28 January 2014

Magh 15, 1420 Rabiul Awal 26, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 304

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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13 | SRI LANKA DOMINATES FIRST DAY

NO CHILD’S PLAY

Baby-food cos flout law to market products n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Several baby-food product companies have allegedly been flouting existing laws to carry out aggressive marketing campaigns targeting the parents of children during the ongoing measles-rubella vaccination campaign.

Many companies have reportedly recruited a large number of marketing representatives to promote milk products during the vaccination campaign, as the vaccination period has offered the companies the chance to reach thousands of parents at a go.

Nilufar Begum, a mother of two, went to an urban health centre adjacent to Azimpur new graveyard on Sunday to have her children vaccinated against measles, rubella and polio diseases.

After waiting in a queue for over half an hour, Nilufar and her children

New act calls for complete restriction on advertising milk substitutes and baby food, but yet to be enacted reached the top of the line when they were approached by a representative from a milk company.

Nilufar said the representative, a “smart young lady,” asked her which powder milk she preferred for her children, and offered her a free chart of the company’s products. The representative said the chart would help Nilufar to select the best milk product for her children and provide proper feeding instructions to make the children stronger, intelligent and healthy.

Nilufar said she had heard about aggressive marketing promotions by baby-food product companies, before becoming targeted herself.

The promotional campaigns were carried out openly and unobstructed in

INSIDE News

4 Two children died yesterday allegedly after being administered with a dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine

Nation

6 Rice farmers in Lalmonirhat have expressed discontent with the spiralling fertiliser demand and ensuing price increase, blaming it on the tobacco growers use of fertilisers on their farmland.

front of the doctors and staffs, with the on-duty doctor claiming that they were busy vaccinating hundreds of children and did not notice the marketers.

The promotional activities by several companies have allegedly been in violation of the Breast-Milk Substitutes, Baby Foods, Commercially Manufactured Supplementary Baby Foods and Its Equipment (Regulation of Marketing) Act 2013, which aims to protect children up to five years of age.

The act – which is yet to be fully enforced – calls for a complete restriction on the advertisement of breast milk substitutes, baby foods, children’s food supplements and its equipment. A maximum of three years of jail, or Tk5 lakh, or both, have been recommended as penalty for the violation of the ban.

Seeking anonymity, senior officials of the health ministry told the Dhaka Tribune that they were now preparing the necessary regulations to ensure the proper implementation of the law, the gazette for which was published on September 22, 2013.

Dr SK Roy, chairperson of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation, said such type of campaigns were in clear violation of the act. Any company found guilty of such campaigns would be punished for criminal offence or be fined, he added.

Prof Dr Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of Communicable Disease Control, told the Dhaka Tribune he did not receive any report regarding such promotional activity, but admitted that such campaigns were not uncommon.

Authorities had previously found health sector employees to be also involved with similar illegal activities by the companies, he said.

The health ministry’s largest ever measles-rubella vaccination campaign, which hopes to vaccinate more than five crore children between the ages of nine months and 15 years, began on January 25 and will continue until February 13. l

Workers make a wedding party pavilion on the road divider, though it is illegal to use public area for private purpose. The photo was taken in Gulshan yesterday

Gaibandha ‘attackers’ turn ‘victims,’ get aid from prime minister n Our Correspondent, Gaibandha At least 11 activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP including two fake affected persons of Gaibandha sadar upazila reportedly received financial assistance of TK2.20 lakh from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday.

The incident came into light after a local Awami League leader sent a letter to the premier, through the deputy commissioner, informing her about the “inclusion of attackers on the list of victims” of Jamaat-BNP attacks centring January 5 election.

M Khairul Islam, president of AL’s ward three unit of Lakshmipur union,

in the letter sent on Sunday pleaded for cancelling the cheques of Tk20,000 given to each of them.

Hasina at a function at the Circuit House on Saturday afternoon distributed cheques ranging from Tk20,00010,000,00 among 72 family members of those killed or injured in the attacks on January 5.

Of them, family members of the 11 Jamaat-BNP activists – of who two were fake victims – received TK 20,000 each.

The 11 alleged BNP-Jamaat men are Razu Miah, Feresha, Mozammel Haque and Maidul of Jamaat; Abdul Jalil, Reazul, Chand Miah, Abdul Jalil and Mahabub of the BNP; and Abdur Rashid

Master and Wahed Master – who were not affected at all.

Khairul, who filed a case against the local Jamaat-BNP men for the attacks, claimed that the criminals had beaten up the Awami League men and also torched their business establishments in Khamar Gobindapur area of the union.

Khairul said he and a number of Awami League activists had been injured seriously and were admitted to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital for treatment.

But to cover up the misdeeds and save the accused from legal action,  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Activists: Broadcast Commission needs to be non-partisan n Muktasree Chakma Sathi The government needs to ensure the proposed Broadcast Commission will work independently and impartially rather than being an instrument to suppress the freedom of expression, prominent rights activists and media personalities said.

They raised concerns saying in the present political context, institutions formed by the government have rarely been seen to function independently and in a pro-people manner.

According to the article 6.1.5 of the draft National Broadcast Policy, the chairman and other members of the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Drug rackets rising despite measures Satkhira JCD leader n killed in ‘gunfight’ Mohammad Jamil Khan

It was around 9:30pm on last Wednesday; the spot was just a few meters away from Amar Ekushey Hall of Dhaka University. Some elderly men, aged between 30 and 35, were sitting on sacks close to a dustbin on the street and found taking injections on their bodies themselves. Most of them were woozy, and indifferent about the bad odour spreading from the garbage.

This is not a unique picture of drug abuse but a common one across the country. Because of lax monitoring and ineffective raids against drug cartels, the number of abusers is on the rise mainly in the capital.

Out of around 17 drugs, the most available products are cannabis, Yaba, brown sugar (heroin), Phensidyle and pethidine injections – found in around 400 spots of the capital.

Illegal drug business has never been stopped but the extent of sales drops

during March to July because of stringent steps by the authorities. The demand and also the supply of drugs rise especially during festivals like Eid and New Year.

Now anyone can easily register the odour of cannabis while travel-

Authorities conduct raids only for eyewash; no top leader of drug syndicate ever arrested ling or crossing Suhrawardy Udyan, Chankharpool, Bangshal, Tejgaon and Karwanbazar rail tracks just after sunset. The odour becomes strong during midnight and it continues until sunrise.

Almost all the drugs are easily availability at these places.

The Dhaka Tribune reporter entered the Suhrawardy Udyan on a motor cycle recently. Near the Kali Temple, a

12-year boy came to him with a little bag on his hand and asked whether the reporter wanted some cannabis. At that time, a youth passing the spot noticed the boy and gave him Tk100. As soon as `the boy gave him three packets, the youth left the scene.

Asked about the product, the boy said it was cannabis. He suddenly ran away towards another crowd near the temple saying that he would be available in the area.

Such drugs including cannabis are being sold openly under the nose of the law enforcers, but no big shot has ever been arrested. Only the small traders are caught sometimes and later they manage to walk free on bail.

The Narcotics Control Department updates the list of drug dealers and salespersons in the beginning of a new year but the names remain in the notes only, as no effective action against them is taken.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Tribune Report The vice-president of Tala upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in Satkhira district was killed and three policemen sustained injuries in a ‘gunfight’ with the joint forces yesterday.

The incident took place in Magura Khowaghat area of the upazila around 4am. Joint forces men have recovered one pipe gun, two rounds of bullets and five handmade bombs from the spot, police claimed.

The deceased was Azharul Islam, 28, son of late Shiraj Uddin Sarder of Ghona village. The injured police men were Sub-Inspector Shakhawat and constables Tajbur and Shahabuddin.

Officer-in-Charge of Tala police station Matiar Rahman said Azharul Islam was detained from a shrimp

enclosure in Ghona village on Sunday morning.

Later, a joint forces team took him to Magura Khowaghat area to recover arms where a group of miscreants opened fire and hurled bombs on them to snatch him away.

P3 BNP: FEARS COME TRUE The law enforcers opened fire to save their lives, police said.

OC Rahman said the gunfight continued for 20 minutes and at one stage three policemen and Azharul received bullet wounds. The injured were taken to Satkhira Sadar Hospital, while the duty doctors declared Azharul as dead.

Duty doctor of the hospital Porimal  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

ALPP meets today to elect speaker n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The newly elected MPs of Awami League meet this evening at the parliament, mainly to approve the selection of the next speaker and deputy speaker who will be elected on the inaugural session tomorrow.

Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister and leader of the house, is expected to give directives to the party MPs about their role in parliament formed through a poll boycotted by the main opposition BNP and Jamaat.

The parliamentary party meeting will start at 6pm at the ninth floor of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, the newly elected Chief Whip ASM Feroz told reporters.

Tomorrow the House will start its business at 6pm. According to parliamentary rule, the House will first elect a new speaker and a deputy speaker.

The current speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, who has been contesting in the Rangpur 6 by-poll, is a leading contender for reelection if the Election Commission declares her winner.

Shirin Sharmin is the only candidate in the by-poll and the Election Commission will scrutinise her application today.

“We have eight to 10 competent persons for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker. We will discuss the speak-

No bar to deliver verdict in 10-truck arms haul case n Tribune Report The High Court has scrapped petitions seeking change of the trial court and re-interrogation of the investigation officer in the sensational 10-truck arms haul case.

The bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed scrapped the petitions yesterday clearing the path of delivering verdict in the case on January 30.

Former National Security Intelligence (NSI) officials Brig Gen (retd) Abdur Rahim, Maj (retd) Liakat Hossain, and Akbar Hossain – all accused in the cases – filed the petitions on January 12. l

ASK protests extrajudicial killings n Tribune Report Extrajudicial killings cannot be acceptable under any context, observed country’s leading human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK).

In a press release issued by Executive Director Sultana Kamal, ASK said 15 people had been killed in gunfights with law enforcement agencies between January 1 and January 26.

The rights body urged the government to bring the accused to book and award sentence to the convicts.

It also said perpetrators and those involved in killing, looting, arson attacks and particularly communal attacks must be punished through speedy tribunals. l

er’s post if opportunity comes [at the parliamentary party meeting],” ASM Feroz, the newly elected chief whip, told reporters at a briefing.

“We will accept unanimously if Sheikh Hasina proposes any name,” he said.

He said the Jatiya Party would get five frontline seats in the opposition bench.

The parliament secretariat has already taken all preparations for holding the inaugural session. They finalised the day’s business of the House on January 29.

After the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker, the House will go for a recess of around 20 minutes. The president will administer oath to the newly elected speaker and the deputy speaker.

The new speaker will preside over the meeting as the House resumes. The House will go for another recess of 20 minutes after the adoption of a condolence motion on Awami League MP Shawkat Momem Shahjahan, who died on January 20.

President Abdul Hamid, according to the constitution, will address the MPs highlighting the performance of the government. The House will then be adjourned for a few days.

The newly elected MPs would then discuss on the president’s speech and finally thank the head of state for the speech. l

A worker cleans up the statue of seven Bir Sreshtha on Bangla Academy premises yesterday ahead of Amar Ekushey book fair

HC: Why Biranganas not given state recognition n Tribune Report The High Court yesterday issued a rule asking the government to explain why the female victims of torture and abuse during the Liberation War of 1971, commonly called Biranganas, would not be recognised by the state for their role during the war.

The High Court issued two rules seeking explanation on why a gazette

notification would not be published by March 26 and why the state’s failure in providing privileges to the victims for the last 42 years should not be declared illegal.

The High Court bench comprising of Justice Salma Masud Chowdhury and Justice Md Habibul Gani issued the rule after the preliminary hearing of a petition. Salma Ali, the chairman of Bangladesh National Female Lawyers’ As-

sociation and Saleha Ishaq Girl’s High School Ex-Students Forum president Mitali Hossain filed the petition in the High Court last week.

The court asked secretaries of law, finance and Liberation War affairs ministries, parliament secretariat and the chairman of the Law Commission to come up with their explanation within four weeks.

During the 1971 Liberation War, hun-

dreds of thousands of women faced torture and abuse in the hands of the Pakistani occupational army and their collaborators such as the Razakar and peace committee members. The number of such victims is estimated variously from 200,000 to 400,000.

Faozia Karim Firoz was the petitioner’s lawyer while Deputy Attorney General Md Mokhlesur Rahman argued on behalf of the state. l

Cabinet approves ratification Two Rana Plaza factory of 2 maritime conventions owners get bail n Mohosinul Karim

The cabinet has given the nod to the ratification of two proposals of the International Labour Organisation, aimed at improving facilities for Bangladeshi marine officials and seamen.

Ratification of the “Maritime Labour Convention 2006,” and the “Seafarers Identity Document Convention (revised) 2003,” were approved at yesterday's meeting.

Under the ILO proposals, around 12,000 marine officials and seamen will get biometric identity cards. These will facilitate their travel between countries. They will also benefit from better working conditions.

After the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters that the government was set to sign the proposals. “The seafarers of Bangladesh have been facing discrimination when entering some countries, changing ships and returning home. Some foreign companies are re-

luctant to appoint Bangladeshi workers.

They [seamen] would get relief from the discrimination if the government signs the conventions,” Bhuiyan said adding that the country had around 68 sea-going ships at present.

A total of 12,000 Bangladeshi marine officials and seafarers are working for local and foreign companies, earning foreign currencies around TK500 crore annually, he added.

If Bangladesh signs the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, the seamen will enjoy better working conditions, workhours, medical facilities, entertainment, housing and social security benefits.

Some 56 ILO member countries, including Bangladesh, have already ratified the proposal that came into effect last year.

Under the Seafarers Identity Document Convention, Bangladeshi seafarers will be issued machine–readable biometric identity cards that include personal information, biometric details, fingerprints, barcodes and photo. l

n Tribune Report The High Court yesterday granted six months interim bail to the chairman and the managing director of New Wave Bottom Limited, one of the garments company that was housed at the Rana Plaza at Savar.

The High Court bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed granted the bail after hearing of two separate pleas in connection with the two cases filed on the Rana Plaza collapse.

The owners who secured bail are New Wave Bottom Limited Chairman Bazlus Samad and Managing Director Mahmudur Rahman.

Deputy Attorney General Khandker Diliruzzaman argued on behalf of the state while lawyer Yusuf Hossain Humayun and SM Rezaul Karim represented the accused.

Khandker Diliruzzaman said they would appeal to the chamber judge of

the Appellate Division soon, seeking a stay order on the judgement.

Defence lawyer Rezaul Karim said the main accused of the case Abdul Khalek (also the father of building owner Sohel Rana) had secured bail in both the cases. Since the charges in both the cases were bailable offenses and the bails had already been posted, there would be no bar on getting them out of prison.

The nine-storey Rana Plaza collapsed on April 24 last year, claiming at least 1,135 lives and injuring nearly 2,500 people, most of them garment factory workers.

On charge of violating the Building Construction Code, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha on the day filed a case against the building owner Sohel Rana with Savar police station.

The Savar police also filed another case on the following day against six people on charge of causing deaths due to negligence. l

NASHIRUL ISLAM

KISHOREGANJ BANK HEIST

12 employees quizzed, probe committee formed n Tribune Report

Police questioned 17 people including 12 officials of the Sonali Bank branch in Kishoreganj in the Sadar police station yesterday in connection with a Tk16.4 crore looting incident.

Police held the 12 bank officials including branch Manager Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan and five others earlier in the day, according to our correspondent in the district.

Deputy General Manager Sheikh Amanuallah filed a case against some unidentified people in this connection with Sadar police station yesterday afternoon, Officer-in-Charge Abdul Malek said.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Bangladesh Bank and Sonali Bank formed separate investigation committees to look into the incident. Unknown miscreants looted Tk16.4 crore from a vault of a Sonali Bank branch in Kishoreganj in the early hours of Sunday.

Kishoreganj Police Super Anwar Hossain Khan said, “Details regarding the investigation committees cannot be disclosed now.”

Eight policemen were suspended following the incident. These policemen were deployed in the barrack located in the basement of the branch to maintain the security of the vault.

The burglary came to light on Sunday afternoon when bank employees went to the vault room for money.

Police and other law enforcement agencies have kept the bank cordoned off since the incident. l

Satkhira JCD leader killed in ‘gunfight’

Gaibandha ‘attackers’ turn ‘victims,’ get aid

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Biswas told the Dhaka Tribune that Azharul had been dead when he was brought there.

Assistant Police Superintendent Kazi Monirruzzaman said, “Azharul is accused in two cases under Tala police station including murder of Islamkati Union Parishad member Rouf. Seven cases were filed under Patkelghata police station.”

The upazila Chhatra Dal unit has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal today protesting the death.

Meanwhile, police in separate drives nabbed three Jamaat-Shibir men from Fatikchhari, Sitakunda and Lohagara upazilas in Chittagong early yesterday for their involvement with sabotage in the areas before, during and after the election.

Law enforcement seized a gun and four rounds of cartridges from a Shibir man, Saleh Jongi, 30, accused of four murder cases lodged with Fatikchhari police station, the station’s OC Shahjahan Bhuiyan said.

Police arrested eleven activists of Shahjalal University of Science and

Technology (Sust) yesterday for their suspected involvement in unrest in the campus on Sunday.

Earlier two cases were filed in this connection. The university unit Shibir president and secretary are among the 300 accused.

In Bogra, the father of Shibir leader Abdullah Al-Baki of Bogra Azizul Haque College filed a case accusing 23 Chhatra League and Jubo League activists and leaders of murdering his son yesterday. Police is yet to arrest anyone six days into the incident. l

Drug rackets rising despite measures  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

Asked about it, Pronob Kumar Neugi, director (operation) of the DNC, admitted the weakness of the organisation.

He said they had a list but had failed to arrest any godfather of drug syndicates.

“However, raids against the drug dealers are on and some sellers have been arrested recently.”

Sources said the DNC made a list of 192 drug dealers and 50 salespersons in early this year, most of who are gangsters. The authorities also identified a number of spots where the drug dealers operate.

Although different intelligence agencies have reported there are around 400 drug spots in the capital, the DNC only mention about some of

the spots on its list.

Sources said the drug dealers were operating their business after managing the officials of the law enforcement agencies and the DNC so that the raids were conducted only for eyewash.

The names of Shahid and Parvin, two drug sellers in Karwanbazar area, have been listed with the DNC. They were even arrested by the officials several times, but later came out on bail or sometimes on the mid way by managing the officials.

Some of the important drug spots, from where drugs are found round the clock, are in Tejgaon area, Dilu Road, Maghbazar rail crossing, Malibagh rail crossing, Dhaka Medical College Hospital area, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Rasul-

bagh Park in Mirpur, Babubazar Bridge, Postagola, Armanitola school field and Azimpur maternity hospital areas.

When contacted, Mujibur Rahman Patowari, deputy director (intelligence wing) of DNC’s Dhaka division, claimed that they had been conducting their duties properly, and arresting both the dealers and the sellers from different areas of the capital every day.

He said the DNC officials had been trying their best to take control of the illegal drugs business.

Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the DB police, said several teams of the intelligence agency had been working closely with the DNC against the drug cartels. l

the BNP-Jamaat supporters had removed goods from their shops and then set those on fire.

Later, the names of the 11 activists were included by the panel chairman of the union parishad, Abdul Jalil Sarder, who is also a BNP activist, Khairul said.

He said many of the 11 were accused

in a case he had filed. He alleged that Panel Chairman Jalil had enlisted their names intentionally in a bid to save them from facing legal measures over the attacks.

When contacted, Jalil claimed that he had not included names of any Jamaat activists. “Names of several BNP men might have been enlisted as their

business establishments were vandalised after the election.”

Local lawmaker Mahabub Ara Begum Gini said she had received a complaint from Khairul and that it was being investigated.

When asked, DC Ehsan-E-Elahi said he had not received the letter as of last night. l

Activists: Broadcast Commission needs  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

commission will be elected by a search committee formed by the information ministry. The chairman and members will be appointed by the president.

Managing Director and CEO of Somoy TV Ahmed Zubair observed that in the institutions previously formed by the government such as the National Human Rights Commission, the chair and members were elected by the president.

“This time, a search committee is there which has the sole duty to recommend the chairman and member to the president. I am hoping it will ultimately bring a good result, since the search committee will recommend names based on a majority approval,” he said.

According to the draft, the search committee will ensure representation of every stakeholder such as experts on freedom of expression and media, lawyers, government representatives,

women’s rights experts, media personalities, journalists, academics and civil society members.

Media personality Shykh Seraj, also the director and head of news of Channel i, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I consider the broadcast commission a good initiative since people can file their allegations if they have any sort of grievances. But at the same time, the question arises whether the broadcast commission will be formed neutrally or in a partisan manner.”

He also added that he along with few others had reservations about the article that says the government could cancel any television and radio license if the government thought it was necessary.

“I am yet to see the draft version of the policy which was approved by the information ministry recently. But I hope they have considered our views and incorporated it,” Shykh Seraj added.

The draft was finalised on Sunday in a meeting of the information ministry.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told the Dhaka Tribune: “The policy will be placed before the cabinet for final approval within 15 days. After the cabinet approval, the policy will come into effect.”

Rights activist Sultana Kamal said: “A semi-third party such as a commission is always a good initiative as long as they are working independently rather than being controlled by the state.”

“Such a commission should have the liberty to work impartially rather than act in a partisan manner. The commission should take up issues objectively. If this commission can act independently, it is indeed a good initiative by the government. But if it becomes an instrument of the government to suppress freedom of expression, that is worrisome,” Kamal said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

UPAZILA POLLS

PM directs party leaders to ensure single candidates Cabinet meeting discusses broadcast policy, hydroelectric stations

n Mohosinul Karim Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed her ruling party leaders to select a single candidate in each upazila for the upcoming elections as the BNP-led 19-party alliance is likely to participate in the local polls.

The Awami League chief also asked her cabinet colleagues and senior party leaders to look after their workers and supporters who were affected in attacks by opposition activists during and after the January 5 general elections.

Hasina gave the directives at a cabinet meeting yesterday after finishing discussion on the regular agenda on the table, a senior cabinet member told the Dhaka Tribune.

The minister, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hasina asked the ruling party leaders to nominate only

TRANSGENDER KILLING

Case filed against MP’s brother, four others n Our Correspondent, Habiganj A case was lodged yesterday afternoon with Nabiganj police station against five persons in connection with the death of a transgender.

The deceased was Adar Kha. Dilu Kha, elder brother of the deceased, filed the case against the five including Belal Chowdhury, brother of JaPa lawmaker Abdul Munim Chowdhury from Habiganj 1 constituency.

It was learnt that all the accused fled the locality after the case had been lodged.

On Saturday night Adar Kha was beaten to death over allegation of a mobile phone theft from the business establishment of Belal Chowdhury.

The victim later succumbed to her injuries at Nabiganj upazila health complex.

Locals said Belal, brother of lawmaker Abdul Munim Chowdhury, beat Adar Kha. Police, however, refused the allegation.

Lawmaker Munim Chowdhury gave the version that local auto-rickshaw drivers beat up Adar Kha. He denied that his brother was involved in the beating.

Nabiganj police station Officer-inCharge Jahangir Alam said a case had been lodged with the police station in connection with the death. l

Awami League leader burnt to death at Abhaynagar n

Our Correspondent, Jessore

A group of unidentified people burnt an Awami League leader to death at Abhaynagar in Jessore on Sunday following a dispute over establishing dominance in a high school committee.

The deceased was Chaitanya Kumar Mandol, 46, a physician by profession, who was also the secretary of Youth and Sports Affairs of Prembagh union unit Awami League.

Witnesses said a group of people made a sudden attack on Chaitanya, dragged him into his medicine shop, and set fire to it at Prembagh Bazar around 8:30pm.

They burnt Chaitanya alive while he was still inside the shop.

Later, firemen recovered the body under the rubble around 9pm.

Locals said there was a dispute between two rival groups of high school committee members and the dead Chaitanya’s brother belonged to the one of the discordant groups, while another group was led by the followers of Awami League leader and former whip Sheikh Abdul Wahab.

Locals suspects that Chaitanya might have killed following the dispute over establishing the supremacy in the committee.

However, Khabir Uddin, officer incharge of Abhaynagar police station, said the incident happened following a previous feud, but failed to provide any details. l

one candidate in each upazila to contest next month’s elections. She also requested them to work together for the nominee to win.

“It is an image-building election for the new government as it took charge following controversial and unilateral polls. So, the present government is trying to hold the local polls free and fair to make them acceptable to all national and international communities,” the minister said.

Hasina also enquired after the condition of affected party activities, and asked party leaders to help the injured with their treatment and rehabilitation.

The PM assured them that assistance for the victims would be provided from government funds.

Meanwhile, during the cabinet meeting, the PM asked the information minister about the preparation work for

a unified national broadcasting policy.

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu informed her that the draft of the policy was finalised, and would be placed before the cabinet soon for approval. Hasina then directed him to update the policy after taking opinions from the ministers concerned.

The also PM enquired about the progress in the construction of a fourlane Dhaka-Chittagong highway, repair works of road networks across the country and construction of international link roads.

She directed Communication Minister Obaidul Quader to ensure the works are completed as soon as possible.

“The PM gave emphasis on producing electricity by building more hydroelectric stations. Such power stations could be set up in neighbouring countries, if found viable,” another minister said. l

Pedestrians walk down the roads of Hatir Jheel but often cannot find a bin to put the garbage in. An empty frame of trash can is seen in the photo as the bin has been stolen. The photo was taken on Sunday RAJIB DHAR

Arrest warrant issued against Mohiuddin

BNP: Fears over extra-judicial killing have come true

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

A Chittagong court yesterday issued arrest warrant against Chittagong city unit President of Awami League ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury in a case for discrepancies found in the wealth statement that he submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission in 2007.

In the wealth statement he did not mention his income of Tk28.30lakh and possession of asset worth Tk1.23lakh which was later found, said Mahmudul Haq Mahmud, Chittagong ACC counsel.

On December 2 in 2007, ACC lodged a case against Mohiuddin for possessing the illegal wealth and not mentioning it in his wealth statement. Mozammel Hossain Khan, deputy director of ACC, submitted charge sheet against the former Chittagong City Corporation

mayor in November in 2008 and court indicted him on February 5 in 2009, he said.

The High Court stayed the case after nine prosecution witnesses testified before the trial court.

On November 27, last year, the HC withdrew the stay order and directed the lower court to resume the trial and ordered Mohiuddin to surrender before the trial court.

Four witnesses gave depositions in the Chittagong court until yesterday.

Judge Md Ataur Rahman of Divisional Special Judge Court issued the warrant as the former Chittagong City Corporation Mayor did not appear before the court during the depositions, said the ACC counsel.

The court was adjourned until February 16, said Mahmud. l

Accusing the government of being behind extra-judicial killings in the country, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday claimed that the party’s fears of a so-called “crossfire” killing of Chhatra Dal’s Satkhira leader Azharul Islam had come true.

“We feared that Azharul Islam might be killed, and our fear came true: His body was found early this morning [yesterday],” Fakhrul alleged at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters in the capital.

Earlier at a press briefing on Sunday, BNP’s International Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon expressed concerns over the rise in extrajudicial killings, and raised concerns over the

arrest of Azharul on Saturday.

On Sunday Ripon said, “He [Azharul] is yet to be produced in front of the court. We fear a “cross-fire” incident might be staged to kill him tonight.”

At yesterday’s press briefing, the party alleged that the “planned dramas” of extra-judicial killings were a threat to the country’s democracy.

“No citizen is safe in the country if these extra-judicial killings are allowed to carry on,” Fakhrul said; citing Monday’s “gunfight” in Satkhira between Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists and joint forces members which left Azharul dead.

The spokesperson of the party urged journalists to highlight such stories in the media; for the sake of the people’s safety and the country’s democracy.

The BNP leader also said the gov-

ernment should take steps to create a democratic atmosphere in the country; through dialogue after the dissolution of the “illegal” parliament.

Fakhrul claimed that extrajudicial killings have been taking place across the country under the guise of joint forces drives. “A raft of criminal activities have taken place across the country. More than a hundred leaders and activists have been killed across the country in this way,” he said.

Urging the government to stop the extrajudicial killings, Fakhrul said: “We cannot sit silent. If anyone tells the truth and opposes the government, they are picked up and then killed.”

Before the briefing, a joint meeting of the party’s front organisations took place to arrange the January 29 black flag procession programme. l

TARIQUE’S ACQUITTAL

ACC questions judge’s gunman, driver n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

Students of Eden Mohila Collage bring out a procession yesterday, demanding upgrading of the institute as an autonomous public university. The photo was taken from Azimpur area NASHIRUL ISLAM

IO terms Yusuf top razakar leader n

Udisa Islam

The prosecution’s last witness in the case against war crimes suspect AKM Yusuf ended his deposition yesterday when he said the accused had crated razakar, an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation army, in Khulna region on May 5, 1971.

