.40 35.90 59.60 28.30

Weekly average 36.77 68.04 36.38 54.44 71.45 75.54 17.10 37.24 63.03 31.30

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Pakistan hopes for privatisation forex boost n

AFP, Karachi

Pakistan is hoping a sell-off of government stakes in state-owned energy companies, banks and troubled airline PIA will bring a much-needed boost to foreign exchange reserves, a top official said yesterday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s privatisation programme cleared an important hurdle this week with the approval of financial advisers for the sale of shares in more than half a dozen state- owned companies.

We want a speedy but highly transparent process and we are expect to furnish all the deals this year Pakistan last month received a second payment under a $6.7bn International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan package, conditions for which included action to privatise state-owned businesses.

Among the offerings will be shares in the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan’s top hydrocarbon exploration and development concern.

OGDCL shares have been traded on the London stock exchange since 2006 and the government now wants to sell off more of its stake in the company.

“We will wait the financial advisers to make the privatisation strategy but I personally want to offload 10% ... of OGDC at the global capital market,” Mohammad Zubair, the chief of the Privatisation Commission, told AFP. The state holds about 75% shares in the OGDCL, after already offloading a 25% stake.

Arif Habib Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage and financial research company, estimates the OGDCL

Homes become members of the family with smart parts n AFP, Las Vegas Appliances are becoming part of the family, weighing in with insights while helping with chores from cooking to doing laundry.

Home networks that allowed household items such as lamps, thermostats and locks get “smart” with Internet connections and computing power were among trends gaining steam at the Consumer Electronics Show that ends here Friday. South Korean home appliance titans LG and Samsung weighed in with systems to let people communicate with household equipment.

“We are texting friends and family throughout the day. Why not do the same thing with your air conditioning system or your vacuum?” LG national product trainer Randy Overton asked at the company’s booth on the CES show floor. “You can have your refrigerator tell you what is in it or your kitchen range text you when a roast is almost done.”

LG unveiled a HomeChat system that lets people fire off text messages to appliances in natural language and then get responses couched in slightly playful attitude. “It’s about keeping in touch, and making it a little more fun too,” Overton said. “That is what technology is all about.”

LG devices that can synch to the network include a washer, stove, refrigerator and a robotic vacuum. The refrigerator can text its owner when food is a day or so from spoiling, or respond to queries such as “How much beer is left?”

“HomeChat gives you the experience of talking to appliances around you,” said LG chief technology officer Skott Ahn. The refrigerator has a library of recipes to help figure out ways to prepare what is inside. Keeping track of food requires entering data into the refrigerator as items are added or removed.

Samsung Electronics introduce Smart Home, a service for managing its smart TVs, home appliances and smartphones. The service is due to roll out across Samsung devices in the first half of this year.

“We are bringing our capabilities as the world’s number one manufacturer of smart devices to make the connected home a reality for consumers today,” said Samsung media solutions center president Wonpyo Hong. The system integrates Samsung smartphones, appliances, cameras and even Galaxy Gear smart watches, according to the consumer electronics powerhouse. l

sell-off will raise about $1 billion.

Pakistan’s forex reserves have dwindled in the past year, sinking to just $3.2bn, barely enough to cover the country’s foreign payments for a month.

Opposition parties have condemned the privatisation plans, accusing Sharif of cronyism and selling off valuable national assets at cut price. But Zubair insisted the scheme was necessary.

“We will get two-pronged benefits: one is to revive our presence in the global market by holding roadshows and then offloading the shares, and on the other will have much needed foreign exchange,” Zubair said.

Besides OGDCL, the government intended to sell 20% shares of Habib Bank Limited, the largest Pakistani bank, in local and international markets.

“Likewise we intend to sell 10% of HBL in global market and 10% at the local stock exchange,” Zubair said.

Government shares in United Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited and Pakistan Petroleum Limited will also be offloaded.

The commission board has already approved selling a 26% stake in Pakistan International Airlines, the national flag carrier and a financial adviser is to be appointed by March.

