20 January 2014

Magh 7, 1420 Rabiul Awal 18, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 296

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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12 | SUCHITRA TURNED DOWN APARNA

50 injured in Jamaat-police clash EU not considering Islamist party spreads rumours over mosque loudspeakers

GSP withdrawal

n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Jamaat-Shibir activists swooped on a police team after circulating a rumour through loudspeakers of mosques that their village fell prey to robbers leading to a deadly clash that left 50 people injured including 22 policemen.

The clash erupted as a police team went to Khanabari and Kadamtala areas under Sundarganj upazila early yesterday to arrest Jamaat-shibir men accused in cases filed for killing policemen in Gaibandha.

The Jamaat-Shibir men torched a pick-up van of police and vandalised nearly 12 houses during the nearly eight-hour clash. They encircled the police team which went first to make the arrest.

Police said a team of Sundarganj police went to Khanabari and Kadamtala areas under Sarbananda union of the upazila around 1am to arrest local Jamaat leader Azadul Islam in connection with a case filed for killing policemen on February 28, 2013.

On that day in 2013, after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) delivered death sentence against Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee for

European Union is not considering any change in the duty advantage that Bangladesh enjoys for the market.

“No tariffs, no taxes, no duty; goods from Bangladesh enter the European market without any restriction and that will continue to be the case,” said EU Ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna yesterday.

The ambassador said neither the EU’s official position stated by High Representative Catherin Ashton on January 9 nor the resolution of the EU parliament taken last week mentioned anything about changing the GSP facilities.

Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free and quota-free market access to European market under Everything but Arms initiative and over 50% of its total exports of about $30bn goes to the market.

Any change in GSP facility will harm the over $20bn readymade garment industry and four million jobs in the sector.

The ambassador categorically said sourcing from Bangladesh was also important for Europe.

“It is also important for Europe. We also want to continue to source here.

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

HC orders Tarique to surrender n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday ordered BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman to surrender before the Dhaka court that acquitted him in a Tk20cr money laundering case.

The High Court bench of Justice Nizamul Huq and Justice Md Jahangir Hossain passed the order around 2.15pm, accepting the appeal for hearing filed on December 5 by the Anti-Corruption Commission for convicting BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s elder son. The bench also directed the trial court to release Tarique after his surrender subject to its own satisfaction.

However, Khurshid Alam Khan, the ACC counsel, told the reporters: “The High Court ordered the trial court to grant bail to Tarique when he surrenders, as there are many verdicts of the Appellate Division that ruled that if a person gets acquittal, the trial court must give them bail.”

He said notice of the order would be sent to the trial court and the residence of Tarique. But the High Court did not specify the exact date by which the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

A team of Joint Forces relax on a street in Gaibandha’s Sundarganj yesterday after they were rescued by another team of Joint Forces in the morning FOCUS BANGLA

Election to 102 upazila parishads on Feb 19 n Mohammad Zakaria The first phase of elections to 102 upazila parishads out of the total 487 will be held on February 19, said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday.

The CEC announced the poll schedules at a press conference at the commission media centre in the capital.

The upazila parishad poll will be held in three phases – the second phase on March 18-25 while the third one in May. According to the schedule, the last date of filing nomination paper is January 25. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on January 27 while the last date of withdrawing nomination is February 3.

“In the first phase the commission will hold polls to over 100 upazila parishads whose tenures are supposed to expire in February. As per the laws, the commission must have to arrange the poll within 180 days before the expiry of the tenure,” the CEC said.

Traditionally the commission ap-

INSIDE News

3 The BNP will hold a public rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan, excluding Jamaat to keep distance from it over criticism at home and abroad.

4 The home ministry directed seven divisional commissioners to increase intelligence vigilance in the violence-prone areas to prevent further attacks on minority people.

Nation

6 Potato seeds of grossly inferior quality, bought from a Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation dealer, have driven a number of farmers to ruin in several unions of Bhola sadar upazila.

What to see how the paper looks? Visit www.dhakatribune.com/epaper

International

8 Iraqi forces launched a major assault on a Sunni Arab city partially in the control of antigovernment fighters in a bid to end a weeks-long crisis ahead of elections.

Op-Ed

11 Election games: Sheikh Hasina’s plan for a second term started with the constitutional amendment on the caretaker government.

Sport

13 A first-half goal by Ghanaian Osei Morrison was enough for Abahani Ltd to earn a vital 1-0 victory over arch rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd.

points additional deputy commissioner as returning officer for Upazila parishad poll and upazila nirbahi officer as assistant returning officer.

When asked about the deployment of law enforcers and the army, Kazi Rakib said the commission would hold a meeting with law enforcing agencies soon to decide on it.

He emphatically said the commission would take the highest measures to ensure a peaceful environment for the voters to cast votes in the polls.

About the attacks on minorities in different districts during the parliamentary polls, Rakibudd said: “Those who were involved in the attacks are miscreants, thugs and goons. Stern action will be taken against them.”

About holding the much-awaited polls to the split Dhaka City Corporations he referred to the problems of delimitation of both city corporation.

“The elections will be held after the problems are solved.”

The 102 upazilas where election will be held on February 19 are —  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

Our companies will continue to invest,” he said.

Hanna said there would be a review of GSP in the next couple of months and two specific areas needed to be improved.

Slow process of recruitment of factory inspectors and developing a transparent factory database are the major concerns for European Union, Hanna said.

Asks government to recruit more garment factory inspectors “These are the two remaining concerns and we will continue our discussions with the government and we will review it in the next few months,” he said.

He said recruitment of new inspectors was slower than expected and the transparent database where all the information on which factories are inspected would be stored.

The government on May 4 committed to EU and the US to recruit 200 additional inspectors by December last year but it has only been able to recruit a fraction of that.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

OBHOYNAGAR FOLLOW-UP

AL’s internal feud eclipses investigation n Emran Hossain, from Jessore The January 5 attacks on the Hindus in Jessore’s Obhoynagar were carried out by Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men, although local Awami League’s internal feuds resulted in rumours that one of its leaders was involved with the attacks.

The Dhaka Tribune has also come to learn about local speculations that there was something fishy with the way police acted on January 5 – the day the Hindus were attacked – and after.

The 54 suspects police have arrested

so far include only one of the 39 identified by the victims from about 500 attackers, who tortured and scared away over a hundred families from Jessore’s Malopara village on the election day, before setting Hindu houses on fire and looting almost everything.

The arrested suspects and the named miscreants are all either activists or supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, and the BNP – two key allies in the 18-party alliance that had boycotted and threatened to resist the 10th national election.

The Hindus became targets because they went to vote in the election contested by two Awami League leaders, who were both lawmakers in the 9th parliament from separate neighbouring constituencies that were merged into one for the 10th election.

Biswajit Sarker, 42, was the man who inspired the Hindus to brave Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men’s threats against casting votes. He campaigned for Ranajit Roy, thus becoming the first target of attack around 10:30am on January 5.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Two confess in Jessore rape cases n Emran Hossain, from Jessore Two of the five suspects confessed to have gang raped two Dalit women at Rishipara in Jessore’s Monirampur upazila in the wee hours of January 8.

Police sources said Mofiz Gazi, 25, and Shahabuddin Shihab, 22, both residents of Bhomorda, a neighbouring village of Rishipara in Haridashkathi un-

ion, disclosed to the investigators that they had planned to rape the women as they cast votes on January 5 ignoring their directives not to do so.

Police confirmed that the victims’ parents had voted in the election, drawing the wrath from the suspects who are reportedly BNP activists.

The confessional statements substantiate a part of the Dhaka Tribune’s

investigation revealing that the police tried to treat the incident of a gang rape as the story of an ordinary rape.

The investigation also found that the police reduced the number of rape victims from five to two, apparently to avoid further backlash against the law enforcers’ repeated failure to protect the minority Hindu community  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, January 20, 2014

Hasina visits violence-torn areas

Suranjit admitted to hospital with chest pain n Tribune Report Senior Awami League leader and former minister Suranjit Sengupta was admitted to a hospital in the capital with chest pain last night.

Suranjit’s wife Joya Sengupta told reporters that he had felt pain in the chest around 8pm while he was at office. As his condition deteriorated and he vomited, he came home and was taken to Lab Aid Hospital at Dhanmondi in the capital around 10pm.

Dr Ziaul Kabir of the hospital said Suranjit was out of danger at the moment but they would take 24 to 48 hours to determine the nature of his illness.

He said the Awami League leader had previously suffered from similar chest pain on several occasions.

Awami League leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim visited Suranjit at the hospital and later told reporters that he was in a good shape. l

n Our Correspondent, Satkhira

Members of a low-income family sit beside the Shaheed Asad Memorial Plaque, placed on the footpath in front of Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday. The memorial was never completed and is often used as a place to dispose garbage NASHIRUL ISLAM

Law minister meets chief justice n Nazmus Sakib Law Minister Anisul Huq sat with Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain yesterday for a one-and-half hour “courtesy meeting” at the Supreme Court. After the meeting, he told the reporters that the government would not interfere with the judiciary in any way.

Anisul said he had told the chief justice that his government would do everything necessary to resolve the problem of the backlog of cases in the judiciary. He would act as the bridge between the judiciary and the executive, the law minister said.

According to Supreme Court sources, there are now about 28 lakh cases pending in the judiciary including the Supreme Court.

On appointing International Crimes Tribunal 1 chairman, the law minister said the government would appoint a chairman soon, adding that he had taken charge of the ministry only seven days ago.

The chairman’s seat for International Crimes Tribunal 1 was vacated after Justice ATM Fazle Kabir retired on December 31 for age limitation which caused delay in issuing the verdict in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.

Anisul Huq said it was his topmost priority to continue the war crimes trial while maintaining fairness and international standards as they have been since the inception of the trial. He said his government would implement a zero tolerance to corruption policy. l

50 injured in Jamaat-police clash  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

crimes against humanity during the country’s liberation war in 1971, Jamaat-Shibir men unleashed a reign of terror in Sunderganj.

They attacked a police camp at Bamondanga and lynched four constables to death. Four more people were also killed in the violence.

“Police filed 32 cases in that connection and early Sunday we went to nab one of the mastermind Azadul,” said Additional Superintendent of Gaibandha Mosharraf Hossain.

He said sensing their presence Jamaat-Shibir men announced on the loudspeakers that a team of robbers have stormed into some houses. In response people from their houses came in hundreds with lethal weapons.

“The Jamaat-Shibir men then made the second announcement that we had gone there to nab Azadul and they urged villagers to resist us. As Sundarganj is a stronghold of Jamaat people

came out,” he said.

The Jamaat-Shibir men swooped on police with sticks and homemade bombs. They also fired from guns and exploded hundreds of cocktails before they pinned law enforcers down. Police also retaliated with shots.

At one stage, Jamaat-Shibir activists torched a police pick-up van parked in Kanarmour area.

“As the cops could not find way out in the dark they opened fires in self defence,” he said.

An additional reinforcement of BGB, RAB and armed police battalion rescued them from Jamaat-Shibir clutch.

UNO Abu Rafa M Arif and Additional Police Super Mosarrof Hossain also rushed to the spots around 3am.

Later, the joint forces in the areas carried a second raid to nab the attackers triggering a further clash that continued till 8am.

In the clashes, Jamaat-Shibir men hurled bricks at the joint forces

Two confess in Jessore rape cases  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

people from post-election violence.

Mofiz made the confessional statement on January 16 followed by Shihab’s confession the next day. The two confessions contradict in naming the rest six, who were also involved in the incident.

Mofiz named Uttam Das, 28, a barber by profession, as one of his six accomplices. However, Shihab told the investigators that Mofiz had come up with Uttam’s name because of previous enmity as he was not with them during the incident.

“Uttam is [a victim’s] uncle and I doubt his involvement in the incident,” said the husband of one of the victims [we are not disclosing name]. “My wife said she was brought up by Uttam since when she was a child. Uttam treated her like his daughter.”

Locals told the Dhaka Tribune that

Uttam was in his house at Rishipara that night. According to them, Mofiz implicated Uttam as they had dispute over some financial affairs. Uttam is married and a father of two sons.

None of the three families, who deserted their houses in a date orchard – a place few hundred yards away from Rishipara, returned until January 19. Three brothers had moved to the place after buying three kathas of land, which is out of Rishipara’s periphery.

“Will we ever be able to live there?

I think we should not stay there anymore,” said a victim’s husband.

Probing the rape incident seems highly unlikely as medical test did not find any evidence of rape.

A Dhaka Tribune report ran on January 16 unveiled that the police had wasted three days before subjecting the victims to test. Even though

the police were informed the day the rape had taken place, the victims were not examined for evidence until January 11.

“Police’s delay to undertake the medical test can only be explained by intentional destruction of evidence to prove that there was no rape at all,” said Shahriar Babu, a local NGO activist providing legal aid to the victims.

As per the first information report, the number of victims was three. Two other names surfaced from the footage recorded by local journalists and from the statement of a village police and a local union parishad member too.

“They moved from their first statement to a new one, changing the number of victims in the police station.

Earlier, they told me there were more victims,” said Afzal, a local union parishad member to whom the family of a victim had gone to meet before

AL’s internal feud eclipses investigation  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

“I saw seven young men coming out of the house of influential Jamaat leader Yusuf Maulana. One of them was his son Mehadi – someone I knew by face.

The rest looked like outsiders,” said Biswajit.

Explosions rocked the local polling centre around 10:30am. By then, the villagers had started tiptoeing to the centre in small groups. As police opened fire, the attackers retreated and turned towards the Malopara village, of which Biswajit is a resident.

“Kill me if you want, but spare my villagers,” said Biswajit, circled by a group of 15-16 masked men – allegedly BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men – wielding hockey sticks, machetes, and iron rods.

The first three cocktails hurled at him hit his left chest, but did not explode. But the attackers kept on hitting him with sticks and iron rods. That is all Biswajit can remember because soon he fell unconscious.

“My entire village was ruined; women had swim across a river for saving their lives,” said Biswajit.

Returning home after the day’s work around 4pm the same day, Sushil Sarker, 58, was about to have his lunch when he heard shouts that his village was attacked from a neighborhood in the north that was dominated by Jamaat-Shibir and BNP supporters.

“I was surprised to see that most of the over 200 attackers were just kids, less than 20 years old. Some women

were supplying them with bricks from behind,” said Shushil.

Shushil had a broken bone in his heel after being hit a big brick during the hour-long chaos.

“Malopara’s Hindus have killed four Muslims. Come sharp and swoop on the village,” a Jamaat-Shibir man could be heard speaking over mobile phone.

Probhash Sarker, 60, and many women confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that they had heard him giving the message. Around 5:30pm, more than 500 men pounced on the village.

“Handmade bombs fell on our rooftops like hailstorm as the attackers shouted, ‘Naraye Takbir, Allahu Akbar,’” said Probhash.

The local Awami League supporters kept on calling the leaders and security forces for hours, but in vain.

Over 700 villagers fled to Deya Para across the Bhairab River after the attack.

Shreedharpur Union Parishad Chairman Habibur Rahman Bappi rescued the victims, and gave them shelter.

The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that Bappi, a follower of SK Abdul Wohab, also coordinated the renegade Awami League leader’s election campaign.

ROLE OF POLICE

Although police claimed that they had reached Malopara at 6:15pm – less than an hour after the village was attacked, witnesses said they did not come until 9pm.

The first information report (FIR)

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit violence-torn areas in Satkhira district today where minority Hindus were subjected to post-election violence.

The PM will reach the Satkhira Stadium at 1:20pm and visit the affected areas that came under attack of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir.

She will visit the affected Hindu families and houses of Awami League leaders. The PM will also address a mass-assembly, organised by the Satkhira Zilla Awami League.

Local Awami League leaders are hugely campaigning to make the visit a success.

The PM will inaugurate a total of 11 projects including laying foundation of Satkhira Medical College construction project and re-digging of Kopotakkho River.

Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangla-

filed by Sub-Inspector Mohsin Howlader of the Obhoynagar police station, appears weak and contradictory.

Claiming to reach Malopara at 6:15pm, the police statement in the twopage complaint contradicts the duration of the attack. In the first page, it is said the attack lasted for 30-35 minutes; but in the second page, the duration of the attack is said to be about 15-20 minutes.

The FIR also completely ignored the two previous attacks on Hindus in the area. It also did not give any reason as to why it took them nine hours to reach the scene despite being informed time and time again since afternoon.

Names of masterminds and Jamaat-Shibir criminals such as Yusuf Maulana, Taibar, Mahfuz, Mahmud, Ariful and Hasan come in much later in the list of accused.

RUMOURS ABOUT WOHAB

Awami League MP Ranajit Kumar Roy, who won in the January 5 poll, has emphasised, unofficially to journalists and officially to the district administration investigators, that his contender former Whip SK Abdul Wohab, who failed to get party ticket this time, was behind the attacks. The district administration, however, did not find the allegation true in its probe.

“Wohab incited the attack from behind, using Jamaat-Shibir and BNP men,” Ranajit told this correspondent when he met him at his Nam residence in the capital in the second week of

prompting the law enforcers to retaliate by firing 1166 bullets including 755 rubber bullets and throwing a number of tear gas shells.

During the clashes, a total of 22 policemen including SI Rajab Ali, ASI Neharanjan and ASI Mohirduddin were injured, said Officer-in-charge of Sundarganj Police Station M Mojazemmel Haque.

The joint forces nabbed five activists of Jamaat-Shibir from the spots during their operations in the areas, he also said.

Local people alleged that at least 30 Jamaat-Shibir men were injured in the clash with law enforcers.

Of them, 20 suffered bullet injuries and seven of them were sent to different clinics and hospitals in Rangpur in critical condition.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Police Super M Mofazzel Hossain said the law and order situation was brought under control about 10am. l

desh yesterday organised a discussion programme to help the people who are the victim.

The BGB organised the discussion in Agardari village, which is known to have strong hold of Jamaat.

BGB-38 Commander Lieutenant Colonel Imam Ahsan, Satkhira Press Club General Secretary Mostafizur Rahman Uzzal and Union Parishad Member Khalilur Rahman addressed the programme.

They said no such attack on minority people would be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those, who would try to commit such misdeed.

They also urged people from all classes and religions to maintain a familiar environment in the area.

After the January 5 parliamentary elections, many Hindu families and AL leaders became the victim of attacks by Jamaat-Shibir men. Many of them left houses during arson attacks and many are yet to return their houses. l

EU not considering GSP withdrawal  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

About the commitment made under the Sustainability Compact in July last year, Hanna said it covered three areas – labour situation, laws and implementation.

“I think a number of measures have been put in place and some more needs to be done,” he said.

About his recent meeting with European buyers, he said they were putting money on the table to improve the conditions of the factories from where they buy products.

“And that is promising. They are going to carry out their inspections and they hope all the inspections take place in the next nine months,” he said.

It was very difficult to move around in Bangladesh for the last few months but the situation has been improved and it is expected that they would be able to carry out the inspection, Hanna said. l

Election to 102 upazila parishads leaving the village in the morning after the rape.

According to the Dhaka Tribune’s findings, the rape victims are wives of two brothers, their daughters-in-law and a daughter.

Local journalists said the police had tried to hush-up the entire incident, but was compelled to accept two cases finally because of media coverage of the incident.

Two victims – a daughter and a daughter-in-law – filed two separate cases on January 10, two days after the incident when the matter was reported in the media. The three other victims now deny being raped.

The victims are Dalits, members of the Rishi community, who are cobblers by profession and socially considered to be in the lowest tier in the Hindu caste system –the “untouchables.” l

January amid rising speculations that Wohab had had a hand in the attacks.

Ranajit, however, could not substantiate his allegation with even a single evidence. He only sourced local Awami League leaders and the victims in favour of him claim.

Wohab and Ranajit became rivals after the two parliamentary seats that they had been lawmakers to before, were merged into one for this election.

Ranajit outsmarted Wohab in getting the Awami League ticket.

The Dhaka Tribune has covered the Obhoynagar repression from the field and did not find evidence in line with Ranajit’s claim. Reports published in mainstream and social media could have been chiefly based on political rhetoric.

This correspondent revisited the Obhoynagar area to investigate into the matter further. Union-level Awami League leaders, activists, police, district administration officials, intelligence, and Malopara victims, particularly those injured during encounters with the attackers in phases, were extensively interviewed.

Wohab’s name surfaced because his people threatened voters against voting for Ranajit, said Abdul Hoque, an elderly resident of a neighbouring village.

Although it was quite clear that BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men were the ones who attacked the Hindus, Ranajit has only been interested in blaming his rival Wohab instead of ensuring a strong case and fair probe against attackers.

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Khagrachhari Sadar, Ramgarh, Matiranga, Panchhari, Manikchhari and Mohalchhari in Khagrachhari, Jenaidah Sadar, Kotchandpur, Shailakupa and Kaliganj in Jenaidah, Magura Sadar and Shreepur in Magura, Lalmohan in Bhola, Daulatpur, Singhair, Shaturia and Shibalay in Manikganj, Kapashia in Gazipur, Rajbari Sadar, Baliakandi and Pangsha in Rajbari, Panchagarh Sadar, Boda, Atwari and Debiganj in Panchagarh, Rangpur Sadar, Gangachhara, Taraganj, Mithapukur, Pirgachha, Pirganj, Kaunia in Rangpur, Bhurungamari, Fulbari and Ulipur in Kurigram, Saghata and Gobindaganj in Gaibandha, Sherpur, Sariakandhi, Dhunat, Nandigram, Dupchachia and Sonatola in Bogra, Nachol in Chapainawabganj, Singra in Natore, Rayganj, Ullapara, Kazipur and Sirajganj Sadar in Sirajganj, Meharpur Sadar, Kustia Sadar and Bheramera in Kustia, Kalia in Nara-

Ranajit’s campaigner Biswajit also rejected any possibility that Wohab might have masterminded the attack.

“This is an effort to destroy the process of bringing the real culprits to justice. This simply proves the rivalry between leaders,” said Biswajit.

Iqbal Kabir Jahid, a politburo member of Bangladesh Workers Party, said he was sure about Wohab’s instigation behind the attack. He, however, failed to give a single evidence in support of his statement.

“According to the local people, Wohab’s men were seen with the attackers. It is a well-known thing that Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat men join hands in driving the Hindus out of the area to grab their lands,” said Iqbal.

Interestingly, Iqbal, who also wanted to contest the poll from the constituency but was rejected nomination by the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, did not visit Malopara until January 17.

Former whip Wohab, however, rejected the allegation that he had ever given any communal speech during his electoral campaign.

“The fact that the victims had not complained against me proves that all the statements that were given against me, are invalid,” Wohab said.

“None of these people, who are accusing me, stood by the victims at times of need. It was my people who gave them shelter, security and food,” Wohab said. l

il, Jamalpur Sadar and Sharishabari in Jamalpur, Moksudpur and Kashiani in Gopalganj, Kalkini in Madaripur, Bhederganj, Damuda, Jajira, Goshairhat in Shariatpur, Doyarbazar, Chhatak, Dakkin Sunamganj in Sunamganj, Kulaura in Moulvibazar, Madhabpur and Bahubal in Hobiganj, Khaharol and Khanshama in Dinajpur, Dimla, Syedpur and Joldhaka in Nilphamari, Fulbari in Kurigram, Mahadevpur and Raninagar in Naogaon, Sathia, Atgharia and Sujanagar in Pabna, Obhoynagar in Jessore, Durgapur and Kendua in Netrokona, Bajitpur, Karimganj and Nikole in Kishoreganj, Dohar and Nawabganj in Dhaka, Palash and Belabo in Narsingdi, Biswanath, Jokiganj, Companyganj, Golapganj, Gowinehat and Jointapur in Sylhet, Hathajari and Mirshrai in Chittagong, Ashashuni in Satkhira, Mohanpur in Rajshahi, Digholia and Koyra in Khulna, Gouronadi and Bakerganj in Barisal. l

HC orders Tarique to surrender  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

BNP leader would have to surrender, he added.

Khurshid said: “After receiving notice the lower court that acquitted Tarique on November 17 last year will send all documents of the case to the concerned section of the High Court.

Then the section will scrutinise the documents. After that the paper book of the money laundering case will be prepared.”

In reply to a question he said he did not know how much time would be needed to complete the procedure.

During the order, Tarique’s lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali asked the court not to give the order to surrender, to which the court replied that according to law, when it admits an appeal for hearing, the acquitted person has to surrender before the trial court.

On Thursday, the High Court started hearing on whether it could accept the appeal for hearing, and adjourned the case to yesterday. In the hearing, the ACC counsel said if the trial court had considered the witnesses properly, the result of the case would have changed.

He told the High Court that the lower court had wrongly interpreted the definition of money laundering.

The trial was concluded in absence of Tarique. The court sentenced Tarique’s friend Giasuddin Al Mamun to seven years’ imprisonment and fined him Tk400m. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, January 20, 2014

3

BNP to hold rally without alliance partners Strategic decision made to keep Jamaat at distance n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The BNP will hold a public rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital today under its own banner although it earlier announced the programme as an 18-party initiative “to thank people for rejecting the January 5 poll.”

The party has decided to hold the rally alone as a strategy for keeping distance from Jamaat-e-Islami in the wake of criticisms both at home and abroad for the recent countrywide violence by activists of Jamaat, BNP’s key partner in the alliance, said some party sources.

The decision came as a surprise to many of the alliance leaders as it was made without consultation with them.

“Monday’s programme will be held under the party’s banner as it is BNP’s own programme,” Asaduzzaman Ripon, international affairs secretary of the party, told journalists at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters yesterday.

Seeking anonymity, a leader of the alliance told the Dhaka Tribune that a rally – the first after the election – without the presence of other alliance partners would create confusion and suspense within the alliance.

“The government will try to snap the ties [with alliance partners], so the BNP has to move forwards tactfully,” the leader said.

Chamber judge clears Kurigram voting

n Nazmus Sakib The chamber judge of the Appellate Division yesterday stayed the High Court order that halted the vote casting at two polling centres of Kurigram 4 constituency. After this order, there are no legal bars to holding vote in the centres, said Additional Attorney General MK Rahman.

The Election Commission had scheduled January 16 for vote but due to a High Court order on January 15 that was stopped.

Then the EC and Ruhul Amin, the candidate of JP (Manju) filed petitions with the chamber judge to stay the order that the High Court had passed in response to a petition of Awami League candidate Zakir Hossain. MK Rahman stood for the EC while Rokanuddin Mahmud contended for the JP candidate in the court of Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, the chamber judge. l

Rangpur 6 by-polls on February 20 n Mohammad Zakaria The by-election of Rangpur 6 constituency will be held on February 20.

The last date of filing nomination papers is January 27 and the nomination will be scrutinized on January 28. The last date of withdrawing nomination is February 3.

The Election Commission yesterday announced the schedule. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was elected from two constituencies, had vacated the Rangpur 6 seat after the elections.

The commission announced Rangpur 6 vacant on January 8. l

A senior BNP leader, however, said although the programme would be held under the banner of the BNP, the alliance partners could attend it. “Anyone can join the programme. Alliance leaders and some other party leaders might join the programme to express their solidarity.”

Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran told the Dhaka Tribune: “Alliance chief Khaleda Zia has finalised the programme. So, if we are excluded from it, we should be told so, but we are yet to be informed.

“The BNP’s letterhead pad is used for all applications [of the alliance], probably that is why the permission has been given to the BNP.” The application for the alliance’s last rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan on October 25 was submitted in the BNP’s letterhead pad, but all alliance partners attended the rally and their leaders spoke there.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police gave the BNP permission for holding the rally under 12 conditions, said Abdul Latif Jony, party’s assistant office secretary.

The programme will start at 2pm.

Earlier, the BNP-led 18-party alliance wanted to hold a rally in front of the BNP’s Nayapaltan headquarters on December 29 to mark its “March for Democracy” programme. But BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was barred from coming out of her home and many senior leaders were either in jail or in hiding and the al-

liance failed to hold the rally.

Massive preparations have been made to make today’s programme successful and some leaders said the programme would aim at showing the party’s strength. BNP Vice-Chairman Abdus Salam told the Dhaka Tribune that Khaleda Zia would give important directives at the programme.

At a press conference on January 15, Khaleda said: “On Monday January20, we will formally thank the democracy-loving people of the country by holding public meetings in every town, upazila, district and divisional headquarters.

The central public meeting will be held at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.”

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has already sat with party leaders in the capital and adjacent districts to make today’s rally successful. Letters have been sent to all ward and upazila units of the party to join the rally.

A party insider said apart from the 18-party alliance leaders, other like-minded parties such as Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) might also attend the programme.

Kazi Zafar, chairman of a Jatiya Party faction, held a meeting with Khaleda at her Gulshan office on Saturday and expressed solidarity with the BNP programme. l

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at Ziaur Rahman’s grave in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar yesterday, on occasion of his 78th birth anniversary RAJIB DHAR

BNP leaders re-emerge on Zia’s birthday n Mohammad Al-MasumMolla The top and mid-level leaders of the BNP finally reappeared to the political scene yesterday ending their long hideout since the political turmoil began centering the January 5 election, which they had boycotted and tried to resist.

The BNP leaders thronged the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP, to mark his 78th birth anniversary.

None of these senior leaders could

Hasina entertains aspirant women MPs with winter cakes n Emran Hossain Shaikh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday told aspirant candidates for women’s reserved seat in parliament that she could not nominate all but she could entertain all with winter cake.

Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League made this amusing quip at a meeting at Ganababan.

The parliamentary board of the Awami League on Sunday called the aspirants for interviews.

A total of 822 has applied for nom-

ination. “It is a tough job to sort out women lawmakers for reserved seats one by one but it is a matter of joy that so many women have applied for the reserved seats,” she said adding that the Awami League could accommodate only 36 out of 50. Referring to the measures taken by the government to empower women she said once women had no room anywhere but the government has opened the door.

