January 16, 2014

Magh 3, 1420 Rabiul Awal 14, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 292

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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9 | RAHUL GANDHI AS PM CANDIDATE

Khaleda softens stance, backs off from vigorous programmes Says her party does not believe in violence and confrontation n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP chief Khaleda Zia softened her stance on the anti-government campaign apparently to give a positive impression of the 18-party alliance to people and the international community.

After a nerve-racking street agitation for two and a half months, Khaleda yesterday announced a series of fresh programmes, including demonstration and procession, much to the relief of the common mass.

Scores of people were killed, some of them burnt alive, while hundreds of others received injuries in violent street skirmishes across the country over the past couple of months.

At a press conference yesterday, Khaleda called the government illegal and urged it to hold talks to reach a consensus to resolve the political dispute.

Khaleda, who has failed to unseat the Awami League government through movement that claimed lives of many people, called for peaceful agitation programmes, saying her party did not believe in violence and confrontation.

Having exhausted all kinds of deadly and violent protests, the former premier announced that they would hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 20 to thank people for boycotting the January 5 poll.

She also announced a demonstration and a black flag procession on January 29, the day when the first session

HC orders testing of all Pran spices n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday asked the authorities concerned to test all varieties of spices produced by the Pran Agro Limited to find out if they contained ingredients harmful for public health.

The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani passed the order in response to a writ petition lodged by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The court asked the chairman of Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and the director of the chemical testing wing of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) to collect necessary samples within 48 hours from different market places for testing.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

INSIDE Business

B1 While the law says the ministry is the authority to approve 3G tariff proposals, the BTCL gave the approvals for the private mobile phone operators.

News

5 Even after 17 years of its inception, Dhaka Mohanagar Mohila College is yet to establish itself as a strong educational institute.

News

11 Last year was an interesting one for Bangladesh.

Political turbulence, strikes, intolerance and stubbornness dented the economic potential of the country.

Entertainment

12 Dhaka International Film Festival: Sixteen films will be screened today.

13 | CENTRAL IN COMMAND

Police trying to cover up Rishipara raping

Investigation reveals five, not two, were raped on January 8 morning medical examinations of the two comn Emran Hossain from Jessore plainants, significantly reducing the Jessore police have turned the gang raping of at least five Dalit women into stories of two ordinary rapes, trying to bury a part of the spate of post-election violence against minority people, investigation reveals.

Evidence suggests that police tried to bury the incidents altogether until the matter was revealed in the media in the early hours of January 8 – two days after the rapes at Rishipara of Monirampur in Jessore.

The local police also allegedly influenced the stories of the victims in two cases filed, making them sound like ordinary incidents of rape. The three other victims mysteriously changed their previous statements and are now denying to have been raped.

The police took three days to have

chances of finding any evidence at all, which ultimately led to the conclusion that there had been no rape.

However, contradictions in the first information reports (FIRs) filed by the two victims, video footage recorded by local journalists and statements of witnesses still substantiate that at least five women of the families of two neighbouring brothers were raped on the same night.

The victims are the wives of the two brothers, their daughters, and a daughter-in-law.

“We decided to leave the village and not to file any case as we barely have a hand-to-mouth existence and cannotbear the cost of running a case,” said the husband of a victim.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

‘Rape was revenge for voting’ Hossain, back from n Emran Jessore BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia addresses party leaders in a press conference yesterday, held in Westin Hotel in the capital’s Gulshan. This was the first press conference of the party after the recent parliamentary election which they boycotted SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN of the 10th parliament starts.

Khaleda came up with the announcements at a press conference at the Westin Hotel in the capital 10 days after the parliamentary election, which her alliance

boycotted demanding elections under a non-partisan interim government.

She said she along with her party colleagues would tour the country.

A number of senior leaders, who

Jamaat-Shibir runs on smuggling money Jamil Khan, back n Mohammad from Shibganj On a foggy winter morning of January 2 this correspondent slung a pretty big rucksack on his back and set off for Kansat from Chapainawabganj city in a hired auto-rickshaw.

It was a one and a half hours of journey to Kansat. Noticing a big luggage the driver of the rickshaw inquisitively asked me if I wanted to go to the other side of the border meaning India.

The young lanky driver got a negative reply but did not give in as he could not think of a person who could venture out to visit a place at a time when political unrest and violence gripped the area. Moreover, the big luggage grew more suspicion in him.

Habibullah, the auto-rickshaw driver, insisted that he could arrange everything for this correspondent so that he could safely go to the other side of the border. Eventually I had to give in in fear of being exposed that I was a journalists.

He pulled over at Shyampur Bazar and took me to a two-storey building nestled just next to the bazar. Out came a man in his 30s with a suntanned face.

His confident demeanour bears the testimony of his all-round skill.

His name is Fazlu who gave a scary picture of the area saying that the border was under tight security and if I wanted to cross it I had to pay not less than Tk2, 500.

Somehow I managed to say good  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

have been in hiding, attended the crowded press conference but party’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was not present.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The first question the rapists asked before storming into the homes of two neighbouring brothers and gang raping their wives, two daughters and a daughter-in-law was: “Did you vote?

Who did you vote for in the election?”

The victims, who could barely guess from this question what awaited their fate, and replied at once in the negative.

The houses were a few hundred yards away from the periphery of Hrishipara in Monirampur’s Haridashkati union.

Chairman of the union Niranjan Prosad Biswas believes the incident is related to the national election as 95% of about 750 voters in the Hrishipara are known to be Awami League supporters.

In the first three hours, after the voting began on January 5, about 200 votes were already cast at the Katakhali  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, January 16, 2014

AL: Nation wanted Khaleda to apologise for violence n Emran Hossain Shaikh The Awami League yesterday said the nation had “expected an apology” from BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia during her press conference for the recent activities by the members of her party across the country.

“They set fire to vehicles and burnt people and even declared a war against environment. We thought Khaleda Zia would apologise for such activities, but she did not,” said AL Publicity and Publications Secretary Hasan Mahmud.

“Instead, she defended these activities and accused others,” he said at a press conference at the party’s Dhanmondi office yesterday evening.

On the BNP chief’s demand for a po-

litical dialogue, Hasan said they would take such initiatives if the BNP stopped violence and cut ties with Jamaat-e-Islami.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had addressed the media at the Westin Hotel in the capital earlier in the evening.

Hasan accused the BNP and its allies of attacking minority communities before and after the January 5 poll.

He claimed that those who had been arrested for attacking the minority communities were BNP and Jamaat activists.

Awami League central leaders Abdul Mannan Khan, Abdus Sobhan Golap, Afzal Hossain and Mrinal Kanti Das, among others, were present at the press briefing. l

Matia’s rival expelled n Tribune Report Badiuzzaman Badsha, vice-president of Bangladesh Krishak League, was allegedly expelled from the party on Tuesday.

A party press release, signed by its president and secretary, said Badsha had been expelled as per party constitution for being an independent candidate against the party’s consent.

Bangladesh Krishak League Secretary Khandaker Shamsul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune: “He [Badsha] had violated the party constitution by contesting the election against our mother organisation’s [Awami League] candidate.

This is why we have expelled him.”

Party President Motahar Hossain Molla claimed that Badsha was a student with Madrasa background and had ties with Jamaat.

Badsha contested as an independent candidate against Awami League Presidium member Matia Chowdhury in the 10th national election.

Badsha however claimed that an announcement written on the official pad of the Krishak League president and secretary cannot make an expulsion effective. The approval of a central meeting and the consent of the Awami League President Sheikh Hasina were also required for an effective expulsion, he added. l

2 top bureaucrats get office n Mohosinul Karim Molla Waheeduzzaman, senior secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, was made chairman of the Privatisation Commission.

Abdus Sobhan Sikder, senior secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune that Waheeduzzaman has been appointed with the status of a state minister.

Waheeduzzaman, who was on a three-year contractual appointment till January 17, will replace the com-

mission’s incumbent chairman Mirza Abdul Jalil, a former bureaucrat and Bangladesh Awami League’s advisory council member and leader of Awami Krishak League.

Golam Rabbani, director general of the Department of Environment, has been appointed as the acting secretary to the Local Government Division.

The Public Administration Ministry yesterday issued a gazette notification appointing the additional secretary to the division’s acting secretary.l

BNP central committee leaders at the party’s press conference yesterday in Gulshan’s Westin Hotel in the capital

29 bombs found Mozena meets foreign ministry bosses near BTV n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Kailash Sarkar n

At least 29 crude bombs and a pistol magazine were found abandoned near the Bangladesh Television Centre in Rampura, last morning.

A traffic police sergeant first noticed a bag left abandoned on the road island on Rampura Bridge near the BTV Centre around 9am. The bombs and the magazine were found inside the bag.

After discovering the weapons the bag was handed over to Rampura police station. Police could not ascertain who had left them there or deduce any possible motives.

Ripa Sindhu Bala, the officer-in-charge of Rampura police station, said: “Criminals might have left the bag either as a part of an attempt at a subversive act or they were forced to leave it there in order to get past law enforcers.”l

Jamaat-Shibir runs on smuggling money  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

bye to him saying that being a student I did not have that much money. Later I came to know that a large section of people in the area are involved in illegal border-trespassing and smuggling.

Contacted, Abdur Razzak, Inspector (investigation) of Shibganj police station, said people of the area are mainly engaged in mango farming during the summer season but at other times they either idle away their times or are involved in illegal trans-border business.

“You never find anyone involved in clash or violence during the mango season but it is something different at other times. People in the bordering area are so impoverished that they do everything even for a piece of chapatti and a plate of lentil.

“We have arrested some people and seized several vehicles used in drug smuggling,” Inspector Razzak continued pointing to some trucks and ve-

hicles on police station premises that were seized during smuggling.

What was most surprising to this correspondent was that Modasser Ali, a Jamaat leader, Golam Azam, secretary general of Upazila Jamaat unit and Kibria operate a smuggling racket in the area, said police and locals in return for anonymity. They smuggle Phensydle, hemp and others Indian items into the country, they said.

About the funding of Jamaat-Shibir Abdur Razzak said members of the Islamist outfit mainly collect money from drug smuggling to run their political activities in the area.

Contacted Modasser said he used to operate a mobile cell phone shop at Shibganj Bazar and during that time he brought best quality items from India.

“I have a trade license. The ruling party men vandalised my shop and since then it has remained closed.”

In the course of conversation Modas-

ser denied being involved in smuggling.

However, people in the area said Modasser provide fund to Jamaat-Shibir to operate their political activities.

When asked, Modasser said he did not need to finance anybody. “People love me and they follow my instruction.”

Almost similar reply came from Azam, another Jamaat leaders, who said they mainly cultivate mango and tomato. They have no time to smuggle things into the country.

AKM Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shibganj police station, said that smuggling was not a new trend in the area. “We are working on it and a number of illegal shipment has already been recovered in a couple of months.

Rab-5 Lieutenant Colonel Anwar Latif Khan of Shibganj said members of the elite force are active and a large quantity of drugs had been seized in recent drives. l

Khaleda softens stance, backs off  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

Khaleda alleged that the “Awami farce” in the name of an election once again proved the necessity of holding elections under a non-partisan interim government. “It has proved that national polls cannot be free, fair and neutral under a partisan government.”

She thanked people for “rejecting the poll,” saying not even 5% people cast votes while the Election Commission nudged it to 40%.

Stressing a peaceful movement, Khaleda said: “We do not believe in violence and confrontation. We want to do politics peacefully and in a democratic way.”

When the BNP briefed diplomats of 34 countries recently they urged her to shun violent political programmes such as blockades and hartals.

Expressing her firm determination to continue the movement, she yesterday said: “This movement is not for going to power, rather for democracy…and the victory is just a matter of time.”

Khaleda claimed that the big achievement of the movement was that the Awami League formed the government without public endorsement calling it illegitimate and undemocratic.

The BNP chief said around 200 lead-

ers and activists had been killed since the announcement of election schedule, at least 22 on the election day.

During a good part of her 40-minute briefing, Khaleda spoke on her party’s future plans if voted to power. The future election manifesto apparently aimed at pleasing all parties.

Khaleda promised to honour properly Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and ensure education and jobs for women.

The BNP supported Hefazat-e-Islam, which placed 13-point demands that took stand against women’s liberty.

In the 40-minute speech, Khaleda alleged that attacks on Hindus had been launched in different parts of the country to divert people’s attention from the “farcical poll” and called upon party leaders and activists to build up strong resistance in the attack-prone areas. She demanded fair investigation into those incidents and punishment to the culprits and compensation to the victims.

“If steps are not taken to ensure trial of those criminals, it will be done through forming a judicial probe body and, if necessary, the UN’s human rights organisation would be tasked to identify the criminals.”

Urging the government for talks to re-

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

solve the prevailing political crisis, Khaleda said there was no alternative to an election under a non-partisan government to bring normalcy, peace and stability.

Tagging a set of conditions for talks, Khaleda asked the government to create an atmosphere for talks and compromise, stop harassing 18-party men, withdraw false cases and lift restriction on political programmes, rallies and the media.

Unusual to her nature, this time she entertained questions from the media, saying she would talk to them from time to time. Asked if her party received any proposal for talks, the BNP chief said they were yet to get it.

In response to the prime minister’s comment that the BNP lost everything by boycotting the poll, Khaleda said: “We did not lose anything; rather it was the ruling party that lost everything as they became isolated from people.”

On the Awami League’s call to cut ties with Jamaat, she said: “In 1986 the Awami League formed alliance with Jamaat and took part in the general election.”

When Khaleda came out of the Westin Hotel a number of angry activists of the BNP chanted slogans against the senior party leaders for their hiding and staying off the streets during party programmes. l

Meanwhile, Alam will brief the foreign diplomats on the recent political developments and election today, said a diplomat. He will explain what the prime minister said after the swearing-in ceremony.

The prime minister on Sunday told reporters that her government wanted to create a national consensus in a bid to save public life and property, ensure security to the minorities, stop political vengeance and maintain political activities without violent activities. l

The US Ambassador to Dhaka Dan W Mozena had two hours of separate meetings with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque.

The contents of their discussions were not known despite several attempts.

However, the US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Marie Harf at a press briefing on Monday said Wash-

ington would work with the new government but had concerns about the election.

“We obviously work with governments who are elected, but in regards to these elections themselves, we have already made clear our disappointment with the polls, which in our view did not credibly reflect the will of the Bangladeshi people since almost all of the seats of the new parliament weren’t contested or had only token opposition,” she said.

HC orders

‘Rape was revenge for voting’

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

It directed them to submit the test reports within four weeks.

The High Court also issued a ruling upon the health and food secretaries, inspector general of police, RAB director general, BSTI DG, BCSIR chairman and director of the BSTI chemical testing wing, asking why their inaction in taking any step in this regard should not be declared illegal.

It also sought reply in two weeks as to why the court should not direct them to test spices of other companies to identify harmful ingredients, if any.

Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid contended for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Mokleshur Rahman represented the government. l

polling centre before BNP-Jamaat men bombed the centre, forcing the authorities to suspend voting, he said.

Two of the women raped were under 18 and did not even have the right to vote.

They were raped on their veranda, mother listening to the cries of daughter, daughter thinking about the life of his husband held hostage at gun point, and the husband unable to move, so that they let his wife live.

One of the families now lives in Panchkari village in the house of their in-laws. One has taken shelter inside the village.

As hope fades away for the victims who were threatened out of their homes, the morning following the

rape, dried yellow leaves are piling up gradually covering the tiny abandoned thatched huts.

“Leave the land and do not come back here ever. If you tell anyone about this, your blood will flood this place,” said one of the rapists.

There is hardly any chance for the victims to get back to their place, separated only by a small paddy field from the nearby village called Bhomorda, locally known as ‘Pakistan.’

People of Bhomorda were the first in the country to raise a platform for the release of death row convict war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee.

One of the victims believes attackers footsteps could still be traced on the isle leading to Bhomorda through the paddy field. l

Police trying to cover up Rishipara raping  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

The victims are Dalits,members of the Rishi community, who are cobblers by profession and are socially considered at the lowesttier in the Hindu caste system –the “untouchables.”

Neighbours suspect when one of the families left the area with all their belongings the morning following the rape, the other took shelter in a date orchard near Rishiparawhere they had bought three kathas of land.

The Rishiparaincident took place three days after some 300 families of Malopara village of Abhaynagarhad been driven away by the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing IslamiChhatraShibir and their key ally BNP. “The question is whether the rapestook place at all. Does a husband lie with his wife the next day she was raped?” saidMonirampurpolice station’s Officer-in-Charge Mir Rezaul Hossain in his first reaction to a question asked by thisreporter about the rape.

Rezaul went on speaking in the same manner at his office on January 14 evening, claiming that those women had come up with the stories of rape for getting money or aid.

“Rape is not a matter for them [Dalits]. Theydo not hold it [having sex] in high regard like us. They can compromise their honour for anything, for mere fun!

“They make a mountain out of a molehill. They lie a lot,” Rezaul said.

The OC insisted that the number of rape victims – three – as mentioned in the FIRs was not true and it would be two, and that too was “highly doubtful.”

The Dhaka Tribune has copies of the FIRs filed by two rape victims – one of

the daughters and the daughter-in-law, who mentionedthe name of a third victim.

The half-page FIRssound incomplete, only describingthat seven to eight masked men stormed into their houses around 1:30am and 2:30am on Wednesday andthat only one of them raped the complainants. The other members of the group held the family members hostagesfor an hour.

The name of a fourth rape victim appears in the statement ofAshutoshMandal, a member of the Village Defence Police posted in the area. He told the Dhaka Tribune thathehad encountered the family while they were leaving the village the next morning.

Video footage recorded during a visit to the area by two local journalists on January 9, a copy of which is available with the Dhaka Tribune, shows the fifth victim.

“I addressed them as my sons and begged for not dishonouring me, but they defiled me!” criesone of the mothersin the footage.The husband of a victim is seen saying: “They entered the house one after another.”

Ashutosh said: “I heard three men raped…[name withheld].”

He confirmed that the Monirampurupazila nirbahi officerhad been informed by Union Parishad Member Afzal Hossain around 3:30pm on Wednesday.

“Police visited the area twice that evening,” said Govinda Das, one of the youths who have been guarding the area at night since the incident.

OC Rezaul, however, claimed that he had not learnt the matter until Thursday evening, a statement that contradictsthat of the district’s Police Superintendent Joy DevBhadra, who

told the Dhaka Tribune: “We came to know about it in the evening of January 8 [Wednesday].”

A local journalist said police had forced the two complainants to lodge stories of being raped by a single man in the case as a case of a gang rape would have caused further backlash against the law enforcers’ failure to protect Hindus.

“But they could not hide it entirely as the media had already interviewed some of the victims,” said a journalist.

According to the two complainants, they had not been taken to the police station until Thursday night, and had their tests done two days later – on Saturday morning.

Jessore General Hospital Superintendent Yakub Ali and several forensic experts told the Dhaka Tribune that the chances of finding rape evidence in the body of a victim were slim after 24 hours, especially in case ofmarried women.

The Dhaka Tribune has copies of the medical tests that found no proof of rape.

The case could have been proved in another way – byexamining the victims’ clothes they were wearing during the violence. But police appear not to have even given it a thought.

“I donot see any hope because of the role police are playing,” said Niranjan Prasad Biswas, chairman of Haridaskathi union.

Police have arrested two people who are not even suspected by the victims.

The four suspected by victims are still at large.

Although the police claim that the two arresteesare activists of the BNP and Jamaat, the one identified as a Jamaat activist is known as a supporter of the Awami League in the area. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Security blanket ahead of re-poll n Emran Hossain, from Jessore With re-election due to be held today, a security blanket has covered the Jessore 5 constituency where voting had to be suspended in as many as 60 polling centres on election day, January 5, because of violence allegedly by Jamaat-e-Islami and its key ally BNP. During the national poll, authorities were forced to cancel voting in almost half of the total 122 polling centres in Monirampur, where Jamaat had been staging massive violence since its war criminal leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death on February 28 last year.

According to the district’s Returning Officer Mustafizur Rahman, each centre will be guarded by 15 armed policemen and 10 members of Border Guard Bangladesh. The streets would also be patrolled by 500 police personnel, 600 BGB, 150 members of Rapid Action Battalion and 350 army men during the voting hours between 8am and 4pm.

A mobile court led by a magistrate will also be patrolling each of the 26 zones the electoral area has been divided into.

Starting from the early hours of January 5, the 10th national election saw massive violence in the area as JamaatShibir-BNP men bombed polling centres, attacked election officials, law enforcers, snatched voting equipments and torched polling centres.

On that day, the deployment of only two armed policemen and a single member of Ansar at each of the polling centres identified as “important” by the Election Commission – proved to be inadequate, as in some cases army had to intervene

to rescue election officials being attacked by opposition activists. The chaos left one killed from police firing and over 50 election officials injured.

The situation appears to have calmed down significantly as joint forces cracked down on miscreants behind the violence and have so far arrested about 300 Jamaat-Shibir-BNP men, including Jessore BNP President Iqbal Hossain and three union parishad chairmen.

Jessore has been under media spotlight since the election day as a spate of violence on minority people followed the voting, further displaying the dominance of the opposition in many of its areas.

There are speculations about a possible low turnout of the 50,000 voters from minority communities who live in the 249 villages of Monirampur. Concerns have grown stronger with the latest incident of repression taking place in the district’s Hazrail village’s Hrishipara on the early hours of January 8.

On January 31 last year, a policeman was killed in an attack allegedly by Jamaat during a countrywide shutdown; while on March 22, a brick field worker was killed and about 50 people were injured when Jamaat-Shibir tried to prevent police from arresting a local Jamaat leader from Monirampur’s Joypur.

The incident gave rise to an inter-party clash in which AL leaders were attacked, their houses looted and burnt.

Monirampur police station’s Officerin-Charge Mir Rezzaul Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that they were all set to ensure a peaceful election and the security forces would stay in the area at least until January 18 to prevent any post-election violence. l

Eight BNP men charged in Lalmonirhat attack n Tribune Report

Awami League supporters greet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after she visited Tungipara yesterday to inaugurate the Upazila Parishad Bhaban PMO

Yusuf excused from personal appearance Jamaat activist killed n Udisa Islam

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday excused Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer AKM Yusuf from physical presence in the tribunal during the proceedings in the war crimes case against him after a plea.

The defence appealed that it was difficult for him to move from Kashimpur jail to the tribunal and while authorities were taking him to Dhaka Central jail in this cold weather he became more ill.

Defence counsel Mizanul Islam submitted two petitions before the tribunal and said his client had already caught a cold and had been suffering from different old age ailments. Yusuf, now 87, was standing at the docks.

Referring to the rules of proceedings, the defence counsel further said Yusuf could not hear anything of the trial, so his presence was of no help. The tribunal asked prosecutors about their position

and the conducting Prosecutor Zahid Imam said the prosecution had nothing to say about the matter.

The second plea was about inspecting the probe report against Yusuf. The ICT act does not allow the defence to seek a copy of the probe report. So the defence wanted to peruse the report in the courtroom. Tribunal allowed the plea partially and asked the defence to inspect the report on the next day of the proceedings.

Defence Counsel Mizanul Islam then plead for an adjournment in the case against Mir Kashem Ali, saying he was feeling very sick. The prosecution was scheduled to place a new witness yesterday after the cross-examination of the last witness. Mizanul said the prosecution may begin the deposition of the next witness and he would cross examine them later. Prosecutor Sultan Mahmud opposed it saying without ending the cross examination the prosecution would

3

Thursday, January 16, 2014

not place the next witness. The tribunal then fixed today for the next witness.

After that the tribunal began recording the evidence of the 20th prosecution witness against Yusuf, Md Ezabuddin Mia, a Bangla Academy librarian. His testimony was incomplete when the tribunal adjourned the proceedings until Sunday.

When the prosecution started its deposition, the tribunal grilled the lawyers about their seizure list. Tribunal asked Prosecutor Imam to sort their documents and give only the relevant papers. AKM Saiful Islam, another prosecutor, came forward and told the tribunal to come on Sunday with a proper seizure list.

Yusuf is facing trial on 13 counts of crimes against humanity, including genocide, murders, arson attacks, abduction, torture in confinement, forced conversion of Hindu people to Islam and deportation committed at different places in Bagerhat during the Liberation War in 1971. l

in ‘shootout’ n Tribune Report An activist of Jamaat-e-Islami was killed in a shootout during a raid by law enforcers at a village in Debhata upazila of Satkhira on Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Anwarul Islam, 28, of Nangla village.

“We went to conduct a raid at Ghona village around 9:30am on information that Jamaat-Shibir men were gathering there to launch subversive activities,” said Md Mahiduzzaman, additional superintendent of Satkhira police.

The officer claimed that the gunfight ensued when Jamaat-Shibir activists hurled brick chips, crude bombs and fired guns at the police, who then fired back.

“Anwarul was found lying with a bullet wound in his leg after the gunfight, and he was declared dead after we rushed him to Satkhira Sadar Hospital,” Mahiduzzaman told reporters yesterday.

The officer also claimed that during the shootout, officer-in-charge Tarek Biswas, inspector Tanveer Hasan and three constables of Debhata police station were injured by bullets and

bomb splinters.

Police also recovered a shutter gun, six rounds of bullets, two machetes and two homemade bombs after the incident.

According to police, Anwarul was an accused in the murder cases of local Awami League leaders Abu Rayhan, Abdul Aziz and Alamgir Hossain.

Following Anwarul’s death, a mob vandalised and set fire to the residence of Naopara Union Parishad Chairman Abdul Khaleque, who is also a local Jamaat leader, at Kanta village, our Satkhira correspondent adds, quoting local villagers.

Police were deployed in the area after the attack.

Meanwhile, in separate drives at Kolaroa upazila overnight on Tuesday, law enforcers detained 10 BNP supporters. Police also arrested a Jamaat leader from Ullapara in Sirajganj.

Meanwhile, a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Islami Chhatra Shibir in Chittagong and Noakhali yesterday to protest the killing of a Shibir leader in a clash on Sunday was observed peacefully. l

Police pressed charges yesterday against eight union level activists of BNP and its associate bodies in the attack on the Hindu community of the village Satpatki Majhipara in Lalmonirhat Sadar.

The village came under attack on November 4 last year when villagers refused to pay tolls to them. The local Mohendranagar unit BNP has already expelled the accused from the party.

Of the eight, police so far has only arrested Hamidul Islam, who is now in the district jail. The others – Shaon Islam, 25, Alamgir Hossain, 25, Maznu Miah, 50, Abu Taher, 45, Badsha Miah, 45, Soleman Miah, 60, Hamidul Islam, 44, and Rabi Hossain, 24, are on the run, according to police.

During the incident, the gang ransacked and looted four Hindu families, assaulting some of them, including women and children.

The victims alleged that police were not trying to arrest the culprits and the attackers had threatened them several times to withdraw the case, our Lalmonirhat correspondent reports.

They said police did not arrest the mastermind of the attack Shaon Islam.

They had arrested Hamidul but did not seek remand for further interrogation.

Victims’ lawyer Nikhil Chandra Roy said the investigating officer did not bring any charges against attacker Lion Islam, 19, who was also in the frontline of the attack.

However, investigating officer SI Asaduzzaman said the charge sheet was submitted after thorough investigation. l

False arson story fools media n Our Correspondent, Chandpur The 50-year old farmer from Chandpur who was reported to have died from burns sustained in petrol bomb attacks, actually received the injuries in a domestic accident.

Chandpur police yesterday reconfirmed the cause of the death after visiting the victim’s residence.

Chandpur police Superintendent Amir Zafar told the Dhaka Tribune that Bachchu Pradhan had received the burns while warming himself up near a stove at his home in south Matlab upazila of Chandpur on January 6.

Later on the way to Dhaka, his relatives were advised to introduce Bachchu as a victim of a petrol bomb attack for getting better treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s burn unit, he added.

He said: “I sent south Matlab police station’s officer-in-charge to DMCH and investigating officer to the home of the deceased. They learnt that the farmer had been burnt from the stove.

“The relatives thought that Bachchu would get better attention if introduced as an arson victim.”

When Bachchu died at 6am early yesterday, media agencies portrayed the incident as a farmer falling prey to post-poll vendetta. l

High Court directs the government to protect minorities n Nazmus Sakib

Nomination papers for election to the reserved women seats begin to sell at the Awami League office in Dhanmondi yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

AL sells 209 nomination forms n Emran Hossain

Around 209 female aspirants from the ruling Awami League have collected their nomination papers in a bid to become lawmakers from the women’s reserved seats for the 10th National Parliament.

Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das told the Dhaka Tribune that the Awami League Parliamentary Party, during a meeting on Tuesday, decided to start selling the nomination papers, at Tk 25,000 each,

among aspirants from yesterday.

