February 10, 2014

Magh 28, 1420 Rabius Saani 9, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 317

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

B4 | THE ECONOMICS OF MIN WAGE

7 | KHALEDA, TRAGIC PROTAGONIST

HC says attack on Hindus terrorism against state

20 pages | Price: Tk10

9 | INDIA HOLDS KASHMIRI ACTIVISTS

13 | TAMIM RESIGNS VICE-CAPTAINCY

THE FINAL WARM-UP

Court asks government to compensate affected Hindus in Pabna’s Santhia n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday labelled the recent attacks on Hindus in 12 districts after the January 5 election as “terrorism against the state” and ordered the police to include sedition charge in the first information reports filed against the perpetrators.

When the matter came for hearing, the court asked the state counsel why the allegation of sedition had not been mentioned in the cases. It said the atrocities were “terrorism against the state.”

The compensation to Santhia Hindus would be distributed through the Pabna district DC The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain first gave a verbal order in this regard; it issued a written order after Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy had asked for it.

On January 15, the same bench on its own motion said it was quite apparent that the law enforcement agencies

had failed to protect the interests of citizens, especially the minority communities and vulnerable groups, which prompted the court to pass the order.

It directed the police chief to submit a report within seven days mentioning the measures taken for protecting these people as well as actions against those directly or indirectly responsible for the atrocities.

The court also directed the government and law enforcers to take immediate steps to protect the life, liberty, properties and dignity of citizens by deploying forces in Dhaka, Natore, Jessore, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Jhalakathi, Tangail, Bogra, Pirojpur, Chandpur and Netrakona.

According to section 124A of the Penal Code 1860, the highest punishment for sedition is imprisonment for life.

Reports of attacks on Hindus and pro-government activists started coming in the media after the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance launched non-stop blockades on November 26 to foil the January 5 general election. The attackers carried out killings and rapes, and attacked the houses, business establishments and temples of the Hindus.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Students busy with last minute revisions right before their exams start at Motijheel Girls High School yesterday on the first day of SSC examinations

Tazreen boss Delwar Hossain finally lands in jail n Tribune Report Tazreen Fashions Limited Managing Director Delwar Hossain and his wife Mahmuda Akter Mita, also chairman of the garment factory, were sent to jail yesterday after the couple surrendered to a Dhaka court seeking bail.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Tazul Islam rejected the bail petitions and sent them to jail after a hearing.

Zila Parishad polls now on the cards n Mohosinul Karim

Razakar founder Yusuf dies; case halted

There are chances that the polls in the Zila Parishads or the district councils may be held this year following the completion of the upcoming upazila parishad polls in March.

The local government ministry has already made the preparations for putting through a request to the Election Commission in this regard, officials of the local government ministry have said.

However, it would all depend on what political decision the present government made. The local government ministry would request the EC for holding the polls, if they got approval from the government top brass.

Additional Secretary of the Local Government Ministry Ashok Madhab Roy, who is also the personal secretary to the LGRD minister, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they were ready to hold the district elections.

With the national elections already held and the upazila polls in the pipeline, the government might consider

n Udisa Islam

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE News

3 The Anti-Corruption Commission has sought information from several government and private offices about the accumulated wealth of former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman Talukder, an official said yesterday.

Nation

6 An under-construction rubber dam along River Ratnai in Shalmari village of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat is collapsing because of low quality materials being used in the construction, alleged LGED officials and the locals.

War crimes accused Jamaat-e-Islami leader AKM Yusuf, 87, died yesterday due to old-age complications, at a time when the case against him was at the final stage.

Trial proceedings against Yusuf was in the last stage

The International Crimes Tribunal 2 was set to hear closing arguments in the case on February 12. Earlier, the prosecution and the defence placed witnesses against and on his behalf.

Though the case has to be stopped for his death, the tribunal is likely to give

an order on the case.

Yusuf fainted at the Kashimpur Jail in the morning when the authorities took him to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). He died on way to the ICU, said Yusuf’s family members and defence counsel Gazi MH Tamim.

The body was handed over to his elder son Mahbubur Rahman around 6:15pm after a post-mortem examination was conducted at the Dhaka Medical College morgue.

Earlier in the day, the defence submitted a petition with the tribunal 2 so that they could receive the body without a post-mortem examination. After hearing both sides, the tribunal ordered the jail authorities to follow the prison rules.

Assistant Professor AKM Shafiuzzaman of the Forensic Department at the DMC conducted the examination in presence of officials from Dhaka Central Jail and Kashimpur Jail.

His heart and some other parts were preserved for further tests, said  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Slum dwellers pay more but get much less n Ashif Islam Shaon It may not sound true that slum dwellers in the capital pay higher than that of many middle-class people for housing but are deprived of all kinds of civic amenities.

In most cases their living places beggar description.

The amount they pay for house rent, water, gas, sanitation and security seem to be smaller but it is too high in terms of services and facilities they enjoy. Moreover, they live in unhealthy environment posing health hazard to their lives.

After visits to several such slums this correspondent found that one has to pay Tk3,300 as rent on average for a 10-feet by 8-feet room meaning they pay Tk41 for a square feet space.

In some shanties the amount varies from Tk1500 to Tk3500 for a single small room.

“This room costs us Tk3000 a month excluding utility bills,” said

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Nurunnahar Begum, one of the 1.5 lakh inhabitants of Dhaka’s biggest slum KorailBosti.

Nurunnahar, her husband, their two children and husband’s mother are packed in the room like sardines.

They have very few furniture: An almirah, a table and a cot in that tiny room. The only luxury they enjoy is a television. The family shares a common toilet and kitchen with 27 other families and water tap with more than a hundred families.

The family of Nurunnahar pays Tk500 as electricity charge for the television and two bulbs during night. The water service coststhem Tk200.

House rent fora decent middle class flat of 1500 square feet at Mohammadpur, known asa living place for middle class people, costs roughly Tk20000 meaning only Tk13 per square feet.

Moreover, the inhabitants there enjoy quality water supply, sanitation, gas and security, said Professor Nurul  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Earlier in the day, the duo surrendered before the court and sought bail through their counsel in a case filed over the fire incident of November 24, 2012 when over 111 workers had been killed at the factory in Nishchintapur in Ashulia.

Defence counsel ATM Golam Gaus in the hearing said the Delwar and Mahmuda had not been made accused in the FIR listed since they were not

involved in the incident. He also mentioned that over 15,000 workers of Toba group, owned by Delwar, would face problems and the country would incur loss if Delwar was denied bail.

One of the 11 accused in the case, Security In-charge Anisur Rahman’s lawyer Shakhawat Hossain also filed a bail petition yesterday morning. But the court rejected his bail plea.

Shakhawat told the court that they

had built the factory following all the government proceedings and that none of the related government agencies had found any glitches.

Public prosecutor of the Dhaka’s Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court Anowarul Kabir Babul opposed the bail plea mentioning that they had been the main accused in the case, and that the incident happened because of their negligence.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, February 10, 2014

Chief whip: Media should apologise n Emran Hossain Shaikh Chief Whip of the 10th parliament ASM Feroz on Sunday said the newspaper reports on his comment presented a caricature of his statement.

Feroz on Friday in Patuakhali’s Baufal at a reception programme in public asked for money from those who wanted to felicitate him on his becoming the chief whip.

He said: “I want cash not the crest.

Those who want to congratulate me, come to my office where I will be available from tomorrow (Saturday). Cash is what I want,” he told the gathering.

On Sunday he protested the news item published on different broadsheets.

“I was just joking with my party colleagues and leaders, but the media presented the caricature of my jest,”

the newly appointed chief whip said at a press briefing at the Parliament Media Centre. He alleged that what the media did was unethical.

“This news will give a bad idea about me both home and abroad.”

He claimed that a group of people in his constituency are hatching conspiracy against him to gain personal interest.

“I have become a victim of conspiracy. A section of local Awami Leaguers who wanted to contest from from my constituency are plotting against me.”

The chief whip said those who published the news have to seek apology to the nation.

“As a chief whip is it possible to deliver such kind of comment?” he posed a question saying that it is very sad that newsmen always try to make a news out of nothing. l

‘It’s time to challenge BNP’ n Adil Sakhawat

Tazreen Fashions Managing Director Delwar Hossain and his wife being taken to jail yesterday after a court rejected their bail plea after surrendering RAJIB DHAR

No JS apartment for ministers n Tribune Report

The parliament authorities will not allocate any apartment to the ministers this time, the House Committee decided in its first meeting yesterday.

In the previous parliaments, the ministers got apartments from the government and the employees, such as the chauffeurs and domestic hands, used to live in those apartments.

The House Committee, which allocated the accommodation to the MPs, at its meeting yesterday decided that the parents, spouses, children and the

siblings of the MPs would be allowed to live in the apartments in the capital’s Manik Mia Avenue and Nakhalpara, better known as the “NAM flats.”

No outsider would be allowed in the full-furnished apartments, decided the House Committee headed by the chief whip ASM Feroz.

“The MPs will get apartments according to the strength of their parties in the House. The political parties will send their lists for allocation of flats,” ASM Feroztold reporters after the meeting at the parliament building.

“The ministers will not get any

Zila Parishad polls now on cards  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

holding the polls of the district councils and the two city corporations of Dhaka at a suitable time, Roy said.

After failing to hold the district council polls, the previous Awami League-led government, in December 2011, appointed administrators to the 61 district councils around the country except for the three hill districts.

The administrators were all local political leaders chosen by the then government.

The appointment order issued at that time stipulated holding the Zila Parishad elections in six months, which, however, could not be held in more than two and a half years.

According to the Zila Parishad Act, a district council should comprise a chairman, 15 regular members and five reserved women members. The elected representatives of the upazilas parishads, the city and municipal corporations, and the union parishads will vote to elect them.

The chairmen of the Zila Parishads are also the head of the district development committees. The administrators, who were appointed in 2011, are now working as the chairmen of those committee.

LGRD ministry officials said the government now wanted to watch the impact of the upazila polls after having held a “controversial” parliamentary election on Januray 5. Voter turnout in the upazila polls would give the government the much needed indication for giving go-ahead to the district polls, they said.

Though the Zila parishads were formed in 1985 during tenure of former military ruler Ershad, the chairmen and members of the parishads were never elected – they were nominated by the government.

The Awami League-led government passed the new Zila Parishad Act in 2000.

The BNP-Jamaat-led government was also not interested in holding the district polls during its tenure. l

HC says attack on Hindus terrorism against state  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Following the incidents, local authorities filed cases against identified and unnamed people under the Penal Code.

In mid-January, the government took an initiative to establish a special tribunal to deal with the post-election violence, especially that against religious minorities.

The home ministry made the decision and sent a letter to the law ministry, asking for arrangements to be made for constituting the tribunal dubbed “the special tribunal to check crimes committed on the minorities.”

The ministry also ordered the divisional and district headquarters authorities to urgently send certified copies of the first information reports, charge sheets and other documents relating to the attacks – killings, rapes, torture, arson attacks, lootings and land grabbing.

Compensate Pabna Hindus

The same bench yesterday on its own initiative directed the government to

pay Tk43.42 lakh as compensation to the affected Hindu families of Santhia upazila in Pabna by three weeks for the mayhem of November 2 and arrest the perpetrators immediately.

A probe committee, formed upon the court’s order of November 3, estimated the amount for affected 33 families, 29 houses, 10 business establishments and seven temples at Banagram Bazar.

The bench had ordered the authorities concerned to assess the losses and the damage incurred in the attacks and find out the persons who spread the rumour that a Hindu had insulted Prophet Muhammad (SM) on Facebook. It had also ordered to deploy adequate law enforcers in the affected area.

Yesterday, the court ordered for the compensation after a police probe committee submitted a report on the attacks.

The compensation would be distributed through the Pabna district deputy commissioner, Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy said. l

apartment,” he said quoting the meeting decision.

The meeting formed a four-member sub-committee to look after the accommodation of the MPs of the 10th parliament. ASM Feroz is the chief of the sub-committee comprising NoorE-Alam Chowdhury, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Tajul Islam Chowdhury A good number of MPs of the 9th parliament had their apartments allocated by the JatiyaSangsad authorities. Instead of the MPs, their distant relatives, chauffeurs and domestic hands lived therewhom the authorities failed evict. l

Bogra BNP ditches Jamaat n Hasibur Rahman Bilu, Bogra BNP units of three upazilas in Bogra withdrew their support from the party's key ally Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday, saying it was endorsed centrally.

The BNP shifted its support to the rebel candidates in the district weeks ahead of the upcoming upazila elections.

Bogra BNP Organising Secretary Mir Shahe Alam said an announcement had been made in this regard in a press conference in the afternoon.

In Dhunat upazila, BNP withdrew support from Jamaat’s AKM Touhidul

Islam and endorsed a rebel candidate Shahjahan Ali. In Shahjahanpur, it favoured rebel candidate Sarkar Badal, withdrawing support from Jamaat leader and incumbent Chairman Yeasin Ali. In Sherpur upazila, the party turned to Mahbubur Rahman Hares against Jamaat's Dabidar Rahman.

The local Jamaat rebutted in an instant reaction to the move.

Bogra Jamaat chief Alamgir Hossain said they would not follow the decision of the BNP and continue with its candidates. l

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday said it was time to challenge the BNP. The finance minister made the comment while addressing a programme as chief guest organised by the forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals of 1971 in remembrance of national professor Kabir Chowdhury’s 92nd birthday.

He also said 2013 was a challenging year and the whole nation had suffered atrocities throughout the year, and added: “The main instigator behind all these atrocities is in a hibernate position and they can resume atrocities at any time.”

The programme was presided over

by Prof Muntassir Mamun, and among others Prof Mejbah Kamal, Prof Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir and Prof Shahin kabir (daughter of Kabir Chowdhury) addressed the programme.

The speaker remembered Kabir Chowdhury’s contribution and his bold activities against fundamentalism and communalism.

Kabir Chowdhury played a leading role in many movements in Bangladesh, especially in the anti-communal movement, movement to establish democracy, and significantly in the movement to ensure the trial of war criminals. The great scholar died in December 13, 2011.

Prof Mejbah presented the memorial lecture emphasising some points, suggested by Prof Kabir, to make a secular Bangladesh and non communal society.

Prof Shamoly Nasrin, wife of martyr Dr Alim Chowdhury, said: “Communalism had reached every sector of our country, even among our politicians.” l

Tazreen boss Delwar Hossain finally lands in jail  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

After the hearing, some activists chanted slogans outside the courtroom demanding proper trail of the accused for the “murders.” One of them, Saydia Gulrukh, an anthropologist, was among three individuals who appealed to the High Court for the trial of the factory owner and demanded proper compensation for the victims.

While the judge was delivering order, Delwar was seen crying in the dock. Son of the accused, Md Tahsin Hossain, 7, also burst into tears.

On December 31 last year, a Dhaka court issued arrest warrants against six fugitives accused, including Delwar and his wife, a year after the devastating fire that drew attention of people at home and abroad Senior Judicial Magistrate Wasim Sheikh issued the warrants after taking into cognisance the charge sheet

filed against 13 people. The court also ordered the investigation officer and Ashulia police station to submit a report before the court explaining whether the fugitive people were arrested or not by February 25.

Investigator AKM Mohosin-uz Zaman Khan, also a CID inspector, pressed the charges on December 22.

The prosecution would produce 104 witnesses in the case, the IO said.

If the charges are proved, the accused may be punished with a maximum of life imprisonment, or minimum five years’ rigorous imprisonment.

According to the charges, at 7pm on November 24, the workers were leaving the factory building hearing fire alarm.

But they could not pass the main gate as it was locked. The police report says the owner of the factory built poorly constructed exits that led to such a

high casualty.

The charge sheet says the police did not find evidence to implicate former Tazreen chairman Abdul Kuddus, APM Sohel Rana and Cutting Master Sujan Hawladar in the case.

The fugitive accused are Factory Manager Abdur Razzaq, Quality Control Manager Shahiduzzaman Dulal, Engineer M Mahabubul Morshed and Production Manager Mobarak Hossain Manju.

The remaining seven are Administrative Officer Dulal, Security-in-Charge Anisur Rahman, Security Supervisor Al-Amin, Store-in-Charge Hamidul Islam Lavlu and Al-Amin, loader Shamim Miah and security guard Rana alias Anwarul. Of them, all but Anisur are on bail.