The privatisation transactions are likely to be carried out before the end of the year but Zubair said they would not scrimp on safeguards.

“We want a speedy but highly transparent process and we are expect to furnish all the deals this year,” the chairman of the commission said.

Cash-strapped Pakistan, plagued by a bloody homegrown Taliban insurgency, is battling to get its shaky economy back on track and solve a chronic energy crisis that cripples industry. l

B3

Sunday, January 12, 2014

As automakers use more aluminum, can providers expand fast enough? n Reuters With automakers’ demand for aluminum growing explosively as they seek to improve fuel efficiency, aluminum providers are selling out their automotive capacity almost as fast as they can build new plants, raising the question of whether some car makers could be caught short in the future.

The US market for aluminum sheet is expected to be up fivefold this year from 2012 with the development of vehicles like Ford Motor Co’s next generation F-150 full-size pickup truck, a more aluminum intensive model that will be shown Monday at the Detroit auto show.

Demand is expected to continue its surge as automakers look to slash vehicle weights to boost fuel efficiency, industry executives and analysts said.

“The one thing that has proven itself to be accurate is that any forward forecast of the use of aluminum in automotive will change upward,” Phil Martens, chief executive of aluminum provider Novelis Inc, said in a telephone interview.

The US market for aluminum sheet, which stood at less than 200m pounds in 2012, is expected to hit 1bn pounds this year, and then double from there by 2020 and reach 3.2bn to 6.4bn pounds by 2025, according to independent industry analyst Lloyd O’Carroll.

Other vehicles using a lot of aluminum include Land Rover’s Range Rover SUV, Volkswagen’s Audi A8 sedan, Daimler’s Mercedes Benz CLA sedan, General Motors Co’s Chevrolet Corvette sports car and Tesla Motors Inc’s Model S electric sedan.

Novelis, along with Alcoa Inc, dominates the US aluminum market, a trend that should continue for the time being as both companies pour hundreds of millions of dollars into expanding capacity to meet demand.

Analysts and industry officials said

An aluminium wheel is pictured at the stand of German car manufacturer VW at the Frankfurt Motor Show REUTERS growth in the United States is exponential because consumers’ preference for bigger engines and larger vehicles at a time of rising fuel economy requirements and lower emission standards has forced automakers to push for greater weight reductions in their vehicle designs than they can get from high-strength steel alone.

“If you really want to save a lot of weight, like on a pickup truck, you really have to go with something lighter than steel to take 700 pounds out,” said Dick Schultz, managing director of the auto practice at research firm Ducker Worldwide. US government standards mandate that by 2025, automakers must increase corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) to 54.5 miles per gallon, up from 35.5 mpg by 2016.

The key question is whether the industry can keep up with demand, industry officials and analysts said.

If not, some automotive customers could be caught short, lacking sufficient aluminum for their next-genera-

tion of lighter-weight cars and trucks.

Aluminum executives said they need two to three years advance notice to meet demand to give them enough time to expand existing plants or build new ones. If automakers do not effectively communicate their needs, shortages could develop, analysts and industry officials said.

“You could have pinch points develop if all of a sudden the auto industry rolls out a set of designs that are heavy in aluminum, if this transformation that we see taking place gradually occurs more quickly,” said John Mothersole, director of research for the pricing and purchasing service at IHS. Nevertheless, Mothersole and others do not see it becoming a long-term problem.

“If the automakers make the decisions quickly, then it will work. If the automakers delay the decisions too long, then some could have issues,” said Pierre Vareille, CEO of Dutch aluminum products maker Constellium NV, which intends to announce its

India’s industrial output shrinks, trade gap widens n Reuters

India’s economic woes worsened on Friday with a surprise contraction in industrial production and a wider trade deficit, adding to troubles of the ruling alliance as it heads into a tough national election seeking a third term.

Production at factories, mines and utilities shrunk for the second straight month in November, by 2.1%, data from the Statistics Ministry showed, dragged down by a contraction in consumer goods output.

Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted output to grow 1%.

“The November industrial production figures continue to show that the Indian industrial sector remains in re-

cession, with clear evidence that domestic consumption remains weak,” wrote Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at His. Meanwhile, the trade deficit widened to $10.14bn last month from $9.22bn in November on waning exports growth, data from the Trade Ministry showed on Friday.

Merchandise exports rose 3.49% year-on-year to $26.35bn, slowing down from a 5.86% pace in November.

The second successive fall in the output and slowing exports growth will likely dampen hopes for a rebound in Asia’s third-largest economy that is struggling to come out of a situation that some analysts define as stagflationary.

For the past four quarters, econom-

A labourer works inside a steel factory on the outskirts of Jammu

ic growth has been stuck below 5% while prices are rising.

The ruling Congress party is desperately seeking a rebound to help win back voters in the election expected between April and May. Opposition prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has made the depressed economy a central plank of his campaign.

Strong exports along with a robust farm output were expected to usher in an economic revival, beginning in the October-December quarter.

The latest data may make investors more wary of committing fresh investments in an economy that recorded 9% annual expansion until two years back and was widely expected to be one of the main drivers of the global economic recovery.

Looming elections as well as lingering uncertainty over the future course of the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, which has flooded emerging markets including India with cheap money, have already turned many investors cautious.

The latest industrial data shows no departure from a torrid narrative of weak investments and flagging consumer demand.

The production of consumer goods, a proxy for consumer demand, fell an annual 8.7% in November. The sector has grown just once in last seven months.

Capital goods production, a barometer for investments in the economy, grew just 0.3% in November from a year earlier. l

REUTERS

plans for entering the US aluminum auto market in the first quarter. Constellium has an aluminum plant in West Virginia that serves aerospace customers.

Certainly, the aluminum suppliers’ customers have faith.

“As we work to lightweight our vehicles, our use of aluminum and other materials continues to grow,” said Doug Parks, vice president of GM’s global product programs. “We stay very close to our suppliers to be sure they can meet our growing needs, and we’re comfortable they will.”

The growth in demand has Novelis and Alcoa spending big. Last month, Novelis said it would invest $205m to build aluminum finishing lines at plants in New York and Germany. The company also is finishing construction of a plant in China this year.

Novelis expects the auto industry to account for 25% of its business in two years, up from 6% two years ago as it shifts away from aluminum beverage cans, Martens said. Down the road, that could hit 50%.

Alcoa is on the cusp of completing a $300m expansion dedicated to the auto sector at its Iowa plant. It also is building a factory in Saudi Arabia this year and will finish a $275m expansion at its Tennessee plant next year.

“We’re in constant communication with automakers about available capacity,” said Alcoa’s head of global marketing for automotive, Randall Scheps. “Every customer wants to know how much they can have.”

Customers are clamoring for more, as the aluminum suppliers have already sold virtually all of their added capacity even if those plants are not yet online.

“The era of ‘Build it and they will come’ is over,” analyst O’Carroll said.

“Companies are not going to add capacity with volume and (profit) margin commitment.” l

Toyota aims to produce more than 10 million autos in 2014 n AFP, Tokyo Toyota Motor is aiming to produce more than 10 million vehicles in 2014, a bullish target that could boost other industries in Japan, a report said Saturday.

The Toyota group’s production may fall temporarily after April, when Japan increases the consumption tax from five to eight percent, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said.

But the impact of the tax hike should be blunted by a lowering of the automobile acquisition tax that will also become effective from the new fiscal year starting April, the Asahi said.

With Japan’s economic recovery set to remain solid, Toyota expects its production will pick up from the autumn to achieve the target, the Asahi said.

“Toyota’s bullish stance could cause ripple effects to other industries,” the Asahi said.

Toyota is Japan’s biggest manufacturer. Its health could affect steelmakers and parts suppliers of all kinds, as well as the economy of the central Japan, where the company is based.