Party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said: “All of you are qualified and eligible to be a member of parliament.

You have enormous chance in future; so don’t be disappointed.”

He also said that they would not select anyone being driven by emotion but on the basis of personal profile of each aspirant.

The aspirants were entertained with winter cakes such as chitoy, Bhapa and Pati-Shapta.

Awami League Parliamentary Board Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu Suranjit Sengupta, Kazi Zafarullah, and Nuh-Ul-Alam Lenin were present at the meeting. l

Five injured as Tk30 lakh, mobile phones mugged in city n Kailash Sarkar At least five incidents of mugging were reported in the capital’s Mohakhali, Paltan, Pallabi and Jurain areas last night that left five people injured while muggers snatched over Tk30 lakh and other valuables.

Residents of Purana Paltan caught a mugger when he was fleeing after snatching Tk 20 lakh from employees of a travel agency.

The injured people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Four of them were stabbed and a woman sustained injuries after crude bombs had been hurled at her.

Many said several gangs of muggers had become active taking the advantage of the relaxed law and order situation.

Md Zahir Talukder, 28, a representative of Drugs International, was stabbed indiscriminately by muggers in front of the Ayesha Memorial at Mohakhali. The criminals took his mobile phone and Tk10,000 on his way to Green Road residence around 10pm.

Also in Mohakhali, muggers stabbed buying house employee Mithu Chandra Majumder, 26, and snatched his mobile phone and Tk4,000 at Hajirbari around the same time.

Bhuiya Mahbub Hasan, OC of Banani police station, said they had not yet been informed of the incident as of 12:30am and that forces had been sent to the DMCH to inquire.

In Pallabi, Mohammad Hafizur Rahman, 30, and Nazrul Islam, 36, were stabbed by a gang of criminals at Block B

of Section 12 around 10:30pm. The muggers took away their cell phones and cash.

In Jurain, a female factory worker named Alo Akhter, 26, sustained severe injuries in the abdomen, chest, hands and face when criminals hurled bombs at her on her way home around 9:30pm.

A gang of six to seven armed criminals on three motorcycles fired shots and looted Tk20 lakh from the employees of a travel agency around 7pm in front of the Kosturi Hotel at Paltan.

Locals caught one of them although the others fled with the money.

Khorshed Alam, OC of Paltan police station, said they were conducting drives with the detained mugger at different places to catch the others. He said: “We are about to identify the other muggers.” l

be seen in the streets during the party’s movement in the recent months; but during yesterday’s programme, leaders of all tiers were seen chanting anti-government slogans and placing wreaths at the grave.

Yesterday was also the first time since the October 25 rally at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan, that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia participated in a programme along with the party leaders and activists.

She, along with a few thousand leaders and activists placed wreaths at Ziaur

Rahman’s grave in the capital and offered prayers seeking his eternal peace.

After placing wreaths, BNP acting secretary general MirzaFakhrul Islam Alamgir told journalists that they had vowed to restore democracy and return voting rights to people. “We believe that ending the rule of the autocratic government is possible.”

Fakhrul, who himself had been in hideout for more than a month, refused to make any comment about the leaders going underground. l

HC: Do not harass the 5 detained BNP leaders in new cases n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday directed law enforcement agencies not to harass the five detained BNP leaders or show them arrested in new cases where they were not mentioned as suspects.

The bench of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani passed the order following writ petitions filed on behalf of the five leaders.

The detained leaders are standing committee members Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Mia, BNP chairperson’s special aide Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas and Sardar Sakhawat Hossain. They were nabbed in December and later shown arrested in cases involving violence during BNP-sponsored an-

ti-government protests.

The court in its order also said the detained leaders could not be shown arrested in any more cases. However, they could be arrested if lawsuits were lodged specifically against them.

The writ petitions were filed by family members over concerns that the BNP men might be shown arrested in other cases.

Meanwhile, Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu, president of Natore district BNP, received bail for six months in the murder case of Jubo League leader Palash Dash. The HC bench of Justice Borhanuddin and Justice KM Kamrul Kader granted the interim bail to Dulu, who has been in jail since the day of the murder on December 8, 2012. l

No slogans for Ershad this time n Tribune Report For the very first time, Jatiya Party members were barred from chanting slogans praising party chief HM Ershad yesterday.

The incident took place at the National Mausoleum at Savar where the Jatiya Party parliament members led by the opposition leader Rawshan Ershad went to place wreaths at the martyrs’ memorial.

After 27 JaPa parliament members placed their wreaths, members of the party met Rawshan Ershad, incumbent opposition leader of the parliament, while chanting slogans praising Ershad.

Right at that time, a number of senior leaders who are now law-makers

were seen waving their hands for the chants to stop.

It is usually standard practice for party activists to chant slogans for Ershad. There had never been slogans for any other party leader.

At this time, JaPa members chanted slogans for Rawshan, Anisul Islam Mahmud, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu and Kazi Firoz Rashid.

Responding to a query, Opposition Leader Rawshan said she could not talk to all the media since there were “hundreds of TV channels” in the country.

Asked about Ershad’s absence in the squad, Rawshan, apparently annoyed, said: “Ershad is busy with his personal works, for that reason, he could not come here.” l

HC grants bail to Hall-Mark chair Witness: Yusuf, his accomplices killed 65 Hindu villagers n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday gave anticipatory bail to Hall-Mark Chair Jasmine Islam for four weeks in connection with a case filed for not submitting her property details to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order in response to a plea lodged by the accused. Jasmine was present during the bail hearing. Barrister Rafique-Ul Huq contended for the Hall-Mark chair

while ACC counsel Khurshid Alam Khan opposed the bail.

Khurshid told the Dhaka Tribune they would file a petition to stay the HC order.

Earlier on November 13 last year, the ACC asked Jasmine to submit her wealth statement. The anti-graft body extended time for one week, but she did not comply with the ACC order.

Later, the Anti-Corruption Commission registered a case against Jasmine with Ramna police station on December 12. l

n Udisa Islam The war crimes tribunal yesterday recorded testimony of the 21st prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf.

Dilip Das, 65, gave his deposition on the killing of 65 Hindu villagers of Ranjitpur in Bagerhat.

Before his deposition, the International Crimes Tribunal 2 recorded the evidence of a seizer list witness, Md Ezabuddin Mia, a Bangla Academy librarian.

Dilip said on May 13 of 1971, the locals had been preparing to save the village from attack of razakars. “That day Yusuf’s accomplices came to their

Yusuf was not in the dock as he had been excused from physical presence at the tribunal village and set fire to houses. All of them who were on duty to protect the village from any attack retreated as they were not well prepared.”

State minister for land promises transparency n Mohosinul Karim and Rabiul Islam State Minister for Land Saifuzzaman Chowdhury promised to maintain transparency and accountability in his ministry’s activities, and make land-related services smooth and hassle-free.

He made the pledge while talking to reporters at the conference room of the land ministry yesterday.

As part of his commitment, he dis-

closed his and his wife’s wealth statements. His total estimated assets were equivalent to Tk15.17 crore while his wife’s was Tk2.92 crore.

Chowdhury also promised to disclose his wealth statements every year.

“I came empty-handed and I will go empty-handed,” he said.

Chowdhury said he had already resigned from a number of companies and would resign from a private bank.

“My business will not increase further,” he promised.

Chowdhury appears to be following in the footsteps of former state minister for land and current Primary and Mass Education Minister Mustafizur Rahman Fizar, the only cabinet member in the last government whose wealth declined during his term.

Asked whether other cabinet members should disclose their wealth,

Chowdhury said it was an individual decision.

Pointing out the hassle and harassment faced by people in getting land related services, he said he would take the initiative to deliver services from one-stop service centres.

“I will talk to the prime minister to bring the registration of land from the law ministry to the land ministry,” he added. l

He said Rajjab Ali with Siraj master, Akiz Uddin and Ishaq had attacked in a planned way. When they started shooting, all of them gave slogan saying “Pakistan Jindabaad” and “Yusuf Bhai Jindabaad.”

Dilip said he had been hiding in a bush during the attack. When the attackers left the area, the locals found 65 bodies including 25 of that particular village.

After the incident, the witness said he had left Bangladesh and went to India where he attained training at Tetta

camp. After finishing the training, he came back to Bangladesh on June 1971.

His testimony was incomplete as the tribunal adjourned the proceedings until today.

Yusuf is facing 13 counts of crimes against humanity including genocide, murders, arson attacks, abduction, torture in confinement, and forced conversion and deportation of Hindus at different places of the district.

For the first time, Yusuf was not in the dock as he had been excused from physical presence at the tribunal. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, January 20, 2014

Shibir leader’s body found in Ctg n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Oishee’s bail petition rejected n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Police recovered a bullet-riddled body of a local Islami Chhatra Shibir leader from Sitakunda point of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Chittagong yesterday.

The deceased, Mosharraf Hossain, 22, hailing from Kedarkhil village of the upazila, was the general secretary of Ward No. 2 Chattra Shibir in Sitakunda Municipality, confirmed Iftekhar Hasan, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station.

He said the body was recovered from the west side of the highway at the middle point between Choto Darogarhat and Teriail at around 11:30am, after being informed by locals. The dead body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for autopsy, he added.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sahadat, a relative of the deceased, claimed that a group of people, identifying themselves as members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7), picked up Mosharraf from his residence the previous night.

When contacted, Rab-7 Commanding Officer Mifta Uddin Ahmad refuted the claim and said no raids were conducted at the upazila since last week. l

A Dhaka court yesterday rejected the bail petition of Oishee Rahman, accused of killing her parents Special Branch Inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and Swapna Rahman.

Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Noor passed the order in presence of Oishee in the morning.

The jail authorities produced the accused before the court during the hearing. The petition was filed by defence counsel Prokash Ranjan Biswas.

The lawyer also submitted a petition to the court for providing necessary books and other reading materials to Oishee in jail for her preparation of O level final exam, to be held in May. The court granted the petition and asked the jail authorities to supply the necessary materials to Oishee as per the jail code.

Oishee, 19, told the Dhaka Tribune that she wanted to sit for the exam.

Her father and mother were found dead in their Chamelibagh flat on August 16. A case was filed the following day with Paltan police station against some unnamed people.

Oishee surrendered to the police on August 17 and was remanded for five days from August 18. She had made confessional statement on August 25 but later filed a petition for retracting the statement.

At first, she was sent to Konabari women and child development and correction centre. Later she was sent to jail after doctors confirmed she was not a juvenile. l

Activists of Ganajagaran Mancha at a rally in Thakurgaon yesterday, protesting the recent attacks on Hindus. The rally was organised as part of its road march programme

Divisional commissioners asked to protect minorities

Death toll rises in Jhenaidah AL clash

Karim and n Mohosinul Rabiul Islam

The death toll from the Saturday clash between two factions of Awami League in Jhenaidah has climbed to two after 15-year-old Shah Alam, a class ten student, died in hospital yesterday.

Arif Hossain, 22, another activist of the ruling party, was killed on the spot.

The clash took place following an altercation between supporters of Awami League leader Abdul Malek and Fursundi UP Chairman Shahid Sikdar at Tikari Bazar under Jhenaidah sadar upazila on Saturday night, leaving 14 injured and two dead so far.

Locals said the clash was the result of a longstanding feud between the two groups which intensified after an attack on Sahid’s nephew, allegedly by his opponents.

Both groups had come prepared with firearms and weapons and fought

The home ministry directed seven divisional commissioners to increase intelligence vigilance in the violence-prone areas to prevent further attacks on minority people.

Following the January 5 election boycotted by the BNP-led 18-party alliance minority especially Hindu people came under attack at various places across the country.

The directive was given at a regular meeting with the divisional commissioners in the conference room of the home ministry with Senior Secretary CQK Mustaq Ahmed in the chair yesterday.

The meeting observed that the deteriorating law and order is improving day by day.

Illegal VoIP centre busted in capital n Kailash Sarkar Rapid Action Battalion yesterday seized a large quantity of phone credit cards and VoIP equipment worth around Tk50 lakh from the capital’s Hazaribagh area and arrested two in this connection.

RAB 2 Operation Officer Senior ASP Raihan Uddin Khan said the arrestees – Md Habibullah Sawpan, 38, and Abdul Motin, 27, of 9/A Bhagalpur Lane, Hajaribagh – were the owners of the illegal business and also the six-storey building the law enforcers raided. RAB personnel raided the building yesterday afternoon upon a tip-off and seized the VoIP equipment, computers and credit cards for different mobile phone operators from the first floor of the building. l

WEATHER

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

Moderate to thick fog may occur over the river basins and light to moderate fog elsewhere over the country during midnight till morning, Met office said.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:36pm today and rises at 6:43am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 29.5 degrees Celsius was recorded yesterday in Rangamati and lowest 11.0 degrees in Sitakunda. Highest and lowest temperature recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

27.2 25.2 26.9 28.2 27.5 27.7 27.3 28.0

13.6 14.5 14.0 15.5 13.4 12.5 16.4 17.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:24am 6:42am 12:09am 3:59pm 5:35pm 6:54pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Among others, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Jillar Rahman, Khulna’s Abdul Jalil, Barisal’s Nurul Amin, Chittagong’s Mohammad Abdullah, Sylhet’s NM ZiaulAlam, Rangpur’sDelwar Bakth and Rajshahi’s Helal Uddin Ahmed were present.

“We have been instructed to increase intelligence vigilance in the areas inhibited by minority communities so that attacks on them can be prevented,” Barisal Divisional Commissioner Nurul Amin told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We have to improve the law and order situation”.

“The divisional commissioners were asked to remain alert to prevent further attack,” a senior official at the home ministry quoted the home ministry’s senior secretary as saying.

Talking to this correspondent Addi-

tional Secretary of the Home Ministry Kamal Uddin Ahmed said law enforcing agencies would be tough to maintain law and order.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Mia (Birbikrom) held a meeting with divisional commissioners at the ministry yesterday.

Officials at the ministrysaid Mofazzel Hossain instructed the commissioners to intensify monitoring of the programmes including food for work, test relief and employment generation.

The divisional commissioners will take steps so that deputy commissioners and UNOs visit the projects in the field level on regular basis. They have also been asked to ensure transparency and accountability of the project. l

n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah

DHAKA TRIBUNE

until police intervened. Arif was shot and killed on the spot.

Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, officer in charge of Jhenaidah police station,

The clash took place following an altercation between supporters of Awami League leader Abdul Malek and Fursundi UP Chairman Shahid Sikdar at Tikari Bazar confirmed the news of the deaths and said no case was filed yet in this connection.

Shah Alam’s body was sent to the morgue of Magura general hospital for postmortem examination.

Of the injured, six were taken to Jhenaidah general hospital, while the remaining eight to Magura general hospital. l

‘Rivers of the World’ ends n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman

The four-day long artwork exhibition titled “Rivers of the World” ended yesterday at Rabindra Sarobar in the city’s Dhanmondi with enthusiasm and gala.

The thematic artwork exhibition kicked-off last Thursday and the exhibition was open for all at the Rabindra Sarobar and the Dhaka Art Centre.

The same programme would be held after one week in Sylhet.

Five students of Dhaka were accorded with certificate and gifts. Earlier on Friday, 150 students from 10 schools participated in a drawing competition focusing on the theme of river. The competition was hosted/coordinated

by Bangladeshi artists Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy and Tamanna Tasmeem.

Basharat Shaira Tusti, a junior 1 student of Scholars School and College, was awarded the first prize with a crest while Lamisa Siddique and Jannatul Ferdouse Ohona of Dhanmondi Government Girls High School received the second and third prizes respectively.

Ishrat Jahan and Dalia Akhter became fourth and fifth.

Overjoyed six-year-old Tusti said: “I

A child is awarded at the closing ceremony of Rivers of the World, a public artwork exhibition which started on Thursday, at Rabindra Sarobar yesterday SADIA MARIUM am very happy to participate in the programme and receive the prize.” Ohona expressed her excitement after receiving the prize and said she would participate in such programmes in future.

Shahriar Karim, chief news editor of the Dhaka Tribune said: “This sort of initiative would help the children and the young generation to learn about the environment through play.”

Robin Davies, director of Partner-

ships and Programmes Project of British Council Bangladesh said the world would become better if children could go ahead this way. “This opportunity enriches the understanding of the children. Again, they can be more aware about river pollution,” he added.

He also said 150 schools from the UK and 150 schools from Bangladesh would be connected through Connecting Classrooms Project by 2015 which

would help them to learn about each other.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation in Bangladesh (HSBC) have organised the exhibition which featured vibrant and beautiful thematic artworks made by talented students from 10 Bangladeshi and British schools.

The Dhaka Tribune was the media partner of the exhibition.

The programme was followed by songs of Minar and fire dance performance. Earlier, Swagata and friends sang in the event.

In September 2012, London celebrated the Thames festival, where Rivers of the World – an art exhibition – was a huge attraction of the event. Eighteen countries participated and had sent in their artworks in which they drew rivers belonging their own countries. In the festival, artist Syed Rashad Imam Tanmoy and his mentor Ahsan Habib, with a team of students from six schools in Sylhet, represented Bangladesh. They chose to prepare artworks portraying the life and culture across Surma River, which is known to be the longest river in the country. l

Mahbub, Shammi's bail rejected n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Nirmul Committee for withdrawal of state religion

A Dhaka court yesterday rejected the bail petitions for BNP leaders barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Shammi Akther in cases filed with Ramna and Banani police stations.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Juhurul Haque rejected Mahbub's bail petition filed by Md Sanaullah Miah.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court rejected the bail and remand petitions for Shammi Akther and sent her to jail.

Mahbub was accused in three cases, one filed with Ramna police station over killing a constable in an arson attack at Bangla Motor, and two cases with Motijheel police station.

BNP leader Shammi Akther was implicated in a case filed with Banani police station.

The defence lawyer mentioned in the plea that the police had arrested Mahbub for speaking against the government.

Banani police arrested Shammi on December 25 in an arson attack case. l

n Abu Bakar Siddique Ekattorer Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee has demanded annulment of the provision of “state religion” in the constitution so that political parties like the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami cannot do politics based on religion in the country.

The front working for elimination of the killers and collaborators of 1971, urged the government to impose ban on the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami, because of its anti-liberation agenda and trend of unleashing violence in the name of politics.

The pro-liberation front also suggested that the government speeds up the ongoing trial of the war criminals of the liberation war, at a discussion held yesterday marking the 22th founding anniversary of the committee.

“The religion based political party [Jamaat] has been running its activi-

ties in the name of Islam and does not believe in the spirit of the religion.

Rather they are destroying the harmony among people,” said Shahriar Kabir, the acting president of the committee.

The provision of state religion in the constitution had created disparity among people of different religions in the country, he said.

Sammilita Islami Jote’s President Maulana Ziaul Hasan said the inclusion of Islam as state religion in the constitution was against the spirit of Islam. Islam does not believe in division among people of different religions.

A discussion on “Movement of Shaheed Jahanara Imam: roles of the government and civil society” was held at Poet Sufia Kamal auditorium of the National Museum on the occasion.

Professor Anisuzzaman of Bangla at the University of Dhaka (DU) said to complete the trial on time government should take initiative to avoid procras-

tination of the defence lawyers on different excuses.

It should take steps to disseminate a concrete idea over the War Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh among the common people of the country, because, Jamaat had already created confusion among people through smear campaigns against it, he said.

Muntassir Mamoon, a professor of history at DU and a veteran member of the committee, urged the government to recruit the Chairman of International Crimes Tribunal 1 as soon as possible.

The chairman seat for International Crimes Tribunal 1 was vacated after Justice ATM Fazle Kabir retired on December 31 for age limitation.

Replying to his call, Law Minister Anisul Haque said the government would try to recruit a new Chairman as soon as possible to speed up the trial process. l

Suchitra's school in Pabna to honour her with a statue

n Our Correspondent, Pabna The authorities of Pabna Government Girls High School have decided to build a statue of Suchitra Sen on the school premises in memory of the legendary actress.

The decision came from a condolence meeting held at the school on Saturday afternoon to commemorate the queen of Bangla films.

Suchitra, who died at the age of 82 in Kolkata on Friday, studied at the Pabna high school until she left the country for India with her family in 1947.

Speakers at the condolence meet said Suchitra was the pride of Pabna as well as the school associated with her childhood in this country.

Many students and teachers broke down in tears as they discussed Suchitra’s life and work.

“Suchitra achieved the top position in Bangla films, but she is originally our girl. So, it is our duty to keep her memory alive,” one of the speakers said.

The meeting decided to commission a state of Suchitra to keep her memory alive at the school.

Headmaster Md Jayedur Rahman chaired the meeting, while it was also addressed by teachers Aliza Khatun, Anjon Kundu, Abul Kalam Azad, Meher Sultna and Abdur Rafique. l

JUTA polls on January 29 n JU Correspondent Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) elections for the year 2014 will be held on 29th January, said a press release from the association’s election commission yesterday.

The voting for the 15-executive member association will be held at the university’s teachers and officers’ club from 9:00am to 1:00pm, the press release added.

According to the election schedule, the primary voters list will be published on 19th January. Teachers will be able to bring any correction to the voter list through the commission till 22nd January.

The last day for submitting nomination papers and the date for publishing the final voters and candidate list has been fixed at 22nd January. The last day for withdrawing nomination papers is 25th January.

Prof Md Aktar Mahmud will be the chief election commissioner for this year, while his deputies are Associate Professor Md Nazmul Islam and Assistant Professor Adil Muhammad Khan. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Bus commuters face endless hurdles Irregularities in seating, hiking up ticket prices are just some of the problems n Abu Hayat Mahmud Travelling on public transport for Dhaka city commuters is a big challenge due to extra fare, picking up passengers indiscriminately, and parking vehicles illegally.

According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTA), a total of 2281 buses and 3126 mini-buses ply on Dhaka city roads.

The bus conductors charge more than the prescribed fare inside the city.

Tk 1.55 was prescribed per kilometer for inter-city buses. TkTk 1.45 was prescribed for non AC buses January 2013.

Moreover, the government prescribed Tk 7 for seating service and Tk 5 for local service as minimum fare. But most of the bus staffs collect Tk 10.

Jahanara Begum, a housewife who rode on a bus service from Azimpur-Gazipur route, said; “I was used to pay Tk 15 for traveling from Azimpur to Khilkhet but today the conductor has charged me Tk 20, which is really difficult to tolerate.”

Murad Ahmed, a resident of Shankar, said; “Minimum fare of Taranga bus service from Shankar to Dhaka City College is Tk 10.”

“Not only Taranga but also Trans

Silva, Nisharga, City Bus, Malancha, Megacity, Midway, Moitree, Bikalpa and all of such other bus services in the city charge Tk 10 as the minimum fare,” he added.

“Every bus hangs a fare chart fixed by the BRTA, but that is only to show to officers of the mobile court that they are following the rules. In reality, they never follow the chart,” he said.

The buses are so crowded that it becomes impossible for older people, women or children to obtain a seat inside a bus. Consequently, these vulnerable groups of people do not have access to bus services during rush hours Moinul Hossain, another passenger from Tejturipara of Farmgate area, said EnaParibahan, which charged Tk 10 a few days back for travelling from Karwan Bazar to Purana Paltan, was now charging Tk 12.

Moinul also claimed that the transport owners hardly maintained the quality of services against ‘non-stop’ and ‘sitting’, for which they charged

additional fares from passengers.

Visiting various types of public buses in the city, it was found that almost all the buses frequently take in more passengers than they are allowed.

The buses are so crowded that it becomes impossible for older people, women or children to obtain a seat inside a bus. Consequently, these vulnerable groups of people do not have access to bus services during rush hours.

While talking to the passengers at different bus companies, they reported that they often end up waiting for a bus longer than they should be.

The female passengers claimed they faced various problems or harassment while travelling.

BRTA Director (Engineering) SaifulHaque told the Dhaka Tribune; “We have taken steps against the bus staffs who charge extra money.”

Sometimes the regulatory body was helpless as there was a shortage of buses and the authority did not have enough manpower to monitor the illegal practice of the bus staffs, he said.

Mir Rezaul Alam, joint commissioner (traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said; “The drive against dishonest bus staffs and the buses without fitness buses is a continuous operation.” l

5

Monday, January 20, 2014

First-time voters disappointed with recent poll n Tazlina Zamila Khan The first-time voters of the 10th parliamentary election have expressed disappointment with the manner in which the election was held, with large numbers of seats going uncontested.

They also blamed the election commission for its failure to play a more active role in ensuring a participatory election.

The observations came at an interactive session with 40 first-time voters held at the EMK Centre in Dhanmondi yesterday.

The programme titled “Importance of Elections in a Democracy: Role of Youth and Students” and organised

by Change Makers – was held to raise awareness with regards voting rights and importance of individual efforts to promote a democratic culture.

The participants were engaged in a discussion about the topics and made their points in front of the invited guests. Each of them was provided with a copy of the constitution of Bangladesh, the constitution of America (Bangla version) and a manual on basic laws.

Brig Gen M SakhawatHussain, a former election commissioner, gave a power-point presentation.

In his speech, he stressed the need for elections that would be “legitimate” and “acceptable” to everyone. “The

very basic idea of a democracy is that there will be elections that will be accepted by everyone.”

He also said it was important for the young voters to play a constructive role by choosing the right persons to represent them in parliament and motivate others to do the same.

“The average turnout up to the 10th parliamentary election was 65%, but this time it was different; the country has witnessed the lowest ever turnout.”

`The average turnout up to the 10th parliamentary poll was 65%, but this time it was different; the country witnessed the lowest ever turnout.’

The session was part of a project of Change Makers aimed at raising awareness among first-time voters and was preceded by another session on December 12 last year.

In this regard, SM Shiblee Rahman, programme officer of the organisation, said: “We will hold similar sessions in five other constituencies of Dhaka and another five outside the capital.

We will try involve with the process as many voters as possible.”

Among others, EMK Centre Director MK Aaref and Change Makers President TanbirUl Islam Siddiqui also participated in the programme. l

JOURNALIST AFTAB KILLING

Key accused gives confessional statement n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday recorded the confessional statement of Humayun Kabir, the detained driver of veteran photojournalist Aftab Ahmed who was brutally killed at his residence on December 25.

Metropolitan Magistrate SM Ashiqur Rahman recorded the statement after Sub-Inspector Ashik Iqbal of RAB 3, also the investigation officer of the case, produced the accused before the court with a plea to record the confessional statement.

On January 12, RAB personnel arrested five individuals from Dhaka and Gazipur. The four others are Belal Hossain Kislu, Habib Hawlader, Raju Munshi and Sabuj Khan.

Later, a Dhaka court placed them on a five-day remand.

Aftab Ahmed was found dead with his hands and legs tied with a rope at his Rampura residence in the capital.

Aftab, a recipient of the Ekushey Padak, had captured several historic moments including the surrender document signed by General Niazi accepting defeat at the hands of the joint command of the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini.

Aftab’s family claimed that he had been murdered for his money. Driver Humayun, the main suspect, had been on the run since the murder. l

ACC okays charges against 9, including former RMCH director n Tribune Report The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday approved chargesheet against nine people, including former director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, on charge of misappropriation of Tk3.27crore from government fund through purchase of medicines for the hospital.

The former director Brigadier General (retd) of RMCH M Abdul Latif in connivance with others accused has misappropriated Tk3.27crore by purchasing medicines from low profile companies, avoiding the lowest bid of big companies, the ACC sources said.

The ACC will press charges against former RMCH director Brigadier General (retd) M Abdul Latif, former acting deputy director of RMCH SM Abul Kalam Azad, proprietor of Rajshahi based Fahim Medical Ltd Motiur Rahman, Regional Sales Manager of Square Pharmaceuticals Limited Anisur Rahman, Regional Sales Manager of The ACME Laboratories MA Mannan, Deputy Manager of Rajshahi depot operations Renata Ltd Robiul Hossain, Senior Regional Manager of Jayson Pharmaceuticals Ltd Shahidul Alam, Regional Sales Manager of ACI Ltd Sheikh Moham-

mad Ali (now assistant sales manager at Jayson Pharmaceuticals Ltd), and former marketing and sales director at The ACME Laboratories M Rafiqul Islam.

The ACC okayed charges against officials of medicine companies since they illegally withdrew their bids in the tender process to make an easier way for highest bidder Fahim Medical Limited to have the contract.

Meanwhile, the commission also recommended departmental actions against four officials involved in tender evaluation committee, namely former associate professor at medicine department of RMCH M Iftekhar Mahmood (now principal at Kushtia Medical College), former medical officer at CS office at Rajshahi Tarun Kumer Chowdhury (now, lecturer at anatomy department of RMCH), former assistant engineer at public works department Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman (now, deputy divisional engineer at public works survey sub-division, Dhaka), and former assistant commissioner at Rajshahi DC office M Shamsuzzaman (now assistant land commissioner at Hathazari, Chittagong) for helping the accused by signing and approving highest bidder. l

Sales persons show jewellery items to customers at Dhaka Trade F air yesterday

300 BRTC buses to carry Ijtema devotees AL leader n Tribune Report Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation has decided to operate special bus services in two phases for the Biswa Ijtema this year.

BRTC will operate special bus services from January 21 to February 3 for ferrying devotees of the Bishwa Ijtema.

Besides, the state-run corporation will also operate special bus services to carry passengers from various places and bus terminal in the city during the Ijtema time.

The BRTC would operate special bus

service with its one d,cor and double d,cor for 14 days including two phases of the Ijtema this year, according to a handout.

The state-owned transport agency will provide at least 300 BRTC buses for carrying the participants to the Ijtema yard from different places of the country and return them back to the places they came from.

According to the BRTC, the special buses will operate from Aricha, Paturia, Mirpur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Comilla, Bhairab, Kuti Chowmuhani, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Birishi-

ri, Netrakona, Sonapur, Char Jabbar, Lakshmipur, Kalmakanda, Madan, Monohardi, Mirkadim, Mohanganj, Akhaura, Mymensingh, Sayedabad, Gulistan, Gabtali, Kamlapur, Mahakhali, Azimpur and Joydevpur during the 14 days of Ijtema.