After the deposition of Investigation Officer Md Helal Uddin for around an hour, defence counsel Mizanul Islam began cross examining him. The questioning remained incomplete as the defence pleaded for time. The International Crimes Tribunal 2, headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan, later adjourned the proceedings until tomorrow.

Helal Uddin said there was enough evidence to prove that Yusuf had been the founding chairman of Peace Committee in Bagerhat, Satkhira and Khulna districts during the liberation war.

The accused was also the top leader of razakar group and as its top leader.

The IO said Yusuf had established Peace Committee branches in every upazila and union with the supporters

of Jamaat, Muslim League and other anti-liberation forces. After giving them training, on May 5 of 1971, Yusuf had formed an armed group and named it razakar, Helal added.

At the end of cross-examination, the defence will start placing its witnesses to prove innocence of the accused.

Earlier, 26 prosecution witnesses gave their depositions against Yusuf.

Helal Uddin was also the investigation officer in the case against convicted war criminal Delawar Hossain Sayedee, and during that time, he took nine days to complete his testimony.

On the evidence and documents he had submitted to the tribunal, the IO yesterday said he had conducted investigation into the allegations against Yusuf between October 5, 2012 and April 21, 2013. He then visited the places of occurrence and recorded statements of the witnesses when some of his activities had been confidential.

The tribunal indicted Yusuf, the Jamaat-e-Islami senior nayeb-e-ameer, on August 1, 2012 on 13 charges of crimes against humanity. l

Two new frigates arrive at Ctg port n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Two frigates, which were purchased from China, arrived in Chittagong port city yesterday as the warships will be replaced as Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) Abu Bakar and BNS Ali Haidar in Bangladesh Navy.

Rear Admiral AMMM Aurangzeb Chowdhury, assistant naval chief (operation), welcomed the two new ships addressing as chief guest in the arrival programme held at BNS Isha Khan in the city in the morning where high officials and personnel of Bangladesh Navy were present among others.

Earlier, China handed over the warships to Bangladesh Navy on January 9 in 2014 while 29 officials and 231 sailors along with the two ships started journey for Bangladesh on the day, said navy sources.

The two frigate ships, BNS Abu Bakar and BNS Ali Haider, were de-commissioned on January 22.

The two renowned warships were going to be replaced with newly procured frigate ships from China, said navy sources. BNS Abu Bakar was re-commissioned in Bangaldesh Navy in 1982 while BNS Ali Haider in 1978. l

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday took statements from the gunman and the driver of recently retired special judge Motaher Hossain who acquitted BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman from a money laundering case and is now staying in Malaysia.

ACC Deputy Director Harun-Ur-Rashid took statements from the judge’s gunman Badal Dewan and driver Shohrab Hossain in connection with the inquiry into the alleged “illegal” wealth of the retired judge.

After completion of the inquiry, driver Shohrab Hossain told reporters that the ACC official had questioned him in regard to the wealth of the former judge.

“The officer questioned us about the wealth of the judge and who had connections with him. I told them that I had worked with the judge for 18 months and did not have any ideas about his wealth,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, the commission also served notices to the bench clerk of Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 Abul Kalam Azad and of Special Judge’s Court 3 Ariful Islam.

It asked them to appear before the commission on January 29, and lawyer Pabitra Sarkar, also assistant general manager of Bashundhara Group, to give statements on January 28.

On Thursday, the Anti-Corruption Commission took statements from the

two stenographers of the same courts M Abu Hasan of Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 and M Nurul Islam of Special Judge’s Court 3.

The anti-graft body launched a probe against Motaher Hossain on January 20 following a “specific allegation”.

It served letters to Additional IGP (Special Branch) and immigration authorities to see that the former judge did not leave the country.

The judge, who is suspected to have amassed illegal wealth, left the country on January 8, 53 days after delivering the judgement on the money laundering case.

Motaher Hossain is now staying in Malaysia, Harun-Ur-Rashid said last week after scrutinising the judge’s travel documents.

The allegations were brought against the judge concerning the amassing of illegal wealth, abusing judicial power, earning a sizeable wealth inconsistent with his known sources of income and amassing movable and immovable property in his and others’ names.

Judge Motaher Hossain, on November 17 acquitted Tarique Rahman and sentenced his friend Giasuddin Al Mamun to seven years’ imprisonment and fined him Tk40 crore in a money laundering case involving Tk20.41 crore.

The judgement said Tarique was acquitted from all charges because he had declared the transaction in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Two allegedly die after vaccination Decomposed body of missing boy found

Government forms committees to probe into children's death in Gazipur, Jhenaidah Apart from that, a team with inter- office have confirmed that the health Dr Shah Alam Sharif said: “There is n Tribune Report n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong no risk to one’s life from the measles- national-expertise on vaccination had ministry, the district civil surgeon’s ofTwo children died yesterday allegedly after being administered with a dose of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in Jhenaidah and Gazipur.

The deceased were identified as Afroza, 12, of Sreepur upazila in Gazipur, and Ariful Islam, 11, of Harinakundu upazila in Jhenaidah.

Following the allegation, the government formed four probe bodies, one in Gazipur and three in Jhenaidah, to investigate into the deaths.

Afroza, a sixth grader of Protappur High School and a resident of Mendipur village under Prahladpur union of Sreepur upazila, lost consciousness hours after being administered with an MR dose.

She was rushed to Gazipur Sadar Hospital, where doctor declared her dead.

When asked, Gazipur Civil Surgeon

rubella vaccine. I have heard the child had respiratory and heart complications. But, the reason behind the death has not yet been confirmed.”

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer says Ariful was suffering from asthma A probe committee, led by Gazipur Civil Surgeon Dr Shah Alam Sharif, has been formed to investigate the death.

The committee also includes Gazipur Medical College professor Dr Subash Chandra, Sreepur Health Complex Family Planning Officer Dr Hasan Imam and Epidemiology Technician Amzad Hossain as members.

been sent to the area from Dhaka following the incident, our Gazipur correspondent added.

Ariful Islam, a sixth grader of Bhaina Secondary School and a resident of Kalisankarpur village under Harinakundu upazila, became seriously ill hours after being administered with a MR dose at his school at round noon. He was rushed to Harinakundu upazila health complex, where he died at around 4pm.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Rabiul Islam said Ariful was suffering from asthma for a long time.

But, the reason behind the death was yet been confirmed.

However, family sources claimed Arif was physically fit when the dose was given to him.

Sources in Jhenaidah civil surgeon’s

fice and the upazila health complex authority had formed three separate probe committees to investigate the matter.

Two of the probe committees will be led by Upazila Health Complex's resident medical officer and pediatric specialist Dr Anwarul Islam, while the other, as per the ministry’s directives, will be led by district civil surgeon Dr Nasrin Sultana, our Jhinaidah correspondent added.

The committees were told to submit report within 3 working days.

When contacted, Dr Nasrin Sultana said the reason behind the child’s death is yet to be confirmed, adding that there is no such record of a death caused by MR vaccines.

“A proper investigation into the incident might help detect the cause of the death,” she added. l

The decomposed body of a schoolboy was recovered by Chittagong police early yesterday following a week after his disappearance.

Police located his body around 3:30am in the Patiya upazila after a tipoff from his kidnappers, said Mohammad Shamim Hossain, assistant superintendent of police of Patiya.

He also said fifteen-year-old Ashraful Alam Opu was stabbed to death at least four to five days ago for motives yet to be known.

Ashraful, son of Md Idris, lived in the upazila’s Habilashdwip union and was a student of Patiya Model High School.

He went missing on January 19 after going out of home to attend a pre-marriage ritual along with friends.

His parents, failing to trace him on their own, lodged a general diary with the local police station on January 25, Shamim said.

Prior to that, he added, an unidentified person contacted the boy’s parents informing them of his abduction and asking for a ransom of Tk1cr in exchange for his release.

They were told of the place where to hand over the ransom cash but they failed to locate anyone after going there on Sunday.

Police sent the dead body to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem and picked up five individuals, including two friends of the victim, for questioning.

A case was also lodged in this connection with the Patiya police station, confirmed the station’s officer in charge Mofiz Uddin. l

ACC questions former Jamuna Bank DMD n Tribune Report

Shibir gets new president and secretary general n Manik Miazee

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday questioned Mozammel Hossain, the suspended deputy managing director of Jamuna Bank Limited, for his alleged involvement in the Tk990-crorescam by terry towel producer Bismillah Group between 2010 and 2012.

ACC Senior Assistant Director M Mahbubul Alam questioned Mozammel at the anti-graft body’s headquarters. The official was working with Prime Bank when the scam took place.

A Dhaka court on January 21 placed Mozammel on a 10-day remand in connection with the scam following a plea by the ACC. With assistance from law enforcement agencies, the ACC arrested the bank official in the capital’s Segunbagicha area on January 20.

On November 3 last year, the ACC filed 12 cases against 53 officials of five banks and the Bismillah Group under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of funded loans worth over Tk990 crore.

The list of accused include 13 people of Bismillah Group, five officials of Jamuna Bank, and others from Janata, Prime, Premier and Shahjalal Islami banks.

According to the first information report, Bismillah Group in association with the bank officials had embezzled the money through loans against trust receipts using names of fake foreign buyers, and laundered the money abroad.

They had secured cash incentives against fake export documents, taking advantage of inland bills purchases and overpricing non-existing export items. l

Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-eIslami, announced a new president and secretary general for its central committee for the current year yesterday.

Members of the organisation elected former Secretary General Mohammad Abdul Zabbar as president in a ballot, Zabbar than selected Atiqur Rahman as the new secretary general.

The party announced the new leaders at a secret meeting held at an auditorium in the capital.

Former president and current Assistant Election Commissioner of Shibir, Nurul Islam Bulbul, administered the oath to the newly elected president.

After taking the oath, Zabbar instructed leaders and activists of the organisation to strongly resist the joint forces attacks on, and torture of, Shibir men across the country.

Shibir’s Assistant Press Secretary Jamaluddin told the Dhaka Tribune that they did not disclose the location of the auditorium, and did not invite the media to avoid harassment by law enforcement agencies.

Most of the central committee members of Shibir are accused in various murder or vandalism cases. l

WEATHER

Temperature unlikely to change 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 country during midnight till morning, Met Office said.

Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over the regions of Tangail, Srimangal, Rajshahi, Pabna, Jessore and Chuadanga and it may continue for the next 24 hours. The sun sets in the capital at 5:41pm today and rises at 6:41am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 27.8 degrees Celsius was recorded yesterday in Sitakunda and lowest 8.0 degrees in Ishwardi. Highest and lowest temperature recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

23.8 25.0 21.2 15.0 21.4 24.8 26.6 27.2

14.0 16.2 09.2 11.5 13.0 11.8 13.5 17.2

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:23am 6:40am 12:11am 4:06pm 5:42pm 7:00pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

Cables of rival satellite operators in Gulshan entangle and may pose a security risk. The photo was taken yesterday

Fire at Chittagong court building n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong A fire broke out in a store room at Chittagong court building yesterday, where the evidences of different cases were kept, but no major damage was reported.

The fire broke out at the record room, just three days before the delivery of the verdict in the 10-truck arms haul cases. A Chittagong court has fixed January 30 for delivering verdict.

Police suspecting that a burning cigarette might have caused the fire.

Witness said the fire gutted some abandoned evidences in front of the store room at the ground floor of the building in the evening around 7:45pm.

Firefighters doused the fire before it engulfed the main record room on the first floor of the building.

Rezul Masud, additional deputy commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, said the fire destroyed some sacks of cement, ropes and some other abandoned evidences. l

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

BY-POLL

DEATH OF STUDENT IN WALL COLLAPSE

Students abstain from classes, parents blame headmaster n Our Correspondent, Sherpur Students of Char Sreepur Government Primary School are not attending classes after another student was killed in building collapse on Saturday.

According to school sources, not a single student out of 447 came to school yesterday; even the teachers left, after signing the attendance register.

Parents complained that school authorities did not have the situation under control, and so refused to send their wards to school.

“We will send my son to the school if the authority ensures security,” said a guardian.

Minal Mia, 12, a student of class V, was killed as the wall of an abandoned school building collapsed on top of him

while he was playing nearby around 1:30pm, leaving him dead on the spot.

Headmaster of the school formed a probe committee soon after the death, while the district education office later suspended the headmaster for his negligence on duty. The headmaster has remained absconding since then.

A three-member inquiry committee headed by Upazila Assistant Commissioner Binita Rani was formed to find out parties responsible for the accident.

Other members of committee are Upazila Primary Education Officer Monika Parvin and Upazila Assistant Engineer Md Zahidul Alam.

The committee will have to submit its report within a week.

District Primary Education Officer Md Enamul Haque said actions would

be taken against the expelled headmaster if investigation found him guilty.

Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Irien Farzana: “A letter has been already sent to district commissioner for financial help of the victim’s family”.

The building of the school had been lying in dilapidated condition for long with cracks on the roof.

Although the district administration announced the school abandoned and asked the school authority to vacate it, the school was continuing its academic activities, risking the lives of hundreds of its students.

But the school governing body and the headmaster continued holding classes, without informing district education office, or taking any kind of precautionary measures. Eventually Minal paid with his life. l

Speaker to participate as lone candidate n BSS Speaker of the House Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury remains the lone candidate for by-election in the Rangpur 6 constituency scheduled to be held on February 20.

According to sources in district election office, only one candidate has submitted nomination paper for taking part in the by-election in the constituency. Yesterday was the last date for submitting nomination.

Assistant Returning Officer and Pirganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ziaul Haque said no other candidate had submitted nomination paper until 5pm yesterday except Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.

Earlier, Dr Chaudhury submitted her nomination paper on Sunday to Ziaul Haque in presence of leaders and activists of Awami League and its front organisations. l

Khoka, Moudud denied bail n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday rejected the bail petitions for BNP Vice-Chairman and former mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka of Dhaka City Corporation and the party standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed in separate cases.

The court, however, directed the police to interrogate the duo at jail gate within five and three working days respectively.

A case was filed against Khoka with Jatrabari police station in connection with vandalism and arson attack on vehicles and attempt to murder cops.

On the other hand the Anti-Corruption Commission charged Barrister Moudud with occupying government land worth Tk300crore in Gulshan.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Khoka when investigation officer of the case Mominul Haque Chowdhury produced the leader before the court, see-

ing a 10-day remand.

Defence counsel Md Sanaullah Miah moved the case for the BNP leader who was arrested from the capital’s Uttara area on December 4 last year.

Moudud’s bail application was rejected after ACC Deputy Director Md Harunur Rashid submitted a plea to the court of Dhaka second additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.

Defence counsel Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Masud Ahmed Talukder moved the bail plea for Moudud.

Opposing the bail petition, ACC lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal said Moudud’s Gulshan home was shown as abandoned property in the gazette published on October 21, 1972.

He claimed that the house still belonged to the state.

On December 17, the ACC deputy director filed the case with Gulshan police station against Moudud and his brother Manjur Ahmed for occupying the government land worth Tk300crore in Gulshan. l

The city’s Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue wears a regular view with a long tailback of vehicles yesterday

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Climate change poses health risks for coastal people 80% without fresh water the aspects of climate change. n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The problem of water salinity could Climate change has been causing an increase in the health risks faced by residents of the several coastal and riverside districts of Bangladesh, a recent study has found.

According to its findings, 61% people living in eight districts of Bangladesh were facing serious health risks because of the severe salinity of water.

Water and food-borne diseases were on the rise as fresh water was unavailable to at least 80% of the coastal residents, while women and children were most vulnerable to the diseases.

The baseline study titled “Risk Reduction of Climate Change on Health through Finding out Adaptive Measures in the Context of Bangladesh” and conducted by the climate change and health promotion unit of the health ministry, was published at the city’s Cirdap auditorium yesterday.

Dr Iqbal Kabir, principle investigator and co-coordinator of the ministry’s climate change and health promotion unit, presented the keynote paper and said the study was the health ministry’s first ever survey on the health risks caused by climate change.

The study found that 46% of the surveyed population was unaware about

be solved by setting up water treatment plants in the pond, the study found; while Dr Kabir said they had support to establish 10 water treatment plants at a cost of Tk15 lakh each, which could ensure fresh water and save thousands of people from water-borne diseases.

The study was carried out in 2012 at eight districts – Sirajganj, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Khluna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Barguna and Faridpur.

Interviews were collected from 6720 people over the age of 18 from 224 villages in 28 upazilas.

The report found 245 malaria and 34 dengue patients in the districts, although most of those districts were not malaria-prone. Moreover, 700 diarrheal and 529 pneumonia patients were found at the time of the study in 2012.

The report recommended increasing awareness especially among women and children, addressing issues of poverty and level of education, and training community-based health workers and influential local leaders on adaptive measures. It also called for the need to repeat the study periodically to assess the trends of climate sensitive diseases, awareness level and adaptive measures. l

Students take part in a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, protesting post-poll attacks on Hindus all over the country

KCC, KDA urged to RU students ponder tougher demolish risky buildings movement to lower fees n Our Correspondent, Khulna

Greater Khulna Development Committee (GKCDACC) urged authorities at Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and Khulna Development Authority (KDA) to demolish any high-risk buildings in the city listed by the technical committee.

The technical committee was jointly formed by the KCC and KDA in October 2012 to identify the tilted buildings.

President of the GKDACC Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman expressed concern over the unsafe buildings as people are currently residing in them risking their lives.

The GKCDACC brought the issue to the attention of KDA Chairman Brigadier General Shamsul Alam Khan on January 15 for taking steps towards the buildings’ demolish.

GKCDACC President Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman said, “The buildings can collapse any time and claim the lives of the residents.”

He also urged KDA and KCC officials concerned not to construct buildings without having plans approved.

Nurun Nahar, 68, a resident of a tilt-

ed house in Baro Bazar said, “We live in danger as the building can collapse any given moment.” When contacted, KCC Mayor Moniruzzaman Moni said, “The KCC needs the KDA’s support in demolishing the titled buildings”

The GKCDACC brought the issue to the attention of KDA Chairman Brigadier General Shamsul Alam Khan on January 15 for taking steps towards the buildings’ demolish “It is a sensitive business to demolish the buildings because many shops and institutions, including mosques, are situated in such buildings,” he added.

The KDA chairman could not be reached over phone for his comment on any possible obstacles hindering the demolition of titled buildings. l

n RU Correspondent The students of Rajshahi University will announce further course of action today as their seven-day ultimatum to the authorities of the university ended yesterday.

On January 20, the students gave seven days’ ultimatum, demanding that the authorities cancel the move to increase all kinds of fees.

Recently, the university authorities in a meeting have taken a decision to increase all kind of fees which is two to five times more than the earlier rates.

The newly fixed fees have been affected from January this year and the authorities have already issued notices to all departments in this regard.

Campus sources said the extra fees were necessary to pay salaries of additional recruited teachers. The University Grants Commission has already told RU authorities that it would not pay for the additional teachers.

RU administration sources said 368

teachers had been appointed against 204 posts from February 26, 2009 to February 26, 2013 during the tenure of former vice-chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan.

According to the university sources, the fees for withdrawal of provisional certificate on normal basis have been increased to Tk300 from Tk100 while the fees for emergency basis increased to Tk1,000 from Tk200.

Withdrawal of the main certificate fees raised Tk500 from Tk200 and mark sheet fees on emergency basis Tk600 from existing Tk225, duplicate mark sheet Tk1000 from Tk300 and for subsidiary mark sheet fees raised Tk500 from Tk150.

The fees for withdrawal of duplicate admit card was raised Tk200 from Tk50 and correction of name spelling on any certificate and mark sheet Tk500 from Tk250.

The authority has increased academic examinations fees for threehour honours exam (theory) Tk100 from Tk50, for more than three-hour

long exam the fees Tk125 from Tk60 and also for masters’ courses Tk500 from Tk200.

The administration also increased examinations fees for MS, MD, MPhil programme to Tk5,000 from Tk2,000 for each course and Diploma Masters Degree examinations fees Tk5,000 from Tk1,500.

The students have been observing agitations from January 16 on the issue.

The students under the banner of Progressive Students’ Alliance also submitted memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Prof Mizanuddin on January 20 and gave seven days to meet their demands.

A student said: “As the university authorities did not pay heed to our demands, we will go on tougher movement from Tuesday.”

University’s Kendriya Sangskritik Jote also expressed their solidarity with the student’s demands and movement.

However, VC Mizanuddin could not be reached through mobile phone despite several attempts. l

Convicted police officer still performs duty n Our Correspondent, Kurigram

A worker of Sylhet City Corporation removes an illegal billboard in the city yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

SCC removes 2,000 posters ahead of T20 WC n Our Correspondent, Sylhet The Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has started drives to remove all affixed posters, banners and festoons in the city, ahead of the ICC T-20 World Cup scheduled to be held this year from March.

The drives had started since January 23 and the SCC has already removed about 2,000 posters, banners and festoons from the city. The corporation’s Chief Conservancy Officer Md Hani-

fur Rahman deployed a team of eight members to run the drives.

Since the initiative, the SCC had conducted drives in the city’s Bandarbazar, Surma Market, Jindabazar, Chowhatta, Abmorkhana, Naya Sarak, Jail Road, Naiorpool, Sobhanighat, Satellite City, Shibganj, Mirabazar, Subidbazar, Rikabibazar, Lamabazar, Taltola, Shahi Eidgah and Dhilagar area.

Hanifur Rahman said: “The drives were run to maintain a neat and clean

environment in the city for the upcoming T-20 World Cup.” He said some of the commercial organisations had affixed their company’s posters and banners at different places in the city but they have removed them. Actions would be taken against the companies if the posters were put up again, he added.

Hanifur said: “The corporation will also start drives against illegal billboards in the city after the completion of the current tasks.” l

A convicted sub-inspector (SI) of police in Kurigram is performing duty in the office of superintendent of police (SP) in Dinajpur district.

The police officer was sentenced to jail for five years and two months.

According to sources, Assistant Sessions Judge Ashikul Khabir of Kurigram court sentenced SI Nazrul Islam to five years and two months in jail in different cases including extortion and land grabbing. Although two months passed after the court had delivered its verdict, the complainant of the case Aslam Hossain got the verdict copy of the case on Monday.

On the other hand, the police officer was shown absconding in papers.

The court sources said Aslam Hossain bought 18 decimals of land from one Makbul Hossain.

Earlier on April 14, 2008 Nazrul and

his associates Deldar Hossain and Fazlul Haque asked Aslam to give back the land. On April 19, a group of gangsters led by Nazrul grabbed the land and beat up Aslam.

They also tortured Aslam’s wife Mukta Begum.

On April 20, Aslam lodged a case with the chief judicial magistrate’s court in the district.

The court ordered additional police super to investigate the matter.

The case was transferred to assistant sessions judge court for trial. After the hearing both groups, the court delivered the verdict on November 18, 2013.

Deldar and Fazlul were sentenced to two months and one month in jail respectively and both of them were sent to prison.

But the SI was not present at the court as he was declared absconding.

The court also ordered that Nazrul be sent to jail after immediate arrest. l

NASHIRUL ISLAM

SSC routine revised n Tribune Report Two of the papers of the Secondary School Certificate and its equivalent examinations were rescheduled yesterday.

The exams that were scheduled for February 18 and on February 20 were rearranged, officials of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education said.

According to the revised schedule, the examinations scheduled for February 18 would now be held on March 18, and the examinations scheduled for February 20 are now going to be held on March 20, Dhaka Education Board’s Examination Controller SM Wahiduzzaman said.

Religion studies is now on for February 18 while accounting will be held on February 20, for SSC examinees.

Officials said the changes were made because of the upazila election, given how educational institutes are usually utilised as polling centres.

The SSC exams were scheduled to commence on February 9 and end on March 13, however, according to the revised schedule, the exams would now end on March 20. l

83% pass in 1st year honours’ n Tribune Report Eighty-three percent students of different disciplines under National University passed in the first year honours’ examinations. Among them 49% were female students.

Results of the first year honours’ examinations of the academic year 201314 of NU were published yesterday, said a press release.

Around 413454 examinees participated in the exams under 30 departments of 516 colleges under the NU. The results were published including the merit list of 172582.

Around 167279 students out of 170198 students under humanities group passed the exams; the average rate of passing was 92%.

In science group, 50477 students out of 54761 students passed and it was 92%.

In commerce group, 129422 students have passed out of 188495 students and the passing rate was 68%.

The examinees can get the result through SMS (NU<space> AT <space> Roll No and send it to 16222) and the result would be available at the website of NU (www.nu.edu.bd/admissions). l

Airport officer sent to jail in gold smuggling case n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday sent Ashrafunessa Alo, a senior security officer of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, to jail in a gold smuggling case.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge

Md Juhurul Haque passed the order after Ashrafunessa surrendered before his court with a bail prayer.

The prayer was rejected and she was sent to jail.

Ashrafunessa is one of 19 individuals indicted for gold smuggling on July 31 last year. Another accused, Mirza

Foyes Ahmed, surrendered on October 21 and was subsequently jailed.

Of the people indicted, eight are currently in prison while the rest still at large.

The case was filed after 13.5kg gold was seized at a toilet in the airport on September 11, 2012. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Lalmonirhat rice farmers decry tobacco farming n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat Rice farmers in Lalmonirhat have expressed discontent with the spiralling fertiliser demand and ensuing price increase, blaming it on the tobacco growers who are reportedly administering large quantities of fertilisers on their farmland.

They said they were struggling to keep up with the high market prices and alleged preferential treatment being extended to their competitors while purchasing fertilisers.

According to sources, about 1.3 tonnes of fertilisers are usually required to grow tobacco on one hectare of farmland and the demand for fertilisers increased in recent times with the growth in tobacco acreage.

Tobacco is being cultivated on at least 50,000 hectares of land in the district this year, which is double the area

of land used last year. Fertilisers such as urea, DAP, MOP and Potash are used for this purpose.

“I have already used four maunds of fertilisers on my three-bigha land and will have required another 10-11 maunds by the end of this month,” said Kashem Ali, a tobacco grower of Paschim Baruya village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

“At least five maunds of fertilisers, especially urea, must be used on a onebigha field to get the expected result.”

However, rice grower Hasinul Islam of the same village alleged that farmers like him had to suffer fertiliser shortage while tobacco growers were getting their supply easily. “It is unfortunate and so is the competition that we are facing from them.”

Hasinul has a twelve-bigha land on which he grows rice. “We feel deprived when the fertiliser dealers extend preferential treatment to the tobacco culti-

vators, who have a steady source of income.” “Some of the dealers have stakes in tobacco farming and so they make fertilisers available for this purpose for their own interests.”

He demanded an end to supply of fertilisers for tobacco farming to ease pressure on the rice growers.

Another rice grower, Jahedur Rahman of Aditmari upazila, said he had first cultivated tobacco on his five-bigha land but then turned back to paddy cultivation.

“Agriculture officials do not seem very enthusiastic about discouraging farmers from tobacco cultivation. This negative growth in tobacco acreage has something to do with the lack of awareness among farmers in general,” he added.

However, Rafiqul Islam, a fertiliser dealer in Aditmari, denied the allegations of extending undue favours to

tobacco growers, saying dealers sold fertilisers to whoever needed them, regardless of what they needed them for.

“Some dealers might have secret links with the tobacco companies. But it is not true that all have similar links.”

Contacted, Deputy Director of the Agriculture Extension Department in Lalmonirhat Abduol Mazid said the amounts of fertilisers to be sent by the agriculture department depended on the market demand.

“But tobacco farming is not counted when the demand is gauged. It is true that excessive use of fertilisers in tobacco fields may create a fertiliser shortage, but we are conducting campaigns to dissuade farmers from cultivating tobacco,” he said.

“The problem is, campaigns do not work always. Sometimes farmers are more interested in boosting their profits by cultivating tobacco.” l

Post offices in Cox’s Bazar languishing n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar The post offices in the district fail to meet the public needs due to shortage of manpower and up-to-date postal services as elsewhere in the country.

The authorities concerned blamed the government for the substandard services provided by the post offices across the district.

Seeking anonymity, an official of Cox’s Bazar Post Office said the government earned a premium of Tk1crore every year from only postal life insurance, but still the postal sectors in the districts remained uncared for.

He said this sector was one of the sources of earning revenues by the government.