Another petition case was filed by victim Rehana’s brother Abdul Matin on April 29 last year.

On October 11 last year, several hundred workers of five factories of Tuba Group, of which Tazreen Fashions is a sister concern, kept Delwar confined inside a factory in the capital’s Badda for the whole day demanding wages and Eid bonus due for three months.

He was later released when the authorities started paying the workers’ Eid bonus. The workers also protested a decision of selling some machines of the factories.

A home ministry probe committee formed in late 2012 said they had found “unpardonable neglect” on the part of the owner and that the incident might have been “subversive.”

Later, talking to media, Delwar ruled out his responsibility in connection with the fire and claimed himself innocent. He said the law enforcers had not arrested him as there were no specific charges against him. l

Razakar founder Yusuf dies; case halted  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

morgue sources. In the post-mortem report, Prof Shafiuzzaman mentioned that apart from brain hemorrhage due to a cardiac arrest, his old-age complications were also responsible for the death.

After his death, defence counsel Tajul Islam claimed that the jail authorities had brought Yusuf to BSMMU around 10:15am but he was not given proper treatment.

Director General of the hospital Brig Gen (retd) Abdul Majid Bhuiyan denied the allegation saying that the doctors had tried their best to save him.

The senior nayeb-e-ameer (senior vice-president) of Jamaat was indicted on August 1 last year on 13 counts of crimes against humanity he had committed in Bagerhat, Khulna and Satkhira areas. He is allegedly responsible for organising genocide, murders, looting, arson and religious persecution.

After the war, he had been arrested and being tried under the Collaboarators Order of 1972. But he was released along with over 11,000 collaboartors after the law had been revoked on December 31, 1971.

According to the prosecution, Yusuf had formed the first team of razakars (volunteers in English, also used

to refer as collaborators; an auxiliary force of the Pakistani occupation forces) on May 5, 1971 with 96 members of Jamaat in Khulna. He strated gathering people for the force on April 18. The Pakistan government recognised the force through a gazette notification on August 2 that year. Yusuf was also the regional chief of anti-liberation force Peace Committee.

One of the leading anti-liberation organisers during the war, he became a member of Abdul Motaleb Malik-led cabinet where the accused had served as revenue minister. However, all the cabinet members had resigned on December 14, only two days before the country’s independence, as they “decided to resign observing the country’s situation,” Yusuf told the tribunal recently.

The accused had been the second person in Jamaat’s chain of command during the war. He used to make inciting speech regularly in meetings of peace committee in territory of greater Khulna aiming to encouraging the members of Peace Committee and the razakar force to annihilate the Hindu community and the pro-liberation people.

From 1956 until October 1958, Yusuf had served as ameer (head) of Khulna unit Jamaat. He served as a member of Majlis-e-Shura (Central Executive

Council) for three full terms between 1962 and 1971, under the leadership of Jamaat founder Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi. At the time, Ghulam Azam was the ameer of East Pakistan Jamaat, while Maulana Abdur Rahim the central nayeeb-e-ameer.

According to the charge framing order, Yusuf, son of late Azim Uddin Howlader of Rajoir village in Sharankhola of Bagerhat, joined Jamaat in 1952.

He became the chief of Khulna division Jamaat in 1957. He started his profession as a madrasa teacher in 1952 and became the principal of Khulna Alia Madrasa in 1958.

In his political career, Yusuf was an elected member of the National Assembly in 1962. He was nominated as the provincial joint secretary of Jamaat in 1969.

People and victims of Soronkhola and Morelganj had tight lipped for the sake of their own security since long. But when in 2010, the Awami League government started the trial of identified war criminals, the victims said Yusuf had forced many people from his own area to join the razakar force in 1971. His headquarter was then mentioned as “Ghost House” which is now being used as the district Anasr camp.

So far, the tribunal 2 has recorded testimonies of the prosecution and defence witnesses. The verdict was supposed to be delivered on completition of the closing arguments.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali said if an accused dies in the middle of a trial, then the case has to be stopped. He mentioned that the tribunal would give an order on this.

Imran H Sarker, convener and spokesperson of pro-liberation platform Ganajagaran Mancha, said they wanted a verdict to know which charges were proved against Yusuf.

Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, the wife of martyred intellectual Dr Alim Chowdhury and a witness in war crimes cases, also demanded that the case be completed “so that justice is served for the victims of 1971 Liberation War.” The tribunal 1 on May 12 last year took the charges against Yusuf into cognisance. The case was transferred to the tribunal 2 on July 1.

He was arrested on May 12 following an arrest warrant issued by the tribunal 1. He was sick and several times sought bail from the tribunal, but his appeal was rejected and the tribunal ordered jail authorities to ensure proper treatment of the accused. l

building slums than houses for middle class families as slums earn them more money.

“And with the passage of time the owners have left no stone unturned in using every inch of their land. They add roofs to a one-storey tin-shedhouse making those death traps for poor people,” he said.

At a number of privately-owned slums it was found that an owner distributeda single power line to some 20 families living in 20 small rooms. The electricity they consume is equiva-

lent to about Tk2000 a month but the owner extracts Tk300 from each of the families. The gas and water supply also earn them extra money.

“Usually the slum owners do not have to face any hassle over their ownership. They also maintain a ‘good relation’with the staff of the service delivery organisations,” he said.

On the other hand,people in the illegally occupied slums also get such facilities but at higher price. For example dweller in KorailBostihave to pay Tk350 for electricity, Tk250 for gas

and Tk150 for water. All kinds of utility services there are provided from illegal connection.

Local goons, party leaders and some officials make sure the utility services.

Oftenclashes erupt over the control of slums. Moreover, the slum dwellers are vulnerable to fire accidents and diseases.

In the latest example of vulnerability, a child was burnt alive when a devastating fire broke out at a slum in the capital’s Modhubagh areathat gutted over 600 shanties leaving thousands of people homeless Saturday morning. l

Slum dwellers pay more but get much less  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

Islam Nazem, honorary secretary of the Center for Urban Studies (CUS). The CUS conducted a research on slums in six city corporations of the country.

Compared to per unit cost of electricity theirpayment is almost double.

Asked if Nurunnaharknows that they pay more thanthe service they receive she said she presumed it but they had no other alternatives.

“There is no place in the city where a five-member family can live on Tk3000. No body allows five people in

asingle roomother than slum owners,” Nurunnahar explains.

“This happens as small rooms have high demand. These people cannot afford two rooms costing Tk7000 in a decent area. Obviously the number of labour force is rising every year pushing the demands even higher, Nazemsaid.

Actually, the migrated and lower-income people do nothave any alternatives left except for living in shanties, he said.

The two studies CUS conducted in 1996 and in 2005 saw some interesting

developments in the life style of the slum dwellers and also the slum owners’ behaviour.

“In 1996,local people with political clout built 51% slums illegallyon government land. But in 2005 the number of those slums came down to 20%, which means the government freed the land from grabbers or private land owners started building slums and renting those out to poor people. The living standard in those places has never improved,” said Nazem.

The private land owners prefer

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Monday, February 10, 2014

ACC seeks info on former state minister’s wealth n Tribune Report The Anti-Corruption Commission has sought information from several government and private offices about the accumulated wealth of former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman Talukder, an official said yesterday.

The ACC official said the commission had sent notices to seven organisations, including Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha), Dhaka City Corporation, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Dhaka Stock Exchange and Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh, asking them to provide information on the assets and properties of the former state minister.

The ACC on January 22 assigned a deputy director, Khairul Huda, to investigate allegations of illegally acquired wealth and property by Mahbubur Rahman, who is also an MP from Patuakhali.

The investigation officer has already visited several government offices in

Patuakhali to gather information on the assets of the lawmaker, his wife, Preeti Rahman, and their children. The official also talked with local people, including party supporters and business partners of the MP. Local sources told the Dhaka Tribune that Mahbubur and his wife owned hundreds of acres of land at Kalapara, Kuakata and Rangabali areas of district, as well as several companies, including Gangamoti Traders and Andharmanik Traders, and construction firms doing contract work for the Water Development Board, Local Government Engineering Department, municipality offices and other town developments.

According to a wealth statement submitted to the Election Commission ahead of the January 5 parliamentary polls. Mahbubur Rahman now owns Tk5.25 crore in immovable property, which was shown as Tk36.33 lakh in 2008. Just five years ago, the lawmaker’s annual income was Tk2.15 lakh, which has now jumped to Tk1.50 crore. l

Ranjina Begum looks at the ruins of her house at the Jheelpar slum in the capital’s Madhubagh yesterday. The slum caught fire on Saturday

AL, five parties to jointly nominate candidates in reserved seats

Witness crossexamined in radar purchase graft case n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu n Mohammad Zakaria

Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF).

However, the Workers Party and the JSD had earlier submitted letters to the EC, saying that they would not form any alliances with regard to nominating the female MPs. In this regard, the EC officials concerned said they would acknowledge the last letter.

Meanwhile, the Jatiya Party and an alliance of Independent candidates have informed the commission that they will make their own nominations, Farhad Hossain said, adding that the commission might announce the election schedule this week.

The commission will now publish the list of parliamentary alliances that are

supporting the same candidates; once published, the list cannot be changed.

Election Commissioner Mohammad Abu Hafiz yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the commission would announce the election schedule of women in reserved seats after completing the related processes of the election.

In the 10th parliamentary polls, the Awami League got 231 seats, while the Jatiya Party (Ershad) got 34, the Workers party got six, the JSD (Inu) got five, the Tariqat Federation got two, the Jatiya Party (Manju) got two, and the BNF got one, and independent candidates got 16.

The number of seats reserved for women was increased to 50 by the 15th amendment of the constitution. l

RAJIB DHAR

Garment worker rape case verdict on February 13 n Tribune Report

A Dhaka court yesterday recorded the statement of a witness in the radar purchase corruption case involving former military ruler HM Ershad and four others.

Acting judge of divisional special court Md Abdul Majid recorded the cross-examination and fixed February 20 for the rest of the cross-examination and also the next prosecution witness.

Ershad’s counsel Sheikh Sirajul Islam completed cross-examining the witness, investigation officer and Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Director Manjur Ahmed. During cross-examinations, Ershad was not present in the court.

Another accused Sultan Mahmud’s counsel started to cross-examine prosecution witness Manjur Ahmed.

The prosecution has so far produced 11 witnesses for cross-examination.

Manjur made his deposition on July 11 last year as the prosecution witness.

He is the 11th prosecution witness.

The then assistant superintendent of the Bureau of Anti-Corruption, Md Ali Haider, filed the case with the Dhaka Cantonment police station on April 4, 1992.

After a long investigation, Manjur and Abdus Sattar Sarker submitted the charge sheet on October 27, 1994 to the court, accusing Ershad and four others.

On August 12, 1995, a charge was framed against the accused. But, the trial proceedings at the lower court was stayed by the High Court for a long time.

The complainant stated that then president Ershad in collusion with the four accused purchased a radar for the air force, causing Tk 640.4m loss to the state.

Other accused are former Air Force chief Air-Vice Marshal (retd) Sultan Ahmed, Momtaj Uddin Ahmed, Director of United Traders AKM Musa. l

The ruling Awami League yesterday submitted a letter to the Election Commission, saying it had formed an alliance with five parties agreeing to nominate the same candidates in the seats reserved for women in the 10th parliament.

The reserved seats are being distributed among the parties, or alliances, in proportion to total seats won by them in the polls.

Senior Assistant Secretary Farhad Hossain, told the Dhaka Tribune that the Awami League had formed an alliance with the Workers Party, the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), the Jatiya Party (Manju), the Tariqat Federation, and the

Youth dies under police custody n Kailash Sarkar

6,778 absent, 9 expelled Conflict breaks out at city Awami on first day of SSC exams League meeting

Several hundred residents of Irani Camp in the capital’s Pallabi clashed with police protesting the death of a youth under the police custody on Sunday morning.

The clash erupted about 12 noon. The agitating demonstrators also demanded release of four other detainees.

The victim was identified as Md Johnny. The 25-year-old youth was arrested along with four others.

Johnny died around 10:30am at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) seven hours after he was arrested. The five were picked up at around 3am following a clash between two groups of people of Irani Camp and Rahmat Camp in Pallabi.

Other arrestees were named as his brother Md Rocky, 22, Md Faisal, 20, Mainnul Islam Rajan, 24, and Sharif Ahmed Titu, 26.

Son of Mohammad Mostofa of Irani Camp Johnny was a sharee trader at the Irani Camp, said Meer Mohammad Ali, a brother in-law of Johnny.

“Johnny was not a criminal and he was a businessman. He was tortured to death by police after he was arrested along with four others, including his brother,” said Mohammad Ali. l

A Manikganj court yesterday fixed February 13 for delivering verdict in the case of violating a female garment worker on a running bus on the Dhaka-Aricha highway.

The Manikganj Sessions Judge Mostafa Dewan fixed the date.

Public Prosecutor Abdus Salam narrated the case statement and sought highest punishment to the accused.

The two accused – bus driver Dipu Miah, 30, and his helper Kashem Miah, 27 – are now in jail.

PP Abdus Salam said a total of 14 witnesses had given deposition in the case.

On January 24 last year, the 19-year-

old garment worker was raped on a bus in the afternoon. Bus driver Dipu first tried to violate her while his assistance Kashem raped her.

Police rescued the victim inManikganj Central Bus Terminal that evening.

Doctors examined her at ManikganjSadar Hospital.Later, the victim filed a case under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act accusing the driver and the helper.

Police arrested Dipu in Manikganj Bus Stand that evening and Kashem in Nabinagar of Ashulia at night.

Next day they gave confessional statement under the section 164 before a Manikganj court. l

Verdict in Gen Manzoor killing case deferred n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

The verdict in Major General Abul Manzoor murder case which was supposed to be announced today, has been deferred by a Dhaka court because the judge has been changed.

But there are chances that the verdict may be delivered later this month, sources said.

Public prosecutor Ahaduzzaman Khan Rochi told the Dhaka Tribune that the new First Additional District and Session Judge Khondokar Hasan Md Firoj needed to hear the arguments first before delivering the verdict.

On February 2, Judge Firoj took over from Judge Hosne Ara Akhter, who was transferred to the Second Additional District and Sessions Judge’s court.

It was Judge Hosne Ara, who, on January 22, fixed today for delivering judg-

n Tribune Report

Around 6,778 students remained absent on the first day of Secondary School Certificate examination while nine students were expelled for cheating, according to the Education ministry.

Students sat for Bangla First Paper examination yesterday in 2,942 centres.

A total of 1,432,727 students registered this year which is 129,554 more than last year’s figure.

Of the absent, the highest number was in Madrasa Education Board with some 2,400 students and the lowest was 197 in Sylhet Education Board.

A total of nine students were expelled for cheating during the exams.

Six in Technical Education Board, two in madrasa and one in Jessore Education Board.

According to ministry sources, except for the Bangla second paper, the English first and second paper and mathematics, all examinations would be held on a creative question system. Students with disabilities would be provided an additional 20 minutes to finish their examinations.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid visited Motijheel Government Boy’s

ment.

Prosecutor Rochi said the court had seen at least 22 different judges since the trial began in August 1995.

One of the main accused in the case is former military dictator and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, who has recently been appointed special envoy to the prime minister. The other accused include Maj (retd) Emadadul Islam and Lt Col (retd) Mostafa Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan.

Legal proceedings against accused Lt Col Shams and Major Gen Latif have been stopped by a High Court order.

Md Sheikh Sirajul Islam, chief counsel of Ershad, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Transferring the judge right before the date of judgment pronouncement is abnormal. It is very rare in the subcontinent.”

Md Akbar Hossain, administrative officer of the Dhaka District and Sessions

SSC Exams in numbers

n Emran Hossain Shaikh

2013 2014 Students 13,03,203 14, 32,727 Centres 2,758 2,942 ABSENT Highest: Madrasa Board

2,400 197 6,778

Lowest: Sylhet Board

Nationwide EXPELLED ON DAY-1 Technical Education Board Madrasa Board Jessore Board

Exams end Results to be published

Judge’s Court, told the Dhaka Tribune: ‘‘On January 29, District and Sessions Judge Abdul Majid transferred seven additional district and sessions judges of Dhaka including Hosne Ara Akhter.