Candidates can collect the nomination papers from the party president’s Dhanmondi office in the capital and have to submit the forms within a stipulated time. Selling of nomination forms will continue till 17th January.

Interview of the aspirants will be held on 19th January at Ganabhaban.

Besides the 300 elected seats in the parliament, the House has additional 50 seats reserved for women. Among them, the ruling Awami League will get 40 seats.

A source within the Awami League Parliamentary Party said the recent meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban, also hinted that Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury may be re-elected as the Speaker of the parliament.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had called party lawmaker Abdul Matin Khasru to Ganabhaban and offered him the post of deputy speaker.

Khasru, however, did not show interest in the offer, said a source close to the lawmaker. l

The High Court yesterday directed the government and law enforcement agencies to take immediate measures to protect the minorities across the country.

It ruled that immediate steps be taken to protect the life, property and dignity of the minority citizens by deploying forces not only to the specified districts of Dhaka, Natore, Jessore, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Jhalokati, Tangail, Bogra, Pirojpur, Chandpur and Netrokona but also all over the country, wherever the minority citizens were vulnerable.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain also directed the IGP to submit a report within seven days as to what measures so far taken to protect the minority people and vulnerable groups, and also against those directly or indirectly responsible for the atrocities.

The ruling also said it was quite apparent that the law enforcement agencies seriously failed to protect the interest of the citizens, specially the minority community and the vulnerable groups, that prompted the court to pass the order.

Supreme Court lawyer PC Guha drew the attention of the bench by submitting the media reports that said after the 10th parliamentary poll on January 5 atrocities upon the minorities in different are-

as were still continuing.

He said none had ever got punishment in Bangladesh for making attacks on the minorities.

The court also issued a rule seeking explanation as to why it should not be directed to take immediate steps to protect the interest of minority communities and other vulnerable groups.

It also came up with the ruling as to why the citizens who were already victimised and who had lost their life, liberty, dignity, and property should not be compensated.

Home secretary, IGP, director general of Rab, deputy commissioners of the twelve districts were asked to reply within two weeks.

The High Court directed Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy to communicate the order to the respondents at once.

It also directed the relevant department to communicate the order to the respondents and the media.

The court fixed January 26 for further order on the issue.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Ainjibi Oikya Parishad held a human chain on the Supreme Court Bar Association premises protesting the attack on the minorities.

At the programme, Momtaz Uddin Mehedi, a member of central executive committee of Awami League, admitted that the government had failed to protect the minorities. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Affordable treatment for cervical cancer 5 placed on five-day remand PHOTOGRAPHER AFTAB KILLING CASE

BSMMU set to introduce high-tech Brachytherapy facilities

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

provide a more affordable option with only Tk1,000 for every round of therapy.

Cervical cancer is the most common form of cancer among Bangladeshi women, with most patients (over 80%) being diagnosed at stage II and stage III. Radiotherapy (both teletherapy and brachytherapy) is the most important modality of treatment at these stages.

Cancer specialists of the BSMMU have said Brachytheraphy can also be used for treatment of various other cancers including cancers of the prostate, head and neck, breast, gallbladder, uterus, vagina, lung, rectum and eye.

The oncology department of the BSMMU, however, will initially use this machine only for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer patients in the country are set to receive affordable treatments soon, with the introduction of hightech Brachytherapy facilities at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

A Brachytherapy machine, worth Tk2.5 crore and donated by the Indian government as a gesture of goodwill, will be inaugurated by Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran at the BSMMU oncology department today.

Brachytherapy – also known as internal radiotherapy – allows a physician to use a higher total dose of radiation to treat a smaller area and in a shorter time than is possible with external beam radiation treatment for cancer patients.

Sources at the BSMMU said although the machine is being inaugurated now, its operation will begin after at least a month’s time when the radiation source materials would arrive.

Professor Saidur Rahman, registrar of the university, credited BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Pran Gopal Datta for taking the initiative to introduce the latest cancer treatment facilities at the hospital.

Sources said the country currently has four active Brachytherapy machines – one at National Cancer Institute and three more at private hospitals (United, Delta and Khaja Yunus hospitals).

The cost of each round of Brachytherapy treatment is around Tk2,000 at the public hospital and between Tk10,000 to Tk12,000 at the private hospitals. The BSMMU would

Cold wave disrupts daily life n Abu Bakar Siddique

Two killed in gunfight with cops in Chittagong

The ongoing cold waves sweeping across the country are causing disruptions to the everyday lives of people across the country, especially those with limited means in Kurigram, Madaripur and Rajbari.

Cold spells accompanied by strong wind and heavy fog have also triggered cold-related diseases including pneumonia, asthma and respiratory complications. Children and elderly people are the worst victims of the harsh weather.

Sajid Hossain, an employee of Rajbari Sadar Hospital, said about 200 patients daily got admitted to the hospital with cold-related diseases.

However, lack of adequate machinery and overcrowding are hindering the treatment of patients at the hospital, many of whom were seen attended at the floors of hospital wards and corridors in the absence of adequate spaces.

Several patients suffering from cold complications died in the hospital in the past two weeks, sources said.

Meanwhile, dense fogs have also caused disruptions in communication in many places, especially in the waterways where several ferry operations had to be rescheduled because of lack of visibility.

The ferry service on the MawaKeurakandi route was suspended for nine hours due to the heavy fog on Tuesday night, causing hundreds of vehicles to remain stuck on both sides of the river.

Sirajul Islam, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, Mawa, said ferry services resumed after 9am yesterday after fog finally lifted.

Cold waves with dense fogs will continue for a few more days across the country, said sources at the met office.

The lowest temperature of the country yesterday was recorded at 10.7 degrees Celsius in Chuadanga while in the capital it was 14 degrees Celsius. l

n Our Correspondent, Chittagong

WEATHER

Weather to remain dry

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

Moderate to thick fog may occur over the country during night till morning, Met Office said. Night temperature may fall slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:33pm today and rises at 6:44am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 28.0 degree Celsius was recorded yesterday in Sylhet and lowest 10.7 degrees in Chuadanga. Highest and lowest temperature recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

17.7 22.6 14.7 20.4 18.2 19.2 28.0 26.0

14.0 14.3 12.4 12.8 12.5 12.0 13.9 15.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:24am 6:42am 12:08am 3:57pm 5:33pm 6:53pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Two suspects of police constable Faridul Islam killing case, were killed in a gunfight with law enforcers at Toll Road area in Chittagong city on January 15.

The deceased were identified as Rajib, 26, and Nasir, 27.

According to sources, Faridul died at Ma O Shishu Hospital in the port city after being stabbed by miscreants near the Agrabad Bank Colony area on January 14.

Halishahar police station Officer-inCharge Shahjahan Kabir said; “A team of police went to Halishahar area to arrest the murderers of the police constable and sensing the presence of the law enforcers a group of terrorists fired at them.”

Law enforcers then fired back at them which triggered a clash that lasted a few minutes, leaving the two injured.

Later, they were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where the onduty doctors declared them dead.

Three policemen also sustained injuries during the gunfight, said police sources.

According to sources, locals blocked Agrabad Access Road in Hazipara area protesting the killing of Rajib.

They claimed that Rajib was innocent.

Sultana Rozi Akhter, sister of Rajib, said he was the owner of ‘Star Mayer Doa Oil and Motor Parts’ and went out on the day to offer religious prayer on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi.

Refuting the allegation, Hasanuzzaman Molla, assistant commissioner of Double Mooring circle of Chittagong metropolitan police, told Dhaka Tribune that police found that Rajib was involved with the murder.

“Rajib was involved with the killing and we are investigating the case,” he said. l

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu In developing countries, the prevalence of cervical cancer is related to many risk factors such as early marriage, sexual activities at an early age, low socio-economic condition and high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Prof Dr Sarwar Alam, chairman and head of oncology department of the BSMMU, told the Dhaka Tribune that the cancer of the cervix is potentially preventable and curable.

Women who remain most susceptible to the development of cervical cancer are those who do not receive any screening at all, he said.

It was immensely important to have a national health policy regarding preemptive screening, diagnosing and treating of pre-cancerous condition of the cervix, Dr Alam said. l

A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed five accused on five-day remand in connection with the killing of veteran photojournalist Aftab Ahmed.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mizanur Rahman passed the order after Sub- Inspector Ahshik Ahmed of RAB 3, also investigation officer of the case, produced the accused before the court, seeking 10-day remand for interrogation.

But the court granted the five-day remand for each of the accused after hearing.

The five accused are Humayun Kabir, driver of Aftab’s car, Belal Hossain Kislu, Habib Hawlader, Raju Munshi, and Sabuj Khan.

On Sunday, RAB arrested the five from different parts of Dhaka and Gazipur for their alleged involvement with the killing of linesman Aftab Ahmed.

The RAB team first arrested Huma-

yun from the city’s Sayedabad. Later, based on his information, members of the elite forces arrested four others.

Aftab was found dead with his hands and legs tied up with ropes at his Rampura residence in the capital on December 25 last year.

Aftab, recipient of the Ekushey Padak, had captured historic moments of the Liberation War, including the surrender document signed by General Niazi for Lieutenant Jagjit Singh Aurora on December 16 in 1971.

His family claimed that he had been murdered for the stash of money which Aftab kept at his residence.

Driver Kabir, the main suspect, was on the run since the murder.

Victim’s son Monowar Ahmed filed a murder case with Rampura police station in this connection.

On January 12, the home ministry entrusted RAB for the investigation of the killing case. l

Family members of Ismail Hossain Rajib, a suspect in the police constable killing case, break down in tears at the news of his death yesterday. He was killed during a gunfight with law enforcers DHAKA TRIBUNE

RMG workers want minimum wage, Four top BNP leaders bail hearing on Dec 30 protest owners’ ‘unethical’ acts n Kailash Sarkar Workers of a readymade garment (RMG) factory on Tuesday staged daylong demonstrations in the capital’s Manda area under Mughda police station, demanding immediate implementation of the minimum wage scale fixed by the government.

During the demonstrations, the workers of Ethical Garments Factory protested against “unethical” practices of the factory owners, saying they have been deprived of their rightful payment.

According to witnesses and police, some 2,000 workers of the factory took to the streets in front of the factory

around 7:30am instead of joining work.

They paraded along the area, chanting slogans against the factory authority for dilly-dallying in implementing the minimum wage scale.

The government fixed the minimum wage at Tk5,300, which was to be implemented from December. The workers claimed that the factory owners have been paying them Tk4,200 The workers claimed that the factory owners have been paying them Tk4,200 as minimum wage, instead of

Tk5,300 as fixed by the labour ministry.

They further added that they were forced to take the streets as the factory authorities paid no heed to their repeated demand for implementation of the new wage scale.

Earlier, the government fixed the minimum wage at Tk5,300, which was to be implemented from December.

Meanwhile, Mughdah police station Officer-in-Charge Omar Faruq said the workers had been carrying out their movement over the entire month peacefully.

“We are trying for a solution through talks with the workers and the factory authorities”, he added. l

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday fixed December 30 as the date for bail hearing of four senior BNP leaders including MK Anwar, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Rafiqul Islam Mia and Shimul Biswas in two cases filed over the Hefazat-e-Islam violence in the city on May 5 last year.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Jahurul Haque set the date when defence counsel Sanaullah Miah and Taherul Islam Towhid filed petitions with the court for bail.

Of the cases, one was filed in connection with the killing of sub-inspector Md Shahjahan during a clash between law enforcers and Hefazat men

in the capital on May 5 last year.

Police filed three cases over the incident – one relating to the murder and two others in connection with vandalism and arson – with the Motijheel police station.

Earlier on December 9, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mizanur Rahman rejected the bail plea.

The defence counsel filed criminal miscellaneous case before the court against the bail rejection order.

BNP leaders Moudud, Anwar and Rafiqul were detained from in front of Sonargaon hotel on November 8 last year while Mintoo and Shimul from outside Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence a few hours later on the same day. l

Re-elections at 390 polling centres in seven seats today High Court stays re-polls in two centres in Kurigram n Mohammad Zakaria Re-elections are set to be held today at 390 polling centres in seven constituencies, which were postponed because of violence surrounding the January 5 national poll.

However, the Election Commission would not hold the re-election in two centres of Kurigram 4 because of a High Court stay order which had reached the commission, EC officials said.

The voting will start at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break.

The Election Commission has taken special security measures and deployed a large number of law enforcers in these seats for holding the polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner.

Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz said the commission had completed all preparations for holding the re-elections.

Voting at the polling stations was postponed because of widespread violence, including arson attacks, attacks on election officials and snatching of ballot papers, in the January 5 parliamentary elections.

Of the 392 polling centres in eight seats that were postponed, 57 are in Dinajpur 4, two in Kurigram 4, 54 in Gaibandha 1, 80 in Gaibandha 3, 72 in Gaibandha 4, 46 in Bogra 7, 60 in Jessore 5 and 21 centres in Lakshmipur 1

are considered by the EC to be the most vulnerable constituencies.

The commission has also deployed 30 executive and eight judicial magistrates in these constituencies for six days, EC officials said.

The EC has already announced the result of 139 of 147 parliamentary seats and published gazette for 290, except two MPs-elect from Jessore 1 and 2.

Earlier, 153 candidates were declared uncontested winners.

EC to examine statement of two Jessore MPs-elect

Ballot boxes are being taken to polling centres of Gaibandha yesterday ahead of the re-poll today constituencies. The army would stay deployed at upazila level in these constituencies till January 19.

EC officials said 43 army person-

nel would be deployed for every 10 centres, 132 police personnel for every three, 82 RAB personnel for every five and 43 BGB personnel for every 10 cen-

FOCUS BANGLA

tres as striking force.

Twenty police personnel each would also be deployed at polling centres in Jessore and Lakshmipur, which

The commission would take action against two MPs-elect from Jessore 1 and 2 after examining their replies of show cause notices.

Election Commissioner Md Shah Newaz also said the EC would hold hearing on the matter if needed.

The EC withheld the results of two Awami League lawmakers–elect for their alleged violation of electoral code of conduct.

Sheikh Afil Uddin, who was elected uncontested from Jessore 1, and Monirul Islam, who won the polls in Jessore 2, were served show cause notices in this regard.

According to the RPO, if any candidate violates the code, the commission can cancel their candidature and mete out punishment. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Thursday, January 16, 2014

DHAKA MOHANAGAR MOHILA COLLEGE

No progress in 17 years n Abu Hayat Mahmud Even after 17 years of its inception, The Dhaka Mohanagar Mohila College is yet to establish itself as a strong educational institute. Most students and even teachers complain of neglect and dereliction of duty from college administration as the main stumbling block in the progress of the institution.

Educational standards in the girls-only college have slipped consistently since it was established in 1997 by the then Dhaka City Corporation, as evidenced by its declining enrolment rate and more or less stagnant student performance.

Locals have pointed to a number of reasons restraining its development: mismanagement, inadequate infrastructure, lack of educational and other facilities and failure to attract high-performing students.

Md Imam Hossain, a resident of Laxmibazar, where the college is located, said: “The present condition of the college has something to do with the negligence of the authorities. It doesn’t attract brilliant students anymore and those coming are mainly students with poor grades.”

“I think the college should pay more attention to improving its educational standards as well as transport and accommodation facilities.”

Md Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, which is now in the custody of the institution, attributed its relative underperformance to having not enough high-performing students.

“Those enrolling for courses offered by the college are mainly students from poor backgrounds, both academically and financially. It has impacts on the its overall performance.”

When asked as to what DSCC was doing to reverse the situation, he cited fund constraints as the cause of the failure to bring out suitable infrastructural changes and said the college au-

thorities were responsible for taking care of its academic affairs.

“DSCC doesn’t directly run the institution; its management does. It only provides funds for its development.”

According to sources, the college offers education at the HSC, Honour’s and Master’s levels as well as several professional courses, and has an average yearly enrolment of 3,000 students.

The total number of its existing students was said to be 10,000 in the college website although Principal Prof Md Shazeedul Islam contradicted the figure, saying it would be around 5,000. The total number of teachers – both part-time and full-time – is 117.

More than half of the students come from places on the outskirts of Dhaka and either stay in private dormitories or lodge with relatives. The college provides only a nominal residential facility, where only 42 students live, on the top floor of Building A. The first four floors of the five-storey building as well as the first two floors of the now under-construction Building C are used for all academic and administrative purposes. Building B currently lies abandoned because of its dilapidated condition.

The construction of Building C – which is to address the shortage of classrooms and residential facilities – started in 2007 with a project value of Tk33.94 crore. The construction was suspended after the completion of second floor but resumed about six months ago.

Prof Md Shazeedul Islam, however, stressed that the college would have done better had there been more brilliant students. “Students coming here are mainly those who didn’t get the chance to get admission in other colleges and universities of the capital.”

“The average past result of most of our students is between 2.5-3.5 GPA. They are relatively less competitive.” l

Top: Garbage is piled up at the end of an alley inside the college premises. The photo taken yesterday shows some of the walls damaged, with broken concrete layers. The signboard at the entrance gate of Dhaka Mahanagar Mahila College, bottom right, states that the institution is operated by the Dhaka City Corporation, currently under DSCC . The walls of one of the buildings inside the premises are blackened with moss and missing concrete layers due to lack of maintenance and repairs from authorities NASHIRUL ISLAM

LIMON’S CASE AGAINST RAB PCJSS supporter shot in Rangamati n Our Correspondent, Rangamati

Halt in dining services famish RU students

A Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) supporter was shot on Tuesday by a group of unidentified miscreants in Kaokhali upazila of Rangmati district.

The victim was identified as Sohel Marma, 39, from Karbaripara, Kaukhali sadar upazila.

Police and local sources said a group of armed miscreants opened fired on Sohel around 8:30pm. He had sustained bullet injuries to his left leg, they added.

Sajeeb Chakma, PCJSS central unit assistant press and publication secretary, accused anti CHT-accord groups for the incident. He said Sohel might have been attacked because he worked for and supported a PCJSS candidate during the 10th parliamentary election. l

n RU Correspondent

Hearing on revision petition deferred for sixth time n Our Correspondent, Barisal A Jhalokati court yesterday deferred for the sixth time, the hearing of a revision petition lodged by Henoara Begum, mother of Limon Hossain, challenging the dismissal of the case against six Rapid Action Battalion personnel accused of maiming her son.

The deferral came after Jhalokati district Public Prosecutor Advocate Golam Rasul Mannan submitted a time petition.

Shahidullah Baqaul, district and sessions judge, accepting the prayer fixed February 27 for the next hearing on revision petition.

Protesting harassment of the prosecution by procrastinating the hearing

of the revision petition, Henoara Begum said she would continue her fight for justice against the six RAB personnel accused of attempting to murder and maiming her son.

On March 23, 2011, Limon – then a college student – was allegedly shot and maimed by the RAB at Jamaddarhat in Rajapur upazila of Jhalokati.

Following the incident, the Rajapur police station refused to accept a case

by Henoara against the six RAB personnel, but was forced to register the case on April 10, 2011, as per a court order.

The police, however, on August 14, 2012, secretly filed the final report of the case lodged by Henoara, claiming that they found no evidence and witness against RAB.

On August 30, 2012, Limon’s mother filed a “no confidence (Naraji)” against the police report.

Jhalakathi senior judicial magistrate on February 13, 2013 rejected the “no confidence” prayer.

The revision prayer against rejection of “Naraji” was lodged with Jhalakathi district and sessions judge court on March 13, 2013.

The hearing for acceptance of revision against rejection of “Naraji” was first fixed on August 13 and later on September 9, October 9, and November 27, as well as January 15, 2014.

It is mentionable that RAB on March 23, 2011 filed two cases with Rajapur police station against the teenager and seven others. l

SAKRAIN FESTIVAL

Foggy sky smiles as vibrant kites fly

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddiqui at a rally at TSC arranged on the occasion Sakrain festival DHAKA TRIBUNE

n Mohammad Jamil Khan Thousands of kites— made of red, green, blue, purple and other vibrant colours of papers— yesterday danced all over the sky in old Dhaka with thousands of people’s minds soaring up with dancing kites.

Regardless the age, gender and religion, countless people yesterday poured on every ally, climbed up on every roof to celebrate the Sakrain.

Sakrain is a festival of flying kites. On the day people soar kites; play music as loud as they want to; wear colourful dresses; visit neighbours and relatives; eat sweets and various types of handmade cakes such as Culi, Vapa and Vapapuli.

The foggy sky, the biting cold nothing could resist people to lough out loudly, to greet each other, to make fun out of ecstasy of the festivity this year.

Sounds of music were coming from alleys,

from rooftops and from the every corner of the old city.

Every year, on the first day of Magh, the 10th month of Bangla Calendar, the Hindu community of Old Dhaka observed the daylong Sakrain festival.

While asked about the origin of Sakrain festival, pastor of Shakaribazar Kali Temple Mama Sadhu (Babul) said the festival has been observed from the time remember.

Though Sakrain is a festival related to the Hindu community, nowadays, it has achieved a non-communal celebration among people. Not only that, the Sakrain is no more the festival for the dwellers of old Dhaka as thousands of people from different parts of the capital gather in Old Dhaka to celebrate the day.

The festivity that started in the morning continued until the midnight as fireworks lights the night.

Yesterday the big crowd was gathered at Babubazar-Postogola Bridge as the bridge has a ground from where people could fly kites easily.

Bishnu Chowdhury, an engineer, who was at the bridge with a kite and spool, said he enjoy the festival very much as the kite flying day reminds him of his childhood memories.

There were many more persons like Bishnu Chowdhury, who came to fly Kites.

To supply them countless kites there were hundreds of shops where traders made bonanza by selling spool and kites on the day.

The kite’s price were between Tk5 to Tk2500, and the spool’s price were Tk100 to Tk1800. l

Even after a week since the 16 residential halls of Rajshahi University (RU) reopened following the winter vacation, a dining services have remained shut, causing immense suffering to residential students.

After a 15-day winter vacation, the residential halls of the university reopened on 7th January while the institute’s regular operations resumed from 11th January.

As a result, residential students are now forced to take their meals at local restaurants in Bindpur, Kazla, Station Bazar and other nearby areas, putting extra pressure on both money and time.

‘You have to spend at least Tk50 extra a day if you take meals at these restaurants. At the same time, you

need to travel a long distance for having your meals, which is both money and time consuming,’ said Tamanna Toma, a third year student of English department and also a resident at Rokeya Hall.

Students also said the university’s central cafeteria has not resumed after the vacation, while some hall canteens had reopened. Residential students also complained that hall authorities did not make any announcement on when the dining facilities will resume.

When contacted, Mostafa Sharif Anawar, provost of Shahed Shamsuzzoha Hall and also the provost council president, told the Dhaka Tribune that the dining hall facilities could not be resumed, as half of the residential students have not returned back at their halls. He, however, said the facilities would be resumed as soon as possible. l

Two farmers assaulted by BSF n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat Two Bangladeshi farmers were assaulted when they protested the construction of a bamboo fence by Indians on the no-man’s land along the Mithaibari border area of Sree Rampur union at Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat yesterday.

BGB sources said a group of Indian nationals started constructing a bamboo fence on the no man’s land beside Pillar No. 845 in a bid to enclose their tea garden. After some Bangladeshi farmers started protesting the illegal construction, the Indians assaulted two Bangladeshi farmers and left the spot.

Later, locals rescued the victims. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Land losing fertility as brick kilns use up topsoil n Our Correspondent, Narsingdi Hundreds of acres of cultivable land in Narsingdi district are losing fertility as local brokers who work for brick kilns, and brickfield owners, are collecting topsoil of the agricultural land for making bricks.

There are at least 125 brick kilns at six upazilas in the district that need to collect earth on a regular basis from agricultural land as their brick kilns cannot provide the total amount of earth they need for making bricks.

As a result of shifting the topsoil of agricultural land the production of IrriBoro paddy and vegetables have been reduced remarkably in the area.

According to the government’s existing rule, a brick kiln cannot use more than two acres of land. But this amount of land is not enough to meet the increasing demands for the bricks.

So, to meet the boosted demand brick owners try to convince farmers to sale the topsoil of their land.

This reporter made a visit to Putia village under Sibpur upazila, Gozaria village under Polash upazila, and Mohishashura union under Narsingdi sadar where he found that workers were digging earth as farmers sold topsoil to the brokers.

Alamgir Hossain, a farmer at Gozaria, said if a farmer sells the topsoil of his agricultural land then the land faces the risk of erosion.

So, to save the land from erosion the land owner sometimes feels compelled to sell the topsoil of his land as well, he added. Bachchu, another farmer of the same village, said the roads have become dilapidated as trucks, mini trucks filled with earth ply on the road.

Md Muksed Ali, deputy director of the Department of Agricultural Extension, said after removing the topsoil of a cultivated land, the land loses its fertility and productivity.

He also added that farmers need to be aware of the risks of removing the topsoil of the land. l

Labourers load soil onto a pickup van to use it in brick kilns

Crab farming gains ground in Cox’s Bazar

Four jailed for life for killing a man n Our Correspondent, Netrakona

n

Netrakona Additional District and Session Judge Mohammad Abdul Hamid yesterday sentenced four individuals to life term imprisonment for killing a man and fined Tk20,000 each, default to one more year of imprisonment.

The convicted were Mohammad Abdur Rahaman, Moju Mia, Nuru Mia and Althu Mia, all residents of the district’s Korardhum village in Atpara upazila.

According to the case files, on July 2, 2004, the convicts killed Althu Mia, 35, (same name as one of the convicts) of the village, attacking him with sharp weapons, concerning previous enmity.

The victim’s younger brother Sobuj Mia filed a killing case with Atpara police station, accusing the convicts in this connection.

Police after inquiry had submitted the charge sheet against the convicted persons. The judge yesterday after examining the witnesses and evidence found them guilty and pronounced the verdict. l

Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

Crab farming is gaining popularity in Cox’s Bazar coastal areas as it has become a profitable business to the farmers.

More than 5,000 fishing families in eight upazilas including Moheshkhali, Chokoria, Pekua and Teknaf live on crab cultivation instead of shrimp.

According to sources, farmers earn Tk 4,00000 by cultivating crabs on 1 hectare of land.

According to locals, crabs were always available in the district but people had little idea about how to cultivate them. But increased knowledge has meant that cultivating crabs has become a profitable business.

Sangkar Barua, a crab farmer, said, “A big crab is sold at Tk 80-Tk 120.”

A lot of foreign currencies could be earned through exporting the fish to Hong Kong, China and other countries, he said.

Khagrapur cut off after bridge collapse n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari Communication between Khagrachhari and three remote hilly upazilas remained suspended as a bailey bridge collapsed in Khagrapur area under sadar upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

Abdullah Hell Baki, a traffic police member, who was on duty near the bridge, said the whole bridge collapsed with a big bang while a Dhaka-bound wood-laden truck from Dighinala upazila was crossing the bridge.

Local people rescued both truck driver and helper from the truck soon after the collapse.

Executive Engineer Mohammad Ismail said the bridge had collapsed because of its dilapidated condition, adding that they had not gone for major repairs as a concrete bridge would replace the bridge within shortest possible time.

Superintendent of Police SK Mizanur Rahman said thousands of commuters had been suffering as communication between Khagrachhari-Dghinala-Longhudu and Bagaichhari had remained suspended over the bridge collapse.

“We are trying to open alternative way to ease the sufferings of people,” he said, adding that the alternative road communication would be open within two to three hours.” l

Farmer Aman Ullah started selling crabs in local markets by buying them from fishermen. At one stage, he became interested about cultivating crabs, and within two years, had made substantial profits.

Many unemployed youths go to him in order to learn the techniques of cultivating crabs.

Farmer Suvash said, “More than 500 farmers and 8000 people earn money by catching crabs and delivering them to farmhouses.”

Earlier, farmers used to hunt crabs.

But, now they earn Tk 500- Tk 1100 per day through the cultivation.

A farmer of Teknaf upazila, Sohidullah said, “A team of 5-6 hunters catch crabs from rivers and sell them to local farmhouses.”

Cox’s Bazar District Fish Officer Ferdous Ahmed said; “If the farmers want help, they will get it.” “A report about the cultivation was sent to upazila fishery officer,” he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Price of Aman shoots up in Jhenaidah n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah The price of transplanted Aman paddy soars, making the rice price shoot up across the district.

The paddy growers termed the price profitable while the consumers said they bore the brunt of the soaring price.

The businessmen in the district attributed political unrest to the hike in price of Aman paddy.

Shamsul Huda, a government employee, said he bought fine rice known as BR 28 for Tk36 a kg while it was sold at Tk34 a few days back.

An NGO activist Jainul Abdein said he also witnessed the price hike in the rice market.

The retailers sold the Swarna variety of rice at Tk33 per kg while it was Tk31 a few days back.