There were more than 70 post offices in Cox’s Bazar along with six subpost offices, all witnessing manpower shortages and lack of standard services like mobile money transfer, e-post card

Jubo Dal leader killed in Pabna n Our Correspondent, Pabna A Jubo Dal, youth front of the BNP, leader was stabbed to death by robbers in Bera upazila of Pabna in the early hours of yesterday.

The deceased Md Manik Miah, 45, was son of Nurul Islam of village Sanyashibadh of the upazila.

He was the president of Rooppur union Jubo Dal according to the claims of Bera upazila BNP General Secretary Rois Uddin.

Officer-in-Charge Faruk Ahmed of Aminpur police station said Manik had been attacked when he had tried to intercept a gang of eight to 10 robbers, who were running away after committing a robbery in the locality around 2am.

He said the robbers had looted gold ornaments and other valuables from three houses of the viilage.

Police recovered the body and sent it to Pabna Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination.

Bera upazila unit BNP and Pabna district unit BNP condemned the killing of the leader.

They demanded exemplary punishment for the killers immediately. l Farmers harvest potato at a field in Naohata of Rajshahi. Farmers of the district are disappointed with the prices of potato which is below than production cost

Six PBS employees beaten up by locals n Our Correspondent, Rajbari six employees of Rajbari Palli Bidyut Samity were beaten up by some of the establishment’s clients, in the district’s Baliakandi upazila, on Sunday.

Rajbari PBS Assistant General Manager (Finance) Boniar Rahman said: “Around 1pm, some of our Baliakandi upazila officials visited one Jhantu Biswas’s shop in Bohorpur Bazaar to suspend the power supply to his shop as he had bills pending for three months.”

“15-20 people attacked them with lethal weapons and left them injured.

Of the six, three are in severely critical condition,” he added.

The injured officials are Deepok Dev, Mithu Chandra Roy, Bulbul Fakir, Atikur Rahman, Bipul Baroi and Bejamin Haider.

Chanchal Biswas, a local client said:

“We are suffering from frequent load shedding which is hampering our businesses, that is why we are not paying the bills regularly.”

“Moreover, the employees demand extra money for reconnecting lines, as a result the employees are facing such attacks from the locals in these areas,” he said.

Sources in the samity said some employees were attacked seven days ago for similar reasons.

District General Manager of Rajbari Palli Biddyut Samity Altaf Hosain said: “There is no load shedding in the area, we are trying our best to supply enough power to all households.”

Baliakandi police station Officer-inCharge Abu Shama Mohammad Iqbal Hayat said some previously established enmity over disconnecting the power lines could be a possible reason behind the attack. A case was filed. l

etc, said a source.

The number of government and commercial letters has increased in the post offices while personal letters decreased.

Asked, Postmaster SM Imam Uddin of Cox’s Bazar Post Office said among other services, mobile money order was one of the most useful means of sending money from one place to another, but people of the district were deprived of it.

The postmaster attributed the deprivation to shortage of manpower and lack of technology necessary to provide consumers with such services.

On the other hand, the ramshackle vehicles of postal department carry answer scripts of National University and Open University exams, plus books and materials for the visually impaired people under no escort.

The postal officials also suffer from frustration of their promotions. l

Rape survivor’s family offered bribe to withdraw case n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

DHAKA TRIBUNE

The family members of a rape victim were offered Tk40,000 by some local influential individuals, as a bribe to have their case withdrawn, in Kotalipara upazila, Gopalganj.

According to the case statement, Tarun Ray, 40, allegedly raped a woman, a housewife, living next door to him in the district’s village of Chakpukuria on Saturday.

The victim was taken to a 250-bed general hospital in the district after the incident.

A case was filed on the same day with Kotalipara police station in connection to the incident.

Tarun Ray raped the victim after he found her alone in her home, the case statement read.

The victim’s family said Tarun belonged to a powerful family in the locality and he had offered Tk40,000 to the them for withdrawing the case.

Officer-in-Charge of Kotalipara police station Abdul Latif said: “The case had already been filed. There is no chance of withdrawal anymore.” l

Clothes worth Tk6cr seized from Benapole n Our Correspondent, Jessore

35 submit nomination papers for upazila elections in Gaibandha

Customs officials at Benapole yesterday seized clothing items worth around Tk 6 crore for tax evasion. The clothes were being imported from India through the land port by Hazi Apparels from Narayangonj using four manifestos.

Customs sources said the consignment, which mainly contained polyester scarves, were being imported on a false declaration.

“The import value of the goods was shown at around Rs3 lakh, but the actual value would be at least Tk6 crore including customs duty,” the customs officials said.

Omar Faruk, assistant director for custom’s intelligence wing at Benapole, told newsmen that the importer tried to dodge taxes by using false documents. l

A total of 35 candidates from Shaghata and Gobindaganj upazilas submitted their nomination papers to contest different posts in the upcoming upazila elections in Gaibandha.

Of the total, some 13 candidates will contest for two chairmen posts while seven candidates will contest for the posts of two female vice chairmen and 15 candidates for the posts of two vicechairmen, election office sources said.

From Shaghata upazila, as many as eight candidates submitted their nomination papers for the post of chairman. They are Ahsan Kabir, Advocate Golam Shahid Ranju, Mohammad Ali, Faruque Alam Sarker, Shah Mokhlesur Rahman, Principal Shahidullah, Shajahan Ali Sazu and ATM Shakhawat Hossain Rubel, reports BSS. Three candidates who submitted

n Tribune Report

their nomination papers for the post of female vice chairman are Fazilatunnahar Parul, Naznin Begum and Jorry Begum and six candidate’s aspirants for the post of vice chairman are Shahidul Islam Biplob, Abdul Hadi, Liakat Ali Khandkar, Momitul Haque Nayan, Shajahan Ali and Mahbubur Rahman.

From Gobindaganj upazila, some five candidates-Abdul Latif Prodhan, Mohammad Hossain Foku, Faruque Kabir Ahmed, Faruque Ahmed and AFM Majibur Rahman submitted their nomination papers for the post of the upazila chairman.

On the other hand, four female candidates-Runa Arzu Monowara Eden, Umme Jahan, Kamrun Nahar and Aktera Begum submitted their nomination papers for the post of female vice chairman.

Nine candidates who submitted their nomination papers for the post

of vice chairman are Abdur Rahman Khandkar, SM Kabir Rasel, Sadequl Islam, SM Altab Hossain Pata, Imran Chowdhury, Abu Zafar Lelin, Nurunnabi Prodhan, Ashraful Islam and Aminul Islam.

Shaghata UNO Abdul Awal and Gobindaganj UNO Mamun-ul-Hasan who are the assistant returning officers of the elections in the respective upazila confirmed the submission of nomination papers of the candidates on Saturday to the correspondent of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

Additional deputy commissioner (General) Abu Bakar Siddique who is the returning officer of the election here said as per the schedule, nomination papers would be scrutinized on January 27.

When asked, Abu Bakar Siddique said the elections in other five upazilas will be held in the phases. l

Speedy trial of killers of Kibria demanded n Our Correspondent, Habiganj

Shivering cold wave paralyses normal life in northern districts

Residents of Habiganj demanded speedy trial of the killers of former finance minister AMS Kibria.

The townspeople came up with the demanding while speaking at a human chain in Boider Bazar area of the district town yesterday, marking the 9th death anniversary of the Awami League leader.

To mark the day, leaders of Shah AMS Kibria Smriti Parishad, administration of Habiganj sadar upazila and leaders of District Sramik League placed wreath at the monument of Kibria.

The speakers said although nine years had passed since the killing of Kibria, accused in the murder case was yet to get punishment.

Shah AMS Kibria, his nephew Shah Manjur and five others people were killed in a bomb blast on 27 January of 2005. l

n Tribune Report

People form a human chain in Habinganj town yesterday, demanding speedy trial of the killers of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria DHAKA TRIBUNE

The shivering cold wave sweeping over the northern districts has factually paralysed normal life adding untold miseries to common people yesterday.

The situation deteriorated following sharp falls in the maximum and minimum temperatures with blowing cooler winds from the western and north-western directions with clouds and fogs.

The severity of the biting cold forced thousands to stay indoors affecting business, office and normal activities throughout the day today as the sun remained covered behind dense fogs, mists and clouds amid blowing stronger cooler winds.

The maximum and minimum temperatures marked sharp falls by three to six degrees Celsius.

According to Met Office sources, the minimum temperature of 11.5 degrees celsius was recorded at 6 am and maximum of only 15 degrees at 4pm yesterday in Rangpur city.

Besides, the minimum temperatures recorded were 10.9 degrees celsius at Syedpur, 11 degrees at Bogra, 11.3 degrees at Dinajpur and the country’s lowest of only 8 degrees celsius at Iswardi at 6am yesterday.

The intensity of biting cold became unbearable following reduction of the gap between the minimum and maximum temperatures to only three to six degrees Celsius at most places in the sub- Himalayan region yesterday.

The number of patients with cough, fever, asthma and other climate change related diseases have been increasing again during the past couple of days, hospital sources and physicians said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Is Awami League the answer?

DHAKA TRIBUNE

R

n Nisar Ahmed ecent political debates in Bangladesh are swirling around two main topics – the January 5 general election, and the proceedings of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). Though these two topics should be discussed separately, they have been unnecessarily tangled together by some members of the political and the civil society inside Bangladesh and abroad.

Now that they are knotted together, they need to be discussed alongside each other in order to show why the Awami League is the best option to govern the country at this point in time. I would like to put forward my case by taking readers through a set of questions crucial for the future of Bangladesh, and my responses to these questions. First question, is it necessary for Bangladesh to deal with crimes against humanity committed during the liberation war that happened more than 40 years in the past?

Yes, absolutely. For any nation to move forward together, it must resolve issues of the past. Otherwise the divisive debate keeps going on. There are plenty of examples that show us how dealing with the past is necessary to move a nation forward. South Africa dealt with the apartheid era injustices through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The US had to address slavery through a war, and its racial inequalities through enactment of laws protecting civil rights. On the other hand, Turkey is still ignoring its past behaviour towards Armenians, and for that the nation is not able to fully integrate with the European Union.

Bangladesh was born through a bloody war of independence. A small group of people from East Pakistan wanted undivided Pakistan in the form of an Islamic state. These people collaborated with the Pakistan government and the army, and participated in atrocities against their fellow countrymen including women and children.

The heinous crimes committed by them were no doubt crimes against humanity.

Though the political position taken by these people during the war can be argued for, no one in their sane mind can either accept their crimes or let those crimes remain unresolved. Between 1975 and 2009, Bangladesh neither had a government that was willing to tackle this issue, nor the political and economic strength to take on the task of war crimes trial.

Now is the most appropriate and opportune time to take care of this behemoth of unfinished business because Bangladesh is on a much better footing politically and economically to withstand any international pressure.

Sheikh Hasina and her government has courageously picked up the opportunity, and carried on with the task despite immense pressure from inside and outside the country. The Hasina government deserves praise for setting up the International Crimes Tribunal and for trying crimes against humanity.

One might ask, could the crimes against humanity be handled differently?

Yes, possibly, but sincerely, no. There are a few options that could have been considered including doing nothing, a trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC), and forming a Truth and Reconciliation commission similar to the one in South Africa. Though a few people would love to agree with option 1, it is not an option for the people of Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh government tried option 2, which could have been the

best solution from the perspective of international acceptability but, regrettably, the ICC expressed its inability to take up this task. Instead, they suggested Bangladesh does it on its own.

It is not clear why ICC refused, but a good guess would be that a number of powerful countries would be embarrassed by the facts that would be unearthed by the ICC through such a process. The Bangladesh government had no other choice than to move forward with the ICT option. The formation of a Truth and Reconciliation commission

including minorities.

BNP, on the other hand, does not give much importance to secular politics, and believes hurting minority communities is a small price to pay in order to keep India on notice. From that standpoint, BNP has no problem allying with Jamaat. In return, BNP enjoys some fruits of its alliance with Jamaat, the most important of which are the Taliban-like cadre Jamaat can unleash as and when necessary, and the power of the purse it can bring to the table. Could, or would BNP give up this

Though no one should condone corruption, it is a shocking reality of any society including the most advanced nations was suggested by some, as it would have been the most humane option.

A humane way to address the crimes against humanity would have satisfied all; certainly the people of Bangladesh would have accepted that option only if it was a practical one. Those who committed those crimes in 1971, had 40 years to decide whether or not they want to pledge their allegiance to the sovereign state of Bangladesh, and accept the fundamental principles Bangladesh was founded on.

Wretchedly, they chose the wrong direction in 1971, and continued to pursue the same misguided goals till this day – committing similar crimes and atrocities against humanity. If anyone in their right frame of mind believes that perpetrators of 1971 has any inclination to change and conduct politics following the principles of the Muktijuddho (the liberation war), then they live in a fools’ paradise.

If we simply consider why Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission was cancelled following a Supreme Court order, and their continued violent and terrorist political activities, it will become very clear that those criminals have no desire to denounce their past and come clean.

Unless there is any other compelling option on the table, the option chosen by the Bangladesh government is the only practical one and we must finish the unfinished task of the ICT. Question is can BNP be trusted with the completion of ICT trials and execution of verdicts?

One should hope that the political party in government should not derail the process; unfortunately, that is not the case in Bangladeshi politics. It is an established fact that BNP has created the environment for anti-liberation forces to come back and re-establish themselves socially, financially, and politically in Bangladesh.

Ershad has also significantly contributed to the conducive and thriving environment for fundamentalist anti-liberation forces that BNP had reconstructed. Though the AL government magnanimously announced general amnesty in 1972, it did not do so for the main culprits. Also AL’s brief political pact with Jamaat was deplorable, even if it was a tactical political move.

BNP’s political alliance with Jamaat, on the other hand, is ideological.

Present day AL and BNP are not very different except for a few important aspects including the principles of the liberation war. AL wants to uphold the fundamentals of the liberation war by creating a political environment that is secular, free of fundamentalism, and ensures equal rights for all citizens,

political advantage by severing their ties with Jamaat?

On the question of “could,” BNP would harness long-term benefits for themselves as a political party and for the nation if they did. On the question of “would,” one can only wonder how.

It is difficult for BNP to untangle itself from Jamaat, especially when they believe the survival of both BNP and Jamaat are at stake if they cannot come to power soon.

The calculation was, and still is, for BNP and Jamaat to come to power by any means before the ICT verdicts are executed. In power, they will surely undo everything the AL government has achieved through the process. No wonder, Jamaat, with full backing from BNP, is doing everything they can to overthrow the AL government including unleashing unprecedented violence and mayhem along with international pressure aided by a vested interest group of civil society in Bangladesh.

Short time before the election, Khaleda’s appeal to Jamaat leaders for continuing the violent activities and the provocative messages from Tarique Rahman clearly demonstrates BNP’s allegiance with Jamaat. BNP, in power, will have no other choice than to throw away the ICT process because people convicted by the ICT will be helping them run the administration.

Above should provide enough evidence as to why Sheikh Hasina led AL government is the only option at this time to resolve the matter of crimes against humanity once now, and for all of Bangladesh’s future. Besides the issue of crimes against humanity, there are other relevant aspects to the question of which party is the better option for forming government such as: which is a better choice from the perspectives of corruption, development, foreign policy, and other social indicators?

Both AL and BNP are saddled with corrupt politicians, and the corruption in Bangladesh politics is not likely to go away anytime soon. Our big democratic neighbour, India, is not able to uproot corruption from politics and the administration after having more than 65 years of uninterrupted, democratically elected governments in power.

Though no one should condone corruption, it is a shocking reality of any society including the most advanced nations. In some countries, corruption happens in the disguise of lobbying and other forms of favoritism in the upper echelons of the government, and in countries like Bangladesh it happens at every level. Given that corruption is not going away completely anytime soon, the more important question for Bangladesh is which party would be

less corrupt, and likely to pay bit more attention to it than the other.

AL is the likely answer. How, you ask? In the just concluded AL government, there were a few veteran politicians with no corruption charges inked against them. Can BNP show that many ministers with similar clean records?

Then if we tally up the number and size of various corruptions by past two governments, the balance will be tilted downwards on BNP’s side. Also, AL has shown more inclination in dealing with corruption as demonstrated by the removals of ministers such as Abul Hossain and Suranjit Sengupta. Can BNP show similar examples of dealing with corruption allegations?

During its tenure in government, AL has demonstrated remarkable progress in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, agriculture and food safety, education, terrorism, foreign policy, foreign currency reserves, and many others.

We can argue about AL’s relation with India, but the truth is if any government can get the Teesta and Land Boundary Agreements signed with India, that would have to be AL. If we have to choose between Pakistan and India as our ally, India has to be our choice for so many reasons. BNP will not be able to build a fruitful relationship with India because of its unsavoury political ties with the fundamentalist quarters, and its active and passive support for terrorism as demonstrated by the previous BNP government. Not to forget that the AL government has legally fought and won the water rights issue with Myanmar.

But not everything is positive in the AL foreign policy. The AL government formulated, and then lost the Padma Bridge loan from the World Bank. It has damaged Bangladesh’s relationship with the West due to the mishandling of World Bank loan and Grameen Bank, and due to its dogged pursuit of the January 5 elections with the so called “all party” government in power.

But for the first time since 1975, the AL government has shown that Bangladesh can stand firm and tall against all powerful external pressures. One can argue that the AL government defied world pressure for the wrong reasons, but the truth that is hidden underneath the surface is: the AL government has set an example of how to stand firm against outside pressure. This will also be a lesson for the civil society in Bangladesh. Hopefully in future, they will pursue a desired outcome of any internal political issue domestically without

erating power in excess of the projected demand in the near future, and they are actively pursuing that plan. For the first time in Bangladeshi history, the AL government has consistently delivered textbooks on time to all students, going against all odds. The AL government has, and continues to pursue positive reforms in the education sector.

The list of achievements for the AL government stacks up quite tall. It certainly could have done a much better job in promoting and convincing the fellow countrymen of its successes. They tried an ill-advised, measly promotion of its achievements by taking over the billboards of Dhaka city. Despite all the mistakes of last five years, AL’s achievements rise well above BNP’s previous government. Now on to the most important question - was it right to hold the January 5 election without the other major political party, BNP? Yes, very much so. The January 5 election seems highly controversial at this moment, but 15 years from now, it will most likely be seen as one of the most important milestones for Bangladesh’s democracy. When the smoke and dust so deceitfully created by the opponents of the election settles, people will be able to see how this election helped lay a strong foundation for democracy in Bangladesh.

Yes, the election was boycotted by a number of political parties including the main opposition; and yes, most of the seats were uncontested; and no, there wasn’t a good voter turnout; and yes, there was massive violence; and yes, there was enormous pressure from outside; and lastly yes, the election was held under a political government – the most important problem cited by the opponents which led them to vehemently oppose and boycott it.

Ironically, holding elections under a political government is where the most important milestone for Bangladesh’s democracy lies.

The caretaker form as a poll time government was necessary when it was created. But it cannot go on forever.

If politics of the last 20 years or so is any indication of what to expect in the foreseeable future, as far as reaching any political agreement between two major political parties goes, there is no hope for the AL and the BNP to find a way out of the caretaker government in a congenial manner. Does that mean that Bangladesh has to live with the caretaker government forever? There are many countries in the world where democratic institutions, political parties, and dem-

AL in power is the best option at this time because between the two major parties, it has a much better vision and plan of execution for Bangladesh egotism before lobbying through their foreign friends.

On the question of overall development of the country, the AL government has made significant progress in increasing power generation, increasing agriculture output, reforming education (K – 12), developing infrastructure, increasing foreign currency reserves, and many other sectors. Since AL came to power in 2009, Bangladesh has seen gradual decline in load shedding.

If we can leave aside the debate over the environmental issues surrounding the Rampal coal-fired power plant, the AL government has, for the first time, come up with a concrete plan for gen-

ocratic processes are way too inferior to those of Bangladesh. But those countries do not adopt a caretaker or any special form of poll time government.

Caretaker or any poll time government that does not represent the people, is a very weak and dangerous form of government. How can we trust a non-representative government more than a government of elected representatives? Is our experience with caretaker government process very clean? The experience with the most recent caretaker government of Fakhruddin-Moinul has arguably left a long-lasting bitter taste in everyone’s mouth. Hasina, Khaleda, and most importantly, the democracy

in Bangladesh suffered during that government. Hasina remembered the danger posed by the caretaker government, and took it upon her to make sure that an unelected government can never again come to power.

The Caretaker government format had to go at some point. Some may argue that now was not the right time.

Then the questions that naturally come up are “when is the right time?” and “what is the process to get there?” the AL government had the answers to those questions, and they responded.

No one else including BNP had come up with any alternative path and timeline.

BNP was simply interested in using the caretaker government formula to come to power.

Hence, it is not unexpected that they would fight the election under the AL adopted process tooth and nail because they thought they had no chance of coming back to power. But the violent form of their fight was completely unwarranted. AL would have fought it too if the roles were reversed. It is inevitable that somebody had to get rid of the caretaker government at some point. AL simply hastened it, and for that, Bangladesh is that much ahead in solidifying democracy. This was a victory for democracy. We may not realise it today, but we will some day.

When we do we will also recognise how courageous Hasina was.

Our democracy may be weak and fragile, but the caretaker government certainly made it weaker. If BNP had the prescience, they would have used this as a political opportunity. Keeping AL under pressure for doing away with the caretaker government, they could have gained extra mileage against the election time government, and could have taken part in the elections. There was genuine possibility of BNP winning this election.

It would have been impossible for AL to rig the election with the BNP as a major shareholder of the government and under the close watch of the international community. But BNP decided to forego this opportunity of being part of this historic democratic advancement, and having a serious shot at fulfilling their desire of coming back to power. That is BNP’s loss, AL’s gain.

Politically AL has achieved exactly what it hoped for.

AL in power is the best option at this time because between the two major parties, it has a much better vision and plan of execution for Bangladesh. AL now has the opportunity to show the nation that it cares. It must now be mindful of taking care of a few important things, among others, including: • Strengthening all democratic institutions, especially the Election Commission, so that they can function independently and beyond doubt.

• Completion of all the high profile war crimes cases within the shortest possible time.

• Execution of pending agreements with India.

• Checking corruption within its government and party.

• Completion of a few major development and power projects.

AL must work under the assumption that it is not likely to get elected again, and the time to deliver starts to run out as soon as they assume power. l Nisar Ahmed is a freelance contributor.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Kiev mulls state of emergency as ministry seized n AFP, Kiev A Ukrainian government minister on Monday warned protesters that a state of emergency could be imposed to deal with the country’s deadly crisis, after radicals seized the justice ministry in Kiev.

The storming of the justice ministry threatened to derail talks between the opposition and President Viktor Yanukovych to find a peaceful outcome to a boiling standoff that according to officials has left three activists dead.

The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday was due to meet to discuss concessions proposed by Yanukovych to end the crisis, in a highly anticipated extraordinary session that could be a make-or-break moment to resolve the standoff.

With concern growing in the West that the situation in Ukraine is spiralling out of control, the crisis was also set to dominate an EU-Russia summit on Tuesday.

The protests, which began in November as a drive for EU integration after Yanukovych ditched a key deal with the bloc under Russian pressure, have now turned into an all out uprising to unseat him.

Tensions remained high in Kiev as several dozen radical protesters from a group named Spilna Sprava (The Right Deed) seized control of the justice ministry late Sunday, smashing windows and erecting new barricades outside.

Anti-government protesters gather around a fire to get warm at a road block in Kiev Justice Minister Olena Lukash, who is taking part in the negotiations, said she would ask for the talks to be broken off if the building was not freed.

“I will be forced to ask the president of Ukraine to stop the talks if the build-

ing is not freed immediately and negotiators are not given a chance to find a peaceful solution to the conflict,” Lukash told Ukraine’s Inter channel.

If the protesters do not vacate the building, Lukash said she would also

Iran journalists urge Rouhani to reopen press association n AFP, Tehran

Syria talks to tackle power transfer

Hundreds of Iranian journalists have signed a petition urging President Hassan Rouhani to speed up the reopening of their press association, the reformist Etemad newspaper reported on Monday.

The Association of Iranian Journalists was closed down shortly after the swearing in of former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

The closure was ordered by Tehran’s former prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi following a complaint lodged by the intelligence ministry.

“In a letter, some 772 Iranian journalists urged the president to unseal their association,” Etemad reported.

“You promised to do your best to reopen the journalists association ... while in the past few months some efforts were made by your ministers in this regard, the exact time of reopening is not clear for us yet,” the petition reads.

“However, we are still hopeful to see the fulfillment of your promise and ask you to order the reopening process of the association to be accelerated.”

The Association of Iranian Journalists is an affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists, which strongly condemned the closure.

Rouhani, a reputed moderate who defeated conservatives in last year’s election, promised more social freedoms during his election campaign. l

Syrian peace talks in Geneva were set to tackle the explosive issue of a transfer of power on Monday, despite President Bashar al-Assad’s repeated vows that he will not step down.

After two days of talks focused on humanitarian issues, the UN-sponsored discussions between Syria’s regime and opposition were to move on to the core issue of a transitional governing body. The UN said in a terse statement that the talks had resumed around 11:00 am (1000 GMT) but provided no further details.

In the first tangible promise to emerge from the talks, UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said Sunday the regime had agreed to allow women and children safe passage from besieged rebel-held areas of the city of Homs.

But opposition spokesman Louay Safi said the time had come “to start talking about transition from dictatorship to democracy.”

On Monday, he said, “we start to see if the regime is willing to go to a political solution or stick to a military one.”

The opposition says Assad must leave power and a transitional government be formed based on an agreement reached during a first peace conference in Geneva in 2012.

The regime says Assad’s role is not up for debate at this conference –

n

AFP, Geneva

Tunisia approves new constitution, appoints government n Reuters, Tunis Tunisia’s national assembly approved the country’s new constitution on Sunday in one of the last steps to establishing full democracy three years after the uprising that toppled autocrat Zine elAbidine Ben Ali. Just before the constitution vote, Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa appointed a caretaker cabinet as part of a deal to end a crisis between Tunisia’s Islamist party and its secular opposition until new elections this year.

Tunisia’s new constitution and progress contrasts sharply with messy transitions in Libya, Egypt and Yemen which are still caught up in turmoil after ousting their own long-standing leaders in 2011 revolts and uprisings.

After the historic vote, the red and white Tunisian flag was unfurled and assembly deputies embraced, danced and sang inside the chamber in Tunis to celebrate the charter, which has been widely praised for its inclusiveness.

“This constitution was the dream of Tunisians, this constitution is proof of the revival of the revolution, this constitution creates a democratic civil nation,” Assembly chief Mustapha Ben Jaafar said.

While the new constitution recognizes Islam as the country’s religion, it also enshrines freedom of conscience and belief, and equality between the sexes. As one of the most secular nations in the Arab world, Tunisia has struggled since the revolt, with divisions over the role of Islam and the rise of ultra-conservative Salafists, who secularists feared would try to roll back liberal rights.

The assassination of two opposition leaders by Islamist militants last year, though, pitched the small North African country into crisis with the ruling moderate Islamist party, Ennahda, under pressure to step down.

Opposition leaders blamed Ennahda for going easy on hardline Islamists who promoted the idea of Islamic state based on strict sharia law.

After the vote, in what many saw a symbol of compromise, Mongi Rahoui, a deputy from the assassinated leaders’ party, embraced Habib Louz, an Ennahda hardliner. The two men sparred furiously over Islam last week.

“With this, Tunisia should be a model for the region,” Ennahda chief Rached Ghannouchi said of the charter. “These advances in democracy in Tunisia should have a positive effect on the other Arab Spring countries.” l

dubbed Geneva II – and denies that the initial Geneva deal requires him to go.

In Damascus, official Syrian media made it clear that Assad’s continued leadership remained a red line that negotiators would not cross.

“Those who are deluding themselves must understand that the government delegation to Geneva II did not go to this conference to hand power to those who have conspired against the people over the last three years,” the Tishreen state newspaper said.

“They are in Geneva to speak in the name of the Syrian people who have been the target of terrorism by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda,” it said.

The regime accuses the opposition and its international backers of promoting “terrorism” in the country, pointing to militant Islamist rebel groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Al-Nusra Front.

State media warns of talks ‘collapse’ The pro-regime Al-Watan newspaper said any optimism about the talks had faded because of the opposition’s “inability to negotiate” and warned: “The collapse of the negotiations is now possible.”

Brought together by the United Nations, Russia and the United States, the two sides have been meeting in the biggest diplomatic push yet to stem Syria’s bloodshed after nearly three years of civil war. l

AFP

approach Ukraine’s national security council with “a demand to discuss imposing a state of emergency in this country.”