“The judges were reshuffled to speed up the various procedures of the court, not to delay the judgment in the Manzoor murder case,” Akbar explained.

A total of 28 out of the 49 witnesses, including investigation officer Abdul Kahar Akand, finished testifying in June 2012. On November 20 last year, the court finished hearing the arguments of the defense side. The court had previously granted bail to all the accused.

Gen Manzoor was killed in 1981, a few days after the assassination of President Ziaur Rahman, the first military ruler of Bangladesh and the found-

6 2 1

March 20 May 20

High School examination centre on the day. He said results would be published

by May 20. The examinations will end on March 20. l

A conflict broke out between the leaders of the Dhaka city unit of the Awami League yesterday in a meeting held over fixing dates for councils of thana and ward units.

Witnesses said the leaders were engaged in a squabble as city unit Secretary (labour) Mokbul Hossain proposed a date for holding the council of Pallabi thana at the meeting held at the party’s Bangabandhu Avenue office.

Many leaders, including Dhaka 16 MP Illias Uddin Mollah, shouted out that Mokbul had no authority to fix the date as Pallabi thana was situated under the Dhaka 16 constituency.

To tame the situation, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said: “No grouping will be allowed inside the Dhaka city unit...You have to consider your qualifications before emerging as leaders.”

City unit Joint Secretary and Food Minister Quamrul Islam said new committees of various units would have to be formed by February 28.

er of BNP; but the murder case was not filed until 1995.

When Manzoor was killed, HM Ershad was the chief of army staff, who, through a military coup, took over state power a few days later.

On February 28, 1995, Manzoor’s brother Abul Monsoor Ahmed, lodged a case with the Panchlaish police station in Chittagong, accusing Major Emdadul of killing Manzoor.

On July 15, 1995, CID officer Abdul Kahar Akand pressed charges against five including Ershad, former DGFI officer Kazi Emdadul Haque, discharged officer Mustafa Kamal Uddin Bhuiyan and retired army officers Abdul Latif and Shamsur Rahman Shams.

The then army chief Abu Saleh Md Nasim and metropolitan judge Abul Hashem testified before the court in October 2010. l

Many leaders, including Ramna unit President Abul Bashar and Demra unit Secretary Harun-Or Rashid, objected to Joint Secretary Haji Selim’s presence at the meeting.

Ignoring party’s decision, Selim had contested as an independent candidate in the 10th parliament and defeated party’s candidate Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, they said.

In reply, Selim said he attended the meeting because not only he was an independent MP but also the joint secre-

‘Completion of war crimes trial unpredictable’ n Tribune Report Law Minister Anisul Huq told parliament yesterday that the government could not predict a timeframe for the completion of the ongoing trial of war criminals which involved disposal of appeals.

Replying to a query from Awami League MP Waresat Hossain Belal, he said the government had amended a section of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 to dispose of appeals in 60 days.

Disposal of the appeals against the judgments delivered by the two tribunals was subject to the completion of hearing in the Appellate Division, he said.

“Therefore, telling specifically when the trial will end is not possible,” the minister added. l

tary of the City Awami League.

Maya requested the leaders to calm down saying the matter would be presented to party chief Sheikh Hasina and her instructions would be followed.

However, the meeting fixed dates for holding council to some thana units The council of Pallabi will be held on February 11, Kafrul on February 15, Ramna on February 17, Shahjahanpur on February 20, Demra on February 23, Kotwali on February 24, Mohammadpur on February 25 and Mirpur on February 28. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, February 10, 2014

Guardians of SSC examinees crowd outside the Motijheel Girls High School centre yesterday before the exams started (Left) l A SSC examinee cries while entering the examination centre yesterday, fearing that she might not find her designated seat in time as she reached the centre 10 minutes before the start of the exam at 10am. She was late because of the heavy traffic on the road on the first day of the exams (Right) SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

90 SSC examinees unable to sit for tests

n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh At least 90 students could not sit for SSC examinations this year in Gafargoan upazila of the district as they did not get admit cards due to corruption of a headmaster.

According to sources, the examinees were scheduled to sit for the examinations from Rouha High School.

Maruf Ahmed, the headmaster of the school collected 90 students from Dhaka, Gazipur and Gafargoan assuring that they could appear in the SSC examinations this year.

The headmaster, also ex-ameer of Gafargoan Poura Jamaat and ex-president of Chhatra Shibir Gafargaon unit allegedly realised Tk40 lakh from the 90 students who even could not pass JSC examinations, sources said.

The agitated examinees protested the incident and brought out a procession demanding the immediate arrest of the headmaster who went into hiding soon after the incident. l

DU progressive students call strike for Tuesday

n Arif Ahmed

Leaders of the Progressive Student Alliance of Dhaka University has called a day-long strike tomorrow to press home their demand to withdraw the additional tuition fees imposed on the Television and Film studies and other departments.

The alliance made the declaration at a press briefing at the university’s Dhaka University Madhur canteen yesterday noon.

“We will besiege the Arts Faculty (Kola Bhaban) and Social Science Faculty buildings on Tuesday, as the university authority has failed to take any measures to meet our demands,” said Rashed Shahariar, president of Chattra Front’sDU unit.

“We will go for tougher movements if the authorities do not take any steps in this regard,” he added. l

WEATHER

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

Light to moderate fog might occur over the river basins of the country during midnight till morning, Met Office said.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:51pm today and rises at 6:35am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 31.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Jessore and lowest 12.8 degrees in Dinajpur yesterday. Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

30.0 27.5 29.3 26.8 30.3 29.0 28.5 28.6

19.0 17.5 14.0 15.0 18.8 18.7 17.8 20.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:18am 6:34am 12:13am 4:14pm 5:50pm 7:07pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

DPDC to bring all consumers Probe bodies yet to under prepaid meter plan submit report STANDARD GARMENT FIRE

n Aminur Rahman Rasel The state-owned Dhaka Power Distribution Company has decided to bring all of its consumers under prepaid meters by 2018, scrapping the conventional system.

The DPDC and Bangladesh Diesel Plant (BDP) Limited, a commercial enterprise under the management of Bangladesh Army, yesterday signed a deal on the pilot project for installing prepaid meters for the first time, DPDC Managing Director Md Nazrul Hasan said.

They will install around 10.6 lakh meters for around 15 lakh consumers within 2018, aiming at stopping harassment of the consumers and ensuring 100% revenue collection in advance.

At least 962,500 single-phase prepaid meters will be installed at a cost of Tk1,300 crore and 9,700 three-phase ones at Tk3.76 crore.

“In the pilot project, 10,000 singlephase pre-paid meters will be installed under the Azimpur Network Operation and Customer Services division. Of the meters 5,000 will be installed by May and the rest by September this year,” Nazrul Hasan said.

The areas to be brought under the pilot project are Dayra Sharif, Eden College, Salimullah orphanage,

government quarters and its adjacent areas.

At the deal signing ceremony, State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid said: “We are trying our best to save consumers from hassles of getting new connections and to reduce systems loss.

“Other distribution companies such as the Rural Electrification Board will be brought under the pre-paid meters gradually.”

A pre-paid meter will cost a consumer Tk5,000-Tk5,500, which can be paid in monthly instalments in eight years A consumer will have to buy a smart card from the Network Operation and Customer Services and deposit an amount against the card; then the card will have to be inserted into the prepaid meter’s slot to begin electricity supply.

The DPDC will establish 36 vending stations for selling and recharging these cards.

A pre-paid meter will cost a consum-

er Tk5,000-Tk5,500, which can be paid in monthly instalments in eight years.

Project Director Mohiuddin said it was a win-win situation for the DPDC as well as its customers as it would provide a number of benefits for both parties.

The company would give a couple of days to pay the bill for an upcoming month, but the duration of that window was yet to be decided, he said.

Upfront payments, improved cash flow, decreased non-technical losses, lower overhead expenses and meter-tampering protection were the benefits the company would enjoy after introducing the new meters, he said.

The DPDC, which started commercial operation in the Dhaka City Corporation on July 1, 2008, has nine lakh consumers at present.

On September 7, 2005, the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) introduced locally made pre-paid meter system in the capital’s Uttara Model Town, but it failed to start the main project.

Under the Desco pilot project, 14,000 meters were installed.

A group of students and teachers of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology developed the prepaid meter system. l

n Rabiul Islam The probe committees formed to investigate the devastating fire incident of Standard Garment Factory in Gazipur were yet to submit their reports even after 70 days of the incident.

The government formed three committees on December 30 last year and asked them to submit reports within seven days.

Following a rumour of deaths of two fellow employees, agitated workers set fire to two 10 storied buildings of Standard Group on December 29 last year. According to the BGMEA, the accident caused an estimated loss of Tk1,200crore. Sources said the accident also left 1,800 workers jobless.

During a visit on December 3 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured that those involved in the arson would be dealt in stern hands.

Home ministry Additional Secretary Khandker Mainuddin, who went to retirement on January 12, had been made the head of one of the committees.

Mainuddin said the responsibility of the committee naturally went to the higher authorities when the assigned individual went to retirement.

“I would look into the matter and I can inform you the development later,” Additional Secretary of the home min-

EC sends affidavits of five AL candidates to ACC

Ahmadiyya Jamaat hopes for peace n Tribune Report

n Mohammad Zakaria

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bangladesh yesterday urged people to follow the system provided by its Caliph Mirza Masrur Ahmad for world peace.

“Unrest is prevailing worldwide; so, the system, in light with Islamic teachings, the caliph has presented should be followed,” Ameer Mobasher Ur Rahman said on the last day of its 90th annual convention.

Rights activist ZI Khan Panna urged all to establish secular teachings of Islam and human rights. Ahmad Tousif Chowdhury, Ahmad Tabshir Chowdhury and Mawlana Abdul Awal Khan Chowdhury also addressed the programme. l

The Election Commission yesterday sent affidavit copies of five Awami League candidates except former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The commission will decide at the EC meeting on sending the affidavit copy of Ruhal Haque as he had submitted an amendment affidavit to the EC, a deputy secretary of the EC told the Dhaka Tribune.

Earlier, the ACC sent a letter to the chief elec-

tion commissioner, requesting him to provide the affidavit copies of six Awami League candidates.

The six are: former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, former state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan, former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman, and lawmakers Abdur Rahman Badi from Cox’s Bazar, Aslamul Haque from Dhaka and Abdul Jabbar from Satkhira.

The ACC was also looking to trace the reasons behind the astronomical rise in wealth of Awami League lawmaker Enamul Haque from Rajshahi. l

MILKY MURDER CASE

One suspect granted bail n Nazmus Sakib The High Court yesterday granted six months’ ad-interim bail to Fahima Islam Lupa, a suspect in the murder case of Jubo League leader Reazul Haque Khan Milky.

The bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed granted the bail to Fahima, wife of Maruf Reza Sagar, who was reportedly with Milky when he was murdered.

Fahima’s lawyer BM Elias Kachee said although Fahima was not accused in the First Information Report (FIR), she was shown arrested in the case after being detained under section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, as a suspect.

Since police could not find her guilty after more than 120 days into the killing and that she was woman, Fahima should be bailed, he argued before the court.

Deputy Attorney General Khandaker Diliruzzaman said they would appeal against the bail at the Appellate Division.

Fahima Islam Lopa, 25, was arrested from her Dhanmondi residence on August 3 for assisting Jubo League leader Zahid Siddiki Tarek, who was the key accused in the Milky murder case.

A gang of armed criminals gunned down Milky, former organising secretary of Dhaka city (south) Jubo League, in capital’s Gulshan area last year. l

BCL man cuts businessman’s wrist

n Our Correspondent, Tangail

A union unit president of Bangladesh Chhatra League president and his associates allegedly cut the wrists of a businessman at Chor Pakullah of Sadar upazila of Tangail yesterday.

Sources said miscreants led by Silimpur UP unit BCL president Roman Miah attacked Amir Hamza, 45, son of Altaf Hossen of Chor Pakullah village.

Doctor Swapon Bhattacharya of the Tangail General Hospital said as Amir's condition had deteriorated, he had referred him to Dhaka. l

BMP constable run over by microbus n Our Correspondent, Barisal

A constable of the Detective Branch of Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP) was seriously injured yesterday as a microbus, driven by a group of miscreants, ran him over, near a police check post at the entrance of the city.

With serious injuries to the head and stomach, Constable Anwar Hossain, 38, was admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical

College Hospital in Barisal and later transferred to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka around 2:30pm yesterday.

Shoeb Ahmed, deputy commissioner at BMP headquarters, said upon receiving information about a group of armed miscreants entering the city in disguise of police to loot jewelries, an eight-member team led by Inspector Razzak had set up a check post at the entrance point in Rupatali area.

As Anwar tried to stop the suspected microbus coming from Patuakhali at 12:40pm, it ran him over and fled the scene, said the deputy commissioner. Police later seized the microbus and arrested one.

Dr Sondipon of SBMCH surgery department said Anwar’s condition was critical.

Police denied providing any details about the miscreants and no case was filed in this connection until 7:30pm yesterday. l

istry Kamal Uddin Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune on Saturday.

Another committee, headed by Additional District Magistrate of Gazipur Mohammad Mohsin, could not submit its investigation report too.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune over phone on Saturday, Mohsin said: “For various reasons we could not submit the report, and we have extended the deadline to complete the investigation.”

The process was delayed as a member of the committee was abroad, he said, and added: “We will sit with him soon and be able to submit the report.”

The third committee, headed by labour ministry Deputy Secretary Aminul Islam, also could not complete its investigation, although the committee got time extension several times.

Aminul Islam said they could not complete the investigation as the committee members could not go to Gazipur because of countrywide general strikes and blockades.

As the committee is comprised of seven members, it was difficult to sit together, he said, and added that the range of investigation was wide and as a result it was not possible to complete the investigation.

Meanwhile, Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar could not be reached over his cell phone for his comments in this regard. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Monday, February 10, 2014

5

Slaughterhouses of city fall from authorities’ grace City corporations shy away from undertaking infrastructural development for the few butchery for long placed nearby from where garbage is n Abu Hayat Mahmud not collected regularly.

The abattoirs under the two city corporations have fallen from grace of the authorities concerned, and a handful of them that exist in the city lack modern machinery and equipment with inadequate hygiene and sanitation.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) runs two slaughterhouses – one in Hazaribagh and another in Kaptan Bazar, while the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) operates three at Mohammadpur, Mirpur 11 and Gulshan Kitchen Market.

The Garments Shramik Sanghati holds a rally in front of the National Press Club yesterday, demanding publication of a list containing names of all the victims of Rana Plaza NASHIRUL ISLAM

Climate projects being allocated on the basis of ‘political considerations’ n Abu Bakar Siddique Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday claimed that most development projects, intended for tackling the adverse effects of climate change, are now being allocated on the basis of political considerations rather being based upon areas where such are truly needed.

They also alleged that a large portion of these climate change projects are being allocated to places where influential leaders of the ruling government come from.

They made their observations at a national dialogue, Climate Change Financing: Managing a Transparent and Pro-poor Fund in Bangladesh, organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP), at the National Press Club in the capital.

“The largest share of the Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund (BCCTF), which is around 24% of the fund, has

been allocated to the Chittagong region, where former Environment and Forest minister hails from,” said Mizanur Rahman Bijoy, coordinator of Network of Climate Change Bangladesh.

“However, Khulna, which is considered as the most vulnerable region to climate change in Bangladesh, received only 10% of the total allocated fund,” he added.

In 2009, the government formulated the Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) as a guideline for adopting projects to tackle the adverse effects of climate change in Bangladesh.

Later, the government formed the BCCTF in line with the policy with an initial fund of Tk700 crores from its own sources. Till now, the fund amassed Tk2,700 crore, of which the government has already disbursed more than Tk1,962 crores for 270 projects.

“The government does not abide by the priority projects set by the

BCCSAP, instead it has opted for some trivial projects like plantation and awareness building projects,” said Md Shamsuddoha from the Centre for Participatory Research and Development.

BCCSAP indicates six thematic areas with 44 different programmes for ensuring Food Security, Social Protection and Health, Comprehensive Disaster Management and Infrastructure.

“Such anomalies are now taking place as the government has failed to identify suitable projects that will be effective in battling the negative impacts of climate change,” he added.