Meanwhile, the BRTC authority has decided to operate a special bus from Airport to Ijtema venue for carrying foreigners.

The first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema would be held from January 24 to 26.

The second phase would be held from January 31 to February 2 with a break of four days. l

A street vendor of winter clothes removes his makeshift shop from a footpath in Rajshahi city yesterday. Police evict street vendors often to free the footpaths, but the vendors complain that such drives are affecting their livelihood DHAKA TRIBUNE

stabbed in Sira jganj MP’s reception n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj

An Awami League activist was stabbed during an argument between two groups over sitting at a welcoming programme organised for Sirajganj’s newly elected lawmaker.

The reception for Hasibur Rahman Swapan was held on Saturday in the district’s Shahjadpur upazila.

The injured was identified as Iran, 28.

Local Awami League sources said activists of two groups led by Swapan’s two followers –Ekramul Haque Rizvi and Shahin –were engaged in an altercation over sitting at the reception.

At one point, Rizvi’s followers stabbed Iran, who was a follower of Shahin.

The injured activist was first taken to a clinic but as his condition deteriorated, he was sent to Sirajganj Sadar Hospital.

Following the incident, Swapan asked the officer-in-charge of Sirajganj Sadar police station to arrest the perpetrators immediately, police sources said.

OC Habibul Islam said no case was yet filed regarding the incident. He said his forces were trying to arrest the perpetrators according to the list given by the lawmaker. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Where discussion means flattery Meeting with new minister turns into backslapping session

n Mushfique Wadud Although the Directorate of Primary Education had supposedly arranged for an information sharing meeting with journalists, the meeting ultimately turned into a flattery session.

The meeting titled “Progress in Last Five Years on Primary Education and Future Plans” was held at the directorate in the city yesterday.

Unfortunately, very few words were discussed about the problems of the primary education sector and the ways to resolve them.

It seemed that officials had only one goal in mind: how to sugar-coat words to please their bosses. Mostafizur Rahman has been entrusted with responsibility of Primary and Mass Education Ministry.

“As we have a new minister, we need to introduce ourselves to him. That is why we arranged this meeting. This is more like an introductory meeting,” a senior official of Directorate of Primary Education, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The Awami League formed a 49-member cabinet led by Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina on January 12.

In the immediate past tenure, Awami League leader Afsarul Ameen was in charge of primary and mass education minister.

Before joining the ministry, Mostafizur Rahman was state minister for land.

“After you (Mostafizur Rahman) were made primary and mass education minister, we have discussed about you with our colleagues and everyone said that you are a good person. We are lucky that we have got a minister like you,” said SM Mesbahul Islam, additional director general at DPE. “The honorable minister said that he knew nothing about this ministry, but the experience he learnt in his life is more than enough to run the ministry,” said DPE’s Director General Shyamal Kanti Ghosh.

In reply to their praises, the minister said, “Please do not hesitate to tell me if I make any mistakes and let me suggest how we can take good initiatives to achieve our goal.”

The minister said education was a core sector that can help the country to become a middle-income country by the government’s targeted time. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Monday, January 20, 2014

Potato growers’ hope fades away for sub-standard seeds n Tribune Report Potato seeds of grossly inferior quality, bought from a Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation dealer, have driven a number of farmers to ruin in several unions of Bhola sadar upazila.

Much to their worry, the growers have found the seeds of the popular vegetable damaged after sowing those on vast tracts of land.

Allegations are rife that Nazim Uddin Sohag, a local dealer of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, sold the poor quality potato seeds to the growers at prices higher than the government fixed.

As the issue raised eyebrows of many, a particular group started trying with all their heart and soul to cover it up.

During visit to different potato fields in Elisha union under Sadar upazila, many growers told the UNB correspondent that their sowed potato seeds, which they had bought from a shop named Messer’s Sohagh Traders of BADC dealer M Nazim Uddin, did not germinate in many fields.

They dug up the land and, to their utter shock, found almost all the seeds rotten; whereas in the adjoining fields,

the seeds collected from some nongovernment organisations or other BADC dealers than Sohag Traders have sprouted well.

Samsuddin Bepari, a well-known potato grower of Elisha Bazar area, said he had bought 1,250 sacks of potato seeds (containing about nine tonnes) at Tk650 per sack from Nazim Uddin and sowed those on his nearly 20 acres (one acre= 30 decimals) of land.

Alleging that the BADC dealer had sold spoiled seeds to him, the potato grower said he incurred losses of nearly Tk10 lakh as almost all the seeds in his field got damaged.

Samsuddin who took bank loan for cultivating potato are now passing days amid grave anxiety over repayment of the loan.

Like him, many other farmers have similar tales to tell.

They also complained that Nizam Uddin had sold potato seeds to them at Tk25-26 per kg against the government fixed Tk10.

The worried farmers alleged that officials of the local Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) have turned a deaf ear to their complaints about the irregularities committed by Nazim Uddin.

Besides, the farmers complained the

DAE officials were not giving them any advice on how to save their crop fields from further ruin.

Acknowledging the facts, M Sumsul Alam Chowdhury, agriculture officer of Bhola Sadar upazila, said they had received complaints of potato seeds getting rotten.

Asked about the possible reasons, he said they were unwilling to say anything before proper investigation.

However, he primarily assumed that the seeds might have been damaged due to excessive heat and pressure while being transported to the district from Chandpur.

Ishrat Jahan, senior deputy assistant director of local seeds godown, said local DAE office had no role in appointment of dealers and seeds distribution in the district as those were done by the Barisal Divisional DAE office.

When contacted, dealer Nazim Uddin denied selling spoiled seeds to the growers saying, “Potato cultivators of local Kachia Majher Char who bought seeds from his shop saw their seeds germinating.”

The dealer added he had lifted the seeds from the BADC warehouse in Chandpur and asserted that the seeds were not then in a bad condition at all. l

The United People’s Democratic Front holds a rally in Khagrachhari yesterday, condemning the attack on minority people across the country DHAKA TRIBUNE

Tomato farmers face rosy future

Schoolboy rescued after 5 hours of n Tribune Report abduction There is a festive mood in Godagari upazila of the district recently. n Tribune Report Farmers, labourers and traders in Five hours into his kidnapping from the classroom, police rescued a schoolboy following a gunfight with kidnappers in Pahartali area of Cox’s Bazar town yesterday.

The rescued is Saddam Hossain, a Class VII student of Cox’s Bazar Technical School and College.

Outraged by the incident, students of the institution blocked the road in the area and vandalised several passing vehicles School sources said a gang of 10 armed criminals, belonging to ‘Rocky Bahini’, had stormed into the educational institution at South Rumaliarchhara in the town around 9am and kidnapped Saddam from the classroom at gunpoint.

Outraged by the incident, students of the institution blocked the road in the area and vandalised several passing vehicles.

On information, police rushed in and launched a drive to rescue the schoolboy.

The law enforcers rescued Saddam from the Pahartali area around 2pm after a gunfight with the kidnappers when the schoolchild and his brother Mahbub sustained injuries.

However, no one was arrested in this connection.

Mohammad Jasim Uddin, officerin-charge of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model police station, said Rocky, the ringleader of ‘Rocky Bahini’, and his cohorts including Dilu, Rafique, Hossain are wanted in several cases of murder, robbery and abduction. l

the Barind tract of Rajshahi are passing busy days with their crops across the fields.

Moving along the Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj highway and all other roads in the area, people are seen weighing and packing tomatoes in sacks and bamboo baskets, and separating the damaged ones. Some sew up the sacks and some replace the lids of the baskets.

Buying, selling and transporting the crops to different destinations across Bangladesh are common to the people living around Godagari during November to February.

On the roadside, workers load trucks with the produce and some spray ethylene, a fruit hormone, to turn them red.

Leaders of the sector estimate annual sales of tomato in the area at around Tk500 crore.

Mahtab Ali, a tomato buyer from Dhaka, said he has been coming here

for the last eight years, and buys around 600-700 maunds of tomatoes a day to send to Sylhet or Dhaka. “Tomatoes here are the best in size, colour and taste.” Demand for tomatoes and his investment in the crop are increasing, he added.

“Tomato traders seldom incur losses,” Ali said. He made Tk1.5 lakh in profits last year from an investment of Tk8 lakh. This year, he plans to invest Tk10 lakh. Like Ali, hundreds of traders from Dhaka, Chittagong, Comilla, and Sylhet throng to Godagari to buy tomatoes. It is considered a cash crop in this region.

However, Rejaul Karim, a farmer from Bidirpur, said: “Tomato output is rather low this season for bad seeds. If the seeds were good, I would have made Tk 2-2.5 lakh from my two-acre field.”

On the other hand, Nabibar Rahman, 45, another tomato grower, said tomato cultivation saved his family. “My family was passing days in extreme hardship only years ago. I failed to make ends meet from paddy cultivation. Then I switched to tomatoes and

there was no looking back.”

Rahman has been cultivating tomato for the last eight years. He bought a piece of land and built a one-storied house there. He took 14 bighas of land on lease and he gets Tk 30,000- 35,000 in profits by spending only Tk 10,000 on a bigha of land, he added. “Tomato cultivation gives you high profits.”

“There are about 25 buildings in the village. All but four were built with money earned from tomato farming,” said Rafiqul Islam, a farmer in Rajabari, five kilometres from Gopalpur.

Islam was on the lookout for work upon graduation. He later ended up farming tomatoes. “Most villagers took to tomato farming. I gave up job hunting and concentrated on it too,” said Islam, who earns Tk 3 to 4 lakh a year from 12 bighas.

Tomatoes are widely cultivated in almost all 400 villages of the upazila in the past decade, said DrSaiful Islam, upazila agriculture officer. The total land under tomato cultivation doubled in the last around ten years, while yield tripled, he added. l

Removal of Katiadi UNO demanded n

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

Hundreds of people brought out a procession against the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Katiadi Farah Gul Nijum in Kishoreganj yesterday and demanded the withdrawal of the officer.

The procession led by Katiadi upazila Chairman Lion Ali Akbar also held a rally at Katiadi bazaar against the UNO. Ali Akbar alleged that the UNO was corrupt and she helped union parishad chairmen of the upazila to embezzle money from different projects including test relief (TR), food for work, Vul-

nerable Group Feeding (VGF) and Vulnerable Group Development (VGD).

He also accused the UNO of misbehaving with people.

Additional police were deployed on the spot as a tense situation prevailed in the area.

Persons who worked at the union parisahd seeking anonymity said Ali Akbar brought out the procession as revenge because the UNO and other UP Chairmen were taking steps against his alleged corruption.

Earlier in this month, nine union parishad (UP) chairmen of Katiadi upa-

zila and the mayor of Katiadi municipality held a press conference where they brought allegations of corruption, misuse of power and misbehaviour with elected representatives against Katiadi upazila chairman Lion Ali Akbar.

The mayor and the UP chairmen also alleged that Ali Akbar embezzled money from different projects including the TR, food for work, the VGF and the VGD. At the press conference they urged the government to investigate the matter and to take punitive steps against Ali Akbar. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Youth arrested with ammo Two meat sellers fined Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a in Meherpur youth with 34 bullets and a magazine in Hazra area under Natore Sadar upazila yesterday. The arrested was identified as Belal Hossein, 35, son of Jafar Ullah of Islabari Khamar village under the upazila.

Rab sources said, on information, a team of Rab-5 had conducted a raid in the area and arrested him with the ammo.

– Our Correspondent

Two held with firearms in Gazipur Police arrested two youths along with arms and bullets from Hijlitala Paikpara area in Kaliakoir upazila on Saturday night.

The arrestees were identified as Firoz Hossain, 30, son of Ashu Mandol of Paikpara village of Kaliakoir upazila and Rashid, 32, son of Sayed Ali of Cherenga village of Sadullapur upazila of Gaibandha. Police said, on secret information, they conducted a drive in the area at about 10pm and arrested the duo. Later, the law enforcers recovered a foreign-made pistol, fore magazines and four rounds of bullet after searching their bodies. – BSS

3 held with arms in Chapainawabganj Members of Rapid Action Battalion in a drive arrested three arms dealers along with firearms, bullets and magazines in Shibganj upazila headquarters on Saturday evening. The arrestees were identified as Raja Mia, 37,of Telkupi village, Adur Rashid, 24, of the same village and Masud Rana, 20, of Parchouka village of the upazila.

Lieutenant Colonnel Anwar Latif, commanding officer of Rab-5, Rajshahi, said being tipped-off, a team of Rab conducted a drive in the area around 6pm and arrested the trio along with three pistols, one revolver, 11 rounds of bullets and five magazines. – BSS

Mobile court fines two bakeries Tk8,000 n Our Correspondent, Habiganj

Local people roam around the house of a BNP leader yesterday, which was set on fire by miscreants following the death of a Jubo Leugue leader in Sitakunda on Saturday DHAKA TRIBUNE

A mobile court in a drive yesterday fined Tk8,000 to two bakeries for making foods in an unhealthy and unhygienic environment.

The mobile court also threw the foods made by the bakeries into the Khorai River.

The mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Jesmin Sultana conducted the drive at Kamrapur Bismillah Bakery shop in Habiganj town.

During the drive, the court found

that employees of the bakery were making food items in an unhygienic environment.

Later, the magistrate fined Billal Ahmed, owner of the court, Tk5,000 and the ingredients and food items were thrown into the river.

On the other hand, another owner of Shapla Bakery Ripon Mia was fined Tk3,000 for the same reason.

Officials from Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institutionand police personnel accompanied the magistrate. l

Road accidents kill five people across country n Tribune Report At least five people, including two women, were killed yesterday in separate roads accidents in Gazipur, Faridpur and Feni.

In Faridpur, a police constable, Harun Matubbar, 55, and his daughter Reba Begum, 30, died when their motorcycle collided with a roadside utility pole at Manikdaha area under Bhanga upazila of Faridpur on

Sunday morning.

The victims were rushed to Bhanga upazila heath complex in critical condition, where doctors declared Reba dead. Later, Harun died while he was being taken to Faridpur city, our Faridpur correspondent adds.

Officer-in-charge of Bhanga police station said that Harun was on leave from service due to his poor health condition.

In Gazipur, a minor girl was killed when a CNG-run three-wheeler collided with a truck at the Rajbari point of the Rajendrapur-Kapasia highway in Shreepur upazila.

Acting officer-in-charge of Shreepur Police Station Amir Hossain has said the victim, Shamima Akhtar, 14, was killed when the CNG-run three-wheeler she was riding toppled after being barged by a truck at

Rajendrapur-Kapasia highway on Sunday morning.

Locals rushed Shamima to Al-Razi Hospital in Rajbari in critical condition. Later, Shamima succumbed to her injuries while receiving treatment, our Gazipur correspondent adds.

In Feni, two people died in separate read accidents on Sonagaji-Feni highway and Dhaka-Chittagong highway. l

A mobile court yesterday fined two meat sellers Tk40,000 for selling dead cow’s meat in the market. The court gave the penalty to Israil Hossain and Mintu Ahmed, both meat traders. Police said being informed, a team of police force led by sub-inspector Kamal Hossain of sadar thana raided the market and arrested them at about 11am. Later, assistant commissioner of mobile court Saem Monaem Majumdar fined them at noon. – BSS

Free eye camp held in Panchagarh A free eye camp was held on the premises of Jamiruddin Dakhil Madrasah in the district on Saturday. Debiganj upazila Parishad and Dinajpur Gausul Azam Eye Hospital jointly organised the eye camp with the assistance of “Andheri Hilfe Bon Germani”. Debiganj Upazila Chairman Abdul Malek Chistee inaugurated the camp as the chief guest. Vice-Chairmen Parimal Dey Sarkar, former UP Chairmen Babul Hossain Sarkar, Kurshed Alam and local elite were present on the occasion. Some 80 poor eye patients underwent cataract operation. A team of four doctors led by Dr Niaj Morshed conducted the camp. – BSS

16 Jamaat-Shibir men held in Chittagong Chittagong district police arrested 16 activists of Jamaat-Shibir in an overnight drive in Sitakunda and Lohagara upazilas of the district on Saturday night and Sunday.

Sitakunda and Lohagara police conducted drives in different areas of the two upazilas and arrested them for their involvement in vandalism, arson, sabotage and attacked on rival activists. Officer in Charge (OC) of Lohagara thana Mohammad Shahjahan said police arrested 10 Jamaat-Shibir activists including General Secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir, Choromba union from different areas of the upazila. – BSS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Monday, January 20, 2014

In search of the superhero

An election comission with ‘superpowers’ is one answer to the BNP-AL stand-off

B

n Zahid Newaz Khan

NP now dreams of another election – If not today maybe tomorrow, at best day after tomorrow. Awami League’s dream, on the other hand, is to complete its full tenure.

However its leaders have themselves said that they had to hold the 10th elections to fulfill a constitutional obligation. They were also assured that a dialogue with BNP would take place after the 10th election, and this dialogue would pave the way for the 11th elections.

It is certain that the third term of Sheikh Hasina will not be short. It is also unlikely that the government will be able to complete its full five-year tenure. However diplomatic pressure, especially from the west, is piling up, seeking an inclusive election in which all parties participate. They also desire that BNP deserts their combine with Jamaat-e-Islami, which once again has proved that they are a brutal entity.

Perhaps, Begum Khaleda Zia now understands that her dependence on Jamaat-Shibir was not the right choice to make, but still she appears to be in a dilemma: to say good-bye to Jamaat, which had unleashed a reign of terror in an attempt to foil the trial of 1971 war criminals, or to maintain the alliance. Begum Zia had thought her demand for an election under a non-party government could be attained through Jamaat-Shibir’s mission to destabilise the country. The result is a big naught, as anarchy by Shibir overshadowed her demand. As a result, her party too, failed to build any momentum In fact, Khaleda Zia’s original sin was failing to comprehend that after Sheikh Hasina’s triumph in the December 29, 2008 elections, Bangladesh’s politics in the coming years would be centered over the trial of war criminals. Soon after that election, she had an opportunity to oust Jamaat-e-Islami from her alliance, and

The CEC inspecting polling facillities – to conduct a free fair election, the CEC needs superpowers like horeos in comic strips

identify that the new generation voted for the war criminals’ trial. It would have also helped her to shoulder the responsibilities of the huge defeat in that election.

Khaleda Zia even failed to anticipate

turned out to be a nightmare.

Yes, one can raise questions about the morality of the present government, but there is no question of legality, as the constitution doesn’t impose any condition of turnout on

Khaleda Zia’s original sin was failing to comprehend that Bangladesh’s politics in the coming years would be centered on the trial of war criminals

the course of political developments when Sheikh Hasina killed her own idea of the non-party caretaker government, and amended the constitution to hold general elections under an interim government, like in other parliamentary democracies in the world. Obviously the government was mindful of the possibility that if Khaleda Zia continued her alliance with Jamaat, her “movement for voting rights” would get mixed up with Jamaat-Shibir’s bid to protect the war criminals. And the government’s prediction came true through the anarchy unleashed by Jamaat-Shibir.

This is the reason why Khaleda Zia, to many, emerged as the “Ameer” of Jamaat-e-Islami. Development partners are now urging her to call off her relations with Jamaat.

The BNP Chairperson’s misreading of politics continued further when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called her to initiate dialogue on the election issue within the ultimatum given by Khaleda Zia herself, but subsequently the opposition leader failed to respond positively. In fact, her daydream that Jamaat-Shibir would realise her demand, and that she would be the Prime Minister for the fourth time,

It is also true that we are not so civilised that a party in government will ensure an impartial election takes place devoid of undue influence

the elections. Begum Khaleda will need quite a long time to wage a huge movement against the government from the moral high ground.

But what would happen if the BNP had taken part in the 10th parliamentary elections? Party’s top brass, in the highest party forum, argued: a) That BNP announces participation in the election to regroup its leaders and activists in all spheres in an organized way, and if the question of boycott comes up the party will be able to wage a huge movement; b) That BNP takes part in the election, observes until the voting is over, and if there is massive rigging, an immediate mass movement will be possible as tens of thousands of BNP activists will be in and around the polling centers.

Neither Begum Khaleda Zia nor the London-based party decision maker Tarique Rahman accepted the argument, and relied instead on Jamaat-Shibir anarchy. The end result is that the party, which was dreaming of assuming power in early 2014, may need to wait for an election in another five years.

Peace seemingly having been restored, people are not talking about another round of elections so early.

BNP aside, the headache now, seems to be the west. But the time of the next election will depend on the extent of any movement, if BNP can create it, and the government’s ability to tackle it.

On the other hand, if BNP (with Jamaat or without Jamaat) wages a movement, their demand will not be an early election only, but also the holding of the election under a non-partisan, neutral government.

Apart from denying the first demand, the Awami League government will again rule out the second one. The re-

sult will be a repeat of the same chain of events we witnessed before and after the 10th parliamentary elections.

So, whenever the election is held, answers to many questions need to be found much earlier. Talks may begin tomorrow if we want to avoid further clashes and bloodshed over the election issue. The first and foremost question is ensuring a free, fair, and impartial election. It is true that holding the elections under a government of unelected people is unconstitutional and against the spirit of democracy. It is also true that we are not so civilised that a party in government will ensure an impartial election takes place devoid of undue influence. So, we have to find a solution, and it lies with a really strong Election Commission.

Superpowerful Election Commission The EC, constitutionally, should be made so strong that it will be more powerful than the interim government in the period between the announcement of election schedule and publication of the gazette of the election results. The constitution should not only say that the government will act as per EC directives, but certain clauses should also be incorporated that state the EC will be able to do everything required to hold to the elections independently.

However, making a superpowerful EC is not enough. Simultaneously, it is important to decide on who will be eligible to partake in the Election Commission. Since the nation, time and again, has discussed the people who are acceptable to all for the caretaker government, the EC should incorporate such dignitaries. Again the question is whether the party in power will agree to bring non-partisan and efficient people into the commission.

Here the constitution will incorporate another clause that the EC will be formed by the parliament with a consensus of the two major parties in the house. The formation of the EC will be in its first year of the parliament, so that the tenure of the commission expires only after holding the next general elections. The consensus of the treasury and opposition benches has to be made mandatory.

Since BNP is not in Parliament now, the first EC under the new law can be made with discussion with them outside the parliament. If Bangladesh can really go for a superpowerful EC, the main political conflict between the two parties will be over. Other than the alliance with Jamaat and the

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

election time government, are there any other major political differences between the two parties?

Reintroduction of “no vote” BNP has been involved in an “anarchist” movement for a caretaker government for the last few years, but did not raise its voice when the “no vote” provision was scrapped. It is another sign that there is no difference between the two parties apart from the question of who will be in power.

Again, Begum Zia here failed to see that Sheikh Hasina’s government by scrapping the “no vote” is going to hold an almost one-party election.

They had an apprehension that there will be a big scandal if there is a “no vote” system, and an organised campaign could have made the “no vote box” heavier than the others.

Bangladesh needs to reintroduce the “no vote” system to avert one-party

Independent candidature Like in case of scrapping the “no vote” system, BNP remained silent when the government scrapped another rule that meant one person needed to be affiliated with a political party for at least three years to be eligible for candidature from that party. Here the interest of both the parties is the same.

It means they want to enjoy the liberty to make anyone their candidate any time. But, the scope of independent candidates, or someone leaving a party to be a candidate, has been limited by the mandatory clause that an independent candidate has to submit the signatures of one percent of the voters in a constituency. It is further proof that the two parties consider the country as their “zamindari.”

The polling rooms are the places for exercising the right to franchise. Why should voters be exposed before the election by putting down their signa-

Bangladesh needs a majority vote clause. If there is a constitutional clause that an election will require a minimum 51 percent turnout, the possibility of an election keeping major parties sidelined will lessen

election in future. Both parties should understand that it is also required for their own interest. If any of the parties boycott an election for pragmatic reasons, the “no vote” will keep some room for them, and the voters could say no to the incumbent alongside denying unfit candidates in an ideal poll.

Introduction of Majority Votes The present election system of Bangladesh did not make it mandatory that a certain percentage of turnout be required for the acceptability of an election. It means if a candidate gets only a few votes and his rival candidate gets less than that, the higher vote receiver will be the winner.

Countries having a long history of democratic practice may not need a certain percentage of turnout, but a country like Bangladesh needs a majority vote clause. If there is a constitutional clause that an election will require a minimum 51 percent turnout, the possibility of an election keeping major parties in the sidelines will lessen.

tures for an independent candidate?

It is also contrary to the provision of a secret vote. Moreover, it enables the ruling party to cancel the candidature of an independent candidate, through the returning officer, in the name of signature forgery. The one percent signature provision is clearly a black law. It has to be scrapped to allow any fit person to be a candidate in the national elections.

Early Thought for Next Election The initial thought doesn’t necessarily manifest the thought of an early election. But the nation needs to resolve the basic questions, whenever the next election is held.

Bangladesh cannot afford any more human and economic losses in the name of voting rights and democracy. Also, Bangladesh can’t afford the consequences of an almost one-party election in the name of democracy and the constitution. l Zahid Newaz Khan is a news editor for Channel I, and a freelance contributor.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Monday, January 20, 2014

Iraqi forces assault gunmen in crisis-hit city

A large section of Ramadi and all of Fallujah fell from government control late last month Ki-moon have urged Baghdad to pur- by the Iraqi security forces to describe n AFP, Ramadi sue political reconciliation to under- militants.

Iraqi soldiers take position in a street of the city of Ramadi, west of the capital Baghdad, during a military operation against antigovernment fighters AFP

Libyan planes attack unruly militias in south

Mali arrests judge accused of role in Islamist occupation n AFP, Bamako n Reuters, Tripoli The Malian army on Friday arrested a judge accused of being a key figure in the brutal 2012 Islamist occupation of the country’s northern desert, the government said.

Houka Houka Ag Alfousseyni, who is said to have sat in the ancient caravan town of Timbuktu during the occupation, was taken into custody at midday and handed over for questioning, government spokesman Youssouf Toure said in a statement.

The arrest comes three weeks after Aliou Mahamar Toure, the former chief of the Islamic police in Gao, Mali’s largest northern city, was taken into custody by the army.

Toure is accused of presiding over numerous rights abuses as a key member of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, commonly known by its French initials MUJAO. “Thus, less than a month after the arrest of the former Islamic commissioner of Gao, the armed forces have just neutralised the threat of another influential member of the terrorist groups that prevailed in the north of the country,” Toure said.

He did not indicate the charges that Alfousseyni may face.

MUJAO was one of several Islamist militias linked to al-Qaeda which occupied Gao, Timbuktu and northern Mali’s other towns and cities for nine months in 2012.

The groups exacted a brutal version of Islamic Shariah law characterised by amputations, beatings and executions before they were ousted by a Frenchled military intervention launched 12 months ago.

Toure said the government was encouraging Malians to help security forces conduct “a relentless struggle against all forms of extremism.” l

Libyan war planes attacked targets in the restive south on Saturday after gunmen stormed an air force base and the government ordered in ground troops following days of skirmishes between rival tribesmen and militias.

Western powers fear the OPEC producer could slide into further instability as the government struggles to contain heavily-armed militias, tribesmen and Islamists who helped to topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but refuse to disarm.

A lack of border controls and the ineffectiveness of a small army lacking equipment have turned Libya into a weapons smuggling route for al Qaeda in sub-Saharan countries and also a corridor for Islamist fighters heading to Syria and economic migrants heading to Europe.

Baghdad bombing toll up to 25 n AFP, Baghdad The toll from a wave of bombings across Baghdad late Saturday has risen to at least 25 dead, security and medical officials said, the latest in a surge of unrest.

The violence, which included at least a half-dozen car bombs and left more than 70 people wounded, struck all over the capital, including against an upscale shopping centre, and sparked a prison break at a juvenile detention centre.

The bombings and a deadly weekslong standoff in the western province of Anbar, part of a nationwide rise in violence that has killed more than 600 people this month, come just months ahead of parliamentary elections.

In Baghdad on Saturday evening, seven attacks – including six car bombs

Turkey ready to discuss judicial row with EU n AFP, Adana Turkey’s foreign minister said Sunday the country was ready to discuss all issues with the European Union at high-profile talks this week, including a row over judicial independence that has escalated the crisis engulfing the government.

The controversy over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s bid to increase his control over Turkey’s top judicial oversight body, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), has dealt a new blow to the country’s longheld goal of EU membership just as Erdogan prepares for a crunch day of talks in Brussels on Tuesday.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the judiciary issue and all others were on the table in the EU talks, but defended the embattled Erdogan government’s response to the corruption scandal that sparked the current political crisis.

“We are ready to discuss everything, including the HSYK,” said Davutoglu, who is due to accompany Erdogan on his trip.

“If there is anything that stands contradictory to EU standards, we will listen to this.”

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan went on national television to announce he had ordered troops to be sent to the south after a group of gunmen entered the Tamahind air force base outside Sabha, 770 km (480 miles) south of the capital Tripoli.

“A force was readied, then aircraft moved and took off and dealt with the targets,” he told reporters in Tripoli.

He gave no details of the military operation but blamed forces loyal to Gaddafi for the violence. Sabha, the biggest city in the south, has seen days of clashes between rival militias and tribesmen.

“The situation in the south ... opened a chance for some criminals ... loyal to the Gaddafi regime to exploit this and to attack the Tamahind air force base,” he said. “We will protect the revolution and Libyan people.” l

In the wake of a December anti-corruption probe that has ensnared some of Erdogan’s key allies, his government has taken a series of retaliatory measures, including a mass purge of police and prosecutors, and has sought to curb the powers of the HSYK. The government’s purge has extended to banking and telecoms oversight bodies as well as state television.

Local media reported Saturday that three high-ranking officials with top banking watchdog the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) had been removed from their posts.