The Interfax-Ukraine news agency said opposition leader and former box-

ing champion Vitali Klitschko, who is involved in the negotiations with the president, had visited the scene overnight and asked the protesters to leave, but to no avail.

The authorities have been rumoured to have considered imposing a state of emergency but the prospect of such an extreme step had reportedly unnerved many in Yanukovych’s Regions Party.

Protesters now control much of the city centre of Kiev around the protest hub of Independence Square, with their camp protected by barricades several metres high and guarded by activists dressed in balaclavas and armed with baseball bats.

But the rebellion has now spread well beyond Kiev, with protesters occupying regional administrations in all but one region in the west of the country which has traditionally been anti-Yanukovych.

But most worryingly for the president, protests have swept to the country’s east and centre, usually considered more the president’s heartland.

Protesters have now blockaded or attempted to blockade 14 of the 25 regional administrations across Ukraine.

However the security forces appear to have been fighting back in the east, using force to disperse protests in the regional centres of Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Sumy, local media reports said. l

Netanyahu settlement stand draws fire from all sides n AFP, Jerusalem Comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum make it clear he is against the establishment of a Palestinian state, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat has said.

“Anyone who says they want the settlers to remain is actually saying they don’t want the establishment of a Palestinian state,” Erakat said in remarks published Monday in Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam.

Erakat was reacting to comments by Netanyahu at last week’s WEF gathering in Davos, where the premier insisted Israel would not evacuate Jewish

settlements built on occupied land the Palestinians want for their future state.

Netanyahu has publicly supported the two-state solution during US-sponsored talks which envisage the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a final peace agreement.

But at Davos, the premier told Israeli journalists at a briefing, “I have said before and I say again; I do not intend to dismantle any settlement, I don’t intend to uproot any Israeli.”

His comments were broadcast on public radio. Israel’s settlements, which are illegal under international law, are a key sticking point that is preventing peace talks from making any visible progress. l

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos AFP

N’Dour promotes peace in CAR n AFP, Dakar

Senegalese music icon Youssou N’Dour has told AFP he is ready to travel to the Central African Republic to spread his message of peace amid inter-religious violence which has torn the country apart.

Speaking late Sunday at the recording of a single dedicated to reconciliation in Central Africa, N’Dour said artists had a role in talking about world

events such as the CAR crisis and that music “allows us to take shortcuts” to speak to a wider audience. “We can participate in bringing peace to this country which is so dear to us,” he said.

N’Dour, a Muslim, is collaborating with Central African singer Lydie Natacha, who goes by the stage name of Idylle Mamba and is a Christian.

He “decided to associate the voice of a Christian from the Central African

Republic with his (to) encourage strong international solidarity to restore a definitive peace” to the country, according to his spokesman Charles Faye.

N’Dour told AFP that “the people there will listen and we are also willing to talk to them” in their own country, if required. The Grammy-winning musician has over 20 albums to his name and has long been involved in social and humanitarian issues. l

Senegalese music icon Youssou N’Dour works in the studio in Dakar, as he records a song dedicated to peace in Central African Republic.

N’Dour, a Muslim, collaborated with Central African singer Lydie Natacha Cerbonney AFP

Influential cleric denies plotting against Turkey government n AFP, Istanbul The exiled Muslim cleric at the heart of a bitter feud with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday denied allegations that he was behind a vast graft scandal roiling the government.

In his first broadcast interview since he arrived in the United States in 1999, Fethullah Gulen told the BBC that he was not behind the corruption probe that has ensnared Erdogan’s key allies.

“It is not possible for these judges and prosecutors to receive orders from me. I have no relation with them. I don’t know even 0.1% of them,” Gulen said.

Several of Erdogan’s business allies and the sons of ministers in his cabinet were arrested in mid-December on suspicion of corruption and bribery.

Erdogan has accused loyalists of Gulen of acting as a “state within a state” and instigating the probe to destabilise his government ahead of March local polls.

In response, the prime minister has embarked on a massive purge of police and prosecutors believed to be involved in the probe.

But the 73-year-old cleric, whose Hizmet movement wields considerable influence in the judiciary and police, said those sacked or reassigned in the wake of the corruption probe “were not linked to us.” l

Israeli defence computers hit in cyber attack n AFP, Jerusalem Hackers attacked Israeli computers including one used by the defence ministry department dealing with civilians in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli data protection expert said on Monday.

“At the beginning of this month a number of mails were sent to a number of companies in Israel, including security organisations,” Aviv Raff, chief technology officer at Israeli cyber security firm Seculert told army radio.

“There was an attachment... and whoever opened it was infected with a virus, a Trojan Horse, which allowed the attackers to control those computers. One of the computers belonged to the Civil Administration,” he said in reference to the defence ministry department, which is staffed by the military.

Asked to comment on the report, the military said in a written statement to AFP: “The reports of the incident are currently being looked into.”

Raff did not identify the source of the attack but the radio said it was “apparently from Gaza” and added that 15 Israeli computers were targeted.

It said that only the Civil Administration’s public network was affected and that no classified communications were compromised.

Raff said that the virus allowed the attacker “complete control of the infected computers. The attackers could carry out any operation within that network.” l

US carries out air strike in Somalia targeting militant suspect n Reuters, Washington The US military carried out a missile strike in Somalia on Sunday targeting a suspected militant leader with ties to al Qaeda and al Shabaab, a US military official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The strike took place in southern Somalia, the official said, without offering further information, including the identity of the suspect or whether the strike was believed to have been successful.

Another US official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation took place in a remote area near Barawe, Somalia.

Barawe, a militant stronghold on Somalia’s southern coast, was the site of a failed raid by American commandos in October targeting a militant known as Ikrima.

The US forces pulled out after a gun battle without capturing Ikrima, described as a planner and operator who has relentlessly plotted attacks on neighbouring Kenya.

Al Shabaab has been weakened by African Union troops over the past two years, ushering in some stability in many parts of the Horn of Africa country after a campaign of cross-border raids and kidnappings of Westerners and security forces. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

China ships in disputed waters off Tokyo n AFP, Tokyo

An anti-government protester holds a placard during a rally in Bangkok

REUTERS

Chinese ships sailed through disputed waters off Tokyo-controlled islands on Monday, days after Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe caused an international stir by comparing Sino-Japanese relations with the run-up to World War One. Three Chinese coastguard vessels spent around two hours in the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters off one of the Senkakus, which China claims and calls the Diaoyus, Japan’s coastguard said.

It came as Abe was in New Delhi, where he and Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh affirmed plans to strengthen defence cooperation, including conducting joint maritime exercises on a “regular basis with increased frequency.”

His three-day visit to India is being keenly watched by China, analysts say.

Beijing is sometimes uneasy about

what it sees as an attempt by the USbacked Japan to encircle it. Beijing also has an often-fractious relationship with Delhi, partly because of a border dispute that erupted into a brief war in 1962. India is keen to burnish friendships in the region to offset its neighbour’s growing might.

Abe was in Delhi days after he drew a comparison between Japan and China’s relations and those of Britain and Germany as they stumbled towards World War One. For its part, Beijing has sought to conjure the spectre of Nazism by comparing Abe with Hitler and urging him to emulate Germany’s postwar contrition.

Chinese state-owned ships and aircraft have approached the Senkakus on and off to demonstrate Beijing’s territorial claims, especially after Japan nationalised some of the islands in September 2012. l

Thai election body urges vote Four more China delay, army stays neutral n Reuters, Bangkok Thailand’s Election Commission urged a delay in next week’s planned national vote, warning on Monday of more bloodshed after violent clashes at the weekend.

That would drag out a festering crisis that risks splitting the country. The military, which has often stepped in to take control in the past, is resolutely staying out of the fray this time, despite appeals from anti-government protesters. “As election officials, it is our job to make sure elections are successful, but we also need to make sure the country is peaceful enough to hold the election,” Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, an Election Commission member, told Reuters.

“We don’t want it to be bloody.”

The commission will meet embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawa-

tra on Tuesday to discuss the vote date.

With protests aimed at toppling Yingluck now in their third month, there has been repeated speculation that the armed forces might try a repeat of the 18 actual and attempted coups they have mounted in 80 years of on-off democracy in Southeast Asia’s second biggest economy.

But in comments to reporters, armed forces supreme commander, Thanasak Patimapakorn, refused to be drawn on whether elections should be postponed.

“The Election Commission and the government will meet to discuss this tomorrow. Soldiers will not be able to say much more than this,” he said.

However, the military in recent weeks has also refused to rule out intervention.

The Election Commission says the months of protests render the country too unstable to go to the polls on February 2. That argument was bolstered by the shooting on Sunday in Bangkok of a protest leader, taking to 10 the death toll since the protests started in November.

The protests, centred on the capital, have broad support among Bangkok’s middle class and the traditional elite.

They are pitted against the mostly rural, and much larger, voting block in the country’s north made up of so-called “red shirt” supporters of Yingluck and her ex-premier brother Thaksin Shinawatra, forced out of office by a military coup in 2006.

Thaksin lives in self-imposed exile to escape a 2008 jail sentence for corruption. l

activists on trial n AFP, Beijing Four members of a Chinese rights movement went on trial Monday, a day after its founder was jailed in what has been seen as an escalating government crackdown on anti-corruption activists.

The proceedings bring the total number of New Citizens Movement members tried on charges of disrupting public order to 10, seven of them since last Wednesday in Beijing.

The criminal charges are based on small-scale street protests where the activists held banners calling for officials to disclose their assets as a check against corruption.

China’s new leadership under Presi-

dent Xi Jinping says it is tackling graft, but fears any organised movement might undermine the control of the ruling Communist Party.

At least 20 members of the group, which is estimated to involve a few hundred people, have been detained over the past year.

At Monday’s trials three of the activists, Ding Jiaxi, Li Wei, and Zhang Baocheng dismissed their lawyers, the attorneys told AFP, in a move previous activists have used to delay proceedings for 15 days.

One of Zhang’s lawyers, Chen Jiangang, said that the case of a fourth defendant, Yuan Dong, was still being heard late Monday. Yuan’s lawyer could not be reached. l

Malaysia church hit with Cambodian police break up rally bombs amid ‘Allah’ row pressing for TV station n AFP, Kuala Lumpur Two petrol bombs were thrown at a Malaysian church Monday, a church official said, igniting fears of more violence as a religious dispute over the use of the word “Allah” rages.

An unidentified assailant hurled the petrol bombs at a shrine fronting the Church of the Assumption in the northern state of Penang, said the church’s priest Dominic Santhiyagu.

Only one ignited, causing just minor damage, he said.

‘We look to the relevant authorities to take the necessary action to haul in extremists who thrive on causing unrest’ But the incident stirred memories of a wave of such attacks on places of worship -- mostly churches -- four years ago during an earlier bout of divisions over the dispute in the Muslim-majority country.

“We are shocked by the incident. We must remain calm and pray,” Santhiyagu told AFP. Santhiyagu said police were investi-

gating the attack. Police could not immediately be reached for comment.

Conservative Muslims have raised pressure in recent weeks for Malay-speaking Christians to stop using the word “Allah.”

They say the word -- which also is used by Malay Muslims to refer to the Islamic creator -- is exclusive to their religion and must not be used by non-Muslims in multi-racial Malaysia.

Muslim ethnic Malays make up more than 60% of the country’s 28 million people, which also includes sizeable Chinese, Indian and other minorities.

About 2.6 million people in Malaysia are Christians.

Earlier on Sunday, officials at the Penang church had found a banner hung on its fence saying “Jesus is the son of Allah.” Another such banner also was reportedly found at a nearby church.

Christian officials speculated the banners and petrol bombs could be the work of provocateurs seeking to further inflame the “Allah” dispute.

Some government critics have alleged right-wing elements allied to the Malay-dominated ruling coalition were stirring up the issue to increase Muslim support for the government.

“We look to the relevant authorities to take the necessary action to haul in extremists who thrive on causing unrest,” said Hermen Shastri, general secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia. l

A monk stands between protesters and riot policemen in Phnom Penh

n Reuters, Phnom Penh Cambodian military police used smoke grenades and batons on Monday to quell a protest by demonstrators demanding that a new television channel be allowed to broadcast, wounding at least eight people, witnesses said.

The demonstration was in breach of a ban on public gatherings imposed by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen,

One in 4 Japan tsunami children needs psychiatric care n AFP, Tokyo One in four nursery school children caught up in Japan’s 2011 tsunami disaster has psychiatric problems caused by the horrors of loss and destruction, with experts warning of a dire shortage of psychiatrists.

Researchers say that for some children, the effects may be felt throughout their lifetimes unless they get the help they so urgently need.

A study found 25.9% of children aged between three and five suffer from symptoms including vertigo, nausea and headaches, with some exhibiting worrying behaviour such as violence or withdrawal.

Youngsters were scarred by losing friends, seeing their homes destroyed, by separation from parents or by the sight of the huge wall of water that crashed ashore, the study team said. The group, led by professor Shigeo Kure of Tohoku University School of Medicine, said young children who do not receive the necessary care could develop much worse problems in later life.

These could include developmental disorders and learning disabilities, which would affect academic achievement and employment prospects, “as they may have trouble in communicating with other people due to the influence of experiences related to the disaster,” Kure told AFP.

More than 18,000 people died when a 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake sent a towering tsunami into Japan’s northeast coast in March 2011. The country’s worst post-World War II disaster was compounded by reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which sent tens of thousands of people fleeing from radiation.

Researchers looked at 178 children whose parents or guardians agreed to cooperate in the three areas worst-hit by the catastrophe -- Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. They used an internationally recognised child behaviour checklist and met children between September 2012 and June last year. l

who is enduring one of the biggest challenges to his 28-year rule and mounting criticism of bloody crackdowns on dissent. Military police and guards working for Phnom Penh city authorities chased down opposition-aligned protesters near the Information Ministry, with police wielding batons and electric prods.

Journalists were among the wounded, according to Reuters witnesses.

The protest was against the minis-

In her first public appearance since the French president broke up with her, Valerie Trierweiler turned her attention to the less fortunate Monday, cuddling and kissing children in a pediatric ward in India.

Trierweiler arrived in Mumbai overnight, smiling but looking tired after a business-class flight from Paris, on which cabin crew limited reporters’ access to her. Trierweiler has been a subject of intense media interest after being hospitalized earlier this month with what aides described as shock and the blues following a tabloid’s publication of photos it said proved Hollande

‘Goodnight, humans’: China’s Jade Rabbit moon rover posting n AFP, Beijing Chinese Internet users flooded the country’s social media networks on Monday with condolences for the troubled Jade Rabbit moon rover, which experienced a “mechanical control abnormality” over the weekend.

State-run media reported on Saturday that the country’s first moon rover had run into trouble due to “the complicated lunar surface environment.”

By Monday afternoon, “Jade Rabbit lunar rover” had shot to the top of the most-searched terms list on Sina Weibo, a Chinese version of Twitter.

“Little bunny, we’re praying for you!” one Web user wrote. “In space exploration, there’s great beauty, but there’s also great difficulty,” another user wrote.

“I hope one day you will be resurrected.”

The Jade Rabbit, or Yutu in Chinese, was deployed on the moon’s surface on December 15, several hours after the Chang’e-3 probe landed. The landing -- the third such soft-landing in history, and the first of its kind since the Soviet Union’s mission nearly four decades ago -has been a huge source of pride in China, where millions across the country have been charting the rover’s accomplishments. The official Xinhua news agency, which broke the news of the Jade Rabbit’s troubles, published a “first-person account” from the rover that appeared geared towards softening the blow.

The account appears to have been based on a posting by weibo user “Jade Rabbit Lunar Rover,” an unverified account which Xinhua said is “believed to belong to space enthusiasts who have been following Yutu’s journey to the moon.” “The bad news is, I was supposed to go to sleep this morning, but before I went to sleep, my masters found some mechanical control abnormalities,” the first-person posting reads.

“Some parts of my body won’t listen to their commands. Now my masters are hard at work thinking of ways to fix me...

Even so, I know that it’s possible I won’t be able to endure this night.” l

Philippines launches offensive against rebels n Agencies

REUTERS

try’s refusal to grant a broadcast license to a new television channel run by a staunch government critic in a country where the broadcast media is accused of lacking political independence.

The violence was the latest episode in a months-long political crisis in Cambodia, which was for years racked by conflict but which recently saw more than a decade of unprecedented growth and stability. l

France’s ex-first lady focuses on hunger in India n AP, Mumbai

9

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

was having an affair with an actress.

On Saturday, the French president announced their seven-year relationship was over.

On Monday, Trierweiler visited the children in the pediatric ward of a public hospital in Mumbai and spoke with mothers about nutrition.

“I cannot stand that these children have less chances than others,” said Trierweiler, a career journalist who has three children from a previous marriage. “We should give same chances to all. We have (here) children who suffer from malnutrition, that is why I am here today.” The statement marked Trierweiler’s first public comments since the scandal erupted. l

The Philippine military has launched a major offensive against a splinter rebel group, two days after negotiations with the country’s main Muslim rebel group to end a decades-long insurgency that has killed tens of thousands successfully ended.

Soldiers, backed by artillery, attacked guerrillas of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in a remote village on the southern island of Mindanao on Monday, triggering fighting that sent hundreds of civilians fleeing, the military said.

Al Jazeera’s Jamela Alindogan, reporting from the capital, Manila, said that the fighting apparently erupted after the military tried to serve warrants of arrest against the BIFF, which is fighting for an independent Islamic state.

In 2008, the BIFF broke away from the main rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that is now on the brink of signing a final peace deal with the Philippine government.

Since breaking away from the MILF, the BIFF has been accused of carrying out armed robberies and bombings in several cities in Mindanao.

On Sunday, the government and MILF negotiators sealed the final phase of talks in Malaysia that would pave the way for the laying down of arms by rebels in exchange for greater autonomy.

The BIFF, however, said that the deal is not inclusive and does not represent the needs of their people. l

Overcrowded Indian boat may have hit rock; 21 dead

n AP, New Delhi

Police say a tourist boat that capsized off India’s remote Andaman and Nicobar islands was overcrowded and may have hit a rock before it went down. At least 21 people were killed.

Mohammed Rafique, the duty officer in Port Blair, said Monday that the boat capsized about 300 feet (100 yards) from shore Sunday afternoon.

He said the investigation so far suggests the boat hit a rock. Forty-seven people were on board, all of them Indian tourists. The passengers exceeded the boat’s capacity, Rafique said. He had no further details. India’s president released a statement expressing “shock and grief” over the accident. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Protect minorities and guard against divisions

T

he proposed formation of a special tribunal to speed up prosecution of those involved in attacks on minority communities is a necessary move.

Crimes based on communal hate have no place in our society and should not be tolerated. We hope this proposal can help provide timely justice for the victims and deter future attacks.

The Sector Commanders Forum and the National Human Rights Commission have been discussing other proposals with the same aim. Many of their recommendations such as a judicial probe committee to help identify perpetrators and ensure compensation for victims warrant action and implementation.

We are concerned however by remarks made in press conferences that there may be a need for separate polling stations for minorities. That type of distinction would be wrong in principle as it undermines the concept of equal citizenship.

Such suggestions should be dismissed as counterproductive.

The problem that needs to be solved is ensuring that all citizens are protected from violence and allowed to cast their votes safely.

Separate polling stations are no solution as they could just as easily become targets.

The most pressing priority must always be to ensure that perpetrators of violence and hate are swiftly apprehended and brought before the law.

Distinguishing between voters based on religion only risks solidifying divisions that can be used to fan the flames of communal hatred.

In protecting every citizen of the land, care must always be taken to avoid divisive policies.

The most pressing priority must be to ensure that perpetrators of violence are swiftly brought before the law

Heinous power politics!

January 24 Whenever Awami League comes to power, fiascos take place, no proper investigation is carried out, and according to investigation reports, no one is punished and the same fate holds for others.

Several times, the homes of Hindus and other minorities were attacked and torched during the AL regime, no proper investigations were carried out, and according to reports no one was punished. I can’t think of a single such incident during the whole of the BNP regime. What does that tell you?

MM Khaleed Ahasan

Against the attacks on minorities

Khaleda: Let go of Inquilab journalists

January 21

January 19

Binodbangali Khaleda knows well that these journalists would divulge to detectives that they acted on the directives of anti-government elements and probably were assured of safety. That could be why Mirza Fakhrul too wanted these journos released immediately.

Ronnie Binodbangali: This is the perpetuation of the present government’s paranoia and propaganda. This government has taken coercion and bullying to new, shameful heights. If the government is so patriotic and holy, what has it to fear of a few journos allegedly jeopardising “national security”? Let the men go, fine the paper if proved guilty, but let them have their day in court, without intimidation.

Binodbangali Ronnie: Agree fully on the legal rights of the newsmen.

Ronnie Binodbangali: I’m the first to acknowledge that with those legal rights of journalists come professional responsibilities and journalistic standards to uphold.

Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207

Recycling sector must improve standards

O

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

Be Heard

ver 5000 children are estimated to be working in Dhaka’s 1,200 battery recharging shops.

Many are engaged in the most directly hazardous jobs, without any protective clothing or equipment and poverty is continuing to increase the number of children employed in such conditions.

Battery recycling has been cited by the UN as one of the five most “highly risky” sectors in the country which have a prevalence of child labour. Exposure to lead acid and toxic materials is directly harmful to health and can cause severe burns to the skin.

Under the National Child Labour Elimination Policy 2010, the government is supporting programs to target the 50,000 children engaged in the most hazardous jobs across the country. This includes providing non-formal education and developing their skills, so that they do not need to go back to the most risky jobs.

The “Jhukipurno Kaje Niyojito Shishu” project which is backed by ILO technical support has been funded by the government with around Tk65crore until the middle of this year. It is vital that funding continues to provide this type of support.

While it is right to give priority to helping those in the most vulnerable and risky positions, more action is needed to move towards the broader goals of guaranteeing education and eliminating child labour.

Environmental standards also need to be enforced more stringently. As the economy grows, demand for recycling and processing electrical and electronic equipment will increase further so it is vital to reduce risks. All stakeholders in the recycling sector must act to improve its impact and to raise standards for workers.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

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

The Daily Inquilab has reportedly apologised, admitting their reckless recycling of a rumour without due fact-checking. My gripe is with the way the government often comes down like a ton of bricks at the slightest transgression by random media it considers inimical to its interests. Invoking the threat to “national security” etc is clearly a convenient cover to ride roughshod, with near-total impunity, over anything that runs counter to the government’s, not necessarily “national” interests. This cannot ever be a good thing. The bullying stunt, of slamming shut the Inquilab offices, is both unconscionable and unacceptable.

Also, while political opponents of this government may be, rightly or wrongly, accused of making full use of anything that casts aspersions on the government’s motives and actions, I’d say it’s a big stretch to accuse the BNP of deliberately engineering this fiasco.

Khaleda Zia’s remarks, in reference to this story in her speech at the Uddyan this week, should be regarded as a perfectly fair political point that puts the onus squarely on the government to prove the rumours unfounded, and explain other recent violent crises elsewhere in the country.

Bangladeshi women gang-raped in India January 21

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid Felani was killed, but did not get justice. Will justice be done with these two women?

Ashfaq Islam Your answer lies in your question Sheikh Jinat Mahmid I wish the answer was not present in my question.

But as a representative of the masses, I know my wish may just as likely remain a wish.

Ruhela Sharmin Choudhury As usual, things are coming along nicely for the AL. Shougata Ghosh Well written article. Given the trend, however, waiting for true democracy to be established to stop violence against minorities is a losing battle.

By the time true democracy is achieved, there won’t be much of the minority population left in the country.

Even after the latest episodes, how many politicians of the different parties visited the areas?

I’d have expected the top leaders of AL, BNP, JP, etc to physically visit and urge their cadres and the general people to stand up against such violence. But that didn’t happen. Only Gonojagoron Moncho brought about a long march, which probably caused more people to not show their support lest it means siding with this movement.

While this top-down approach is required, a parallel bottom-up approach is the call of the hour. Regular people need to be aware of this violence and need to stand up against it. A few protests after the violence has taken place are noble but doesn’t achieve much in the long run.

The common person’s perception about this topic during times of non-violence is the most important.

Sadly, to a large number of people who matter, the minority population is still viewed as “unreliable to the national cause, selfish, one foot in the neighbouring country, etc.” There needs to be continuous awareness programs so that general people stand up and guard against such violence. A person’s right to live in her/ his country is a fundamental right, much more fundamental, in my opinion, than freedom of speech, freedom to vote and other talked about democratic rights.

Until that is achieved, the minority population will continue to dwindle and invariably reach the levels of that in Afghanistan.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

It is right to give priority to helping those in the most vulnerable positions.

All stakeholders must act to further raise standards

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

ACROSS 1 Hindu Mendicant (5) 4 Finest quality (4) 7 Incentive (6) 8 Small fish (5) 10 Cult (4) 11 Adult insect (5) 12 Self (3) 14 Secluded corner (4) 17 Rodents (4) 19 Land measure (3) 20 Zodiac sign (5) 23 Young horse (4) 25 Glossy fabric (5) 26 Kingdoms (6) 27 Blood vessel (4) 28 Play for time (5)

DOWN 1 Promote (6) 2 Muslim leader (4) 3 Roster (4) 4 Buffalo (American) (5) 5 First woman (3) 6 Length of army front (6) 9 Uprising (4) 13 In abundance (6) 15 Kiln for drying hops (4) 16 Doghouse (6) 18 Devil (5) 21 Doctrines (4) 22 Direction (4) 24 Hawaiian garland (3)

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

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

The lost divinity n Mohammad Ali Sattar

I

n simple terms, by politics we mean the acts and deeds of politicians to try and help uplift the people.

It means pro-people policies and projects. It also means to work for the people’s wellbeing along with ensuring good governance for the country.

When politics crosses the fringes of one’s own dominion, it involves the globe. Then we have foreign policies at work. Contacts and deals with the comity of nations play a dominant role in international politics. All these acts are carried out with the sole objective of keeping one’s own interests unharmed.

Let’s be specific.

Since the last national polls, the political atmosphere has cooled down

Politically profiting from this suffering is unconscionable

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Minorities beware

D

n Ikhtisad Ahmed avid Cameron reached out to the Tory base by pledging to reduce net migration to Britain to the “tens of thousands,” disregarding the fact that what is needed is a smarter immigration policy, not one that focuses on numbers. Then again, it would be wrong to expect more from a government whose employment and fiscal policies are detached from reality as well, with numbers that are easy to sell being of prime importance.

The immigration issue has thrown up an unsavoury problem. The UK, undoubtedly affected by the premier’s promise, is yet to take in any Syrian refugees. That a government that was determined to intervene forcefully to save the Syrian people is now reluctant to help them is sickening.

This is the nature of politics. Syrians do not vote for UK politicians, Conservative supporters do. The voters cannot be trusted to tell the difference between a villainous asylum seeker with a spurious case and a displaced Syrian at the end of his tether. Real humanitarian aid in the form of humanitarian admission, and human rights, thus, take a back seat to ill-thought, illogical policies, and promises.

A team from the University of Kent’s Law School have swum against the tide. They have successfully argued atheism as grounds for protection. Much to Theresa May’s chagrin, an Afghan was granted

asylum for religious reasons as a result, in a landmark case that could prove to set a timely and significant precedent.

The West, led from the front by the US and the UK, have carefully nurtured a foreign policy with an emphasis on intolerance, particularly of the religious variety. If they are going to actively cultivate hatred, they should take responsibility of those affected by the fallout from that. The US has desperately, sinfully, failed to do so, and this exception, while commendable, does not completely absolve the UK.

perpetrators of the heinous crimes are conspicuous in their absence.

Despite the murderers of Biswajit Das being card carrying members of the ruling party, the implication is that attacks on minorities are carried out by the BNP-Jamaat axis of evil.

This national narrative, believable and likely to be true, has become an incontrovertible truth.

The picture being painted, however, is a cosmetic one, its superficiality aiding and abetting the deplorable actions. There is a lot being said, but nothing that is being done. The

The law of any land confirms one undeniable principle: The termination, torture, or humiliation of any person is wrong

Britain has at least rightly gone where Bangladesh dares not. There are those amongst the educated and elite classes who accept and advocate the proposition that atheists are not human beings.

They can die, indeed, they can actively be put to death, and it would matter naught. An extension of this, alarmingly, seems to be the treatment of Hindus. It has correctly been denounced in the sternest terms, but active measures taken against

omissions serve a purpose, as do the hollow words.

There is a correlation between the loud noises being made about the epidemic of the unspeakable violence and the national narrative. The lack of investigations and calls for them, of holding the authorities and the government accountable for failing in their sworn duty to protect the citizens and bringing those responsible to justice add to it.