He further added that the government should allocate more funds for research to find out a more practical, adaptive strategy and mechanism in this regard.

On the other hand, Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation, presented a different view over the

fund allocations saying the allocation of the funds were decided by the trustee board, based on the true scenario.

Citing an example, he added that a significant portion of the local climate change fund was allocated to the Water Development Board because, in reality, the water sector is the most vulnerable sector in Bangladesh regarding Climate Change.

Meanwhile, Fazle Rabbi Sadeq Ahmed, coordinator of the BCCRFfunded Community Climate Change Project, said Bangladesh should first develop a vulnerability index to avoid the anomalies in adopting projects related to climate change.

Apart from the BCCTF, the government has formed another fund Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF) - with the contribution of several development partners, including Australia, Sweden, UK and the European Union, which now has around $200 million. l

There should be facilities for medical tests of the animals to be slaughtered at the shambles and issuance of standardisation certificate for the meat The city corporations shy away from undertaking infrastructural development for the few butchery in the capital for a long time.

In proportion to doctors, butchers and cleaners for the shambles, the surrounding environment of the slaughterhouses is in deplorable conditions.

A visit to different abattoirs revealed that the two in Dhaka South City Corporation are in bad shape, with their floors having potholes, and walls bearing the testimony of an age-old structure lacking refurbishment.

The DSCC allocated Tk50lakh for the development and construction of its slaughterhouses, but no renovation was done. Seeking anonymity, two butchers of the city’s Kaptan Bazar slaughterhouse said no repair was carried out here in more than 10 years.

It was because of the negligence and lack of sincerity of the Dhaka South City Corporation, he said.

The adjacent vicinity of the slaughterhouse is very unhygienic. The city corporation’s waste container is

The time of slaughtering cattle is divided into two four-hour shifts – one from 2am to 6am and another from 6am to 10am every day. The charges to slaughter a cow is Tk50, buffalo Tk75, and goat or ship Tk10.

The Hazaribagh abattoir is the biggest of all in the city, but lacks standard.

A butcher of that shamble said more than 200 cattle got slaughtered here every day, but the city corporation left it uncared for for a long time.

On the other hand the slaughterhouse at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, where cattle are slaughtered is very narrow with a very poor infrastructure.

Lack of application of cattle slaughter laws gives the butchers in most of the city’s kitchen markets leverage to avoid going to the designated butchery and to prefer butchering cattle here and there.

According to the laws, there should be facilities for medical tests of the animals to be slaughtered at the shambles and issuance of standardisation certificate for the meat, but most city butchers do not follow the rules.

To know about it, this correspondent repeatedly tried to reach Chief Estate Officer of DSCC Khalid Ahmed over phone, but he did not respond.

DNCC Chief Estate Officer Fosi Ullah, however, admitted the shortage of slaughterhouses in the city.

He told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have undertaken a project to build a large slaughterhouse at Gabtali.”

However, the project remained suspended following a stay order of the High Court on behalf of a writ petition filed by a few sand and brick traders, he said.

The DNCC officer claimed that the petitioners mentioned in their petition that they already took out a lease on the land chosen for the slaughterhouse.

“The hearing in this regard will be held this week. If the court verdict comes in our favour, we hope we will be able to start the project immediately,” he added. l

Two businessmen mugged in Dinajpur

Hili border trade paused for repair works

n Our correspondent, Dinajpur

n Our Correspondent, Dinajpur

A businessman was mugged in Pulhaat area of Dinajpur yesterday.

Miscreants snatched away Tk600,000 from Abdus Salam, a businessman at a rice mill, after he came out from the Dinajpur branch of the National Bank after withdrawing the amount.

In another incident, Mishor Uddin Sujan, a businessman, was mugged in

Railghumti area in the district.

After snatching away Tk10,00,000 and his motorbike, the muggers also beat him up. Later he was admitted to the Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Superintendent of Police of Dinajpur sadar Abu Tarek told the Dhaka Tribune that none of the victims had filed any cases so far.

Birampur police station Inspector Mominul Islam said they were trying to trace the muggers. l

JU admission test from February 16 n JU Correspondent The intake admission test for the first year honours programme under the 2013-14 academic session at Jahangirnagar University will be held from February 16 to March 2.

The university’s central committee for directing the admission tests made the decision at a meeting on Saturday evening, while the authorities concerned had also published the full schedules of the tests.

This year, admission tests would be held department wise. According to the published schedule, admission tests for physics, chemistry and mathematics departments will be held on February 16; computer science and engineering, geological science, statistics, and environmental science departments on February 17; botany, zoology, and institute of information technology departments on February 18.

Admission tests for pharmacy and microbiology departments are scheduled on February 19, while biochemistry and molecular biology, biotechnology and genetic engineering,

and public health and informatics departments on February 22.

Economics, anthropology and public administration departments’ admission test will be held on February 23, while government and politics, geography and environment, BBA, and urban and regional planning departments’ on February 24.

Tests for Bangla, international relations and history departments will be held on February 25, while English, philosophy, archaeology and drama and dramatics departments’ on February 26.

Journalism and media studies, fine arts, law and justice departments’ admission tests will be held on February 27; marketing, accounting and information system and management departments are scheduled on March 1; and finance and banking departments on March 2.

Details of the admission test would be available on the university website (www.junive.edu/admission) and national daily newspapers.

Some 4,44,000 students are expected to take part in this year’s admission test against 2,427 seats. l

Students of botany department of Jahangirnagar University take out a procession on the campus yesterday, protesting attack on teachers and students of the department by some goons at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Safari Park in Gazipur during their excursion on Wednesday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Trade between Bangladesh and India through the hilly border area will be paused from today till Thursday due to the ongoing road repair works on the Indian side.

The decision for the temporary halt was taken by Indian C&F Agents Association yesterday. The association also announced that the border will be open for trade from Sunday, after the weekend holiday.

Sources said several potholes have developed on the Indian roads as heavily-loaded vehicles commute through it night and day.

Abdur Rahman Liton, general secretary of Bangahili C&F Agents Association said: “The repair work has been going on roads within the Indian area.” l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Monday, February 10, 2014

River dam collapsing in Lalmonirhat n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat An under-construction rubber dam along the River Ratnai in Shalmari village of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat is collapsing because of low quality materials being used in the construction, alleged Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) officials and the locals.

Five metres of the 30-meter-long dam have already collapsed in the last week.

The Tk4.70cr project was assigned to two contractors, Abdul Hakim and Rantu Isla, and is due to end by April this year.

Upon completion the dam is expected to facilitate irrigation water

to the farmers in the area, said the LGED officials.

Taherul Islam, a farmer of the village said the dam was collapsing only because of using low quality materials in its construction.

“We, the local people had strongly opposed to the construction firm using low quality materials but we did not get any result as they had used the materials after managing the LGED officials,” claimed Maminur Rahman, a resident of the village.

Belal Hossain, member of the Farmer’s Samity of Shalmari village, said local farmers were deeply concerned over the durability of the rubber dam.

“If the rubber dam collapses completely, then the farmers will

face hurdles instead of getting any benefits,” he said.

Locals did not dare to protest as one of two contractors Rantu Islam was cousin of ruling Awami League’s lawmaker Motahar Hossain, he said.

Contacted, Rantu Islam said he was partially involved in the work as he had experience in rubber dam construction, however, he did not know anything in detail about the materials being used.

Denying the allegation of using low quality materials, Senior Assistant Engineer in Lalmonirhat LGED Jahidur Rahman Mandal said: “The work is still incomplete and the construction firm had not handed it yet, therefore, the construction firm would repair the collapsed portion of the protection dam.” l

A portion of the newly constructed dam has collapsed

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Inmates live a sorry life in Lalmonirhat a haven for drug smugglers, authorities indifferent Jhenaidah jail n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat The Moghalhat upazila in Lalmonirhat district has become a haven for smugglers as hundreds of drug smugglers are doing business under the very nose of the administration.

According to sources, local AL men control the drug syndicates in the border area as they earn windfall profit illegally every day.

Three AL men, who are also the members of the syndicate, were arrested by law enforcers and jailed for two years each by a mobile court on January 1.

The convicted three AL men are identified as Abu Sufiyan,48, president of Mogholhat union’s 2 No ward unit AL, his son 2 No ward unit Jubo League’s joint secretary Habuibur Rahman and 2 No ward unit Jubo League member Rabiul Islam in Chawratari village.

According to the people close to the border, the drug dealers earn a profit

through sale of different types of drugs.

More than 150 people are involved in drug peddling at Mogholhat border, where at least 20 drug lords are active in the illegal trade.

Local Awami Leugue men control the drug syndicates in the border area to earn windfall profit Makeshift tents along the no man’s land on the Indian frontier are the provenance of a variety of drugs including phensidyl, wine, hemp and cannabis sold out there at a cheaper rate.

Very closing to the Moghalhat border, many temporary drug houses have mushroomed in Nagartari, Jaridharla and Daribash villages under Dinhata

police station in Coochbihar district of Pashchimbanga in India.

The BGB men and police are bribed while smuggling drugs into Bangladesh.

Speaking under conditions of anonymity, a drugs smuggler at Mogholhat border said; “On Tuesday morning many drugs smugglers cross over to Bangladesh border from India every day and bring different types of drugs by bribing law enforcing agents.”

They also bribe the ruling party men.

The ringleaders under conditions of anonymity said; ““We have to give a regular bribe to the law enforcers in charge, and when the BGB team was on patrol, they alerted us through a phone call.”

When contacted, commanding officer of Lalmonirhat-15 BGB Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Shafiul Alam Khan said; “The BGB men are always on high alert to resist drugs smuggling in the area.” l

n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah The Jhenaidah prison has virtually turned into a hell where prisoners are living a subhuman life with accommodation crisis and substandard foods.

Prisons in the district are overcrowded as a large number of inmates are living in the jail beyond its capacity.

The poor quality of food is also making inmates ill, and lack of proper healthcare aggravates the problem.

According to prison sources, 639 prisoners are now living in the jail, against the capacities of 500.

Jail sources said at least 36 square feet of space is required for each non-criminal prisoner; 24 square feet for each convicted and under trial prisoner, and 54 square feet every death-sentenced prisoner as per jail code. But in reality, such an amount of space is a luxury.

Jail sources said a prisoner is provided with less than half a tea-spoon of

molasses and a thin piece of bread in the morning, rice with daal in the afternoon and a nominal piece of fish or mutton at night.

Overcrowding, poor quality of medical care creating a virtual hell Inmates have blamed a syndicate of jail employees and contractors, who supply food to the prison, for the low-quality ingredients.

People who have recently visited the prison said they were compelled to buy curries prepared by substandard edible oils, fish, and mutton for their relatives.

Besides, many prisoners alleged that when they fell sick, prison authority charged money to admit them to hospital.

Moreover, many visitors alleged that jail authority realised Tk10 to Tk20 against Tk5 when they went to visit their near and dear ones.

But Superintendent of Jhenaidah district prison Iqbal Hossain differed with all of the allegations.

He said usually the prison authority prepared foods with the rice, pulse and wheat supplied from the government’s food godown.

Asked about taking money from ill inmates, he said allegation of admission of any prisoner to hospital against money was not true as ill patients are provided with treatment as per the prescription of physicians.

“It is quite absurd to provide equal opportunities for all when huge prisoners live in limited areas.”

Prisoners in the district prison are given fan and television for better living and sewing machines to involve in incomegeneration activities, he said. l

One killed over land dispute in Mymensingh Correspondent, n Our Mymensingh

The photo taken from no man’s land along Lalmonirhat border shows drug peddlers bring illegal drugs to Bangladesh DHAKA TRIBUNE

Body of abducted minor recovered in Jhenaidah

n Our correspondent, Jhenaidah The body of a four-year-old girl was found in a gunny bag under a highway bridge at Srirampur village under Shailkupa upazila in Jhenaidah yesterday.

The deceased Lakkhi Rani Adhikari hailed from Basantapur village under the same upazila.

Victim’s father Nepal Chandra said Lakhi went missing since Thursday, adding that some miscreants had been demanding Tk50,000 as ransom for last couple of days.

They might have killed his daughter, as he had failed to meet their demand, he alleged.

Shailkupa police station Officerin-Charge Anwar Hossain said police suspected that Lakkhi might have been strangled on the previous night.

A case was filed in this connection with Shailkupa police station, but no one was arrested. Local authorities are still carrying out the investigation l

A man was killed and five others were injured in a clash over the ownership of a piece of land dispute at Bharadoba village under Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh early yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Mouklesur Rahman, 25, son of Moyez Uddin of Bharadoba.

Police said two rival groups led by Mouklesur Rahman and Abul Hashim were locked into a clash with sharp weapons over a the ownership of a piece of land on Friday afternoon, injuring Muklesur Rahman, Moyez Uddin, Abul Hossain, Abul Hashim, Amir Hossain and Monirul Islam.

All of the injured were rushed to Bhaluka Upazila Health Complex, but Muklesur was referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as his condition deteriorated.

He died around 3 am yesterday, said Abdul Motalab Miah, officer-

in-charge of Bhaluka police station. A case was lodged.

The OC said additional police had been deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident. l Meanwhile, a mobile court sentenced a woman to six months in jail for keeping illegal drugs.

Police said the mobile court led

by Executive Magistrate Afroza Akhtar raided Mymensingh Railway Station area in the afternoon and arrested Rashida Begum, 45, with hemp and awarded her sixmonth in jail.

The mobile court also seized drug injection from Arafat Pharmacy at Bhaikeshar in the town and seized 50 ample of drug injections from the shop. The court sentenced its owner Arafat Hossain to seven days in jail. The arrestees were sent to jail.

In another drive, the court fined Abdul Khaleque Tk10,000 for selling drug injections in Charpara area of the town, court sources said. l

Invitation for e-Tender Invitation Reference no.

(a) T-1/268, Dated 06-02-2014 for Tender ID No. 6216 (b) T-1/269, Dated 06-02-2014 for Tender ID No. 6217 (c) T-1/270, Dated 06-02-2014 for Tender ID No. 6218

Tender ID (from e-GP Portal)

(a) 6216 (b) 6217 (c) 6218

Name of the work

Tender ID No. 6216

Repair & Maintenance of Executive Engineer and Sub Divisional Engineer’s office Building. RAC office, Sonali Bank Building, South Colony Main gate and guard shade and Jame Mosque under NDR Budget under Faridpur O&M Division, BWDB, Faridpur during the year 2013-14.

Tender ID No. 6217

Repair & Maintenance of CE’s Office and SE’s Office Building under Faridpur O&M Division, BWDB, Faridpur during the year 2013-14.

Tender ID No. 6218

Repair & Maintenance of IDB No. 08, 09, 10 (A), 10 (B), 11 (A), 11 (B), 12 (A), 12 (B), 13 (E-Type), 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 (A), 18 (B) at south colony under NDR Budget under Faridpur O&M Division, BWDB, Faridpur during the year 2013-14.

SONALI: THE ‘JOYEETA WOMAN’

A stairway to success built on will, determination and hard work n Our Correspondent, Kushtia

Born to a poor family in Khulna, Sonali Akhter has struggled at different stages of her life and witnessed poverty from childhood. Eldest among four brothers and sisters, she only had privilege to study till class X due to financial constraints.

But under the government’s “Joyeeta Onneshone Bangladesh” programme coordinated by the Women Affairs Department of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Shonali’s future has changed for the better. She received the “Joyeeta Woman” award on Friday along with a prize money of Tk10,000 in a ceremony organised by the ministry’s department at Coronation Secondary School field in Khulna.

Launching her initiative with a loan of only Tk20,000, Sonali is now an institution and role model of success to others. Around 1,200 women are now working in her organisation. But it was never easy for Sho-

nali to reach the top.

As she came from a very poor family, her father Rafiuddin married her off at an early age.

But her husband was not financially well-off, so she decided to work for a living. At first, she took money from her husband to make sarees and sell them to local shops but her initiative was unsuccessful.

Later she took a loan of Tk20,000 from the upazila Bangladesh Rural Development Board and established Sonali Handicrafts in 2004 along with five other destitute women workers.

She started to sell sarees again and established her workplace at a

local bazar. As the demands for her products increased, more capital was needed, so she sold her ornaments and invested money in the business which rapidly expanded within a few years.