In 2013, Toyota aimed to produce a record 10.12 million vehicles, after it overtook General Motors in 2012 to regain the title of world’s biggest automaker.

The company built 9.3 million vehicles between January and November, with Japanese media saying it was on target to become the first automaker in the world to build more than 10 million units in a year.

Toyota, whose group includes small-vehicle maker Daihatsu and truck producer Hino, will make the 2014 annual production target official by the end of the month, the Asahi said.

The consumption tax hike is expected to lower Toyota’s annual production by 10,000 units. The Japanese auto sector as a whole was likely to reduce production by 20,000 to 30,000 units due to the tax hike, the Asahi added. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Distinguishing individual intelligence profile Recognise your unique intelligence profile and learning style using Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences learn in ways that are identifiably distinctive. The broad spectrum of students - and perhaps the society as a whole - would be better served if disciplines could be presented in a numbers of ways and learning could be assessed through a variety of means.”

Take the multiple intelligences test on the right to find your intelligence type and career prospects.

The seven learning styles originally presented by him are:

n Ahsan Sajid IQ tests are not always a faithful reflection of a person. They work better for some people than for others simply because some people are better with words and logic, not because they are more intelligent. There are many such individuals at any workplace who are extremely good at what they do, but their IQ is possibly quite low because words and logic are not their strong suit.

History of the IQ test

Intelligence testing started in the late 19th century in Paris where Alfred Binet developed a test designed to identify children with special educational needs. His approach of measuring intelligence was rapidly adapted across

the world and schools began testing children, designing their curriculum around the children’s IQ. Almost a century later in the 1970s, a Harvard professor of education, Howard Gardner questioned the traditional definition of intelligence on which the IQ test was based. He proposed that people had many other gifts and talents that weren’t reflected in the traditional ideals of intelligence. He created a model based on a variety of sources – neurophysiological research, studies with autistic people, geniuses and protégés.

In 1983, Howard Gardner published Frames of Mind, which suggested seven different types of intelligence – linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinesthetic, spatial-visual, interpersonal and intrapersonal. His mul-

tiple intelligences theory is a well-established model for understanding the many ways in which human intelligence works.

The multiple intelligences

According to Gardner, his theory “challenge[s] an educational system that assumes that everyone can learn the same materials in the same way and that a uniform, universal measure suffices to test student learning. Indeed, as currently constituted, our educational system is heavily biased toward linguistic modes of instruction and assessment and, to a somewhat lesser degree, toward logical-quantitative modes as well.”

He further argues that “[a] contrasting set of assumptions is more likely to be educationally effective. Students

Linguistic: These learners are good at using words effectively. They have highly developed auditory skills and often think in words. They like reading, playing word games, making up poetry or stories. They can be taught by encouraging them to say and see words, read books together.

Logical–Mathematical: They are particularly proficient at reasoning and calculating; these learners think conceptually, abstractly and are able to see and explore patterns and relationships.

They like to experiment, solve puzzles and ask questions. They feel a need to learn and form concepts before they can deal with details.

Musical: These learners show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. They love music and are also sensitive to sounds in their environments. They may study better with music in the background.

Bodily–kinesthetic: They use the body effectively, like a dancer or a surgeon.

These learners have a keen sense of body awareness. They like movement, making things by hand, touching etc.

They communicate well through body language and can be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning, acting out, role playing etc.

Spatial-visual: These learners think in terms of physical space, as do architects and sailors. They are very aware of their environments and like to draw, do jigsaw puzzles, read maps etc. They can be taught through drawings, verbal and physical imagery.

Interpersonal: These learners are great at understanding and interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others and street smarts. They can be taught through group activities, seminars, dialogues etc.

Intrapersonal: These learners have a keen understanding their own interests and goals. They tend to shy away from others and are in tune with their inner feelings; they have wisdom, intuition and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions. l

How to manage the four major causes of stress n Career Desk A keen understanding of the four different types of stress that people deal with, according to Karl Albrecht, is one’s ideal prescription for health and success. A management consultant and conference speaker who pioneered the development of stress reduction training for businesspeople, Karl Albrecht defined the four types of stress in his 1979 book, Stress and the Manager, as – time stress, anticipatory stress, situational stress and encounter stress.