The silence of actions speaks louder

than the words, condoning these crimes. The law of any land and the personal beliefs of any individual confirm one undeniable principle: The termination, torture, or humiliation of any person is wrong. There are no caveats as to the class or creed of the victim. Failing to act in the face of this is a denial of this sacred tenet of human existence.

There is a clear political benefit to be had of the trials and tribulations of religious minorities, but none from putting an end to it all. Deriving this political profit, from the continued sufferings of innocent Bangladeshis, is a grave sin.

The complicity of the rest of the supposedly sympathetic citizens, the media, and the authorities in allowing this charade to continue is distasteful, unconscionable. There will be no accountability, though. The tired clichés will keep rolling for as long as there is mileage in them.

The irrefutable national narrative will be further solidified. Once there are no more Hindus to murder, assault, and rape, no more stories about these to print, no more compassion and outrage to be feigned, another group will be sacrificed to fight the enemy, then another. Cameron and May will consider themselves fortunate: They will not be in power by the time the Bangladeshi atheists start banging on their doors. l Ikhtisad Ahmed is a writer and an erstwhile lawyer. He can be contacted on Twitter via @ Ikhtisad.

From olden times, politics has taken various shades. Scores of definitions and observations have been put forward by thinkers and scholars of different times and places.

We remember with reverence those great minds that spoke and advocated only for the welfare of the people.

Politics was once so pure that it was looked upon as something divine. Divinity touched the souls and psyche of those who forgot to exist for themselves, only to spend their lives for others.

They were unperturbed by worldly needs. Times have changed, and so has politics. Its definition, application, and preferences have undergone a sea of change. It has transformed into something abstract.

With the rise of greed, the divinity in politics has vanished.

Diplomacy in the open is politics, and politics in secret is diplomacy.

Whatever we make of this observation, both our politics and diplomacy have been victims of twisted minds who labour relentlessly to fashion their own domain of regulations.

Winston Churchill said if you have ten thousand regulations, you destroy all respect for the law.

Theories, opinions, laws, and doctrines have been given ugly connotations. The distortion has gone to such an extent, that we barely find synonyms for those words. We are lost in the boondocks.

We don’t enjoy the luxury to chat about others, mainly because we have been tasked by our leaders with the precipitous mission of decoding our own theories, systems, and doctrines.

We go crazy trying to comprehend them. We look for the inventive or underlying meaning of disjointed expressions, or try to gauge the wits of the influentials, all without success.

Let’s be specific. Since the last national polls, the political atmosphere has cooled down. There has been an uneasy calm all around, although the unrest that spread across

the country did not die.

Just prior to the elections, amidst an uproarious situation, the Awami League and its allies had clearly said the January 5 polls were held mainly to meet the constitutional obligation and that there might be another election soon after this, or the government would consider dialogue with the opposition to resolve the crisis.

The mood is entirely different now.

The ruling alliance has said there is no chance of any election talks now.

This government will be at the helms for the next five years – the message couldn’t be clearer.

In a democracy, there is no problem with an election. Neither is there any concern with political functioning.

The cardinal issue that concerns the whole nation is the “politics of hatred” that has become rooted deep in our faculties.

The ruling party, following its victory, could have pursued a changed policy of tolerance and amicability.

Since there is no real threat to its power and strength, it could have shown more propriety towards the opposition and other critics.

Note the remarks of the senior ministers and party leaders, not to mention of the juniors, who have become infamous because of their trademark invectives against the opposition.

One sent out a 24-hour ultimatum to Begum Zia following her public meeting speech, another remarked that the BNP realised its mistake and now decided to participate in the upazila polls under the AL, yet another said the opposition missed the train and now they were repenting.

There was also a suggestion that the opposition could be in politics with their heads down.

There is nothing wrong with passing remarks or giving statements, but the delivery matters. Blistering attacks on anything come without much thought from the government and party stalwarts. The treatment meted out to the opposition leaders could have been dignified.

The ruling party, could have pursued a changed policy of tolerance and amicability

By now, people have started believing religiously that the AL-led alliance will go on pestering and dishing out insults to the opposition, so that they do not show any interest in constructive engagement with the government on any issue. This is a ploy that most feel is not a good omen for the nation.

Politics is severely bashed up.

Democracy hangs from a twig, ready to fall anytime. l Mohammad Ali Sattar is a journalist, political analyst, and DT columnist.

No foreigners needed n Shahin Islam

T

he BNP has made a mistake! The BNP has missed the election train! Khaleda Zia must repent now! I keep hearing versions of this argument from various quarters, including individuals in whom I have a great deal of faith and whose judgment I usually regard as sound.

What would have happened had BNP participated, and hypothetically, won the election? Would Sheikh Hasina have handed over power to Khaleda Zia and meekly left Ganabhaban?

“I can tell you that Sheikh Hasina will not hand over power. It can only happen over our dead bodies” – was Mr Wazed speaking only in the context of coups, or was it a general statement, encompassing all foreseeable future possibilities?

Bangladesh is a country of double standards where the horrific and murderous attacks on our Hindu communities happened while the Awami League was in power, following an AL “victory,” with Sheikh Hasina herself handling the Home Ministry. This is still somehow all evidence of BNP-Jamaat’s diabolical nature.

If the hypothetical victory had actu-

ally happened, we would immediately have seen an outcry, and a plausible excuse not to hand over power to the BNP. In the double standards version of Bangladesh’s history, the 2001 atrocities happened, and then this year’s post-election attacks happened.

Nothing happened in the middle: No Ramu, no Satkhira, no Hathajari.

Just like Bangladesh was enjoying a blissful, golden period of electoral democracy when a group of majors suddenly went mad and killed Sheikh Mujib, and then bad things, like martial law, started to happen.

If the BNP had agreed to participate in this election without any changes to the government, the Election Commission, the rules of business, and so forth, let alone what the result of the elections were, a new chapter would have been added to this strange history of Bangladesh in which elections cannot be held under the BNP, but can be held under the AL. Where 1996 exists, but 1973 is forgotten.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda … all that is in the past. What happens now?

Well, there is some discussion about stability and why growth is more

important than democracy – Mamun Rashid explicated the phenomenon extremely well here.

The problem with this line of wishful thinking, of course, is that this isn’t 2009 when the AL can start over again.

This is 2014, and the AL and Sheikh Hasina have been working with great vigour to dismantle as many bits of the broad coalition that brought her to power in 2008 as possible.

She could survive the BDR massacre in 2009, but she can’t handle an event of comparable magnitude in 2014. In short, she is no Narendra Modi, to be able to offer development if Bangladeshis give up on democracy.

And this fact will only become clearer when the actual Narendra Modi, or a proxy, takes over in India in a couple of months.

In lieu of a governing mandate, Sheikh Hasina will attempt to govern in her usual fashion – by lumbering from crisis to crisis. The first one of her new regime is already here.

When I read the allegation (first in a blog, subsequently published in Inqilab), that Indian armed forces members were alleged to have helped murder and otherwise put down opposition activists in differ-

ent places such as Satkhira, I did not believe it.

In fact, I believe that with news reports like these, the people who believe it will believe far worse, and people who don’t believe it (hopefully the vast majority) will just shrug and move on.

However, if the blog had gone further and said that after a curt conversation in a flashing red phone, Manmohan Singh picked up an AK-47, parachuted into Bangladesh, and like Yoda in “Revenge of the Sith,” single-handedly fought the evil-doers, they should still be within their right as the citizens of a “democracy.”

Or are the quotation marks beginning to overwhelm the word between them?

As far as I know, three people have so far been arrested for publishing this article, which is three more people than the number arrested for the attacks in Jessore. Are these heinous attacks really less important than a single newspaper story?

And to those in the non-AL camp who believe this for a second, grow up! I realise that this preserves a useful fiction regarding the infallible nature of the armed forces, but delusions can only take you so far.

Bangladeshis are very much capable of behaving with complete callousness and lack of morals towards fellow Bangladeshis.

What would have happened had BNP participated, and hypothetically, won the election? Would Sheikh Hasina have handed over power?

Just like there was no need for the board of directors for BCCI to parachute down to Dhaka and overpower our BCB directors so that they would not be able to contemptuously reject the horrible plan now being championed by India.

No foreigners needed.

Whether this government lasts for five days, or months, or years, it will be because of Bangladeshis, not anyone else. l This article was first published in rumiahmed. wordpress.com.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Speaking fluent Urdu was very challenging: Rawnak n Shadma Malik Promising actor Rawnak Hasan will soon pair up with Tisha for drama series titled Bhasha Andoloner Prothom Shonglaap, where the talented actor will only speak in Urdu. The drama will air on RTV on February 21 as it is inspired by the language movement. Rawnak Hasan and Tisha in Bhasha Andoloner Prothom Shonglaap It is an adaptation of Shotten Sen’s story and is dramatised and Will the audience understand this language? directed by Sumon Anowar. The Dhaka Tribune The drama series will have Bangla subtitles. caught up with aspiring actor: Speaking about his career, Rawnak said: Tell us about the drama Bhasha Andoloner World of showbiz was not nice to me in the beginning. I had to take the heat and prove Prothom Shonglaap.

I am playing a quite contradictory role. I am myself worthy enough as an actor. My role in married to a Bengali girl who insists on speaking Gorsawarer Shopno and Kacher Manush was a in Bangla, whereas I speak in Urdu only, as platform to come to the limelight. After seeing my ancestors are societal elites and Urdu is my acting, many directors called me for their considered as the language of elites. I try to dramas and telefilms. At that time, I was fully impose my family tradition on Tisha and she involved in writing scripts for TV dramas. revolts by speaking in her own mother language.

It is a challenging role for me. My role is not of How do you write stories? a villain’s in this story, but of a man bound by The characters flow in my mind and I write. I stereotypes. In the end, our language Bangla read lots of Bangla literature and novels. Hence, I prefer to write stories about recent times. earns the victory.

How challenging was your experience of speaking in Urdu?

Well, I would say I had a tough time, as my grip of the language is not proficient enough. Speaking fluent Urdu was very challenging. As I harbour the belief that nothing is impossible, I tried my best to deliver and also hired a tutor to brush up on the language.

How do you choose your scripts?

Initially, I measure the kind of contribution my character has in the story. If it has substantial importance, I usually go for the script. However, at times my prediction is wrong but I still work on those scripts as I have to earn a living. I like challenging characters. My role as a transsexual in the telefilm Eider Natok was thrilling. l

Pragoitihashik: A struggle against nemesis n Hasan Mansoor Chatak With prehistoric flavour and epic charm, Nagorik Natyagan’s play Pragoitihashik was staged on Sunday evening at the Studio Theatre Hall of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital.

Based on Manik Bandopadhyaya’s story on ancient ethnicity of Bengal, Pragoitihasik is an adaption on stage by theatre activist Mahmudul Islam Selim while theatre persona Lucky Enam has directed the play.

Lucky Enam said: “Directing the play is challenging for me as few people dared to stage the work from Manik’s story. I purposefully chose the play to put up as theatrical experiment.’’

The widely acclaimed story is not just a tale of some characters locked under some strange situations, but they present a kind of ancient ethnicity with such vital anthropological implications that it acquires the

mighty quality of grand narrative. The story, on the surface, deals with the extraordinary bohemian life of a Bhikhu, a person who takes on the centre stage. Bhikhu lives on killing and looting. Devoid of any scruples, he is passionately committed to the act of living in his world with an egotistic will.

Without any sense of remorse whatever he does from slaughtering a village-marchant to an attempt to rape a woman, the wife of the person who has risked his own state of life to save Bhikhu’s. He advises Panchi, a woman with a wounded leg who lives her life by begging, to follow Bhikhu.

Subsequently Bhikhu murders Bashir who stood in his way to have an affair with Panchi. Then the notorious bandit begins a journey with the lady which confronts the social taboos. The play becomes more lively to the audience as Punya Baul renders some touching Baul songs during the play.

Pragoitihasik is not a conventional story of

be “worked on” – exercised gradually. If your voice sounds sore, splatty, hoarse, harsh or off key it means you have stressed it more than it can handle. God has blessed you with two ears and one mouth.

Please use them in those proportions - get the drift? You can’t become a “vocal Schwarzenegger” overnight!

I never went to a music school, or a voice teacher to guide me as a singer.

Singing came naturally to me and like the birds I do not know who taught me how to sing, but I have been doing a fairly decent job of it for over thirty years! The points below and the tips suggested are what I have learned the hard way, and may prove useful for aspiring new singers and vocalists.

1 Remember - there is no such thing as a “voice.” You only get to replicate/duplicate/mimic with your voice what you hear.

2 It means, if you are not hearing right - you are not singing right. It is how good you get to hear the key/ notes/frequencies that ultimately sums up how good you will get be as a singer/vocalist. Deaf people for instance, can never sing!

3 Protect your ears from water and keep them clean. Use ear buds (very gently) after a shower - everyday.

4 Shake a match box near both ears - and check the difference in your hearing. If in one ear you hear the sound less than 30% than the other

- you have a problem. You need to see an ENT immediately i.e. if you are really serious about singing.

5 Remember your ears combined are stereophonic, but your voice is monophonic. There are therefore limits to what your ear hears and what your voice can replicate/duplicate/mimic. Make sure you understand the “limits of your limitations.”

6 The vocal cord is a muscle - and just like any other muscle they have to

SADIA MARIUM

7 If your throat hurts, don’t go on a gurgling spree because the pressure of water in your throat combined with the grrr grrr frequency damages your voice more than it helps. Instead, try pain killer any pain killer. If pain killers can remove a headache - it should have no problem taking off your “throat ache.” Don’t go for mint or throat lozenges (candy) available in any shop if you have a sore throat. Any candy will lubricate your throat and ease any irritation.

8 Don’t hurt your ears, for they are your most precious possession.

Use cell phones, headphones and earphones as sparingly as possible. The frequencies, these devices emit are very dangerous, especially when you hear them in high volume. The damage that is

imminent from overuse of these devices will become apparent in the next five years if you don’t stop.

9 Singing should be fun with no stress to the voice or your throat at all. In fact the best singers use their voice with the same ease and comfort - as they would, when they talk. That’s called “speech level singing.” Get yourself a great speech level frequency that you hear well and make sure others can hear it too. The first 20 seconds of a song decides whether the audience is going to be with you - or plain ditch you. You will rarely get a second chance unless you are very lucky.

10 Last if not the least - no matter how bad your voice sounds or whatever state it is in, don’t worry too much about it when it’s time to go to sleep. If you do, remember subconsciously your voice doesn’t get to sleep and the stress continues.

It’s a muscle after all and needs rest too. Give it rest period.

Good luck!

Maqsoodul Haque is the lead vocalist and front man of the jazz-rock fusion band Maqsood O’ Dhaka. l

Shadhona’s experimental production Champaboti, adapted by eminent poetplaywright Syed Shamsul Haq from Jasimuddin’s classic Beder Meye, was staged at the Experimental Theatre of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on January 26. The recital is an entertaining folk dance presentation drawn from our traditional lathi-khela (a established game), jhumur dance, raibeshe, chhau, mayurbhanj, and kalaripayettu. The incorporation of a wide range of dance disciplines made the show a captivating one which was enjoyed by a houseful audience SADIA MARIUM

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the underworld. It certainly denotes a sense of positivity in the struggle against adversity.

Saju Khadem designed the stage and the background music was conducted by Kamruzzaman Rony.

Habib Bahar did a tremendous job as Bhikhu and Hridi Haque’s performance as Panchi, a female beggar and a seeker of love, successfully touches the hearts of the audience.

However, Studio Theatre Hall was not an apt stage to present a play like Pragoitihashik that portrays a large canvas. “We could not use many of our props and was unable to design set and light as we used to do for the play on bigger stages,” said Lucky Enam to the reporter.

The fifteenth production of the country’s renowned theatre troupe Nagorik Natyangan, Pragaitihasik has been staged more than seventy five times in the country and abroad. l

A scene from Pragoitihashik

Dispelling popular misconceptions about singing n Maqsoodul Haque Mac

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Birthday Bumps Fashion Week

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Thor: The Dark World Pacific Rim in 3D Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex, Bashundhara City

Exhibition

Ways of Seeing Time: 12pm – 8pm, Bengal Art Lounge, 60 Gulshan Avenue Gulshan 1

Gravity-Free World

By Artist A Rahman Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, House 42, Road 16 (New) / 27 (old), Dhanmondi Life and Struggle of Padma

By Sumon Yusuf Time: 3pm – 9pm La Galerie, Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmond

On today’s episode of Raat Biraate, recitation artiste and host Mahidul Islam will grace show and entertain the audience with untold stories of his life. He will share his aspirations and visit his favourite places with the host of the show. Hosted by poet Asad Chowdhury, the unique street show will air tonight at 11:25pm on Banglavision

Kamal Haasan and Vidya Balan chosen for Padma awards n Entertainment Desk Versatile actor Kamal Haasan, Bollywood diva Vidya Balan and actor Paresh Rawal feature in 2014’s list of the Padma awards. While Kamal Haasan will receive the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, Vidya Balan and Paresh Rawal will receive the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award.

Kamal Haasan, star of films such as Moondaram Pirai and Hey Ram, said in a statement: “Proud to be an Indian. India is a country with great talents in various many fields. While legions await to be honoured, I am honoured that I have been chosen for Padma Bhushan by my government. I think it is sheer chance and my good fortune that I have been chosen. I hope that I would live long to do more to deserve this award. I don’t

consider this an honour for work that I have already done. This would be an impetus for me to do more good work, perhaps only then would I deserve it. My heartfelt congratulations for the other Padma Bhushan awardees especially my friend Mr Vairamuthu.”

National award-winning actress Vidya Balan is thrilled at being selected for the Padma Shri, saying it is a matter of “great pride” for her.

Dedicating the honour to her family, an emotionally overwhelmed she said, “I’m thrilled. I’m overjoyed. I’m overwhelmed. I’m honoured. I’m humbled...! I’m running out of words to express my feelings and gratitude.”

“To be receiving this honour from the government of my country is a matter of great pride for me and I dedicate this award to my family who make me, me!,” she added. l

Did you know?

Manchester United are the only team yet to use a player wearing number seven this season in the Premier League

Sport

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

0 4 7

14 Barca and Atletico

back on top after easy wins

DAYS TO GO

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan ponders what went wrong after his dismissal in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka at the SBNS yesterday

Sri Lanka dominate first day n Minhaz Uddin Khan Careless batting along with a few questionable decisions saw Bangladesh bowled out for 232 on the first day of the first Test against Sri Lanka, while the visiting side finished the day at 60 without loss – 172 runs behind - at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

Sri Lankan captain unexpectedly chose to bowl first on winning the toss, after having said he expected the wicket to favour the batsmen the previous day, but the decision paid immediate dividends.

The pacemen were able to obtain moderate movement and good bounce as Bangladesh’s openers – Tamim Iqbal and Shamsur Rahman – were made to struggle. By lunch, Bangladesh had lost four wickets with just 72 runs on the board, with Shaminda Eranga looking the most dangerous of the bowlers and taking two of the wickets.

The opening stand was broken at 35 when Tamim fell for six. One down batsman Marshall Ayub followed soon after when he was trapped LBW for one and debutant Shamsur Rahman fell in the next over with the total on 40.

Shamsur, who earned his place in the side following a series of good scores in recent times, played in typical

aggressive fashion in making 33 off 34 balls but it was his aggression that led to his downfall. Trying to drive a wide delivery, he only managed to edge the ball to gully. Just before lunch, Mominul Haque was also dismissed for eight.

P15 SCORECARD: 1ST TEST, DAY 1 It was left to senior players Shakib al Hasan and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim to try to repair the damage. They pair put on 86 runs for the fifth wicket which was broken by Shakib’s departure for 55. Nasir Hossain only lasted seven balls for his four runs.

Mushfiq was given out LBW six overs after tea in controversial circumstances

‘Big Three’ proposal explained The crucial two day Executive Board meeting of the International Cricket Council, which will decide the comprehensive structural overhaul of world cricket administration starts at the headquarters of the world cricket ruling body at Dubai Sports City today.

The ICC Board consists of the chairman or president from each of the 10 full members plus three elected associate member representatives. Bangladesh will be represented by the board president Nazmul Hasan and Mahbub Anam.

The meeting will go to polls to decide on the proposal, drafted by a “working group” of the ICC’s Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee in which the Board of Control of Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and England

&Wales Cricket Board 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. The amendment needs seven votes of the ten to be drafted as the new rules of ICC. The new proposals effectively gives most executive decision-making power to the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB. These boards – who are being called the “Big Three” - is poised to gain more control over world cricket, both on and off the field, a larger share of revenues, in a ratio that is linked to the ICC’s revenue growth.

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 International) will control media rights and sponsorship issues 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 and come from the seven other full members.

Regarding Test match promotion and relegation, the proposal states that “relegation exceptions” will apply to India, England and Australia. This is

“solely in order to protect ICC income due to the importance of those markets and teams to prospective ICC media rights buyers.

At the administrative level, the recently created post of ICC chairman will, according to the new proposal, be annually rotation between “one of the nominees of the ECB, CA or the BCCI.” The new distribution model of the ICC’s income as recommended in the proposal includes the creation of a “contribution cost” as recognition for every member’s role in “contributing to generating ICC’s revenues required to sustain the game. The Big Three enjoys greater shares of the ICC’s revenues as they increase. For example, the BCCI’s share would be 4.2%; should the new rights cycle gross revenue cross $3.5 billion, the BCCI’s share will be 21% - a total of $766 million. l

Feni hold Brothers n Raihan Mahmood Brothers Union and Soccer Club, Feni shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday.

Sayed Rashed Turza put Feni ahead in the 61st minute. Midfielder Rony Islam neatly passed the ball through the defence to Turza, who placed it past onrushing Brothers goalie Md. Sujon in the far post. Brothers restored the parity through their midfielder Faisal Mahmud 10 minutes later. Controlling a chip from attacking midfielder Rubel Mia, Faisal went past his marker and placed a left footed shot into the net. Brothers came close to another strike but their Nigerian forward Kestor Akon shot missed the post in the dying minutes.

With the draw, Brothers took their tally to 7 points from 6 matches while the Feni outfit moved to 2 points from the same number of games. l

15 I deserved Aussie

win, says surprise package Stan

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

n Raihan Mahmood

13

A blessing and relief

Batsmen to blame for below par total: Shakib Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan admitted the team’s batsmen are to blame for the below par score in the first innings against Sri Lanka in the first Test at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

The former national skipper said the wicket did not trouble the batsman, rather the Lankan attack should be given credit for Bangladesh’s poor showing.

“I felt the wicket was good enough to bat at least as long as I was there. I believe according to our ability, we could have scored 380 plus runs if we could have managed to bat till tomorrow. We failed to do that and we are far behind in the game to be honest. It will be tough to get wickets on this pitch,” said Shakib at SBNS after the day’s play.

“They bowled well and at the same time we also made mistakes. I believe we should have performed better after our recent performances. If you look at the board, we didn’t lose any wicket in the first 10 overs and had scored 40 runs so I believe no one will say that the wicket was difficult. There were not too many balls to miss or that moved. The bowlers will now have to take the responsibility,” the left-arm all-rounder added.

The Bangladesh innings was also plagued with a few questionable decisions – of Mushfiqur Rahim, Nasir Hossain and Marshal Ayub, all seemed unlucky to have been given out. It might have had frustrated the home side but Shakib stayed clear from making any direct comments on the issue.

“Looking into the replays might give one doubts over the decisions but at the end it is the umpires call. Replays can show you many bad decisions but it’s difficult in real time. I don’t think its right to comment on this,” he said.

With Bangladesh all out with 232 runs in the first innings, Shakib believes the bowling department will have to take the responsibility. The three seamers in the Bangladesh line up was a rare combination for the side. Shakib believes the decision by the coach, selectors and the captain will pay off. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sri Lanka pacer Shaminda Eranga (C) celebrates the wicket of debutant Bangladeshi opener Shamsur Rahaman (L) during the 1st Test at the SBNS yesterday MUMIT M

MUMIT M

as replays suggested that he had edged the ball. The wicket-keeper nonetheless top scored with 61 and Sohag Gazi added 42 useful runs before the Sri Lankans wrapped up the innings.

For Sri Lanka, Shaminda Eranga returned his best-ever figures of 4/49, Suranga Lakmal took 3/66 while Rangana Herath chipped in with two wickets.

The Sri Lankan openers - Dimuth Karunaratane and Kaushal Silva – played out 19 overs before bad light brought the day to an end six overs early. They were untroubled by Bangladesh’s trio of pacemen and Mushfiq was forced to bring in the spinners just ten overs into the innings. Sri Lanka ended the day 60/0, 172 runs behind Bangladesh. l

The month long series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh that started yesterday with the first Test at the Sher-eBangla National Stadium comes both as relief and a blessing to the millions of cricket fans of the country.

The withdrawal of the West Indies U-19 team from Bangladesh and preelection political unrest which lasted for more than two months had raised the possibility that the series might be cancelled. Two other major events - the Asia Cup 2014 in February and the ICC World Twenty20 in March – were also in jeopardy with certain boards like Sri Lanka Cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board, expressing reservations about sending their teams to Bangladesh.

“We are very much happy that Sri Lanka came into Bangladesh to play.

For us cricket is not only entertainment but pride. I am glad that the series has overcome all the speculation and taking place,” said Taiabur Rahman, a college student.

While for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) the series is a relief and also the dress rehearsal for the Asia Cup and the World Twety20.

“This is not only a bilateral series for us but a way to demonstrate that cricket is above any kind of situation in Bangladesh and it will never be hampered,” BCB media committee chairman Jalal Younus told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The BCB’s diplomatic relations with the other Test playing nations has often been strained and bilateral ties have frequently been described as “inefficient”, but Jalal believes this is not true.

“If we didn’t have a sound diplomatic relation, it couldn’t have been possible to convince them (the other boards) to not turn their faces away from the events.

“We ensured that the political parties support our motive and that the best possible arrangements are made for all the team. The Sri Lanka tour has just started and hopefully, the other events will also take place accordingly,” said Jalal. l

Lankan pacemen show the way n Mazhar Uddin The first Test of the series against Sri Lanka saw a different Bangladesh and it came as a surprise for the supporters when the Bangladesh think tank opted to play three seamers. In another surprise move, Sri Lanka elected to field first in a move that was vindicated as Bangladesh lost four wickets in the first session.

The Tigers were expected to play two pacemen and two spinners but with the pitch looking favourable for seam bowling in the morning, Al-Amin was selected in place of spinner Abdur Razzak.

Sri Lanka put in an impressive bowling performance to bowl Bangladesh out for 232 with the opening attack of Shaminda Eranga and Suranga Lakmal being the chief destroyers. Tamim Iqbal was the first to fall when he was caught on the deep square leg boundary from a pull shot. The stylish Marshal Ayub struggled with his footwork and was trapped in front of the wicket by an off-cutter from Angelo Matthews for one.

Debutant Shamsur Rahman, however, played in typical belligerent fashion and struck seven boundaries in his almost run-a-ball innings of 33 but gifted his wicket away by slashing a wide ball to gully. By claiming both openers, Eranga justified his captain’s decision to put Bangladesh in.

Bangladesh’s most recent batting sensation Mominul Haque fell to a short ball from Lakmal, which he tried to pull to leave Bangladesh reeling at 59/4. It was left to the two most experienced cricketers in the Bangladesh side - Shakib al Hasan and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim - to hold the ship for the batting side and the pair put on 86.

Both men reached half centuries before the partnership was broken by spinner

Rangana Herath, who had Shakib LBW missing a sweep shot.

Nasir Hossain received a nasty delivery that bounced up unexpectedly and he was given out caught behind.

There was however, some doubt as to whether the ball had come off his body or glove. There was however, no doubt that Mushfiq was unlucky to be given out LBW as replays clearly showed he had hit the ball before it went onto his pad. Sohag Gazi was able to add some quick runs but the rest of the tail were found wanting in the face of the aggressive Sri Lankan attack as the Tigers were bowled out for 232.

The pacemen accounted for eight of the wickets. While helped along by a couple of rash strokes and questionable decisions, their performance was of a high quality. Both Eranga and Lakmal were consistent in their line and length and were able to obtain movement from the pitch, in addition to using the short ball to great effect. By contrast, in the few overs Bangladesh’s paceman bowled at the end of the day, they were erratic of direction and largely ineffective.

Eranga, whose previous career best figures were 4/60 against Pakistan in his previous match, topped that performance with 4/49. At the post-day press briefing, he said that Bangladesh’s batsmen had helped.

“Actually the pitches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are both similar to here. But the Pakistani batsmen were harder to dismiss while Bangladeshi batsmen helped us a lot,” he said.