At present, 22 staff are working on a monthly salary basis and 1,200 women on a daily wage basis in her organisation. The beautifully made sarees has earned a good reputation within the locality, and are also being sent to different parts of the country, including Dhaka, for sale.

Being inspired by the success of Sonali, many other local women have also taken such initiatives in order to become self-reliant.

The “Joyeeta Onneshone Bangladesh” programme is aimed at awarding five women from seven divisions in five categories. The five categories are: successful mothers, education and service, overcoming repression, role in social development and becoming economically self-reliant. l

This is an online Tender, where only e-Tender will be accepted in the National e-GP portal and no offline/hard copies will be accepted. To submit e-Tender, registration in the National e-GP System Portal (http://www.eprocure.gov.bd) is required The fees for downloading the e-Tender Documents from the National e-GP System portal have to be deposited online through any registered Bank’s branches up to 5.00pm on 03/03/2014 for Tender ID No. 6216, 6217 & 6218 Further information and guidelines are available in the National e-GP System Portal and from e-GP help desk (helpdesk@eprocure.gov.bd) (01762625528-31).

PANI - 505/13-14 DG - 16/14 (6x3)

(Md. Abdul Matin Sarkar) Executive Engineer Faridpur O&M Division BWDB Faridpur

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

Monday, February 10, 2013

7

Khaleda Zia, the tragic protagonist A critical appreciation the of pre-election politics

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

T

n Abdul Hannan he decline and fall of Khaleda Zia, the former two-time prime minister and the former leader of the opposition, has an element of Greek and Shakespearian tragedy. Khaleda Zia’s defeat in her desperate fight against Sheikh Hasina for the restoration of the caretaker government to oversee free, fair, and inclusive general election, has a truly tragic character.

The Awami League has won the January 5 elections, and has since cobbled together a 49-member cabinet along with a few rag tag minor parties.

The BNP boycott of the elections has stripped Khaleda Zia of all her clout, authority, power, and privileges as the leader of the opposition: this is a pathetic sight.

The bitter power struggle between the two leaders was stained with motiveless malignity. Sheikh Hasina avenged the humiliation and discomfiture she suffered on the eve of the 2006 National Elections due to Khaleda Zia’s subterfuges to manipulate election results in her favour: raising the retirement-age of the chief justice of the Supreme Court to have the choicest chief adviser of the caretaker government. Foiled in her effort, Khaleda managed to make the then president, Iajuddin Ahmud, wear the hat of chief adviser in addition to his high office.

BNP now seems to be thoroughly demoralised and disorganised. It is in complete disarray with most of its leaders arrested, or in hiding. It needs thorough reorganisation, reforms, and renewals at the grassroots-level and central-level youth leadership

Appointment of a chief election commissioner of her choosing, and preparation of a dubious voter list were other contrivances of the BNP, to win the elections. These attempts were thwarted by the subsequent army-backed backed government, precipitated by wild rampage, chaos, and disorder by the Awami League.

The tragic flaw in the character of Begum Zia was her ambition, and her pride that was wounded in the ignominious defeat by the AL in 2008, and her resultant failure to go to power. She could never reconcile such reversals of her fortune.

She and her party boycotted the 9th Jatiya Sangsad for almost the entire tenure (she attended only 10 days), and was non-cooperative with the government on every issue, including the parliamentary committee set up to review the Supreme Court verdict declaring the caretaker government as unconstitutional. The boycott of the parliament was a mistake, which deprived them of the opportunity to criticise the anti-democratic policies and practices of the government.

Her campaign strategy of protest, demonstration, and political unrest to oust the Awami League government was potentially flawed. The BNP was denied of permission to protest on the street and hold public meetings to expose various government failures.

To rise up to the aspiration of the people, and to provide a democratic dispensation for a just, corruption free, egalitarian society, her party in tandem with Jamaat-Shibir cadres unleashed a year-long vicious terror campaign: arson, killing innocent people, burning buses, trucks, and cars by petrol bombs, shut downs and blockade of roads, rivers, and trains that paralysed normal life, and adversely affected the economy by shattering internal and external trade and commerce.

These were not mass based political agitations, but criminal acts of violence – skewed movements to derive restricted dividends. The only agenda of her campaign was to go to power by the ouster of a government elected by a massively popular mandate.

The campaign seriously eroded BNPs popularity, and alienated people’s sympathy towards the BNP. People deplored that Khaleda Zia, at least for once, had not visited the burn unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital to see the burnt patients, or condemn these acts of killing and burning innocent people.

It was a serious mistake by BNP to support Jamaat-Shibir’s destructive movements aimed at stopping the on-going trial of their leaders charged with collaborating with Pakistani occupation army’s acts of atrocities and genocide during liberation war.

It is not understood why BNP, whose leader Ziaur Rahman was a valiant freedom fighter, should have taken upon itself the burden of atoning Jamaat’s sins in the form of the crimes against humanity during the liberation war.

She should have been more forthright and less reticent in

supporting the ongoing trial of Jamaat leaders by the International war crimes tribunal. BNP’s support to Jamaat and Hefazat-e-Islam was immoral, a tactical mistake, and was affront to modern liberal sensitivities of people. Bangladeshis fought and sacrificed their lives during the war for liberal democracy, secularism, progress, an exploitation free, just society, and not for foisting a rule by an oligarchy of religious fanatics, obscurantists for introduction of the Sharia and blasphemy laws, and disclaimer of women’s progress and empowerment.

BNP should have realised that such a skewed agenda does not have mass appeal, and is not a reason for mass uprising and upheaval to topple the government. No wonder, none of her trusted men responded to her call to come to her rescue from her house detention, barricaded by loads of sand, disabling her to attend the proposed BNP rally in Dhaka.

Hers was a cry in wilderness – a disaster. She felt betrayed, abandoned, forlorn, and cast adrift. The curtains of the tragic drama was drawn. People watching the scene on television went through an emotional catharsis, of pity and terror, to her grim tragedy.

It was clear that her political agitation was no popular uprising which forced abdication of power by Hosni Mobarak, Ferdinand Marcos, the Shah of Iran, Soeharto, or Ershad.

BNP now seems to be thoroughly demoralised and disorganised. It is in complete disarray with most of its leaders arrested, or in hiding. It needs thorough reorganisation, reforms, and renewals at the grassroots-level and central-level youth leadership – strengthened not by muscle and money, but by character and integrity, modern education, sacrifice, vision for development efforts, dedication to serve society and the people from a moral high ground.

Look at the structure of young political leadership in Europe and Asia where most old leaders have been discarded. What BNP needs is not violence to overthrow the government, but a programme, a think tank to systematically collect and collate misdeeds of the government and mobilise public opinion. The alternative is for the party to wither in the vines.

Cloistered in splendid isolation in her Gulshan office, flanked by opportunists waiting for the spoils of victory, should she win the election, she seems to be out of touch with reality and people to trust to advise her correctly. It is intriguing why she kept the sincere, competent, and liberal Mirza Fakhrul Islam as an acting secretary general without confirming and reinforcing his position.

The tragic flaw in the character of Begum Zia was her ambition, and her pride that was wounded in the ignominious defeat by the AL in 2008, and her resultant failure to go to power

This inevitably disabled his operational effectiveness, and made him play second fiddle. She hardly called more than one party conference of workers.

Her son, Tareq Rahman, unilaterally elected as the vice president of the party, is considered a liability for his infamous associations with much reviled Hawa Bhaban, seen as alternate levers of power and dictats by a wide spectrum of opinion.

Khaleda Zia committed the worst blunder by stubbornly refusing to participate in the polls without a caretaker government, when various opinion polls in newspapers predicted a clear majority win by the BNP. The Awami League government was severely discredited with the sufferings of people, the perceived failure to provide efficient governance free from corruption, the cronyism, and the crippling politicisation of every layer of society.

It was a risky gamble worth taking, in view of the wins of the five mayoral elections, even under the threat, real or assumed, of election engineering.

Chances were, they would have won.

Also, she should not have wavered and balked in grasping the opportunity for dialogue when offered.

Khaleda Zia’s mistakes and blunders, nevertheless, does not make AL infallible in holding a one-sided election without BNP’s participation.

January 5 elections may be constitutionally correct, as clamed by AL, but in popular perception at home and abroad, it was flawed and illegitimate – lacking popular acceptance and credibility.

Out of the 300-member parliament, 153 seats were uncontested, denying half of the voters their right of franchise. The rest of the seats were fought essentially between Awami League candidates in different forms. The question of voter turnout was thus irrelevant. It was deeply

frustrating. There is no glory, grace, or grandeur in such a tarnished and truncated victory.

It was immoral of the AL to eliminate the caretaker government, their own brainchild, for whom they fought relentlessly till the then prime minister, Khaleda Zia, herself, was forced to incorporate it in the constitution in 2006. Sheikh Hasina also ignored, obviously for political expediency, the rider clause in the Supreme Court verdict that recommended that the next two elections be conducted under a caretaker government if necessary.

Ershad’s Jatiya Party’s eleventh hour somersault to participate in the polls and bargain a position both in the cabinet and in the opposition will be considered the worst political treachery and aberration in history.

BNP was left out in the cold.

To forestall the potential of fresh eruption of a long running conflict and turmoil, it is imperative to hold an inclusive mid-term election sooner or later, under a caretaker government, to bring about much needed national unity and reconciliation, a participatory democracy, peace, and stability.

Abdul Hannan is a columnist and a former diplomat.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Monday, February 10, 2014

Gunman kills two in church off Russia’s eastern coast n Reuters, Moscow A gunman opened fire on Sunday in a Russian Orthodox cathedral on the island of Sakhalin, off Russia’s eastern coast, killing a nun and a churchgoer and wounding six other people, officials said.

The shooting happened as Russian security forces are on high alert due to concerns about possible attacks on the Winter Olympics in Sochi, thousands of km (miles) to the west. There was no apparent link to the Games.

The gunman was detained at the scene after the shooting at the main cathedral in the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, on the island in the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan, the federal Investigative Committee said.

It added that the suspect had Al-Masjid an-Nabawi inMedina

Blaze kills pilgrims in Saudi Arabia’s Medina n Agencies A fire at a hotel in Islam’s holy city of Medina in Saudi Arabia has left 15 pilgrims dead and injured 130 others, according to the state-run news agency SPA. Officials quoted by SPA did not identify the victims but said about 700 pilgrims had been staying at the hotel in the western city of Medina to perform the Umrah, or minor, pilgrimage, when tragedy struck on Saturday.

Earlier the local Saudi authorities confirmed the report in a statement.

“At 2:33pm this afternoon a fire occurred at a hotel located east of the central region, home to about 700 of pilgrims of different nationalities,” the

Medina governorate said.

Colonel Khaled al-Juhani, a Medina civil defence department official, told al-Youm newspaper that more than 110 security personnel battled to control the blaze.

The al-Bawaba Nayouz news website quoted a Red Crescent official as saying the dead were all Egyptians.

“The fire resulted in the death of 15 ... caused by fainting, choking, bleeding and cardiac arrest and breathing.

We also treated 30 cases of suffocation due to the fire,” Mohammed Mahmoud Kheyat, spokesman for the Saudi Red Crescent in Medina, told the website.

Television stations in Egypt also said that Egyptians were among those

worked as a security guard in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, some 6,650 km (4,130 miles) from Moscow.

There was no immediate word on a motive in the attack, which came six days after a Moscow teenager killed a teacher and a policeman and held classmates hostage in the first major school shooting in Russia.

Most of the wounded in Sunday’s mid-afternoon attack were shot in the legs and their lives were not in danger, RIA cited the regional leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Tikhon, as saying.

He said a prayer service for the victims would be held later on Sunday at the cathedral, which is the main Russian Orthodox church in a region that includes Sakhalin and the Kurile island chain. l

WIKI

who perished, and Badr Abdelatty, Foreign Ministry spokesman, said his country was “still trying to confirm the numbers” of nationals who died.

Ahmad Zaki, an employee of the Egyptian embassy in Jeddah, told the Youm al-Sabaa newspaper that there were “tens of Egyptians” among the injured and killed.

Zaki said maintenance work at the hotel led to an electrical fire.

Prince Faisal bin Salman, Medina’s governor, said the government would look into the incident.

Medina is a major religious destination for Muslims. The city is the burial site of the Prophet Muhammad and is Islam’s second holiest city after Mecca. l

Erdogan: Turkey freer than some EU states n Agencies Turkey’s prime minister has told Al Jazeera that his country is freer than some states of the EU, in an interview held on the same day that more than 2,000 demonstrators clashed with riot police in Istanbul over new restrictions on the internet.

In an interview on Saturday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan referred to his government’s tough response to widespread protests last year over plans to level Gezi Park in Istanbul, saying that the governments of Germany and the UK would have reacted the same way.

His comments came as a new wave of protests erupted on Istanbul’s streets, this time over a new law signed

that opponents say would allow the government to shut down websites to order. Riot police clashed with rioters who threw fireworks and daubed graffiti on buildings.

“Turkey is almost more free than some states of the European Union,” Erdogan told Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal. “When you refer to the Gezi Park events, why do you not see the events in Frankfurt, Hamburg? Have you seen what the police did there?”

Hundreds of people were injured in anti-austerity riots in Hamburg and Frankfurt. In London in 2011, riot police put down unrest sparked by the shooting of an unarmed man. Many rioters prosecuted were handed the most severe punishment allowed by law. l

Libya’s former prosecutor Pollster: Swiss vote 50.4% in favour general shot dead of EU migrant curbs n AFP

Libya’s former prosecutor general has been shot dead by unknown attackers in the eastern city of Derna, the justice minister said, the latest in a series of assassinations that have plagued the country.

Abdelaziz al-Hasadi was killed on Saturday while visiting relatives in his home town of Derna, the AFP news agency reported, citing the justice minister, Salah al-Marghani.

Hasadi, who resigned from the post

in March 2013, was the first prosecutor general appointed after Muammar Gaddafi was toppled and killed in the 2011 uprising.

Since the overthrow of Gaddafi’s regime, Libya has been plagued by violence, including a string of killings targeting top army and security officials as well as judges.

Libyan news agency LANA reported that another army officer was shot dead on Saturday in the eastern city of Benghazi, which has also been hit by unrest since 2011. l

n AFP, Geneva Swiss voters have narrowly backed curbs on immigration from the European Union, with 50.4% in favour in a referendum on Sunday, a polling agency said.

Claude Longchamp, head of the gfs.bern polling institute, told public broadcaster SRF that the result remained on a knife-edge, with a margin of error of just 0.7%, but that the Yes vote looked set to win.

The measure was crafted by the power-

ful right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party, which is hawkish about the sovereignty of this non-EU member state and says the country is being swamped. The vote was also watched closely by eurosceptics within the EU who want to rein in immigration among its member states, notably from eastern to western Europe. The measure binds the Swiss government to renegotiate within three years a deal with Brussels that since 2007 has given most EU citizens free access to the country’s labour market.

The populists say that with 80,000 EU citizens arriving per year -- rather than the 8,000 predicted before the rules were liberalised -- it is time for the nation of eight million people to rein things in.

Their opponents, including the government and lobby groups from across the economy, say immigrants are needed to drive Swiss business and industry, and that ripping up the free movement deal would mean the demise of a handful of related economic accords with the EU. l

Left-wing outsider to run for Egypt president Reports: Convicted Australian n terrorist flees to Syria Agencies

Hamdeen Sabahi, a left-wing Egyptian politician, has announced that he will be running for president in the forthcoming election.

Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the army chief, is widely expected to contest and win the race, scheduled for mid-April, although he is yet to announce his candidacy.

Sabahi, 59, came third in the 2012 presidential election won by Mohamed

Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, who was deposed by the army in July following mass protests against his rule.

“My personal decision as a citizen is to run for the coming presidential elections,” Sabahi said in a public address to supporters on Saturday.

“Hamdeen Sabahi’s battle is the battle of the revolution.”

Sabahi built a big following during his campaign for the 2012 election, using a popular touch to beat candidates with better funded campaigns.

The dearth of candidates in advance of this election provides a stark contrast to the 2012 vote, the first time Egyptians were allowed to freely choose their head of state.

Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, a moderate Islamist who came fourth in that vote, has said he does not plan to run, saying the current circumstances are neither free nor democratic.