Rice trader Apurba Kundu at Sailkupa market said because of frequent blockades and shutdowns, the rice-

processing factories remained closed, and freight cost went up, thus making the rice price go up.

Another rice trader Mohammad Ali in Jhenaidah town said the price of Swarna variety of paddy rose from Tk900 to Tk915 per 40kg which was around Tk820-Tk830 about a week back.

He added that the prices were unlikely to come down till harvesting the Boro paddy in next March or April.

Farmer Abul Hossain at village Bhutiargati under the Sadar upazila said they were very happy to get the bumper price of paddy.

The hike in price would encourage farmers to grow paddy in their land, he said.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension in Jhenaidah, the farmers produced 250,000 tonnes of paddy, cultivating a total of 94,030 hectares of land in six upazilas under the district in the T Aman season. l

Locals for saving schools’ land from grabbers

Locals form a human chain in front of the Awshini Kumar Hall in Barisal city yesterday, demanding steps against the people who grabbed land of two schools in the city DHAKA TRIBUNE

n Our Correspondent, Barisal People from all walks of life, including teachers and students, formed a human-chain in front of the Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barisal city yesterday, protesting grabbing of schools’ compounds by ruling party Awami League men and demanding punishment for them.

Bangladesh Krishak Federation and Bangladesh Krishani Sava organised the programme presided over by Zohra Rekha, president of Bangladesh Krishani Sava district unit.

Speakers at the programme said within a week of forming the new cabinet, ruling Awami League backed influential men illegally and forcibly

occupied land of two government primary schools located at ward 8 and 9 in the city and started constructing walls, stalls and other structures there.

Usually, children of lower income group families study at government primary schools where they face different types of problems and such encroachment by influential quarters

contribute to their woes, the speakers observed.

“The ruling party backed land grabbers, using their socio-political influences, money and muscle power grabbed our school compound,” said an agitated student.

“They also keep saying that as we are from poor families, we do not need playground, we can play on the streets.”

Some ruling party men grabbed the playground of Chawk Bazar Government Primary School on Saturday.

Local people said Bazlur Rahman alias Bazlu, a local influential connected with ruling party and AL backed Ward Councilor Harun-ur Rashid, has occupied the playground and erected walls in a bid to construct shops there.

Besides, Joynul Abedin, a local Awami League leader and ward councillor of the Barisal City Corporation has allegedly grabbed land from Bastuhara Government Primary School premises and constructed his personal offices on it.

He also threatened journalists not to visit the school, otherwise they will have to face dire consequences.

The protestors also handed over memorandums to district, upazila, land, primary education, police administration demanding immediate evictions of the land grabbers, legal actions against their illegal constructions, protecting school lands by marking and securing boundaries. l

Man confesses to killing mother, brother over cannabis smoking n Our Correspondent, Barisal

Locals visit the bailey bridge after it collapsed with a truck in Khagrapur area in Khagrachhari on Tuesday BANGLAR CHOKH

Samiron Mridha, a 35-year old man hailing from Barisal, has confessed to killing both his mother and elder brother at their Babuganj upazila residence on January 5, over a dispute surrounding his cannabis-smoking habit.

After providing a confessional statement to a Barisal court, Samiron also narrated the events to journalists at the Barisal court compound yesterday, stating that he had been working as a security guard in Dhaka since committing the murders at his family home in Uttar Dehegati Christian Para under Dehergati union.

Sub-Inspector Alamgir Hossain, investigation officer of the case, said

Magistrate Shahinur Akhtar recorded the confessional statement of Samiron yesterday under section 164 of the penal code.

On the night of January 5, Samiron was reportedly smoking cannabis at his house when his elder brother Shushil voiced his protests; prompting an intoxicated Samiron to chop Shushil to death with a sharp weapon.

Samiron also went on to hack his mother, Monika, to death after she screamed out seeing the body of her eldest son.

Later on the same night, Samiran locked the home with the bodies inside and left for Dhaka, where he later secured a job as security personnel in Royal Security Services and had been

working at Farmgate’s Sejan Market since.

Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested Samiron from the market on Monday, said Babuganj police station Officer-in-Charge Shah Alam.

The bodies of Monika Mridha, 65, and Sushil Mridha, 44, were recovered from their house on the morning of January 7 by the police, after being notified by an NGO worker who had gone to the house to collect a loan installment. Both the bodies bore hacking marks on their necks and heads.

On January 8, Savita Mridha, daughter of Monika and sister of Sushil-Samiron, lodged a murder case with Babuganj police station accusing Samiron by name as the suspected killer. l

Son plots to grab mother’s land n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur An aged mother filed a case against her son, alleging that he plotted to grab her land through forging a deed at Birganj in Dinajpur.

The 70-year-old widow Salma Bewa had received 0.75 acres of land from her late father Ajgar Ali as the only descendant.

Later, her son Nayeb Ali, 40, sought permission from his mother to live on her land. She obliged and gave him 2 decimals of land to live beside her house.

Subsequently, he started arguing with his mother regularly over small matters. And finally, he along with a local chairman, made a fake land document showing one Foijar Ali was another descendant of late Ajgar Ali. Locals said there was no person named Foijar Ali. They also added that Nayeb Ali prepared the documents from Birganj sub-registry office by using the name of an imaginary Foijar Ali to grab his mother’s land. l

10 killed in 2 days n Tribune Report Ten people were killed in five districts in the last two days. The law enforcers of Kurigram, Faridpur, Narayanganj, Rajshahi and Chandpur found the bodies but the identity of all the victims could not be determined yet.

In Kurigram, four members, including two minors, of the same family were hacked to death at village Biyadanga, Bhurungamari upazila yesterday. The deceased were Sultan Mia, 55, his wife Hajera Begum, and their granddaughters Romena and Anika. Moushumi, another granddaughter of Sultan, was admitted to Rangpur Medical Collage Hospital in a critical condition.

Mahfuzur Rahman, officer-incharge of Bhurungamari police station, said they could not ascertain the motive of the killing but they suspect that it was an act of revenge as Sultan had a connection with a killing incident happened in India. Miscreants might have come from India as Biyadanga village was very near to Indian border.

Meanwhile, a person named Sabu Kobiraj was found dead by the side of a road in Kochukata, Nageswaree in the same upazila of Kurigram on Wednesday. Police said Sabu used to fraud people over cell phone pretending to be a master of unworldly power. A murder case was filed by the younger brother of the deceased, said the police.

In Faridpur, a person was killed by the bullet of the police during a clash at village Mansurabad and a young woman was found dead at village Nishchindapur in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur yesterday.

Police said the supporters of Waheduzzaman, local influential of the BNP and Faizur Rahman, leader of the AL, locked into a clash with sharp weapons. Police opened fire and a person named Elias died on the spot.

Meanwhile, the body of a woman aged around 25 years was found in a crop field at village Nishchintapur in Bhanga upazila on Wednesday. The body bore injury marks and it was sent to morgue, said the police.

Narayanganj police recovered the body of a night guard from Shimrail intersection under Shiddhirganj police station. The deceased was Abdur Rashid, of Sherpur. Uttam Kumar Ray, sub-inspector of Shiddhirganj police station, said the cause of death could not be determined yet as there was no marks of injury in the body. They sent the body to the morgue and anticipated that the death might had been happened because of drug overdose.

In Rajshahi, a young man was beaten to death allegedly by his friends. The deceased was Ariful Islam, 28, of village of Raipara under Rajpara upazila.

Local people said they rescued Ariful from the city’s bypass area early Tuesday and admitted him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital but the attending doctor declared him dead. The doctor also said the hands and the legs of the deceased had been broken and there were several marks of injury in the body.

The family members of the deceased said two friends of Ariful took him with them on Monday night. Ariful did not return home at night and his mobile phone was seen switched off.

Rajpara police officer-in-chagre ABM Rejaul Karim said they arrested Nasim, one of the friends Ariful, from the city for his alleged involvement in the murder. The motive of the killing was not determined yet and Nasim was under police interrogation, he added.

Chandpur police recovered the body of a person named Nasir, 40, from a hotel on Wednesday. Nasir was an employee of Green Hotel but the body was found from a bathroom of Bhai Bhai Hotel in the city. Police said the body was sent to morgue and an UD case was filed. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Juris

7

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Seminal decisions by Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman

JURIS QUOTE

LAW CARTOON

DHAKA TRIBUNE

M n MD Monir

uhammad Habibur Rahman, a former chief justice of Bangladesh and the chief advisor of the non-party caretaker government in 1996, was educated in Dhaka and Oxford.

He was called to the Bar from Lincoln’s

Inn in 1959.

He served as a judge of the High Court Division (197685), as a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (1985-95), as an acting chief justice (1990-91) and as chief justice of Bangladesh (1995). His juristic competence is demonstrated in his opinions and interpretations as pronounced in many Bangladesh Supreme Court’s decisions concerning vital issues such as admiralty jurisdiction, amendment of the constitution, citizenship, habeas corpus, administrative tribunals and court jurisdictions.

The renowned personality breathed his last on Saturday, January 11 this year. Let us look into some of his celebrated decisions delivered as a judge for the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Anwar Hossain Chowdhury v Bangladesh The case was about the legality of the famous Eighth Amendment of the constitution of Bangladesh.

The constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act, 1988, was passed amending article 100 of the constitution by setting up Permanent Benches of the High Court Division outside the capital city Dhaka. The amendment was challenged by two writ petitions on the ground that the High Court division of the Supreme Court, with judicial power over the republic, is a basic structure of the constitution and cannot be altered or damaged, and therefore the impugned amendment is void. A division Bench of the High Court Division summarily dismissed the said two writ petitions. Leave was granted by the Appellate Division.

In his judgment as a judge at the Appellate Division, Justice Habibur Rahman opined: “The validity of an amendment will be examined on the touchstone of the preamble.”

In the judgment, he stated that one of the fundamental aims of our society is to secure rule of law for all citizens.

“The parliament cannot by itself amend the preamble.

It cannot indirectly, by amending a provision of the constitution, impair or destroy the fundamental aim of our society. It is contended that the impugned amendment had destroyed a basic feature of the constitution by damaging the integrity and oneness of the High Court Division, an integral part of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh,” he added.

Finally the Constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act was declared null and void by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh v Prof Ghulam Azam This is another landmark judgment delivered by Justice Habibur Rahman that clarifies quite a lot about citizenship rights. A writ petition was filed under Article 102 (2) (a) of the Constitution before the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, challenging the legality of a government notification by which the citizenship of Prof Ghulam Azam was cancelled.

In this case, Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman provided a meticulous account of the law and delivered a bold judgment without being influenced by fear or favour.

In his judgment, he said: “Citizenship, though not mentioned as a fundamental right in our constitution, is to be considered as the right of all rights as on it depends one’s right to fundamental rights expressly provided for a citizenship in Part III of the Constitution, and his right to seek the Court’s protection of those rights.

Citizenship is neither conferred by giving a passport nor is it acquired by receiving a passport. A passport is not regarded a conclusive evidence of the citizenship or the nationality of its holder.”

Hussain Hohammad Ershad v State The case involved a question of whether a criminal proceeding can be quashed on the ground of lodging a FIR by the informant under order of the home ministry or on the denial of prosecution allegations by the accused.

Justice Habibur Rahman put forward the following arguments in favour of his judgement delivered in that case: “It is contended that the arms seized were in the possession and control of the petitioner in his capacity as President and hence in view of Article 52 (1) of the Constitution there is a complete bar against any criminal prosecution against the petitioner. We find no substance in this contention. Immunity is available to the president while he is in office.

With regard to the alleged amnesty, no paper was produced before the High Court Division. No paper in this regard has been placed before us either, whether the arms in question were surrendered in response to the amnesty or recovered by law enforcement agencies is a question of fact and can only be decided at the trial.

With regard to the petitioner’s contention that he is entitled to keep the seized arms as a former president of the country, all emphasis has been laid on the size of the bore of the pistols. The question whether the seized arms satisfy the requirements for an exemption, as laid down in Table 1 of Schedule 1 to the Arms Rules, 1924, should better be left for decision to the trial judge who will have the benefit of the opinion of the arms expert, cited as a witness in the charge -sheet, and not in this summary proceeding under section 561A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.”

Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman will be remembered by the legal fraternity for his immense contribution as a member of both the Bar and the Bench. l The writer is a Research Assistant at Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (BILIA).

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Do we really believe in the notion of equality before the law?

An observation in light of the two contemporary death-sentences n Ashiqul A Khan

BIG STOCK

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ecently a Dhaka trial court sentenced eight activists to death and 13 others to life sentences in connection to the killing of Bishwajit Das last year.

Unsurprisingly, this turned out to be sensational news since the general members of the public have eagerly awaited knowledge about the verdict. The eight accused individuals are to walk the gallows for killing an individual and yet, apparently, the general members of the public perceive that due process has not been interfered with by the government and that justice has been done.

It is to be noted that this case was tried in the speedy trial tribunal and was completed within a period of just over a year since the incident had occurred. The defence lawyers rejected the verdict, as per their right. There was no fuss regarding impartiality, procedural fairness or sternness of the punishment from any faction of the people nor was there any concern about human rights being violated, that any of the accused to be hanged may be entitled to. Newspapers even reported that people demanded the immediate execution of the verdict. It would be hard to find someone who would not find death to be the fairest punishment for such a heinous act.

Anyone willing to advocate on abolishing the death penalty would find it very difficult to gain any support at all from the ordinary citizens of our country, as far as Bishwajit’s murder is concerned. It comes as a great shock to consider, in hindsight, the discussions that took place regarding the execution of the infamous Quader Molla for his horrifying acts during the Liberation War. The execution of the death sentence suddenly turned to be of great concern, not only for human rights activists but also for general members of the public.

Discussions regarding the justifiability of the death penalty were put forward by a group of professionals, including lawyers and journalists. Surprisingly, a large number of people even echoed the request of the international human

rights organisations for abolishing capital punishment, at least in case of Quader Molla. The logical question arises: “Do we, the ordinary citizens, really even want to be treated equally by law, let alone the notion to be put to practice?”

The criminal Justice system plays a crucial role in main-

taining law and order and upholding the same. Penal measures are present in all jurisdictions across the globe although they vary to some extent from country-to-country due to differences in the legal traditions, economic realities and social structures. The demand for abolishing capital

punishment on humanitarian grounds should not be rejected; rather, such a higher standard of rights is something to aspire to for every developing nation. These differences of opinion regarding the penal measures do not interfere with the objective of establishing the rule of law.

Equality before the law is fundamental to the notion of rule of law, and before we can fight for the enforcement of our right to be treated equally, we must firmly believe in our right to be treated equally before the law. Our constitution protects this right clearly. An individual has every right to advocate his conviction, but advocacy for different treatment by the system based upon the political, social, economic, religious or ethnic identity should in no way be supported.

Such dubious mentality will only make us more susceptible to unequal and unfair treatment by the government.

Let us not be divided on issues of politics in such a manner that we give up our rights to pleasing those who have created a false impression of being superior. Culprits should be punished in the same manner for the same misdeed, irrespective of their political, social, economic, religious or ethnic identities.

It would be unwise to assume that these propositions stated above are based on an autocratic mindset that forbids one to question the fairness or legitimacy of any act of the government or the judiciary. One does have the right to question the non-enforcement of rules and non-compliance with procedural fairness, but that should not pave the way for inconsistent stipulations, especially by those who are perceived as a source of insight into delicate matters by the general mass. A rule of law will never be established unless we all start believing in the fundamental notions that it is based upon. Let us develop a mentality for resenting every instance that violates the notion of equality before the law and it will eventually result in the system treating us all equally. l The writer is an Associate at Legacy Legal Corporate. www. legacylegalcorporate.com.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Trial of Kenya Westgate mall massacre suspects opens n AFP, Nairobi

ists as part of an African Union force.

Interpol and the FBI have assisted Kenya in trying to identify four bodies believed to be those of the attackers.

However, a New York police report said the lack of concrete evidence of their death means that they may have escaped.

Two of the gunmen are named in court documents as Mohammed Abdinur Said and Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow, a 23-year-old Somali who spent time in Norway. Like the attackers, the four on trial are all ethnic Somalis, but it is unclear whether they are Somali or Kenyan citizens.

Western officials have suggested that as many as 94 could have died in total in the attack.

Bodies were buried under tonnes of rubble after part of the mall’s roof collapsed at the end of the raid following an intense fire that burned for weeks. l

The trial of four men charged in connection with Kenya’s Westgate mall massacre opened Wednesday, an attack claimed by Somalia’s al-Qaedalinked Shebab insurgents.

The court heard testimony from a guard who was outside the upmarket mall when the gunmen launched their attack in September, killing at least 67 people. The men are not accused of carrying out the attack, but of lending support to the gunmen.

The four, Adan Mohamed Abidkadir Adan, Mohamed Ahmed Abdi, Liban Abdullah Omar and Hussein Hassan Mustafah have all pleaded not guilty to charges of supporting a terrorist group. Witnesses in the mall after the attack described how the fighters stormed the crowded complex, firing from the hip and hurling grenades at shoppers and staff.

In court, witness Stephen Juma described how he had been outside the mall directing traffic when a car pulled up outside and three men leapt out.

“I began to hear gunshots, I made a radio call for help while running to the main entrance,” Juma said.

“I took shelter in a residential compound until when I saw policemen come,” adding that he had not seen the faces of the three men.

All the gunmen in the Westgate siege – understood to have totalled four, not the dozen that security forces initially reported – are believed to have died during the attack, according to security sources.

The Shebab said the gunmen came from a special suicide commando brigade.

They said it was a warning to Kenya to pull its troops out of southern Somalia, where they are fighting the extrem-

West Bank mosque torched in suspected settler attack

Bomb attacks kill 52 in Baghdad

n

19 dead in Nigeria market blast n AFP, Maiduguri

A total of 19 people were killed in a car bomb attack on a busy market blamed on Boko Haram militants, police in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, said on Wednesday.

“From the latest tally at our disposal, the death toll stands at 19,” Lawan Tanko, the police commissioner of Borno state, of which Maiduguri is the capital, told AFP. The military said that Tuesday’s blast, on a public holiday when people in the mainly Muslim

Reuters

A mosque in the Israeli-occupied West Bank was partly set on fire on Wednesday in what Palestinian residents said was an attack by Jewish settlers living nearby.

The main gate of the mosque in Deir Istiya village and some of the carpeting inside were charred by the flames.

Graffiti in Hebrew, reading “Revenge for spilled blood” and “Arabs Out,” was scrawled on an outside wall and a door.

Such slogans have been used in previous attacks on Palestinian property which police suspect were carried out by settlers. The incident comes at a delicate time in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which were revived last year and are set to expire in April. The United States is trying, with little obvious success, to narrow gaps between the two sides.

Israeli soldiers entered Deir Istiya after the attack and an Israeli police spokesman said a search for the suspects was under way.

A series of vandalism acts involving arson and writing graffiti on homes apparently perpetrated by settlers - in Palestinian villages in recent weeks has raised tensions.

Last year, the Israeli Defence Ministry announced a crackdown on settler vandals, saying they were tantamount to terrorists and their attacks could fan sectarian violence. l

US physically hacks 100,000 foreign computers

n Agencies

The United States has implanted devices in nearly 100,000 computers to spy on institutions such as the Chinese and Russian military, EU trade groups and agencies within Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan.

The New York Times on Tuesday cited documents from the National Security Agency, computer experts and US officials stating that the NSA uses radio wave technology to gain access to otherwise encrypted computers or machines that are not connected to the internet.

The Times reported that the agency has been inserting tiny circuit boards into computers for several years. The technology allows non-internet connected computers to be hacked, and bypasses encryption and anti-spyware systems that otherwise prevent hacking over the world wide web. l

The four men charged in connection with the Westgate mall massacre, Mohamed Abdi Ahmed, Omar Liban Abdulle, Adan Mohamed Ibrahim, and Hussein Hassan Mustafa sitting at court in Nairobi AFP

from Maiduguri on Sunday, burning cars, shops and tents storing grain.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the latest strike but the group previously said it was behind a daring attack on military targets in Maiduguri in December last year.

Maiduguri is considered the spiritual home of Boko Haram, which wants to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria and is deemed an international terrorist organisation by the United States. l

Israel apologies for remarks against Kerry n Agencies Iraqis gather at the site of a car bomb in central Baghdad

n Reuters, Baghdad Bomb attacks hit the Iraqi capital Baghdad and a village near the northern town of Baquba on Wednesday, killing at least 52 people, police and hospital sources said. In the deadliest incident, a bomb blew up in a funeral tent where mourners were marking the death two days ago of a Sunni Muslim pro-government militiaman, police said. It killed 18 people and wounded 16 in Shatub, a village south of Baquba.

Two years after US troops left Iraq, violence has climbed back to its highest levels since the Sunni-Shi’ite bloodshed of 2006-2007, when tens of thou-

AFP

sands of people were killed.

Al Qaeda-linked militants are pursuing a campaign of attacks, mostly directed at state targets, Shi’ite civilians and Sunnis seen as loyal to the Shi’ite-led government. Half a dozen car bombs exploded across the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, mostly in Shi’ite districts, killing 34 people and wounding 71, police and medics said.

The violence occurred amid a continuing standoff between the Iraqi army and Sunni militants who overran the city of Falluja west of Baghdad more than two weeks ago in a challenge to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s government. l

Israel’s defence minister has accused the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, of having an “incomprehensible obsession” with his push for Middle East peace, but later apologised for his remarks via a statement released by his ministry.

The US State Department on Tuesday described the Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon’s comments as “offensive,” in a mark of the degree of outrage in Washington at the latest public spat between the two allies, which follows a major disagreement over Iran policy.

“The American plan for security arrangements that was shown to us isn’t worth the paper it was written on,” Yaalon was quoted as saying in private

conversations with Israeli officials.

Yaalon’s office issued an apology late on Tuesday, saying: “Israel and the United States share a common goal to advance the peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians led by Secretary Kerry.

“We appreciate Secretary Kerry’s many efforts towards that end. The defence minister had no intention to cause any offense to the secretary, and he apologises if the secretary was offended by words attributed to the minister.”

The State Department said Yaalon’s reported remarks were “inappropriate” for a minister in the government of a close ally.

“The remarks of the defence minister, if accurate, are offensive and inappropriate especially given all that the United States is doing to support

Israel’s security needs,” spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki told reporters.

Psaki said Kerry and his team “have been working day and night to try to promote a secure peace for Israel because of the secretary’s deep concern for Israel’s future.”

“To question his motives and distort his proposals is not something we would expect from the defence minister of a close ally,” she said.

Kerry coaxed Israelis and Palestinians back into direct negotiations last summer and has since shuttled between the two leaderships.

His proposals include a security plan for the border between a future Palestinian state and neighbouring Jordan, involving high-tech equipment to enable Israel to reduce or end its troop presence on the ground, Israeli media say. l

Aid pledged at Syria summit n Agencies

Donors have gathered in Kuwait to raise money for 13m Syrians affected by the war after the United Nations made a record appeal for $6.5bn.

Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah alAhmed al-Sabah opened the conference with a $500m pledge and the US promised $380m, but warned that international efforts to ease the suffering of Syrians will fail if President Bashar al-Assad refused to let humanitarian assistance reach the people who need it.

The US is the largest single international donor to the Syrian crisis.

Delegates from 69 nations and 24 international organisations are scheduled to attend Wednesday’s summit, chaired by the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon.

At the first donors’ conference in Kuwait last January, participating nations pledged $1.5bn, 75% of which

was delivered, according to a Kuwaiti official.

But Britain’s former prime minister, Gordon Brown, who is the UN’s envoy for education, said the schooling of Syria’s children was as important as delivering food and medicine to refugees.

He told Al Jazeera about a UN plan to educate 400,000 Syrian children.

The US is the largest single international donor to the Syrian crisis “There are children on the streets, there are children begging, in child labour, turning to violence,” said Brown.

“Unless we do something about this we have got a huge social problem with dislocation in Lebanon and other areas where refugees are based.

“Why should we concentrate on education? Yes it is important to provide

shelter, we must provide healthcare and we’ve got to provide the other means by which people can survive.

“But if you don’t give children education, they lose hope. They can’t plan for the future. They can’t think of jobs that they may do when the conflict is over.

“We end up with a generation that has lost hope for the future.”

The UN is looking for $2.3bn to support 9.3m people inside Syria and $4.2bn for Syrian refugees, expected to nearly double to 4.1m by the end of 2014. Non-government charity organisations meeting in Kuwait on Tuesday pledged $400m for Syrians, with Kuwait promising $142m of the total.

Rights and aid groups said this week that urgent funds were needed.

“The continuing violence in Syria has sparked one of the biggest humanitarian crises in recent history,” Amnesty International said in a statement on Tuesday. l

Italian marines ask India court to drop murder case

US SC takes up controversial abortion issue

n AFP, New Delhi

n AFP, Washington

Two Italian marines appealed to India’s top court on Wednesday for murder charges against them to be dropped, citing extensive delays in starting any trial, legal documents showed.

Lawyers for Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone filed a petition in the Supreme Court requesting that the case be dismissed so they can return to Italy because of the “failure of (the Indian) government to file a report for almost a year.”

The petition, a copy of which has been seen by AFP, is the latest twist in a case which dates back to February 2012 and sparked a diplomatic row between the two countries.

city were celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, was the work of the banned Islamist group.

Some reports suggested that up to 30 people were killed in the explosion but Tanko dismissed the claims.

He added that there was no precise figure on the number of injured, as many people had been taken to different hospitals and private clinics.

Tuesday’s attack came after suspected Boko Haram gunmen killed five at a village market some 22 kilometres

India’s National Investigation Agency has filed preliminary charges of murder and attempted murder against the marines for allegedly shooting dead two fishermen off the southern coast of Kerala. But formal charges have not been laid against the pair and the Italian government is concerned a trial would get bogged down in India’s slow legal system.

Citing the delay, the petition requests the court to “close the right of the government to file a charge sheet” and “permit the marines to travel to Italy.”

The marines were guarding an Italian oil tanker in February 2012 when they opened fire on a fishing boat and two fishermen were killed. l

More than four decades after legalizing abortion, the US Supreme Court returns to the hot-button issue Wednesday in a case about the right to protest near clinics that terminate pregnancies.

The high court is due to hear a challenge on the ground of free speech rights to a Massachusetts law that sets a buffer zone around the entrance to abortion clinics.

“Pro-life” and “pro-choice” activists are expected to wave their banners outside the Supreme Court steps during the debate.

Surprising court watchers and despite an increased number of appeals, the nine justices chose to weigh

in on the peripheral issue, shunning the heart of the controversy and a potential return to the court’s 1973 “Roe v. Wade” decision that legalized abortion.

On Monday, they refused to take up an Arizona law that largely banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy after an appellate court struck it down as unconstitutional last year.

It was the second time this term that the court decided against reviving a new abortion control law, after removing from its docket an Oklahoma law that limited doctors’ ability to perform medical abortions.

The court also let stand a state court decision invalidating limits on a socalled abortion pill. l

Kalashnikov felt guilt for AK-47 victims n Agencies

Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer of the AK-47 assault rifle, lived his final months filled with remorse over the people his gun killed, a letter to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church reveals.

Kalashnikov, who died in December aged 94, wrote a lengthy and emotional letter in April to the church’s Patriarch, Kirill, according to a report in the a pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia on Monday.

“The pain in my soul is unbearable. I keep asking myself the same unsolvable question: If my assault rifle took people’s lives, it means that I, Mikhail Kalashnikov, ... son of a farmer and Orthodox Christian am responsible for people’s deaths,” he said in the letter.

The typed letter on Kalashnikov’s personal writing paper, reproduced byIzvestia, is signed with a wavering hand by the man who describes himself as “a slave of God, the designer Mikhail Kalashnikov.”

Kalashnikov had previously said he “slept well” when thinking about his gun’s widespread use. On the 60th anniversary

of its invention in 2007, he said: “It’s the politicians who are to blame for failing to come to an agreement and resorting to violence.”

In 2002, he said: “I’m proud of my invention, but I’m sad that it is used by terrorists.”

Kalashnikov, whose funeral was attended by President Vladimir Putin, came up with the durable and simple rifle design after experiencing the Red Army’s lack of weapons during World War II. The AK-47 is now manufactured unlicensed around the world and has become a visual hallmark of armed movements, including those using child soldiers.

The patriarch’s press secretary, Alexander Volkov, told Izvestia that the church leader received the letter and wrote a personal reply.

“The church has a very definite position: when weapons serve to protect the fatherland, the church supports both its creators and the soldiers who use it,” Volkov said. “He designed this rifle to defend his country, not so terrorists could use it in Saudi Arabia.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two critical after Japan navy collision n AFP, Tokyo Two people were critically ill Wednesday after their fishing boat collided with a Japanese naval vessel in waters between two of the country’s main islands, officials said.