Psychologist Patrick McGrath explains stress occurs when “an environmental situation is perceived as presenting a demand that threatens to exceed the person’s capabilities and resources for meeting it, under conditions where he expects a substantial differential in the rewards and costs from meeting the demand versus not meeting it.” Fritz Perls in Gestalt Therapy Verbatim had described a more general definition: “a manifestation of thinking about the future.” According to him, anxiety is created by focusing attention away from the present. It is created by expectations of the future-the tension between the now and the later.

Imagine one of those busy workdays when you don’t even have time to check the new texts you’ve been getting alerts for all day. Your boss has called a last minute meeting before letting everyone off, and you feel so agitated you cannot even make eye contact with anyone, let alone participate in the meeting. Take a ten minute walk outside and the meeting suddenly becomes more manageable. No matter how one defines stress, we all face it at work, and our success eventually depends on how well we are able to deal with it.

Time Stress

Time stress is experienced when one worries about time, or rather, the lack of it. Time stressors worry about the

number of things that they have to do, and constantly fear that they won’t have time to achieve something important, or simply forget about them.

These types of stressors commonly feel trapped, unhappy, or even hopeless.

Time stress is the most common type of stress and it is essential to learn how to manage this type of stress if you’re going to work productively in a busy organisation. To battle this kind of stress, one needs to learn good time management skills, get used to employing to-do lists, and set goals and make action plans. It’s also important to get used to prioritizing day-to-day tasks.

Anticipatory Stress

Anticipatory stress is stress that is experience concerning the future. It is often focused on a specific event, such as an upcoming public speaking engagement that one might have. However, anticipatory stress can also be indistinct and indeterminate, such as an overall sense of dread about the future, or a nagging sensation that “something will go wrong.”

Because anticipatory stress is future based, to manage it one needs to start by recognising that the event one is dreading doesn’t have to play out as imagined. This type of stress commonly results from a lack of confidence and can be countered by focusing on the present instead of dreading the future.

Addressing fears directly can also lower one’s stress.

become self-aware, or be able to recognise the physical and emotional signals that the body exhibits when under pressure. Since conflict is the biggest cause of situational stress, one needs to pick up conflict resolution skills to better handle it. It also pays to be able to manage one’s emotions and think on one’s feet.

Encounter Stress

Encounter stress is caused by people.

You may not like a person, or a group of people, or you may feel unsafe around them – whatever the reason, you experience this stress when they are around. Encounter stress can also occur if your role involves a lot of personal interactions with customers or clients, especially if those groups are

in distress (for example, doctors, social workers, counselors etc.)

Since encounter stress is caused by people, one will manage this type of stress better by working on one’s people skills. A good place to start is to develop greater emotional intelligence .

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise the emotions, wants, and needs of yourself and of others. This is an important skill in interacting with others and in building good relationships.

A common symptom of encounter stress is getting grumpy in your interactions. When this symptom manifests, do whatever you can to take a break. Take a break, go for a walk, drink water, and relax before talking to the next person. l

Multiple Intelligence Test

Based on Gardner's model and adapted from businessballs.com Score the following statements: 1 = Mostly Disagree, 2 = Slightly Disagree, 3 = Slightly Agree, 4 = Mostly Agree Score the statements in the white-out boxes only

n Add the scores or ticks in each column and write the total for each column in the boxes on the right. n Your highest scores indicate your natural strengths and potential - your natural intelligences. n There are no right or wrong answers. n We are most successful when we learn, develop and work in ways that make the best use of our natural intelligences. Focus on learning and work will be most rewarding for you.