Members of his party were detained in January while campaigning against a new constitution passed in a referendum. l

n AFP, Sydney Australian officials Sunday blamed a “fairly major breakdown” in border security for the reported escape of a convicted terrorist through Sydney Airport to join the conflict in Syria. New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell expressed concern after media reports that Khaled Sharrouf, who served almost four years

in prison after pleading guilty over a 2005 conspiracy to attack Sydney, had fled the country. According to News Corp Australia, Sharrouf boarded a flight to Malaysia at Sydney Airport last month using his brother’s passport and was now believed to be in Syria. “I have to say I think that immigration and the federal police and customs have been doing a magnificent job,” O’Farrell told reporters. l

Bahrain opposition unveils roadmap for talks n AFP Bahrain’s Shia opposition has unveiled a roadmap for restarting national dialogue talks suspended last month, and renewed demands for a constitutional monarchy in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

The proposals were published on Saturday on the eve of the third anniversary of Shia-led protests against the government that erupted on February 14 2011, and which have left Bahrain politically deadlocked since.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa met opposition leaders in mid-January to try revive the national dialogue, days after the government suspended the talks which had opened a year ago.

The reconciliation talks, which the main Shia opposition had boycotted, are designed to bring the Sunni-ruled country with a Shia majority out of its political crisis.

The Shia opposition, led by the main movement Al-Wefaq, urged authorities to free “prisoners of conscience,” as well as “suspend political processes,” and stop “incitation to sectarian hatred.” l

An Indian visitor places her hands on an art installation at the annual Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai on February 7. The nine-day art festival which has been held every year since 1999, featuring a variety of arts, cultures and culinary delights, has grown in stature and popularity, attracting visitors and participants from India and the world AFP

Iran says warships to approach US borders n Reuters An Iranian naval officer has said a number of warships had been ordered to approach US maritime borders as a response to the stationing of US vessels in the Gulf, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. “Iran’s military fleet is approaching the United States’ maritime borders, and this move has a message,” the agency quoted Admiral Afshin Rezayee Haddad as saying on Saturday.

Haddad, who is described as the commander of the Iranian navy’s northern fleet, said the vessels had started their voyage towards the Atlantic Ocean via “waters near South Africa”, Fars reported.

Fars said the plan was part of “Iran’s response to Washington’s beefed up naval presence in the Persian Gulf”.

The report, which carried no details of the vessels, could not be confirmed independently. The Reuters news agency quoted an anonymous US defence official as casting doubt on the Iranian claims.

But the official added that “ships are free to operate in international waters”.

The US regularly stages naval exercises in the Gulf, saying it wants to ensure freedom of navigation in the waterway, through which 40% of the world’s seaborne oil exports passes.

The US bases its Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

Iranian officials have often said Iran could block the Strait of Hormuz, at the mouth of the Gulf, if it was attacked over its disputed nuclear programme.

Fars said the Iranian navy had been developing its presence in international waters since 2010, regularly deploying vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates.

Hard-line Iranian MPs meanwhile have accused the president, Hassan Rouhani, of halting a scheduled missile exercise, the state news agency said Sunday. l

UN vows to press on with Homs aid delivery n Agencies The UN’s humanitarian chief Valerie Amos has vowed to push on with relief deliveries to civilians trapped in Homs, after a Red Crescent aid convoy was attacked.

Amos’ comments come after the convoy came under mortar and gun attack on Saturday in the Syrian city, despite an agreed three-day ceasefire which began on Friday.

“I am deeply disappointed that the three-day humanitarian pause agreed between the parties to the conflict was broken today and aid workers deliberately targeted,” Amos said in a statement released late on Saturday.

“Today’s events serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that civilians and aid workers face every day across Syria,” she added.

Saturday’s attack threatened a UNled operation to bring food and medicine to 2,500 people in Homs Old City and evacuate civilians trapped by months of fighting.

The Syrian Arab Red Crescent said mortar fire landed close to its convoy and shots were fired at its lorries, wounding one of its drivers.

“I continue to call on those engaged in this brutal conflict to respect the humanitarian pause, ensure the protection of civilians and facilitate the safe delivery of aid,” Amos said.

“The United Nations and our humanitarian partners will not be deterred from doing the best we can to bring aid to those needing our help.”

At least nine Red Crescent and UN vehicles were trapped in Homs for several hours after dark when the explosions struck, but the team managed to leave shortly before 10pm local time (20:00 GMT), leaving two damaged lorries.

“Although the team was shelled and fired upon, we managed to deliver 250 food parcels [and] 190 hygiene kits and chronic disease medicines,” the Red Crescent said.

The aid had been held up for months in a UN warehouse in a nearby government-controlled area.

Syrian authorities blamed the attacks on rebels but opposition activists held President Bashar al-Assad’s forces responsible.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five people, including two rebel fighters, were killed and 20 wounded by mortar bomb attacks on the Old City area.

The humanitarian deal for Homs was the first concrete result of talks launched two weeks ago in Geneva to try to end the country’s nearly threeyear-old civil war that has killed over 136,000 people. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

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Monday, February 10, 2014

India police detain foreign TV crew over phones n AFP, Kolkata

Nepal set to choose new PM after breakthrough

Indian police have detained a group of 49 foreign nationals who were shooting a reality television show for illegally possessing satellite phones, a police official said Sunday.

Police seized the phones from the foreigners in West Bengal state, where they were apparently shooting the European show “Peking Express” that documents contestants hitchhiking across countries, the official said.

Police detained the group for questioning on Saturday following a raid on a resort in the town of Chalsa 670 kilometres (416 miles) north of Kolkata, said Kunal Agarwal, police superintendent of Jalpaiguri district.

“Tipped off by defence intelligence, police raided a resort in Chalsa where a group of 49 foreigners were shooting a reality show and confiscated 22 satellite phones illegally sneaked into the country,” Agarwal told AFP. “The foreigners included 10 from Belgium, 33 from France, two from the Netherlands and one each from England, Spain, Germany and Italy,” he said.

“The foreigners along with 33 Indians were detained for interrogation,” he said.

Agarwal said the group faces preliminary charges of “illegally possessing satellite phones and not disclosing the fact to the Indian authorities,” which can carry a two-year prison term and fine upon conviction.

India, which is battling an insurgency in Kashmir as well as Maoist rebels elsewhere in the country, bans the use of satellite phones without a licence – mainly for security reasons.

Islamist gunmen used mobile and satellite phones to coordinate the brazen three-day assault on Mumbai in 2008 that killed 166 people.

The police officer said the group, upon questioning, said it was shooting the show “Peking Express” to be telecast in France and had already filmed in Myanmar and Nepal before arriving in Chalsa on Friday.

Chalsa is a small town in the Indian Himalayan foothills close to the borders of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. l

Veteran politician Sushil Koirala was expected to become Nepal’s new prime minister after a rival political party announced its support on Sunday, ending months of deadlock following last year’s elections.

Parliament will convene on Monday to vote for a premier, paving the way for the formation of a government charged with ending a prolonged political crisis that has crippled the economy.

Koirala, 75, is expected to be the only candidate after his Nepali Congress party – which topped the polls last November – secured the backing of the Unified Marxist-Leninist party (UML), which came second.

UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal said his MPs would vote for Koirala, following extensive negotiations within the party and with Nepali Congress on the make-up of the new coalition government.

“Our party has decided to support Nepali Congress in the election for the prime minister,” Khanal told reporters.

“The details of the deal will be out soon. Everything will be agreed on a package. We are also discussing the new government’s policy and programme,” Khanal said.

Nepal held elections on November 19 for a constituent assembly or parliament, charged with writing a constitution aimed at bringing stability to a country still divided by the legacy of a decade-long civil war.

But a new government was not formed, amid a row within Nepali Congress over who should be prime minister.

The party had also become bogged down in negotiations with other parties on forming a coalition.

Nepali Congress finally chose Koira-

Indonesian antidrugs group slams Australian’s parole

n AFP, Kerobokan An Indonesian anti-drugs group said Sunday Jakarta’s decision to parole Australian drug trafficker Schapelle Corby could put the “safety of our nation” at risk, as she prepared to leave prison on Bali.

The 36-year-old, whose case has attracted huge attention in Australia, could be freed as early as Monday from Kerobokan prison on the tourist island after the decision to grant her early release.

But Corby, arrested in 2004 entering Bali with marijuana stashed in her surfing gear, will walk straight into a media frenzy, with dozens of journalists camped outside Kerobokan and a bidding war for her first post-jail interview in full swing.

Corby’s well-documented mental illness, steadfast proclamations of innocence and fight to be freed from prison earned her sympathy in Australia.

However the view in Indonesia has been starkly different. On Sunday the National Movement Against Narcotics (Granat) issued a strongly worded statement against the parole decision.

“Granat protests parole being granted, even if it is the ‘right’ of the prisoner,” said Henry Yosodiningrat, chairman of the group which has long campaigned against Corby’s early release.

“Crimes committed by Corby or other drug convicts – they are crimes against the safety of our nation.”

“The president should be sensitive to the public’s sense of justice, as the public will be the ones who will be hurt by this clemency shown to Corby.”

He said that five million Indonesians had become drug users or addicts “as a result of drug crimes like those committed by Corby.”

Others urged the government not to grant parole in the run-up to Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin’s decision Friday, with a group of eight lawmakers presenting a letter of protest.

When he announced Corby was getting early release Syamsuddin defended the decision, saying it was “not an act of generosity” but “a right regulated by law.”

Farid Junaidi, Kerobokan prison governor, confirmed Sunday that the parole documents were en route from Jakarta to Bali and could arrive in the evening. l

n AFP, Kathmandu

A few dozen pro-independence activists defied the restrictions and tried to stage a rally in Srinagar

India detains Kashmiri activists amid strike n AP Indian troops have detained up to 200 activists in India-administered Kashmir to prevent protests during a three-day strike to mark the execution anniversaries of two separatists in New Delhi, AP news agency reported.

Authorities also placed the leaders of the activists under house arrest on Sunday, a police officer said on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak with reporters.

Many parts of Kashmir were under curfew on Sunday, with major roads blocked by razor wire and barricades as authorities sought to prevent anti-India protests and possible violence, Inspector General Abdul Gani Mir said.

A few dozen pro-independence activists defied the restrictions and tried

to stage a rally in Srinagar, chanting “We want freedom” and “Return the bodies of our martyrs.” They have been detained for several hours, another police officer told AP on condition of anonymity.

Kashmiri separatists, who have long demanded the region be given independence or be allowed to merge with neighbouring Pakistan, were incensed last year when Mohammed Afzal Guru was secretly hanged on February 9 in a New Delhi jail for involvement in a 2001 Parliament attack that killed 14 people, including five gunmen.

Most people in Kashmir believe Guru was not given a fair trial, and the covert execution led to days of violent anti-India protests in the Muslim-majority region, where anti-India sentiment runs deep.

AFP

The execution refreshed anger sparked in 1984, when pro-independence leader Mohammed Maqbool Butt was hanged in the same New Delhi jail after being convicted of killing an intelligence officer.

Since 1989, an armed uprising and an ensuing crackdown in the region have killed an estimated 68,000 people.

Separatists renewed demands over the weekend that the two men’s remains, buried within the jail compound, be returned to the region for burial.

“The shutdown is called for pressing our demand for return of the mortal remains of our martyrs,” Syed Ali Geelani, a separatist leader, said in a statement issued before he was detained at Srinagar’s airport on Saturday after returning from New Delhi. l

la last month as its candidate following a vote by its legislators.

The party won 196 seats last November and the UML secured 175. The Maoists were relegated to a humiliating third place with just 80 seats.

The Maoists, who traded their guns for politics after signing a pact to end the civil war in 2006, initially claimed fraud.

But they agreed in December to join the assembly after securing a pledge from the other parties for an inquiry into their claims.

‘The details of the deal will be out soon.

Everything will be agreed on a package.

We are also discussing the new government’s policy and programme’ The Maoists came to power in 2008 after a landslide election victory, two years after signing a deal to end the insurgency which also saw the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy.

But the ensuing four years were marked by a series of short-term coalition governments, mainly led by the Maoists. The first assembly broke up amid rancour in May 2012.

Nepal has been in political limbo since then.

The new parliament held its first meeting last month. Leaders from across the political divide vowed to draw up the constitution within a year as promised to the people. l

China decries US comments US aid plan seeks to shield Afghanistan on South China Sea as from end to war economy n ‘not constructive’ Reuters, Kabul

n Reuters, Beijing China has accused the United States of undermining peace and development in the Asia-Pacific after a senior US official said concern was mounting over China’s claims in the South China Sea. “These actions are not constructive,” Hong Lei, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in a statement issued late on Saturday.

“We urge the US to hold a rational and fair attitude, so as to have a constructive role in the peace and development of the region, and not the opposite,” Lei said.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Danny Russel told a congressional testimony on Wednesday the United States had “growing concerns” that China’s maritime claims were an effort to gain

creeping control of oceans in the region.

China’s claims had “created uncertainty, insecurity and instability,” Russel said.

China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei all claim parts of the sea that provides 10% of global fish catches and carries $5 trillion in ship-borne trade.

China also railed against what it called “outrageous” comments on Friday by Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who compared the maritime dispute with appeasement of Nazi Germany before World War Two. China claims about 90% of the 3.5 million square km (1.35 million square miles) South China Sea, depicting what it sees as its area on maps with a socalled nine-dash line, looping far out over the sea from south China. l

The Obama administration will unveil on Monday a package of aid initiatives it hopes will help Afghanistan, still one of the world’s poorest countries after a dozen years of massive international aid efforts, shield itself from the departure of foreign troops and an expected drop in assistance.

The announcement from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) of three new development initiatives worth almost $300 million is part of a US effort to ensure that Afghanistan, as its ‘war economy’ ends, won’t slide backwards into greater poverty or reverse gains made over the last 12 years in health, education and other areas.

“The question is, what can we do now to make sure Afghanistan is as healthy, sustainable and feasible as possible going forward,” Larry Sampler, the agency’s chief official for Af-

Govt-backed pro-nuclear candidate wins Tokyo governor vote n AFP, Tokyo The establishment candidate backed

by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe romped home in Sunday’s election for governor of Tokyo in a result which analysts said would boost the premier’s pro-nuclear agenda.

The poll for chief executive of one of the world’s biggest cities had been seen as a referendum on atomic power in a country still scarred by the 2011

Fukushima disaster.

But livelihood issues appeared to play a bigger role in the election, which saw an emphatic victory by Yoichi Masuzoe – a former television pundit and one-time cabinet minister.

Only around a third of eligible voters cast their ballots, media reported, down about 10%age points on the last election.

The city’s 13 million inhabitants had been hit with the heaviest snowfall in

nearly half a century on Saturday. Despite a rapid thaw on polling day, many streets remained treacherous.

“I want to make Tokyo the number one city of the world, in areas including disaster prevention, welfare and the economy,” Masuzoe told reporters as the scale of his victory became apparent.

“And above all, I will make the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games successful.” l

11 dead, 1,200 injured as heavy snow hits Japan n AFP, Tokyo The heaviest snow in decades in Tokyo and other areas of Japan has left at least 11 dead and more than 1,200 injured across the country, reports said Sunday.

As much as 27 centimetres (10.6 inches) of snow was recorded in Tokyo by late Saturday, the heaviest fall in the capital for 45 years, according to meteorologists. The storm hit Tokyo on the eve of its gubernatorial election.

Observers say the weather may affect voter turnout in the city of 13 mil-

lion people. As of 6:00 pm (0900 GMT) turnout was down more than 10%age points from a previous poll during the last mayoral election.

As a depression moved along the Pacific coast Saturday, the northeastern city of Sendai saw 35 centimetres (13.8 inches) of snow, the heaviest in 78 years.

Local media said at least 11 people have been killed with one person also in critical condition in snow-linked accidents – mostly crashes after their cars skidded on icy roads.

In central Aichi prefecture, a 50-yearold man died after his car slipped on the icy road and rammed into an advertisement steel pole, a local rescuer said. Public broadcaster NHK reported at least 1,253 people were injured across the nation, many of whom had slipped on the ground or fallen while shovelling the snow off their roofs.