Television footage showed the upturned hull of a small fishing boat in the Seto Inland Sea off Hiroshima after what the coastguard said was a collision at around 8:00 am (2300 GMT Tuesday) with the 8,900-ton Osumi, a naval transport ship.

All four people aboard the fishing boat were pulled from the water.

A coastguard spokesman said two of them were conscious, but the other two – including the captain – were in cardio-respiratory arrest. The term is usually used by first responders of people who have died but have not yet been certified by a doctor.

Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera expressed regret for the incident and pledged his ministry’s full cooperation in the coastguard’s investigation into its cause.

The 178-metre- (584-feet-) Osumi had recently been deployed to the Philippines, transporting aid supplies for victims of Typhoon Haiyan that struck in November.

The incident, which was receiving widespread media coverage, is a potentially sensitive one for the military and the government, with coastal communities frequently expressing exasperation at what they see as high-handedness by the navy.

A 2008 incident in which a father and a son died when their boat collided with a destroyer caused a widespread backlash, with local leaders pointing to the vast superiority of navigation equipment on the Aegis-equipped ship.

The defence ministry was accused of attempting a cover-up as it flew the vessel’s duty officer to Tokyo for questioning before any official probe was opened.

Then-prime minister Yasuo Fukuda visited the victims’ family in Chiba, east of Tokyo, and made a tearful apology amid growing calls for the resignation of his defence chief.

The government of current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quick to react to Wednesday’s incident, announcing the setting-up of a task force.

“The coastguard has already launched the investigation into the cause,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. “I’d like to express my heartfelt sympathy towards those who have suffered the damage.”

The Seto Inland Sea is a relatively busy waterway that serves a number of major ports, as well as supporting a vibrant fishery. l

Riot-hit Singapore insists migrant workers treated respectfully

n AFP, Singapore Singapore on Wednesday denied that a riot last month by some 400 South Asian migrant workers in the city-state was triggered by discontent over their wages and living conditions.

In a letter reacting to a New York Times editorial in late December, its ambassador to the United States Ashok Mirpuri said “we will treat our migrant workers with respect, but will take firm action against those who break the law.”

“Migrant workers do contribute to our economy. They work legally and voluntarily. We strive to ensure that they are fairly treated and properly paid,” he said.

The letter was released by the Singapore information ministry, which said the newspaper declined to publish it.

The New York Times editorial board on December 27 suggested that the December 8 riot in a district known as Little India was caused by migrant workers’ frustration over low wages and poor living conditions.

Mirpuri said the New York Times offered “scant evidence” to support its assertions on why the workers went on a rampage after they saw an Indian construction worker struck and killed by a private bus in the area, where tens of thousands of them congregate on weekends.

The riot left 39 police officers and emergency responders injured.

A total of 25 vehicles – including 16 police cars – were also left damaged or burnt after the fracas, the first riot in strictly governed Singapore in more than 40 years.

More than 50 workers have been deported while at least 25 Indian nationals are facing rioting charges that could land them in jail. l

International

9

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Pakistan road accident kills Congress set to announce 17 children on school trip Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate n AFP, Karachi

n AFP, New Delhi

India’s ruling Congress party is expected to name the unproven 43-year-old Rahul Gandhi as its prime ministerial candidate on Friday as it turns once again to the country’s top political dynasty to revive its fortunes.

The Nehru-Gandhi family have dominated India’s post-independence history and Rahul’s mother Sonia, current party president, is credited with engineering a surprise victory in 2004.

But after two terms in power and with Prime Minister Manmohan Sihgh retiring, Congress is widely forecast to promote Rahul in the hope that he can help avoid a looming defeat for the party in national elections due by May. The elevation would cement Rahul’s faltering rise to the top of the party, answering questions about his appetite for power but still leaving doubts about his ability and instincts.

Asked whether the decision would be announced at a meeting of top Congress leaders in New Delhi on Friday, Information Minister Manish Tewari declined to answer but gave his backing to Rahul.

“Sentiments (of support for Rahul) have been expressed and I am sure, as our party president has already indicated, a decision would be taken at the right time,” Tewari told AFP. But analysts and media reports see the party as readying an announcement on Rahul, who gave a rare interview this week in which he indicated that he was finally prepared to bow to the wishes of his colleagues.

“I will take up whatever responsibility is given to me by my party in the future and do it diligently to the best of my abilities,” Gandhi told the Hin-

At least 19 people including 17 children were killed in Pakistan on Wednesday when a school van smashed head-on into a heavy truck, officials said.

The van collided with the loaded dump-truck near the town of Nawabshah, around 270 kilometres (170 miles) north of Karachi in the southern province of Sindh.

The children, who were students of the Bright Future School from the nearby town of Daulatpur, had come to Nawabshah for a school trip.

Their van was on its way back to Daulatpur when the accident happened.

Indian National Congress party prime ministerial candidate Rahul Gandhi di-language Dainik Bhaskar newspaper on Tuesday.

Rasheed Kidwai, who has written two books on Congress including a biography of party president Sonia, says the party has been “more or less pushed” to make an announcement, given its prospects.

‘I will take up whatever responsibility is given to me by my party in the future and do it diligently to the best of my abilities’ It had initially said it would not reveal its candidate for premier, but then U-turned in the face of gains by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and its popular leader, hardline Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi.

“On January 16 and January 17 there will be a concerted effort (within the party) to have Rahul Gandhi accept his

AFP

nomination as a PM candidate,” Kidwai told AFP. Rahul, whose father, grandmother and great-grandfather were prime ministers, is widely portrayed as a reluctant leader whose refusal of the political spotlight has frustrated colleagues.

In January, as he accepted a promotion to party vice-president, he talked about power as “poison.”

As an elected MP, he has maintained a low profile inside and outside parliament and his track record as a figurehead for the Congress party in state elections is poor.

The Economic Times sounded a note of caution Wednesday with a report citing unnamed Congress sources that said a decision might yet be delayed. One survey published last week in The Times of India newspaper found that only 14% of voters believed Rahul Gandhi would make the best prime minister for India. l

Fire at Musharraf hospital n AFP, Islamabad A fire broke out early Wednesday at the Pakistani hospital where former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was admitted for a heart condition, officials said.

“There was a small fire incident at the hospital, but it was extinguished immediately,” a source at Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi told AFP. Another source confirmed the fire incident was “of a minor nature.”

Officials said the cause was being investigated and may have been started by an electrical short circuit.

Musharraf was taken to hospital last week after falling ill while travelling to a special court considering treason charges against him.

He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease, with his lawyers pleading

Lost Danish tourist gang-raped in Delhi: police

A sign for the Pahar Ganj Police station is seen in New Delhi, one day after a Danish tourist visiting India was allegedly raped many men had been detained over the incident on State Entry Road opposite the New Delhi Railway Station, but local media put the number at 15.

“The victim was obviously traumatised but was still clearly able to recall the entire crime sequence,” another in-

vestigating officer told AFP on the condition of anonymity.

“It helped speed up the process of narrowing down the possible suspects from the area,” he added.

Kuldeep Singh, a receptionist at the victim’s hotel, said the woman had

AFP

appeared calm when she returned at about 8:30pm (1500 GMT) but then confided in a fellow traveller.

“She first came to me at the reception desk and told me that she needed 200 rupees to give to the auto driver as she had been robbed,” Singh said. l

Myanmar steps into role Bribery, corruption worsening in Malaysia of ASEAN chairman n AFP, Naypyidaw Myanmar begins its first international political role in decades this week as host of Southeast Asia’s regional bloc, with experts warning against “over-inflated” expectations as the group grapples with territorial disputes and ambitious economic integration plans.

The country will host foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for an informal meeting on Friday in the ancient capital Bagan – the first major gathering of the group under Myanmar’s debut year-long stewardship. The long-isolated country has won international praise and the removal of most Western sanctions for wide-ranging reforms since the end of junta rule nearly three years ago, raising the promise of an investment boom.

The former pariah state has freed political prisoners, welcomed opposition parties into parliament and launched economic reforms.

Fresh from hosting the World Economic Forum on East Asia and Southeast Asian Games in the sprawling remote capital Naypyidaw last year, the country is confident that it can meet

the diplomatic and logistical challenge of hosting the regional bloc, despite its creaking infrastructure. “Myanmar is ready for the ASEAN chairmanship,” said Than Htut, a senior official at the national planning ministry.

“ASEAN is a rising star in the world’s politics and economy. We hope that our chairmanship will support that,” he said, adding that businesses had donated a fleet of BMW cars and limousines to ferry delegates to meetings.

Sean Turnell, associate professor at Australia’s Macquarie University, said that while Myanmar has previously been seen as a drain on the bloc, it now “promises to make a positive contribution.”

“The biggest danger to Myanmar in being ASEAN chair might be over-inflated expectations,” he told AFP, adding that the country’s successful management of the Southeast Asian Games could raise unrealistic hopes of its ability to tackle strategically substantive challenges.

“The international community didn’t expect much from (previous chairs) Laos, Cambodia etc, so these countries quite easily exceeded expectations. This might not be the case for Myanmar,” he said. l

n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Malaysian corporate executives said bribery and corruption were worsening in the graft-plagued country, according to a survey, despite government pledges to tackle graft.

Eighty% of respondents said they felt bribery and corruption had increased between 2010 and 2012, according to the government-backed survey conducted by professional services firm KPMG and released on Monday.

The perception that bribery and corruption were a “major problem for businesses in Malaysia” was shared by 90% of those polled, the survey said.

“A whopping 71% of respondents also believed that bribery and corruption is an inevitable cost of doing business, whilst 64% believed that business can’t be done in Malaysia without paying bribes,” it added.

KPMG said it received responses from 10% of companies on the Malaysian stock exchange, which has about 900 listed firms.

Corruption – ranging from small

for him to be allowed to receive treatment abroad.

Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri said that the former president was not affected.

“He is safe as the fire incident happened on another floor,” Kasuri told AFP. The court has ordered Musharraf to appear in person on Thursday, after considering a medical report on his heart complaint. The case has gripped the nuclear-armed nation for the past fortnight.

Musharraf has yet to appear in person before the specially-convened three-judge tribunal, missing hearings due to security fears and the health scare. Rumours have circulated for months that a backroom deal would be struck to whisk him overseas to avoid a destabilising clash between the government, which brought the charges, and the powerful armed forces. l

US, India meet to get ties back on track after dispute n Reuters, Washington

n AFP, New Delhi

Indian police rounded up a group of men Wednesday over the alleged gangrape of a 51-year-old Danish tourist who lost her way near the backpacker’s area of the capital, officers said.

The woman approached the suspects for directions early on Tuesday evening while trying to return to her hotel in the bustling Paharganj area of New Delhi, reportedly after visiting a city museum.

Six men armed with a knife allegedly assaulted and then robbed the victim, who was travelling alone and had been in New Delhi since Monday after visiting the Taj Mahal, police and a receptionist at her hotel told AFP. “We have detained a group of men and we are questioning them over the incident,” special commissioner of police Deepak Mishra told AFP. “The woman reported the attack to police and we are investigating. She has declined to undergo a medical examination (to confirm the rape).”

“They also took her mobile phone and other items and money in euros.”

The alleged attack just minutes from Connaught Place in the heart of the capital is the latest involving a foreigner in India, and again raises questions about the safety of women in the world’s second most populous country.

Mishra declined to say exactly how

“We have 19 dead bodies out of which 17 are children,” said doctor Hashim Langa, chief of the government-run Civil Hospital in Nawabshah.

“Their ages range from five or six to 16,” he told AFP. Apart from the dead, some 15 to 20 injured were also brought to the hospital, he added.

Police said that reckless driving might have caused the tragic accident.

“We are investigating the reasons but apparently it must have been irresponsible driving by one of the drivers,” senior police officer Asif Ali Pechuho told AFP. The driver of the school van was among the dead, he said. l

bribes solicited by police to refrain from issuing traffic tickets to multi-million dollar contracts awarded without a transparent tender process – is routine in Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose 57-year-old ruling coalition was re-elected last May with a reduced parliamentary margin due in part to voter weariness with corruption, has repeatedly vowed to crack down on graft since he took office in 2009.

But critics say little has changed, and successful prosecutions of high-profile figures are rare.

On Monday, the government dropped corruption charges against the ruling coalition’s former transport minister Chan Kong Choy in relation to the development of a free trade zone at the country’s biggest port, after another former transport minister got off last year.

The acquittals have sparked outrage from the opposition.

The project’s costs reportedly ballooned to more than a billion dollars in one of the country’s biggest financial scandals. l

A senior US diplomat met India’s ambassador to the United States on Tuesday with the aim of getting bilateral ties back on track after the arrest and strip search of a female Indian diplomat and tit-for-tat expulsions.

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns hosted a “productive” lunch meeting with Indian Ambassador S. Jaishankar and both sides affirmed the importance of the US-India strategic partnership and “discussed initial preparations for a range of upcoming bilateral meetings and exchanges,” a statement from the US State Department said.

“They agreed that the past several weeks have been challenging, and affirmed that we are both committed to moving forward to resume cooperation on the broad range of bilateral issues,” the statement said.

The two officials also discussed matters raised by India’s Foreign Ministry during the dispute, including alleged issues with the American Embassy School, the statement said.

Burns said Washington took the concerns “very seriously and will continue to address them via appropriate diplomatic channels.” l

S Korea activists launch leaflets, USB keys into North n AFP, Paju South Korean activists launched thousands of anti-Pyongyang leaflets and Wikipedia-loaded USB keys across the border Wednesday, despite past North Korean threats to shell the “human scum” involved.

Packages floated over the heavily-militarised border by balloon also contained 1,000 United States one dollar bills and DVDs detailing human rights abuses in the North.

“There is clearly enormous hunger for outside information in North Korea,” said Thor Halvorssen, president of the US-based Human Rights Foundation, which supported the event in the border town of Paju.

“USB keys are one of the most powerful tools, because they’re small, can be hidden and shared easily, and carry massive amounts of data,” he said.

Each of the 1,500 USB flash drives launched on Wednesday had been loaded with the Korean-language version of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia. The 500,000 anti-North leaflets in the packages were also accompanied by around 50 tiny transistor radios. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

BTRC must enforce regulations fairly

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Elitism and the common man

B

angladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has rejected an application by Teletalk to change its 3G spectrum allocation. The regulator is right to resist the state-owned operator’s request, as Teletalk still owes payments arising out of the auction for 3G allocation held in September 2013.

Teletalk has been running 3G services free of licence payments on a temporary basis since 2012. Ahead of the September auction, it was asked to match the auction price and to pay BTRC for its spectrum and license accordingly.

As a result of the successful bids by four private operators in September’s auction, Teletalk is required to pay $241.5m to BTRC. Three fifths of this payment ($144.9m) was due to paid before November 7, but the company said it would not be able to come up with the money to pay for the spectrum and licence in such a short period of time.

Under the circumstances, BTRC has done the right thing by refusing to upgrade Teletalk’s spectrum. It should now act to enforce the demand for monies owing from Teletalk.

This should include stating that Teletalk should lose its 3G spectrum, if it is not paid within a reasonable time.

BTRC is obliged as a regulator to give equal treatment to private sector companies and state-owned companies which compete directly with each other. In the same way it has a duty to seek the outstanding Tk3,036 crore revenue accumulated mainly by private sector IGW operators since 2007, it must also act against Teletalk. Rules must be consistently enforced.

BTRC has done the right thing and should now act to enforce the demand for monies owing from Teletalk

January 7 A culture of reverence which is fast disappearing in the Western public life still reigns supreme in the subcontinent. In order to maintain their privileged status in the society, it seems that elites feel it necessary to restrict access to them by the ordinary folk lest they pester them for favours. For shame.

Lunik

Democracy on prom night Sakib Excellently written and, much more importantly, extremely thoughtful. The word “democracy” truly is overused because we assume that we had it in the first place, and it is now abused or deprived.

Far more rewarding to see Bangladesh as it truly is, a tyrannical absolutist authoritarian system.

Hopefully, this fresh perspective will bring about discussions on an actual solution.

devotion to someone considered to be the gift of God. Our two leaders absolutely enjoy the status of deities and the people of this country feel a sense of deep pleasure and rejoicing in paying obeisance to them, and desire nothing in return, which is like divine love that expects no requital. Had there been an iota of democratic sense in our people, these two autocrats could not have flourished to the level they have reached.

Mariha A remarkable op-ed both in terms of the fresh scope (ie a look at a monarchical system rather than a democracy) and the bravery in a time of censorship. Well done to the writer and to the publication for having the guts to put this out there!

Ali Very intelligent and brave op-ed at a time of propaganda and censorship. When seeking a solution we will do well to stop thinking about democracy because we have never had it. Two dynasties trying to establish a monarchy with a brief respite from another dictator is exactly what we have had. It becomes easier to think about fixing Bangladesh when viewed this way. Anyone really looking to put an end to repeated efforts to set up a monarchy by these two houses need look no further than this op-ed to justify their actions.

1971’s horrors revisited!

January 8

Emran Hossain’s front page report from Jessore depicts the communal violence let loose by wild, shameful scoundrels. These so-called “muscle” of the BNP have shattered communal peace, of which Bangladesh was rightly proud of.

Despite their usual denials, BNP must “fairly and squarely” take responsibility for such misdeeds. Lest they forget, all humanity, according to the three “Religions of the Book,” must ultimately face the “Day of Judgement,” when all these crimes against humanity will be tried by the Almighty ruler of the universe.

Today, it seems clear that the leadership is ignoring this.

Saddened Bangladeshi

Bicycle exporters pedal ahead

B

angladesh exports of bicycles have grown for some years with numbers topping 472,000 bikes shipped to the EU in 2012. It is Europe’s 5th biggest bicycle supplying country.

There is now further prospect for this growth continuing, as the food-products corporation PRAN-RFL Group is investing $10m in a bicycle assembly plant near Dhaka. Production which is due to start in April will have a focus on exports to European Union countries.

This new investment adds to those made in Bangladesh’s bicycle sector by longer established bicycle manufacturers such as the Meghna Group and the Taiwanese backed Altia.

With demand for bikes growing both at home and abroad, this is welcome news for customers. It will add to competition and help to improve the choice and quality of bicycles available for local cyclists.

As well as helping to increase export earning streams, improvements in manufacturing capacity should also reduce the demand for imports.

We congratulate the businesses who have taken the initiative to build bicycle manufacturing in the country. It is worth noting that one impetus for growth has been the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences. This allows Bangladesh to export bicycles, parts & accessories to the EU’s 28 member states without the regular 14% import duty on complete bicycles and 4.7% duty on parts and accessories. The GSP role in influencing new investment to add value to the economy should therefore not be underestimated.

We hope these new investments will allow the sector to grow further. Not only can they benefit exports, but they help diversify the economy and add new skills and value.

January 8 Arch Bishop Can you imagine Tareq or Sajeeb being summoned like that?

Habibul Alam Will a similar incident ever happen in Bangladesh?

January 7

nds I can’t agree more with the author about our futile search for democracy, which simply does not have any tangible existence in this land of “dharma Pran Jati.” What soothes our heart and soul is undiluted

Spanish princess summoned over financial crimes

31 cases against 8,200 people regarding election violence January 8

Mezanur Rahman And what next??

Ahnaf Saber Are there any cases against those caught voting several times??

Sbua Joy Anyhow, arrest them.

No one cares now for Felani January 8

Zaidul Islam This, unfortunately, is reality.

Rashed Khann The disputed land of Bangladesh with India should be named after Felani!

India accepts polls January 7

How is it possible for India to accept such a farcical election in the history of democratic Bangladesh? This indicates a dysfunctional foreign policy which has strained relationships with its neighbouring countries.

Shouldn’t India support the people’s aspiration of an inclusive election?

Aleef Khan

Obaidul warns of hardline

January 8 No more hard lines. Tough talk, strong action, and a punitive line please! Let’s have some peace!

Aksha

Somoy Pearl It is really heartbreaking!

MD Easir Arafat Siddik So sad!

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

These new investments will allow the sector to grow further, and help diversify the economy

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Servant (4) 3 Pace (4) 7 Land measure (3) 8 Undressed kid (5) 11 Refuse of grain (4) 12 At no time (5) 13 Vestment (5) 15 Employs (4) 18 Netlike fabric (4) 19 Bishop’s headdress (5) 20 Clamour (5) 21 Corrosion (4) 23 Distributed cards (5) 24 Anger (3) 25 Submissive (4) 26 Old stringed instrument (4)

DOWN 1 Book of the Mass (6) 2 Peaceful (6) 4 Sailor (3) 5 Rubber (6) 6 Female swan (3) 9 Seemly (6) 10 First woman (3) 11 Contusion (6) 14 Ripe (6) 16 Firm (6) 17 Become established (6) 19 Central (3) 21 Edge (3) 22 Bishop’s territory (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Justice Habibur Rahman: Conscience of our nation f Justice Habibur Rahman were alive today, he would have been annoyed with the title of this article, because he preferred the name Muhammad Habibur Rahman without the title “Justice.”

The sudden demise of Justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman has been a great loss for the nation. He was regarded as the “conscience keeper” of the nation. He was a prolific writer, a multilinguist, a distinguished historian, a talented chief justice and an able administrator all rolled into one. Whatever position he held, he distinguished himself.

He became chief justice in 1995 and chief adviser of the 1996 caretaker government. During the time of the caretaker government, he skillfully dealt with a delicate situation relating to the attempt of the coup by the army chief when the president dismissed him.

He was born on December 3, 1928 in the village of Jangipur of Murshidabad district, West Bengal. His father was a lawyer. He joined Presidency College in 1947 and passed the intermediate examination, and in 1949, he got a BA degree in history, securing first class first from the Rajshahi University. He took his Master’s degree in history, securing first class first from Dhaka University in 1951.

the first, with another student, who was courageous enough to break the Section 144. He went to prison for his active involvement in the language movement.

In the early 50s, although he secured first class first in both BA and MA in history, he got into trouble getting employment because of the DIB report. He introduced an innovative way of protest for not securing a job by selling cigarettes at the main gate of the then Dhaka University (now Dhaka Medical College Hospital). When we asked, he used to say: “I have to work for a living.”

The government was embarrassed, and he was awarded a Commonwealth scholarship for higher studies in England. He went to Worcester College of Oxford University and obtained a degree in modern history in 1958 and earned the professional degree of barrister-at-law from the Lincoln’s Inn, London.

At Lincoln’s Inn, I met Shelley Bhai again in 1958, where I was also studying at the same time. Whenever I met him, he used to inform me about the lectures and seminars which I should attend.

We returned to Dhaka from England. He joined Rajshahi University as a history teacher for a few years and returned to the High Court Bar in 1964.

We sat on the same table at the High

He continued to engage himself in writings and delivering speeches in various seminars until his last day

I first met Habibur Rahman in the early 50s and we knew him as Shelley Bhai. He was senior to us by a few years in the university. He was a tall and thinly built person with a sharp face. No one could miss him. He was VP in the Salimullah Muslim Hall, and he was honest enough to say that as a VP, he could not pass the budget. This demonstrated his modesty, honesty, and integrity.

He was a Bhasha Shainik, and on February 21, 1952, it was he who was

T

H

I

Court Bar and discussed many social and political issues.

At that time, he wrote a small book on Section 32A of the Requisition Act 1952, which was at that time employed by the district commissioners to requisition private lands for “public interest.” The requisition law was complex, and many cases were pending at the High Court. The book was immensely helpful to lawyers, and his analytical views on the ramifications of the law reflected his depth and dimension of

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legal knowledge.

I left the Bar for the Pakistan Foreign Office in the mid 60s and he continued his law practice at the High Court. He became a justice of the High Court division in 1976. Once or twice, I met him in Islamabad.

He was a remarkable person. Modest, humble, and firm in his beliefs and convictions Although he was 85, he continued to engage himself in writings and delivering speeches in various seminars until his last day. His thinking was very clear and spot on. He did not mince matters and what he felt and believed, he said unhesitatingly. His remarks were simple on matters which we often ignore.

Recently, at a seminar, speakers discussed their right to vote in the election of January 5, and when he spoke, he mentioned that the right to vote was an important constitutional right, but the right to live under the violent situation of the country came first. He always alerted the audience that what people generally believed in might not be correct.

He had great confidence on the younger generation, and urged them to study with critical thinking. At the last convocation address at the Independent University, he underscored the need for quality of education for the younger generation, and requested the private university to spend adequate funds for research.

His love for Tagore led him to write many thought-provoking books on the great poet. At the same time, he criticised Tagore on social issues. He was deeply religious, and translated in Bengali the verses of the Holy Qur’an.

Yet he was strongly against communalism, and believed in a secular Bangladesh.

After our retirement, we became very close. He was modest enough to come to my house and gave me a few books to review, which I did, and he was very happy. He said to me that he

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he last year has been an interesting year for Bangladesh and its financial sector. Political turbulence, strikes, intolerance, and stubbornness have dented the economic potential of the country. We did not see many strikes or blockades during the first four years of the government.

However, 2013 alone almost made up for those four years.

The country’s apparel exports are still holding up, with an annual volume of about $24bn, though there has been some apprehension around the suspension of the EU GSP facility due to human rights violations and worker safety failures.

Other exports, including frozen food and leather, also seemed to be on track towards a $30bn annual export. Imports are a little dull with a sluggish investment scenario. Foreign exchange reserves have shot up, which is now equivalent to six months’ imports. Inward remittance is a little down these days, but still healthy.

So is foreign aid disbursement. The foreign portfolio investment in local bourses has also gone up.

The Rana Plaza collapse that took away over 1,100 garment workers’ lives was the single worst disaster in 2013.

That showed the dismal picture of our workers’ safety, building safety, and overall administration.

This incident also expedited the GSP withdrawal process by the US. The issue of workplace safety in Bangladesh has garnered much global attention. It has also caused important stakeholders to do some soul-searching, and for the first time, put some pressure on buyers and decision makers.

The signing of the Ticfa (Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement) with the US was in discussions throughout the year. As a precondition, the government wanted the reinstatement of the GSP. Reportedly, the government lost the bargain due to the Rana Plaza tragedy and disturbing political developments at home.

The Padma Bridge graft allegation didn’t help with bridge construction financing coming from the World Bank

and other associated agencies. There were also discussions and media reports about rampant corruption in telecom and the banking sector throughout the year. Banking and insurance licenses were granted purely on political considerations. For the same reason, the government and the central bank could not be harsh on the wrongdoers.

Licenses were granted even during the election time government, which was supposed to conduct routine work only.

Serious irregularities were identified in the banks, mainly run by ruling party cronies or loyalists.

Never in the past has the right political environment mattered so much for Bangladesh

The central bank was found quite focused with financial inclusion through measures such as the expansion of bank branches to rural areas, mobile banking, increases in farm loans, opening of Tk10 accounts, and green banking. However, efforts were short-handed with regards to ensuring governance and risk management in the state owned banks.

Large and politically connected borrowers were reportedly favoured by banks’ boards and regulatory agencies too. This has seen massive increases in politically driven default loans in private commercial banks. The HallMark and Bismillah episodes eroded confidence in the banking sector.

There were serious concerns regarding almost every bank’s loan portfolios in Chittagong. There were also discussions around the excessive borrowing by a few large borrowers, where money was reportedly diverted to unrelated sectors, or even transferred overseas.

There has been a marked increase in classified loans and provision short-

did not deserve the accolade which I recorded in my reviews.

He used to call me quite often, and asked for information which I readily provided. Only a fortnight ago, he came to my house and said that he wanted to publish a book of all his speeches and asked me to suggest a title for the book. I told him: “My Thoughts or Observations.” He smiled and said that he wanted a modest title, and not high sounding ones. I was taken aback because of his humility.

He was a remarkable person.

Modest, humble, and at the same time firm in his beliefs and convictions. He was so candid in his public speeches that political leaders felt unease. In one of his writings, he considered our hardworking farmers as “ideal persons” who we should follow for proper direction of the nation.

Justice Rahman published about 90 books. He received the Ekushey Padak in 2007, and in 1984, the Bangla Academy Literary award for writings on diverse subjects, from religion, to the constitution, to Tagore and Nazrul.

He has left this mortal world, but has also left a rich legacy for which he will be always remembered. His thoughts and ideas will inspire us, and younger generations for years to come, and he will live among us forever.

He left his wife and three daughters to mourn him. May Allah give them the courage to bear this irreparable loss.

May his great soul rest in peace. l Barrister Harun ur Rashid is former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.

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Challenges ahead n Mamun Rashid

WIKIMEDIA

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n Barrister Harun ur Rashid

On the tipping point? falls. Banks have been apprehending sharp falls in their profitability. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has also been concerned with a possible reduction in corporate income taxes.