The 27-year old added that peppering the batsmen with bouncers was very much planned and succeeded as both Tamim and Shamsur were dismissed by short balls. “Yes it was a plan to bowl the shorter deliveries. Obviously you practice, tactics were used, the short ball,” he confirmed. l

14

Sport

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Bale out of Real’s Cup game against Espanyol

Barca and Atletico back on top after easy wins

n Reuters, Madrid

n Reuters, Madrid

Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale will miss Tuesday’s King’s Cup quarter-final second leg at home to Espanyol due to a problem with his left leg, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday.

The Welsh international’s season has been disrupted by several minor injuries since his world record move from Tottenham Hotspur last year and the latest occurred in Saturday’s 2-0 La Liga win over Granada at the Bernabeu.

Bale took a painful kick to the groin early in the first half and played on until half time before being substituted.

Ancelotti said he was unable to train with the rest of his team mates on Monday. “He has no problem with his genitals, he has recovered well from that,” the Italian joked. “But he’s not comfortable with his left leg and it’s affecting his balance a bit.

“He tried to train but he wasn’t comfortable and to avoid putting Sunday’s game at risk I’ll rest him,” said Ancelotti referring to the league fixture at fourthplaced Athletic Bilbao.

Bale missed several weeks after bruising his left calf in training at the end of last year and was also sidelined by a thigh strain in October. l

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid climbed back to the top of La Liga as Barca coasted to a 3-0 victory at home to Malaga and Atletico won 4-2 at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Real Madrid had claimed the overnight lead thanks to Saturday’s 2-0 home success against Granada before Barca and Atletico restored their onepoint advantage with comfortable wins against outclassed opponents.

The joint leaders have 54 points from 21 matches, with Barca ahead on goal difference. Real are lurking ominously on 53 and Athletic Bilbao trail on 42 in fourth after they thrashed Osasuna 5-1 on Sunday.

The Spain playmaker turned in a typically impeccable performance controlling play in the centre and Malaga were forced to rely on the counter-attack to have any hope of troubling the hosts.

Barca’s Chile forward Alexis Sanchez clipped the post in the fifth minute and Lionel Messi sent a dinked effort narrowly wide in the 22nd before Gerard Pique fired in the opener five minutes before halftime.

Newcastle reject PSG’s Cabaye bid n AFP, London Newcastle United have rejected a bid for their France international midfielder Yohan Cabaye from big-spending French champions Paris Saint-Germain, according to British media reports on Sunday.

PSG coach Laurent Blanc has described Cabaye as a “target” and Britain’s Press Association claims that Newcastle have turned down a £14 million ($23.1 million, 16.9 million euros) offer for the 28-year-old from the French giants.

Cabaye joined Newcastle from Lille for £4.3 million in 2011 and has regularly been linked with a move away from St James’ Park, with Arsenal reportedly having a £10 million bid for him rejected last August.

Speaking on Friday, Blanc confirmed PSG’s interest in both Cabaye and Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic.

Barcelona's defender Gerard Pique celebrates his goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Malaga CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on January 26, 2014 AFP

United eye Mata boost on Solskjaer’s return n AFP, London Manchester United supporters will hope to get a first glimpse of record signing Juan Mata on Tuesday when Cardiff City visit Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Mata completed a £37.1 million ($61.2 million, 44.8 million euros) move from Chelsea on Saturday and will go straight into the squad to face Cardiff, managed by former United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Spain midfielder arrives with United 14 points behind leaders Arsenal after two defeats in three games, while their last home match was a galling penalty shoot-out loss to Sunderland in

FA Cup draw brings top four together n Reuters, London

FIXTURES Man City v Chelsea

the League Cup semi-finals.

United manager David Moyes has admitted that he was surprised by Chelsea’s willingness to cede Mata in the

FIXTURES Crystal Palace Liverpool Man United Norwich Southampton Swansea

v v v v v v

Hull City Everton Cardiff Newcastle Arsenal Fulham

middle of the campaign, but he is excited by the prospect of seeing him in the champions’ colours. “I’m a bit surprised because it’s not something that tends to happen, especially between Premier

Chelsea have completed the signing of Basel’s Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah, the Premier League club said on their website on Sunday.

Salah has signed a five-and-a-half year contract with Chelsea and will wear the number 15 shirt.

“I’m very happy to sign for Chelsea, such a big club in the world. I hope I can make the Chelsea supporters happy and have a good career at the club for many years to come,” Salah said in a statement.

Liverpool were also keen to sign the 21-year-old who came to attention in England during last season’s Europa League and Salah was a key figure in Basel’s two Champions League groupstage wins over Chelsea in the current campaign.

Salah became Chelsea’s second major signing of the January transfer window following the arrival of midfielder Nemanja Matic from Benfica. Spain midfielder Juan Mata has left Stamford Bridge to join Manchester United. l

tween City and Chelsea - who met in the semi-final at Wembley last season when City won 2-1 - and Arsenal and Liverpool. Chelsea, who have won the Cup four times in the last seven seasons, and City, who lifted the trophy in 2011, have met once since the semi-final with Chelsea winning 2-1 in the league at Stamford Bridge in October.

League leaders Arsenal, chasing their first silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2005, are unbeaten against Liverpool in their last four meetings and notched up a 2-0 home win over the Merseyside club in November. l

Baines pens new Everton deal n Reuters

Huntelaar strikes on Schalke return

Everton defender Leighton Baines has committed his future to the club after signing a new four-year deal, the Premier League club announced on Monday.

The England international had 17 months left on his contract at Goodison Park and despite reports that he was wanted by former manager David Moyes at Manchester United, the 29-yearold left back has chosen to remain at Goodison Park.

“It would be an understatement to say we are delighted to secure the best footballing years of Leighton Baines at our club,” manager Roberto Martinez told the club’s official website.

Baines joined Everton from Wigan in 2007 and has developed into one of the club’s most reliable players, making more than 260 appearances. l

n

Arsenal v Liverpool Brighton v Hull City Cardiff City v Wigan Athletic Sheffield Wed v Charlton Sunderland v Southampton Everton v Swansea City

AFP, Berlin

Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar marked his return after five months out with a knee injury with the opening goal in Schalke 04’s impressive 3-0 win at Hamburg on Sunday.

Holland’s ‘Hunter’ had been out since August, but needed just 34 minutes to out-jump the Hamburg defence and head home as the Royal Blues went fifth in the table.

Schalke made sure of the three points with two further goals in just three second-half minutes as Bert van Marwijk’s Hamburg drop back into the bottom three.

Peru winger Jefferson Farfan struck

“Since then it has been so busy, I haven’t had time to think about it.

But now, my focus is of course on that game. It is a dream.”

With closest rivals Manchester City and Chelsea not in action until Wednesday, Arsenal could open up a four-point lead at the summit if they prevail at Southampton on Tuesday.

Arsene Wenger’s side cruised into the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-0 defeat of third-tier Coventry City on Friday and are looking to extend a run of five consecutive league victories.

Defender Carl Jenkinson says that Arsenal’s players have drawn confidence from a run of six league games in which they have conceded only two goals since crashing 6-3 at City last month. l

RESULTS Almeria

1-0

Getafe

Osasuna

1-5

Athletic Bilbao

Zongo 49 Armenteros 10

Susaeta 3, Aduriz 16, 62, Ibai Gomez 84, Kike Sola 88

Rayo Vallecano

2-4

Barcelona

3-0

Viera 39, Larrivey 76

Pique 40, Pedro 55, Sanchez 61

Atletico Madrid

Villa 8, Turan 30,44, Saul 74-og

Malaga

Spain’s record scorer David Villa, who joined Atletico from Barca in the close season, set his new club on their way in the eighth minute at Rayo’s Vallecas stadium in the Madrid suburbs when he struck a first-time shot high into the net from Diego Costa’s neat layoff.

Costa, the second-highest scorer in La Liga this season behind Cristiano Ronaldo, appeared to have netted his 20th of the campaign in the 75th minute but it was ruled an own goal and attributed to Rayo midfielder Saul Niguez. l

Mourinho sorry he could not make Mata a better player n Reuters As Juan Mata attempts to help David Moyes revive Manchester United’s stuttering season, his former manager Jose Mourinho is sorry he could not make the Spaniard a better player.

The 25-year-old playmaker moved from west London to Manchester United on Saturday for 37.1 million pounds ($61.22 million), and is set to make his debut for the Man United against Cardiff.

“I am sorry that I didn’t make him a stronger player,” the Portuguese manager, in his second spell at Stamford Bridge, told Sky Sports.

“Maybe it was something new for him, not to be a first choice (player) in a difficult moment,” he added. Maybe that made him, as a man, as a player, stronger but I gave him nothing to be honest and I feel sorry with that. l

Chelsea complete Salah signing n Reuters, London

The top four teams in the Premier League will face one another after Manchester City were paired on Sunday with Chelsea and Arsenal were drawn to play Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round.

Holders Wigan Athletic, who scored a major upset when they were relegated and beat Manchester City in last year’s final, will travel to Cardiff City, who were promoted to the Premier League at the end of last season.

Everton, whose manager Roberto Martinez left Wigan after taking them to FA Cup glory against City, will face his old club Swansea City in one of four all-Premier League ties.

The other match between top-flight sides pits Capital One Cup finalists Sunderland against Southampton at the Stadium of Light. Sheffield Wednesday will meet Charlton Athletic in an all-Championship tie and Premier League Hull City travel to Brighton of the Championship.

The standout games are those be-

Sheffield U/Fulham v N Forest/Preston

League teams,” Moyes told MUTV. “I was surprised when it happened, but we have got a really exciting player, a player I’m looking forward to working with, a player I think everybody in football looked at and says he did a great job for Chelsea. “I’m looking forward to seeing him in a red jersey and doing it for us.”

Mata’s arrival will take some of the attention away from Solskjaer’s return to his former stomping ground, although the Norwegian has greater concerns as he bids to lift Cardiff off the foot of the table.

“I looked at it the day I got the job -- when we were playing Man United,” said Solskjaer, who spent 11 years at United and scored the winning goal in the 1999 Champions League final.

The Spain centre back, who scored the equaliser in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Levante, controlled the ball in the area from a Xavi corner and drilled it past Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero.

the second on 53 minutes, before setting up 18-year-old Max Meyer to fire home three minutes later.

Having taken fifth place from VfL Wolfsburg, Schalke - who face Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League next month - now host Wolves this coming Saturday.

RESULTS Werder Bremen Hamburg

0-0 0-3

Braunschweig Schalke

Huntelaar 34, Farfan 53, Meyer 56

Meanwhile, Eintracht Braunschweig remain bottom of the table after playing out a goalless draw at mid-table Werder Bremen earlier on Sunday. l

AS Monaco's players enter the field wearing T-shirts showing Colombian striker Radamel Falcao before their French Ligue 1 match against Olympique Marseille at Louis II stadium in Monaco Jon Sunday Falcao was injured playing in a French Cup tie on Wednesday REUTERS

Balotelli booked for provoking Cagliari fans n Reuters Mario Balotelli could be in hot water again after he was booked for provoking Cagliari supporters after scoring against the Sardinian side in AC Milan’s 2-1 win on Sunday.

Balotelli scored the equaliser from a 87th minute free kick at the end of the ground packed by Cagliari fans and the Gazzetta dello Sport showed a photograph of the maverick forward making what it described as a “vulgar gesture”.

The forward was booked for his celebration, became involved in an angry altercation with Cagliari players shortly afterwards and had to be calmed down by team mate Kaka.

“Supermario” has already served a three-match ban this season. l

Monaco strike duo deliver in Falcao absence n AFP, Paris Monaco put the loss of star striker Radamel Falcao to one side and closed the gap on Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain with a 2-0 win against Marseille on Sunday.

With Falcao set to miss the remainder of the season after suffering a serious knee injury playing in the French Cup in midweek, Monaco coach Claudio Ranieri paired Valere Germain and Emmanuel Riviere together in the home attack.

And the duo delivered with a goal each as Monaco took advantage of PSG’s disappointing 1-1 draw at Guingamp on Saturday to move to within three points of top spot, just

two weeks before they host the capital club at the Stade Louis II.

RESULTS Lyon

3-0

Evian TG

Bordeaux

2-0

Saint-Etienne

Monaco

2-0

Marseille

Gomis 19, Lacazette 43, 76 Traore 41, Henrique 51 Germain 41, Riviere 57

For Marseille, meanwhile, the defeat followed a disastrous 5-4 defeat to Nice in the French Cup in midweek and left them down in ninth place in the table.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Lyon continued their superb recent form with a 3-0 win over struggling Evian. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

BD v SL: 1ST TEST, DAY 1 Bangladesh 1st innings Tamim Iqbal c Lakmal b Eranga Shamsur Rahman c Vithanage b Eranga Marshall Ayub lbw b Mathews Mominul Haque c Vithanage b Lakmal Shakib Al Hasan lbw b Herath Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Lakmal Nasir Hossain c Chandimal b Eranga Sohag Gazi c Eranga b Lakmal Robiul Islam c Perera b Eranga Rubel Hossain b Herath Al-Amin Hossain not out Extras: (lb4 nb5)

6 33 1 8 55 61 4 42 5 2 6 9

Total (all out, 63.5 overs) 232 Fall of wickets: 1-35 (Tamim), 2-40 (Ayub), 3-40 (Shamsur), 4-59 (Mominul), 5-145 (Shakib), 6-150 (Nasir), 7-203 (Rahim), 8-219 (Gazi), 9-222 (Rubel), 10-232 (Robiul).

Bowling: Lakmal 18.1-3-66-3 (4nb), Eranga 17.4-2-49-4 (1nb), Mathews 6-3-18-1, D. Perera 11-2-45-0, Herath 11-1-50-2 (Note: Lakmal limped off after bowling the first ball of his 19th over. Eranga completed the over).

Sri Lanka 1st innings D. Karunaratne not out K. Silva not out Extras: (w1, nb1)

Total (for no loss, 19 overs)

28 30 2

60

Bowling: Robiul 4-1-12-0 (w1), Al-Amin 5-118-0, Rubel 4-0-20-0 (nb1), Gazi 5-2-8-0, Shakib 1-0-2-0

QUICK BYTES

Prasanna Jayawardene returns to Sri Lanka Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Prasanna Jayawardene missed the first Test against Bangladesh as he flew home for family reasons. Jayawardene had been set to play the match before receiving distressing news from home.

It appears unlikely he will be available for the second Test, which begins on February 4, though no firm decision on that has yet been made. Jayawardene had only returned to the Test side after a year-long layoff during the series against Pakistan in the UAE this month.

He had been effective with the bat and excellent behind the stumps, reasserting his value to the team even though it carried two other wicketkeeper-batsmen in the XI, in Kumar Sangakkara and Dinesh Chandimal.

– Cricinfo

No pay, no play, warn Santander players Racing Santander players have threatened not to play in the club’s Copa del Rey quarter-final, second leg against Real Sociedad on Thursday if president Angel Lavin and the rest of the board don’t resign. The stricken Cantabrian club, which has spent the majority of its 101-year history in the top flight, is currently playing in the third-tier of Spanish football having suffered two consecutive relegations and falling into administration. Despite an amazing cup run that has included victories of La Liga sides Sevilla and Almeria, the players haven’t been paid since September.

Racing trail Sociedad 3-1 after the first leg in San Sebastian last week with the victors in the tie almost certainly facing a money spinning two-legged clash against Barcelona in the semi-finals as the Catalans hold a 4-1 first leg advantage over Levante.

–AFP

Brazil’s Parreira joins Cup criticism World Cup-winning former coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has joined criticism of planning for the event in his native Brazil, warning that the country is missing a chance to revamp shoddy infrastructure. “We have lost a chance to show a different Brazil,” Parreira, winning coach in 1994 and now technical assistant to current national manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, told CBN radio. Brazil was awarded the right to host the event in 2007 and FIFA president Sepp Blatter chided organizers early this month for making a late start to preparations. FIFA has also had to abandon a deadline of December 31 for the 12 host cities to be ready after fatal accidents at three stadiums.

– AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six 7:00AM New Zealand v India 4th ODI Ten Action 2:00AM Copa del Rey 2013/14 Quarter-finals, 2nd Leg Real Madrid v Espanyol Star Sports HD1 8:30PM Hockey India League Star Sports 4 1:45AM English Premier League Man United v Cardiff City

Sport

15

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

'I deserved Australian Open' n Stanislas Wawrinka insisted he is a deserving winner of the Australian Open after upsetting injury-hit world number one Rafael Nadal to gatecrash the established order of men’s tennis.

The Swiss eighth seed was on top of Nadal from the off, eventually winning in four sets, but there will be question marks over the victory after the Spaniard was badly hampered by a back injury.

Wawrinka admitted it was a “big surprise” to win a Grand Slam title after years in the shadow of fellow Swiss Roger Federer, whom he will now pass in the rankings by rising to world number three.

In a generation dominated by the “Big Four” of Nadal, Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, the last outsider to lift a major trophy was Juan Martin del Potro at the 2009 US Open.

But Wawrinka, who also knocked out a fully fit Djokovic -- the three-time defending champion and the world number two -- en route to his first major final, had no doubts he was a worthy winner.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I saw Roger winning so many Grand Slams in the past, so now it’s my turn to win one,” the 28-year-old Swiss said.

“If you look the 10 past years, except del Potro, it’s only the top four guys who were winning all the Grand Slams.

“I will need time to realise what I did in these two weeks. Because at the end, even if Rafa was injured, I think I

deserve that Grand Slam because I won against Djokovic, the number two, and I won against Rafa.

“I had an amazing two weeks, and I was playing my best tennis ever.”

Wawrinka’s thunderous groundstrokes and heavy serve had Nadal under pressure early on in his 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory but it will never be known how the match would have panned out if the Spaniard had not been hit by injury.

Certainly the Swiss had been in irresistible form as he first ousted Djokovic in five thrilling sets, and then faced only one break point against Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals.

And it was Wawrinka who best stood up to the gruelling Grand Slam programme of seven straight matches, while Nadal’s familiar physical fallibilities returned to haunt him.

“It’s Stan’s day, not my day,” said the tearful Spaniard, who struggled to control his emotions after the match. “As I said before, I try my best and it was not possible for me today.

“I’m obviously disappointed and very sad about what happened. But that’s life, that’s sport. I really had a lot of great moments in my career. That’s a tough one.

I’ll just accept it and try to keep working hard for what’s coming.”

Wawrinka said he has long drawn inspiration from the Samuel Beckett quotation that is tattooed on his left forearm: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter.

Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” l

Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland (L) poses with the 2014 Australian Open winner's trophy on the bank of the Yarra river in Melbourne yesterday following his victory over Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men's singles final of the tennis tournament the day before AFP

India confident of squaring NZ series Sharapova desperate for n

India are confident they can win their two remaining one-day internationals in New Zealand to salvage a draw from a series they were expected to dominate.

Although a series win is out of reach for India, who trail 2-0, spinner Ravi Ashwin said the dramatic tie in the third match in Auckland showed the tide is turning for the tourists, who have slipped to number two in the rankings.

New Zealand were denied a seriesclinching victory on Saturday when a late flourish by Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja produced a cliffhanger finish, with India scoring 17 off the last over.

“We were quite disappointed that we didn’t shut the game down. We would have loved to win the series, but we kept it open and we can tie it down now,” Ashwin said Monday on the eve of the fourth game in Hamilton.

Coming into the series, India held the number one ranking and they were strongly favoured to beat the home side.

Instead, they extended a losing streak that began with back-to-back defeats in South Africa, losing their first game in New Zealand by 24 runs and the second by 15. In Auckland, India again looked down and out when they were 184-6 chasing New Zealand’s 314.

But Ashwin (65 off 46 balls) and Jadeja (66 not out off 45) put on 85 for the seventh wicket in a partnership that revived India’s hopes.

“We’ve just not been at the best of our game. That’s the best point we can take forward, in terms of saying, we’ve not really played our best game yet,” Ashwin said. “We’ve been fighting hard to the end and while things haven’t gone our way we just hope for the turnaround.”

Mata wants United move to boost World Cup bid n

Juan Mata hopes his club record transfer from Chelsea to Manchester United will help cement his place in the Spain World Cup squad in Brazil later this year.

A lack of first-team opportunities, and concerns over his international future, prompted the attacking midfielder into completing his £37.1 million (44.7m euros) transfer between the Premier League rivals.

Mata, 25, was relaxed and enthusiastic as he was unveiled to the world’s media at United’s training ground on Monday and admitted that the helicopter journey his new employers provided had been one of the highlights of his move.

But it was the more serious prospect of ensuring he added to the 32 caps he has already earned with his national team, that led to the transfer, especially as Mata had been left out of one Spain squad already this season.

“It was really important,” said Mata of the part concerns over an international place played in his move.

“The Spain squad is really difficult to get into, there are a lot of players fighting for positions to be in the last 23 going to Brazil.

“I hope this is a great chance for me to keep playing, keep fit and show the manager of the national team I want to be there, I have to be there. l

New Zealand have been plagued in recent years by an inability to close out series when they have had the upper hand early on, but felt the tide had turned when they beat the West Indies in two Twenty20 matches before India’s arrival.

However, the nagging doubts returned in Auckland when captain Brendon McCullum admitted it was “potentially” one that got away. “When they looked as if they were out of the game they flexed their muscle a little bit and got themselves back into it. And just when we thought we had it again, obviously they came back,” McCullum said.

“We had our chances, there is no doubting that. Definitely had our chances. A few catches and a few runout opportunities and a few things.”

The final match in the series is in Wellington on Friday, to be followed by two Tests. l

North South University (NSU) moved into the Super Eights of the ULAB Fair Play Cup Cricket by beating South East University (SEU) by 32 runs at the ULAB playground, Ramchandrapur, Mohammadpur yesterday.

Winning the toss, SEU chose to field first and saw NSU post a decent score of 133/5 in the stipulated 20 overs.

Rakin of NSU scored 36 runs off 41 balls. In reply, SEU managed to score 101/8. Rhydoy of NSU bowled 3 overs and took 2/4 and was declared man-ofthe-match.

In the first match of day, Manrat International University (MIU) beat East West University (EWU) by 8 wickets. Winning the toss, EWU batted

first and were bowled out for 113.

Naimul of MIU took 3 wickets. In reply, MIU scored 115/2 wickets in 17.2 overs.

n

Maria Sharapova swaps sweltering Melbourne for wet and chilly Paris on Monday hoping her love affair with the French capital will help bury her Australian Open nightmare.

The world number three was a shock fourth-round loser at the season-opening Grand Slam, going down to eventual finalist Dominika Cibulkova, her hopes hamstrung by a hip injury. But Paris only brings back warm recent memories for the Russian star who will start the WTA indoor tournament this week as top seed at the city’s Stade Coubertin, just a short walk from Roland Garros where she clinched the French Open in 2012, completing a career Grand Slam.

Sharapova was also runner-up at Garros last year although her only previous

visit to the January indoor hardcourt tournament in Paris’s plush 16th arrondissement ended in a quarter-final run. Sharapova’s Melbourne campaign was just her second event since a shoulder injury ended her 2013 season in August, a setback which also ruled her out of the US Open.

“I think it’s a success in terms of that I’m back and that I’m healthy,” she said after her Australian Open exit.

“That’s quite important otherwise I wouldn’t give myself a chance to play.

“So on that note, I have to look at the positives and see where I have come from in four or five months. I haven’t played a lot of tennis in those six months.”

Sharapova gets a first-round bye in Paris before a match-up with Slovak veteran Daniela Hantuchova or Marina Erakovic of New Zealand. l

Bangladeshi fan hacks BCCI website n The official site of Indian cricket’s governing body was hacked late at night on January 26, as a Bangladeshi cricket fan’s way of getting back at BCCI for pushing for ICC’s restructuring.

Even on the morning of January 27, the site was still under siege and had not been restored to normalcy.

After the attack, the BCCI homepage had a short banner over the main news headline that read, “Hacked by Ashik.”

On the About Us page, the reportedly Bangladeshi hacker posted a photo of the Bangladesh national team running with the country’s flag and a message below it that read, “Don’T MesS UP WitH TiGeRs!” The reason behind this “attack” on BCCI’s website, seems to be the latest draft proposal which is creating rifts in the global cricketing world.

BCCI demands more control and monetary profit for the “big three” of cricket (i.e. India, Australia and England). l

Mashmur Rahman of MIU scored 56 runs in 53 balls to earn the man-of-thematch award.l

The victorious North South University cricket team

WTA star Eugenie Bouchard (R) talks to journalists while Chris Evert (C), official WTA Championships ambassador, and Stacey Allaster (L), chairman and CEO of WTA, look on at a press conference announcing the WTA Championships in Singapore yesterday. The WTA Championships will be held in Singapore on October 17 to 26, 2014 and it marks the first time in the history of the championships that a city in Asia-Pacific will host the prestigious event AFP

Wenger hits back at Mourinho in fixture row n

NSU qualify for Super Eight n

repeat of Paris glamour

COURTESY

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted Monday his team were not favoured by the fixture programme following comments from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho the Gunners had a certain “influence” over the schedule.

“It is simple -- look at the fixtures and analyse it. I trust you will give an objective view,” Wenger said.

“You will see Arsenal are behind all the other teams. In the last five years all the objective studies that have been made show Arsenal had less rest than any other team in the top four,” the Frenchman added.

“That is fact. It has nothing to do with my opinion. It is an independent company that made (the study) that shows Arsenal had less rest than any other team in the top level.”

Wenger’s comments came after reports Arsenal had commissioned their own internal analysis of their

fixture schedule.

The Gunners boss cited a hectic pre-Christmas programme when they played Manchester City on a Saturday lunchtime following a middweek Champions League trip to Napoli, both of which saw Arsenal beaten.

Mourinho’s remarks about Arsenal’s fixtures came after Wenger criticised Chelsea’s decision to sell Juan Mata to Manchester United during the January transfer window.

Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League, two points ahead of thirdplaced Chelsea with Manchester City in between them. But Wenger, speaking ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Southampton on Tuesday, was adamant his dispute with Mourinho was not part of any deliberate attempt to unsettle the Portuguese manager.

“It is not mind games. It is opinions,” Wenger said. “But I don’t live with opinions, I live with facts. and the facts don’t depend on me or Mourinho. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Administrator soon to protect Jubok’s Tk3,000cr assets Finance minister nods to measures so victims get some money back soon Jubok’s operations were suspended recommended by the commission to the commission yet to be dealt with n Asif Showkat Kallol by the law, commerce and welfare in 2006 on charges of involvement in ilthe finance ministry, sources said.

The government has decided to appoint an administrator for the protection of the assets of Jubok Karmasangsthan Society, a cooperatives infamous for its fraudulent operations and cheating millions, in line with the recommendations of a government-sponsored commission.

An official of the Bank and Financial Institutions Division said the division had already told the social welfare ministry to appoint an administrator immediately to look after assets, worth nearly Tk3,000 crore, situated in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith had given the go-ahead to pursue the ministries to execute a string of measures

Secretary of social welfare ministry Nasima Begum told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are looking into the matter but the process of appointing an administrator for Jubok has not started yet.”

The permanent commission on Jubok, headed by former bureaucrat Rafiqul Islam, gave its report to the finance ministry in March last year. The ministry, however, allegedly took no initiatives before the latest instructions last week.

Appointing an administrator for Jubok and bringing amendments to the criminal law, money laundering act and the inquiry act of 1956 are some of the recommendations of

ministries, according to bank division sources.

Aiming to return the money to fraud victims, the government formed two commissions, one in 2010 and the other in 2011, the former headed by former governor of Bangladesh Bank Mohammad Farashuddin and the latter by former joint secretary Rafiqul Islam.

Nearly Tk3,000 crore assets of Jubok were found in Dhaka and adjoining areas, as per the commission report.

Business licenses of the 17 subsidiaries of Jubok should be cancelled by the relevant government authorities, said the commission report.

legal banking. Its subsidiaries included interests in housing, telecommunication, real estate development, tourism, health and agriculture.

More than 3 lakh clients of Jubok have been waiting for years now to get back the money they deposited with the fraudster, mainly because of the government’s indecision.

None of the affected ones, who were lured by Jubok into depositing their hard earned money for big returns, are yet to get back their money, totalling about Tk2,588 crore.

The commission suggested that the government should appoint an administrator who would take Jubok’s assets

into his custody, sell them and return the money to the customers.

It also said until an administrator could be appointed the relevant deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) might act as custodians of the assets.

The commission also identified 40 people who embezzled customers’ money, and recommended filing cases against them.