More than 20,000 households were without electricity early Sunday while airlines cancelled more than 400 domestic flights a day after over 740 flights were grounded. l

ghanistan and Pakistan, said in an interview.

The initiatives extend US assistance for Afghanistan’s food sector; seek to help the Afghan government boost revenue and join the World Trade Organization within a year; and secure agreements between US and Afghan universities to ensure young Afghans are trained for jobs.

But how much outside help aid-reliant Afghanistan will receive in the years ahead remains in doubt, as uncertainty continues about a possible post-2014 NATO troop presence and as fiscal pressures in donor nations squeeze aid budgets.

Last month, US lawmakers halved civilian aid for Afghanistan, reflecting growing reluctance in Congress to continue generous aid levels there, concerns about waste and fraud, and frustration with the Afghan government itself.

The Obama administration contin-

ues to press Afghan President Hamid Karzai to sign a bilateral security pact needed to keep US troops there after this year. His refusal to do so has strained already fraught US-Afghan relations.

Decisions by the United States on future aid levels to Afghanistan may in turn shape actions by other donor nations, which gathered in Tokyo in 2012 to announce their intentions to provide aid to Afghanistan for years to come.

While the United States did not pledge a specific amount for future aid, it had promised to seek aid near current levels of just over $2 billion at least through 2015.

US officials said the new initiatives would not be affected by the recent budget cut, because they would set aside money now for the full four or five years they are designed to last.

Sampler said the initiatives would aim, in part, to provide a buffer as the war economy winds down. l

Khamenei: US wants regime change in Iran n Agencies Iran’s supreme leader has said the US would overthrow the Iranian government if it could, adding that the country had a “controlling and meddlesome” attitude towards the Islamic Republic.

In a speech to mark the 35th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic revolution on Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the US is fundamentally Iran’s enemy, even as he defended his country’s ongoing talks to settle a decade-old dispute about the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme.

“American officials publicly say they do not seek regime change in Iran,” Khamenei told army officers in Tehran.

“That’s a lie. They would not hesitate a moment if they could do it.”

But Iran’s most powerful leader also called on critics of President Hassan Rouhani to be fair and give him time, to pursue his policy of engagement with the outside world, including the US and the EU. “No more than a few months have passed since the [Rouhani] government took office,” he said in comments posted in his website, leader.ir.

“Authorities should be given the opportunity to push forward strongly. Critics should show tolerance towards the government.” Earlier this week, Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi, a prominent religious leader, accused Rouhani of selling Iran’s “dignity” under the Geneva deal.

Khamenei’s support is crucial for Rouhani’s diplomatic success in negotiations.

Khamenei made no direct mention of the talks between Iran and world powers, but he said that in dealing with “enemies,” Iran should be prepared to change tactics but not compromise on its main principles.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Sadegh Zibakalam, politics professor at Tehran University, wondered if Khamenei was trying to appease the country’s hardliners, who are critical of Rouhani.

“Maybe the Supreme Leader, by using those harsh words against the United States, is trying to calm down those hardliners,” he said. Khamenei urged Iran not to pin hopes for economic recovery on the sanctions relief from the landmark interim deal signed on November 24.

“The only solution to the country’s economic problems is to employ [Iran’s] infinite domestic capacities, not to pin hopes on the lifting of sanctions,” he said.

“No expectations from the enemy.”

The deal is the centrepiece of Rouhani’s policy. Iran in January stopped enriching uranium to 20% and started neutralising its existing stockpile of that grade, just steps away from weapons material, in order to fulfil commitments reached under the interim deal. In return, the US and the EU simultaneously announced the lifting of sanctions on petrochemical products, insurance, gold and other precious metals, auto industry, passenger plane parts and services. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Enhance incentives for eco-friendly factories

A

n increasing number of RMG manufacturers are investing in more environmentally friendly factories.

Benefits have included reduced long term costs via better energy efficiency, recycling, and waste management systems. They have also been helpful in immediately lowering emissions and pollution, renewably generating electricity and in improving attractiveness to buyers.

The branding benefits of greener factories offers lessons for all types of manufacturer.

Some RMG manufacturers, such as ABA Group, Viyellatex and Envoy Textile, report that initiatives to build green factories have been proving attractive to international buyers and consumers.

While such moves have typically involved higher upfront costs, the investment in purpose built green factories has been justified by incorporating better working conditions and reducing long term maintenance costs.

As consumers all around the world and leading brands are placing ever more importance on good factory environments and environmental sustainability, more such initiatives will help enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi products in the global marketplace.

The government should do more to promote the building of factories which meet internationally certified standards on environmental sustainability.

Given the higher costs required by such factories, it should consider new tax incentives to reward those private sector companies that have invested to achieve best practice environmental standards.

It should also allow more duty-free import of equipment required to establish eco-friendly factories, for all types of export orientated manufacturer. That way, more companies and investors will be encouraged to invest and create jobs by building environmentally friendly factories.

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

To the communication minister February 12

I have a special respect for Communication Minister Obaidul Quader. A soft-spoken person, he speaks logically on different issues, which is praiseworthy. But recently I have become disappointed by his comments on a few subjects.

His remark about the opposition political party not participating in the general election is not acceptable. He said that, “The opposition has missed the train.” But the people do not think so. Ignoring the demand of 90% of the people for a CTG, the government went ahead with its agenda, so we think the train was derailed and there was no scope for the opposition to board it.

Then at Rajshahi University, where students were protesting various fee hikes and the move of the vice chancellor to turn the varsity into a partly private coaching center, more than 100 students were injured, and 20 hit by bullets, as police and BCL activists swooped on the students. But the minister blamed the violence on criminals that had infiltrated into the BCL ranks. We did not expect such unreasonable comments from him.

Nur Jahan

Such initiatives enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi products in the global marketplace

Time to ban student politics?

February 2

nds Yes, it is high time to ban student politics as a first step to rid the society of its ruffians, because student politics has now become the greatest source of supply of ruffians and goons.

Since 1991, not a single movement against any evil, whether politics, societal issues, cultural problems, or education, originated from the student community. Students have enter into politics only forself interest and aggrandizement.

They have made no contribution in any field of progressive movement for positive development or the society’s well-being. They are absolutely a spoiled force.

WaliulHaqueKhondker The absence of terminologies like DUCSU, RUCSU, or CUCSU in the whole body of this op-ed piece shows the dismal state of student politics in Bangladesh. Student politics came into being to manage their own welfare and extracurricular activities through their elected bodies in their respective institutions. Some such elective student bodies have been named above. Mostly the best and the smartest students used to be elected to these bodies.

The students were ideologically motivated and supported the political parties whose ideology was akin to their own. There used to be yearly elections to these student bodies and the popular panels would win and be involved in the multifarious activities of the students in the institutions, including politics.

Whenever national political crisis arose, these student bodies would throw in their support

Improve corporate governance to attract investors

W

e welcome moves by the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute and IFC to raise awareness of the importance of good corporate governance in attracting institutional and overseas investors.

Improving corporate governance practices and standards is especially important for listed companies looking to attract investment. It can also help state owned businesses by encouraging more independent rather than political appointees to their Boards.

Much attention has been given by regulators towards reforming the capital market, by for example introducing stricter rules for auditors under the Financial Reporting Act. The Bangladesh Bank has also been proactive in promoting broader CSR goals.

These are all worthwhile initiatives, but more stress still needs to be placed on establishing an effective corporate governance culture in Bangladesh.

Good corporate governance practices can benefit all shareholders and other stakeholders by increasing transparency and improving the accountability of Boards. They build confidence among institutional investors and are vital for improving access to capital from global markets.

For companies themselves, following best practice in Board governance structures can build long term value by helping to guard against reputation risks and improving decision making processes.

This works best when implemented not as a bureaucratic box-ticking exercise, but as part of a process of continual improvement in managing risks and opportunities by the companies involved.

As more asset managers and international investors are looking for opportunities in emerging markets, it is an apt time to encourage and implement best practice standards on corporate governance.

Monday, February 10, 2014

behind the political parties whose ideology coincided with the popular issues.

Alas! These elective student bodies are nowhere to be seen for last over 20 years! Shouldn’t we demand a revival of these elected student bodies instead of banning student politics?

In the absence of these elected student bodies, the student wings of the political parties have occupied the void in the universities and other academic institutions. Our political parties, unfortunately, have not been scrupulous in nominating the right kind of students to the leadership of their student wings. Even nonstudents are there!

The students must be allowed to address their problems and have a full say in resolving them in the right way. If they are debarred from doing so, it would mean nipping in bud the political awakening that is natural in every heart. The importance of having an elected student body cannot be stressed enough. Student politics, a fertile ground to develop and nurture future political leadership, should deal with the welfare and needs and concerns of ordinary students, and for that to happen, it is extremely essential to have student leadership that comes from the students and has popular acceptance amongst them.

Keeping students away from politics may dwarf their intellect. The students are a part of our society and they have to be an active part of all our sociopolitical discourses.

Instead, a call for a ban on teacher politics will be more helpful in the academic environment and for the revival of healthy student politics in the country.

Student politics can get better February 7

Student politics should be banned across the country. Other democratic countries in the world aren’t running without student politics??

Why is it only required in Bangladesh?? What benefits has it given to society except for causing parents’ tears?

MD Easir Arafat Siddik

Housewife sandwiched to death by racing buses

February 6 Drivers of vehicles need to be careful while on the roads, yet, we’ll soon hear about the bus owners pooling together, coming to these shameless drivers’ support, and saying that pedestrians need to be more careful!

Wali Rahman

10 BCL men shown arrested for possessing arms, weapons

February 5 The government has finally done something for which the public can give thanks.

Rajibul Hasan

Dhaka to lose market if Delhi gets duty-free access

February 6 But isn’t that all that it is about? That is the current BD government’s plan, right? Anyone surprised? Cost of clinging onto power through a farcical election.

Sakhawat Husain

Be Heard

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CALVIN AND HOBBES

Good corporate governance practices help improve access to capital

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Self-satisfied (4) 6 Today (3) 7 Tumble (4) 9 Destroy utterly (4) 10 Jury (5) 11 Singer (5) 12 Anger (3) 14 Foot lever (5) 17 Prescribed amounts (5) 20 Beverage (3) 21 Added clause (5) 23 Buffalo (5) 25 Dwarf buffalo (4) 26 Burden (4) 27 Employ (3) 28 Otherwise (4)

DOWN 1 Squalid (6) 2 Combines (6) 3 Departed (4) 4 Pale (3) 5 Old cloth measure (3) 7 Get on (4) 8 Within the law (5) 10 Mild explosion (3) 13 Bird (5) 15 Grain field weed (6) 16 Papal ambassador (6) 18 Love god (4) 19 Wrongdoing (3) 22 Comfort (4) 23 Container (3) 24 Prosecute (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

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

Sudoku

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Monday, February 10, 2014

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Kolkata bliss

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n Towheed Feroze

here is something about Kolkata that gets almost everyone misty-eyed. For this writer, the city brings back a wave of memories from the time in the early 90s when the city of joy was truly the place which drew hordes of young people from Bangladesh with the unparalleled allure of Hindi movies, adult theatres, mouth-watering road-side food, and countless pubs offering chilled beer in an atmosphere of relaxation, without the worry of sudden police raids.

Rest assured: You won’t need to carry a faux drinking licence here to be safe!

Someone recently told me that Kolkata has changed a lot – that is from the last time I went there in 2008. So, the truth in their comment became evident the moment I landed at the spanking new airport – clean, immaculate, and spacious.

Also – and this may sound strange – rather tranquil. Of course, “peaceful” is not a word that we usually associate with airports.

The taxi driver Sarfaraz tells me that even at the busiest of times, there is an air of composure. Looking at this monumental structure, it’s hard to dismiss that as a xenophobic exaggeration.

There was still plenty of euphoria the day after Saraswati Puja, with plenty of young men and women on the streets dancing and singing while taking part in jovial processions.

It’s puja jubilation blended with the firebrand promises of Narendra Modi who had addressed a sea of people in Kolkata that same evening. No wonder the whole city was adorned with large posters with the bold exhortation: Brigade Cholo!

So, has the city changed a lot?

It depends on whether or not you are seeking out the new look. As for me, I wanted the old Kolkata with a slight touch of leftist idealism that is accompanied by earthen tea pots, cigarettes that cost below Rs40, street thali food featuring luchis fried in refined butter, and road-side book stores selling second-hand books and vinyl records.

Found The Beatles Abbey Road LP in store!

Don’t get me wrong here – the new Kolkata with the glitz and the razzmatazz is also welcome and much cherished. However, if you have been to this city and made an effort to get into the inner layers in the quest of a spiritual core, then the discos, lounges, and the hip hotels may not be the main attraction.

But the wise thing to do is avoid being judgmental – new cannot be appreciated without the old and vice versa!

Sarfaraz, the taxi driver who owns his Ambassador car and is mighty proud of its performance, tells me that the iconic vehicle is no longer made in West Bengal since orders have dropped sharply.

So, has the city changed a lot? It depends on whether or not you are seeking out the new look

“They are only used for government work and taxi service,” he says, unable to hide the sadness.

Can’t blame the people for choosing the new cars that have flooded the market – BMWs and Audis are common. Perhaps the Chinese formula of communism laced with frantic consumerism has secured a spot in life here.

Whatever the case, the Ambassador is still majestic – remember no one stops to take photos of the high-end cars, but when the old behemoth roars on, tourists are bound to pick up their cameras.

Kolkata is a still a city of paradoxes – with the aged buildings, trams, hand-pulled rickshaws, and ubiquitous street eateries, it looks exactly as this writer first found it in 1988.

Yet, the facade of backwardness hides the ultra modern side where latest mobile phones, top watch brands, and fashion retailers have comfortably found their social places.

Here, one can be a king for a week with $500, or can feel miserably cashstrapped on the same amount for one day – which side you want to choose is up to you.

Both sides of the spectrum will give the visitor a unique experience.

While the habit of drinking coffee is overshadowing tea consumption in Dhaka, here in Kolkata, tea houses still run strong.

There is a silent competition to be the maker of the best brew in town.

To be honest, I have not found a single place that sells sub-standard tea. Even the street stalls that sell a cup for Rs5 has made tea-making into a superior art form.

A hip place to drink great tea is the One Way Cafe in Chowringhee. But if tradition and history is what you

City of joy? are after, head for the Russel Punjabi Dhaba, also on the same street. Like I said – in this city, contrasts (the old and the new) cohabit in perfect harmony.

After finishing your drink, remember to break the earthen cup – it provides an inexplicable pleasure!

One evening, I saw a small Chinese restaurant called Ambassador by the Chowringhee Raod and decided to step in.

It was like getting into a time capsule to be taken to the 70s – an elderly man was seated behind the reception, while another veteran was working as a waiter. The interior had a very quaint decoration – the air smelt of a time lost.

The food tasted different – no, it actually tasted like the Chinese food Dhaka restaurants served in the late 70s and 80s.

There was no rush or loud music,

Bad influences? n Muhammad Eusha

P

olitical drama has been quite distracting over the last few months, and we have been so engrossed in it that many disparate events and happenings unrelated to politics have failed to attract sufficient interest.

One such incident is that of two teen lovers attempting suicide in the metropolis by trying to drown themselves.

The girl survived this lethal escapade somehow, but her lover proved the veracity of his affection for his lady with his demise. It is not unreasonable to assume that the couple attempted this foolish act realising there were too many obstacles, social or familial, to their union.

The news of this failed affair stirred the whole country momentarily, as do all spicy love stories, but the excitement subsided quickly and we turned our attention again to the nonsensical political farce, unsurprisingly failing to recognise the gravity of this hackneyed love affair.

This unfortunate incident has accidentally managed to expose, quite conspicuously, a deep social malaise that has been developing for decades now. And we have been oblivious to it.

To perceive the presence of this cancerous social disorder, we need to recognise that the principal impetus which drove those teens to commit suicide was that their understanding of life was not only sophomoric, their personal philosophy suffered from the presence of aberrantly unrealistic views.

The question that immediately arises is who or what moulded their plastic minds in such a grotesquely wrong

fashion? How were they deported to fictitious lands of fantasy away from the real world? Most importantly, how did a completely unrealistic view of relationships develop among them?

This seemingly puzzling question has a simple answer. The media, especially television, cinema, and the internet have been playing a cumulatively damaging role in obliterating moral values and replacing ethical codes with immoral and amoral principles.