Nine new banks, approved on political consideration, have put pressure on the banking sector’s human resource standards and capacity.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) index hovered around 4000, with less liquidity available. The capital market regulator was happy with a few long-pending reforms, including their own capacity-building and financial autonomy.

Demutualisation was rolled out during this year. BSEC was rated number one as a capital market regulator.

A much-needed corporate governance guideline was out. The Financial Reporting Act (FRA) could not be strengthened due to serious resistance from accounting professionals. Foreign institutional investment in locally traded securities increased during the second half of the year to take advantage of the lower stock price.

There was growing interest in energy, pharmaceuticals, and banking stocks. However, government efforts still failed to bring back confidence among the small investors, and kept the index at less than half of what we have seen in 2010.

The Bangladesh economy, which has shown resilience during various international shocks, has been much affected by domestic uncertainty.

Against the growth rate of 7% to 8%, which is required for us to march towards middle-income country status, the GDP growth for the fiscal year 2014 is estimated to fall below 5%.

With increased tension and uncertainty surrounding the election and its aftermath, we have reasons to feel disquiet about its possible effects. Never in the past has the right political environment mattered so much for Bangladesh.

We can’t backtrack, nor can we afford to continuously suffer the consequences of politics and corruption. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and financial sector entrepreneur.

n William B Milam

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olitically, Bangladesh has come full circle to the tipping point it faced almost 40 years ago.

The election of January 5 brought the one-party government back. History tells us that the next likely step is a consolidation of a one-party government into a one-party state.

But history does not always determine politics. “It ain’t over ’til it’s over,” and Bangladesh has a way of confounding pundits who predict its future. Remember, for example, that famous 1972 prediction that it would be (forever) “a basket case.”

The Awami League is now totally in charge. The BNP, which polls said would win any free and fair election, even after two rather dismal previous turns in power, chose to boycott the election as it saw certain defeat in the absence of a neutral government to oversee it. The result was predictable: The AL swept the polls and the BNP was completely shut out.

But politics aside, it is 2014 in Bangladesh. The chronic instability and near-anarchy, as well as the abject poverty that prevailed in 1975, have long since disappeared. Bangladesh, while still poor and in the stage of economic development where gains can easily be reversed, is now wired into the global economy with its vibrant garment and other export industries.

Will there be an opposition worthy of the name, or will it have been destroyed?

Growth has been strong for most of the past two decades, and the country as a whole is much more prosperous. More importantly, it has a much more literate and healthy population because of the strides that have been made in mass education and in reducing gender disparity.

Clearly, this election does not reflect the will of a population far advanced from those early days. The AL claims a turnout of nearly 40% in the 147 (of 300) districts in which voting took place. But neutral observers insist that even including the large-scale ballot-box stuffing at the end of the polling day, reliably reported by neutral observers, the number is no more than 20%.

But the bulwark needed is one against a takeover of the state by a party bent on one-party rule. In a democratic system, it would be the next election. But will there be one before the opposition has been decimated?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has turned rather coy on the timing of the next election.

Will there be an opposition worthy of the name, or will it have been frag-

The ruling party of most one-party states started with elections, legitimate or not, which gave them power far beyond their popular support

Expert sources tell me the real turnout was likely closer to 12%. In comparison, turnout in previous elections was about 86% in 2008, 74% in 2001, 75% in June 1996 and 55% in 1991.

But history shows that the ruling party of most one-party states started with elections, legitimate or not, which gave them power far beyond their popular support.

These parties consolidated their position primarily by picking apart the opposition, putting its leaders in jail or into exile, cracking down with force on enemies and on their protests, co-opting others with the temptation of profiting from a share of the economic rents that come with political power, and quite often finding an “enemy of the state” to justify their authoritarian methods.

The AL government began this process before the election, putting a large number of BNP leaders in jail, and has followed up the election with more arrests. Its election campaign was based primarily on the assertion it was the bulwark against an Islamist onslaught – especially by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami – to turn the country into an Islamic state ruled by Sharia. The same drumbeat continues.

mented and effectively destroyed as a political force by the uncertain time of a future election?

This will be a historic challenge for the BNP. Its very existence and the political future of Bangladesh are on the line. Its answer should be to embrace a truly centre-right agenda, a transformational one with emphasis on democratisation and modernisation (rebuilding the independent institutions of the state), secular but inclusive, and which promotes its open and vibrant economy – an agenda that would appeal to the 48 million disenfranchised voters.

Khaleda Zia should jettison the strategic alliance with Jamaat, but support a court that brings justice for the victims of the 1971 war, with the proviso that it be moved to a neutral country in which the perpetrators of crimes will find true justice. The hard part is that she should forswear dynastic politics – a pledge to democratise the party as well as the country. l William B Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, and former US Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh. This article was first published in The Express Tribune.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

13TH DHAKA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Exhibition and music at Rabindra Sarobar n Entertainment Desk Rivers of the World —a river-thematic global exhibition— begins today on the premises of Rabindra Sarobar, Dhanmondi.

The British Council Bangladesh and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Limited in Bangladesh jointly organised the event. Under this programme, students from each participating countries create and exhibit artworks based on a selected river from the country. The programme is originally initiated by Thames Festival Trust, British Council Connecting Classrooms and HSBC Global Education Programme.

In the Bangladesh phase of the project, under the supervision of artists Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy and Tamanna Tasmeem, 10 groups of school students from Bangladesh and United Kingdom made art works on the theme. This exhibition will showcase their works along with other art works of other participating countries from all over the world.

The exhibition is open for all and will continue till January 19.

Another attractive feature of the event is the musical performances by local popular bands Chirkutt, Lalon, Swagata and Friends, and solo vocalist Minar. Moreover, the concluding day will feature a fire dance performance on the open-air venue.

Today’s inauguration programme at 5pm will be attended by famous writer and activist Abdullah Abu Sayeed as the chief guest, eminent cartoonist Ahsan Habib as the project mentor, renowned writer Anisul Hoque and HSBC Bangladesh CEO Andrew Tilke as special guests.

As the guest of honour Robert W Gibson, CMC, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh is scheduled to attend the event to be chaired by Robin Davis.

Apart from the outdoor exhibition, an Installment exhibition about the making of the artworks by artist Tamanna Tasmeem will also begin at Dhaka Art Center today. l

Popular actor Anisur Rahman Milon and National Film Award winner Zakia Bari Momo will come together for the first time in a film titled Prem Korbo Tomar Shathe. The shooting of the film started yesterday. Written by Abdulla Zahir Babu and directed by Rakibul Alam Rakib, the film is an amalgamation of both love and action. About this film, Momo states: “I have started to work again in films with everyone’s blessing and encouragement.

I hope my audience will go to the theatres and watch my movies.” Milon compliments Momo by saying, “Momo is very charismatic and her onscreen appeal is undeniably good. We wish to see Momo regularly working with us.” About his character in the film, he said: “I am thrilled to work in such a rare character and definitely the credit goes to the director.”

Film Prem Korbo Tomar Shathe also features Zaid Khan and Sharmila Ahmed.

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Thursday, January 16, 2014

A scene from Demi Ucok

A scene from Rupkotha Noy

Films by female filmmakers take over today’s programme n Entertainment Desk Sixteen films will be screened today 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.

From three sections, Australasian Competition, Women Filmmaker, and Children Section, five films will be

screened at the Public Library auditorium - The Rooster Trademark Paper directed

by Maryam Milani at 10am, Bardou directed by Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh at 1pm, Parviz directed by Majid Barzegar at 3pm, Rupkatha Noy (Not a Fairy Tale) directed by Atanu Ghosh at 5:30pm and Ekstra directed by Jeffrey Jeturian at 7:30pm.

In the Australasian Competition category, four films will be screened at the Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Rupkotha Noy (Not a Fairy Tale) directed by Atanu Ghosh at 10am, The Blindfold directed

by Garin Nugroho at 12pm, Mot directed

by Hobin Seo at 3pm and Siri Perakum (The Crown From Mud) directed by Dr Somaratne Dissanayake at 5pm.

Seven films will be screened from the Women Filmmaker category at EMK Centre–Josh (Against The Grain) directed by Ms Iram Parveen Bilal at 10am, The Social Game directed by Seng Maiand, And Nothing Around directed by Marta Prus, Aldona directed by Emilija Skarnulyte, and The Dark Outside directed by Darin J Sallam from 12pm to 3pm, A Life Suspended directed by Kazuyo Minamide, and Demi Ucok directed by Sammaria Simanjuntak from 3pm to 5pm. l

Somaratne Dissanayake talks about Sri Lankan film making trend n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

Film for Freedom calls for applicants n Entertainment Desk A workshop titled “Film for Freedom” is a filmmaking project which calls for young and talented people having groundbreaking ideas for short and independent film.

The project is a 2013 American Center Alumni Small Grants Competition award winner won by The Near East and South Asia Undergraduate Student exchange Program Alumna and independent filmmaker Abu Shahed Emon from Bangladesh.

Emon shares with Dhaka Tribune: “We are looking for new ideas from young generation who dream to make quality films but do not have the logistic support. The project will facilitate them with camera, crew, editing panel and more.”

The interested people with scripts of short films having duration of 3-5 minutes will be able to apply till January 19. The short-listed candidates will face an interview session and later the practical workshop will begin at the end of this month. A total of 15 candidates will be finalised.

“The project will continue for more than one month. Each of the participants has to work as a crew of the other members’ films,” said Emon.

The interested people are encouraged to submit their scripts to www.facebook.com/film.for.freedom or www. film-for-freedom.com. l

Sri Lankan film director and writer, Somaratne Dissanayake is the recipient of the “Peoples Award” as the People’s artist of the country for the last five consecutive years. He gave up permanent residency and citizenship in Australia, with the highly lucrative medical profession in order to make films in his motherland. He is at the 13th Dhaka International Film Festival with his new film Siri Parakum (The Crown from the Mud). In an exclusive interview, Somaratne shares his experience as a filmmaker and more.

Tell us about your current visit to Dhaka.

This is my fifth visit to Dhaka. On my first visit to DIFF in 2000, I received first international award for my film Saroja in the Best Film Audience Aaward category. From then on, this trip has become a custom to me. My frequent visits has enabled me to make a good rapport with Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, the festival director, international delegates and other personnel workers of DIFF. I am very enthusiastic about showcasing my films here.

Tell us about your new film Siri Parakum (The Crown from the Mud).

Siri Parakum (The Crown from the Mud) was showcased in the competition’s Australasian Film Section at DIFF. It’s a historical film based on a true event.

The story is that of a prince’s struggle for survival after his mother dies at childbirth. The king remarries and on

(The Crown from the Mud has broken box office records of all time in Sri Lanka.

the birth of his half brother, the prince’s stepmother conspires to have him murdered, so that her own son would inherit the crown. A loyal soldier senses the impending danger on the prince’s life and takes him to a village, out of the reach of his wicked stepmother. The village headman adopts the little boy, without knowing his true identity and the prince grows up to be a handsome and skillful farmer. On the event of the king’s death, the rescuers plan to bring back the real heir to the throne.

Which genre of films do you prefer to work with?

I have studied film making and made a few documentaries and shorts earlier.

Now, I only work on feature films. I directed eight feature films so far. All of my works have won many international awards in various world festivals.

Interestingly, my films are not only artistic successes, but also commercial successes. This new film Siri Parakum

You are the president of the Film Makers Guild in Sri Lanka. Please tell us about the scenario of the present film industry over there.

The Sri Lankan film industry isn’t large.

Every year, 20 to 30 films are released and most of them follow the Bollywood film making style. But like me, many filmmakers from the industry tried to meet the aesthetic value of cinema.

The audiences appreciate my effort of combining the aesthetic value with popular context in my films. I think these elements I mentioned are necessary for a good film. That is how my films achieved commercial success in Sri Lanka.

Is the Sri Lankan film industry facing crisis due to neighbouring Bollywood’s apparent success?

There was a time, 15 to 20 years ago, the film industry in Sri Lanka was down because many filmmakers started to make unrealistic films following Bollywood style and people rejected those films. And now, like me, other filmmakers started to make films with aesthetic and artistic values. The audiences of Sri Lanka are now coming in cinemas again. So, I can say that the industry is booming. Only problem for the industry is the lack of technology.

There are few cinema theatres with digital screening technologies and still we have to go to India for the post production works of our films. l

Amitabh and Rekha finally greet each other in public

n Entertainment Desk At the Screen Awards held in Mumbai on January 14, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan greeted the beaming Rekha with a namaste (folded hands) and a smile. The cold vortex has finally lifted after almost 33 years between the two rumoured ex-lovers.

The incident took place when the actor was on his way back from the stage after receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from Shatrughan Sinha, Vi-

nod Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan. As he walked to his designated seat he greeted Rekha with a smile and the gorgeous actor acknowledged the gesture with a warm smile.

The fearsome and vocal Mrs Bachchan (Jaya) also greeted Rekha at the same occasion. Jaya Bachchan was seen clasping Rekha’s hand, greeting her and sharing a laugh.

It is rumoured that Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha were in a serious relationship in the late 70s and 80s, and

haven’t shared screen space since their last film, Silsila (1981).

Their crackling on-screen chemistry added the zing to their rumoured relationship.

Their affair reportedly started on the sets of Do Anjane (1976), their first film together. Bachchan was already a married man.

Their romance continued to bloom through the years and they co-starred in movies such as Immaan Dharam (1977), Khoon Pasina (1977), Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978), Muqaddar Ka Sikander (1978), Mr Natwarlal (1979) and Suhaag (1979). By the time Ram Balram released in 1979, the two were reported to have begun spending more and more time together off the sets.

This affair was an open secret and wife Jaya had full knowledge of it. In 1981, director Yash Chopra cast the trio in Silsila, dipicting the rumoured real-life triangle love story in reel.

Since then Rekha and Bachchan never worked together or acknowledged each other’s presence in public.

There have been reports of them making a comeback in movies but that never materialised.

Their cordial greetings at the Screen Awards give the fans hope to see the two actors back on screen again. l

Michael Douglas set to play superhero scientist n Entertainment Desk Michael Douglas has signed on to play scientist Hank Pym in Edgar Wright’s long-gestating comic-book movie AntMan, according to multiple US reports.

The move confirms Douglas’s resurgent currency in Hollywood following his dual Golden Globe and Emmy triumphs for Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra.

The exact type of role Douglas will play remains shrouded in mystery.

Hank or Henry Pym was the original Ant-Man, a scientist who discovered the ability to shift his size down to the size of an insect or up to the mass of an elephant, and used it to fight evil. It is now being suggested that Paul Rudd, who was confirmed as Ant-Man last month, will portray a different version of the character named Scott Lang instead. l

Activists of Dhaka Theatre and Bangladesh Gram Theatre offer floral wreaths to the grave of iconic theatre personality Selim Al Deen on the occasion of his sixth death anniversary on January 14

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

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

Dhabomaan

By Dhaka Theatre Time: 6:30pm National Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Segun Bagicha

Theatre

Comedy Show

Chitrangoda Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm Studio Theatre Hall Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

Live Stand-up Comedy Time: 8pm – 10pm Naveed’s Comedy Club, Junction Cafe, House 22, Road 13/A, Block D, Banani

Did you know?

This is the first time in Premier League history where the top 4 have all had 42 or more points after 21 games

Sport

Thursday, January 16, 2014

0 5 9 DAYS TO GO

14 Gunners on top with Villa win

Central in command n Mazhar Uddin The two matches of the first round of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) - in which BCB North Zone faced Prime Bank South Zone and Walton Central Zone met Islami Bank East Zone – both ended in draws at the BKSP yesterday.

At the BKSP-3 ground, Prime Bank South Zone did not need to bat in the second innings, while at the BKSP2 ground, there was not a single ball been bowled due to bad light and fog.

Shamsur Rahman who started the third day on 229 eventually missed a triple hundred and was dismissed for 267 runs - the third highest score in Bangladesh first-class history after Rakibul Hasan’s 313 and Marshal Ayub’s 289. Later, BCB North Zone skipper Mushfiqur Rahim – who had made a duck in the first innings - and Naeem Islam smashed hundreds to close the match out. In the other match, East Zone opener Nazim Uddin missed his hundred after retiring hurt on 97 runs in the second innings.

However there was three more centuries as South Zone’s Imrul Kayes and Mithun both scored centuries helped them post 427 runs to take a six run lead against the North Zone in the first innings. North Zone made 341/6 in

the second innings.

In the other match East Zone were bowled out for 303 in the first innings and Central Zone took a lead of 172 runs after posting 475, bolstered by a brilliant double hundred by Shamsur Rahman. East Zone scored 234/1 in their second innings but bad light and fog forced play to be abandoned on the final day, leading to the match to be drawn.

After the first round of the tournament, Walton Central Zone and South Zone lead the table with five points each, with Central Zone ahead on run rate. South Zone is at number three position with three points and North

BRIEF SCORES

Islami Bank East v Walton Central Islami Bank East Zone 303/10 and 234/1 Nazim Uddin 97 Walton Central Zone 475/10 Shamsur Rahman 267, Mashrafe 98/3 Result: Match drawn BCB North v Prime Bank South BCB North Zone 421/10 and 341/6 Naeem Islam 106, Mushfiqur Rahim 100 Taiabur Parvez 27/2 Prime Bank South Zone 427/8 Imrul Kayes 127, Mithun 107, Taijul Islam 97/4 Result: Match drawn

Zone, with two points, are at the bottom of the table. The second round of the BCL will start from January 18.

Meanwhile Bangladesh national and BCB North Zone skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was happy with the overall performance of the cricketers as they were playing the longer format after quite some time.

He pointed out that “the national players have scored runs and that is a good sign.

“The wickets were flat for the bowlers and they did not get many wickets but they bowled well in spells.”

The wicketkeeper-batsman felt that scoring over 250 runs in each innings for all the sides was a positive thing as it will help grow the players believe that they can always score.

Mushfiq praised Shamsur Rahman for his brilliant 267 and said he “deserves to play in the opening position for Bangladesh team as he has also been playing well in the domestic arena in last few years.”

“The basic thing is, if you play well, your place will remain confirm and if you don’t, it won’t.

“Even for me as a captain, I still need to perform to still be in the team. Everyone knows this message.

So, I think that’s why everyone is trying to perform. Everyone’s being more serious and trying to work hard honestly,” he added. l

Mohammedan Sporting Club’s Portuguese coach Hose Rui Capela Batista, during the post match briefing, rued the missed opportunities as his team registered their maiden victory in the Bangladesh Premier League beating Team BJMC 2-0 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Mohammedan, who earlier drew with Muktijoddha and Uttar Baridhara, wasted at least six easy scoring chances to be content with a two-goal victory.

Batista vowed to work on his attackers in the next practice sessions and said he would dig deep to see where the problem lies.

It was Mohammedan all the way and their two strikes were attained in either half of the match. The two goals were the result of good efforts as forward Wahed Ahmed placed a low cross cut by Zahid Hossain in the far post net in the 28th minute before Zahid himself scored in the 82nd minute with a precise chip from the right edge of the box. Zahid’s performance in this match was a satisfying point for the club management.

However apart from these two strikes it was the story of Mohamne-

dan’s squandered chances. Egyptian midfielder Mostafa Seddik alone wasted three chances in the 18, 27 and 52 minutes among which the first and the last chance came in the form of a one-on-one situation, but BJMC goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Himel was equally up to his task.

Himel pulled out another dashing save in the 34th minute after he dived into the feet of Wahed to stop his from striking on goal.

Team BJMC’s lone effort went in vein in the 64th minute when Guinean forward Ismael Bangoura sneaked through the Mohammedan defence and pushed a square pass to Aminur Rahman Sajib. Mohammedan’s custodian Mamum Khan’s timely dive blocked the placing shot as it bounced off the gloves much to the dismay to BJMC before Mintu Sheikh cleared the goal-bound ball.

Youngster Vincent Hemanta’s miss added to the misery of missed opportunities to the Black and Whites.

Hemanta’s placing shot from the top of the box beat onrushing Himel, but whiskered past the side post.

Zahid’s strike late in the game however sealed the fate of the match and settled Mohammedan’s nerve. After three matches, Mohammedan now have five points while BJMC have three. l

n Reazur Rahman Rohan

Tons of runs and a tough time for the bowlers is probably the perfect way to summarise the first round of the franchise-based Bangladesh Cricket League that concluded yesterday.

Played over the two grounds in BKSP, the matches were dominated by the bat and produced 2201 runs and included five hundreds, eight fifties and a mesmerizing double hundred by Shamsur Rahman while the bowlers gave their heart out on placid pitches and restored little parity by accumulating 45 wickets out of the available 80.

The BCL has been scheduled ahead of the National Cricket League, the lone first-class competition until last year, as a platform for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. The players were looking for a competitive opportunity to cement a place in the national team and it has so far served its purpose – for the batsmen at least.

After a bright ODI and T20 start for the Tigers, the right-handed Walton Central Zone opener Shamsur put up a strong case in front of the selec-

15 Pakistan want help from pitch

Uddin Khan and n Minhaz Kailash Sarkar

Nasir Hossain (L) and Mushfiqur Rahim of BCB North Zone share a light moment during the last day of their BCL match against Prime Bank South Zone at BKSP yesterday COURTESY

tors with his dominating 267 from 286 balls. In the same game, Nazimuddin opened for Islami Bank East Zone and registered back to back fifties and he should consider himself unlucky having to retire hurt on 97 on the second innings.

While Anamul Haque (Prime Bank South Zone), Jahurul Islam and Junaed Siddique (BCB North Zone) all fared below par, Imrul Kayes also made a strong statement of himself for the opening slot alongside Tamim Iqbal in the national team. After a fruitful Dhaka Premier League, Kayes notched up 127 in the second innings of South Zone to stay in the race for getting a call-up to the Test squad.

All of these players have should have one eye on an openers position after Anamul had a poor series against New Zealand. However, given the circumstances Shamsur is ahead of the pack for a Test call-up and looks to be the favourite.

Naeem Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim also scored centuries for BCB North Zone while all-rounder Farhad Reza played an innings of 157 that brought him back on the radar for selection,

though it might not happen immediately. Nasir Hossain and future prospect wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan can blame themselves for missing hundreds after getting out on 99 and 94 respectively.

Meanwhile, though the bowlers went for runs there are positives that cannot be neglected. The experienced Mashrafe bin Mortaza was expensive as he gave away 98 runs off his 14 overs and claimed three wickets. His return to the longer version of the game was possibly more important than his figures.

Robiul Islam, who missed the New Zealand series due to injury, showed excellent signs and swung the red ball on his way to picking up five wickets across two innings.

In the game between BCB North Zone and Prime Bank South Zone 1189 runs were scored for the loss of 24 wickets while 1012 runs were scored against 21 wickets in the game between Walton Central Zone and Islami Bank East Zone, thus only highlighting the bat’s domination over the ball. The batsmen seem prepared, but what about the bowlers? l

The two-member security inspection team from Sri Lanka Cricket was happy with the security arrangements in Bangladesh, informed SLC vice-president Mohan de Silva. Sri Lanka’s month long tour of Bangladesh from January 27 fell into jeopardy after security concerns were raised by SLC due to the political unrest here.

However, the thorough meeting with the security agencies and the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the foolproof security plan fetched confidence from the SLC officials.

“We were in Chittagong on Monday where we met the police commissioner. Today (Tuesday) we had a very successful discussion with Dhaka’s police commissioner. We were quite satisfied and impressed with the security plan he has provided. But we have to go back and report to our executive committee and they will take the final decision,” said SLC vice-president Mohan de Silva to the media on Tuesday.

After the meeting the DMP Commissioner also added, “The DMP ensures security to all the cricketers and the matches”.

De Silva informed Sylhet was not on his security committee’s schedule and that they, “were considering the time duration from hotel to venue.”

“At this time, we just think that instead of playing just one or two games in one venue, if we can confine ourselves to venues where within the shortest period of time the team can get from the hotel to the venue, that is advisable for us,” said de Silva.

He further informed that the tour had been discussed at the highest levels of government in the two countries.

“We as a country, including his Excellency the president [Mahinda Rajapaksa] is very keen that Sri Lanka tours Bangladesh. But at the same time, we have had some traumatic experiences in other countries. Therefore the security of the players is of paramount importance to us.

He added, “We have also been in constant touch with the Sri Lankan high commissioner in Dhaka. He has also been assured by your prime minister [Sheikh Hasina] that the fullest security will be provided for us.”

Meanwhile the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has called a press conference today. It is most likely that the ACC will give a final decision on the Asia Cup which was also called into doubt after Pakistan showed concern about participating in Bangladesh due to the recent rise in antiPakistan sentiment. While speaking to the media after meeting Sri Lanka Cricket officials, the DMP Commissioner also weighed in on the issue by saying, “The players of the Pakistan Cricket team will also be provided with the same (as Sri Lanka) security measures.” l

Usha lift UCB Club title

Saqlain to focus on grassroots

n Raihan Mahmood

n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh national spin bowling coach Saqlain Mushtaq will not be with the Bangladesh national team ahead of the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka. BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan made the announcement to the media yesterday.

The Pakistani spin legend was hired for 100 days and still has 65 days left in the contract.

“We rather want to utilize him into the root levels. Looking into the pipeline, we hardly have any spinner. We are in need of getting some quality good spinners ready for future,” Akram said.

Akram further informed that Saqlain could be sent to visit different parts of the country to find more leg and offspinners and hold a month long camp with those cricketers. “The process is still being planned and will be proposed at the next board meeting and I hope it will get the ‘go’ sign,” said Akram.

Saqlain was primarily assigned with the Bangladesh team and has worked with the side both at home and away in the 2012-13 season. His last assignment with the team was during the Zimbabwe series in April and May last year. l

13

SLC security committee satisfied

MSC seal first win Perfect practice - runs, n runs and more runs Raihan Mahmood

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Usha KC players celebrate their UCB Club Cup Hockey title at the hockey stadium yesterday

COURTESY

Usha Krira Chakra retained their UCB Club Cup Hockey title as they continued their superiority over Abahani Ltd with a 3-1 win in the final at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

In the previous final, Usha beat the same opposition 3-2 in a thrilling finish as Usha bounced back from a two goal deficit. However, this time it was a totally different story as Usha took a three goal lead and were in the driver’s seat for almost the entire match. Abahani’s consolation goal was scored in the dying minutes and hardly had any effect on the result.

Usha took on an attacking approach and it paid dividends for them. The strategy of inserting a three pronged attack of Krisha Kumar, Moinul Islam Koushik and Rimon Kumar, aided by attacking midfielders Jahid bin Talib Shuvo and Sarwar Hossain, kept the pressure on throughout the match. Although Usha did not attain a single penalty corner in the match so that the lethal drag and flicks of Mamunur Rahman Chayan were not a factor in the game. While Abahani did not concede any penalty corner, they could were unable to prevent the goals.

It was bright start for Usha rising

star Fazle Hossain Rabbi put his team ahead at the 4 minute mark with a fierce reverse hit from a square pass from forward Krishna Kumar, who did the hard work in the right flank.

Abahani hit back with a series of attacks and in the 25th minute, forward Hasan Jubaer Niloy saw his push from a goal mouth melee hit the side post.

Koushik, the livewire of Usha’s attack was cursing his luck as he missed the line of the ball on his first twoattempts in the first half. He amended his failure in the 45th when experienced forward Maksud Alam Habul paved the way for Koushik with a tricky pass, that passed through the legs of his marker and Koushik made the space in the middle of the arc to force all the power on the ball that rocked the board.

Abahni showed some urgency and attacked as best they could but could not find the finishing touch. Niloy, Pushkor Khisha Mimo, Nannu and Biplob could not rise to the occasion and a tired Abahani conceded a third goal in the 66th minute. Sarwar’s fierce hit bounced back off the pads of Abahani goalie Ashim Gope to Krishna, who made no mistake in sending the ball back inside. Koushik’s strike made him the highest scorer with seven goals. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Gunners on top with Villa win n AFP, Birmingham

Arsenal's English midfielder Jack Wilshere (2R) celebrates after scoring against Aston Villa during their English Premier League match at Villa Park in Birmingham on Monday

Atletico see off Valencia, into Cup quarters

Fulham ease past Norwich in FA Cup n AFP, London

5 trophies clearly not enough for Ballon d’Or: Ribery n Reuters, Berlin n AFP, Madrid

Fulham overwhelmed fellow Premier League strugglers Norwich 3-0 at Craven Cottage to move into the fourth round of the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Former England striker Darren Bent scored Fulham’s opener before setting up Ashkan Dejagah’s decisive second goal as Norwich’s winless run stretched to eight matches.

Steve Sidwell scored Fulham’s third goal shortly before the hour to leave the Cottagers with a fourth round tie against third tier Sheffield United.