Five department chiefs from the Telecommunications Directorate (TIB) regulatory body have also been fired, as well as a dozen people at Turkey’s state television channel, TRT, including senior news editors and department heads, the reports said.

Erdogan accuses supporters of Fethullah Gulen, an influential Muslim cleric who lives in the United States, of waging a “coup plot” in the run-up to elections this year.

The prime minister’s move to curb the powers of the HSYK has drawn criticism from European leaders. l

– killed at least 25 people and wounded more than 70 others, security and medical officials said yesterday, updating earlier tolls.

One of the blasts went off near the glitzy new Mansur Mall, one of the capital’s most upscale shopping centres, where families and young people often meet in the evenings to go to the cinema or eat at Western-style restaurants.

At least six people were killed and 12 more were wounded.

Another car bomb in the Taubchi neighbourhood detonated near a juvenile detention centre, and conflicting reports of a prison break spurred authorities to effectively shut the area down, an AFP journalist said. The blast killed seven people and left 19 others wounded, officials said. Bombs elsewhere in Baghdad killed 12 people in all. l

Iraqi forces launched a major assault Sunday on a Sunni Arab city partially in the control of anti-government fighters in a bid to end a weeks-long crisis ahead of elections.

The operation, which involved police, pro-government militiamen and SWAT forces, sought to wrest back key neighbourhoods of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province and one of two cities where the authorities lost vast swathes of territory about three weeks ago.

It came as Jordan said it would host a US training program for Iraqi forces grappling with the country’s worst bloodshed since 2008 and the ongoing deadly standoff in Anbar which have combined to leave more than 650 people dead so far this month.

Diplomats including UN chief Ban

cut support for militancy, but with an election looming in April, Iraqi political leaders have not wanted to be seen to capitulate and have focused on wide-ranging security operations.

Iraqi troops, policemen, SWAT forces and tribal fighters moved into five neighbourhoods of Ramadi yesterday, with helicopters providing them cover and firing on targets in the sprawling Malaab district that has been at the centre of fighting between anti-government fighters and security forces and their tribal allies.

“The Iraqi army launched a large operation with helicopter cover against Daash, al-Qaeda and terrorists in Ramadi,” defence ministry spokesman Staff Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Askari said, according to state television, employing terms frequently used

South Sudan army recaptures Bor

Women and children carry water from a water point, in Minkammen 25km south of Bor

n AFP South Sudanese soldiers have recaptured the key town of Bor, defeating an army of thousands of rebels, an army spokesman said.

“Today the gallant SPLA forces entered Bor, they have defeated more than 15,000 forces of (rebel leader) Riek Machar and frustrated his plans to attack Juba,” Philip Aguer, army spokesman, told reporters on Saturday.

Ateny Wek Ateny, spokesman for President Salva Kiir, said the troops had been “congratulated for a job well done.”

He also said the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) would “observe international rule of law,” a day after a top United Nations rights envoy reported that the conflict has been marked by mass killings, extrajudicial killings, widespread destruction and looting.

“If there are people captured they should be kept in regards to the international law,” the spokesman said.

A police lieutenant colonel and an AFP journalist in Ramadi both confirmed the operation had begun.

All of the neighbourhoods targeted lie in the south or centre of the city.

The operation will seek to take back momentum from anti-government fighters, who have expanded their hold on Ramadi in the past week after police and allied tribesmen trumpeted gains there earlier this month.

A large section of Ramadi and all of Fallujah, both former insurgent bastions close to Baghdad, fell from government control late last month.

It was the first time anti-government fighters have exercised such open control in major cities since the height of the insurgency that followed the US-led invasion of 2003. l

Obama: Spying won’t damage ties with Germany n Agencies

AFP

Bor is the capital of Jonglei state and is situated 200km north of the capital Juba. The town has changed hands four times since the conflict in the world’s youngest nation began five weeks ago.

Government troops were battling rebel forces on Saturday for control of the key oil town of Malakal, the army said, though it admitted having trouble contacting its commanders on the ground.

“Communication is still difficult.

We will find out today how the fighting ended yesterday. We still feel we’re still sharing Malakal with the rebels, but by the end of the day (the army) must clear the rebels from Malakal,” Philip Aguer, army spokesman, told AFP news agency.

The United Nations says 468,000 people have fled their homes because of the fighting, which has spiralled into ethnic killings between members of Kiir’s Dinka people – the country’s largest group – and Machar’s Nuer.

Up to 10,000 people are believed to have been killed so far in the conflict. l

A PACKED RIDE

A car full with people and their belongings in the PK 9 district flee from Bangui on January 5. A grenade attack on a Bangui market left four injured, including two women and a Burundian soldier from MISCA AFP

President Barack Obama told a German television in an interview that he would not allow America’s massive communications surveillance capability to damage relations with Germany and other close US allies.

Obama made the pledge in a rare interview with Germany’s ZDF television on Saturday, in an apparent step to repair the damage to America’s relations with Germany, after reports of extensive US spying on European citizens, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merkel accused the US of a grave breach of trust after reports about her cell phone being tapped by the US National Security Agency emerged in October.

Her government has been pressing for a “no spying” agreement with Washington since then.

Her centre-right party’s foreign policy spokesman, Philipp Missfelder, told reporters on Thursday that revelations about US spying in Germany had plunged relations with Washington to their lowest level in more than a decade.

Obama said it would take time to restore trust, although he defended US surveillance as necessary to protect the US and its allies, including Germany.

“And there is no point in having an intelligence service if you are restricted to the things that you can read in the New York Times or Der Spiegel.”

Obama said that before the revelations he had forged a close working relationship with Merkel, and that he could not allow US surveillance operations to damage that trust.

“As long as I am president of the United States, the German chancellor need not worry about that,” Obama said, according to a simultaneous German translation as he spoke. l

Putin: Russia is not ‘going after’ gays n Reuters, Sochi Russia is not “going after” gays, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, defending a ban on “propaganda” about homosexuality that has brought criticism from the West ahead of the Winter Olympics.

The Kremlin hopes the games, starting on February 7 in the city of Sochi on the Black Sea, will showcase Russia’s modern face more than two decades after the Soviet Union collapsed. Putin has identified himself closely with the $50-billion event and also pledged Russia will do everything to ensure the safe Games in spite of security concerns.

But Russia last year upset the West and human rights activists by banning what it called the promotion of homosexuality among minors. Critics say the law is discriminatory and part of a rolling back of human rights and democratic freedoms under Putin, who has taken a more conservative course on social issues since returning to the presidency in mid-2012.

“There is no ban on non-traditional forms of sexual interaction between people. We have a ban on propaganda of homosexuality,” Putin told a meeting with young volunteers preparing for the games. “We ban nothing, we aren’t going after anyone, we have no responsibility for such contacts.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Monday, January 20, 2014

20 Pakistan soldiers killed after bomb hits military convoy

India reassures African nations after women confronted in Delhi n AFP, New Delhi

n AFP, Peshawar

India’s foreign ministry said Sunday it has reassured ambassadors of some 20 African nations that authorities are not targeting their nationals, after an incident over a suspected prostitution ring.

A senior ministry official met the ambassadors Saturday night over the incident in which a Delhi state minister and his supporters reportedly confronted four Ugandan women in the capital on suspicion they were engaged in prostitution. The official conveyed the government of India’s view “that the incident was utterly condemnable and cannot be condoned,” the ministry said in a statement.

“He also assured the African envoys that there was no deliberate targeting of the nationals of any country and the incident should remain an aberration.”

The incident happened on Wednesday evening when newly-elected state law minister Somnath Bharti and his supporters surrounded the four women who were in a taxi, a lawyer acting for the women told the Press Trust of India.

The mob threatened and intimidated the women and refused them permission to visit a toilet, forcing one to relieve herself in public, lawyer Harish Salve told the news agency.

Media reports said a row also erupted between the minister and his followers and the police, who refused to search a nearby house for evidence of a suspected drugs and prostitution racket because they did not have a warrant.

African residents told Sunday’s The Hindu newspaper that members of the mob then forced their way into their homes in south Delhi, making racist remarks, in an apparent search for evidence of the racket.

Delhi’s new chief minister was unapologetic yesterday, saying police should have acted on the minister’s suspicions of criminal behaviour in the area. He denied any element of racism or vigilantism.

“Don’t make it a diplomatic issue.

We are not against any race or country.

We are against anti-social elements,” chief minister Arvind Kejriwal told the Hindustan Times.

Nigeria last November demanded that India ensure the safety of its nationals following the killing of a Nigerian in the tourist state of Goa and subsequent protests over the death. l

A bomb claimed by the Pakistani Taliban killed 20 soldiers and wounded 30 when it ripped through a military convoy in the restive northwest yesterday, officials said.

The attack, one of the deadliest to hit Pakistani security forces in recent years, happened in the city of Bannu near the North Waziristan tribal region which is a stronghold of militants linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

“A vehicle-borne improvised explosive device caused the blast,” a senior military official told AFP, adding the exact circumstances were unclear.

An official statement said 20 soldiers were killed and 30 injured in the attack, which hit one of the vehicles in the convoy at 8:45 am.

The convoy was about to leave for the town of Razmak in North Waziristan when the blast hit one of the civilian vehicles hired to move troops.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Shahidullah Shahid claimed responsibility.

“It was part of our fight against a secular system,” he said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“We will carry out more such attacks in future,” he said, adding the Taliban were seeking revenge for the deaths of their former chief Hakimullah Mehsud and deputy Waliur Rehman – both killed in US drone attacks.

The Taliban vowed they would not engage in any dialogue with the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif following the death of Mehsud.

But Shahid told AFP Sunday the group “is ready for meaningful negotiations despite facing huge leadership losses, if the government proves its authority and sincerity” by halting drone attacks and withdrawing troops from tribal areas.

Taliban insurgents have led a bloody campaign against the Pakistani state since 2007, staging hundreds of attacks on security forces and government targets.

Bannu was the scene of a jailbreak last April when some 150 heavily-armed Islamists stormed a prison and freed 400 inmates including many militants.

An eyewitness told AFP by telephone the vehicle hit by Sunday’s bomb was transformed into scorched metal.

“I collected human remains including hands and legs from the site after the attack,” he said on condition of anonymity.

Body parts and soldiers’ personal belongings littered the scene.

President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the attack, according to a statement by his office.

“Such cowardly attacks can never weaken the resolve of our law-enforcing authorities and the nation to continue pursuing their struggle against the scourge of militancy and terrorism,” the statement said. l

India’s opposition prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi

Modi ridicules rival Rahul Gandhi

AFP

He said the 43-year-old bachelor was too ashamed to go head to head with him at the elections

n AFP, New Delhi India’s opposition prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi mocked the ruling Congress party yesterday for refusing to name Rahul Gandhi as its choice for premier in upcoming elections. In a speech in the capital, Modi said Congress president Sonia Gandhi did not want to sacrifice her son Rahul politically at the general elections in coming months, which the party is widely tipped to lose.

“I see a very human, sensitive reason for their (Congress’s) decision. Would any mother sacrifice her son?” Modi told hundreds of officials from his opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“The mother thought ‘no, save my

son’,” Modi said to laughter and applause from BJP leaders, who have been meeting in New Delhi to prepare for the general elections. Sonia Gandhi on Friday batted away pleas from her Congress supporters during a mass meeting to name Rahul as their candidate for the polls due by May. With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh retiring after two terms, the party had been expected to nominate Rahul, a Congress MP who has generally shunned the limelight, as its choice for premier at the meet.

Pollsters predict a defeat for Congress, with voters troubled by high inflation, slowing economic growth which has hit the job market and a series of corruption scandals.

Yesterday, Modi sought to contrast his humble beginnings as the son of a tea vendor with Rahul Gandhi whose family has dominated Indian politics since independence in 1947. Modi said 43-year-old bachelor Rahul was too ashamed to go head to head with him at the elections.

“Rahul Gandhi feels shameful in fighting elections against a tea vendor,” Modi told the crowd. The BJP named fiery hardliner Modi as its candidate in September and the party’s campaign has been centred around him and his 13 years in charge of the western state of Gujarat.

A survey last week said that only 14% of voters believed Rahul Gandhi would make the best prime minister while 58% opted for Modi. l

Indian minister ‘shocked’ over wife’s death n AFP, New Delhi Indian minister Shashi Tharoor, whose wife was found dead in a luxury hotel room, called Sunday for a swift inquiry so the truth “can come out as soon as possible,” an official said.

Tharoor wrote to the home minister on Sunday saying “he was horrified to read the reckless speculation” about his wife’s death, which came after she exposed his alleged adultery with a Pakistani journalist on Twitter.

Tharoor, a former high-flying UN diplomat, pledged his “full and unstinting cooperation” with investigations into what doctors have described

as his wife’s “unnatural, sudden death” on Friday evening.

“Mr Tharoor has requested the home minister to expedite the inquiry so that the truth behind his wife’s death can come out as soon as possible,” Tharoor’s private secretary Abhinav Kumar told AFP. “He is in a state of shock. He is anxious and keen to know the truth ... what happened that day, no one can say.”

Tharoor, 57, the junior human resources development minister, found his wife Sunanda Pushkar dead in her five-star hotel room in New Delhi after he returned from a party meeting.

The death was a tragic twist in a

tale of apparent marital strife that has played out in full view of the public in India’s newspapers and on social media.

Pushkar, 52, died an “unnatural, sudden death,” said doctors who performed an autopsy on Saturday, adding that more tests were needed to determine the exact cause.

Newspapers have devoted pages of coverage including speculation on whether she committed suicide as well as the state of their marriage.

In his letter, Tharoor said: “In the midst of my mourning, I have finally had a chance to catch up with the media reports and am horrified to read the reckless speculation rampant there. l

India’s Human Resources Minister Shashi Tharoor sits with relatives and friends alongside the body of his wife Sunanda Pushkar at a cremation centre in New Delhi AFP

Seven seriously hurt in Bangkok blast China breaks up sexselective abortion gang n Reuters, Bangkok

n Agencies China has arrested a gang that ran an illegal business enabling women to identify the sex of unborn children and abort those they did not want, the country’s health ministry said.

The crackdown netted 10 people who had since 2010 operated the service, the health ministry said yesterday. The operation sent women from all over the country to a clinic in the central city of Zhengzhou to find out the sex of their unborn child.

Last year alone, more than 1,000 women used the service, the ministry said, although it did not say how many abortions resulted. Three decades of the “one child” policy in China have bolstered a traditional favouring of

male offspring, seen as the main support of elderly parents and heirs to the family name. This led to abortions, killings or abandonment of girls and trafficking of both male and female children.

One of the business’s ringleaders has already received a jail term of 3-1/2 years and fined 100,000 yuan ($16,500), with the rest getting slightly shorter sentences. The ministry said it was the biggest case of its kind in the past few years.

“This went on for a long time, covering a wide area and involved many people. It was malicious, had serious results and was a great threat to society,” it added.

The problem is widespread, the ministry warned, adding that it faced a “serious situation” in trying to end such abuses. l

Twenty-eight people were wounded, seven seriously, in explosions yesterday at a camp of anti-government protesters in Bangkok, the latest violence in a prolonged political crisis dividing the country and threatening the Thai economy.

The explosion comes a day after the military urged both sides to settle their differences in the more than two-month long dispute, in which protesters are trying to bring down the elected government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

“There were 28 people injured from the blast at the Victory Monument,” Suphan Srithamma, director general of the Bangkok Emergency Medical Centre, told reporters. “Among these 7 people were seriously injured.”

Witnesses said they heard two explosions.

“The first blast I heard was from behind the stage,” said Teerawut Utakaprechanun, who told Reuters Television he had been turning out for the protests every day.

“People were looking around. I saw the security guards running after a suspect. After one minute I heard another bomb blast.”

On Friday night, one man was killed and 35 protesters were wounded in a grenade explosion in the capital. That takes to nine the death toll since the protests started in November.

They form the latest episode in an eight-year conflict pitting Bangkok’s middle class and royalist establishment against poorer, mainly rural supporters of Yingluck and her brother, the self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protesters accuse Thaksin of nepotism and corruption, and aim to eradicate the political influence of his fam-

ily by altering electoral arrangements, though in ways they have not spelt out, along with other political reforms.

A ceremony for the dead man was being held at a Buddhist temple in Bangkok yesterday, where hundreds of people had gathered. It is expected to be attended by the firebrand leader of the government protests, Suthep Thaugsuban.

Earlier in the day, Suthep led thousands in a march through Bangkok demanding that Yingluck resign, and collecting bundles of cash from supporters in the streets in what has become a trademark of his public appearances.

However, there are signs the protests against the government could be running out of steam. The government has allowed protesters to take over key buildings without confrontation and, crucially, the military has so far remained neutral. l

Japanese fishermen capture dolphins ahead of slaughter

Thousands rally in Hong Kong for abused maid

n AFP, Tokyo

n Reuters, Hong Kong

Fishermen and divers caught at least 25 dolphins in a controversial Japanese fishing village Saturday, according to environmentalists, who said the process was captive selection ahead of a mass slaughter.

Activists from the militant environmental group Sea Shepherd streamed live footage of the dolphin capture in the village of Taiji, which drew worldwide attention in 2010 when it became the subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary “The Cove,” a hard-hitting film about the annual dolphin hunt.

Every year the fishermen of Taiji corral hundreds of dolphins into a secluded bay, select a few dozen for sale to aquariums and marine parks, and stab the rest to death for meat.

The town’s fishermen defend the hunt as a cultural tradition, and “The

Thousands of people rallied in Hong Kong yesterday to demand justice for a young Indonesian maid who was badly beaten by her employer in a case that has sparked widespread outrage and a police investigation into accusations of torture.

The ill-treatment of foreign domestic workers in Asian and Gulf regions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Dubai has been a longstanding problem but the severe injuries suffered by the Indonesian maid have drawn fresh attention to the risks faced by this migrant community.

“We are workers. We are not slaves,” chanted a crowd of several thousand domestic workers and their supporters as they marched to Hong Kong’s government headquarters.

Some waved the red and white flag

Protesters hold dolphin-shaped balloons and anti-dolphin slaughter placards as they march to the Japanese embassy in Manila AFP Cove” was met by protests from rightwing activists when it was screened in Japan in 2010.

Sea Shepherd said Saturday that at

least 25 dolphins were taken away from their pods for possible sale to aquariums, and that the selection is likely to continue Sunday. l

of Indonesia, while others held up grisly photographs of the battered face and body of the 23-year-old maid, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih.

“We have to end modern day slavery like this,” said Ila Hasan, 32, a domestic worker from Indonesia’s island of Java, who wore a red shawl and a blue bandana emblazoned with the word “Justice.”

“The employer isn’t human. These things shouldn’t happen.”

Hong Kong, a former British territory that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has around 300,000 foreign domestic helpers, most of them from the Philippines and Indonesia.

While cases of such harsh treatment are rare, Hong Kong’s policies on migrant workers have often made maids reluctant to report abuse for fear of losing their livelihoods and being deported if they fail to find new jobs swiftly. l

Thousands displaced by Jakarta floods n AFP Several Indonesians have been killed and thousands displaced by deadly floods in Indonesia’s capital.

More than 10,000 Indonesians have fled their homes in the capital due to flooding that has left five dead, an official said yesterday, with people using rubber dinghies and wading through waist-deep water to reach safer ground.

“So far 10,530 people in Jakarta have been displaced by floods caused by heavy rains,” disaster agency official Tri Budiarto said.

Buildings in some parts of the capital, which has a population of 10m and is regularly afflicted by floods during the six-month rainy season, were half submerged, with roads blocked in many areas.

Five people have so far been killed in the past week due to flooding, officials have said previously.

Budiarto confirmed the toll and said those killed had either died by drowning or being electrocuted.

However the floods were yet to reach the same level as last year when the central business district was left under water.

On the archipelago’s northern Sulawesi island the death toll from flash floods and landslides rose to 19.

Around 40,000 people were still displaced following flash floods and landslides on the island earlier in the week, local disaster agency chief Christian Laotongan said.

“The floods have subsided but houses were wrecked, and furniture and belongings were damaged, so people have not been able to return,” he added.

Rescuers on Saturday recovered the body of a woman from a landslide in Tomohon city, Laotongan said, bringing the death toll in the area to 19.

Indonesia is regularly affected by deadly floods and landslides during its wet season. Environmentalists blame logging and a failure to reforest denuded land for exacerbating the floods. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Ken-Betwa river link project spells trouble

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

50% of them are first-timers

Reserve 40% seats for female and children

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t has been reported that the Indian government is planning to proceed with their project to link the Ken and Betwa river basins, which will have dire consequences for water flow to Bangladesh. This move by the Indian government will not only negatively impact the environment and economy of Bangladesh, but it also threatens to sour a friendship that is crucial to both countries.

The Ken-Betwa link project will cause a shortage of flow in the Padma River, one of the major contributory rivers in Bangladesh.

According to experts, the project would withdraw water from upstream, thus making the land in this country barren, and affect the livelihood of millions and the economy of the country.

As a lower riparian country, Bangladesh has already been subjected to considerable suffering due to the control India exerts on the Ganges river flow.

This has not only caused ecological deterioration in parts of Bangladesh, including in the Sundarbans, it has also taken a toll on the health of the population by increasing the salinity level of water and has caused economic damage by adversely affecting agriculture and industrial growth.

India’s behaviour in this area over the years has also fueled popular resentment in Bangladesh against India and has jeopardised the important trade partnership between the countries. The decision to proceed with the Ken-Betwa project, taken unilaterally by India in violation of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty with Bangladesh, will only further deteriorate the public perception in Bangladesh.

It is now up to the government of Bangladesh to undertake all necessary diplomatic efforts to ensure that such blatant violation of the treaty does not come to pass and to make it clear to the Indian government that we will not be bullied on an issue of such critical importance to our country.

The government of Bangladesh should undertake all necessary diplomatic efforts to ensure the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty is not violated

January 17 It has become very difficult to move about in Dhaka owing to the lack of affordable and comfortable means of transport. The few thousand well-off have their own motor vehicles, or their employers provide it for them through the traffic jams. But the remaining millions of inhabitants are helpless. They cannot afford motor vehicles nor get transport facilities from their employers, and hence depend on public transport.

Financial and administrative restrictions have been imposed on the import and registration of low-cost CNG auto-rickshaws. The public buses that ply on the city streets are inadequate, and their routes don’t cover all areas of the city. What is commonly seen on buses is that male passengers exert pressure to get on a bus at a stoppage, making it difficult for women and children to compete with them in getting on. Bus conductors also discourage them from getting on. And then, though there are six to eight seats reserved for female passengers, male passengers tend to occupy those seats.

This situation needs to change. The number of female and child passengers have increased, and buses should offer them affordable bus service and encourage them to take the bus more often. All the two-seater seats on the left side can be reserved for them. The BRTA should make it mandatory.

Mohammad Ashraf Hossain

January 12

Projonmo13 Nice one. Thanks Mr. Jamil! :) Akhtar Shah It would appear that local law enforcement authority is woefully inadequate. The PM has promised comprehensive protection for the minorities. Instead of the Army’s presence at the poll booths till the 17th, they should be diverted to these troubled hot spots and help deal with the culprits sternly with the cooperation of the “friendly” locals.

Mazumdar Akhtar Shah: I have some confusion regarding the Bangladesh ruling party AL. First, Jamaat and company attacked the Hindus, because they cast their vote and supported AL. But local Muslim AL

UK to continue support to Bangladesh

Shipping line a welcome fillip for Myanmar trade

new coastal shipping line is scheduled to operate from March between Chittagong, Mongla, Narayanganj and Teknaf ports in Bangladesh and Maungtaw, Pathein, Sittwe and Yangon in Myanmar.

The service will provide valuable support to the target set by the recent Joint Trade Commission (JTC) meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, to increase annual bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar to $500m.

Bangladesh’s annual trade with its neighbour currently stands at around $100m. This is far behind countries such as China and Thailand and represents only 0.2% of Myanmar’s total trade.

The JTC talks this month have given a welcome boost to bilateral relations and provide a good platform to build mutual trade links in future.

Bangladeshi businesses and industries in sectors such as cement, electric cables and pharmaceuticals are already achieving laudable success in growing exports to Myanmar. With its newly opened up economy proving highly attractive to international investors, there is considerable scope for to grow mutual trade and co-operation much further.

The new shipping service adds to the welcome move by Biman Bangladesh airlines last December, to re-establish the Dhaka-Yangon air route.

Further talks are still needed to reduce trade barriers in the long term and improve overland communication links to take advantage of geographical closeness. Both countries will benefit from such talks as they may not only increase trade and investment but can also reduce dependence on other countries.

supporters didn’t react, nor come to the aid of their minority friends, when they could have acted quickly to protect them. It raises a question as to what their mentality is and what they really believe in.

Secondly, the local enforcers could have collected information post-attack, and the government could have deployed adequate security forces across the sensitive areas, particularly after the early attacks. Yet, they have not, which seems to imply that they are not serious about protecting their minority citizens. If this is the case, the government cannot escape from their responsibility by putting the blame solely on others.

Also, none of those accused in and involved in crimes against minorities since 1991 have yet been punished. This inactiveness has aggravated the problems farther.

iyaam iyaam They are reviewing two programmes that support the Bangladesh Parliament. Considering supporting Bangladesh Parliament right now means supporting just the Awami League, not the people of the country, it would be a good idea to get rid of those programmes.

Parveen Ahmed So, this is the democracy that AL-JP saved? How many got elected through people’s votes?

Ahsan Ahmed 23 out of the 29 full ministers in the cabinet became members of parliament in uncontested elections.

‘Controversial’ ministers dropped from the board January 13

Md Omor Faruk Are they still allowed to stay with the present government? How does this happen? We are still living in ancient times, it seems.

35 cars ready for new ministers January 12

They should have more facilities ready for actual government officials who, if motivated through more facilities, can actually make real change rather than a politician who is going to be in office for only 5 years.

Farabi Rahman

Facebook politics

Be Heard

January 12

Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune

Shihab Thanks for the support.

January 12

Zia Ahsan About time!

Jamaat-Shibir a name of political predator in Shibganj

January 12

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Monday, January 20, 2014

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

You wrote the attacks to the minorities were carried out by the opposition, but be aware that that we live in a corrupt country, where we cannot believe anyone. The attacks could even have been carried out by the present party, you cannot be sure. Anyone can wear a disguise and claim otherwise. I do not want to start a debate but I just wanted to point that out. This is Bangladesh where anyone can do anything and get away with it.

Ricky Martin

CALVIN AND HOBBES

The service will provide valuable support in increasing annual bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Myanmar to $500m, which currently stands at around $100m

CROSSWORD

PEANUTS

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Like better (6) 5 Melody (3) 7 Vigour (3) 8 Picturesque (6) 11 Favourite (3) 12 Pleasing quality (5) 14 Sleeveless garment (4) 16 Trunk (5) 18 Embellish (5) 20 Niggardly (4) 21 Take unjustly (5) 23 Liable (3) 24 Seesaw (6) 27 Consumed (3) 28 Finish (3) 29 Delight (6)

DOWN 1 Step (3) 2 First woman (3) 3 Digits (7) 4 Eastern ruler (4) 5 Electrical unit (6) 6 Fixed allowance (6) 9 Dressed (4) 10 Feline (3) 13 Contend for a prize (7) 14 Bottle for the table (6) 15 Showed sullenness (6) 17 Wise man (4) 19 Fastener (3) 22 Actual (4) 25 Beverage (3) 26 Cereal (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

Monday, January 20, 2014

Against the attacks on minorities n MAB Siddique

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RAJIB DHAR

Election games

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n Ziauddin Choudhury rime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s grand plan for a second term started with the constitutional amendment on the caretaker government.

Ironically however, the approval rating for her government, which was still high before the amendment, started to slide dramatically after this event.

She realised this only after the rout of Awami League-sponsored mayoral candidates for five cities.

She put up a brave face digesting this defeat in public. In private, however, she saw the signs of impending defeat for her party in the upcoming general elections. There were two ways to prevent this defeat, she calculated. One was to wreck the main opposition BNP, headed by her arch rival Begum Khaleda Zia, by whatever means she could.

The other was to have an election without the main opposition. In devising strategies to achieve these goals, she had ample supply of political advice from her trusted ally across the border.

There were many ways to wreck the main opposition, overt and covert.

The overt ways included painting the opposition as supporters of war criminals, which the opposition unwittingly gave credence to by their continued affiliation with Jamaat-e-Islami. The party was constantly cited as a collection of anti-liberation and hence anti-Bangladesh forces, labels that the party also could not remove successfully because of their political alliance in the previous government

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with Jamaat.

The ruling party successfully recruited and outsourced this vilification campaign to a newly sprung semi-political body of student and cultural activists who had mobilised to campaign for war crimes punishments.

The other overt way was to apply minimal force to stop the party from carrying out strikes and blockades. The intent was to establish BNP as a proselytiser of violence, and direct toward the party domestic and international displeasure and disapproval of the political violence that was taking place during strikes and blockades.

opposition from anyone. No one can also explain why trains were not stopped before they started on their journeys over those damaged tracks.

Perhaps these are actual accidents, but it is also possible that these were deliberately planned accidents that could be assigned to the opposition and have it painted as the devil.

The covert way to wreck the opposition was to break its leadership, either by coercion or by persuasion. Coercion is an easy option, which the government could do by arrest, and arraignment on cooked-up charges. Persuasion was more difficult, since money

Western countries will gradually accept the elections, but with public pronouncement for a desire for a more inclusive election soon

Nobody knows who the perpetrators of arson, murders, and absolute mayhem during the hartals and blockades actually were, since it is believed by some people that these largely criminal acts were performed by hired hands. No one can explain how, in large cities, buses could be set on fire by small groups of people, while law enforcing agencies watched.