Meanwhile, RTV, Victoria University and Atish Dipankar University voluntarily offered to return Tk25 crore to the commission.

But the commission found that the actual Jubok investment in these organisations was much higher than what they had proposed to pay back. l

New compulsory school subjects n Mushfique Wadud Two new subjects will be incorporated into school level education from the next academic year. These subjects will be made compulsory for the students of class VIII and class IX, the National Curriculum and Textbook Board decided yesterday.

Class VIII students will have to study Work and Life Oriented Education; all groups (science, commerce and humanities) of class IX students will have to take Information and Communication Technology from 2015, NCTB officials said.

The decision was made at a meeting held to assess the numbers of textbooks needed for the 2015 academic year. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid was present as the guest-of-honour.

NCTB Chairman Shafikur Rahman said: “Kormo O Jibonmukhi Shikkha [Work and Life Oriented Education] is already compulsory for other year-groups; and from next year the subject will be compulsory for class VIII students too.”

Students were also taking Information and Communication Technology in other year-groups; and from 2015, the subject will be compulsory for all class IX students.

“This is part of modernising the curriculum. We have included these subjects because students need these in their everyday lives,” he said.

Since 2013, the government has been revising the primary and secondary curriculum for the first time in 17 years. l

A father was beaten to death at Dakkhinkhan in Dhaka yesterday by a group of men as he had protested against the beating of his son by the same people.

Police arrested three people – Rubel, 19, Liton Miah, 40, and Zakirul Islam, 32 – on suspicion of their involvement in the killing of the father, Mostafizur Rahman, a rickshaw-puller by profession.

Police and local people said a group of seven to eight people had beaten Mostafiz’s eight-year-old son Hasan following a trivial matter late Sunday night at Fayedabad of Dakkhinkhan.

Sub-Inspector Azizur Rahman of Dakkhinkhan police station said the group beat Mostafiz mercilessly around 12:30am as he went to protest against his son’s beating. The group left Mostafiz in a critical condition.

Two more unidentified persons were found dead in the capital’s Uttara yesterday The injured father was taken to a hospital in the area where he succumbed to his injuries. Mostafiz of Pirganj upazila of Rangpur resided in a rented house at Atipara, Dakkhinkhan.

Inspector Shamimur Rashid Talukder, officer-in-charge of Dakkhinkhan police station, said Mostafiz’s wife Hasina Akhter filed a case against seven to eight men, including the detained three.

He said they had produced the three in the court and sought five days’ remand. The police were trying to arrest the other accused in the case.

Two more killed in city

Begal Tigers Cricket Fan Club forms a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday against India, Australia and England’s proposal about Test cricket

Dawki River in Jaflong to be declared ecologically critical

ACC probes 500 fold wealth growth of Cox’s Bazar MP n Abu Bakar Siddique n Tribune Report An official from the Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday arrived in Cox’s Bazar to collect documents and information related to the inquiry against Awami League lawmaker from Cox’s Bazar 4 constituency Abdur Rahman Bodi.

Ahsan Ali, an ACC deputy director and probe officer of the inquiry, will visit administrative offices to collect documents related to the MP’s wealth, as well as information from internal sources, an official of the commission told the Dhaka Tribune.

The ACC on January 22 initiated an inquiry against seven ruling party lawmakers, including two former ministers, a state minister and four MPs, in a bid to trace the sources of their phenomenal rise in wealth.

After the Election Commission published the wealth statements submitted by candidates last month ahead of the 10th parliamentary polls, the media reported large discrepancies between the information they had provided and their previous submissions for the ninth general election in 2008.

Following news reports of huge increases in the fortunes of several prominent Awami League men and their family members over the past five years, the ACC started collecting newspaper clippings and analysing the relevant documents, ACC officials said.

Cox’s Bazar MP Bodi’s earnings rose astronomically, increasing by more than 500 times over the past five years.

The lawmaker and his wife’s annual income was only Tk3.01 lakh in 2008, but rose to Tk15.46 crore in 2013, according to his affidavits placed at the EC. His annual income from house rent – which was Tk1.76 lakh in 2008 – increased 118 times to become Tk2.08 crore in 2013. Although he had no business investments in 2008, the lawmaker now earned Tk53 lakh from businesses. From shares and bank interests, Abdur Rahman used to earn less than a lakh taka in 2008, but made over Tk8 crore in 2013. l

Father beaten to death for protesting beating of child n Kailash Sarkar

Upon a court order, the government is likely to declare the Jaflong-Dawki River as a new ecologically critical area (ECA) soon to protect it and its ecology from destruction because of mindless extraction of stones from the river bed and adjacent areas since long.

With this, the country will have the total of 13 places as ECAs: the Sundarbans, Cox’s Bazar, Saint Martin’s Island and Sonadia Island, Tanguar Haor, Hakaluki Haor, Marjat Baor, Gulshan-Baridhara Lake and Dhaka’s four rivers – Buriganga, Shitalakkhya, Turag and Balu.

“The process of declaring Jaflong-Dawki River ecologically critical area will be finalised soon,” said Sultan Ahmed, director (natural resource management) of the Department of Environment (DoE), adding that the decision had been taken following the High Court directives.

Bangladesh Environmentalist Lawyers’ Association (BELA) filed two separate writ petitions with the High Court seeking order to stop extraction of stones illegally from the Dawki, Piyain

and Dhalai rivers using excavators. The petitioner also asked the court to remove the bridge located on the Dawki River constructed illegally. The petitions were filed in 2009 and 2011.

Last year, the High Court directed the government to stop the anomalies and to declare the Jaflong-Dawki River as an ECA.

Acting on petitions, the High Court last year directed the government to stop stone extraction and declare the JaflongDawki River as an ECA Sultan Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune that they had already received the related information from the field office which was necessary to take the measure.

Terming the government’s initiative “important,” Syeda Rizwana Hasan, ex-

ecutive director of BELA, said the illegal stone extraction would be stopped after declaring the river as ECA. However, the government has apparently failed to conserve the existing ECAs. Some protection measures have been seen only in the Saint Martin’s, Hakaluki Haor, Cox’s Bazar and Sonadia Island under a project named Coastal and Wetland Biodiversity Management.

In reply to a question why the government was declaring places as ECAs when it failed to take measures in the existing areas, the DoE official said they had plans to take measures in all the 12 existing areas but were facing fund shortage.

Rizwana said the government should pay attention to implement the ECA rules in the declared areas properly; otherwise, the announcements would bring no good results.

The government formulated the ECA rules in 1999 under Bangladesh Environment Protection Act, 1995.

Since then, 12 areas have been identified as ECAs with an aim to protect those from environmental and ecological degradation. l

RAJIB DHAR

Two more unidentified persons were found dead in the capital’s Uttara yesterday.

The sliced body of a youth aged around 24 was found on a railway track at Abdullahpur; the body of another aged around 30 was found floating in the Turag River.

Police suspect criminals had left the bodies after killing them at night. The sliced body was wearing a lungi and a shirt, said SI Nazrul Islam of General Railway Police. The other body also bore injury marks. l

Students cannot be forced to queue up on streets, but on school premises, says ministry n Tribune Report The primary and mass education ministry yesterday issued a circular asking the authorities concerned not to force primary schoolchildren to queue on the roads to welcome public representatives.

Legal action would be taken against those repeating such practice in future. “This is in no way acceptable,” said the circular.

The move was made after newspapers reported on schoolchildren in different parts of the country being forced to queue under the sun to welcome the newly-elected public representatives and ministers. The issue triggered severe criticism from the masses.

“Primary school children cannot be forced to queue on the roads to receive public representatives,” the circular said.

“It has come to the ministry’s notice that reception has been given to public representatives, eminent citizens

and high officials when they go to visit different districts, upazilas and places through the queues of primary schoolchildren on the roads after stopping academic activities in the schools.”

It said academic activities of the school would be hampered if the children were forced to queue up under the open sky, and it also put pressure on the children’s physical and mental stature.

The circular issued a warning that if such things happened again in future, legal action would be taken against the headmaster and the managing committee members of the school concerned.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid urged the authorities concerned not to force schoolchildren to queue on the roads to welcome “eminent persons.”

He, however, said the educational institutions might arrange programmes to greet “honourable guests” on the school premises. l

UNUSUAL WEALTH ACCUMULATION

TIB for bringing all ministers, MPs under scanner n Tribune Report The Transparency International Bangladesh yesterday urged the Anti-Corruption Commission to bring all ministers, former ministers and lawmakers who had “phenomenal” rise in their wealth inconsistent with their known sources of income under its scanner.

It requested the ACC to take necessary legal steps to bring all those, reports on whom had been published by the media.

The TIB, however, appreciated the anti-graft body’s move to trace illegal

wealth of seven former ministers and lawmakers who were in power during the last five years.

“If the phenomenal rise in wealth of former ministers and lawmakers are inconsistent with their known sources of income, it is completely illegal and unconstitutional as per section 20 (2) of the constitution,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said yesterday.

In a statement, he said the ACC’s initiatives must not be limited to just seven persons – the anti-graft body should rather bring all those whose wealth had grown unusually, otherwise it should publicly

disclose the reasons for bringing certain people under inquiry and not others.

The TIB urged the ACC to coordinate with the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Bank and the Election Commission to make the effort fruitful.

According to an analysis by Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, the wealth statements of the candidates of the last parliamentary election had seen an increase of up to 32,985% in their income.

According to the affidavits submitted to the EC, the incomes of ministers increased by 243% and their wealth by 247% while the income of state min-

isters increased by 464% and their wealth by 459%.

The TIB demanded cancellation of sections 32 (2) and 32A of the ACC (amended) Act 2013 as the provisions were “discriminatory and unconstitutional” and made it mandatory for the ACC to take government’s approval for filing cases against judges, magistrates and public servants.

The statement said the prime minister’s announcement of “zero tolerance” for corruption in her first cabinet meeting was inspiring for the ACC. “We will expect the government and

politically dignified people will honour the decision and will restrain themselves from taking any step that could hinder the independence and activities of the ACC,” it said.

It also said if the organisation failed to initiate inquiry and bring offenders under the law, the country could not enjoy the rule and culture of publishing affidavits of parliamentary poll candidates.

“Rather such inconsistent works will be established as part of the political culture and it will spread corruption and a culture of lack of justice,” it said. l

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

BB to sprint from behind to touch finish line

It unveils monetary policy for H2 FY14 with a private credit growth target of 16.5% to stimulate domestic investment n Kayes Sohel Bangladesh Bank (BB) has undertaken a set of policy measures in its latest monetary policy announced yesterday to stimulate investment that suffered a setback in late last year due to prolonged political unrest.

To prop up investment, it kept the private sector credit target unchanged at 16.5% despite poor growth in lending, reflecting the sluggish investment.

The Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) for January-June period of fiscal 2013-14 foresees a possible risk in the country’s Balance of Payment (BoP) as it is apprehending slow remittance inflow and export earnings in the second half of the current fiscal year.

During the July-November period of the current fiscal year, the private credit grew by only 11%, much behind the target of 16.5%, showing signs the central bank will have to further accelerate the lending to the private sector if it wants to stimulate investment from its sorry state.

“We failed to fully utilise the space for private investment provided in the last monetary program because of the political unrest in the lead-up to the national elections (held in January 5),” said Governor Atiur Rahman, unveiling the MPS at Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Dhaka.

The space for private sector credit in the new MPS kept well in line with output growth targets and is sufficient to accommodate any substantial rise in investment over the next six months, said the Governor.

Bangladesh Bank is expecting increased demand for credit in the second half due to the apparently stable political situation in the country.

“It will be good enough to accelerate the private investment despite slightly higher economic output projection,” he said.

In order to cushion the impact of the recent domestic disruptions on businesses, BB has already taken a number of policy steps for the financial sector, which would continue during the second half of FY14.

These included offering Export Development Fund (EDF) at lower interest rate, easy-term loan rescheduling facilities and some facilities for SME entrepreneurs.

NBR to launch fresh bid to net 2 lakh tax evaders

Banks asked to take measures for ensuring vault security

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

n Tribune Report

National Board of Revenue has achieved only 22% of its target to bring tax evading house and business firm owners under income tax net through door-to-door surveys and spot assessments in a 12-month period ending in November last year.

After an instruction from NBR, the field offices across the country began the drive in December 2012 targeting 2.57 lakh tax dodgers owing houses and business firms.

During the period, 57,564 were netted and a total of Tk1.78 crore was collected. As the programme could not bring “satisfactory” result, the revenue board is now planning fresh surveys beginning from next month to net at least 2 lakh.

In an effort to widen tax net, NBR gave the instruction of the surveys.

Although the NBR set a target of bringing 2.57 lakh under the income tax net in December 2012, the field offices could identify 1.43 lakh tax dodgers of the kind.

Among the identified dodgers, 70% were businessmen, 25% house owners and around 5% shop owners.

Twenty-nine field offices conducted the survey, particularly in some selected areas across the country.

Only two offices - Dhaka Tax Zone 1 and Khulna Tax Zone Office – were able to achieve their targets. The tax offices were given an annual targets for the year ending in November 2013.

NBR already served notices to its field offices which had failed to meet the targets seeking explanation behind the failures.

Notices have been served to the tax evaders in the respective areas to comply with tax law. If the tax evaders do not pay taxes, legal actions will be taken against them, warned the NBR officials.

In their surveys, the NBR offices compiled information from local government offices, Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB), utility service providers and other related organisations.

According to NBR estimates, at least 60 lakh capable people are out of income tax net while 5 lakh business firms are not paying value added tax (Vat). l

Bangladesh Bank has asked all the scheduled commercial banks to take all the necessary steps for ensuring security of their respective bank’s vaults in the wake of a recent incident where miscreants broke in and looted around Tk16.4 crore from a branch of Sonali Bank Limited in Kishoreganj Sadar.

Expressing grave concern over not following the safety directives already issued by Bangladesh Bank (BB), the central bank yesterday released a circular with a fresh directive to further strengthen the security as well as safety measures of the vaults where the cash is deposited.

Most of the banks do not follow the instruction on safety of money that is deposited at bank’s vault, despite the time to time instruction of the central bank. As a result, money looting incident is taking place simply by destroying the security fence, said BB circular.

According to the circular, all the commercial banks have been asked to establish more commanding and updated security measures in ensuring structural, technical and insurance security.

Mirza Azizul Islam Former Finance Adviser

l GDP may not be achieved, as key components like trade balance, services and investments are not in good shape. l Private sector credit target is apparently good considering the present situation. But political uncertainty still persists, which may keep entrepreneurs away from investment. l Public borrowing is just indicative target. It will exceed the target because of drop in revenue and aid disbursement.

“BB is willing to increase the size of the EDF if the current $1bn fund is fully utilised,” said the policy statement.

It said banks were instructed to offer loan rescheduling facilities to genuine borrowers having temporarily affected by the recent disruptions.

Against this backdrop, the central bank has slightly revised upward the economic growth.

“Output growth will pick up in H2 FY14 and this will partly make up for the losses faced in H1 FY14. If there are no major disruption in the economy,

Under the structural security measures, banks are to set up security-tested doors with steel wall around the vault space of the banks. The floors and roofs of around the vaults also have to be certified by an engineer, said the circular.

As part of technical security measure, there must be an alarming system round the clock along with a closed-circuit television camera at the vaults. There should be an uninterrupted connectivity between the bank’s central information system and the vault’s security system. Automated fire extinguishers also must be set up into the vaults, read the circular.

As far as insurance coverage is concerned, the insurance on the money deposited at the vaults has to be covered completely.

Miscreants broke in and looted around Tk16.4 crore from a branch of Sonali Bank Limited in Kishoreganj Sadar, authorities noticed on Sunday afternoon.

The miscreants dug a passageway into the vault of the bank located on Isha Kha road of the town.

The passageway was found to have

output growth could be closer to 6%.”

This is a slightly revised forecast relative to the 5.7% and 6% range projected in December 2013.

“The GDP growth target was slightly revised upward due to recent improved investment climate, which was absent in the first half of this fiscal,” said Chief Economist Hassan Zaman.

BB in its monetary policy said the slightly higher credit to public sector figure in percentage terms for June 2014 in the current MPS is due to the fact that the H1 FY14 MPS was

been dug from an adjacent building.

However, how the incident took place was confusing since a police barrack was located in the basement of the branch for security reasons.

Some 17 people including 12 officials of Sonali Bank in Kishoreganj, were interrogated in the Sadar police station on Monday in connection with Tk16.4 crore looting incident.

Police held 12 bank officials including Branch Manager Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan and five others people earlier in the day. Deputy General Manager Sheikh Amanuallah filed a case against some unidentified people in this connection with Sadar police station on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Bangladesh Bank and Sonali Bank formed separate investigation committees to investigate into the incident where Tk16.4 crore was looted from a vault of a Sonali Bank Limited branch in Kishoreganj.

Eight policemen were suspended following the incident. These policemen were deployed in the barrack located in the basement of the branch to maintain the security of the vault. l

based on an estimated figure for June 2013 government borrowing which turned out to be higher than the actual figure.

As a result of the “lower base effect,” the public sector borrowing growth of 22.9% for June 2014 in the current MPS is higher than the previous MPS (19.5%) even though the amount in monetary terms (Tk260bn) remains the same.

The central bank sees challenges to keep inflation under control. Keeping inflation target unchanged at 7%, the MPS said reducing average inflation

from its current 7.5% level may prove challenging especially as aggregate demand is likely to pick up in H2 FY14 and the recent rise in Indian inflation is also a risk for Bangladesh as shown by historical long term trends.

“As such, BB has decided to keep policy rates unchanged.”

The BB also identified recent fall in remittance flow as risk factor to the balance of payment.

“We apprehend an overall negative growth in remittances for FY14 and a possible slower pace of export growth in H2 FY14.” l

BB wants big borrowers to go stock market n Kayes Sohel Bangladesh Bank has planned to encourage big industrial conglomerate to raise fund from the stock market to meet their investment needs.

The monetary policy statement announced yesterday said the central bank will continue to encourage big borrowers to access the capital market as banks will need to comply with the recently revised regulation on single borrower exposure limits for business groups.

'Most of the big businessmen are the owners of the banks.

So some profits go through the bench' “In order to fill the gaps in the financial landscape, BB intends to facilitate the role of private equity or venture capital sources of finance.”

Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury said the central bank will ask the banks to take necessary measures so the big borrowers go to capital market for financing their projects.

Analysts appreciated the central bank move, but remained skeptical about implementation of the policy measure.

“It is a good move as financing to any business from the capital market is relatively lower than the banking sector. It will infuse dynamism in the capital market too,” said finance adviser to the last caretaker government Mirza Azizul Islam.

Big business people generally feel shy to go to the capital market, as it will ensure accountability and transparency of the business, he said. “Most of the big businessmen are the owners of the banks. So some profits go through the bench.”

But it will also affect in the profitability of the banks already sitting on huge idle fund, he added.

Recently, the central bank has tightened the single borrower exposure limit, saying if the rating of a credit risk grading turns out to be “marginal,” banks must not sanction the large loans.

If the big borrowers fail to provide sufficient collateral against the loans, they will fall into the “marginal” group on a scale of eight categories in credit risk assessment. Previously, the borrowers with insufficient collateral had qualified for such loans. l

RMG sees slow but steady growth in 2013 despite unrest n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Despite the political unrest coupled with global retailers’ threat not to buy Bangladeshi products following the worst-ever Rana Plaza disaster, the country, however, witnessed a slow but steady growth in the apparel sector in 2013.

A good number of apparel manufacturers have come up with more investments either to establish or to expand their own readymade garment factories in the just concluded year, according to the statistics Bangladesh Garment manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). Apart from that, both the BGMEA and BKMEA data showed a remarkable hike in their respective membership categories.

According to statistics, a total of 192

factory owners got the memberships from BGMEA and BKMEA. A total of 139 factory owners took membership from BGMEA, while BKMEA provided

membership to 53 factory owners in the year 2013. Currently, the BGMEA membership number rose to 5674, while the memberships of BKMEA rose to 1931.

“The number of new RMG factories could have been even more in the last year. Most of the entrepreneurs were eventually refrained from investing further as they were really shaken to see the global outcry following the worst-ever Rana Plaza disaster,’’ Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, former president of BGMEA, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Besides, the investors also became nervous and frightened to see the streets violence during political programmes, which may also cast negative impact in the coming years, he added.

Compared to the RMG factory growth in 2012, the number of new factories has declined in the year 2013 as the entrepreneurs were reluctant to invest in this sector due to the political unrest and factory disaster, said Shahidullah Azim, vice president of BGMEA. Industry insiders opined that the in-

vestment in this sector was supposed to be more but factory disasters such as Rana plaza building collapse, which claimed over 1,100 workers and injured more than 2,500 workers, brought a big blow in the investment in RMG sector.

Political deadlock which continued at throughout the year could also be blamed for the slow growth in the RMG sector, they added.

The new factories can lead the country’s RMG sector to a compliant one as they were built as compliant factories with the bulling code. That’s why the government should provide gas and electricity supply to those factories on priority basis to maintain the growth of this sector, said Abdus Salam Murshedy, managing director of Envoy group.

"We are still hoping that Bangladesh would be able to overcome all the obstacles to lead the country in the global competitive market." l

B2

Stocks end flat amid volatility on profit booking n Tribune Report

4751.61562

(-) 0.14%

▼

DSE - 30 Index :

1659.61052

(-) 0.79%

▼

CSE All Share Index:

14760.8066

(-) 0.28%

▼

CSE - 30 Index :

12349.6087

(-) 0.07%

▼

9342.8119

(-) 0.18%

▼

CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS

Bengal Windsor-A PrimeFin. 1st MF-A Monno Stafllers -A Progressive Life-A GlaxoSK (BD) -A ICB AMCL IslamicMF-A PragatiLife Insu. -A Takaful Islami Insu-A 2nd ICB M F -A ICB AMCL3rd NRB MF-A

Closing (% change) -9.96 -7.51 -6.80 -6.00 -5.92 -5.37 -5.37 -4.97 -4.92 -4.76

CSE LOSERS Company Bengal Windsor-A PrimeFin. 1st MF-A Mercantile Insur -A CVO PetroChem RL-Z Takaful Islami Insu-A Rangpur Foundry -A Dutch Ban. Bnk- A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A PragatiLife Insu. -A Apex Tannery -A

Closing (% change) -9.92 -8.24 -5.52 -5.33 -5.17 -5.16 -4.95 -4.94 -4.91 -4.67

Average (% change) -8.12 -6.28 -6.30 -5.09 -5.99 -3.06 -4.02 -0.62 -5.00 -2.88 Average (% change) -9.07 -6.99 -5.09 -4.99 -1.42 -1.41 -4.99 -4.94 -3.69 -4.74

ANALYST

Closing average 66.05 24.17 330.30 140.59 1020.00 23.45 217.74 44.60 274.00 6.08

Closing average 66.33 24.08 27.39 699.75 45.08 105.00 119.08 7.70 219.07 167.14

Closing 66.00 23.40 327.40 139.50 1020.60 22.90 211.40 44.00 274.30 6.00

Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 1388.29 491.49 232.51 733.52 205.16 1078.67 2.84 740.96 478.52 1.25 35.60 67.91 44.39 298.75 65.81 269.19 254.08 102.05 142.66 88.30 0.28

Daily high

174,295,140 150,609

Traded Issues

293

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

89

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

201

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,271.18

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.53

CSE key features January 27, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

637.42

Turnover (Volume)

20,878,600

Number of Contract

231

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

74

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

154

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,177.57

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.39

Turnover in million

66.00 23.00 325.20 138.70 1017.00 22.80 208.00 42.00 273.50 6.00

36.788 43.864 0.545 2.394 0.153 6.589 24.838 14.696 0.274 5.965

Turnover in million

Daily low

67.00 24.60 27.40 710.00 46.90 109.00 120.80 7.70 225.00 171.60

24,875

Traded Issues

Daily low

68.80 25.40 353.90 146.00 1023.00 23.90 229.20 47.70 275.00 6.20

66.30 23.40 27.40 710.00 44.00 101.00 119.10 7.70 211.10 165.40

66.30 23.20 26.50 694.00 43.70 101.00 116.80 7.70 210.30 164.10

7.150 2.577 0.111 0.280 1.691 0.210 0.774 0.035 6.463 1.688

Latest EPS 2.50 1.00 5.25 2.30 46.69 4.16 2.38 2.64 63.48 0.60

Latest EPS 2.50 1.00 1.49 -4.06 2.64 3.03 9.21 1.24 2.38 6.28

Latest PE 26.4 24.2 62.9 61.1 21.8 5.6 91.5 16.9 4.3 10.1

Latest PE

% change 20.65 7.31 3.46 10.91 3.05 16.05 0.04 11.02 7.12 0.02 0.53 1.01 0.66 4.44 0.98 4.00 3.78 1.52 2.12 1.31 0.00

Million Taka 168.88 43.90 13.91 81.01 23.32 66.64 84.32 35.88 0.16 5.00 6.83 3.72 20.38 8.60 10.45 16.29 13.03 17.49 17.81 0.01

CSE

% change 26.49 6.88 2.18 12.70 3.66 10.45 0.00 13.22 5.63 0.02 0.78 1.07 0.58 3.20 1.35 1.64 2.55 2.04 2.74 2.79 0.00

Million Taka 1557.17 535.39 246.41 814.53 228.48 1145.31 2.84 825.29 514.40 1.41 40.60 74.73 48.11 319.14 74.40 279.64 270.37 115.09 160.16 106.12 0.29

Total

Aziz PipesZ National Tubes -A Alltex Industries -Z Eastern Bank - A Rahim Textile -A GPH Ispat Ltd-A Quasem Drycells -A Southeast Bank-A Barakatullah E. D.-A N C C Bank -A

Closing (% change) 9.72 6.40 5.88 5.81 5.47 5.29 4.05 3.94 3.66 3.55

CSE GAINERS Company Imam Button -Z Aziz PipesZ Republic Insu.-A Eastern Bank - A Quasem Drycells -A Nitol Insurance -A Southeast Bank-A Al Arafa Islami B-A National Bank - B Alltex Industries -Z

Closing (% change) 10.00 9.63 6.54 5.79 5.69 5.35 4.90 3.81 3.60 3.45

Average (% change) 9.79 2.21 3.43 5.32 4.20 4.11 1.71 4.01 3.00 2.79 Average (% change) 5.24 8.89 6.66 3.83 3.33 5.29 4.24 2.60 3.75 2.30

Closing average 23.43 107.01 8.75 32.46 248.56 55.18 45.08 21.00 36.43 14.37

Closing average 9.85 23.65 52.08 32.29 45.87 37.41 21.15 21.34 14.10 8.91

Closing 23.70 108.10 9.00 32.80 252.60 55.70 46.20 21.10 36.80 14.60

Closing 9.90 23.90 52.10 32.90 46.40 37.40 21.40 21.80 14.40 9.00

Daily high 23.70 110.90 9.00 33.40 257.00 56.20 46.90 21.70 38.00 15.00

Daily high 9.90 23.90 53.40 33.00 47.00 37.50 21.80 21.90 14.60 9.00

News from trade server OLYMPIC: National Credit Ratings Limited (NCR) has announced the rating of the Company as "AA" in the long term and "ST-1" in the short term based on audited financial statements of the Company up to June 30, 2013.

BENGALWTL: (H/Y): As per un-audited half yearly accounts as on 31.12.2013 (July'13 to Dec'13), the Company has reported consolidated net profit after tax (excluding non-controlling interests) of Tk. 94.87 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.25 as against Tk. 85.34 million and Tk. 1.13 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas consolidated net profit after tax (excluding non-controlling interests) was Tk. 9.10 million with EPS of Tk. 0.12 for the period of 3 months, (Oct'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 54.58 million and Tk. 0.72 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

CVOPRL: (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/(loss) after tax of Tk. (40.17) m. with EPS of Tk. (2.03) as against Tk. 12.79 m. and Tk. 0.65 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit/(loss) after tax was Tk. (5.51) m. with EPS of Tk. (0.28) for the period of 3 months (Oct'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 8.52 m. and Tk. 0.43 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/(loss) of the Company was Tk. (26.11) m. as on 31.12.2013. In the footnote, the Company has reported that there was

no turnover during the period due to closure of the factory (Pilot Plant) since May 2012 for installation of new refinery plant.

DESHBANDHU: (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. 11.43 million with EPS of Tk. 0.23 as against Tk. 26.95 million and Tk. 0.53 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax was Tk. 4.87 million with EPS of Tk. 0.10 for the period of 3 months (Oct'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 12.33 million and Tk. 0.24 respectively for the same period of the previous year.