But it was the clean sheet that most delighted Fulham captain Brede Hangeland following last weekend’s 4-1 league defeat by Sunderland.

Elsewhere non-league Kidderminster Harriers won through to

a fourth round tie with Premier League Sunderland after a 3-2 replay victory away to third third tier Peterborough United.

FA Cup holders Wigan needed extratime to see off Milton Keynes Dons 3-1 in a third round replay at Stadium MK and avoid becoming only the second holders of the trophy to go out in the third round the following season.

Bournemouth will welcome English giants Liverpool to the south coast in the fourth round after a 4-1 win over fourth-tier Burton Albion.

Two goals from Brett Pitman and strikes from Ryan Fraser and captain Tommy Elphick – a Liverpool fan – set up a dream tie for the Championship club.

However, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe promised his side would remain focused on the league, starting with Saturday’s match against Watford.l

PSG through to League Cup semi-finals

Seedorf to take charge of AC Milan

n AFP, Paris

n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro

Paris Saint-Germain reached the semifinals of the French League Cup after an ultimately comfortable 3-1 victory away to Bordeaux on Tuesday evening.

Javier Pastore, Adrien Rabiot and Blaise Matuidi got the goals for the reigning Ligue 1 champions, while a strike from Andre Biyogo Poko had

Former Netherlands and AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf will become the Serie A club’s new coach after announcing an end to his illustrious playing career on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old Dutchman, who has no previous coaching experience, told a news conference that he was retiring as a player. He left Milan for Brazil’s Botafogo in 2012.

“This isn’t a goodbye, we’ll meet again,” he said at Botafogo’s stadium.

“All the experience I have gained in this year and a half at Botafogo is going to help me in my next venture, which will be as coach of Milan.”

Seedorf’s agent Deborah Martin said he had signed a two-and-a-half year contract to replace Massimiliano Allegri, who was fired by Milan on Monday following a dismal run of results for the seven-times European

RESULT Bordeaux

Biyogo Poko 49

1-3

PSG

Pastore 45+1, Rabiot 86, Matuidi 89

brought Bordeaux level in the second half at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.

It is the first time that PSG have reached the semi-finals of any knockout competition since the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011 and the win keeps them on course for what would be an unprecedented domestic treble. l

Inter held by Chievo, Samp rout nine-man Udinese n AFP, Milan Inter Milan reclaimed fifth spot but dropped two precious points in a 1-1 draw at home to Chievo as Sampdoria continued their resurgence with a 3-0 rout of nine-man Udinese in Italy’s Serie A action on Monday.

Inter, looking for only their second win in seven games, were stunned after just eight minutes when Alberto Paloschi was left unmarked in the area to beat Samir Handanovic with a dipping shot.

Walter Mazzarri’s men were soon

RESULTS Sampdoria

3-0

Inter Milan

1-1

Eder 16-pen, 47, Gastaldello 87 Nagatomo 12

AFP

Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa courtesy of two goals within 60 seconds from Jack Wilshere and Olivier Giroud on Monday.

It was a fourth consecutive victory for Arsene Wenger’s side and continued Villa’s poor run on their home ground, where they have failed to win in their last five matches and only twice in the league all season.

Christian Benteke’s first goal in 13 matches prompted a late burst of Villa pressure, but it was too late to rescue a draw.

Arsenal are now one point clear of second placed Manchester City, with Chelsea a further point behind the leaders, as the title race hots up.

Villa opted to play five at the back in an attempt to keep Arsenal quiet after Paul Lambert’s low on confidence side lost 2-1 at home to League One team Sheffield United in their last game.

But France striker Giroud made his return for Arsenal following injury and illness and came close to heading Arsenal into an early lead.

Villa could have taken the lead when Benteke capitalised on a mistake by Wilshere and fed Fabian Delph, who

Udinese

Chievo

Paloschi 8

back on level terms, Yuto Nagatomo leaving Chievo’s static defence behind to meet Ricardo Alvarez’s pass across the face of goal and beat Christian Puggioni in the Chievo net on 12 minutes.

Earlier, Sampdoria continued their promising run under new coach Sinisa Mihajlovic to move two places up to 12th. l

Franck Ribery missed out on the 2013 Ballon d’Or accolade but said there was little more he could have done to win the award after helping Bayern Munich win five trophies in the year.

Ribery finished third in the voting despite enjoying his best season with Bayern as they won the domestic league and cup double, the Champions League, the European Super Cup and Club World Cup. “What more could I have done after winning all those titles,” he told Bild newspaper on Tuesday.

“It does not matter if you are second or third. I am not selfish and this title is not my goal. I prefer to win everything again with Bayern this season and also win the 2014 World Cup. That is what is important. Obviously I would have liked to have won but it’s alright.” l

champions.

Seedorf said he was not considering retiring but that the offer to return to Milan was too good to turn down.

“The decision (to sack Allegri) was decisive,” Seedorf told reporters. “The call came in the middle of the training session. Obviously, it’s a place where I spent 10 years of my life and I have a very close relationship with the president so when he asked me I couldn’t say no.”

The move to appoint Seedorf, who had a successful 10-year playing career at Milan, is something of a gamble although he is a hugely popular figure at the club and would arrive with a deep bank of goodwill.

The midfielder was the first player to win the Champions League with three different clubs - Ajax Amsterdam in 1995, Real Madrid in 1998 and AC Milan in 2003 and 2007. He has also represented Inter Milan and Sampdoria. l

Wenger sweats over injuries n AFP, Birmingham

Arsene Wenger is sweating on the fitness of two of his Arsenal stars after his side climbed back to the top of the Premier League with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa.

Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky suffered a suspected broken nose following a clash with Gabriel Agbonlahor while Spanish left-back Nacho Monreal will go for a scan on an injured foot.

“Rosicky has a bad nose, I don’t know if it was broken,” Wenger said.

“I don’t know if it was an elbow or not, I did not see. Maybe it was an accident but Monreal needs a check on his metatarsal.” l

Holders Atletico Madrid moved into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with a 2-0 win at home to Valencia on Tuesday to progress 3-1 on aggregate.

Atletico’s prowess at set-pieces once again proved vital as Uruguayan defender Diego Godin nodded home the opener from Gabi’s corner six minutes after half-time.

Valencia responded well to going behind, but just as in the first-leg they found it difficult to beat Thibaut Courtois as the Belgian produced fine saves to deny Helder Postiga and Michel.

And Atletico sealed victory when Raul Garcia headed home another corner a minute from time to set up a meeting with Athletic Bilbao or Real Betis in the last eight.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone made

just two changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Barcelona in a top of the table clash on Saturday as new signing Jose Sosa made his debut. Garcia then made the game safe with a powerful header from another Gabi corner.

RESULTS Almeria

0-2

Racing Santander

Atletico Madrid

2-0

Valencia

Mariano 62, Duran 79 Racing Santander win 3-1 on aggregate

Godin 51, Raul Garcia 89 Atletico Madrid win 3-1 on aggregate

Third-tier Racing Santander also continued their amazing cup run as they became the first side into the quarter-finals by winning 2-0 away at Almeria to progress 3-1 on aggregate.

The Cantabrian side, who are currently in administration, will face Real Sociedad or Villarreal in the next round. l

fired just wide from 20 yards.

Lambert’s side were hit by a worrying injury to defender Nathan Baker who took the full force of a Serge Gnabry free kick in the face.

The centre half was taken off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask and did not appear to move after being down on the pitch for treatment for six minutes.

Lambert brought on Leandro Bacuna for the stricken Baker and it was later confirmed that the young defender had suffered mild concussion.

However Arsenal had plenty of possession and they went ahead in the 34th minute.

Mesut Ozil found Nacho Monreal down the left and he crossed for England midfielder Wilshere, who coolly beat Brad Guzan for his fifth goal of the season. The Gunners scored a second just a minute later after Wilshere capitalised on a Delph error and passed to Giroud, who clinically fired in his 12th goal of the campaign.

Arsenal continued to come at Villa with Giroud firing just wide after substitute Kieran Gibbs had crossed from the touchline.

But it was Villa who set up an exciting finale as Benteke at last grabbed his first goal since September, heading home from Lowton’s 76th-minute cross after Arsenal had carelessly surrendered possession. l

I’ve changed, says Suarez, and Liverpool are back n Reuters, London Luis Suarez thinks his enforced absence from the game last year has changed him and believes Liverpool are ready to claim a Champions League berth for the first time in five years.

Suarez has scored 22 goals in 16 English Premier League games since returning in September from a 10-match ban.

“When you are a child, you imagine a lot. Now many people or players speak about that (being one of the best in then world), and it’s unbelievable for me,” Suarez, 26, told Liverpool’s website on Tuesday.

“And also for Liverpool, because in the last two or three years we have not played very well and not demonstrated our level. Now we are back to that.

“You work hard for the supporters and the people. It’s important because the last few months were a little difficult for me.

Now I’ve changed and it’s okay.” l

Atletico Madrid forward Diego da Silva Costa (R) kicks the ball past Valencia midfielder Javi Fuego (L) and defender and captain Ricardo Costa (C) during their Spanish Copa del Rey round of 16 second-leg match at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on Tuesday AFP

Work to do for Ronaldo to become legend: Pele n Reuters, Paris

Fifa Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo must continue to maintain his exceptional high standards in order to be classed among the sport’s legends, according to Brazil great Pele who compared the Portuguese to Eusebio.

Portugal and Real Madrid forward Ronaldo beat Argentine’s Lionel Messi and France’s Franck Ribery to claim the prestigious award for the second time on Monday.

“To me the last true great was Zidane.

He stayed at the same very high level for at least 10 years,” Pele, who was awarded a honorary Ballon d’Or, told France

Football magazine on Tuesday.

Ronaldo is on the right path, though, and reminded the three-times World Cup winner of former Portugal striker Eusebio, the top scorer at the 1966 WC, who died earlier this month at the age of 71.

“Today Messi and Ronaldo are above the rest. Ronaldo reminds me a bit of Eusebio, he is well bred. He has the elegance and the creativity of the great players,” Pele said.

Winning the World Cup used to have greater significance in the voting for the Ballon d’Or but the success of Ronaldo and Messi, who won the award from 2009-12, proved that was no longer true, according to the Brazilian. l

Villarreal thrash Sociedad, close in on top four n AFP, Madrid Villarreal enhanced their prospects of playing Champions League football next season with a 5-1 thrashing of Real Sociedad at El Madrigal on Monday.

Sociedad had come into the game on the back of five straight league wins, but a double from Giovanni dos Santos added to a strike from Nigerian Ikechukwu Uche had the hosts 3-0 up inside 33 minutes.

Villarreal are now just two points behind Athletic Bilbao in the fourth place with Sociedad a further two points behind in sixth. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Kiwis heap further misery on WI

QUICK BYTES

Abahani beat Muktis Dhaka Abahani Limited claimed their second win in the Bangladesh Premier League after handing Muktijoddha Sangsad KC a 3-1 defeat at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Tuesday.

Ghanaian forward Awudu Ibrahim put Abahani ahead in the 46th minute before Muktijoddha restored the parity through their Nigerian forward Eleta Benjamin in the 78th minute. However, Abahani produced a superb performance in the last 10 minutes as Ibrahim scored his second in the 81st minute while his compatriot Osei Morrison completed the route in the penultimate minute of the match. After three matches, Abahani now have seven points while Muktijoddha have four.

- RM

n AFP, Wellington

Abahani Supporters Forum congratulate PM and others

The Abahani Supporters Forum congratulated its chief patron Sheikh Hasina for being elected as the prime minister of the country for the third time. In a press release the forum also congratulated patron Anwar Hossain Monju, directors AHM Mustafa Kamal, Nasrul Hamid Bipu, Shahriar Alam, for being nominated as ministers and state ministers and directors Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Sheikh Helaluddin and Nazmul Hasan Papon as the lawmakers. The forum hoped that under their able leadership the country and sports arena will flourish and raise the standards.

- RM

Jamal pitted in Group B in IFA Shield Dhaka powerhouse Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Ltd was pitted in Group B of the 118th IFA Shield scheduled to start from January 29 at the Barasat Stadium, West Bengal, India. The other three clubs of the group are McDowell Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata) and Shilong Lajong FC. Group A consists of Kingfisher East Bengal, United Sports Club of Kolkata, Geylang International of Singapore and Busan Kiong Ton of Korea. Jamal will begin their campaign against Mohun Bagan on January 29 before taking on Mohammedan on February 2 and Shilong Lajong on February 5.

- RM

Pietersen gets Twenty20 call Kevin Pietersen was on Wednesday handed a berth in England’s provisional 30-man squad for the ICC World Twenty20, which begins in Bangladesh in March. The 33-year-old batsman has been called up for the World Twenty20, he is not guaranteed to play in the tournament as the squad will be cut in half following the forthcoming three-match Twenty20 series against Australia.

Provisional 30-man England squad for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20, announced on Wednesday: Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Gary Ballance, Ravi Bopara, Scott Borthwick, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Stuart Broad (capt), Jos Buttler (wkt), Michael Carberry, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Craig Kieswetter (wkt), Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Steven Parry, Samit Patel, Kevin Pietersen, Boyd Rankin, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, James Tredwell, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Luke Wright –AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 7:00AM San Antonio v Utah 9:30AM LA Clippers v Dallas 12:00PM Pakistan v Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 1 Ten Golf 10:00AM Asian Tour 2014 Kings Cup, Day 1 3:00PM European Tour 2014 Abu Dhabi Championship Day 1 Ten Action 3:00AM Copa del Rey 2013/14 Getafe v Barcelona Star Sports HD2 2:00PM & 6:00AM Australian Open 2014 Star Sports HD1 2:40PM Big Bash T20 Perth Scorchers v Adelaide Strikers

15

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene (C) and teammates play football during a practise session at the Sharjah International Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Tuesday AFP

British man arrested for courtside betting n AFP, Melbourne

A British man has been arrested and charged over alleged illegal courtside betting at the Australian Open, police said Wednesday.

The 22-year-old, reportedly part of an Eastern European crime syndicate that targets international sports events, was spotted by police during a match on Tuesday afternoon.

Details of the match were not revealed.

Victorian deputy police commissioner Graham Ashton said the man was charged with one count of “engaging in conduct that would corrupt a betting outcome” and was bailed to appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

“These offences carry hefty penalties of up to 10 years in prison,” he said.

“We will be monitoring matches for the remainder of the tournament." l

New Zealand inflicted a further defeat on the West Indies in their second Twenty20 international Wednesday to bring a dismal end to the visiting team’s tour.

The four-wicket win gave New Zealand the Twenty20 series 2-0 to go with their 2-0 win in the Tests. The one-day internationals were shared 2-2, the West Indies’ only success on their sixweek tour.

After New Zealand won the first Twenty20 by 81 runs, they were struggling at 79-5 in the second match before a 68-run partnership between Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi turned the innings around.

Taylor played the anchor role with 39 off 41 balls while Ronchi belted an unbeaten 51 off 28 deliveries in an innings that included four fours and two sixes.

The pair were particularly harsh on West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo in the 15th over when they took 17 runs to reduce the target from 54 off 36 balls to a more manageable 37 off 30.

They then took 15 off the 17th over

by Jason Holder and although Taylor gave his wicket away with a mistimed slog-sweep to Chadwick Walton at deep midwicket New Zealand were then in a position to coast to victory.

The outcome could have been different had the West Indies been more alert with their fielding.

Jesse Ryder was dropped twice as he raced to a quick 23 in nine balls, and Brendon McCullum received a life on his way to 17.

But the biggest bungle was missing two chances to remove man of the match Ronchi on the first ball he faced.

Andre Russell dropped a caught and

Pakistan want help from pitch against Sri Lanka n AFP, Sharjah Pakistan are desperate for a helpful pitch to get them a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka in the third and final Test starting in Sharjah on Thursday.

Captain Misbah-ul Haq was frustrated over two previous unresponsive pitches, the first in Abu Dhabi where Sri Lanka batted resolutely to salvage a draw, and then in Dubai where a firstday seaming pitch undid Pakistan’s batting and later blunted their bowling.

Sri Lanka, helped by their new-look pace attack and a fighting century from old campaigner Mahela Jayawardne recorded their biggest-ever win of nine wickets over Pakistan to take a 1-0 lead.

The lack of spin on those pitches nullified Pakistan’s match-winning bowler Saeed Ajmal and he has taken

only five wickets in two Tests so far.

The look of the Sharjah stadium pitch suggests it will only turn on the last two days.

Sri Lanka posted a big 413-run total when the two teams last played at the venue in November 2011 in a match which Pakistan only saved because of heavy rain on the final day on their way to a 1-0 series win.

Misbah admitted Pakistan’s chances of levelling the series largely depend on the pitch.

“In my opinion this looks a good pitch and I think you get spin on the pitches here and the team which plays better and show patience will have more chance,” he said.

“I think pitches here are like that, but there are strange results here,” said Misbah whose team has lost four

of their last 13 Tests against Sri Lanka with only one win and eight draws.

Pakistan will be forced to bring in a bowler in place of paceman Bilawal Bhatti who injured his hamstring during the second Test.

He will be replaced either by fast bowler Mohammad Talha or left-armer Abdul Rehman, if Pakistan decide to play with two spinners.

Pakistan are also likely to tinker with their top-order batting with opener Ahmed Shehzad and Mohammad Hafeez – who both failed in Dubai – making way for Shan Masood or Azhar Ali. Sri Lanka have no such problems, hoping Jayawardene recovers from a finger injury which hampered his batting in the second Test. Skipper Angelo Mathews said he hoped the pitch will help the spinners. l

bowled opportunity and when Ronchi scampered through for a quick single Tino Best was astray with his run out throw at the stumps.

The West Indies, who won the toss and elected to bat first, appeared to have lost their way when reduced to 67-4 in the 11th over before Denesh Ramdin and Andre Taylor breathed life into their innings. l

SCORECARD West Indies Simmons c Neesham b McClenaghan 29 J Charles c Guptill b Milne 7 Fletcher run out (Munro/Milne/Ronchi) 40 D. Bravo b N. McCullum 12 C. Walton c Ronchi b Milne 0 D. Ramdin not out 55 A. Russell not out 10 Extras: (lb2, w4) 6 Total: (5 wickets; 20 overs) 159 Bowling McClenaghan 4-0-29-1, Milne 4-0-222, Neesham 4-0-39-0 (2w), Anderson 4-0-50-0 (2w), N. McCullum 4-0-17-1 New Zealand M. Guptill c Ramdin b Holder 1 R. Ryder c Simmons b Holder 23 B. McCullum lbw Narine 17 R. Taylor c Walton b Narine 39 C. Munro c Miller b Russell 5 C. Anderson c Charles b Russell 6 L. Ronchi not out 51 J. Neesham not out 14 Extras (lb3, w4) 7 Total: (six wickets; 20 overs) 163 Bowling Holder 3-0-34-2 (1w), Best 3-0-37-0 (1w), Bravo 3-0-31-0 (2w), Narine 4-018-2, Miller 3-0-24-0, Russell 3-0-16-2 Result: New Zealand won by 4 wickets Series: New Zealand 2-0

Rafter’s comeback lasts just one match n AFP, Melbourne Pat Rafter’s Grand Slam comeback last just one match after he and Lleyton Hewitt lost in the first round of the Australian Open men’s doubles on Wednesday.

The Australian pair went down 6-4, 7-5 to American Eric Butorac and South African Raven Klaasen.

Former US Open champion Rafter, 41, broke a 13-year retirement to partner Hewitt in the doubles.

Rafter, Australia’s Davis Cup captain, thrilled a large crowd at Hisense Arena with his touch around the net.

“I didn’t want to make an idiot of myself and I thought I got through it okay,” Rafter said.

Hewitt was playing a day after losing a gruelling singles five-setter to Italian seed Andreas Seppi in intense heat. l

England skittle out PM’s Novak, Serena run hot in Melbourne n XI for first tour win AFP, Melbourne

n

AFP, Canberra

England’s bowlers ripped through the Australian Prime Minister’s XI for a morale-boosting first tour victory of 172 runs ahead of Friday’s second one-day international.

Chasing 265 to win in the Australian capital, the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals and were all out for 92 in the 26th over Tuesday.

Ravi Bopara grabbed four wickets for three runs in just three overs to wrap up the match and end a winless streak going back to the first Ashes Test in Brisbane back in November. Skipper Alastair Cook admitted his relief after a run of poor performances which saw an Ashes whitewash and dour, drawn tour games.

“It’s great to win. It’s been a longtime coming,” Cook said.

“We needed to start winning and winning puts you in the right frame of mind and gives you a little bit of confidence. We know we’ve got a huge amount of work to do,” he added.

The tourists had however laboured to 264 for eight off 50 overs on what was thought to be a good batting wicket, if a little slow. Cook won the toss and decided to bat but rival captain and former Test quick Brett Lee knocked him over for just one, edging a full length ball to the wicketkeeper.

The 37-year-old Lee was in vintage form and had Joe Root lbw to leave England on two for 12 runs in the day-night 50-over game at the Manuka Oval. l

SCORECARD England Cook c Handscomb b Lee 1 Carberry c Lee b Cutting 47 Root lbw Lee 1 Ballance c A. McDermott b Muirhead 56 Morgan b Muirhead 4 Bopara c Spaseski b Muirhead 18 Buttler b Bird 61 Bresnan c B. McDermott b A. McDermott 36 Jordan not out 11 Tredwell not out 18 Extras (5w, 2nb, 4b) 11 Total (for 8 wickets) 264 Bowling Lee 7-1-22-2, Bird 10-0-58-1, A. McDermott 8-47-1, Rose 5-0-18-0, Cutting 10-0-63-1, Muirhead 10-0-52-3 Australian PM’s XI Handscomb b Jordan 8 Pomersbach c Buttler b Rankin 1 Hodge c Carberry b Tredwell 28 McDermott c Root b Rankin 1 Spaseski c Root b Bresnan 13 Cutting c Ballance b Bopara 9 Rose runout 8 Lee b Bopara 12 Muirhead b Bopara 0 Bird lbw Bopara 0 McDermott not out 1 Extras (lb1, w10) 11 Total (all out 26 overs) 92 Bowling Rankin 8-0-39-2, Tredwell 4-0-10-1, Bresnan 6-1-26-1, Bopara 3-0-3-4 Result: England win by 172 runs

Title favourites Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams shrugged off a second day of intense heat to reach the Australian Open third round Wednesday alongside China’s Li Na. Djokovic, watched by new coach Boris Becker, flew past against Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-0, 6-4, 6-4, extending his Melbourne streak to 23 straight wins.

With temperatures close to 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) Williams also took the fast route with a 63-minute demolition of Serbia’s Vesna Dolonc.

Li, twice a finalist at Melbourne Park, subdued a challenge from Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic, touted as the new Martina Hingis, to make the third round for the fifth year in a row.

Spanish third seed David Ferrer beat France’s Adrian Mannarino to progress alongside Tomas Berdych, the world number seven, who downed Kenny De Schepper. Ice packs and energy drinks remained in high demand after Canada’s Frank Dancevic fainted and China’s Peng Shuai vomited in extreme temperatures on Tuesday.

After a tournament-record nine withdrawals in the first round, Croatia’s Ivan Dodig became the latest casualty when he pulled out with cramp in the fourth set of his match against Damir Dzumhur.

Djokovic, a previous casualty of the Australian heat after retiring during his 2009 quarter-final, said his switch to a gluten-free diet had helped him cope.

The three-time defending champion

Novak Djokovic of Serbia walks past magazines featuring pictures of himself as he signs autographs after winning his men's singles match against Leonardo Mayer of Argentina at the Australian Open 2014 in Melbourne yesterday REUTERS had been off his clinical best in his firstround match, but he returned to his familiar precision against Mayer, hitting 30 winners to just 11 unforced errors.

Williams also lived up to her destructive reputation against Dolonc as she goes in search of her 18th Grand Slam title, a tally which would match Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.

Li raced through her first set against the 16-year-old Bencic, but was forced to fight for the second before taking the match 6-0, 7-6 (7/5). The former French Open champion admitted she was not at her best but said she was glad to make it through and escape the steamy conditions in straight sets.

Ferrer dropped the second set against Mayer but came back to win 7-6 (7/2), 5-7, 6-0, 6-3 in a typically dogged display.

Jeremy Chardy prompted a racquetsmashing fit from Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov when he edged their ultratight four-setter, which included three tie-breaks. Big-serving Polish 20th seed Jerzy Janowicz ousted Spain’s Pablo Andujar in four sets, and French ninth seed Richard Gasquet beat Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko in three.

Among the evening matches, eighth seed Stanislas Wawrinka battled past Alejandro Falla in four sets, and Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic thrashed Annika Beck 6-1, 6-2. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Thursday, January 16, 2014

RANA PLAZA COLLAPSE

Yusuf put his own life in peril to rescue others n Adil Sakhawat On a hospital bed of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP) Yusuf, who volunteered to rescue victims of Rana Plaza, is still suffering from spinal cord injury.

Forty-year-old Yusuf pulled 10 workers out of the Rana Plaza rubble before he himself fell victim to secondary roof collapse.

While sharing his story, Yusuf, who has been in the hospital for around eight months after the tragic building collapse on April 24 last year, hoped he would recover soon and get back to his normal life.

Coming from Doulatdia under Rajbari Yusuf used to do farming and small businesses before he was injured.

The day before the building caved in Yusuf went to visit his nephew Uzzal who worked at Rana Plaza.

When he heard about the incident he rushed to the site and volunteered to rescue people from the Rana Plaza debris.

After he had pulled 10 people out of the twisted and mangled building he was trying to save another trapped worker on the 3rd floor and just then Yusuf fell victim to a secondary roof collapse and was knocked unconscious.

Eventually he was found by other rescuers and sent to Combined Military Hospital (CMH). Later, he was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where he stayed for 5 days in the intensive care unit.

Following his stint at the DMCH Yusuf was transferred to the Apollo Hospital and had to be again in the ICU for 25 days. Afterwards, on May 25 he was sent to the CRP where he has been staying till date.

Mohammad S Hossain Mehedy, a registered doctor at the hospital for taking care of Rana Plaza survivors, however, said Yusuf’s recovery is very unlikely. “He seems to remain paralyzed for the rest of his life since he suffered from a terrible neck injury called Traumatic Tetraplegia (at level C6).

“The nature of his injury is such that

Yusuf has lost normal sensory input from all of his limbs, meaning he has little or no sensation or ability to move his limbs,” Hossain added.

Yusuf’s daughter Shyamoli said: “I cannot go to school as I have to look after my father here in the CRP. My father wants me to go to school again.

He also has a dream of making my brother a doctor in future.

“Our five-member family is now living on Tk10, 000 received as interest from bank against Tk100, 000 donated by the prime minister. We have nothing else. But my father still wishes to be well again and live a happy family life like earlier.” Shyamoly said.

At least 1,134 people were killed and thousands more injured when the ninestorey Rana Plaza collapsed on April 24 last year.

According to a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate, 261 people have remained untraced at the site. The army identified those 261 out of 329 people who were reportedly missing after the collapse. l

People begin to feel the cold bite in Rajshahi as drizzle adds woe to their sufferings

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Dipu Moni’s car barred at National Memorial in Savar n Emran Hossain Shaikh

Three-year-old girl violated, housewife DMP launches Android app n kills felon over rape attempt

Former foreign Minister Dipu Moni reportedly got into a heated argument with security staff at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar as they prevented her car from entering the venue.

Police said they barred the former minister’s vehicle from going inside as only ministers’ flag cars were allowed to enter the monument premises during a visit by the newly-formed cabinet on Tuesday.

Witnesses said law enforcement agents stopped Dipu Moni’s car at the main entrance of the monument.

At one point, she had a heated talk with the on-duty security personnel, who would not budge.

They then tried to contact their superiors over mobile phones, but they did not get any response.

The law enforcers apparently did not even allow her to park near the Savar monument’s boundary wall.

Habibur Rahman, superintendent of Dhaka district police, told the Dhaka Tribune that they were instructed not to allow in any vehicles without flags.

“That is why former minister Dipu Moni was not allowed to enter the monument in her car,” the police officer said.

“As far I know, the former minister went inside the venue on foot,” he added.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and members of her new cabinet went to the national monument to pay homage to the Liberation War heroes.

Dipu Moni finally entered the venue after the new ministers had finished paying their respects, the witnesses said. l

A three-year-old girl was violated at Fatulla in the capital on Monday.

Police arrested the alleged raper on Tuesday. He was identified as Riaz, hailing from Barguna district.

Fatulla police station Sub-Inspector Hamid said the victim used to live in a rented house beside Fatulla rail station.

She is the youngest of her five siblings. All of her family members were at their workplaces during the incident.