No one can explain how small bands of youth could uproot railway slippers in broad daylight in places humming with people, without any

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cannot always buy all.

The government tried both, and it can be reasonably hypothesised that persuasion probably played a greater role. Given the past history of some of our political leaders, it is believed that some of those incarcerated in the last two months could have willingly decided to remain inside, rather than outside, because of policy differences with the chairperson of the party and her more powerful son.

This hypothesis will pan out more in the coming months if and when

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another midterm election is held.

However, so far, physical absence of some of the top leaders from the opposition’s campaign to stop the general elections on January 5 helped the ruling party greatly. Has anyone wondered why the opposition rallies did not demand the release of these leaders from jail?

Despite an international outcry for an all-inclusive election and entreaties to Sheikh Hasina not to hold the elections with a made up opposition, she went ahead because she had the support of the most important foreign power that had also provided the needed moral boost for the elections. The opposition rally and threat to disrupt the elections did not hold out, proving that Sheikh Hasina’s strategy was right.

She not only received endorsements of the election results from India, but also a backslapping from another important ally, Russia. China has recently given its endorsement.

The Western countries, including the USA, will also gradually accept the elections grudgingly, but with public pronouncement for a desire for the government to hold a more inclusive election soon.

But no one except Hasina knows when and if at all these elections will happen. For now, Hasina will hold out the carrot of another election to the opposition, but she will hold it only till the opposition has split into ways that the former Yugoslovia went. l

Ziauddin Choudhury has worked in the higher civil service of Bangladesh early in his career, and later for the World Bank in the USA.

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vibrant democracy might have been a prerequisite to ensure a peaceful coexistence of diverse communities. History says Bengal’s struggle against colonisation and for democracy was, in fact, against the communalism imposed by the invaders, colonisers, and undemocratic usurpers.

Every time the country sees an attack on minority communities, the nation fails once more. But the repetition of such unfortunate, inhumane attacks has never been stopped. The country saw yet another spell of attacks on Hindu communities after the 10th national parliamentary election. The assumption is that minorities never vote for political parties that don’t promote pluralism or secularism.

We know pluralism is the cornerstone of democracy, which still, unfortunately, remains a far cry for Bangladesh. In the four decades since independence, democracy has not functioned properly. Regimes reintroduced the use of religion into politics. A form of democracy free from the clutches of despots was brought back in the 90s, but the attacks on the minorities never stopped.

We know that the Pakistani occupation army committed atrocities on the common, unarmed people, irrespective of religion, in 1971, but they particularly spread hatred against the Hindu people. Bangladesh still suffers from communal stigma.

The attacks on minorities that Bangladesh witnessed recently is dragging us back to the darkness of the past. Communal hate cannot be tolerated. A major basis of the modern state is secularism.

We are a country where diverse communities live together. So getting rid of communal tension is very important in the region. We never want to divide ourselves on the basis of differences in religious belief. But there have been those who always wanted to erect partitions between us.

They have attempted to create hate based on artificial differences.

We failed to stop many of these attacks. This is a failure of the state.

Bangladesh has derailed from its course. Secularism, which was a major pillar in the constitution, was achieved through immeasurable sacrifice. It is a matter of great regret that the country is still striving to ensure security for all of its people.

The politics that spreads the communal hate is not only against the ideas and values of the liberation war, but also against the spirit of democracy.

As news reports suggest, the growing Hindu migration from the country was driven by various forms of repression and marginalisation, added to economic deprivation and exploitation.

If we want to move towards a truly democratic and civilised state, we have to stop this shameful communal

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hate forever. We know that human civilisation progressed with solidarity and equality among human beings.

Cashing in on this hate, or invoking unnecessary resentment against India, would be a mistake. This will only make Bangladesh more vulnerable, and will destabilise the region.

Every time the country sees an attack on minority communities, the nation fails once more

All citizens deserve equal rights and protection from the state. Developed countries make it a priority to stand up against racism. In the modern world, democracy is the accepted system. If a nation fails to form a well-functioning democracy, it will lag behind Bangladesh has to further develop its democracy. For that, it has to eradicate the evils of communalism from all its spheres. If it fails to do so, it cannot advance and it cannot ensure democratic rule. Those trying to spread hate and create tension between communities need to be identified immediately and brought to book.

At the same time, it is important to make necessary reforms to the education system. We need to establish one scientific stream of education to get rid of ignorant elements that contribute to communalism. Liberation values are to be championed as well. At the same time, we need to address the economic issues that are also responsible for the communalism.

No attack on any human being is legitimate, and the state has to ensure that no one is spared for attacks on individuals or communities. The state has to be properly equipped to battle these crimes. Policies are not enough; we need the development of culture as well. The protests we saw around the country against these attacks are something to gain hope from. In some cases, it is easy to exploit the economically vulnerable. The gap between the rich and poor, between the urban and rural, must be reduced.

Global humanity cannot exist with this kind of hate, so besides our morality and ethics, there needs to be political, economic, social, and cultural forces to resist the evil.

Otherwise, the struggles for our secular nation will be in vain. Our humanity will be gone, the system will collapse. And we cannot let that happen. l

MAB Siddique is a staff writer at the Dhaka Tribune.

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Dhaka derby: Lost euphoria, frayed flags n Towheed Feroze

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would give you five hundred bucks if you could find a single home in the city flying either the yellow and blue flag of Abahani, or the white and black colours of Mohammedan. The stadium, where the once mighty giants of South Asian football faced each other, bore no signs of the “supercharged” match that would be held on the evening of January 19.

Not surprisingly, “supercharged” is just a hollow term now; the opposite would be better used in this situation.

Activities around the stadium had hardly anything to do with the game of the night. People were too busy making a living.

Perhaps a few ticket-sellers could be found amidst the busy movement, shouting: “Ticket! Ticket! AbahaniMohammedan!” All of a sudden, a veteran football aficionado, who had once spent hours in the gallery screaming his lungs out, stopped for a second to ask: “Is it today?”

And then, a flood of old memories came back – flags on top of almost all the buildings in the city, the momentum building up for over a week, galleries filling up by noon, police being put on alert for any post-match violence, captains interviewed by the media, and camps of both clubs in a condition of suppressed anxiety.

Pre-match excitement was laced with a variety of questions from fans: What was Aslam taking for his lunch?

Was Kaiser in full form? What would happen if Mohsin’s knee pain was aggravated?

It was Dhaka derby day – a time to put aside all kinds of work, worries, and issues. Politics be damned – football ruled the day.

The reverie was broken by a jolt from a passer-by, and the man came back to the present. He looked up, no flags flew, the stadium was empty, and life had evolved to push football and the derby far, far away from priorities.

If you were a Mohammedan or Abahani player, that was your identity till you hung your boots Should he have taken a ticket? The seller was in no hurry, he retired to one corner to empty his bladder, while the man went back once more to the days when crackers exploded, passion raged, rivalry reached a boiling point as the country stood still for the blues

and the whites to take the spotlight.

The Abahani-Mohammedan fight on the football pitch divided the nation, launching a football culture which was an institution in itself.

The division was so stark that players of the two teams hardly moved around together, and a player from one team rarely changed sides to go to the other tent. If you were a Mohammedan player, that was your identity till you hung your boots. The same went for Abahani players.

In today’s sporting culture, where tent-hopping is the norm, this loyalty may appear dissonant. It is of course true that a player need not devote himself to one club. But in those days, fans were willing to allow this sporting integrity because, in return, they got the game, the score, plus the pride in donning their club colours – not just within the country, but outside it as well.

The Dhaka derby became so popular that players like Munna and Alfaz later went on to play for Kolkata’s East Bengal. Monem Munna, arguably the best defender the country had seen, was equally popular in India, sharing the limelight with 80s Indian football stars like Shishir Bhatyacharya, Krishanu De, Babu Mani and others.

The frenzy over the domestic crown reached its apex in the mid 80s, when, due to the Iran-Iraq war, some top flight footballers from the two warring

states came to Bangladesh to glorify the local league.

Naljegar, Borhanzaade, and Taheri came from Iran and joined Mohammedan, while Samir Shakir and Mohammad Alavi came from Iraq to play for Abahani. With them came the “Eagle of Asia,” or Nasser Hejazi, the Iranian goalkeeper, who had captained for Iran in the 1978 World Cup. Hejazi took over as coach/player for Mohammedan, and the league took a new fiery dimension.

Soon, another foreign player, Ameka from Nigeria, joined Mohammedan. He was also in the 1994 Nigeria squad for the World Cup. Things couldn’t be better for football fans, locally or internationally.

Usually, other club teams from the region went back after being handed a solid but confident drubbing, whereas the Indians had nothing but respect for Bangladeshi club outfits.

Just to recall a famous club victory – in the Asian Club Cup primary round, Mohammedan was pitted against Sanders of Sri Lanka and Pirouzi of Iran. The match between the Sri Lankan side and Mohammedan was a shock draw, after which Pirouzi drubbed the Lankans six-nil.

Before the MohammedanPirouzi match, the Iranian manager imperiously said they would flood the local side. Alas! In what turned out to be a memorable game, the white

and black beat the much illustrious Iranian side by 2-1 in Mirpur Stadium, moving on to the next round of the tournament. Reportedly, it took a long time for the Iranians to forget the defeat.

Football was nowhere in our sporting canvas, losing much of its lustre due to successive poor runs in the regional meets

The ticket seller’s urging brought the man back to the present. He did not even know the names of the players anymore. Football was nowhere in our sporting canvas, losing much of its lustre due to successive poor runs in the regional meets.

Handing back the ticket, the man walked away. He couldn’t hear the trumpets anymore, the flags were frayed, and the much-loved movie song of the 80s, “AbahaniMohammedan keu kare nahi chhaare shomane shoman,” rang in his ears – a theme from a time that seemed so unreal. l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, January 20, 2014

Observing Alamgir Kabir’s 25th death anniversary

Nominees of Oscars 2014 announced

Three-day programme begins today at Shilpakala Academy Rakter Binimoye (At the Cost of a Sea of n Entertainment Desk Blood) and Shimana Periye- Across The To observe the twenty fifth death anniversary of noted cultural personality Alamgir Kabir, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Alamgir Kabir Film Center, Federation of Societies of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Short Film Forum and Bangladesh Documentary Council have jointly organised a three day film screening programme starting from today till January 22 at the National Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy.

A memorial programme and screening of the documentary Protikuler Jatri

by Kausar Chowdhury based on Alamgir’s life and his work will be showcased at 5:30pm today.

On the following day, a speech will be delivered by Tanvir Mokammel on Alamgir Kabir: Bioscoper Deshe Ek Shopnodrosta Chholochitrokaar. Moreover, a screening of short films Liberation Fighters and feature film Shurjo Konna-

Daughter of The Sun of Alamgir Kabir’s will be screened at 4pm.

The concluding day will be observed through a speech by Mahmudul Hossain Dullal on Society and Films: Alamgir Kabirer Shomokalin Prashongikota and two films of Alamgir’s, Ek Sagar

Fringe will be screened at 4pm.

Film director, journalist, freedom fighter and cultural activist Alamgir Kabir died in a tragic accident at Nagarbari ferry terminal on January 20, 1989.

The unfortunate incident took place when he was on his way back to Dhaka after attending a film related programme in Bogra.

Kabir began his career with film journalism. The dynamic personality established Dhaka Film Institute in 1969. The Liberation War based film Dhirey Bohey Meghna was his debut work. His other notable feature films are, Surja Konya, Shimana Periye, Rupali Shaikatey, Mohona and Parineeta.

Besides filmmaking, Kabir wrote several books on film and also edited several cine-magazines along with Zahir Raihan. His The Cinema in Pakistan is considered one of the first film-based books of pre-1971. l

Shakib Khan to appear as Raja Handsome n Entertainment Desk Dhallywood megastar Shakib Khan has signed with Bioscopewala Productions for its upcoming feature film, Raja Handsome. Directed by Badiul Alam Khokon, the shooting of the film is

scheduled to begin in March.

The production house recently announced that some of the shooting will occur in Europe, with a European-based production company possibly coming in as a co-production partner. They also confirmed that distributors in the UK and North America have already signed the film, and more countries would be added soon.

“It is a very different and unique story, something that our industry needs.

I am looking forward to play the character of Raja,” shared Shakib Khan. He added: “As soon as I heard the story I loved it, especially the name of the film.”

A fast-paced action thriller, Raja Handsome is Bangladesh’s first movie about a large-scale bank heist, claimed producer Ahad Mohammad Bhai. He said: “We want to set new standards for the Bangladeshi film industry.”

Several other high profile actors and actresses have been rumored to be joining the all-star cast, yet producers still remain hush about who else has signed on to the film so far. Perhaps, they are trying to create an appeal by keeping a shroud around the details of the complete cast. l

Indian filmmaker Debanik on his films n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Debanik Kundu, a young aspirant film, television fiction and commercial maker from Kolkata participated in the 13th Dhaka International Film Festival with his documentary Nrityer Talay Talay(The Rhythm of Dance). In an interview with Dhaka Tribune, Debanik shares about his new documentary and more.

Please tell us about the documentary film Nrityer Talay Talay.

My film Nrityer Talay Talay is a documentary based on two living dance pupils of Rabindranath Tagore. One of the pupil is Prithvi Bhaumik, whom Tagore called with the given name of Anubhaumik.

In the show, Prithvi shares her cherished experience with Tagore and how he introduced the unique formations of dance melding techniques like Kathakaoli, Odissya and Arunachaal type.

You directed three feature films.

Please tell us about them.

My maiden feature film is Shei Shomoyer Kotha. The story portraits the time around 1870s when Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar introduced the practice of widow remarriages to mainstream Hindu society, after Ram Mohan Roy’s steady combat against Sati practice.

Rangin Godhuli is my second feature film about a Bangladeshi couple who lost contact after the independence of Bangladesh. After 36 years, they accidently meet in Kolkata when they have already spent the prime of their life and have grandchildren.

My third feature film is Abhiman.

ON TV MOVIE 9:00pm Star Movies

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10:00pm Sony Entertainment Desk Kehta Hai Dil Jee Le Zara

Suchitra turned down documentary offer from Aparna Sen n Entertainment Desk To reveal the mystery surrounding Suchitra Sen’s inexplicable disappearance from public life, director Aparna Sen wanted to make a documentary on her life but was turned down. “I had wanted to make a documentary on her life but she didn’t agree to it as we all know that she was against coming in public,” said the National Award winning film director.

Sen said she was intrigued by her enigmatic personality so much that she came up with the idea but was disappointed when the offer was turned down. “I had met her only once during the shooting of Uttar Falguni. I have grown up seeing her films and she was a huge influence,” said Aparna.

Mourning the death of the 82-year-old Sen who passed away after a heart attack, she said with her an era in the film industry came to an end. Sen has often been

compared to Hollywood legend Greta Garbo for being a recluse as since 1978 only a handful of people have seen her face-to-face. After her 1978 movie Pronoy Pasha with actor Soumitra Chatterjee flopped, she disappeared from the public eye and even refused the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2005 so that she did not have to make a public appearance. Sen used to stay confined to her south Kolkata apartment and hardly anyone outside her close circuit had seen the enigmatic actress in the last three decades. Few days ago, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee became the first public personality to have met her when she was in the hospital.

Old-timers recall that when Bharat Maharaj of the Ramakrishna Mission passed away in 1989, she had walked barefoot at Belur Math, near Kolkata. Her reason for withdrawal from public life, however, remains a mystery. l

American Hustle Captain Phillips Dallas Buyers Club Gravity Her Nebraska Philomena 12 Years a Slave The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale -American Hustle Bruce Dern for Nebraska Leonardo DiCaprio-The Wolf of Wall Street Chiwetel Ejiofor-12 Years a Slave Matthew McConaughey-Dallas Buyers Club

Celebrated baul singer Arif with a team of folk instrumentalists entertain around a thousand audience on the premises of the Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi as part of the ongoing exhibition Rivers of the World SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

n Entertainment Desk

Films from Kolkata are making waves again. How do you see this?

Film industry in Kolkata was in its worst condition around 10-15 years ago. But now, the scenario has changed considerably. Many young filmmakers are now engaged in making films with a vast area of context and aesthetic values of cinema. The audience of India appreciates this kind of initiative. I think a fight still exists between good films and bad films and it should continue. l

HIGHLIGHTS OF NOMINEES Best Motion Picture of the Year

Jibondhuli premieres in Dhaka on Feb 14 This film is also connected to Bangladesh, as it shows the riot that broke out due to the Government’s decision regarding Taslima Nasrin’s asylum in Kolkata. The story of the film follows Ananya, a new bride played by Arpita Chatterji.

Her husband loves her and her inlaws are fond of her. One night, there is a communal riot in the city.

Ananya is stranded on the street.

Alone and scared, she finds shelter in the garage of Shiraj, played by Parambrata, who is a thief. They spend the night together. The next morning, she returns to her in-laws.

Everyone looks at her suspiciously, including her husband. They suspect Shiraj had raped her, because of the bloodstains on her sari. Her husband changes from a loving and caring friend to a hypocrite who can’t stand the sight of his wife.

Con drama American Hustle and space movie Gravity lead this year’s Oscar nominations with 10 nods each.

American Hustle was shortlisted in all four acting categories for its stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence.

It is also up for best picture alongside Gravity, which earned a best director nod for Alfonso Cuaron and best actress for Sandra Bullock.

12 Years a Slave’s nine nominations included best director and picture.

British film Philomena is up for four awards, including best picture.

Captain Phillips, 12 Years a Slave, Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club and Her are also among the nine films nominated for the coveted top award.

Tanvir Mokammel’s upcoming film Jibondhuli is going to have its premiere in Dhaka on February 14. The film was initially scheduled to release countrywide in December marking the Victory Day, but the current political unrest pushed back the release date.

It will be shown on the inaugural day of the 14th Shiliguri International Film Festival in India on February 1.

The film has recently been nominated in the “competition” category of Jaipur International Film Festival which will also start on February 1 and the screening of Jibondhuli will be held on February 4.

Narrating a touching story on the milieu of the Liberation War, Jibondhuli features Shatabdi Wadud, Wahida Mallik Joly, Jyotika Jyoti, Ramendu Majumder and Paresh

Madonna on Saturday asked forgiveness for captioning a photograph of her teenage son boxing with a racial slur. The comment, initially posted on Friday on social network Instagram, was soon deleted, with Madonna initially referring to those who had questioned her use of the “N-word” as “haters.”

Later, Madonna was singing a more appeasing tone.

“I am sorry if I offended anyone with my use of the N-word on Ins-

Amy Adams-American Hustle Cate Blanchett-Blue Jasmine Sandra Bullock-Gravity Judi Dench-Philomena Meryl Streep-August: Osage County

Best Achievement in Directing

Alfonso Cuarón-Gravity Steve McQueen-12 Years a Slave David O Russell-American Hustle Martin Scorsese-The Wolf of Wall Street Alexander Payne-Nebraska

Best Animated Feature Film The Croods Despicable Me 2 Ernest & Celestine Frozen The Wind Rises

Best Foreign Language Film A scene from Liberation War based movie Jibondhuli Bhuiya in the lead roles.

The film revolves around Jibonkrishna Das, a poor Hindu lowercaste drummer, whose wife and

Madonna apologises n Entertainment Desk

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

tagram,” she said in a public statement posted on her Instagram and Facebook feeds. “It was not meant as a racial slur. I am not a racist.

There’s no way to defend the use of the word. It was all about intention.”

The photograph shows Madonna’s 13-year-old son Rocco in the midst of what appears to be some boxing training. Madonna captioned the image by playfully quoting LL Cool J’s 1990 hit Mama Said Knock You Out, but also included a variation of the racial epithet with “dis” included as a prefix. l

children get killed by Pakistani armed forces. It depicts how he struggles to survive against the brutality of the Pakistanis and local collaborators. l

Popular children’s show Sisimpur will telecast on RTV from today at 5:30pm. This educational show for children with characters Halum, Tuktuki, Ikri and Shikur will address different subjects every week and youngsters will learn alphabets, numbers and things related to health, culture and many more in this fun filled programme

The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium) The Missing Picture (Cambodia) The Hunt (Denmark) The Great Beauty (Italy) Omar (2013) (Palestine)

Did you know?

Virat Kohli hit his 12th ton in 69 ODI 2nd innings including 18 fifties. Only Sachin Tendulker (17 tons in 232 innings) has more

Sport

Monday, January 20, 2014

0 5 5

14 Australia thrash

England to win ODI series

DAYS TO GO

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Marshal Ayub

strikes hundred on second day

Stevens faces BPL tribunal on first day n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Abahani’s Ghanaian striker Osei Morrison, right, celebrates with Towhidul Alam after scoring against Mohammedan during their Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

The second hearing of the much-hyped trial of the Bangladesh Premier League’s (BPL) match fixing scandal was held at a city venue yesterday. Off the nine accused, only English cricketer Darren Stevens faced the trial along with his lawyer, while lawyers of the other eight accused attended the hearing.

“The tribunal didn’t ask the accused individuals to appear for the hearing, that’s why we (lawyers) are representing them. If the tribunal calls, they will also appear,” said barrister Nauroz M R Chowdhury, lawyer of Dhaka Gladiators owner Salim Chowdhury and Shihab Chowdhury, to the media yesterday.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formed a three-member tribunal to conduct the hearing of the fixing allegation brought by the ICC (International Cricket Council) from the last BPL. Later, lawmen of the Dhaka Gladiators franchise countered the allegations and raised questions as to whether the ICC has the legal right to make allegations and went vocal for the BCB being callous in forming a tribunal. The matter was later taken to the Chief Metropolitan Magistracy (CMM).

“They (tribunal) said that there is no ingestion over the tribunal’s activity for which they have continued the process. We have raised the same issues

Abahani edge arch-rivals Mohammedan n Shishir Hoque A first-half goal by Ghanaian striker Osei Morrison was enough for Abahani Limited to earn a vital 1-0 victory over arch rivals Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Following a blunder from Mohammedan defender Mintu Sk, Osei Morrison, the top scorer in the premier league last season, scored the all important goal in the 17th minute, although the Ghanaian missed the easiest of chances in the injury time to extend Abahani’s lead after Yoko Samnick missed a penalty in the 89th minute.

However, the traditional Sky Blues are enjoying their fine form in the league as they remain the only unbeaten team along with table toppers

Key proposals of the draft New executive committee (ExCo) to be set up with permanent memberships for BCCI, CA, ECB, to override all other committees Promotion and relegation in Test cricket, with exceptions made in the cases of BCCI, CA, ECB ICC to be delinked from FTP arrangements, with bilateral agreements only taking over New finance model of ICC revenue distribution Key positions in ICC - ICC chairman, chairmen of ExCo and finance & commerial affairs committee - to be nominees of BCCI-CA-ECB Reinstatement of Champions Trophy in 2017 and 2021 in place of the World Test Championship

Sheikh Jamal DC. After beating, Abahani secured their fifth victory over arch rivals Mohammedan in seven editions of the professional league. With 10 points from four matches, Abahani remain in second position, two points behind Sheikh Jamal.

On the other hand, Mohammedan’s frustration this season continued and with only one win out of four and they remained in fifth place with five points.

Mohammedan were under the shadow of Abahani for most of the opening half, in which they failed to create any scoring chances. They tried to stage back in the second half putting and put more pressure on their opponents but their forwards were unimpressive as their final strikes mostly were off target.

Abahani had the first chance to go ahead seven minutes into the game when Mohammedan’s Cameroonian defender Bayebeck Fombagne pulled Morrison down just outside the box.

The referee blew his whistle for a free

kick and Awudu Ibrahim hit the ball straight into the wall.

It took Morrison 17 minutes to score his eighth goal of the season. The inform Ghanaian striker took full advantage of a blunder from Mohammedan defender Mintu Sk. Atiqur Rahman Meshu delivered a lobbed pass inside the penalty area which Mintu failed to clear. Morrison received the ball and smashed it home past Mohammedan keeper Mamun Khan with his weaker left foot.

Mohammedan keeper Mamun Khan made a superb save to upset Towhidul Alam in the 36th minute. Mamun Khan dived to his right to fist away Towhidul’s header from a corner cross from Osei Morrison.

The Black and Whites had their first chance in the 56th minute. A nice buildup play from Mohammedan saw Egyptian forward Mostafa Seddik snatch a slipped ball from Sohel but he shot it over the bar.

Youngster Hemanta Vincent Biswas tried his luck in the 65th minute. Receiving the ball from a melee in the penalty area, the U-19 midfielder unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box that flew inches over the crossbar.

Abahani could have doubled the lead in the 89th minute when Yoko Samnick missed a penalty. Mamun Khan produced a brilliant save to deny the Cameroonian midfielder after Nahidul Islam fouled Osei Morrison inside the box to give Abahani the penalty.

The most bizarre incident of the match happened in injury time. Morrison, who scored 17 goals last season, snatched the ball from goalie Mamun outside the box, entered the penalty area and found the goalpost completely empty. He could have easily run the ball into the net but waited for the keeper to charge him before taking a shot that went to deflected off the keeper to Samnick, whose weak shot went wide. l

ICC going towards big overhauls n Cricinfo The ICC is to consider a comprehensive structural overhaul of world cricket administration that will effectively cede most executive decision-making to the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. A draft proposal on these lines will be presented to the ICC Executive Board during its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

The proposal, drafted by a “working group” of the ICC’s Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee - in which the BCCI, CA and ECB are key members - recommends wide-ranging changes in the ICC’s revenue distribution model, administrative structures and the Future Tours Programme

(FTP), questions the relevance of Test rankings and suggests the reinstatement of the Champions Trophy over the World Test Championship.

And almost every recommendation of the “position paper” gives a larger share of control over world cricket to the Australian, English and Indian cricket boards - both in the boardroom and on the field. It also gives them a larger share of revenues.

The ICC says these radical proposals await response from and the approval of member boards. The document does, however, contain an April deadline for the formation of the ICC Business Co (IBC) - a newly formed business arm which will be set up to replace the existing IDI (ICC Development Interna-

tional) - in order to take over the task of issuing tenders for the ICC’s next media rights and sponsorship cycle.

The proposal recommends creating a four-member group called the Executive Committee (ExCo) between ICC committees and the Executive Board, which consists of the heads of national boards.

The ExCo, the proposal recommends, will include three permanent representatives from CA, ECB and BCCI, who will share an annual rotating chairmanship. A fourth member of the ExCo will be nominated by the ICC’s Executive Board. The ExCo, if created according to the draft, will become “the sole recommendation committee … on all constitutional, personnel, integrity, ethics, development and nominations matters.” l

Eight Tigers up for IPL auction n Minhaz Uddin Khan Eight Bangladesh cricketers have signed for the Indian Premier League players’ auction for the upcoming season. All-rounder Shakib al Hasan and opening batsman Tamim Iqbal were a part of different IPL franchises last season and apart from them Tigers skipper and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain, Mahmudullah, Anamul Haque, Sohag Gazi and Rubel Hossain will be available for selection in the auction scheduled to take place

in February 12 and 13.

The national selection panel along with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief of the cricket operations Akram Khan chalked out the eight names of the cricketers.

“The selection panel decided the names. The auction agreements will be soon completed by the cricketers and will be posted to the IPL GC (Governing Council),” said Akram to Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Former Bangladesh captain and a member of the selection panel Habibul

Bashar thought that the deserving players were named while he also hoped that most from the eight cricketers get a spot in the tournament.

“We took the cricketer’s current track record into consideration. We believe Shakib-Tamim-Mushfiq along with the others deserve to try their luck in the IPL auction this year,” said Bashar.

Former national skipper Shakib is the most successful of the lot as he played two seasons, 2011 and 2012, for Kolkata Knight Riders and also tasted

the title in 2012. Tamim was signed by the Pune Warriors for the 2012 season, but made no impact as he did not play any game. International duty has often denied the Bangladeshi cricketers from taking part in the tournament, but this time around the Tigers have nothing scheduled which might be an added advantage.

The fixture of the seventh season of IPL is yet to be confirmed, but it was learnt that the cash-rich tournament will be starting no earlier than April 9. l

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS Mohammedan

0-1

Abahani

Osei Morrison put 17”GOAL! Abahani ahead, smashing the

ball home past Mohammedan keeper Mamun Khan with his left foot.

Towhidul Alam’s header from a cross from Osei Morrison was saved by a diving Mamun Khan.

Hemanta unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the box that flew inches over the crossbar.

Mamun Khan produced an excellent save to deny Yoko Samnick’s penalty. Nahidul Islam fouled Osei Morrison inside the box to give Abahani the penalty. ” A bizarre act by Morrison.

The Ghanaian striker failed to score with an empty net in front of him.

36” 65”

89”

90+

– whether ICC has the right to make allegations and charge notice on our clients,” said Nauroz.

“They told that the ICC was given the right by the BCB and we countered, saying that the agreement between the ICC and BCB itself is faulty,” he added.

Off the nine individuals charged of corruption by the ICC, seven are from Bangladesh. Nauroz informed that this point has been raised in the tribunal on the ground of being discriminatory.

“We tried to raise the question at the hearing, it is only the Bangladeshi’s – let it be a player or an official - that has been charged of serious allegation,” said the barrister.

Nauroz pointed out that Dhaka Gladiators coach Ian Pont had been mentioned in the ICC report, but was not charged.

“The game was lost due to batting failure, not bowling but nearly all the players alleged are bowlers. It was mentioned in the report that Pont knew of Dhaka team losing the game to Chittagong Kings and he even took US $6,000 for keeping quiet, but the ICC didn’t charge him. It rather seems that the ICC overlooked the matter,” said Nauroz.

It was learnt that the tribunal has been asked to proceed rapidly and reach a conclusion as soon as possible.

The process is unlikely to be finished before 20 days, at the least, and the next hearing will be held tomorrow. l

Shahed Reza awarded by OCA n Raihan Mahmood The secretary general of Bangladesh Olympic Association Syed Shahed Reza was awarded the Olympic Council of Asia ‘Order of Merit’ at the 32nd OCA General Assembly at the Philippine International Convention Centre on Saturday.