RENWICKJA: (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. 4.89 million with EPS of Tk. 2.44 as against Tk. 4.12 million and Tk. 2.06 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax was Tk. 2.44 million with EPS of Tk. 1.22 for the period of 3 months (Oct'13 to Dec'13) ended on 31.12.2013 as against Tk. 2.68 million and Tk. 1.34 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/(loss) of the Company was Tk. (77.63) million as on 31.12.2013 resulting total shareholders' equity stands at Tk. (57.37) million.

APEXADELFT: The Board of Directors of DSE has approved the name change of Apex Adelchi Footwear Limited as "Apex Footwear Limited". DSE trading code for Apex Footwear Limited will be "APEXFOOT" instead of former "APEXADELFT"

Daily low 22.40 93.00 8.10 27.90 238.00 50.00 40.00 18.30 32.00 13.00

Daily low 9.80 22.90 48.80 30.00 43.70 37.10 20.00 20.60 13.50 8.50

Turnover in million 0.929 31.963 1.615 19.079 2.933 61.950 96.811 103.220 146.163 42.617

Turnover in million 0.010 0.456 1.198 0.723 4.304 0.224 7.670 6.011 30.777 0.245

Latest EPS 0.59 2.26 -1.56 2.27 1.52 2.42 2.04 2.24 2.08 0.67

Latest EPS -2.20 0.59 3.03 2.27 2.04 2.75 2.24 2.09 -3.63 -1.56

Latest PE 39.7 47.3 -ve 14.3 163.5 22.8 22.1 9.4 17.5 21.4

Latest PE -ve 40.1 17.2 14.2 22.5 13.6 9.4 10.2 -ve -ve

with effect from January 28, 2014. Other things (except name and trading code) will remain unchanged.

OLYMPIC: The Board of Directors of DSE has approved the sector change of Olympic Industries Ltd. from "Engineering" to "Food and Allied" with effect from January 28, 2014. Other things (except sector) will remain unchanged.

1STPRIMFMF: As per regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, ICB Asset Management Company Limited has informed that a Trustee meeting of the Fund will be held on January 29, 2014 at 3:00 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the fund for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

DESHBANDHU: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on June 30, 2013 to the respective shareholders' BO Accounts on January 19, 2014. The amount from sales proceeds of fractional bonus shares have been credited on January 26, 2014 to the bank accounts of shareholders mentioned in the respective BO accounts through Bangladesh Electronic Fund Transfer Network (BEFTN).

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. BRACBANK: Subscription 20.04.2014 to 15.05.2014.

Record date for entitlement of rights share: 10.02.2014.

26.5 24.1 18.4 -ve 17.1 34.7 12.9 6.2 92.0 26.6

Profit booking, particularly in large cap stocks, checked DSEX from rising further, putting a halt to 4-session long gaining streak of 200 points

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Daily high

6,722.24

Number of Contract

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index :

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features January 27, 2014

“With imminent Monetary Policy Statement and upcoming yearend declaration, expectation stayed strong for banks, making it the dominant sector for the second day, in terms of participation, accounted for 21% of total market capitalisation,” said the IDLC. LankaBangla Securities said after rising more than 200 points in last four trading sessions since the index last posted a meager correction in it, market behaved mixed Monday.

Some large cap stocks took correction while rally in other large and mid-cap stocks getting a strong footing, it said. Thus, market was a bit volatile with corrective mood closing the index marginally down, it said.

Bank continued to dominate the market in continuation of previous trading sessions with market capitalisation up by 1%.

Besides bank, paper and printing rose by 3.5%, while other sectors closed in the red zone.

UCBL dominated the top turnover chart with shares worth Tk24 crore changing hands followed by Meghna Petroleum, Padma Oil, BEDL and LankaBangla Finance.

National Tubes was also the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of over 6% while Bengal Windsor Thermoplastic was the day’s worst losers, slumping by almost 10%. l

Stocks ended flat amid volatility on profit booking yesterday, breaking four sessions gaining streak.

The benchmark DSEX edged nearly 7 points or 0.2% down to close at 4,751. The Shariah based DSES index declined almost 5 points or 0.5% to 982.

The blue chip comprising index DS30 fell 13 points or 0.8% to 1,659.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, dropped 17 points to 9,342.

The turnover on the DSE came down to Tk672 crore, registering a fall of more than 21% over the previous session’s two-month high.

“Profit booking, particularly in large cap stocks, checked DSEX from rising further, putting a halt to 4-session long gaining streak of 200 points,” said IDLC Investments.

“As prices went for a sudden stop amid the rally, participation dropped to Tk6.72bn, as investors were assessing the situation,” it said.

However, positive movement in the largest sector of the market, bank, helped the indices stay afloat as it gained over 1%.

Textile came to support with a marginal positive movement of 0.2%. Cement on the other hand broke its 6-day rally with 1.79% loss.

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

% change 21.16 7.27 3.35 11.07 3.10 15.56 0.04 11.21 6.99 0.02 0.55 1.02 0.65 4.34 1.01 3.80 3.67 1.56 2.18 1.44 0.00

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company UCBL - A Meghna Petroleum -A Padma Oil Co. -A Barakatullah E. D.-A LankaBangla Fin. -A Square Pharma -A Olympic Ind. -A Delta Life Insu. -A Southeast Bank-A UNITED AIR-A

Al Arafa Islami B-A S Purbanchol Power-N National Bank - B Quasem Drycells -A Saiham Tex.A Brac Bank -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company UCBL - A National Bank - B Appollo Ispat CL -N Mozaffar H.Spinning-N UNITED AIR-A Barakatullah E. D.-A City Bank - A Padma Oil Co. -A Mercantile Bank -A Grameenphone-A

Volume shares 7,882,174 954,732 577,049 4,011,767 1,758,674 535,519 689,059 400,250 4,915,999 5,761,134

4,720,437 1,358,120 6,975,103 2,147,343 2,800,500 2,532,024

Volume shares 1,011,040 2,183,247 766,000 410,500 871,317 357,144 578,753 31,200 559,674 44,200

Value in million 248.81 242.28 194.93 146.16 138.95 126.25 123.11 105.22 103.22 101.33

101.25 101.17 98.19 96.81 96.10 88.47

Value in million 31.81 30.78 27.88 16.71 15.38 13.06 12.54 10.56 10.42 9.47

% of total turnover 3.70 3.60 2.90 2.17 2.07 1.88 1.83 1.57 1.54 1.51

1.51 1.50 1.46 1.44 1.43 1.32

% of total turnover 4.99 4.83 4.37 2.62 2.41 2.05 1.97 1.66 1.64 1.49

Daily closing 31.50 252.20 334.70 36.80 78.50 235.50 178.70 261.20 21.10 17.60

21.70 74.20 14.30 46.20 34.70 35.10

Daily closing 31.60 14.40 36.20 40.20 17.60 36.90 22.00 335.80 18.80 213.90

Price change -0.63 -1.33 -1.70 3.66 -0.38 -0.67 -0.39 -1.69 3.94 0.00

Daily opening 31.70 255.60 340.50 35.50 78.80 237.10 179.40 265.70 20.30 17.60

Daily high 33.00 258.00 346.60 38.00 79.50 240.00 188.00 265.90 21.70 18.40

Daily low 29.00 250.00 330.00 32.00 71.00 217.00 168.00 260.20 18.30 15.90

Daily average 31.57 253.77 337.81 36.43 79.01 235.75 178.66 262.88 21.00 17.59

Price change -0.94 3.60 -0.82 -2.66 0.00 3.07 3.29 -1.41 2.73 -0.65

Daily opening 31.90 13.90 36.50 41.30 17.60 35.80 21.30 340.60 18.30 215.30

Daily high 32.20 14.60 36.70 41.80 17.90 37.10 22.20 344.00 19.10 216.00

Daily low 30.80 13.50 36.10 39.90 17.50 35.30 20.80 333.70 17.90 213.60

Daily average 31.46 14.10 36.39 40.71 17.65 36.58 21.66 338.38 18.62 214.35

3.33 -1.59 2.88 4.05 2.36 1.15

21.00 75.40 13.90 44.40 33.90 34.70

22.50 75.90 14.50 46.90 34.90 36.00

19.00 69.00 12.80 40.00 33.60 31.90

21.45 74.49 14.08 45.08 34.31 34.94

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

UCBL emerges as most traded stock at DSE India cuts spectrum fee

for big telcos to spur bids

Bank stocks make up one-fifth of trade has increased by almost Tk40.5 crore n Tribune Business Desk during the third quarter of 2013 from United Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL) was the most traded stock at Dhaka Stock Exchange yesterday, making a trade value close to Tk25 crore or 3.7% of the total turnover at the bourse.

The stock price closed at Tk31.5 each – close to its yearly high of Tk31.7.

The price fluctuated between Tk30.7 and Tk32.4 each during the last trading session. The bank reported an audited profit of Tk46.8 crore after tax during the third quarter ended in September 2013 against Tk9.47 crore during the same period of 2012. The profit rose due to higher interest income of the bank during the period.

The interest income of the bank

n Reuters

the same period of 2012. A bank’s revenue is generated by the interest it receives from the loan given out.

The loans and advances of UCBL stood at Tk13,607 crore at the end of December 2012 while it increased to Tk14,730 crore at the end of September 2013. In turn the bank made a higher interest income during the first nine months of last year, increasing its nine months profit to Tk152.8 crore after tax against Tk72.4 crore during the same period of 2012.

The banking sector yesterday contributed a surprising 20.77% of the total turnover at the bourse, pushing the sectorial index by 1.13%. l

Tata Motors MD left ‘suicide note’: Thai police n AFP, Bangkok

A top executive of India’s Tata Motors who plunged from the 22nd floor of an upscale Bangkok hotel left an apparent suicide note, Thai police said yesterday.

Tata Motors managing director Karl Slym, 51, died early Sunday at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok where he was attending a board meeting, the company has confirmed.

“Initially, we can only assume that he committed suicide”, Police Lieutenant Somyot Boonnakaew told AFP. “The window was small and he had to try hard to get through it.”

The apparent suicide letter found at the scene has been sent for analysis to confirm it was written by Slym, he said.

Tata Motors shares fell 6.13 percent on Monday on news of Slym’s death, closing at 347.80 rupees on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

An analyst in Mumbai said the death of the Stanford University graduate could raise fears over the timeline for new projects.

“In addition, the market is down today in general,” said the analyst who did not wish to be named.

Thai police believe Slym’s wife was in the room at the time of his death but said she was too shocked to answer

questions on Monday.

“She still cannot accept what has happened,” said Somyot, adding the executive’s body was with forensic scientists.

Slym’s body was found by staff on a fourth floor balcony at the five-star $200-a-night hotel, which said the “circumstances of the accident are under review by authorities”.

On Sunday the carmaker said Slym had died in a fall, while Indian press reports said Slym may have lost his balance and plunged to his death.

The Briton had been Tata’s managing director since joining the country’s leading carmaking group in 2012.

In November Tata Motors, part of the giant steel-to-software Tata Group, said its quarterly net profit surged by 71% on the back of booming sales of its British luxury marque Jaguar Land Rover.

Slym had led Tata’s operations in India and international markets, excluding the Jaguar and Land Rover businesses.

Slym had previously been executive vice president of SGMW Motors, China, a General Motors joint venture, and president of General Motors in India.

In a statement late Sunday Tata chairman Cyrus P Mistry paid tribute to a “valued colleague”. l

Telecommunication companies buying airwaves in an Indian auction next month will pay 5% of their revenue as an annual fee, a ministerial panel decided on Monday, a move that means lower payments for bigger carriers Bharti Airtel and the Indian unit of Vodafone.

The move scraps the 3-8% fee range the country currently levies in an effort to coax previously reluctant operators into taking part in India’s third attempt at auctioning two frequency bands for billions of dollars.

The new rate is higher than the 3% flat rate suggested by an independent sector regulator, which had proposed abolishing the current levy of five different rates depending on the quantum of spectrum held by a carrier.

The government may lose some revenue it collects as annual fees due to the new rate, Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal said after the meeting of the ministerial group, but expects it to help companies buy more spectrum in the auction starting February 3.

“No big losers, no big winners,” Sibal said. “A successful auction means greater investment in the sector,” he said, explaining the rationale for the new rate.

After two previous attempts to pull off the sale were boycotted by major mobile phone operators that complained minimum bid prices were too high, India cut sharply the floor bid price for the February auction, helping

it lure interest from eight carriers including the market leaders.

That still did not guarantee a successful sale as carriers including Bharti and Vodafone demanded a cut in the recurring annual fee they pay on the top of the winning bid price for using airwaves. India expects to raise at least $1.8bn this year from the spectrum auction.

“I think it’s a mixed blessing. We are pleased that it’s capped at 5%,” said Rajan Mathews, director general at the Cellular Operators’ Association of India after the ministerial panel’s decision on Monday.

Bharti and Vodafone must buy spectrum in the February auction to renew their permits in some key cities and are expected to benefit from the 5% cap because they currently pay around 6% of their revenue in annual fees in those markets.

But smaller carriers that pay less than 5% currently, will tend to move towards the 5% rate gradually if they buy more spectrum from the auction, Mathews said.

The total spectrum fee for carriers’ existing spectrum and new spectrum from the February auction will be calculated based on a weighted average of the old and new fee, Sibal said.

Sibal said companies like Reliance Industries Ltd (RELI.NS), which bought 4G spectrum in a 2010 auction, will continue to pay 1% of their revenue as annual fee for that spectrum.

Reliance, which is also bidding in the February auction, had opposed any change in the fee for 4G spectrum. l

Yen rises in Asia on emerging market jitters n AFP, Tokyo Traders flocked to the yen in Asia yesterday on growing worries about emerging economies, as a report suggested Asian central banks were intervening in forex markets to protect their currencies.

In Tokyo trade, the dollar slipped to 101.77 yen at one point in the morning before dip-buying pushed it to 102.44 yen. That was slightly higher than 102.30 yen on Friday in New York, but well below the mid-103 yen range seen in Tokyo earlier that day. The euro rose to 140.22 yen, also rallying from its morning lows, and up from 139.92 yen in New York. The single currency inched higher to $1.3683 against $1.3678.

Fears of turmoil in emerging markets were sparked last week after Argentina’s peso slumped 14% in two days, exacerbated by data indicating manufacturing activity in China - a key driver of global growth - had contracted in January.

“There is a fear that there is going to be a contagion in emerging-market currencies,” Maybank Kim Eng head of sales trading Kevin Foy said.

The growing pessimism sent investors to seek out safer, lower-return assets, particularly the Japanese yen,

which is considered a safe haven in times of economic uncertainty.

The yen’s strength Monday came despite data showing Japan’s trade deficit hit a record $112bn last year.

“A number of issues have all come together,” said Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy and chief economist at AMP Capital in Sydney.

Problems “have been bubbling away for a while now, but when they hit the screen at the same time, it appears like there is a problem in emerging markets”. But Credit Suisse research analyst Hiromichi Shirakawa added that markets were not in a panic like in 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers set off a global financial crisis.

“The euro’s (stability) is working as a buffer and easing pressure on the yen to rise further,” Shirakawa said.

Traders will now focus on this week’s Fed meeting to see if it announces any further cuts to its stimulus programme, which could aggravate fears of a capital flight away from emerging markets as investors look for safer investments.

The US central bank last month said it would reduce its bond-buying by $10bn a month from January to $75bn, citing a pick-up in the economy.

Dow Jones Newswires reported Monday that central banks in several Asian

nations including Indonesia and Thailand appear to have stepped into forex markets to support their currencies, although none confirmed such moves.

The dollar was slightly higher at 12,240 Indonesian rupiah from 12,180 rupiah Friday, while it also rose to 62.72 Indian rupees from 62.16 rupees, to 45.42 Philippine pesos from 45.32 pesos, and to 32.91 Thai baht from 32.86 baht.

The greenback strengthened to 1,083.70 South Korean won from 1,076.70 won and to Tw$30.33 from Tw$30.22. It edged down to Sg$1.2764 from Sg$1.2785.

The Australian dollar eased to 87.24 US cents from 87.59 cents, while the Chinese yuan weakened to 16.94 yen from 17.07 yen.

The Argentinian peso held steady at 8.00 to the dollar yesterday - compared with 8.01 - helped by the government’s removal of some exchange controls and central bank intervention.

The Turkish lira dived through the key barrier of 2.3 to the dollar on Friday despite massive central bank help a day earlier.

The latest sell-offs in risky assets are an indication of declining confidence in the global economy, dealers said, a trend made worse by dismal US jobs figures this month and data showing a slowdown in emerging economies. l

Malaysian ringgit bank notes of different denominations are seen in this picture illustration taken in Kuala Lumpur

Bata Bangladesh recently organised a road show at its Dhamrai factory at Savar in Dhaka.

Head of non-retail sales at Bata Shoe Company Bangladesh, Ruhul Amin Molla led the event Apex recently launched an exclusive retail outlet at Shodid Rafiq Shorok in Manikganj.

SAM. Yousuf, executive director of the company unveiled the outlet

Bangladesh Commerce Bank Limited held its annual business conference for the on-going year on Sunday at UTC convention hall in Dhaka. The CEO and managing director Abu Sadek Md Sohel presided over the meeting while Md Yousuf Ali Howlader, chairperson of the bank’s board of directors was also present as chief guest

Union Bank Limited held a business development conference on saturday at Hotel Regency in Dhaka. The bank’s vice chaiperson Md Belal Ahmed inaugrated the conference

Banglalink held several distribution events for donating warm clothing and blankets to under-privileged people between Jan 13 and 15. A number of Banglalink staff and high officials, including PR and communication associate manager, Iftekhar Azam Shafin were present at the programme

Jamuna Bank Limited held its annual business conference for the current year at a hotel in Dhaka. Kanutosh Majumder, chairperson of the bank inaugurated the conference as chief guest

REUTERS

Karnafuly Ship Builders Limited recently mandated IDLC Finance Limited as lead arranger and agent for arranging a term loan finance of $105m to set up a dry dock project in Chittagong. Engineer MA Rashid, managing director of Karnafuly Ship Builders Limited and Selim RF Hussain, CEO and managing director of IDLC Finance Limited signed the term on behalf of their respective organisations

Midland Bank Limited recently organised a training programme on internet banking operation and administration at its head office. The bank’s managing director and CEO AKM Shahidul Haque inaugurated the programme along with deputy managing director Khondoker Nayeemul Kabir

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Stock refinance scheme – A steroid perhaps n Tahmidur Rahman The stock refinancing fund of Tk9bn may not be doing much to solve the existing problems in our bourses, as it will only influence a higher volume of trade or push up stock prices in turn.

The fund should not change the fair value of the listed companies either.

The problems in our capital market are fundamental, and we must look at the market holistically in order to understand why such problems arise.

What triggered the refinance scheme?

The stock market crash of 2010 left investors bankrupt and unable to pay back loans they had taken from brokers. Following this, in May of last year, the government announced a stock refinancing fund of Tk9bn with the desire to help out the ruined investors.

Essentially, this is a loan given to Investment Corporation Bangladesh (ICB) at a discounted interest rate of 5% from the Bangladesh Bank’s yearly profits. A portion of this fund, which has only recently been disbursed will be given to brokers at 7% rate for lending it to investors at 9% interest rate, with the hope that it will allow the affected investors to take more loans (also known as margins) so that they can reinvest in the stock market and pay back this and the original loans.

Why is the scheme’s failure inevitable?

A capital market (stock market or equity market) is one that contains a group of companies that do business in order to handover a profit to its investors.

The price of small units (stocks) of the companies’ ownership generally goes up if a company performs well, or is presumed to perform well in the future, given the stock was not already overvalued, supposedly.

Having said that, an increase in the trading of stocks in the capital market will not help the publicly listed companies make more profits or perform any better, especially the manufacturing ones that have almost no exposure to the capital markets. In other words, trading of stocks has nothing to do with production and performance of most companies in the real economy.

Therefore, the compensated margin loan will not help investors make money in a market that is still considered to be overvalued without creating another market bubble.

finance scheme all the more pointless.

Also, the Tk9bn fund is an insignificant amount if we compare it with the yearly trade volume.

If so, why do we have such refinance scheme?

The capital market is performing quite well in recent times in terms of volume traded and movement of indices, which makes the scheme unnecessary. The fund of Tk9bn is public money (the fund is a portion of Bangladesh Bank’s profit that it pays to the government coffers each year) that could have been put to better use. l

“The fund will be disbursed to help bring stability in the stock market,” Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury told a press conference on May 29, 2013.

It is assumed that the fund, bearing only half of the on-going bank lending rate, will be given to market crash (2010) affected small-scale investors as margin loans so that they may invest in equity markets once again, and plough back enough profits to pay back interests of the margin along with previously held margins.

Contrary to the assumption above, the scheme, however, will only be assisting the affected small-scale investors in executing frequent trades using the margin loans, and also in turn increase the trading volume at the bourses.

Bottom line

The writer is a trainee financial journalist at Dhaka Tribune.

So, how does higher volume help affected investors?

According to capital market experts, high volume of trades in the capital market attracts foreign investors because of the benefit in exiting the market at ease for an investor due to higher liquidity.

In simpler words, for me to sell a particular stock, one would need to be there on the trading floor who is willing to buy it from me. Higher volume of trades just makes such situation more likely.

However, this particularly does not help out the affected investors. Perhaps the sole purpose of the fund is to lure the affected investors back to the market.

Also, we currently have a very high volume of trades despite the scheme, don’t we?

The graph on the right may seem like a lie, but sadly it isn’t. The after-crash market’s annual trade volume is way above what we had experienced in the years before 2008, which makes the re-

RAJIB DHAR

Emerging market rout hits Asian currencies

India lifts ban on Airbus A380s, foreign carriers interested

Oil prices mixed ahead of Fed policy meeting

n Reuters

n Reuters, New Delhi

n AFP, Singapore

Malaysian ringgit bank notes of different denominations are seen in this picture illustration taken in Kuala Lumpur Most emerging Asian currencies tumbled yesterday as a global sell-off of riskier assets intensified, pulling the Malaysian ringgit and the Philippine peso to their lowest levels in more than three years.

Financial turmoil in Argentina, fears of a sharper slowdown in China and expectations that the US Federal Reserve will continue to trim its bond-buying programme later this week have sparked a broad bout of risk aversion and a flight to safer assets such as the yen.

The Indonesian rupiah led slides in Asian currencies, shedding 0.4% against the dollar, as it is seen more vulnerable to the Fed tapering than other Asian currencies because of the country's current account deficit.

India lifted a landing ban on Airbus A380s on Monday, enabling carriers such as Singapore Airlines and Emirates to fly their superjumbos into the world’s second-most populous nation.

A380s will be allowed to land at the country’s four main airports - New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad - which are equipped to handle the planes, a decision welcomed by foreign carriers looking to tap India’s fast growing air travel sector.

“The operation of A380s will help airports to generate more revenue, give more comfortable and luxurious travel to passengers, (and will) liberalise the civil aviation milieu in India,” the civil aviation ministry said in a statement.

The ban on A380s was imposed due to concerns that foreign airlines could grab a high share of international traffic, hurting state-run Air India .

Air India could not be reached for comment.

The A380 can carry more than 800 passengers in a single-class configuration and more than 500 passengers in a

The peso lost up to 0.3% to 45.45, its weakest since August 2010 amid market talk of selling from real money funds The rupiah has eased 0.5% so far this year, outpacing most of its regional peers, according to Thomson Reuters data.

The ringgit fell as much as 0.4% to 3.3455 per dollar, its lowest since May 2010, pressured by selling by offshore funds, including real money accounts, traders said.

The peso lost up to 0.3% to 45.45, its weakest since August 2010 amid market talk of selling from real money funds, traders said.

South Korea's won slid as much as 0.7% to 1,087.7, its weakest since September 13, as offshore funds such as model accounts unloaded the currency.

Foreign investors dumped a net 514.6bn won worth of stocks in Seoul's main exchange, the largest daily selling since December 12, according to the Korea Exchange data.

The won, however, pared much of its initial losses on demand from exporters for settlements and as some offshore funds covered short positions, traders said. l

three-class set up.

The aviation ministry said Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Lufthansa had all expressed an interest in operating A380s in India on various international routes.

“We will be reviewing our existing operations, and look forward to serving Indian travellers with our flagship aircraft in the near future,” an Emirates spokesman said, adding a decision would depend on passenger demand.

A Lufthansa spokesman said the carrier would look at the possibility using A380s on flights to India, but had no plan at the moment. Germany’s largest airline has 10 A380s.

Singapore Airlines, which is setting up a full-service carrier in India in a joint venture with Tata Group, said it would consider flying A380s into India.

The rule change will also benefit British Airways that operates the superjumbo and flies to India, as well as A380 customers like Etihad and Qatar Airways who have yet to take delivery of the aircraft.

Etihad last year bought a 24% stake in India’s Jet Airways and the two car-

riers are expanding flights.

Rising income levels are seeing more Indians fly in the country of 1.25 billion.

India’s overall passenger traffic is expected to triple to 452 million by 2020.

India has consulted ground handling and immigration officials before changing the laws on the A380, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said this month. His ministry said Monday’s decision was taken after consulting the aviation regulator, Air India and the state-run airport operator Airports Authority of India.

The state-run airport operator manages 125 airports in the country. The four airports equipped to handle A380s are managed by private sector companies.

Amber Dubey, head of aerospace and defence at KPMG’s Indian unit, said the A380s would help bring down fares and improve the competitiveness of Indian tourism sector, adding it would also boost the efficiency of airports.

None of the Indian carriers have A380s on order. Airbus recently said it cancelled A380s ordered by grounded Kingfisher Airlines. l

Oil prices were mixed in Asian trade yesterday as dealers focused on the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting this week in anticipation of further stimulus pullback.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March delivery, was up nine cents at $96.73 in afternoon trade while Brent North Sea crude for March eased 32 cents at $107.56.

Tan Chee Tat, investment analyst at Singapore-based Phillip Futures, said investors were sitting on the sidelines amid "heightened anticipation that they (the Fed) will further engage in tapering".

Markets are waiting to see if the US central bank's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will cut another $10bn from monthly asset purchases when it meets on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In December, the FOMC said it would begin tapering the stimulus by $10bn to $75bn a month in January.

"If they were to taper, in the short term, it is likely to hurt demand for

crude oil," Tan told AFP. The so-called tapering of the Fed's asset purchases would likely boost the greenback, making dollar-priced oil more expensive for countries using other currencies, dampening demand.

But Tan said in the long-term, the move would signal "better prospects for crude oil" as it indicated the Fed's confidence in the US economy, which would translate into stronger demand.

He added that investors were also closely monitoring developments following the recent opening of the Southern leg of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline in the United States.

The $2.3bn pipeline last week started carrying crude 487 miles (785 kilometres) from Cushing in Oklahoma to Gulf Coast refineries in the southern state of Texas.

The pipeline's initial transportation rate of 300,000 barrels per day, about half of its maximum capacity, has so far disappointed investors.

"It is possible that they are transporting at lower capacity now due to the pressure exerted by environmental activists to prevent oil spills," Tan said. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Emerging sell-off hits European shares, lifts yen Emerging markets led a global sell-off in risky assets yesterday as European stocks followed sharp falls in Asia and safe-haven assets such as the yen and gold rallied. Concerns about China's economic slowdown and its shadow banking sector, coupled with expectations the Federal Reserve would scale back its bond buying further, are piling pressure on emerging markets dependent on external financing. – Reuters

Google to buy artificial intelligence company DeepMind Google Inc said on Sunday it had agreed to acquire privately held artificial intelligence company DeepMind Technologies Ltd. Technology news website Re/code, which reported news of the deal earlier, said the price was $400 million, without disclosing where it got the information. – Reuters

Europe treads softly in challenging big banks' power Europe will consider how to challenge the dominance of its big banks this week, but An A380 Airbus arrives on the tarmac during the Airbus annual press conference in Colomiers, near Toulouse

REUTERS

any new rules to isolate risky trading will take years to begin and there will be no attempt to split off market betting from deposit taking. In a blueprint expected tomorrow, the European Commission will outline how trading by banks can be walled off from customers' cash, but the debate among countries. – Reuters

Japan logs record trade deficit in 2013 - MOF Japanese exports rose 15.3% in December but imports outpaced shipments due to a weak yen and subsequent higher fuel import costs, resulting in a record trade deficit for 2013, Ministry of Finance data showed yesterday. – Reuters

Asian shares wobble, yen soars on emerging market anxiety The yen rocketed to a seven-week high against the dollar in early Asian trading yesterday, driven by fears of a continued flight from emerging markets as tighter credit conditions in China threatened to put the brakes on the world's second-biggest economy. – Reuters