Riaz, who was jobless, also lived in her sister’s house in the area.

On Monday, he summoned the girl child who went to him along with her playmate.

The guilty party tied the girl and violated her. Seeing the girl tied at Riaz’s home, the victim’s sister asked Riaz

Tribune Report

n

Tribune Report

why she was kept tied.

The felon answered that he did it out of mischief.

The victim fell ill on Tuesday after the incident.

Asked, the girl child and her playmate narrated the incident. Riaz also confessed to violating the girl after he was given a sound beating by locals, who handed him over to police later.

Fatulla OC Akter Hossain said, “A case has been lodged in connection with the incident yesterday morning.

He is going to be sent to the court.”

In Jessore, a suspected rapist was beaten to death by a woman at a garden in Shahapur under Jessore Sadar upazila.

The deceased was Mohammad Ali, 32, of Marua village under Chaugachha upazila in Jessore.

Ali was hit with a brick allegedly by

the woman while he tried to violate her Monday morning, our correspondent in Jessore reported.

Police exhumed the body from near the residence of the housewife at night.

The housewife hit Ali with a brick while the latter tried to rape her inside the garden Monday morning, police said.

The 32-year-old tried to take the advantage of the woman’s husband’s absence in the house, added police.

Her husband was the caretaker of the garden belonging to a physician.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Jessore Medical College Hospital.

The housewife was also arrested.

Emdadul Haque Sheikh, officer-in-charge, Kotwali police station, told journalists he heard the women kill the young man to save herself from being violated. l

Dhaka Metropolitan Police has launched an Android application to provide residents of the capital with digitally receivable services, including important information, all in one place.

The application was developed with a view to making police services more easily accessible to the general people.

DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed launched the application named “Dhaka Metropolitan Police: DMP” on Tuesday and it is available at the Google App Store for free download.

The application features searching for the nearest police station and locating police stations on Google Maps, calling the nearest police station’s OC or duty officer, getting direction to the police station on emergency, detailed information about various services of the DMP, and informing the police about any incident.

The commissioner said one would be able to take help of the traffic department during heavy traffic in any area of the city and call traffic police official of the area concerned from the application.

Benazir also said people would be able to share any information on criminals through this app by sending emails or SMSs to the DMP. Women would receive quick police service from the DMP women support and investigation department, he added.

He said apart from benefitting from the service, users could also help their relatives and friends as they would be able to share any police service details through the app. Benazir expressed hope that the application would help develop a good relation between the police and city dwellers.

DMP additional commissioners Ibrahim Fatemi, Abdul Jalil Mondol and Abdul Jalil were present at the launching ceremony, among others. l

Girl rescued from locked trunk Jail authority asked to explain failure to n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh A schoolgirl was rescued by some garage workers from a trunk at Shambhuganj of Mymensingh while she was being taken to Sherpur from Bhaluka yesterday.

The girl, a student of class X and whose parents are teachers, was kidnapped by Monir Hossain, 16, and Morshed Alam, 14, sons of Manjurul Haque of Haldibata village, Jhenaigati, Sherpur, from her home upon returning from school around 11:30am yesterday. The youths had come to the girl’s house and made unconscious their maid with an injection and tied her with a rope.

Monir and Morshed, who used to work at Badsha Spinning Mills in Bhaluka, also made the girl unconscious

and tied her hands and feet and put her in the trunk and locked it. They then boarded a Sherpur-bound bus around 1pm.

There was a mechanical glitch when the bus reached Shambhuganj Chinamore and it was taken to a garage where the workers heard sounds of movement from the bus’ luggage box.

The trunk was brought out and the two youths were asked to open it. As they dillydallied, the garage workers broke the lock and opened the trunk to find the girl.

The workers and passengers caught the youths and handed them over to RAB and police officials.

Some sources said the boys had kidnapped the girl as she had refused one of them of an affair. l

produce Oishee before court n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court has ordered jail authorities to show justified cause for their failure to produce Oishee Rahman – who is alleged of killing her parents – before the court yesterday for a bail petition hearing.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Alamgir Kabir Raj yesterday asked Dhaka Central Jail authorities to answer to the order.

The court also fixed January 19 for hearing on the bail plea and ordered authorities to produce Oishee before the court on that day.

Oishee, an O-level student of Oxford International School, is now in pris-

on for her complicity in the killing of her parents – Special Branch Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman.

Defense lawyer Prokash Ranjan Biswas said the bail hearing date was set on January 12, after he filed a petition before the court seeking bail for Oishee.

He also said another petition was filed regarding the provision of education materials for Oishee ahead of her O-Level examinations.

The bail hearing was supposed to take place yesterday in the presence of Oishee but the jail authorities did not produce Oishee.

Earlier on August 16 last year, the decomposed bodies of Oishee’s parents

were recovered from their Chamelibagh residence in the city. The couple had lived in the rented house with their two children—Oishee and Oihee and their housemaid Sumi.

Twenty-two hours after the recovery of the bodies, Oishee showed up at the Paltan police station. Later on the same day, detective police arrested her friend Mizanur Rahman Rony and domestic aid Sumi.Oishee confessed to the killing after surrendering to the police, but later retracted her statement. The case stirred up a sensation throughout the country at the time.

On August 24, Oishee and Sumi gave confessional statements before a magistrate under section 164 in the case. 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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Continue to the Business section...

Business

B3 China farmers build wall of cash with $2.2m payout

B4 WB sees stronger

growth as rich economies expand

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

BTRC breaks law

3G tariff offers of the private mobile phone companies are in place without ministry’s approval though the law requires it n Muhammad Zahidul Islam While the law says the ministry is the authority to approve 3G tariff proposals, the telecom regulator itself made the approvals for the private mobile phone operators.

The four private mobile companies have been offering the packages to the customers since their 3G launch in October last year with the approval of Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Official sources said the regulator has violated section 48 of Bangladesh Telecommunication (Amendment) Act 2010 which authorises telecom ministry to approve any service proposal.

“It’s a clear violation of law, and the regulator should be responsible for that,” said a high official of Post and Telecommunication Ministry.

BTRC has sent the proposals to the ministry for its approval now while the customers are already enjoying offers.

It however followed the law in the case of the state-owned operator Teletalk in 2012.

“BTRC is now seeking approval with retrospective effect,” said a ministry official.

“We are in a dilemma. Other things

Price per MB in Taka (1Mbps speed) 0.353

0.384

0.384

Robi

GP

0.251 0.204

Teletalk

Airtel

Banglalink

can be approved retrospectively, but 3G tariff proposals are related with charging customers, so if there is any problem about the tariff, we would correct it. But no such chance is left for the government now?”

When contacted, the officials of private operators declined to make any comment on it as “it is not their business.”

They claimed proposals were made properly and the regulator approved it.

Recently, BTRC discussed the issue

at its meeting.

A commissioner expressed his disappointment over the violation of law.

“As a regulator, BTRC can’t violate the law. It must ensure compliance.”

According to a BTRC report, Teletalk is offering the cheapest tariff for 3G data service in Bangladesh with Tk0.204 for per Megabyte at a speed of 1 megabyte per second (Mbps) speed.

But it’s still higher than that of Airtel India in the neighbouring country, the report said.

“We offer the cheapest rates for all services, and 3G service is also not an exception of that,” said Md Mujibor Rahaman, the managing director of Teletalk.

Currently, Teletalk is the market leader of the fastest service in Bangladesh with 7 lakh customers making the 3G journey in October 2012.

Airtel Bangladesh is offering Tk0.251 per MB with 1 Mbps speed while Banglalink is making it at Tk0.353.

Robi is charging Tk0.384 for the service, and Grameenphone offers Tk0.384 per MB with 1 Mbps speed.

Teletalk’s MD said the state-owned operator wants to dominate the 3G data market. “That’s why we always offer special packages for the subscribers.”

According to the BTRC’s report, Airtel India offers only $0.00199 for one MB bandwidth with 2 Mbps speed while Grameephone charges $0.00673 for the same service with same speed.

Robi offers it at $0.0051.

“When Teletalk launched the service in Bangladesh, it compared the prices with neighboring India. We however may need to check it again for readjustment if necessary,” said Md Mujibor Rahaman. l

Board seeks list of RMG workers not included in new wage structure n Tribune Report The wage board formed for the readymade garment workers has finally asked the RMG workers’ leaders and the factory owners to provide it a complete list of the RMG workers who are not yet included in the new wage structure. ‘’As soon as we will get such a list, we will sit again with the responsible stakeholders to find a way to resolve the crisis,’’ Md. A.K Fazlul Haque, president of the wage board, told reporters yesterday, emerging from a meeting held at his office at Tokhana

Tofail leaves for India today n Tribune Report Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed leaves Dhaka today for India to attend a Saarc Business Leaders Conclave to be held in New Delhi on Friday and Saturday.

Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and commerce ministry of India are jointly organising the fifth such event. Tofail Ahmed is going to attend the two-day conference at the invitation of Indian Commerce, Industry and Textiles Minister Anand Sharma.

He is scheduled to take part in the first session of the ministerial round titled “Taking Stock of the South Asian Economic Integration Process” as a panelist. There will be a total of six sessions, including the inaugural session.

The conclave is aimed at devising ways to strengthen economic activities among the Saarc countries and generate employment through expansion of businesses. It would emphasis on the highest uses of the latest modern technologies to produce goods.

The meet would also discuss the achievement of South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) towards establishing a duty-free region by 2016. l

Road in Dhaka.

The meeting was convened following an allegation that some positions in RMG units are not yet incorporated in the new wage structure and that’s why they are being deprived of getting the new wages as per the wage board.

Regarding the next meeting, he said it would to be held within a week or two and this issue would be hopefully settled after having consultations among all the stakeholders at the upcoming meeting.

As per the wage board gazette, if any post is created in any RMG units,

which is not yet included in the wage board, it could be in cooperated in the new wage structure.

The positions, which were mistakenly remained outside of the structure, could be replaced in the wage structure and those workers would be able to enjoy the all the facilities as per wage board decision, said Arshad Jamal Dipu, a representative of the owners’ to the wage board.

He also said no worker would get below the minimum level of wage and all the confusions would be over very soon.

A good number of positions belong to washing, dyeing and printing section of the RMG units is yet to be included in the wage structure, which created a crisis in disbursing wages of those workers, said Sirajul Islam Rony, a workers’ representative to the wage board.

On November 21 last year, the wage board had announced Tk5,300 as minimum wage with a basic of Tk3,000 for entry-level garment workers.

As per the government instruction, the factory owners already started implementing the new wage structure from December 1. l

Bangladesh Bank has set a target of Tk88,753 crore financing for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) this year, which is 19% higher than the last year.

The target has been fixed for the bank and non-bank financial institutions.

In 2013, the SME financing target

BO account holder asked to give necessary info to DPs by this month dling and reduce IPO subscription n Tribune Report time, the regulator plans to receive The securities regulator has asked BO (beneficiary owner’s) account holders to provide necessary information by this month as it has taken a plan to simplify the subscription process for Initial Public Offering (IPO) by companies.

“It is necessary to update the CDBL database for bringing changes in the IPO subscription process. Under this circumstance, all BO account holders are asked to give required information to their respective DPs by January 31,” said Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) in a statement yesterday.

DP (Depository Participant) is the link between the investor and Central Depository of Bangladesh Ltd (CDBL) that maintains all the account and records. An investor who opens a BO account with a DP can utilise the services offered by CDBL. As per the present procedure, investors need to submit cash or cheques with their applications for IPO shares to their bank accounts where hours wasted standing in queues.

To remove hassles of cheque han-

the amount in the investor’s bank account blocked during the subscription period. The money will be transferred from the investor’s account to the issuer company’s escrow account if the investor gets share allotment after IPO lottery.

The practice will avert the hassles the investors face in getting refunds in cases of unsuccessful IPO applications.

Many refund warrants get missing and the investors do not get back the money on due time.

The retail investors, if the plan implemented, will be able to apply for IPO shares allotment through their respective brokerage firms and merchant banks and deposit money to their BO accounts.

A BSEC official said the proposed process will eliminate expenses and unnecessary times which the issuers require in refunding warrant money of unsuccessful investors in the IPO lottery.

Moreover, huge amounts of money remain stranded from the date of application to refunding of warrant under the existing system, he said. l

FY14 GDP may slow down to 5.7% DFID tags tough conditions

with £27.5m grants WB holds political uncertainties and disruptions in the conditions in the wake of corruption run-up to elections responsible n Asif Showkat Kallol charges raised by World Bank on The global lending agency attribut- UK donor agency DFID has imposed tender process of Padma Bridge,” investment) and lack of progress in reTribune Report n ed a drop in manpower export and ris- tough conditions in releasing its said a senior official of the Economic ducing supply-side constraints might Political uncertainties and disruptions related to national elections in Bangladesh would hold back the country’s economic growth, says the World Bank.

In its report on Global Economic Prospects (GEP) released yesterday, it forecast the GDP growth for the current fiscal year would remain at 5.7%, lowering 0.4 percentage point from its earlier estimate of 6.1% in June last year.

In October last year, the WB in its quarterly economic update on Bangladesh had also predicted the country’s GDP growth at 5.7% for this fiscal year.

The WB publishes its flagship GEP report twice a year, one in January and the other in June.

“Political uncertainties and disruptions in the run-up to elections in Bangladesh will contribute to slow growth,” said the report.

Entrenchment of inflation expectations (which could reduce space for monetary easing and adversely affect

also pose significant risks to the outlook, it said.

The global lender warned that coupled with earlier safety problems in garment factories, continued social unrest could adversely affect the country’s manufacturing and export performance.

Inflation picked up in Bangladesh towards the end of 2013 amid intensification of political unrest, it said adding: “Political uncertainties related to national elections in Bangladesh in early 2014 could hamper a sustained revival of business confidence and investment.”

The report said unrest and disruptions in the run-up to national elections slowed private sector investment growth, although that was compensated to some extent by public investment.

Remittance from non-resident Bangladeshis rose by 12.6% in the 2012-13 fiscal, but it dropped by 8.4% in the first six months of 2013-14 fiscal.

ing political instability for downgrading growth forecast.

“Growth appears to be strengthening in both high-income and developing countries, but downside risks continue to threaten the global economic recovery,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. For fiscal 2013-14, the IMF forecast the GDP growth to be 5.5%, significantly less than the government target of 7.2%.

On South Asia, the report said GDP growth in South Asia is projected to rise to 5.7% in 2014 and will gradually rise to 6.7% in 2016, led mainly by recovering regional investment and rise in demand in high income countries.

Global GDP growth is projected to firm from 2.4% in 2013 to 3.2 percent this year, stabilising at 3.4% and 3.5% in 2015 and 2016, respectively, with much of the initial acceleration reflecting stronger growth in highincome economies. l

BB raises SME financing target by 19% this year n Tribune Report

BSEC to simplify IPO subscription process

was Tk74,187 crore. According to the data as of September, 84% of the target was reached.

On the basis of December figures, Bangladesh Bank predicts the total amount would exceed the target.

The inflow of SME financing increased this year due to lack of demand of loans from large enterprises.

Earlier, Bangladesh Bank advised

the banks to focus on SME and agriculture sectors to increase their credit flow as political unrest kept big investors from borrowing.

As SME financing was robust last year, the central bank has raised the target this year, said a Bangladesh Bank executive.

Bangladesh Bank has already instructed the banks and non-bank fi-

nancial institutions to lend to SMEs on the basis of bank-customer relations.

The central bank also relaxed loan rescheduling requirements for the SME sector.

“Bangladesh Bank will monitor utilisation of the facilities being given,” said Masum Patwary, general manager of SME Department at the central bank. l

earlier pledged grant worth £27.5m for implementing a project for the poor in Bangladesh.

The project titled “Business Finance for Poor in Bangladesh’’ aims at developing rural economy along with diversification of exports. The goal of this programme is to promote inclusive economic growth and to improve income and livelihood opportunities for poor men and women.

The purpose and expected outcome of the programme is to improve access to financial services for medium and small enterprises in Bangladesh. DFID Country Representative Sarah Cooke sent a letter to Finance Minister AMA Muhith last week, seeking his opinion about the recently imposed two conditions and implementation of the new project.

The conditions are the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) can be terminated with a three-month prior written notice by either side, and, if at any stage, the government should become aware of, or suspect, any misappropriation or diversion of funds or any possible fraud or corruption related to project activities funded by the DFID grant, the government of Bangladesh must report the matter immediately to DFID. As per the draft project titled “Business Finance for Poor in Bangladesh” the concept notes for which has been approved by both DFID and Bangladesh government. The grant will start from January 2014 and will end on January 2019, according to the proposal.

“The foreign lenders put tougher

Relations Division.Because of the Padma Bridge corruption syndrome, the Department for International Development (DFID) imposed two major inflexible conditions at a time of holding a questionable election, he said.

The foreign lenders put tougher conditions in the wake of corruption charges raised by World Bank on tender process of Padma Bridge “Development partners are not questioning about the economic situation and the Padma bridge corruption issue, rather they are now questioning about holding a fair poll and how the next poll would be held,” Muhith told the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday. Meanwhile, foreign aid disbursement increased only 2% year-on-year in the first five months of the fiscal year due to slow project implementation as a fall out of the political turmoil ahead of the national election held on January 5.

Between July and November, some $987m of foreign aid was disbursed, which is 29% of the target for the fiscal 2013-14, according to Economic Relations Division (ERD).

Despite the increment, the disbursement target of $3.37bn is unlikely to be met due to the political turmoil, said an ERD official, requesting not to be named. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Turnover close to Tk700 crore-mark Stocks continued to gain for the sixth session in a row yesterday with the benchmark index hitting its all time high.

Trading activities was also upbeat as reflected in a healthy turnover that was almost close to Tk700crore.

'As ruling government has taken power, investors are probably expecting government to take large projects like Padma Bridge into serious consideration as they could not fulfill it last time'

The benchmark DSEX gained 39 points or 0.9% to settle at 4,494. It was launched in January 27, 2013 with a base point of 4000. The blue chip comprising index DS30 rose 12 points or 0.8% to 1,583.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, closed at 8,835 with a rise of over 65 points.

Strong buying pressure mostly on fundamental scrips has pushed up the total DSE market turnover to stand at Tk693 crore, which is 6.5% higher over the previous session.

In its daily market analysis, Lan-

DSE LOSERS

4494.02476

(+) 0.88%

1583.13834

(+) 0.77%

13940.4369

(+) 0.90%

11502.0457

(+) 1.06%

8835.9800

(+) 0.74%

Savar Refractories-Z Delta Brac HFCL-A Bengal Windsor-N Rahima Food -Z Central Pharm-A National Life I -A BD Building Systems -A Orion Infusions -A LankaBangla Fin. -A

-7.58 -4.62 -3.93 -3.52 -3.09 -2.72 -2.64 -2.54 -2.39

Average (% change) -7.52 -7.48 1.80 -2.21 0.25 -3.65 0.84 -1.66 -1.92

Apex Foods -A

-2.33

-0.15

Closing (% change)

Closing

200

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

83

CSE GAINERS

2,159.57

Market Cap. Equity (Billion US$)

26.18

10.00 9.96 9.82 9.69 9.50 9.47 8.33 7.33 6.82 6.77

Alltex Industries -Z

5

Market Cap. Equity (Billion. Tk.)

Closing (% change)

Company

PragatiLife Insu. -A LafargeS Cement-Z Kay & Que (BD) -Z Miracle Industries -B GreenDeltaInsu -A Imam Button -Z ISN Ltd. -A Reliance1 M.F.-A Beacon Pharma Ltd.-Z

THU

10.61 9.99 7.95 8.51 4.67 9.47 6.95 5.72 5.74 5.35

Closing

36.82 15.86 21.69 8.37 10.38 9.33 9.52 23.81 19.95 198.21

37.30 15.90 21.90 8.60 10.30 9.30 9.50 24.00 20.30 197.20

Closing average

Closing

8.65 184.30 36.12 21.30 23.98 104.00 10.31 20.13 9.39 13.97

8.80 184.30 36.90 21.50 24.20 104.00 10.40 20.50 9.40 14.20

Daily high

37.40 15.90 22.00 8.60 10.40 9.40 9.60 24.40 20.50 200.80

Daily high

Turnover in million

Daily low

34.20 15.50 20.90 8.00 10.00 8.90 9.00 20.20 19.10 180.00

244.682 2.886 4.522 3.811 0.899 0.251 0.419 20.189 3.291 22.528

8.00 184.30 34.40 20.80 22.80 104.00 10.00 19.10 9.20 13.40

SUN

Latest PE

1.63 -4.60 -0.89 -1.56 -2.20 -1.90 -0.52 0.12 -0.36 2.38

Turnover in million

Daily low

8.80 184.30 36.90 21.50 24.30 104.00 10.50 20.90 9.60 14.50

Latest EPS

22.6

-ve -ve -ve -ve -ve -ve

198.4

-ve

83.3

Latest EPS

1.051 0.092 9.555 0.415 3.955 0.229 0.119 0.936 0.925 2.997

Latest PE

-1.56 2.38 1.63 -0.89 0.12 5.34 -2.20 -0.36 1.86 0.08

-ve 77.4 22.2 -ve 199.8 19.5 -ve -ve 5.0 174.6 15-Jan

MON 13-Jan

12-Jan

09-Jan

WED 08-Jan TUE

07Jan

CSE key features January 15, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

663.47

Turnover (Volume)

16,746,039

No. of Contract

25,279

Traded Issues

236

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

156

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

73

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

6

Market Cap. Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,068.27

Market Cap. Equity (Billion US$)

25.07

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Latest PE

61.00 66.26 72.91 73.38 47.94 309.56 75.36 42.66 74.21

61.00 66.10 70.90 71.20 47.10 307.50 73.70 42.20 73.60

61.00 68.00 75.50 76.70 49.00 320.00 77.70 43.30 76.40

61.00 65.70 67.00 70.00 44.00 305.00 68.90 42.20 69.00

0.006 13.956 150.615 7.705 44.369 7.569 113.466 5.588 150.333

0.40 4.72 4.52 -0.64 1.48 12.46 3.28 1.76 2.75

152.5 14.0 16.1 -ve 32.4 24.8 23.0 24.2 27.0

111.83

109.20

114.70

107.90

9.601

3.96

28.2

News from trade server DSHGARME: The Company has requested the Folio Holders to collect their dividend warrants for the year ended on June 30, 2013 from 15th January 2014 to 16th January 2014 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from the Registered Office of the Company at Awal Center (7th Floor), 34, Kemal Ataturk Avenue, Banani C/A, Dhaka-1213.

The BO A/c Holder's dividend will be directly transmitted to their bank accounts.

AFTABAUTO: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 30th November 2013 (Sep'13 to Nov'13), the Company has reported consolidated net profit after tax (excluding non-controlling interests) of Tk. 77.84 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.81 as against Tk. 100.29 million and Tk. 1.05 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

RELIANCE1: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Fund has reported net profit of Tk. 56.42 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.93 as against Tk. 21.84 million and Tk. 0.36 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

GRAMEENS2: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Fund has reported net profit of Tk.

116.74 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 0.85 as against Tk. 70.99 million and Tk. 0.52 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

GRAMEEN1: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Fund has reported net profit of Tk. 43.24 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 1.70 as against Tk. 26.80 million and Tk. 1.05 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

AIMS1STMF: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Fund has reported net profit of Tk. 103.54 million with earnings per unit of Tk. 2.50 as against Tk. 93.51 million and Tk. 2.26 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

RIGHT SHARE: ARAMITCEM: Subscription 23.03.2014 to 17.04.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 09.01.2014.

RUPALILIFE- Subscription 06.04.2014 to 05.05.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 16.01.2014.

IPO Subscription: Emerald Oil Industries Limited subscription date 06-12 January 2014, NRB upto 21 Januray 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500. Matin Spinning

Mills Limited subscription date 26-30 January 2014, NRB upto 08 Feburay 2014. @ Tk. 37/-, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

Dividend/AGM ECABLES: 10% cash, AGM: 01.03.2014, RD: 29.12.2013.

USMANIAGL: 11% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: postponed, RD: 07.11.2013.

DESCO: 10% Cash & 15% Stock, AGM: 04.01.2014, RD: 05.11.2013.

ANWARGALV: 7% Case for general shareholders, AGM: 13.01.2014, RD: 11.11.2013.

MPETROLEUM: 70% Cash & 20% Stock, AGM: 17.01.2014, RD: 28.11.2013.

POWERGRID: 15% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, Time: 10:00 AM. RD: 01.12.2013.

EASTRNLUB: 30% Cash, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

JAMUNAOIL: 90% Cash & 10% Stock, AGM: 25.01.2014, RD: 04.12.2013.

SAVAREFR: No dividend, AGM: 30.01.2014, RD: 19.12.2013.

PADMAOIL: 90% Cash, 10% Stock, AGM: 15.02.2014, RD: 23.12.2013.

SAMORITA: 30% Stock, AGM: 11.01.2014, RD: 25.11.2013.

Change of DSE Broad Index vs Sectoral Index Engg_Index DSE BroadIndex

4%

3%

2.20

15.3

- 1%

- 2%

- 3%

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

ANALYST SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

DSE Million Taka 520.34 416.56 150.72 1374.20 215.38 664.13 1.27 955.34 750.18 0.65 41.04 137.58 41.27 627.92 91.81 118.32 348.28 213.03 130.98 130.92 0.23

Appollo Ispat CL -N LafargeS Cement-Z Olympic Ind. -A Square Pharma -A UCBL - A Golden Son -A Bengal Windsor-N LankaBangla Fin. -A Summit Purbanchol Power-N ConfidenceCement A

Market was buoyant from early in the session, and reached the psychological barrier in the mid-day

% change 7.51 6.01 2.17 19.83 3.11 9.58 0.02 13.79 10.82 0.01 0.59 1.99 0.60 9.06 1.32 1.71 5.03 3.07 1.89 1.89 0.00

Million Taka 48.95 38.06 11.46 179.08 27.08 57.92 88.72 58.78 0.31 3.14 7.68 6.06 37.79 22.64 5.58 12.59 16.08 18.41 23.32 0.01

CSE

% change 7.38 5.73 1.73 26.98 4.08 8.73 0.00 13.37 8.86 0.05 0.47 1.16 0.91 5.69 3.41 0.84 1.90 2.42 2.77 3.51 0.00

Million Taka 569.29 454.62 162.18 1553.28 242.46 722.05 1.27 1044.06 808.96 0.96 44.17 145.26 47.33 665.71 114.45 123.89 360.88 229.11 149.38 154.24 0.23

Total

% change 7.50 5.99 2.14 20.45 3.19 9.51 0.02 13.75 10.65 0.01 0.58 1.91 0.62 8.77 1.51 1.63 4.75 3.02 1.97 2.03 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

14

0.088

12

33.50

10

33.70

08

33.70

06

33.69

0%

04

-ve 24.5 -ve 14.2 21.2 22.4 27.0 14.5 24.1

02

-0.08 12.46 -0.64 4.72 0.91 2.42 2.75 3.03 1.76

31

0.013 0.213 0.543 0.584 0.035 0.950 14.165 0.110 0.838

29

26.10 305.00 69.20 66.00 18.80 54.00 73.10 43.50 42.00

27

26.10 307.00 77.50 68.50 19.40 55.00 76.00 44.00 42.60

25

26.10 307.00 69.50 67.70 19.40 54.00 73.50 43.90 42.10

23

26.10 304.96 72.46 67.18 19.30 54.27 74.34 43.90 42.34

1%

21

Latest PE

19

Latest EPS

17

Turnover in million

Daily low

15

Daily high

13

-2.60

Closing

11

-2.60

Closing average

09

Peoples Insur -A

Closing (% change)

07

-9.69 -5.83 -5.70 -4.65 -3.48 -3.40 -2.91 -2.88 -2.77

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

Average (% change)

Capital Market Highlights:

05

Samata LeatheR -Z National Life I -A Rahima Food -Z Delta Brac HFCL-A I P D C -A GPH Ispat Ltd-A LankaBangla Fin. -A Republic Insu.-A Orion Infusions -A

Average (% change) -9.66 -6.90 -2.05 -4.33 -3.88 -2.65 -1.95 -2.94 -2.24

Sector

9.16 12.48 9.93 5.68 11.13 8.11 7.81 3.39 4.56 12.81

Closing average

WED

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Daily high

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

Average (% change)

2%

CSE LOSERS Company

Closing average

288

03

Company

152,665

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

Meghna Con. Milk -B Kay & Que (BD) -Z Alltex Industries -Z Imam Button -Z Dulamia CottonZ Meghna PET Ind. -Z Miracle Industries -B ISN Ltd. -A PragatiLife Insu. -A

149,143,262

Traded Issues

9.71 9.66 9.50 8.86 8.42 8.14 7.95 7.62 7.41 7.41

LafargeS Cement-Z

6,930.15

No. of Contract

ka Bangla Securities said the market maintained its strong momentum on big volume of trade in large and mid –cap stocks.