The OCA presented the OCA Merit Award to the following five persons in the assembly - Thailand NOC president General Yuthasak Sasiprapha, Nanjing vice mayor Liu Yi’an, Nepal NOC president Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, Bangladesh NOC secretary general Syed Shahed Reza and Philippines Olympic Committee President Jose Cojuango Jr. Earlier, Gen (rtd) Moeen U Ahmed received the honour as the second Bangladeshi in 2009, while BOA›s former secretary general late Zafar Imam was the first person to receive the award in 1996. l

Siddikur secures EurAsia spot despite finishing 26th n Fazley Rabbi Moon Siddikur Rahman was lucky enough to save his place in the Asian team for the EurAsia Cup in March despite a joint 26th finish in the King’s Cup Golf yesterday. The Bangladeshi carded one-overpar 73 in the last round of the Asian Tour season-ending event at Black Mountain Golf Club.

Siddikur, resuming the day at 20th, totaled 288 with three birdies, a couple of bogeys and a double bogey to earn $8,683 (approx) at the $1m event. However, the result saw him slip to fourth in the Asian Tour Order of Merit after Indian Anirban Lahiri jumped two steps to move third.

Lahiri’s four-day total of 279 took him to joint third position to secure his spot in team Asia, while Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng completed his Royal double with a three-shot victory.

Meanwhile, Siddikur played 21 tournaments in 2013 and earned $495,467 (approx), thanks to his second Asian Tour title in India couple of months ago. The results were enough to secure him a place in the Asian team for the EurAsia Cup. The four leading Asian players from the final 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit earned automatic places in the Ryder Cup-style showdown, which will be held at the Glenmarie Golf and Country

Club from March 28-30.

Apart from Siddikur and Lahiri, leaderboard topper Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat and second placed Australian Scott Hend will fill the other two automatic places. Another Thai –Thongchai Jaidee, a five-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner - will also play. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Monday, January 20, 2014

Captain Cook mulls quitting after another defeat n Reuters

SCORECARD England

A. Cook c Maxwell b Coulter-Nile 35 I. Bell run out (Warner) 29 B. Stokes c Clarke b Doherty 15 G. Ballance c Christian b Coulter-Nile 26 E. Morgan c and b Christian 54 R. Bopara c Haddin b Faulkner 21 J. Buttler b Christian 4 T. Bresnan not out 41 S. Broad c Haddin b Coulter-Nile 1 C. Jordan c Finch b Faulkner 10 J. Tredwell not out 2 Extras (lb2, w2 nb1) 5 Total (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 243 Bowling Faulkner 6-0-35-2, Pattinson 6-0-410, Coulter-Nile 10-0-47-3, Doherty 10-2-28-1, Maxwell 9-0-38-0, Christian 9-0-52-2 Australia

A. Finch c Bopara b Jordan D. Warner c Bell b Stokes S. Marsh not out M. Clarke b Bopara B. Haddin not out Extras (lb4 w5, b2) Total (for 3 wickets, 40 overs)

22 71 71 34 35 11 244

Bowling Jordan 9-0-56-1, Broad 8-0-61-0, Bresnan 6-0-42-0, Tredwell 9-0-42-0, Bopara 5-0-14-1, Stokes 3-0-23-1 Australia won by six wickets England batsman Alastair Cook (L) walks back to pavilion as Australian players celebrate his dismissal during their third ODI in Sydney yesterday

Australia thrash England to add ODI series to Ashes win n Reuters, Sydney David Warner and Shaun Marsh smashed fifties to complement their bowlers’ efforts as Australia crushed England by seven wickets in the third one-day international in Sydney yesterday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Warner blasted seven boundaries and two sixes in his 71 off just 70 balls at the top of the order while fellow left-hander Marsh remained unbeaten on 71 to anchor the chase as Australia maintained an utter dominance of their arch-rivals.

The hosts comfortably chased down

their 244-run target with 10 overs to spare as England continued the search for a first win of their wretched tour Down Under, during which they also lost the Ashes series 5-0.

Warner added 78 for the second wicket with Marsh before he hit Ben Stokes straight to Ian Bell at cover but there was little respite for England as Marsh and captain Michael Clarke then combined for a 51-run stand to take the team closer to victory.

Brad Haddin (37 not out) was promoted after Clarke (34) chopped Ravi Bopara onto his stumps and the Australia wicketkeeper continued his good form, racing to the target with Marsh with an

unbroken stand of 72 in just 68 balls.

Earlier, England wasted a brisk start from openers Alastair Cook (35) and Ian Bell (29) to end on a below-par 243 for nine wickets in their 50 overs.

Most of England’s batsmen got starts after captain Cook won the toss and opted to bat but they failed to convert them to big scores in the face of some tight bowling and outstanding fielding from Australia.

Cook’s quickfire innings was cut short when Glenn Maxwell took a sharp catch at cover, while Warner found a direct hit from the outfield to run Bell out.

Clarke also took a low catch at square leg to remove Stokes (15) before

AFP

Alastair Cook is considering his future as England’s one-day international captain after his side lost the limited overs series against Australia with Sunday’s seven-wicket thrashing in Sydney.

England’s disastrous tour Down Under continued as they lost their third consecutive ODI after being whitewashed 5-0 in the Ashes series.

“I think English cricket needs a little bit of a change,” said Cook, who leads England in tests and the 50-over format.

“We’ll talk over a lot of things. I think there will be some changes. We have kept losing games of cricket and I haven’t been able to turn it around.”

After losing the last ODI against Australia at home, England have lost nine consecutive matches under Cook, including the Ashes tests.

“I think I’m going to have to make a decision on that after you take stock of the next two games,” Cook said of his captaincy. “There’s two matches left and we have to try to win a game.

“They’ve won a lot of cricket against us over the past two months and it’s difficult to stop that.” l

City still improving after reaching 100 goals: Pellegrini n Reuters

Daniel Christian dived full length to take a return catch off the leading edge of key batsman Eoin Morgan.

Morgan (54) was once again the topscorer for England and his dismissal after hitting four boundaries and two massive sixes robbed the visitors of any momentum in the closing stages.

It was left to a slogging Tim Bresnan to take England to a fighting total with a 29-ball 41 which included two sixes off Christian in the last over.

Nathan Coulter-Nile was the most successful bowler for Australia, picking up three wickets for 47 runs, while James Faulkner and Christian picked up two wickets apiece. l

Rampant Manchester City steamed through the 100 barrier as goals continued to rain down at The Etihad Stadium in a 4-2 Premier League win over Cardiff City on Saturday.

Edin Dzeko struck after 14 minutes to bring up the milestone and further goals from Jesus Navas, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero finished off Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plucky Cardiff side to keep ruthless City breathing down the necks of leaders Arsenal.

City, who have won all of their 11 home league games so far this season, are the first team in England to reach 100 goals in all competitions before the end of January with their total now standing at 103 and counting.

“I think it’s very important for the team, it’s not easy to score 100 goals at this stage of the season,” manager Manuel Pellegrini told the club’s website.

“It reflects how we think this team must play - we must be confident in what we are doing. I think we are getting better as the season goes on.”

City have scored 68 goals in all competitions in front of their home fans and now have 63 in 22 league games, 40 behind Chelsea’s 2009-10 Premier League record with 16 matches left.

Aston Villa hold the record for most goals in a domestic top flight league campaign with 128 in 42 games in 1930-31.

While scoring records are welcome, Pellegrini is more concerned with churning out victories. l

Lorient win Brittany derby Inspired Ivanovic stuns Serena, Djokovic cruises n AFP, Paris

RESULTS

Lorient scored a couple of early goals to beat Guingamp 2-0 in the Brittany derby as a 2-0 defeat at Nice kept Ajaccio bottom of Ligue 1 on Saturday.

Yann Jouffre and Kevin MonnetPaquet struck for Lorient in the eighth and 12th minutes respectively to put Christian Gourcuff ’s side in control and they held on to move into the top half of the table.

Christian Bruls scored after just five minutes in Nice to help keep Ajaccio rooted to the bottom of the table.

Dario Cvitanich wrapped up the victory with a goal in injury time as Ajaccio dropped to 12 points from safety.

It was a similarly depressing tale

Bastia

1-0

Bordeaux

Lorient

2-0

Guingamp

Nice

2-0

Ajaccio

Rennes

0-0 0-2

Montpellier

SCORECARD, DAY 4 Sri Lanka 1st innings 428-9 dec

D. Perera 95, A. Mathews 91, K. Sangakkara 52; Junaid Khan 3-81, Mohammad Talha 3-99 Pakistan 1st innings

(overnight 291-6) Misbah-ul Haq c Chandimal b Herath 63 Abdul Rehman c Prasanna b Eranga 2 Mohammad Talha lbw b Eranga 2 Saeed Ajmal not out 0 Junaid Khan c Chandimal b Herath 16 Extras: (b3, lb6, nb1, w1) 11 Total: (all out; 109.1 overs) 341 Bowling Herath 38.1-8-125-5 (1w), Lakmal 23-461-0, Perera 17-1-71-1, Eranga 24-5-60-4 (1nb), Mathews 7-3-15-0 Sri Lanka 2nd innings

D. Karunaratne b Talha K. Silva b Rehman K. Sangakkara c Manzoor b Rehman M. Jayawardene c Ali b Ajmal D. Chandimal b Talha A. Mathews not out P. Jayawardene not out Extras: (nb1, w1) Total: (for five wkts; 71 overs)

8 36 8 46 13 14 6 2 133

Bowling Junaid 15-5-25-0 (1w), Talha 16-2-36-2 (1nb), Rehman 22-7-36-2, Ajmal 18-5-36-1 Match situation Sri Lanka lead by 220 runs in the second innings with five wickets in hand.

Ba 42

Jouffre 8, Monnet-Paquet 12 Bruls 5, Cvitanich 90+1

Sochaux

n Reuters, Melbourne

Evian Mounier 19, Tiene 74

for Sochaux, who lost 2-0 at home to 2012 champions Montpellier, to remain deeply rooted in relegation trouble.

They are just two points above Ajaccio and 10 points from safety.

Elsewhere, Bastia defeated Bordeaux 1-0 while Rennes and Evian finished 0-0. l

An inspired Ana Ivanovic blew the race for the Australian Open women’s title wide open when she stunned overwhelming favourite Serena Williams in the fourth round at Melbourne Park yesterday.

Djokovic was for once forced to cede the spotlight to another Serbian but showed no signs of relinquishing his iron grip on the men’s title and was merciless in his 6-3 6-0 6-2 flogging of Fognini.

Third seed David Ferrer also advanced to the last eight and a meeting with Tomas Berdych and his stripy football shirt, while women’s fourth seed Li Na and Flavia Pennetta set up a last eight clash of 31-year-olds.

Li and Pennetta had every reason

Pakistan push Sri Lanka hard for series-levelling win n AFP, Sharjah Pakistan grabbed the prized wicket of Mahela Jayawardene to press their advantage for a series-levelling win over Sri Lanka in the third Test in Sharjah yesterday.

Off-spinner Saeed Ajmal removed Jayawardene for 46 near stumps on the fourth day after an exciting tussle between the bat and ball as Sri Lanka finished at 133-5.

They now lead by 220 runs with five wickets in hand and a full day’s play to retain their 1-0 lead.

At the close Angelo Mathews was unbeaten on 14 and with him Prasanna Jayawardene was on six not out.

Jayawardene and Mathews had frustrated Pakistan in the last session through their slow-paced 38-run fifth wicket stand and when it seemed both will see off the day, Ajmal had Jayawardene caught at short-leg.

Ajmal could have had Prasanna caught behind off his gloves on nought but wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to hold the catch, much to Pakistan’s desperation.

Pakistan did waste a golden chance of removing Mathews when Khurram Manzoor dropped an easy chance at

extra cover off paceman Junaid Khan.

Mathews was then on 11.

It was Rehman (2-36) who raised hopes for Pakistan by dismissing experienced Kumar Sangakkara (eight) and Kaushal Silva (36) in the post lunch session, leaving Sri Lanka precariously placed at 66-3.

It became 89-4 when Dinesh Chandimal (13) was bowled by Talha, who took 2-36, soon after tea, but Jayawardene and Mathews ensured Sri Lanka did not panick.

Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 341 in their first innings, 87 short of Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 428 for nine declared. Skipper Misbah-ul Haq scored 63 to notch up his 24th Test half-century before holing out to leftarm spinner Rangana Herath who finished with 5-125.

Paceman Shaminda Eranga removed Abdul Rehman (two) and Talha (two) after Pakistan resumed on 291-6, searching for quick runs. Eranga bettered his 4-65 against Australia in Colombo in 2011.

Misbah struck Herath for a six and then took a single to complete his fifty off 86 balls. He hit three sixes and a four before being caught at long-on. l

to expect their path to the final to be blocked by world number one and top seed Williams until Ivanovic secured the biggest shock of the tournament with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory on Rod Laver Arena.

The Serbian’s win instead sent her through to a quarter-final clash against Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard, who ended Australia’s hopes of a home champion when she overcame Casey Dellacqua 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-0.

Williams was riding high on a winning streak of 25 matches going back to the start of last year’s U.S. Open and had not lost a single set to Ivanovic in four previous meetings. In the second set, though, Ivanovic really started to take the game to Williams, attacking the 17-times grand slam champion’s serve with a success very few have managed and dictating the back court with her forehand.

Djokovic next faces eighth seed

SCORECARD New Zealand M. Guptill c Ashwin b Shami J. Ryder b Shami K. Williamson c Rahane b Jadeja R. Taylor c Dhoni b Shami B. McCullum c Dhoni b Kumar C. Anderson not out L. Ronchi c Kumar b Sharma N. McCullum c & b Shami T. Southee not out Extras: (lb1, w6)

8 18 71 55 30 68 30 2 3 7

Total: (seven wickets; 50 overs)

292

Bowling Kumar 10-0-38-1 (3w), Shami 9-0-55-4 (1w), Sharma 9-0-72-1 (2w), Jadeja 9-0-611, Ashwin 10-0-52-0, Kohli 3-0-13-0 India S. Dhawan c Taylor b Anderson 32 R. Sharma c Southee b McClenaghan 3 V. Kohli c Ryder b McClenaghan 123 A. Rahane c N. McCullum b Anderson 7 S. Raina c Southee b Milne 18 M. Dhoni c Ronchi b McClenaghan 40 R. Jadeja c Ronchi b McClenaghan 0 R. Ashwin c Southee b Williamson 12 B. Kumar run out (Williamson/Ronchi) 6 I. Sharma b Southee 5 M. Shami not out 7 Extras: (lb3, w12) 15 Total: (all out; 48.4 overs)

268

Bowling Southee 9.4-2-43-1 (2w), McClenaghan 10-068-4 (4w), Milne 7.3-0-40-1 (3w), Anderson 10-0-51-2 (1w), N. McCullum 10-0-54-0 (1w), Williamson 1.3-0-3-0 (1w) New Zealand won by 24 runs

Stan Wawrinka, who hit 57 winners in a highly impressive display of aggressive tennis to overcome Spain’s Tommy Robredo 6-3 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5) in the final match on Rod Laver Arena.

Berdych’s 6-2 6-2 6-3 win over Kevin Anderson was his 10th in 10 matches against the South African and left him with “plenty of gas in the tank” for his next match against David Ferrer, who beat Florian Mayer 6-7 (7-5) 7-5 6-2 6-1.

Former French Open champion Li, who reached the final here last year and in 2011, allowed Ekaterina Makarova not so much as a sniff of an upset as she set up meeting with Pennetta by demolishing the Russian 6-2 6-0.

Pennetta’s journey to her first Australian Open quarter-final was a bit more complicated and she took 53 minutes longer to beat ninth seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-1 4-6 7-5. l

Ivanovic celebrates after victory in her women's singles match against Serena Williams in 2014 Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Anderson, McClenaghan get NZ home over India n AFP, Napier A thundering innings by Corey Anderson and a magic spell of bowling

by Mitch McClenaghan brought New Zealand a 24-run win over India in their opening one-day international yesterday.

Chasing New Zealand’s 292 for seven, India were all out for 268 in the 49th over despite Virat Kohli (123) posting his 18th ODI century.

It was the first time India have lost an ODI in which Kohli has reached three figures.

They appeared to have victory in their grasp when they needed just 70 from the last eight overs, and Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked comfortable in a 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

But in the space of six deliveries, McClenaghan removed Dhoni (40), Ravi Jadeja (duck) and Kohli to have India reeling on 237 for seven, and they never recovered.

That brief spell was where the game was lost, Dhoni said.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said it was “a captain’s nightmare” when Kohli and Dhoni were in full flight but he had faith in McClenaghan.

Anderson, in his first start against India, the world’s top-ranked ODI side, Anderson blasted an unbeaten 68 off 40 deliveries.

He hit four sixes, two of them out of the ground, then returned with the ball to display his all-rounder credentials by removing two of India’s top-order batsmen Shikhar Dhawan (32) and Ajinkya Rahane (seven).

India, who stand to forfeit their world number one ranking if they lose the five-match series to the eighthranked New Zealand, chose to bowl first on a wicket with a history of favouring the side batting last.

New Zealand lost Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill early, leaving Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor with the task of building the innings. Their no-risk approach saw the run rate slump to 3.57 and at one stage New Zealand went 85 deliveries without a boundary.

Their 121-run partnership, which laid the platform for a big finish, ended with Williamson out for 71. Taylor followed soon after for 55 and Brendon McCullum belted a rapid 30.

India made a cautious start to their reply and went into their batting power play in the 35th over on 149-4, requiring a run rate of nine an over to win the game. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Marshal Ayub strikes hundred

QUICK BYTES

Ajax, Bank in eight-goal thriller Ajax SC put up a brilliant show to come from behind and earn a 4-4 draw against Sonali Bank in the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium yesterday. Ajax forward Prashanta put his team ahead in the very first minute before the Bankers hit back hard to head into the interval with a 3-1 lead. Enamul Kabir Turjo scored a brace while Masum netted one for Sonali Bank. The momentum however shifted to Ajax who resumed with a goal from Rahat Sarwar to make the score 3-2, but Masum added his second to give Ajax the two goal lead.

The thrilling eight-goal encounter was completed with goals from Rahat and Khandoker Hasan in the dying stage.

–Tribune Desk

n Mazhar Uddin

Leicester extend lead, Reading hit seven Leicester moved five points clear at the top of the Championship with a 1-0 win over Leeds, while promotion rivals Reading thrashed Bolton 7-1 on Saturday. Nigel Pearson’s side are firmly on course for automatic promotion to the Premier League after a dramatic late victory at Elland Road. At the Madejski Stadium, Adam Le Fondre scored a first-half hat-trick as rampant Reading thrashed Bolton to move into the play-off spots.

A Charlie Austin double took QPR up to second place in the second tier with a 2-1 victory over Huddersfield at Loftus Road. Austin opened the scoring by finishing emphatically on 55 minutes after Clint Hill’s lofted ball forward had been flicked on by Niko Kranjcar and then Andy Johnson. Burnley had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Turf Moor.

–AFP

Korean captain Koo signs for Mainz South Korean captain Koo Ja-Cheol signed for Bundesliga mid-table side Mainz from highflying VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday on a four-and-a-half year contract. The 24-year-old midfielder, who joined Wolfsburg from Korean outfit Jeju United in 2011, had only played 10 times this season in all competitions and with the signing of Belgian international Kevin de Bruyne on Saturday from Chelsea his chances of more playing time were vastly reduced. Both clubs refused to reveal the transfer fee. “Koo Ja-Cheol has been on our wish list for quite some time now and we intensified our efforts of late as we consider him being a potentially key player in our team,” said Mainz manager Christian Heidel. Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel highlighted the ‘talent and technical qualities’ of Koo. Wolfsburg had already loaned Koo out to Augsburg last season before returning to them for this campaign.

–AFP

Davids calls time on ill-fated Barnet stay Former Juventus star and Dutch international Edgar Davids called time on his ill-fated spell as head coach of non-league English side Barnet on Saturday. The 40-year-old joined the London club in October 2012 as a joint manager alongside Mark Robson, and took sole charge soon after. Barnet were relegated from the football league last season and Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Chester prompted Davids to offer his resignation with the team struggling in 10th place in the fifth-tier Conference.

“Barnet Football Club tonight announce that Edgar Davids has resigned by mutual agreement from his position as head coach,” the club said in a statement on www.barnetfc.com. “Everybody associated with the club would like to thank Edgar for his contribution during his time here and for his help in putting together the current team structure.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA 2013-14 7:00AM Phoenix v Denver 12:00AM Detroit v LA Clippers 12:00AM Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 3rd Test, Day 5 Star Sports 4 6:00AM & 2:00AM Australian Open 2:00AM English Premier League West Brom v Everton Star Sports HD1 3:00AM La Liga At Bilbao v Real Valladolid

15

Monday, January 20, 2014

Walton Central Zone batsman Marshal Ayub celebrates his century at BKSP-3 yesterday

After struggling in the first day of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), Marshal Ayub’s unbeaten century and Mahmudullah’s seven wickets helped Walton Central Zone to take a lead of 253 runs against Prime Bank South Zone at the BKSP-3 ground, while Islami Bank East Zone left arm spinner Nabil Samad’s six-wicket haul was the highlight performance against BCB North Zone yesterday.

Mahmudullah, who took five wickets on the first day, claimed two more for Central Zone as the off spinner took seven wickets for 94 runs to bowl out South Zone for 230 early in the second day.

After scoring only one in the first innings, Marshal Ayub smashed a magnificent century, which featured some beautiful drives and included14 fours and two sixes. Marshal remained unbeaten on 122 as the second day came to a close.

“It was not an easy track to bat on the first day but as the day progressed, the ball was coming on to the bat and I played according to the merit of the ball and luckily, I got the hundred which made me feel good,” said Marshal.

The right hander made his Test debut last year against New Zealand and despite not being able to make a big score, his elegant style impressed on-lookers. His recent success will do much for staking a spot in the national side for the upcoming Sri Lanka series, which starts later this month.

BRIEF SCORES

Prime Bank South vs Walton Central Prime Bank South zone 230/10 Walton Central Zone 165/10 and 318/5 Marshal Ayub 122 not out, Shamsur Rahman 65, Taibur Parvez 34/3

Islami Bank East vs BCB North BCB North zone 248/10 East Zone 270/10 and 79/3 Nabil Samad 69/6

“Scoring a hundred is always something very special and it was a very crucial one for me as I wanted to score some big runs before the Sri Lanka series,” said the star.

Meanwhile, after North Zone’s Taijul Islam seven wickets on the first day, East Zone left arm spinner Nabil Samad took six wickets on the second day to bundle South Zone out for248. At the end of the second day, North Zone were at 79/3 – still 101 runs behind. l

Hasanullah Khan Rana (R) and Sanat Babla were elected as president and general secretary of BSPA respectively

BSPA election held n Tribune Desk Hasan Ullah Khan Rana, sports editor of Jamuna TV, retained the post of the president of Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA) while Sanat Babla, special correspondent of Kaler Kantha, was elected general secretary of the organisation for the next two years in the election held on Saturday.

A total 166 out of 176 voters casted their votes for the 19-member committee. The other office bearers are vicepresident Talha Bin Nazrul (Manabzamin), vice-president Kazi Shahidul Alam (Ajkaler Khabor), joint-secretaries Mahbub Sarker (Banik Barta), Sohel Sarwar (Ittefaq), Rakibur Rahman (Firstnewsbd.com). Members are Ekramuzzaman, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Aminul Haque Mallik, Khairul Islam Shahin, Shahabuddin, Selim Nazrul Haque, Anwarullah, Ziauddin Saimum, Sanaul Haque Khan and Mahmudul Hasan Shamim. Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) congratulated the new committee and wished success. l

Eto’s treble leaves United reeling, Adebayor fires Spurs n AFP, London Samuel Eto’o’s hat-trick saw Chelsea to a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday that piled the pressure on the Premier League champions.

Victory left Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea within two points of leaders Arsenal but this result meant title-holders United are 14 points adrift of the Gunners with 16 league games of the season remaining.

United’s seventh league loss this term also turned the spotlight back on David Moyes, the successor chosen by Alex Ferguson, British football’s most successful manager, to replace him at

Old Trafford following his retirement at the end of last season.

Eto’o gave Chelsea a 17th minute lead when his shot from just outside the box deflected off Michael Carrick’s outstretched boot and past the despairing dive of United goalkeeper David de Gea. The 32-year-old veteran Cameroon striker made it 2-0 on the stroke of half time when, following Gary Cahill’s centre, he smashed the ball home from six yards out.

United, without injured strikers Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie, found themselves 3-0 behind four minutes after the interval when more lax defending from a set-piece allowed Cahill a free header from a few yards.

His effort was just about blocked by

de Gea but, barely a yard away, Eto’o reacted first and made no mistake with the simple chance.

RESULTS Chelsea

3-1

Swansea

1-3

Eto’o 17, 45, 49 Bony 78

Played Saturday

Liverpool

Sturridge 45, Gerrard 53-P

2-2

Man United

Hernandez 78

Tottenham

Adebayor 35, 71, Flores 53-og

Aston Villa

Weimann 25, Benteke 36

In the process Eto’o become the first Chelsea player to score a hat-trick against United since Seamus O’Connell back in 1954.

Javier Hernandez, on as a substitute

for Ashley Young, pulled a goal back 12 minutes from time.

But that was as good as it got for United whose misery was compounded when captain Nemanja Vidic sent off in stoppage time for a rash challenge on Eden Hazard.

Earlier, Emmanuel Adebayor scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur moved level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool after a 3-1 win away to struggling Swansea.

Adebayor’s goals, separated by a Chico Flores own-goal, ensured Tottenham remained unbeaten in the league under manager Tim Sherwood, whose record now stands at five wins and a draw since the Englishman replaced sacked predecessor Andre Villas-Boas.

For Swansea, an eighth successive league match without a win left Michael Laudrup’s men just three points above the relegation zone.

Liverpool’s Premier League title bid suffered a blow after they drew 2-2 with Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers’s side fought back from 2-0 down after Andreas Weimann and Christian Benteke had given Villa a deserved two-goal lead. But despite Daniel Sturridge’s 11th goal league goal of the season and a Steven Gerrard penalty, Liverpool could only claim a point.

And with leaders Arsenal victorious earlier in the day, this missed opportunity left Liverpool eight points adrift of top spot and seven behind secondplace Manchester City.l

Akbar slams referee n Raihan Mahmood In an unfamiliar scenario, Abahani coach Ali Akbar Parmoslemi slammed the refereeing despite grabbing full points against archrivals Mohammedan at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Adding more surprise to the scene, Mohammedan’s Portuguese coach Rui Jose Capela Batista thought they played good football despite losing the match.

Parmoslemi thought refereeing errors benefited the opposition. “It was inconsistent refereeing. The goal Osie Morrison scored in the dying minutes of the first-half was cancelled by the referee and it was not correct, it was a goal. The referee committed a mistake and it went in Mohammedan’s favour,” said the Iranian, adding that they should have won the game by at least three goals.

Parmoslemi said he expected Mohammedan to come out hard after the breather and thus adopted a counter attacking strategy. Meanwhile, Osie Morrison, who played for Mohammedan last year, was happy to be on

the score sheet and said, “It does not matter where I played last season, my dream is to score in every match I play and Abahani has expectations of me.

However, I think the referee deprived me of a goal and I was also unfortunate to miss another.”

Meanwhile, Black and Whites coach Batista put the result down to bad luck, “We played good but gave away the goal as a gift to Abahani.

“I think my team was a little tired as they lacked fitness as they were not in pre-season training. I have to play three important matches in a week and it is hard work,” said Batista.

The Portuguese expected tough competition from Abahani and prepared his team accordingly, but felt his side gave away too many scoring opportunities. “Now we have lost seven points and it very dangerous for us,” he added.

However, Mohammedan’s midfielder Vincent Hemanta Biswas pointed out it was the formation that might be causing them problems. “We earlier played in a 4-2-3-1 formation and now our new coach Batista has inserted on a 4-3-3 formation. I think we are yet to get accustomed with it,” said Hemanta. l

Jayawardene joins 11,000 Test club n AFP, Sharjah Experienced Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene joined the 11,000 Test runs club during the fourth day of the third and final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah on Sunday.

The 36-year-old, when on eight, swept off-spinner Saeed Ajmal for a six to complete 11,000 runs in his 141st Test, becoming the eighth batsman but first Sri Lankan to achieve the milestone.

India’s recently retired Sachin Tendulkar topped the list of most runs with 15,921 in a record 200 Tests.

The list includes two players each from India, the West Indies and Austra-

lia and one from Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Jayawardene scored 46 in Sri Lanka’s 133-5 at close of play on the fourth day. l

11,000 runs Test club Name Country Matches Runs Tendulkar Ind 200 15,921 Ricky Ponting Aus 168 13,378 Jacques Kallis SA 166 13,289 Rahul Dravid Ind 164 13,288 Brian Lara WI 131 11,953 Chanderpaul WI 152 11,229 Allan Border Aus 156 11,174 Jayawardene SL 141 11,033

Chelsea's Samuel Eto'o (L) shoots past Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic to score his sides second goal during their English Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London yesterday REUTERS

Inter lose again, Juventus secure 12th straight win RESULTS n Reuters, Milan

Inter Milan’s troubles continued when they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at rain-soaked Genoa in Serie A on Sunday after Luca Antonelli headed in from a corner with seven minutes left.

Third-placed Napoli lost ground on leading pair Juventus and AS Roma with a 2-2 draw at Bologna after Rolando Bianchi scored in the last minute for the relegation-threatened hosts.

Alessandri Matri scored twice on his debut for fourth-placed Fiorentina in a 3-0 win at table-propping Catania and a late goal from midfielder Hernanes gave Lazio a 3-2 win at Udinese.