Intelligence type Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Musical Bodily-Kinesthetic Spatial-Visual Interpersonal Intrapersonal Intelligence type Linguistic Logical Mathematical Musical

Bodily-Kinesthetic Spatial-Visual

Situational Stress

One experiences situational stress when one is in a situation with little or no control over its outcome. Generally, it’s a situation that involves conflict, or a loss of acceptance in one’s immediate peer group. For instance, making a mistake in front of a big team can cause situational stress.

Situational stress is sudden and not anticipated. To manage situational stress better, one needs to learn to

Score

I like to learn more about myself I can play a musical instrument I find it easiest to solve problems when I am doing something physical I often have a song or piece of music in my head I find budgeting and managing my money easy I find it easy to make up stories I have always been physically well co-ordinated When talking to someone, I tend to listen to the words they use not just what they mean I enjoy crosswords, word searches or other word puzzles I don’t like ambiguity, I like things to be clear I enjoy logic puzzles such as 'sudoku' I like to meditate Music is very important to me I am a convincing liar I play a sport or dance I am very interested in psychometrics (personality testing) and IQ tests People behaving irrationally annoy me I find that the music that appeals to me is often based on how I feel emotionally I am a very social person and like being with other people I like to be systematic and thorough I find graphs and charts easy to understand I can throw things well - darts, skimming pebbles, frisbees, etc I find it easy to remember quotes or phrases I can always recognise places that I have been before, even when I was very young I enjoy a wide variety of musical styles When I am concentrating I tend to doodle I could manipulate people if I choose to I can predict my feelings and behaviours in certain situations fairly accurately I find mental arithmetic easy I can identify most sounds without seeing what causes them At school one of my favourite subjects is / was English I like to think through a problem carefully, considering all the consequences I enjoy debates and discussions I love adrenaline sports and scary rides I enjoy individual sports best I care about how those around me feel My house is full of pictures and photographs I enjoy and am good at making things - I'm good with my hands I like having music on in the background I find it easy to remember telephone numbers I set myself goals and plans for the future I am a very tactile person I can tell easily whether someone likes me or dislikes me I can easily imagine how an object would look from another perspective I never use instructions for flat-pack furniture I find it easy to talk to new people To learn something new, I need to just get on and try it I often see clear images when I close my eyes I don’t use my fingers when I count I often talk to myself – out loud or in my head At school I loved / love music lessons When I am abroad, I find it easy to pick up the basics of another language I find ball games easy and enjoyable My favourite subject at school is / was maths I always know how I am feeling I am realistic about my strengths and weaknesses I keep a diary I am very aware of other people’s body language My favourite subject at school was / is art I find pleasure in reading I can read a map easily It upsets me to see someone cry and not be able to help I am good at solving disputes between others I have always dreamed of being a musician or singer I prefer team sports Singing makes me feel happy I never get lost when I am on my own in a new place If I am learning how to do something, I like to see drawings and diagrams of how it works I am happy spending time alone My friends always come to me for emotional support and advice

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

Career possibilities Writer, lawyer, journalist, trainer, English teacher, poet, linguist, translator, PR/media consultant, TV/radio presenter Scientist, engineer, accountant, statistician, researcher, analyst, banker, insurance broker, deal-maker, trouble-shooter, director Musician, composer, DJ, music producer, piano tuner, acoustic engineer, environment and noise advisor, voice coach Dancer, actor, athlete, soldier, fire-fighter, performance artiste, fisherman, driver, gardener, chef, acupuncturist, healer, adventurer Artist, designer, cartoonist, story-boarder, architect, photographer, sculptor, town-planner, visionary, inventor, engineer, cosmetics and beauty consultant Therapist, HR professional, mediator, leader, counselor, politician, educator, clergy, psychologist, teacher, doctor, healer, organiser, carer, advertising professional, coach, mentor Arguably anyone who is self-aware and involved in the process of changing personal thoughts, beliefs and behaviour in relation to their situation, other people, their purpose and aims

Your totals

Preferred learning style Words and language Numbers and logic

Music, sounds and rhythm Physical experience and movement, touch and feel Pictures, shapes, images

Human contact, communications, teamwork Self-reflection, self-discovery