“As ruling government has taken power, investors are probably expecting government to take large projects like Padma Bridge into serious consideration as they could not fulfill it last time,” it said.

Heavyweight banks played supportive role to lift index up close to 4,500 point mark. Banking sector gained market capitalisation of 0.7%.

Cement sector came to spotlight on the day with a rise of 6%, led by Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd. Among other large cap sectors, non-banking financial institutions and pharmaceuticals were the main market movers.

“Market was buoyant from early in the session, and reached the psychological barrier in the midday. The index hovered around the barrier for the rest of the session while activities remained vibrant,” said IDLC Investment.

Gainers beat losers as out of 287 issues traded, 197 closed higher, 75 lower and 15 remained unchanged.

Trading concentrated mainly on engineering, textile and pharmaceuticals.

Top turnover leaders included Appollo Ispat, Lafarge Surma Cement, Olympic Industries, Square Pharmaceuticals, United Commercial Bank, Golden Son, Bengal Windsor and Thermoplastics, Lanka Bangla Finance and Summit Purbanchol Power. l

Closing (% change)

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Thursday, January 16, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features January 15, 2014

STOCKS RALLY FOR 6TH SESSION

n Tribune Report

Stock

Meghna Petroleum -A Delta Life Insu. -A Malek Spinning-A Paramount Textile Ltd.-N Active Fine Chem.-A BD Building Systems -A Grameenphone-A Generation Next Fashions-A BD Submarine Cable-A HeidelbergCement -A

CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N Summit Purbanchol Power-N Paramount Textile Ltd.-N aamra technologies-A UCBL - A Golden Son -A Bengal Windsor-N LankaBangla Fin. -A UNITED AIR-A Olympic Ind. -A

BEXIMCO Ltd. -A ConfidenceCement A Malek Spinning-A Generation Next Fashions-A Grameenphone-A

Volume shares 8,069,600 6,646,000 1,385,963 947,018 5,732,027 2,338,336 2,065,641 2,025,895 2,030,070 996,665

565,213 487,000 4,313,430 2,309,140 1,275,970 1,505,750 540,350 2,884,060 586,831 236,160

Volume shares 2,083,800 333,350 415,890 497,935 658,958 262,075 227,000 190,540 792,214 78,300

357,860 88,974 361,355 287,040 49,800

Value in million 325.37 244.68 234.65 200.26 155.28 155.06 150.62 150.33 144.78 135.69

134.58 132.24 130.44 130.21 122.56 113.47 111.14 106.50 101.89 101.21

Value in million 84.00 23.84 23.44 19.15 17.87 17.44 16.47 14.16 13.47 13.30

12.76 12.11 10.96 10.61 10.25

% of total turnover 4.69 3.53 3.39 2.89 2.24 2.24 2.17 2.17 2.09 1.96

1.94 1.91 1.88 1.88 1.77 1.64 1.60 1.54 1.47 1.46

% of total turnover 12.66 3.59 3.53 2.89 2.69 2.63 2.48 2.14 2.03 2.00

1.92 1.83 1.65 1.60 1.54

Daily closing 40.80 37.30 171.50 215.40 27.20 65.50 70.90 73.60 70.50 137.10

239.00 269.40 30.30 56.40 95.90 73.70 204.50 36.70 174.00 429.50

Daily closing 40.90 70.60 56.40 38.10 27.40 65.70 71.00 73.50 16.90 173.10

35.50 136.90 30.50 36.80 205.10

Price change 4.35 9.71 3.13 4.01 2.26 -1.36 -3.93 -2.39 -2.08 4.18

Daily opening 39.10 34.00 166.30 207.10 26.60 66.40 73.80 75.40 72.00 131.60

233.60 272.20 29.20 54.60 94.40 75.70 205.90 36.30 175.30 411.40

Price change 4.60 -2.49 3.49 2.70 3.40 -1.35 -3.53 -2.91 -0.59 4.21

Daily opening 39.10 72.40 54.50 37.10 26.50 66.60 73.60 75.70 17.00 166.10

2.31 -1.03 3.77 3.30 1.59 -2.64 -0.68 1.10 -0.74 4.40

-0.28 4.11 3.74 1.10 -0.53

35.60 131.50 29.40 36.40 206.20

Daily high 41.40 37.40 180.00 216.50 27.40 68.00 75.50 76.40 75.00 138.00

240.50 274.90 30.70 60.00 98.00 77.70 207.30 37.30 176.80 436.00

Daily low 39.50 34.20 150.00 195.00 24.50 60.00 67.00 69.00 66.00 125.00

230.00 269.00 27.00 49.20 87.00 68.90 200.00 33.00 162.00 405.00

Daily average 40.32 36.82 169.31 211.46 27.09 66.31 72.91 74.21 71.32 136.15

Daily high 41.30 73.10 57.50 38.90 27.60 67.70 75.60 76.00 17.20 175.00

Daily low 39.50 70.20 55.30 37.40 26.40 64.90 70.50 73.10 16.80 155.20

Daily average 40.31 71.50 56.36 38.46 27.11 66.55 72.55 74.34 17.00 169.83

36.30 138.00 30.70 37.20 207.60

35.40 133.00 29.70 36.50 204.40

238.11 271.54 30.24 56.39 96.06 75.36 205.68 36.93 173.63 428.55

35.66 136.11 30.33 36.97 205.79

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Thursday, January 16, 2014

B3

farmers build wall of cash with $2.2m payout Lafarge comes to China n spotlight at DSE AFP, Beijing

n Tahmidur Rahman Lafarge Surma Cement Limited stocks have emerged the top gainer and second most traded stocks yesterday at the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

As soon as the market opened, its share prices hit the upper limit circuit breaker.

At the end of the day, its share prices rallied 9.7% to settle at Tk37.3 each share and moved between Tk34.2 and Tk37.4 during the trading session.

The heavyweight company at the DSE topped the turnover chart with shares worth Tk24.4 crore changing hands, making up 3.5% of the total trade value at the bourse.

In the third quarter ended on September, 2013, the cement maker made net profit after tax of Tk36 crore against a profit of Tk61.6 crore in the same period a year earlier.

Unlike poor third quarter performance, its nine month profitability increased in 2013 as its net profit after tax stood at Tk142.2 crore against Tk123.6 crore in the corresponding period a year earlier.

The outstanding performance of the first two quarters in 2013 due to

higher other operating income around Tk17 crore and lower financing cost, according to its half-yearly financial report.

The financing cost in 2013 has decreased due to absence of derivative expense of Tk10 crore approximately as it was during 2012.

Additional Tk17 crore was a final settlement of an insurance claim against machinery breakdown.

However, the performance earlier has failed to generate enthusiasm among the investors last year as the current stock price is one-year high without any recent disclosure.

The “Z” category company falling under cement segment at bourses have a net asset value of Tk6.19 per stock as in 2012 along with basic earnings per share of Tk1.6 at the same year-end.

In mid-2011, India’s Supreme Court gave French cement giant Lafarge permission to resume mining limestone in the country’s mineral-rich northeast Meghalaya state, rejecting environmental opposition.

In February 2010, the court halted Lafarge from extracting limestone for the Lafarge Surma Cement Ltd plant at Chhatak in Bangladesh. l

Farmers in one of the poorest counties in a Chinese province built a wall of cash from more than $2m paid out in year-end bonuses, a report said yesterday.

The farmers, members of a co-operative in Liangshan county in the southwestern province of Sichuan, stacked bundles of 100-yuan banknotes into a wall two metres (seven feet) long and half a metre high before handing out the dividends, the semi-official China News Service reported.

The co-operative – which runs vegetable fields, fruit farms and an investment arm – paid out more than 13.1m yuan ($2.2m) to about 340 families, said the agency. The cash was brought to the farmers in Jianshe by militiamen in camouflage uniform and stored in the village office under the close watch of seven guards, with three people sleeping on top of it at night.

“We used eight million yuan as a mattress and 4.2m yuan for pillows,” said Jin Hongzhong, one of the guards, adding they were so nervous that they stayed awake all night.

“It was not comfortable sleeping on top of so much money,” he said. “It was too hard.”

Residents of the village contribute to the co-operative in land, cash or other means, and their payouts are proportionate to their input.

It was not immediately clear whether

India set to ease restrictions on local carriers flying abroad n Reuters, New Delhi India could ease restrictions that prevent some of its domestic airlines from flying on international services within a month, potentially benefiting start-ups set up by Singapore Airlines and Malaysia’s AirAsia that aim to begin operations in 2014.

New Delhi is also considering a proposal to allow Airbus’s A380 planes to land at local airports, aviation minister Ajit Singh said on Tuesday.

India’s ban on A380s is mainly due to concerns that foreign carriers may further hurt state-run Air India by grabbing a larger share of international traffic.

Under existing rules, Indian carriers are also required to be in operation for at least five years and have 20 aircraft to be eligible to fly international routes.

Singh told reporters that New Delhi would seek the cabinet’s approval by next month to “scrap this rule”.

“At a macro level, this restores credibility to the Indian aviation sector,” said Amber Dubey, an aviation expert at consultancy KPMG, of the Indian government’s plans.

“It shows that the policy direction

is always towards greater competition, the respect for logic, and being more aligned to global best practices,” he said.

Conglomerate Tata Sons has formed a joint venture with SIA to start up a full service carrier, which is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2014.

Tata is also an investor in AirAsia India, which is expected to compete in the low-cost market from the second half of the year.

'At a macro level, this restores credibility to the Indian aviation sector' Low-cost carrier GoAir, which began operations in 2005 but has fewer than 20 aircraft, could also be a beneficiary.

India’s overall air passenger traffic is expected to triple from 2010-20 to 452 million annually, as rising income levels help more people fly in the country of 1.25 billion.

Big plans for big planes

Dubey said opening up the market to

A380s could push down international fares as one aircraft can accommodate more passengers, keeping costs lower.

He said major airports in New Delhi and Mumbai were already in position to receive the super-jumbos, but smaller airports would need to be assessed to see if they can handle the planes.

“We have asked for comments from ground handling and immigration, security basically. Because this is the infrastructure which will be affected because one plane will have up to 500600 passengers at a time. So we are awaiting their comments,” said civil aviation minister Singh.

A change could benefit carriers like Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa and British Airways that operate the super-jumbo and fly to India, as well A380 customers like Etihad and Qatar Airways who have not taken delivery of the aircraft.

Kingfisher Airlines was the only Indian A380 customer, but Airbus said on Monday that it had revoked that order.

The Indian carrier, which had ordered five A380s, stopped operations in October 2012 after several years of losses. l

This picture taken on January 14, 2014 shows villagers waiting before a two-metre-long "money wall" built with cash for their year-end bonus at Jianshe village of Lianshan municipality, southwest China's Sichuan province. More than 13 million yuan are distributed to the 340 households from the village, who are shareholders of a rural cooperative that owns farm enterprises and investment companies, local newspaper Huaxi Metropolis Daily reported AFP the dividend was unusually high for the organisation but official figures show that China’s rural residents’ average net income stood at 7,917 yuan in 2012.

The highest shares in Jianshe were around 300,000 yuan, about 38 times as much, the report said.

One of them went to the family of

Jin Ou, who was quoted as saying: “I’ve been counting for so long and my hands are sore, but still I’m not sure whether the number of notes is correct.” l

Pakistan’s central Dollar jumps in Asia on bank forecasts upbeat 4% growth US sales report tive for the dollar. n AFP, Tokyo However, a senior bank dealer in n AFP, Karachi The dollar rose in Asia yesterday, ex- Tokyo told Dow Jones Newswires that Pakistan’s central bank yesterday estimated economic growth for the current fiscal year of up to four percent, surpassing forecasts by international agencies.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced its forecast in its belated annual report reviewing the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. “SBP projects GDP growth in the range of 3-4% for FY14 which is higher than the IMF’s growth forecast of 2.5 to 3%,” the bank said.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $6.7bn loan package for Pakistan in September last year, subject to strict economic reforms, particularly in its troubled energy sector and tax system.

The central bank forecast that the three-year deal should bring stability to the domestic foreign exchange market during the current fiscal year.

In the last fiscal year Pakistan’s economy grew at 3.6%, the bank said, and inflation fell to single digits.

But it warned inflation could rise as high as 11% in the current fiscal.

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

tending gains it recorded in New York after a better-than-expected US retail sales report.

In afternoon trade in Tokyo the dollar bought 104.42 yen, compared with 104.20 in New York and much stronger than the 103.43 yen in Asia earlier Tuesday. The euro fetched $1.3633 compared with $1.3677 in New York.

The euro was also easier at 142.39 yen against 142.52 yen but well up from the 141.27 yen Tuesday in Tokyo.

On Tuesday, the US Commerce Department said retail sales rose 0.2% in December, surprising analysts who had predicted no change.

The news eased concerns about the economy after Friday’s disappointing jobs report that had fuelled speculation the Federal Reserve could hold off announcing any further cuts to its stimulus programme when it meets this month.

“The solid US number soothed investors’ concern on the economy caused by the disappointing jobs report last Friday,” Credit Agricole said.

Tuesday’s data revived the possibility the Fed would again cut back its bond-buying programme after last month saying it would reduce the scheme by $10bn to $75bn in January.

A further pullback would be a posi-

“for the market to test a new (dollar-yen) high we need more proof that the US economy grows in a balanced manner”.

The euro won support after eurozone industrial output rebounded sharply in November, offering some reassurance that a modest recovery remains on track after heavy falls in October.

Industrial output in the bloc jumped 1.8% in November after a slipping 0.8% in October, the Eurostat statistics office said.

Adding to downward pressure on the yen was was data Tuesday showing Japan’s current account deficit in November tripled year-on-year to a record $5.7bn as the weak currency pushed up the country’s post-Fukushima energy bill.

The current account is the broadest measure of Japan’s trade with the rest of the world, including not only trade in goods but also services, tourism and returns on the country’s foreign investment.

The greenback was higher against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It inched up to Tw$30.09 from Tw$30.02 on Tuesday, to Sg$1.2712 from Sg$1.2672 and to 1,062.79 South Korean won from 1,058.50 won. l

Central bank: Singapore not facing a credit bubble n AFP, Singapore

SIBL signs MoU with CPUT Social Islami Bank Limited (SIBL) signed a MoU with Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU), Ministry of Planning, Government of Bangladesh for e-GP payment service recently. Planning Commission CPTU Director General Amulya Kumar Debnath and SIBL Deputy

Managing Director A M M Farhad signed the MOU on behalf of their respective organisations. Among others, Ministry Planning CPTU Director Md Aziz Taher Khan and SIBL Senior Vice President and Head of IT Md Sultan Badsha were present in the programme. l

Jamuna Bank Foundation distributes free blanket Jamuna Bank Foundation (JBF) distributed free blankets at Kurigram District recently. JBF Chairman AlHaj Nur Mohammed was present in the program as the chief guest.

Besides Kurigram District ADC Md Imtiaz Hossain, Jamuna Bank Limited

Deputy Managing Director Mirza Elias Uddin Ahmed and Kurigram Sadar UNO Md Mostafizur Rahman were present on the occasion. 2500 nos blankets distributed among the winter distressed people of the kurigram district. l

RB Bangladesh holds sales and marketing conference Reckit Benkiser (RB) Bangladesh conducted its annual Sales & Marketing Conference 2014 at Ocean Paradise Hotel, Cox’s Bazar recently. RB Ban-

gladesh-Sri Lanka Cluster Head Reazul Haque Chowdhury and the Management Committee were present during the session. l

BCB Training Institute organises workshop on credit management Bangladesh Commerce Bank Training Institute (BCBTI) recently organised a Training workshop on ‘Credit Management.’ Board of Directors Chairman Md Yousuf Ali Howlader inaugurated the course as chief guest. Among others as

special guest, CEO & Managing Director Abu Sadek Md Sohel, Additional Managing Director Muhammad Asaduzzaman, Institute Principal M Abu Hena, AVP Md Mobarak Hossain and other faculty member were present on the occasion. l

Singapore’s central bank has refuted suggestions in a prestigious US magazine that the affluent city-state faces a risky credit bubble linked to high property prices.

A statement issued late Tuesday by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said the property market is stabilising, household balance sheets are strong and the financial system is robust.

“Singapore is not facing a credit bubble that puts the country or its banking system at any risk of crisis,” the MAS said in response to an online article in Forbes magazine published this week.

“Serious observers and investors are not in doubt about the country’s financial health.”

In the article, Forbes contributor Jesse Colombo warned Singapore was headed for an “Iceland-style meltdown”, referring to the European nation that was brought close to bankruptcy when the financial crisis broke in 2008 and exposed the vast over-expansion of its banking system.

Colombo warned low interest rates have led Singaporean households and companies to borrow more, fuelling a surge in property prices that may not be sustained.

He said the risk is that the US could end its zero interest rate policy in the next few years, lifting borrowing costs around the world and bursting bubbles such as in Singapore, leaving investors with huge debts they cannot repay.

“Singapore’s bubble will most likely pop when bubbles in China and emerg-

ing markets pop and as global and interest rates continue to rise,” Colombo wrote.

“The growth of Singapore’s credit bubble is inextricably linked to the country’s soaring property bubble because Singaporeans are going into debt to invest in property or buy more expensive houses than they can afford, similar to Americans during the US housing bubble of 2003 to 2007.”

But the MAS said the government has “taken decisive steps to cool property demand and prevent excessive leverage”.

New housing loans continue to decline, with the number falling 35% yearon-year in the third quarter of last year, it said, adding that property prices are also falling.

It also said that the average loan-tovalue ratio of outstanding housing loans stands at a healthy 47% as of the December quarter.

“Third, the financial system is robust,” MAS said.

It pointed to an assessment by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that found Singapore’s financial system “would remain sound” even if there was a sharp hike in interest rates and slump in property prices.

The IMF also said Singapore’s banks are “resilient, with strong financial and capital positions”.

Rajiv Biswas, Asia Pacific chief economist at global consultancy IHS, told AFP regional central banks and financial regulators are aware of the risks and have taken measures to prevent credit bubbles from building up. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Thursday, January 16, 2014

WB sees stronger growth as rich economies expand n Reuters The World Bank on Tuesday raised its forecast for global growth for the first time in three years as advanced economies started to pick up pace, led by the United States.

The rosier outlook suggests the world economy is finally breaking free from a long and sluggish recovery after the global financial crisis.

The poverty-fighting institution predicted global gross domestic product will expand 3.2% this year, from 2.4% in 2013, according to its twice-yearly "Global Economic Prospects." In the bank's last forecast in June, it expected global growth to reach 3% in 2014.

The bank said the global economy had come to a "turning point," as fiscal austerity and policy uncertainty no longer weighed as heavily on most richer economies. The bank expected stronger growth in the United States in particular, of 2.8% in 2014, from 1.8% last year.

"For the first time in five years, there are indications that a self-sustaining recovery has begun among high-income countries - suggesting that they may now join developing countries as a second engine of growth in the global economy," the bank's chief economist Kaushik Basu said in the report.

The bank again shaved its forecasts for developing countries, to 5.3% for 2014, from the 5.6% it predicted in June. Emerging markets have grown at their slowest pace in a decade for the past two years, after chalking up growth rates of around 7.5% before the

Intel shelves cutting-edge Arizona chip factory

n

Reuters

Intel Corp (INTC.O), hit by slumping personal computer sales, has put off opening a major chip factory that President Barack Obama once held up as an example of US manufacturing potential.

The "Fab 42" facility built in Chandler, Arizona, originally slated as a $5bn project that in late 2013 would start producing Intel's most advanced chips, will remain closed for the foreseeable future while other factories at the same site are upgraded, said Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy.

Intel's decision not to open the chip plant was first reported by the Arizona Republic on Tuesday.

"The new construction is going to be left vacant for now and it will be targeted at future technologies," Mulloy told Reuters.

Despite not opening the new factory, or fab, Intel has exceeded a target to hire over 1,000 employees since construction started in 2011, Mulloy said. Intel received state tax benefits for hiring those people.

Obama, while campaigning for re-election in 2012, made a stop at the factory's construction site, where he called for government incentives to attract manufacturing lost to Asia in recent years back to the United States.

Intel is the world's top chipmaker but it was caught off guard by smartphones and tablets, a computing revolution that has cut into demand for PCs, the company's core business.

Global PC shipments fell 10% in 2013, the worst year since market research firm Gartner began tracking those products.

"The newer fab has not been equipped with the capital equipment. It has heating and air conditioning but the actual tools, the expensive stuff, are not in there," Mulloy said. Much of Intel's strength has historically come from its chip manufacturing technology, which is the most advanced in the world and is ahead of rivals by around two years.

Intel originally meant to install its most advanced manufacturing technology at the plant and make 14 nanometer microchips with transistors so tiny that over 100 million of them could fit on the head of a pin.

Existing factories at the Chandler site using Intel's previous generation of manufacturing, 22 nm, are being converted to also make chips at 14 nm and many of Intel's new employees are working there, Mulloy said. "It boils down to better capital utilization," Mulloy said.

The Santa Clara, California-based company says it makes around two thirds of its microprocessors in the United States, with others produced in Ireland, Israel and China.

It is currently expanding a plant in Oregon where engineers will work on a long-term plan to manufacture microchips on silicon wafers measuring 450 millimeters - about the size of a large pizza. The largest wafers currently used in the chip industry measure 300 mm across. l

global financial crisis hit in 2008.

Andrew Burns, the report's lead author, said frothy growth before the crisis reflected cyclical factors.

"We're moving into a new phase where developing countries are growing at a rate much closer to their underlying sustainable rate of growth," he told reporters.

Smooth unwinding

As advanced economies strengthen, countries may begin pulling back from the massive monetary stimulus launched at the height of the crisis. The US Federal Reserve has started winding down its monthly asset-purchase plan this month, though it expects to keep interest rates low for at least another year.

The World Bank said it expects rates around the world to inch up gradually, causing minimal disruptions for developing countries as capital inflows slow down.

"Whatever drag this implies for developing country growth is more than offset by the additional export demand due to stronger high-income country growth," the report said.

However, if rates jump suddenly, countries with high debt levels or large current account deficits such as Thailand and Malaysia would be most vulnerable.

The bank said that while risks to its global outlook, including a sharp rebalancing in China, a protracted recovery in the euro zone, and fiscal policy uncertainty in the United States, have not been eliminated, they have subsided. l

The World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu speaks during a business conference in New Delhi

China urges IMF to give more power to emerging markets n

Reuters, Beijing

China called on the IMF yesterday to stick to a commitment to give emerging markets more power at the world body after US lawmakers set back historic reforms that would give developing countries a greater say.

The remarks by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei were an indirect criticism of the United States, the biggest and most powerful IMF member, where lawmakers failed on Monday to agree on key funding measures, though Hong did not mention the United States by name.

The proposed $1 trillion spending bill for the U.S. federal government did not include funding for the International Monetary Fund.

Congress must sign off on the IMF funding to complete 2010 reforms that would make China the IMF's thirdlargest member and revamp the IMF board to reduce the dominance of Western Europe.

The changes would also give greater

say to nations such as Brazil and India to reflect their growing economic heft.

But the changes have been held up by the lack of approval from the United States.

IMF quota reform is an important matter to address and we hope that the matter will be discussed at the G-20 level with the end-January deadline approaching "The IMF quotas reform is an important decision made by the organisation," Hong said at a daily news briefing.

"The relevant organisation's members should earnestly implement the decision, and honour and enhance the voice and representation of developing countries within the IMF." The reform of the voting shares, known as quotas, cannot proceed without the United States, which holds

the only controlling share of IMF votes.

After putting off the request in 2012 because of the US presidential election, the US Treasury has sought to tuck the provision into several bills since March.

The administration's requests, however, have been met with scepticism from some Republicans, who see them as tantamount to approving fresh funding in a tight budget environment.

Some lawmakers have also raised concerns about how well the IMF is helping struggling economies in Europe and the risks attached to IMF loans, suggesting Congress is in no hurry to approve any changes India's Finance Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But an official at the ministry, who has been dealing with multilateral institutions including the IMF, said India was "disappointed" at the Congress lack of action.

The official declined to be identified because he was not authorised to talk

to the media.

A South Korean Finance Ministry official, who declined to be identified, said: "While we appreciate the US government's efforts, we regret the fact that the proposed funding measure fell through in Congress at the last minute.

"IMF quota reform is an important matter to address and we hope that the matter will be discussed at the G-20 level with the end-January deadline approaching."

Developing nations have longed viewed the IMF with suspicion for promoting disastrous privatisations that complicated the transition from communism for some emerging nations in the early 1990s, and for pushing budget cuts that exacerbated debt crises in Asia and Latin America a few years later.

That suspicion has been compounded by a power structure that dates to IMF's founding in 1944. The structure was shaped by the victors of World War Two - the United States and Europe. l

IMF adds four European countries to financial risk list n Reuters The IMF on Monday added Denmark, Finland, Norway and Poland to its list of countries that must have regular check-ups of their financial sectors, under an effort to prevent a repeat of the global financial crisis.

The International Monetary Fund in 2010 had identified 25 other countries where financial sector evaluations will be mandatory. These reviews had been voluntary prior to the 20082009 financial crisis, which showed how quickly financial problems in one country could spread to its neighbors and the rest of the world.

More than half of the 29 financial sectors the IMF deems "systemically important" are located in Europe.

"The financial sectors of these jurisdictions are highly interconnected not just with each other but also with other major financial centers," the IMF said about the focus on European financial centers.

"This makes them central nodes in the global financial network and important for global systemic stability."

The Fund's new evaluations have been shaped by the prolonged sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone, which at times threatened to destroy the currency bloc. The IMF itself has lent billions of dollars to the euro zone's weakest members, including Greece, Portugal and Cyprus.

Under a new methodology also released on Monday, the IMF said it would review not only how exposed one country's banks are to another's, but also consider sovereign debt exposures and the links between a country and its banks.

The Fund also said it would put a greater focus on the connections among each country's financial sector and that of its neighbors when it reviews financial stability. It previously emphasized the size of each financial sector.

The IMF also plans to analyze price contagion, such as the close links among stock markets around the world.

The IMF's executive board welcomed the new methodology, but said it may omit certain countries that

have had banking and financial crises since 2008. They were also concerned the new focus on mandatory check-ups in 29 countries would leave IMF staff with less time to do voluntary reviews of the financial sectors in the rest of the world. l

REUTERS

NEWS IN BRIEF Global stocks, dollar rally on hopes for global growth Share markets were mostly higher yesterday as the World Bank upgraded its outlook for the global economy, while the dollar extended gains in the wake of surprisingly strong US consumer spending figures. European stocks started with a spring in their step too, as confirmation that Germany saw robust growth last year prompted the biggest rise of the year so far for Frankfurt’s DAX. –Reuters

Japan approves Fukushima operator’s revival plan Japan’s trade ministry on yesterday approved a revival plan for the utility responsible for the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Tokyo Electric Power Co, its second attempt at restoring its battered finances.

–Reuters

Deutsche Bank suspends multiple FX traders in New York: source Deutsche Bank, Germany’s biggest bank, has suspended several currency traders in New York in an internal probe that forms part of an international investigation into alleged manipulation of the global currency markets, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday.

–Reuters

Ford says would reassess UK operations if Britain left EU: paper Ford, the top-selling car manufacturer in Britain, said yesterday it would be forced to reconsider its UK operations if the country voted in favor of leaving the European Union, the latest major foreign investor to sound the same warning.

–Reuters

Euro zone trade surplus grows as imports fall in November The euro zone trade surplus widened in November because imports fell more sharply than exports, data from the EU’s statistics office Eurostat showed yesterday, pointing to continued weakness of domestic demand. The 17 countries sharing the euro had an external trade surplus, unadjusted for seasonal swings, of 17.1bn euros ($23.41bn), in line with economists’ expectations.

–Reuters

Chief of Boeing’s Washington machinists union to retire The president of Boeing Co’s biggest union, who was at the center of the negotiations with the company to secure a crucial labor contract earlier this month, said he will retire at the end of this month citing health concerns.

–Reuters

Sensex closes at five-week high; easing inflation cements rate pause view

Visitors are silhouetted against the logo of the International Monetary Fund at the main venue for the IMF and World Bank annual meeting in Tokyo REUTERS

The BSE Sensex rallied yesterday to mark its highest close in five weeks as rate-sensitive stocks such as ICICI Bank rose after data showing sharply easing inflation reinforced expectations the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will keep interest rates on hold.

Headline inflation eased to a five-month low of 6.16% in December, helped by a softening in vegetable prices, data released yesterday showed.

–Reuters