Napoli have 43 points from 20 games, four behind Roma and 12 adrift of Juventus who both won on Saturday. Fiorentina have 40 while Inter are joint-fifth with Hellas Verona

on 32 after only one win in their last eight league games.

Juventus clinched a 12th successive win and restored their eight-point lead over Roma at the top of Serie A on Saturday with a 4-2 success over a battling Sampdoria. Antonio Conte’s side restored their eight-point lead over Roma, but the Juve coach wasn’t entirely satisfied with a win that allowed the champions to equal the previous record for successive wins established in the 1928-29 season.

Earlier Saturday, first-half goals from Mattia Destro and Kevin Strootman, and a late strike from Adem Ljajic secured a 3-0 win for Roma that sent Livorno back to the bottom of Serie A. Livorno, who won promotion from Serie B last season, responded to their struggles in the first half of the campaign by sacking coach Davide Nicola last Monday after the side had taken just a point in their last eight games. l

Udinese

2-3

Atalanta

1-0

Bologna

2-2

Catania

0-3

Chievo

1-2

Genoa

1-0

Inter Milan

Sassuolo

0-2

Torino

Roma

3-0

Livorno

Juventus

4-2

Di Natale 8-P Badu 68

Bonaventura 68 Bianchi 37, 90

Paloschi 15

Antonelli 83

Played on Saturday

Cagliari Napoli

Higuain 62-P, Callejon 80

Fiorentina

Matri 25, 28, 41

Parma

Cassano 27, Lucarelli 90+3

Immobile 25, Brighi 48

Destro 6, Strootman 36, Ljajic 78 Vidal 18, 41-P, Llorente 24, Pogba 78

Lazio

Candreva 63-P, Lazzari 82-og, Hernanes 90

Sampdoria

Barzagli 38-og, Gabbiadini 69

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, January 20, 2014

Child blood cancer patients on rise Hope lives on if cancer is detected early, but BSMMU has a limited capacity

First ever LGBT magazine launched

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

n Syeda Samira Sadeque

The number of child cancer patients in the country is on the rise, with blood cancer affecting the kids more than half a total number.

The number of such patients was 236, of which 167 were affected with blood cancer, according to the 2003 study.

In 2013, the number of child cancer patients had increased to 500 and two-thirds of them were attacked with blood cancer.

An Associate Professor Dr Anwarul Karim of the Department of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology under the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) told the Dhaka Tribune that the facility could not admit all cancer patients because of its accommodation crisis.

The hospital had only two units – each with only 31 beds for cancer patients to admit, said Prof Anwarul.

But BSMMU, he said, provided the child cancer patients with specialised treatment at an affordable cost.

If the cancer was detected at an early stage, there would be a greater chance to get rid of it, added the doctor.

But the total cost of treatment goes beyond the capacity of the grass roots who struggle to meet the expense.

Such is the case for a child cancer patient Orpa’s family that can barely make both ends meet.

The six-year-old had been spotted at the entrance of the BSMMU Oncology Department wearing mask and waiting for her turn to give blood for test.

Her mother said they were going through severe financial hardship to meet the treatment cost of their daughter.

“My husband works for a private company on only Tk6,000 monthly salary. We

A group of volunteers on Saturday launched the country’s first ever lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender (LGBT) magazine in a bid to promote wider tolerance of persons of diverse sexual orientations.

The 56-page magazine, named after the Bengali folk character Roopbaan symbolising the power of love, is the result of months of vigorous efforts by the publishers who wished to remain anonymous.

“We are super excited!” said the editor, terming the initiative “a major leap forward” for the country’s LGBT community.

“The main reason for this publication is to promote love,” he continued, “promoting love and promoting the right to love. The audience for love is huge and that’s who this is for.”

‘Speedy tribunal to try attacks on minorities’ n Tribune Report The government is planning to form a speedy tribunal soon to prosecute the perpetrators of the recent attacks on Hindus in different parts of the country, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Mizanur Rahman said yesterday.

The NHRC chief noted that it would be ideal to promulgate a separate and independent law to safeguard minority groups. Until then, the cases of repression of religious minorities could be tried under the existing Anti-Terrorism Act, Fast Trial Act and Public Safety Act. Mizanur made the remarks while addressing a consultation meeting titled “Human Rights and Communal Harmony: Our Role”, organised by the NHRC at the Cirdap auditorium in the capital.

The commission arranged the meeting after visiting several places where suspected Jamaat-Shibir activists carried out attacks against Hindu families, for casting votes in the 10th parliamentary polls, which were boycotted by the BNP-led 18-party alliance.

The NHRC was mandated to come up with some recommendations and place them before the prime minister to punish the culprits and tackle future attacks.

Describing the brutality and tense situation she witnessed during a visit to Kornai village in Dinajpur, writer Selina Hossain said: “Women said they were living in fear. They showed us a corn field and said the Jamaat men had threatened to take them there and rape them, and there would be no police, human rights activists or anyone else to protect them after a few months.”

“In 1971 Muslim neighbours protected many Hindu families from the Pakistani forces. But now, neighbours fear to come forward as the attackers are known faces,” human rights activist Aroma Dutta said, narrating her experience after visiting Abhoynagar in Jessore.

“We did not see any youths standing beside them, no elected representatives of union, thana or district-level stood by them. Why?” questioned columnist Syed Abul Moksud.

Admitting the government’s failure in handling the situation, Tajul Islam, former state minister for liberation war affairs, said: “Attacks also took place in the past, but we could not try any of the culprits. Had we been successful earlier, such incidents would have been minimised.”

The participants said there should be a system in place so that local lawmakers are held liable and made to give statements before the parliament for any incidents of violence against minorities in their constituencies.l

‘The problem in our country is many are taking the issue politically. But this is about personal freedom. We need to take careful steps, and we don’t want our development to be hindered by a wrong step’ A child cancer patient with her relatives at the BSMMU have sold a piece of land at Tk4,00,000 to bear the medical expense.”

“When I heard the news first, I used to cry almost every moment. Now my tears had run out,” she said.

Like Orpa, Riamoni, Anan, Khalid bin Walid and some other child cancer patients were seen at the BSMMU Oncology outdoor ward receiving treatment.

There are mostly two types of cancer – Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia (ALL) and Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

The two need fairly a long time to be cured depending on patients’ condition.

The total treatment cost for “ALL” is around Tk3,00,000 while for “AML” around Tk5,00,000.

The cost of treatment is compara-

DHAKA TRIBUNE

tively cheaper than that in any other countries of the world, said sources in the BSMMU. Alongside hearing the pathetic stories of patients, this correspondent came across a cancer survivor Khalid bin Walid who was a cancer patient for five years.

A few days ago, doctors told him that

he was fine and needed no medicine.

He has to examine blood every month for the next two years.

Khalid’s mother told the Dhaka Tribune his son’s cancer had been early detected.

While the mother described how her son survived, the other cancer patients glowed with hope. l

Accused in Zubair murder case attack protesters n Tribune Report

Seven out of 13 persons accused in Jahangirnagar University student Zubair Ahmed murder case yesterday attacked and threatened with death two friends of the victim as they went to the court to observe the trial procedure.

The same day, two prosecution witnesses gave their depositions at the Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 in favour of the accused through undue influence, said public prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam.

All the 13 accused, who are leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and now on bail, were present in the dock.

They launched the attack on Physics student Syed Nazmul Hossain and IBA-JU student Rajibul Islam around 1:30pm in front of the entrance of Dhaka Judge’s Court. Two seizer list witnesses – Estate Officer Azim Uddin and security guard Siddiqur Rahman – were present at the scene, but did not take any action against the accused.

One of the attackers, Khandaker Ashikul Islam Ashik, threatened Nazmul: “You are carrying out movement, very well. But remember if we are not hanged, another will be dead.”

Nazmul and Rajibul both are organisers of “Shontrasher Biruddhe Jahangirnagar” – a platform formed against terrorism after the death of Zubair on January 9, 2012. Recently, the current students of the university formed another platform named “Amra Zubair-er Bondhura” and have been campaigning for quick trial.

Other attackers present at the scene were Khan Mohammad Rois and Zahid Hasan of zoology department; Rashidul Islam and Ishtiaq Mehbub (Arup) of philosophy department; Mahabub Akram of government and politics department; and Najmus Sakib Topu of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Rajibul later told the Dhaka Tribune that they had filed a general diary with Kotwali police against the seven accused.

A probe committee formed by the university authorities upon investigation found all of the seven students, who are batch mates of Zubair, guilty.

Following recommendation of the probe body, the JU Syndicate had expelled them for life and declared unwanted on the campus.

Hearing the news of the attack and death threat, several teachers, students and students’ organisations instantly expressed worries and grave condemnation over the matter. They demanded punishment of the accused for the attack and cancellation of the bail granted by the High Court.

Earlier in the day, prosecution witnesses Azim, a former Chhatra League leader, and Siddiqur testified at the tribunal of Judge ABM Nizamul Haque.

With these, six prosecution witnesses have given their depositions at the court.

It fixed January 23 for the next witness.

The public prosecutor said the witnesses had denied giving statements under section 161 to the investigation offi-

cer. They also claimed that the IO had not taken their signature on the seizure list.

Azim, then security officer of the university, said he had not seen any blood on the spot where Zubair was beaten and hacked mercilessly for around an hour in the afternoon of January 8, 2012.

On December 27, the friends and batch mates of Zubair under the banner of “Amra Zubair-er Bondhura” from a press conference demanded speedy trial of the case. They also held photo and document exhibition, and cultural programmes on the campus. They protested the administration’s allowing the accused on the campus even though they had been expelled.

Proctor Prof Muzibur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune: “I have heard about the matter. It is very much offensive to create chaos on the court premises.

However, I have informed our law officer instantly to provide police protection to the students who were attacked.”

He claimed that the accused had been strictly banned on the campus. l

“I feel that I have a relationship with every line and letter in this magazine.

A relationship that has cast such an influence on me.”

British High Commissioner Robert Gibson and Barrister Sara Hossain were among the guests present at the invitation-only launch event.

Speaking at the programme, a representative of a support group for gays and lesbians spoke of the major advancements around the world in this field.

He also mentioned some of the recent changes such as the reversal of the decriminalisation of “unnatural sex” in India.

“The problem in our country is many are taking the issue politically.

But this is about personal freedom. We need to take careful steps, and we don’t want our development to be hindered by a wrong step,” he said.

As the editor spoke to this correspondent, many came up to thank him for such an initiative in a country where the traditionally conservative and majority Muslim population shuns such practices or movements.

Roopbaan is currently being published in Bangla, taking submissions from volunteer contributors. It includes articles, photography and personal accounts of the volunteers.

However, the launch saw a marked lack of female representatives. Some of the guests noticed this as well, such as Barrister Hossain, and pointed out that there had historically been a low female turnout at events regarding sexuality and sexual identity. l

Bangladesh ‘safe home’ for foreign VoIP frauds n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Hundreds of foreign frauds, especially from China and Taiwan, are staying in Bangladesh, using it as a “safe home” from where to deceive their own people through advanced technology, says the Rapid Action Battalion.

RAB arrested 37 Chinese and Taiwanese nationals on December22 and initially suspected that they had been operating illegal call termination under the cover of running a garment business.

But that notion changed when officials of RAB and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) learnt in details from Taiwanese intelligence officials that these foreigners had trapped users of credit cards and account-holders of banks there through phishing. They would often identify themselves as call centre employees,RAB says.

“They [the frauds] play with the Taiwanese people’s psychology, calling them in the guise of call centre employees of banks,and ultimately blackmail them,” Lt Col Kismat Hayat, commanding officer of RAB 1, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday over phone.

“Taiwanese intelligence detected similar incidents happening in Vietnam,” he said.

Officials of RAB, BTRC and Taiwan intelligence went to visit the house at Uttara sector12 on Saturday and found

well decorated soundproof rooms and a lot of high-tech equipment.

A source said the arrested foreigners had come to Bangladesh on tourist visas one and a half years ago;they went back to their countries and returned again on extended visas.

RAB arrested five Chinese, 32 Taiwanese and three Bangladeshi nationals during its raid and seized a large quantity of illegal VoIP equipment from the house. The law enforcers also seized 14 Taiwanese passports but the owners were not there.

“When we arrested them we thought it was the biggest ever haul of VoIP equipment in the country, but it was not. I am sure more groups are available in Bangladesh,” Kismat Hayat said.

He said the group could not cause any harm to Bangladesh nationals as they cannot speak English well.

He said the Taiwanese team would reveal its findings to the media before leaving Bangladesh within a day or two.

Police initially filed a case against the arrestees under the telecom act, which is bailable, but now they want to shift it to a non-bailable section of any other act.

The court already put the arrestees on remand.

Taiwanese authorities sent two of its high officials to deal with the legal matters following the arrest of its 32 nationals but China has not sent anyone yet. l

Relatives wail hearing about deaths of Arif Hossain, 24, and Shah Alam, 18, of Tikari village in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila yesterday. They claimed the two were Awami League activists and died in police firing during a clash between two factions of the party FOCUS BANGLA

Miscreants burn Hindu house in Chandpur n Tribune Report Miscreants set fire to a house belonging to a Hindu family at Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur yesterday.

The owner of the house, Barendranath Majumder of Rayoshree village, said the miscreants first doused petrol on the house and the adjacent kitchen and then set it afire.

No one was injured as the residents were in Chittagong.

Additional Police Superintendent Kamrul Islam said police is now trying to nab the miscreants.

Meanwhile in Moksudpur of Gopalganj, the local residents have organised a kilometer-long human chain to protest the recent attack on the Hindu community, their businesses and belonging by the Jamaat-Shibir men following the January 5 parliamentary election.

Students-teachers of 20 education-

al institutions, 10 social and cultural organisations’ members joined the human-chain along the Gopalganj-Tekerhat road for around one and a half hours around 11am, reports our correspondent.

They later brought out several protest processions in the area.

Meanwhile in Narayanganj, Mohila Parishad arranged a human chain in front of Narayanganj Press Club yesterday protesting attacks on minorities. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Continue to the Business section...

Business

B3 DSEX continues to hit new high

B4 Europe's utilities

squeezed by creeping nationalisation

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

At DITF one can buy pavilion too!

Some EPB staffs are allegedly involved with the illegal practice n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Believe it or not one can even buy pavilions or stalls at the Dhaka International Trade Fair meant for promoting products from both home and abroad.

Some influential people allegedly in connivance with a section of staffs of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) get allotments of pavilions or stalls and then they sell out those to the real manufacturers or traders violating the rules, exhibitors complained. The allegation was well evidenced from an advertisement displayed at the fair ground found yesterday.

The advertisement posted at an open space having no construction offered a 50 square feet pavilion (no GP 11) for sale. It reads: “Exhibitors for foods items are not allowed.” The advertisement has a phone number where the interested buyers can contact.

“The pavilion is allocated to me and would be sold out,” said Shaila when asked over telephone about the advertisement as this correspondent wanted to buy it pretending a buyer. She demanded Tk13 lakh for the pavilion. The price is, however, negotiable, said Shaila, who refused to disclose her full name.

The EPB had set a ceiling price of Tk7.5 lakh for a pavilion like this. The price of a pavilion or stall is, however, set based on the open bids above the ceiling price.

“You’ll just pay the money and would get the allocation,” Shaila said.

She said the pavilion is allocated to Shaila Enterprise. “Come to Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) at 11:30am and get the pavilion allocated,” she said. “You will come to know my identity when you meet me.”

At one stage of the phone conversation as this correspondent introduced himself as a reporter, she said: “The Prime Minister calls me by my name.”

However, she assured about the

legality of allocation and it would be handed over in presence of EPB Vice Chairman Shubhashis Bose.

“She (Shaila) never talked to me about the pavilion and I know nothing about her claim,” Bose told the Dhaka Tribune when contacted over phone.

“Someone can use my name to twist the matter.”

Commenting on selling of stalls or pavilions, Bose said no one could sell allocated pavilions or stalls. “If anybody wants to get allocation, it must be through EPB.” Fair management officials said the pavilion (GP 11) has not been allocated to anybody.

“This pavilion is not allocated to anybody and she (Shaila) sometimes demanded pavilion or stall as she comes to the fair,” said EPB secretary AFM Manzur Kadir. “We could not sell it even after several advertisements in the newspapers. Contacted with EPB Director General Salahuddin Mahmud about the advertisement, he said: “The stall is not allocated. We are going to check the matter.”

About many unsold stalls and pavilions, the fair management body said a good number of pavilions and stalls remained unsold as participants were not willing to exhibit products due to political unrest. Some people took allocation of stalls and mini-pavilions to make profits by selling it to businessmen at higher prices, but they are now in trouble as they could not sell it, said an official of EPB, wishing anonymity.

On the other hand, he alleged, a group of politically influential people forcefully built some stalls without permission.

Meanwhile, some stalls are selling food items despite the stalls have been allocated to display other than food items. The stall 57 named “Bishal Centre Shanta Electronices” was selling food items yesterday although they were supposed to display electronic items. l

(Top) A pavilion site on sale at DITF. (Bottom Left) Few stalls still remain unsold. (Bottom Right) An electronic stall sells food items. The photos were taken yesterday

IDRA cancels ADB project

FY14 GDP to grow by 6%, says Planning Minister

Max Well Stamp takes advance money violates the n project payment schedule n Tribune report Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) has cancelled a project of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) titled “Improvement of Capital Market and Insurance Government Project (ICMIG)’’ due to poor performance and for taking advanced consultant fees without any logical grounds.

Chairman and actuary of IDRA M. Shefaque Ahmed yesterday admitted the mater while talking to the Dhaka Tribune over phone.

The chairman also sent a letter last week to the ADB and Financial Institution Division of finance ministry explaining the reasons behind the can-

Banks warned of showing unrealised interest as income n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank yesterday reminded the commercial banks of not showing unrealised interest on classified loans in the income account.

Only the realised portion of the interest could be posted in the income account, said a circular issued in the wake of the banks’ recent practice to show them in the income account while rescheduling the classified loans.

The banks are showing the interest in the income account instead of posting them to the interest suspense account, said the Bangladesh Bank. l

celation of the seven years old ICMIG project. He also gave directives to inform the finance minister about such a letter already sent to ADB and Financial Institution Division.

The project consultant Max Well Stamp Ltd took advanced consultant fees violating the project payment schedule The project consultant Max Well Stamp Ltd took advanced consultant fees violating the project payment schedule reveals the letter sent by M Shefaque Ahmed.

The report of the consultant Max Well Stamp on updated mortality table and premium level assessment of risk

management was also not accepted to the board of the director of IDRA. Apart from that, insurance claimed for this sector has also been not released, the letter reads.

According to the letter, the consultant of the project failed to contribute any things in executing0 the rules and regulation of country’s insurance sector.

Regarding the rate of dead and premium, the Max well Stamp report on life insurance are not acceptable and state owned corporation assessment on financial performance report is also not accepted by IDRA, says the letter.

Total cost of the ICMIG project was $4m. The project which started in 2006, was also further updated on October 21, 2013. l

BB clarifies CRR and SLR maintenance rules n Tribune Report Bangladesh Bank has clarified the maintenance procedure of Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) by scheduled banks, following the recent amendment of Bank Company Act 1991.

Every scheduled bank has to maintain Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) with Bangladesh Bank the amount of which shall not be less than such portion of its total demand and time liabilities as prescribed by BB from time to time, by notification in the official Gazette. BB may also prescribe the procedure of maintenance of cash reserve pursuant to its monetary policy objectives, said a circular Bangladesh Bank issued yesterday.

At present, the required CRR is 6% on bi-weekly average basis of the average total demand and time liabilities

(ATDTL) with a provision of minimum 5.5% on daily basis of the same ATDTL. Every scheduled bank has to maintain assets in cash or gold or in the form of un-encumbered approved securities the market value of which shall not be less than such portion of its total demand and time liabilities as prescribed

by BB from time to time.

BB may also prescribe the procedure of determined assets and liabilities and percentages of maintainable assets in different classes, according to the circular.

At present, the required SLR is 13% daily for conventional and 5.5% daily for Islamic Shariah based banks and Islamic Shariah based banking of conventional banks of their average total demand and time liabilities. The instructions of this circular will become effective from February 01, 2014. l

Tribune Report

The country will attain 6% economic growth in the current fiscal year despite domestic and external shocks, says Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal yesterday.

“We’ll try to obtain above 6% GDP growth rate in this fiscal year despite political chaos in the country and the weakness of the world economy,” he said, in response to a question after the first Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting of the new government at the NEC in Dhaka.

In sharp contrast, the World Bank in its recent report on Global Economic Prospects (GEP) forecasts that Bangladesh’s GDP growth for FY14 is expected to grow by 5.7%, the International Monetary Fund by 5.5% and Asian Development Bank by 5.8%.

The Planning Minister and donor agencies’ estimates on GDP growth are significantly less than the government target of 7.2% for the current fiscal year.

The minister said there could be differences of opinions, but the ultimate goal should be to attain desired economic growth, taking the country to move forward and ensuring good governance. He said political turbulence and violence unleashed by the BNP-Jamaat over the last six months has damaged the country’s economy a lot. “But we’ll try to maintain our growth above 6%, which the country sees over the last four years.”

In reply to a question on speeding up the ADP implementation rate, he said the officials concerned even the field-level workers faced difficulties in carrying out their activities due to the political unrest and violence over the last six months. “But, killing people could never be part of politics, which might be the realisation of the BNP-Jamaat,” he said.

Kamal said he would sit with the planners, economists, businessmen,

members of the civil society and cultural personalities in phases to chalk out his next course of action as the Ministry of Planning is destined to ensure the welfare of the country’s people.

About the allegation of excess wealth acquired by ministers and MPs, he said the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has been working to this end.

The ECNEC, in its first meeting of the new government, approved 13 development projects involving Tk7,735 crore, including decoration of the capital city ahead of the forthcoming T-20 World Cup. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.

Of the total cost, Tk3,588 crore will come from the national exchequer while the remaining Tk4,147 crore will come as project assistance from donors.

The decoration of the capital involving Tk115 crore has been taken ahead of the T-20 World Cup scheduled to be held in March this year.

Under the project “Improvement of road infrastructure and beautification work around Mirpur Shere-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and major roads of Dhaka City for ICC World Cup T-20 Bangladesh, 2014” would be done.

In addition, infrastructural development of the adjoining roads of two international cricket stadiums and other major roads of the capital would be completed. Besides, beautification and decoration works and flawless traffic movement would be ensured.

The ECNEC gave nod to another project entitled “Municipal Governance and Services Project”. Under the project, development of 600 km roads, 400 km drainage line, 26 wholesale markets, 26 kitchen markets, 12 bus terminals, 4 truck terminals, 36 public toilets, and 6 parks and construction of 570 meter culverts would be completed.

Besides, capacity building and implementation support would be provided in 146 municipalities. The project costs Tk2,471 crore. World Bank will provide Tk1,954 crore for the project. l

RAJIB DHAR

186% growth in mobile financial transaction n Tribune Report The overall growth of the country’s mobile financial transaction increased by 186% while the customer growth was also expanded by 262% in the year 2013, thanks to the easy and hassle free transaction for the customers both in urban and rural areas.

“Mobile financial service has gained popularity rapidly both in urban and rural areas because of having easy and hassle free transaction facilities,” said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

In 2013, Mobile Financial Services (MFS) have shown significant growth in all respect, said a Bangladesh Bank report released yesterday.

'Mobile financial service has gained popularity rapidly both in urban and rural areas' At the beginning of the year 2013, the total number of mobile banking agents was 59,559 when the figure stood nearly 2 lakh at the end of the year. In April 2013, the number of mobile financial services customer was 50 lakh and in 11th of November, it crossed the milestone of one crore. In December 2013, it went up to above one crore, which demonstrates the growing popularity of this service.

In January, 2013, the total number of transactions and total amount transacted was around one crore and Tk2000 crore respectively. And at the end of the year, total number of transactions and total amount transacted stood at three crore and Tk6642 crore respectively. Out of 28 banks that got permission for MFS service from Bangladesh Bank, 19 banks are so far delivering MFS services across the country.

The mobile financial services was introduced in the country in 2010 in a bid to bring the poor and unbanked people under banking activities as well as to facilitate the Bangladeshi expatriates to safely send their remittances in the rural areas. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSEX and DS30 reshuffled n Tribune Report

Mozaffar Hossain Spinning debuts at bourses tomorrow

& Paper, Samorita Hospital, Information Services Network, Purabi General Insurance, Pragati Insurance, Prime Insurance, Sunlife Insurance, Usmania Glass and Berger Paints.

On the other hand, existing four companies that lost their eligibility to retain their position in the index are Kay & Que, Midas Finance, CVO Petrochemical and Rahima Food.

In the DS 30, the four new companies were added to the index. They are United Commercial Bank Ltd., Delta Life Insurance Ltd., Orion Pharma Ltd and Renata Ltd. The existing four companies that were excluded from the index are Beximco Ltd, Khulna Power Company Ltd, Square Textiles Ltd and Southeast Bank Ltd as they failed to meet their criteria to stay in the index. l

Reshuffled two indices of the Dhaka Stock Exchange have been made effective yesterday.

In accordance with the DSE Bangladesh Index Methodology, designed by S&P Dow Jones Indices, DSEX and DS 30 have been reconstituted as part of its annual and semi-annual rebalancing, says a DSE press release yesterday.

The new 23 companies that were included to the DSEX are Fareast Finance, Eastern Cables, Renwick Jajneswar, National Tubes, Bengal Windsor Thermoplastics, Bangladesh Building Systems, AMCL (Pran), Rahim Textile, Ambee Pharma, The Ibn Sina, Libra Infusions, Global Heavy Chemicals, JMI Syringes & Medical Devices, Central Pharmaceuticals, Hakkani Pulp

News from trade server

n Tribune Report Share trading of Mozaffar Hossain Spinning Mills begins at the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges tomorrow.

The company raised Tk27.5 crore through initial public offering of 2.75 crore ordinary shares at an offer price of Tk10 each.

The company will use the raised fund to repay its term loan and meet the IPO expenses.

According to the audited financial accounts of the company ended on June 30 last year, the net asset value per share of the company is Tk19.56 and earnings per share Tk2.78. l

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Rupali Life Insur.-A Meghna PET Ind. -Z Meghna Con. Milk -B Alltex Industries -Z Miracle Industries -B Stylecraft -A Renwick Jajneswar-A Imam Button -Z BD Submarine Cable-A

Bangas -A

Traded Issues

295

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

183

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

111

Company

Turnover (Million Taka)

Rupali Life Insur.-A Alltex Industries -Z Miracle Industries -B Rahima Food -Z BD Submarine Cable-A Imam Button -Z Samata LeatheR -Z Aziz PipesZ BD Building Systems -A

Appollo Ispat CL -N

CSE GAINERS Company Prime Islami Life -A

Apex Tannery -A Meghna Life Ins. -A ISN Ltd. -A Nitol Insurance -A Padma Oil Co. -A Meghna Petroleum -A Bank Asia -A Phoenix Insur -A MJL BD Ltd.-A

Market Cap. Equity (Billion US$)

26.60

4565.40324

(+) 1.02%

1612.10082

(+) 1.21%

14137.9103

(+) 0.83%

11716.9265

(+) 1.06%

8970.1365

(+) 0.93%

-2.35

-2.94

-32.84 -9.38 -6.67 -5.53 -5.53 -5.31 -5.23 -4.87 -4.54

Average (% change) -31.64 -3.15 -6.01 -1.85 -4.73 -3.71 -5.23 -3.97 -3.38

-4.26

-3.22

ANALYST

Closing average

Closing

No. of Contract

9.69 6.90 4.70 7.97 6.44 4.82 3.64 4.15 5.86 3.31

Closing average

134.10 165.10 214.90 23.30 129.20 327.70 19.80 22.50 57.90 5.90

Closing

119.00 162.10 126.57 23.29 37.00 322.94 249.16 22.11 46.98 81.26

119.00 164.60 128.60 23.10 37.00 326.50 255.00 22.40 47.00 82.70

% of total turnover 4.74 3.57 3.13 2.84 2.64 2.37 2.33 2.03 1.95 1.92

Daily closing 253.40 327.70 38.10 29.00 73.80 178.10 220.50 161.80 77.00 540.40

Daily high

134.20 167.70 216.20 23.80 132.00 329.30 20.00 22.70 58.90 6.00

Daily high

Daily low

126.00 153.00 190.00 20.00 119.00 300.00 18.90 19.50 50.00 5.70

Daily low

119.00 167.00 130.00 23.80 37.00 329.50 257.00 22.70 47.00 83.00

119.00 156.00 122.00 22.20 37.00 315.00 241.00 21.80 46.90 78.60

Price change 5.28 6.81 -4.51 2.47 2.36 2.30 0.73 -5.32 -0.39 -1.31

Daily opening 240.70 306.80 39.90 28.30 72.10 174.10 218.90 170.90 77.30 547.60

78.20 64.90 72.60 74.30 96.70 268.20 16.90 36.20 206.00 213.20

Price change -4.26 -5.53 2.11 2.35 2.50 5.72 -2.38 6.25 0.59 -4.54

Daily opening 39.90 171.70 28.40 174.70 72.00 241.20 54.60 307.30 16.90 72.70

Turnover in million

10.388 67.400 45.021 10.462 35.975 253.087 2.073 7.944 23.230 2.545 Turnover in million

0.012 3.858 0.671 2.783 0.111 15.013 15.693 0.609 0.122 3.129

Latest EPS 2.30 6.28 2.38 -0.36 6.45 27.28 4.16 1.41 4.24 0.76 Latest EPS

4.95 6.28 6.45 -0.36 2.75 27.28 25.08 1.41 3.81 3.52

Latest PE 57.5

25.6 89.6 -ve 19.8 11.8 4.7 15.7

13.6

7.8

Latest PE

24.0 25.8 19.6 -ve 13.5 11.8 9.9 15.7 12.3 23.1

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ Daily high

23,004

Traded Issues

230

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis) Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis) Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis) Market Cap. Equity (Billion. Tk.) Market Cap. Equity (Billion US$)

131

Turnover in million

Daily low

95 3 2,101.04 25.47

Latest EPS

Latest PE

90.39 9.37 15.22 9.69 22.96 947.00 152.66 10.96 162.63

90.40 9.10 14.80 8.80 22.40 947.00 150.40 10.60 161.80

90.40 9.90 17.00 10.30 24.20 947.00 159.70 11.60 171.50

84.00 9.00 14.60 8.70 21.60 947.00 148.00 10.10 155.00

1.418 0.314 1.720 7.969 9.459 0.095 1.580 1.173 144.057

5.33 -0.52 -4.60 -1.56 0.12 20.50 4.92 -2.20 3.28

17.0 -ve -ve -ve 191.3 46.2 31.0 -ve 49.6

543.53

539.60

557.90

536.50

42.835

4.24

128.2

Closing average

Closing

Daily high

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Latest PE

90.80 9.22 22.66 74.64 164.15 10.65 27.20 21.52 70.62

90.80 8.70 22.40 71.80 162.20 10.70 27.20 21.50 69.40

90.80 9.90 23.70 77.90 170.00 10.80 27.20 21.60 73.20

90.80 10.00 22.20 70.80 161.90 10.40 27.20 21.50 69.00

1.998 0.954 1.626 0.672 26.756 0.043 0.014 0.027 13.116

5.33 -1.56 0.12 -0.64 3.28 -2.20 -0.08 0.59 3.28

17.0 -ve 188.8 -ve 50.0 -ve -ve 36.5 21.5

38.77

38.20

40.30

38.00

48.360

1.60

24.2

As some of the country’s economic data have been pointing to marginal improvements, it seems investors are focused more on the corporate earnings growth

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY 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

8.18 7.72 6.99 6.45 6.32 6.25 5.72 5.66 4.68 4.68

Average (% change)

132.20 160.48 213.28 23.23 127.56 322.85 19.37 22.16 57.71 5.92

Closing

17,000,075

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

Sector

Closing (% change)

8.48 5.27 8.32 8.25 4.94 4.89 4.36 5.02 4.83 5.34

Closing average

649.49

Turnover (Volume) 2,194.22

-32.74 -9.00 -7.50 -6.38 -6.28 -6.23 -5.59 -5.36 -5.32

Closing (% change)

9.92 8.19 8.10 7.37 6.87 6.81 6.45 5.63 5.46 5.36

Average (% change)

CSE key features January 19, 2014

1

Market Cap. Equity (Billion. Tk.)

Average (% change) -32.29 -6.49 -5.99 3.09 -5.12 -6.23 -4.77 -1.79 -5.19

CSE LOSERS

Progressive Life-A

Apex Tannery -A PragatiLife Insu. -A ISN Ltd. -A Meghna Life Ins. -A Padma Oil Co. -A ICB AMCL IslamicMF-A Bank Asia -A Power Grid Co. -A Prime Bank 1st MF-A

Closing (% change)

150,407

Daily capital market highlights

Closing (% change)

Company

155,963,098

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

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.

Company

DSE GAINERS

7,080.76

No. of Contract

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.

DSE LOSERS

Monday, January 20, 2014

DSE key features January 19, 2014

BSCCL: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Company has reported net profit after tax of Tk. 246.23 million with EPS of Tk. 1.64 as against Tk. 492.39 million and Tk. 3.28 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

Stock

DSE Million Taka 822.46 566.95 192.22 1065.75 202.23 1251.16 2.04 737.25 630.34 0.99 20.56 209.87 28.00 229.11 66.29 235.04 304.94 241.49 159.19 114.75 0.14

% change 11.62 8.01 2.71 15.05 2.86 17.67 0.03 10.41 8.90 0.01 0.29 2.96 0.40 3.24 0.94 3.32 4.31 3.41 2.25 1.62 0.00

Million Taka 92.49 55.98 12.08 123.37 23.14 81.40 64.27 49.08 0.37 1.47 6.91 3.44 20.52 11.90 6.79 22.18 37.65 17.64 19.60 0.00

CSE

% change 14.22 8.61 1.86 18.97 3.56 12.52 0.00 9.88 7.55 0.06 0.23 1.06 0.53 3.16 1.83 1.04 3.41 5.79 2.71 3.01 0.00

Million Taka 914.95 622.93 204.30 1189.12 225.37 1332.56 2.04 801.52 679.43 1.36 22.02 216.78 31.44 249.63 78.19 241.83 327.12 279.14 176.83 134.35 0.14

Total

% change 11.83 8.06 2.64 15.38 2.92 17.24 0.03 10.37 8.79 0.02 0.28 2.80 0.41 3.23 1.01 3.13 4.23 3.61 2.29 1.74 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

Meghna Petroleum -A Padma Oil Co. -A Appollo Ispat CL -N UCBL - A S Purbanchol Power-N Olympic Ind. -A Square Pharma -A BD Submarine Cable-A LankaBangla Fin. -A ApexAdelchi Ftr -A

Titas Gas TDCLA Golden Son -A BD Building Systems -A Bengal Windsor-N Active Fine Chem.-A Delta Life Insu. -A UNITED AIR-A Generation Next Fashions-A Grameenphone-A Jamuna Oil -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Appollo Ispat CL -N BD Submarine Cable-A UCBL - A Olympic Ind. -A S Purbanchol Power-N Meghna Petroleum -A Paramount Textile Ltd.-A Padma Oil Co. -A UNITED AIR-A BD Building Systems -A

Generation Next-A LankaBangla Fin. -A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Golden Son -A Grameenphone-A

Volume shares 1,340,108 783,906 5,720,800 6,917,976 2,528,170 936,108 748,787 885,775 1,775,454 248,000

1,621,518 1,947,276 1,742,425 1,680,976 1,214,071 435,220 5,916,717 2,750,080 468,200 419,603

Volume shares 1,247,400 163,000 822,771 110,882 251,740 62,986 284,380 46,489 841,626 185,725

346,160 156,958 346,673 184,650 52,200

Value in million 335.63 253.09 221.38 200.85 186.86 167.61 165.01 144.06 137.91 135.84

129.23 127.42 122.96 122.42 118.54 116.30 100.98 99.42 97.44 91.65

Value in million 48.36 26.76 23.94 19.90 18.63 15.69 15.28 15.01 14.33 13.12

12.55 12.18 12.13 12.08 10.89

1.83 1.80 1.74 1.73 1.67 1.64 1.43 1.40 1.38 1.29

% of total turnover 7.45 4.12 3.69 3.07 2.87 2.42 2.35 2.31 2.21 2.02

1.93 1.88 1.87 1.86 1.68

81.00 66.20 69.10 71.50 96.40 265.50 17.10 36.10 208.30 217.70

Daily closing 38.20 162.20 29.00 178.80 73.80 255.00 53.30 326.50 17.00 69.40

36.30 77.00 34.80 66.30 208.20

3.58 2.00 -4.82 -3.77 -0.31 -1.01 1.18 -0.28 1.12 2.11

0.00 -0.65 -1.14 1.84 1.17

36.30 77.50 35.20 65.10 205.80

Daily high 258.80 329.30 40.30 31.00 74.90 191.00 221.00 171.50 80.00 557.70

81.30 67.00 73.00 76.40 99.70 271.50 18.00 36.60 210.00 222.50

Daily low 230.00 300.00 38.00 25.50 67.00 165.00 202.00 155.00 69.60 537.00

73.00 60.00 66.00 68.00 90.00 265.00 15.30 33.00 206.00 201.00

Daily average 250.45 322.85 38.70 29.03 73.91 179.05 220.37 162.63 77.68 547.73

Daily high 40.30 170.00 29.60 181.90 75.00 257.00 56.00 329.50 17.20 73.20

Daily low 38.00 161.90 25.60 174.50 72.00 241.00 49.20 315.00 16.90 69.00

Daily average 38.77 164.15 29.10 179.51 74.01 249.16 53.72 322.94 17.03 70.62

36.60 78.50 35.50 67.90 210.90

36.00 76.80 34.60 64.00 207.00

79.70 65.43 70.57 72.83 97.64 267.23 17.07 36.15 208.11 218.42

36.25 77.62 34.99 65.42 208.65

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE launches Shariah index today to tap investment from Middle East countries n Tribune Report Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) launches a new index titled “Islamic Shariah Index” today to attract investment from Middle East countries.

“The index will hopefully draw investment from Middle East countries where vast amount of surplus fund remains idle,” DSE President Ahsanul Islam Titu told a press conference in Dhaka yesterday, launching the new index with a base point of 1,000.

“So far the market lags behind Islamic products. After introduction of this index, investors interested in companies being operated on the basis of Islamic Shariah will be attracted,” he said.

The DSE President, however, declined to disclose names of companies to be included in the index. The prime bourse also made a presentation on the new index before Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission on the day.

The Standard and Poor’s (S&P), a US -based financial services company, de-

veloped the new index.

At present, 77 listed companies from banks, non-bank financial institutions, insurance companies and mutual funds are in operations based on Islamic Shariah. These companies are likely to be included with the index, DSE executives said.

Among these companies, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, ICB Islamic Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank and Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited are the six banks that are being operated on the basis of Islamic Shariah.

Islamic Finance and Investment Limited are only one financial institution governed by Shariah. Fareast Islami Life Insurance, Islami Insurance Bangladesh Limited, Padma Islami Life Insurance, Prime Islami Life Insurance and Takaful Islami Life insurance are the five companies from insurance sector.

IBL Fareast Islamic Mutual Fund, ICB AMCL Islamic Mutual Fund and IFIL Islamic Mutual Fund are the three funds from the sector. l

Business

Monday, January 20, 2014

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DSEX continues to hit new high Turnover crosses Tk700-crore n Tribune Report Stocks rallied for 8th session in a row yesterday – the longest winning streak in the recent months. The buying euphoria mainly on financials has taken the benchmark DSEX and turnover to new heights.

The broader index rose 46 points or 1% to settle at 4,565, which was highest since January 27, 2013 when the index was introduced with a base point of 4,000. The blue chip comprising index DS30 was up by 19 points or 1% to 1,612.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, closed at 8,970 with a rise of over 82 points.

Bulls continued to run over the market as turnover remained buoyant with the DSE turnover standing at Tk708 crore, which is highest since December 22 last and 10% higher over the previous session.

“As some of the country’s economic data have been pointing to marginal improvements, it seems investors are focused more on the corporate earnings growth,” said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

It said rising from strenuous political confrontation, economic activities are presumed to revive on the backdrop of liquidity in the financial market.

All the major sectors performed

well especially the power sector that posted more than 3% gain, followed by banks and non-banking financial institutions that rose more than 1.7% and 1% respectively. Engineering, IT and textiles fell on price correction.

IDLC Investment said participants invested heavily in financial stocks with an expectation of a flexible monetary stance from the central bank, in or-

der to stimulate the wounded economy.

On the other hand, in spite of series of government stimulus, investors remained skeptic over textile’s ability to report healthy profit figures, it said.

The market breadth remained positive as out of 294 issues traded, 167 closed higher, 112 lower and 15 remained unchanged.

Power sector dominated trading on

the day as it made up almost 18% of the total turnover.

Meghna Petroleum, a state-owned oil distribution company, was the most traded stock, followed by Padma Oil, Appollo Ispat, United Commercial Bank, Summit Purbanchol Power, Square Pharmaceuticals, Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd and Lanka Bangla Finance. l

Hybrid cars fail to ease Pakistan’s gas woes n AFP, Islamabad

Pakistan last year announced measures to boost the hybrid car market, hoping they might help wean the country off its costly addiction to imported fuels, but seven months on the plan looks to have stalled.

Hybrid vehicles, which use a combination of an electric motor and regular fuel combustion, are touted in many countries as the environmentally friendly future of motoring.

But in Pakistan, the government hoped they might also address a more immediate concern -- crushing winter gas shortages.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) is widely used as fuel by Pakistani motorists as a cheaper alternative to petrol, but demand far outstrips supply in winter.

The result is gas shortages that mean people cannot cook or heat their homes and which damage the economy by halting industrial work.

Last June, a month after winning the general election, the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said it would slash import duties on hybrids.

“Use of imported POL (petroleum, oils and lubricants) products as a major source of energy has not only led to high import bill(s), but has also created a negative environmental impact,” Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said in his budget speech in June.

“Therefore, use of alternate energy efficient Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) needs to be encouraged.”

Hybrids up to 1200 cc were to be

exempted from all duties and taxes, while models up to 1800 cc would get 50% relief and up to 2500 cc, 25%.

But there has been little impact on sales, dealers say, and the queues at the CNG filling stations - on the rare days the authorities allow them to open - stretch for hundreds of metres.

Umar Bilal Sindhu, owner of Pak Japan Motors and leading Islamabad-based car importer and dealer, told AFP the customs duty change had had a “negligible impact”.

Running costs For Mujtaba Abbas, the government incentives made little difference, as he bought a Toyota Prius second hand, but with fuel prices moving ever higher, he has been delighted with the car’s

lower running costs.

“When it comes to fuel-saving, the Prius is great as it runs up to 24 kilometres (15 miles) on one litre of petrol, while I was getting up to 11 kilometres from a 1.3 litre hatchback,” the 24-yearold environmental engineer told AFP. But this efficiency comes at a cost, and observers such as Baber Kaleem Khan, editor of Pakistan’s largest auto-enthusiast website PakWheels.com, say forecourt prices are deterring potential buyers.

A new Toyota Prius, imported through the company’s Pakistan arm Indus Motors, costs around 4.5m rupees ($45,000), while Honda’s CR-Z goes for $35,000.

“The same cars can be bought for

2-3m rupees from the used imported car dealers,” he told AFP. “Hybrid cars in Pakistan were launched in a bid to win the fight against the energy crisis, more specifically to make people stop using CNG. Small, economical, and cheap cars were the right way ahead.”

For buyers who can afford it, $30,000-40,000 will buy a second-hand prestige marque such as Mercedes or BMW. At the Honda showroom in Islamabad, 41-year-old businessman Irum Shehzad was impressed with the CR-Z hybrid 1.5 litre model, but balked at the price tag.

“It’s a beautiful car, loaded with options, but it is a bit over-priced,” he told AFP after looking around the car.

“I see a bright future for hybrid cars, but the prices should be reasonable because the more hybrid cars we have, the less we will have to spend on fuel imports.”

There is scepticism among dealers about hybrid potential in Pakistan, where easy, cheap maintenance is important to motorists.

H.M.Shahzad, chairman of the All-Pakistan Motor Dealers Association, says hybrid cars are too complex for local mechanics to repair and the government should focus instead on small petrol cars to cut the CNG demand.

“Hybrid technology is the most expensive automobile technology and if something goes wrong there is nobody in Pakistan who can repair it,” Shahzad told AFP. l

Gold poised to snap threeweek rally n Reuters Gold was holding steady on Friday but was headed for its first weekly drop in four weeks as a string of US data showed more strength in the recovery of the world’s largest economy, dimming the metal’s safe-haven appeal.

Markets fear that an economic recovery could prompt the US Federal Reserve to continue or increase the pace of tapering its bullion-friendly monetary stimulus.

Spot gold was flat at $1,242.86 an ounce by 0349 GMT, and was heading for a 0.3% drop for the week.l

From left to right Secretary General of BUGMUN Ratul Dev, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Yun-young, Founder and Chairperson of BRAC and BRAC University Board of Trustees Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, BRAC University Vice Chancellor Dr. Ainun Nishat spoke at the inaugural ceremony of BRAC University Global Model United Nations (BUGMUN) at Dhaka recently

Bank Asia hands over higher studies scholarship Bank Asia Limited (BAL) as a part of its CSR has provided higher studies scholarship to 28 meritorious students of Nababgonj Upazila in Dhaka district recently. BAL Chairman A Rouf Chowdhury handed over the scholarship money to the students at a function held at Sirajdikhan Upazila auditorium. Vice Chairman Mohammed Lakiotullah, Board Audit Committee Chairman Rumee A Hossain, Directors M Irfan Syeed

and Shah Md Nurul Alam, President and Managing Director Md Mehmood Husain, Deputy Managing Directors Aminul Islam and Md Arfan Ali, Sirajdikhan Upazila Chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed and Upazila Executive Officer Md Abul Kashem were, among others, present. A large number of people including students, teachers, journalists, businessmen and local elite attended the function. l

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited Acting Chairman Eng Mustafa Anwar addressing as the chief guest in the two day-long Annual Business Development Conference at a local hotel recently presided over by Managing Director Mohammad Abdul Mannan. Among others Humayn Bokhteyar, Md Abul Hossain, Directors Muhammad Abul Bashar, Md Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, A K M Abdul Malek Chowdhury, Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, Rafi Ahmed Begh, Nurul Islam Khalifa, Deputy Managing Directors, Head Office Executives, Zonal Heads and Managers of 286 branches were present

Merchandise sits at the Amazon Phoenix Fulfillment Center in Goodyear, Arizona REUTERS

World economy on recovery road, but weak inflation threatens: Reuters poll n Reuters A much better year lies in store for most of the world’s major developed economies, although weak inflation will persist, complicating central banks’ ability to get interest rates back to normal, Reuters polls forecast on Thursday.

As in the last few years, the United States looks set to the lead the way, with growth also quickening in Britain and Germany.

However, Japan looks set to disappoint and the euro zone will probably lag again compared with its Western peers. Emerging markets again look a mixed bag.

Perhaps the main difference this year is that forecasts from the 300 or so economists polled across the world over the last week at least suggest little prospect of a return to recession in the euro zone, the world’s largest trading bloc.

Overall, the poll showed the world economy will grow 3.6% this year compared with 2.9% in 2013.

That would snap a three-year stretch of slowing global growth since the world economy first rebounded from the severe recession of 2009.

The last few months have been marked by steeply falling inflation in many of the top developed economies, with consumer prices rises in some cases far below stability targets set by their central banks.

Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, on Wednesday warned of the risk of deflation - a damaging and sustained spiral of falling prices - even as she was optimistic about improving economic growth.

Although the poll suggested deflation itself looks unlikely, weak inflation will remain widespread.

Consumer prices are expected to rise tepidly in most of the countries polled - even in the euro zone, where inflation slowed to 0.8% in December.

“We’re not forecasting a descent into outright deflation. Instead, we’re highlighting the risk that inflation remains too low or, worse, that it continues to sink over the next two years,” said Stephen King, group chief economist at HSBC, in its global outlook for the year.

Mixed fortunes

Thursday’s Reuters polls suggested mixed fortunes ahead for emerging

markets.

Mexico’s ambitious reform agenda will start to pay off after a very disappointing 2013, but the recovery will not likely be as strong as previously hoped as Latin America braces for a bumpy year for local markets.

Turkey too is on course for a difficult year ahead, although growth prospects in South Africa look better in 2014.

The consensus for the world’s largest economy, the United States, was upgraded slightly compared with a poll last month. It is expected to grow 2.9%, up from 2.6% in the December poll and versus an estimated 1.9% in 2013.

“It seems we are putting the Great Recession further and further behind us,” said Russell Price, senior economist at Ameriprise Financial Services.

“Consumers have reduced debt, corporate balance sheets are in better shape.

There are lots of positives that are going to help rather than hinder growth.”

In Japan, the world’s No.3 economy, inflation will stay well below target, with the poll suggesting companies there are cautious about passing on their higher profits to employees - seen as vital for the country’s economic revitalization.

Indeed, Japan’s economic growth is expected to slow to just 0.7% for the 2014-15 fiscal year, compared with 2.5% for the previous period.

The euro zone, by comparison, looks a long way from getting to that point.

While this year promises some modest economic growth - around 1.0% compared with a 0.4% contraction this year - the low level of inflation remains worrisome.

“Core prices pressures will remain low over the medium term,” said Herve Amourda, economist at Societe Generale.

“In addition, risks are broadly tilted to the downside over the medium term, as we have identified a strong (euro), falling commodity prices or even stronger deceleration in unit labour costs to be the major threats to our scenario.”

Britain looks on course to lead the way in terms of economic growth among Europe’s heavyweight economies, where unemployment looks set to fall at a faster pace than the Bank of England’s expectations that underpin its monetary policy stance. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Monday, January 20, 2014

Europe's utilities squeezed by creeping nationalisation n Reuters Vattenfall unplugged! With flyers, posters and an animated film of a bear disconnecting the Swedish utility that operates the Berlin electricity grid, campaigners tried to convince voters to put power distribution back in public hands.

The November referendum in Berlin failed, but in September, citizens of Hamburg, Germany's second-biggest city, voted to return their power grid, also run by Vattenfall, to public ownership.

The votes were organized by citizens' groups who want municipalities to buy back electricity distribution networks from private utilities, because they say local authorities can provide a cheaper and better service.

The German movement is part of a Europe-wide reversal of the trends towards liberalisation and privatisation that have driven energy policy in the past decade.

'It is not renationalisation but remunicipalisation that we are after. Energy issues should be dealt with on a local level'

While ostensibly backing free energy markets, many European governments squeeze utilities by intervening in power generation while also capping energy prices. This creeping renationalisation cuts utilities' profits by billions of euros.

The idea behind the EU-driven energy liberalization was to force the old monopolies to compete so that prices could fall and services improve.

Countries privatized utilities and split them into private power producers and independent, but government-regulated network operators.

Energy retailing was also freed up for vendors to compete for household accounts.

But as Europe created a free market for power generation, it also brought back regulation by encouraging wind and solar power generation with generous state subsidies.

As renewable energies boomed, their priority access to the grid and cost-free operation crowded out the utilities' traditional plants, to the point that gas-fired generation has become virtually uneconomical in Europe.

With their investment choices for producing power limited by government policies, utilities also saw their retail prices regulated. Spain and France limit energy prices for consumers, while Germany provides big discounts for industry.

But keeping prices low for consumers and industry, while also favoring green power generation and maintaining security of supply is just not possible.

'Renationalising our revenues'

Critics say that these mutually exclusive targets have made much of Europe's energy regulation so inconsistent that private firms can no longer operate profitably. Investment in non-subsidized generation has virtually dried up.

"At some point the regulatory risk gets so bad that it might be better to give the political risk back to the policy makers by renationalising the sector," said Georg Zachmann of Brussels think tank Bruegel.

A country close to this point is Spain, where generous subsidies to the renewables sector and caps on energy prices have led to the build-up of a 30 billion euro power tariff deficit - the difference between the cost of energy and what utilities are allowed to charge for it.

Last month, the Spanish government scrapped plans to reduce the deficit by sharing it between utilities, consumers and the state, and pushed the debt back onto the balance sheets of utilities such as Iberdrola, Endesa and Gas Natural, which will have to hold it for 15 years.

For the Spanish utilities, this boils down to a creeping nationalization of their profits.

"They are renationalising our revenues, but not our assets. That is worse," Iberdrola CEO Ignacio Galan said.

Spanish Industry Minister Jose Manuel Soria told Reuters in November he does not think utilities should be renationalized and more competition is better for consumers.

But Spain might serve as an example of where other countries are heading, as more and more EU governments dictate investment choices through subsidies and regulate tariffs.

Britain - the cradle of European energy liberalization - seems like an unlikely candidate to lead the way: its Electricity Market Reform, to come into force this year, will introduce the "Contracts for Difference" scheme, which offers price guarantees for low-carbon energies.

The British package will also dictate which power plants receive public money to provide backup power generation.

In October, Britain agreed to give unprecedented loan guarantees and a 35-year power price guarantee in a deal with France's EDF to build a nuclear plant at Hinkley Point.

This will reverse more than a decade of non-intervention in power generation and turn Britain's low-carbon energy production - essentially offshore wind and nuclear - into a government-regulated activity.

Britain's opposition leader Ed Miliband promised more regulation in September by saying he would freeze retail energy prices for 20 months if he were elected in 2015.

"The UK led the way in liberalization and I think it is leading the way - for better or worse - in changing its market framework towards having a

A general view shows the Boehlen-Lippendorf power station of German power supplier Vattenfall much greater role for the state," said Compass Lexecon energy consultant Fabien Roques.

'Expropriation'

The most radical renationalisation drive in Europe is in Hungary, where the government wants to turn utilities into non-profit organizations.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to nationalize six or seven utilities and if he is re-elected this spring he plans to make them "community-owned" within a year or two.

Most of Hungary's energy sector is foreign-owned, mainly by German, French and Italian firms including E.ON, RWE, EDF, GDF Suez and Eni. Late last year, state-owned energy group MVM bought E.ON's gas trade and storage businesses and it is also in talks with RWE about buying its stake in Budapest gas utility Fogaz Zrt. Hungary does not confiscate the foreign-owned firms, but pays for the assets, albeit at prices depressed by a

tough regulatory regime and state-imposed energy price caps.

RWE East chairman Martin Herrmann says Hungary's moves are unacceptable and has spoken of "expropriation".

'Planned economy'

Germany's movement to put local power networks in municipal ownership is relatively benign, as it allows utilities to sell their assets at market prices and redeploy capital elsewhere.

"It is not renationalisation but remunicipalisation that we are after.

Energy issues should be dealt with on a local level," said Stefan Taschner, head of Burger Begehren Klimaschutz which drove the Berlin campaign.

Taschner thinks all power distribution networks should be in municipal hands, although he does not object to "a good mix" of public and private ownership for power generation assets.

After losing the Berlin referendum, the group is now helping citizens'

groups in cities such as Essen and Karlsruhe wrest distribution networks from private ownership.

"I have been in the industry 25 years and I have seen cities go three times private and three times public so I would not over interpret the moment," E.ON CEO Johannes Teyssen told Reuters, adding that public owners would face the same cost pressures as private utilities.

Teyssen is part of the dozen-strong Magritte group of utilities CEOs, which represent half of Europe's electricity generating capacity. They say European energy policy is a failure, as retail power prices are higher than ever, security of supply has weakened and investment has stalled.

The group wants an end to subsidies for "mature" renewable energies such as onshore wind and solar.

Two of its proposals - strengthening the European carbon market and the establishment of EU guidelines for capacity remuneration mechanisms - ac-

REUTERS

tually offer more regulation and would increase the role of the state in energy policy.

Capacity mechanisms - under which utilities are paid, and sometimes forced, to keep idle plants on standby - are the most recent development in EU utilities regulation.

In Germany, where utilities are already told by government in which assets to invest (renewables) and which not (nuclear), they are now also told where not to divest.

Utilities must get approval from the regulator to close plants and can be forced to maintain unprofitable operations to minimize blackout risk.

Dirk Uwer, partner at German law firm Hengeler Mueller, said utilities can no longer take plants off grid for economic reasons, since grid operators and regulators can order them to stay online in exchange for compensation payments.

"We have arrived at a planned economy," he said. l

India, Pakistan for greater trade through Wagah border n Reuters India and Pakistan agreed on Saturday to allow round-the-clock movement of trucks and containers through their main border crossing, signalling a thaw in relations after a year's standoff over

military tensions on the border.

Trade ministers of the two countries meeting in New Delhi also approved a liberalised visa policy for businessmen to help expand two-way trade, which was barely $2.5bn in 2012/13 fiscal year against a potential $10bn.

Both sides hope closer integration of Pakistan with India's giant economy would help lay the ground for a lowering of political tensions between them.

"We have agreed that we will open Wagah-Attari border 24/7 for trade," Anand Sharma, India's trade minister

told reporters, referring to the main border crossing in Punjab.

The border gates at the moment are open only from dawn to dusk.

Pakistan also agreed to provide non-discriminatory market access to Indian companies. Over the last year there was little movement on trade because of a series of incidents over military control of the line dividing Kashmir between the two countries.

We have agreed that we will open Wagah-Attari border 24/7 for trade

A paramilitary soldier stands guard as a truck carrying wheat crosses into Pakistan from India, at the Wagah border

REUTERS

Two years ago, the two countries set a goal of taking bilateral trade to $6 billion by 2014, which now seems difficult to attain.

Pakistan's Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said the country's central bank had proposed its Indian counterpart grant banking licences to three Pakistani banks, a move which would be reciprocated by his side.

"In the banking sector we are hoping to have some progress, very rapid progress," he said.

Both Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif who took power last year are keen to rebuild ties.

Pakistan's economy grew at 3.6% in 2012/13 and the government was forced to borrow $6.7bn from the International Monetary Fund to avert a default of payments.

Sharma said he will lead a business delegation to Pakistan next month. l

China pledges progress on currency reforms in Shanghai FTZ n AFP, Shanghai

Shanghai's mayor on Sunday pledged to make major progress this year on key financial reforms in the city's new free-trade zone (FTZ) including full convertibility of China's currency.

China set up the FTZ in the commercial hub in September last year, promising to make the zone a showcase for financial reforms, which have slowed over the last decade.

"We will make all-out efforts to build the FTZ," mayor Yang Xiong told lawmakers at the annual meeting of the city's legislature.

"To intensify opening up and innovation in the financial sector... we will seek substantive progress with pilot reforms," he said in a speech.

He said these reforms included convertibility of the yuan currency under the capital account, cross-border set-

tlement of the yuan and interest rate liberalisation.

China keeps a tight grip on its capital account – investment and financial transactions, rather than those related to trade – on worries that unpredictable inflows or outflows could harm the economy and reduce its control over it.

Convertibility of the yuan -- allowing the currency to be freely bought and sold, and with it the movement of funds into and out of China -- is the main obstacle preventing Shanghai from competing with global financial centres such as New York and London.

China currently sets deposit rates by administrative order, but the central bank began allowing banks to decide their own lending rates last year, in a long-awaited move.

Yang said the government would also revise a "negative list" of what is barred in the FTZ in a timely way. l