The solution lies in parents comprehending the importance of guiding their offspring

The Bollywood movies have been, for decades now, portraying relationships between men and women and exaggerating the emotions involved to an appalling degree, principally focusing on the somatic aspect of it in a licentious way.

The continuously exacerbating decadence in these movies has been affecting our youth severely. The most disturbing part is that immoral acts such as extramarital affairs are delineated in a condonable fashion.

In fact, the central figures of these movies are often overtly exercising their libertine spirits. One particular number from a recent movie had a chorus line which reads: “I cannot stop flirting (with ladies) because I am

WIKIMEDIA

and the restaurant appeared more like a gastronomic sanctuary that satisfied the palate while massaging the senses.

near the Birla Planetarium.

To catch a rainbow is the objective – how much you can afford to spend

Here, one can be a king for a week with $500, or can feel miserably cash-strapped on the same amount for one day

After a hard week’s work, people like to have a few drinks here. One can either walk into a high-end pub and order Laphroaig neat or just buy a small bottle of Officer’s Choice local whiskey to add some rainbows to the weekend nights.

The place to unwind can be a plush lounge or a corner of the large field

is your matter.

Maybe I am wrong, but there was a feeling that a lot of old-fashioned values still haven’t died out in this city of joy.

Talking about joy, the city is covered in posters of a movie due to be released on Valentine’s Day. It’s called “Abhishapta Nightie” (The

cursed lingerie), and the images on the posters are surely very provoking.

For a city that has a reputation for espousing liberal thought, talking about sex is never a taboo.

A vendor at a pharmacy pointed to a newly launched condom called Skynn and said: “Niye jaan dada, bapok jinish! Skinless skin ...”

Why suppress something when it’s a fundamental need, says Sarfaraz, and adds with a wink: Last night in Kolkata, some place spicy, boss!

Well, the bottle is half full, the night has a piquant flavour and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club had just beaten Mohun Bagan by a goal to move to the IFA Shield Semis.

Relaxing in the Ambassador, I smile back and say: So ... Sarfaraz bhai ... what do you have in mind? l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

Between nations a slave to my instincts.”

An alarming part of depiction of immorality as an approvable peccadillo like this is recognised when it is considered how influential the Indian movies are in our country.

Dramas which do not have a story revolving around the relationships of men and women are hardly ever produced. Very few music videos actually bother exploring themes other than affairs and love stories.

Teenagers are naturally curious about sexuality and the opposite sex.

Since our elders and parents have lost the control and influence they once used to have over the young, our children learn about these things from Bollywood movies.

Since these movies have very little to do with reality, our youths end up learning not only wrong lessons, but things which are extremely deleterious and psychologically damaging.

Egotism, hedonism, and materialism are three things one cannot fail to learn from watching movies these days.

Most social problems are of such gargantuan magnitude in Bangladesh these days, that it often becomes impossible to think of a suitable plan of addressing them. In this case, the solution lies in parents and elders comprehending the importance of guiding their offspring.

We are all interested in turning our children into doctors and engineers, but whether they become good people or not has somehow become immaterial to us. This trend must not continue if we want to see a positive change. l Muhammad Eusha is an HVAC specialist and a DT columnist.

n M Masud Hossain Khan

D

oes the “survival of the fittest” referring to natural selection extend to the terms of international relations? Money and muscle, in other words, wealth, technology, and military power, give you the authority to put in place your terms over the world.

Do we, the world citizens, approve of the way international affairs run in this age? Is it a bad idea to claim or want a just world ensuring equal rights and opportunities for the citizens as well as nation states?

Sure, every citizen has equal rights and opportunities according to the law. My question is: Can we enjoy those rights and opportunities fully?

The superbly powerful countries extend their tentacles into other countries’ affairs. In the name of protecting human rights, democracy, and justice, they go for action against anything that they deem incorrect.

We know about the stories of invading Iraq and Afghanistan, how the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib were tortured, and also how the sovereignty of Pakistan was broken to kill Bin Laden. We also know about the continuous drone attacks in Pakistan.

Apparently, whoever has the clout can flout international laws. Shouldn’t all the countries honour and respect each other’s sovereignty?

In 2006, a 21-year-old Bangladeshi student, Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, suspected to have links with Al-Qaeda, was arrested by Secret Service agents and later handed over to the FBI after being flown to the US with the help of local police from Dhaka. Evidently, it was okay to flout domestic laws in this case.

The right to self-determination in several parts of the world is ignored.

We don’t see any prospect of resolving the issue of Kashmir in the near future.

Ultimately, the people of their respective lands are suffering. There is also the issue of flouting UN Resolutions. The comparatively powerful country wants to settle the issue bilaterally, but it’s already been more than six decades since the problem erupted.

Some are raising questions about whether or not the trial of war criminals in Bangladesh are meeting international standards. But these questions were not raised in other cases, like convicting and executing Saddam Hussein.

the minority population in different countries are often ignored. The UN could be employed to monitor and help resolve the issue, and the respective state or authority may be tried by the International Court of Justice or by the International Criminal Court if it fails to uphold their rights.

With regard to the disputes on land boundary, new islands, or sea shores, the UN should interfere if the parties concerned fail to resolve the respective issue by themselves. It is necessary that the UN System works neutrally, giving equal rights and privileges to all the member states.

There should not be any permanent seat in the Security Council. All the 15 Security Council seats should be filled

The superbly powerful countries extend their tentacles into other countries’ affairs in the name of protecting human rights To maintain equality in the world, key international institutions can play leading roles. So, they should be made free from the influence of any state.

These institutions should be endorsed by every UN member state. Chiefs of the international institutions should not be recruited only from the few most powerful countries.

The issue of surveillance by a couple of countries is another example of intruding into the internal affairs of others, disrespecting privacy and freedom – the things they claim to fight for themselves.

Equal rights and opportunities to

either by voting or rotationally by the member states.

Now is the time to make the UN system more democratic to establish justice, freedom, and equal opportunity to everyone. All the important international crises, including those that cannot be resolved bilaterally, may be brokered by the UN. We want to see the UN playing that role. It is necessary to restore the confidence of the member states in the UN. l M Masud Hossain Khan works at a technical institute in Dhaka.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Monday, February 10, 2014

DHAKA ART SUMMIT

With vibrant performances, five exhibitions curated by local and international curators, 14 solo art projects, a city-wide public art project participations of over 250 artists and thousands of art lovers, the second edition of Dhaka Art Summit ended yesterday amidst huge enthusiasm.

The venues of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy became a rendezvous of art enthusiasts during the three-day event. Focusing on South Asia and its happening contemporary art scene, the DAS proved to be one of the biggest platforms for experimental artists all across the region PHOTOS: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN, QUAMRUL ABEDIN

Ayesha Sultana wins Samdani Art Award n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Gifted artist Ayesha Sultana received the Samdani Art Award 2014 at the award giving ceremony held at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel on Friday. Samdani Art Foundation, in collaboration with the UK-based Delfina Foundation, has introduced the award in the second edition of the Dhaka Art Summit 2014.

As the recipient of the award, the artist is to attend a three-month residency programme at the Delfina Foundation in the UK, where she will work and exhibit her work.

Earlier, portfolios of 75 artists were sent to the international jury board at Delfina, wherefrom they short-listed ten artists and ultimately declared Ayesha the winner.

The international jury for the award included noted personalities in art and culture like Aaron Cezar (Founding Director, The Delfina Foundation, UK), Eungie Joo (Director of Art and Cultural Programmes, Instituto Inhotim, Brazil), Jessica Morgan (Curator, Tate Modern, UK), Sandhini Poddar (Adjunct curator, Solomon R Guggenheim Museum, New York) and Pooja Sood (Director, Khoj International Artists’ Association, India).

Ayesha, who earned her fine arts degrees from Lahore National University, is passionate about the varied genres of fine arts including painting, drawing, sculpture and sound installation. Dhaka Tribune caught up with the artist about her work:

Tell us about the concept and context of your artwork on display at the Dhaka Art Summit 2014.

My artwork is exhibited in two parts at the DAS: B/Desh and Samdani Art Award Exhibition. In B/Desh Art Exhibition, I have five drawings that are from different series of artworks. All the pieces are done on papers and on photograph. Other elements and dimensions of my works are exposing, cutting, slicing and crushing the papers.

The three pieces at the Samdani Art Award show are extensions of my ongoing art series. The first three pieces in of the series are done on velvet with threads. To portray my thoughts, I scripted some texts on the velvet. The texts are collected from the various journals which are about certain situation of my life and certain feelings.

57th birth

The 57th birth anniversary of prominent theatre activist, actor and director, late Khaled Khan was celebrated at Bokultola of the University of Dhaka at 7am yesterday. The programme was a lively affair with his friends, family, colleagues and comrades from the theatre arena, reminiscing their memories of the vibrant personality, who was nicknamed Juboraj. The programme was titled Juboraj Joyonti.

Moniruzzaman opened the programme with a melodious soft tune of the flute that put a rather serious tone in the occasion. It was followed by a fine composition of Bharatnatyam on Kanna Hashir Dol Dolano Poush Faguner Pala by Dhrupad Kalakendra, the performance added more life to the programme. Owning a remarkable and flamboyant personality, Khaled Khan lead an eventful life and fought like a valiant prince, just as his nickname suggests and the celebrations were inspired by his jest for life.

Eminent cultural activist Ramendu Majumdar presented a speech, high-

Khaled Khan’s wife eminent Tagore singer Mita Haque and her students present chorus song at the programme QUAMRUL ABEDIN lighting the contributions of the late artist. Veteran Nazrul exponent and freedom fighter Rafiqul Islam remembered their golden time in the sphere of art, culture and the university.

Nagarik Natya Sampraday presented a special piece dedicated to Khaled Khan from Roktokorobi. Khaled Khan’s last performance as a theatre actor was from this very play, where he acted out the role of Bishu Pagla and his singing ability held the audience captivated throughout his performance.

Led by Khaled Khan’s wife eminent singer Mita Haque, her students and a few of Khan’s family members also remembered him with the timeless songs of Tagore including Ore Ore Ore Amar Mon, Tumi Dak Deyechho Kon Shokale, Tumi Dure Kothao, Tumi Je Cheye Achho, Tomar Haway Haway, Rangiye Diye jao and many others.

Shonchoyeta Dutta presented Tumi Dao Go Dao More, Ilora Ahmed sang Amar Aponar Cheye Apon Je Jon and Sharmin Shathi Islam presented Jegechhe Papiya, the programme concluded with an en-

chanting performance of Vojon Khepa’s Helay Helay Din Boye Jay. There was pin drop silence from the beginning of the presentation till its end, which showcased the inspirations left behind by the legend.

Khaled Khan started his career in theatre as a member of Nagarik Natya Sampradaya in 1975. His television debut was Shirighor on Bangladesh Television in 1981. He acted in many popular dramas and his notable works are Shokal Shondha, Eishob Din Ratri, Roopnagar, Lohar Churi and many others. Rupnagar, a drama that aired in 1993, is still remembered by people for his famous dialogue, “Chi chi, tumi eto kharap”?

He appeared in more than 30 plays throughout his career as an actor.

His notable plays are Dewan Gazi’r Kissa, Irsha, Ocholayotan, Nuroldiner Sarajibon, Darpan, Galileo and Roktokorobi among others. He directed more than 10 theatre plays. Some of his noteworthy plays are- Muktodhara written by Tagore, Putul Khela and Master Builder written by Ibsen, and Khudhito Pashan based on the Tagore short story. l

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Who is your role model?

I have admired by many great artists, but my role models of the artistic world are mostly dead.

One of them is Spanish painter Francisco Goya.

Tell us about your future plans

My first solo art exhibition is going to be showcased at the Bengal Art Lounge. I am working on it at the moment. l

Artist Ayesha Sultana

SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

anniversary

n Afrose Jahan Chaity

I acquire inspiration from every forms of art like literature, music, film, old buildings and others. My drawings are like architecture specimen, but it’s not architecture. Even Dhaka was an inspiration on my sound art.

Protest songs presented at TSC remembering Moloy

Khaled Khan’s

celebrated

What were the inspirations behind your artistic endeavours?

Bojhena Shey Bojhena Bade Achhe Lagte Hain

The Middle

Suburgatory

A musical show titled Aamar Moloyer Gaan was held at Raju Bhaskarja, TSC of Dhaka University yesterday. The programme was a tribute to late cultural activist Subrata Dey Moloy. With the presence of fellows and admirers of Moloy, a total of eleven bands and solo musicians filled the ambience with harmonic reverberation to a capacity audience.

Solo musicians included Kaafil Ahmed, Arifuzzaman Tuhin and Jahid Sai performed at the event, along with bands and musical troupes such as Bibek, Gaanpoka, Biscuit, Surjasarothi, Chitkar, Udichi, Cultural Union and Onnosor.

The musical show started with two protest songs by Arifuzzaman Tuhin.

One of the songs by Tuhin is focused on Savar tragedy, while another song’s theme was, the protests on Rampal Power Plant in Sundarbans. After a while, Jahid Sai took to the stage with his vibrant folk performance.

Band Surjasarothi played three

A band perform paying tribute to Moloy at TSC on Saturday songs written by Subrata Dey Moloy which were Surjasarothi, Jibon Nodi and Bhanga Chalai Hawa Ase. The band’s concept of music and lyrics are highly inspired by Subrata Dey Moloy.

Kafil Ahmed, country’s eminent protest musician played two of his popular songs in the concert, honouring the memory of the late cultural activist.

QUAMRUL ABEDIN

Subrata Dey Moloy, an alumni of University of Dhaka, was an active protester against terrorism, communal attacks and fanaticism. He died in a road accident on February 8, 2011 at Cox’s Bazar town as a speeding truck hit his motorcycle. He was a poet, lyricist, cultural and political activist and a well-maintained organiser. l

Sohini and band perform today at EMK Center n Entertainment Desk Sohini Alam and her band The Larelappas will perform this evening at the EMK Center in Dhanmondi.

Sohini is a British vocalist of Bangladeshi descent whose musical repertoire includes folk, patriotic, modern and traditional Bengali songs with a specialisation in Nazrul Sangeet. She has branched out into multi-lingual music in bands, for dance, and for theatre. The third generation of singer in her family, Sohini trained in music with her mother, Hiron Alam and her aunts, Jannat Ara and Ferdous Ara. Sohini is also the lead vocalist for Khiyo and for Kishon Khan’s Afro-Cuban-Bengali jazz band, Lokkhi Terra. She is a founding member of Komola Collective and has been acclaimed for her work with Tara Theatre in London. l

Did you know?

This is their 10th defeat for India in last 11 away Tests, since the beginning of the tour to England in 2011. In the same period, they have a 11-2 win-loss record at home

Sport

Monday, February 10, 2014

0 3 4

14 New Zealand

DAYS TO GO

snare 40-run win over India

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Cairns demands

to see match fixing evidence

Nazmul promises benefits BCB president returns to from Singapore n Minhazuddin Khan Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan assured that the latest revamps of the International Cricket Council will be financially benefit Bangladesh. The BCB president returned from Singapore yesterday after attending the crucial ICC meeting.

The BCB boss indicated that the changes will help the BCB’s financial situation. “I assure that the amount of financial assistance from ICC will double in the next eight years in comparison to we have received in the last eight years. The changes will be financially convenient for Bangladesh, the funds will increase,” said Nazmul.

Focusing upon playing Tests more frequently, Nazmul said he has already penned a deal with India, the frontrunner of the “Big Three”.

“Sincerely, I am saying I have penned

Shirin on top n Shishir Haque

Reigning champion Sharmin Sultana Shirin won her third game in a row and tops the Sultana Kamal 34th National Women Chess Championship-2014 points table after beating Samiha Sharmin Shimmi in the 3rd round at the chess federation hallroom yesterday.

Shirin has a maximum three points after the 3rd round, while WFM Zakia Sultana lies in second place 2.5 points after beating Kiswara Shajrin Evana yesterday.

In the day’s other games, WIM Shamima Akter Liza defeated Hamida Rahman, WIM Rani Hamid drew with WFM Nazrana Khan Eva and WFM Tanima Parveen drew with Dilara Jahan Nupur. l

a deal with India about their arrival here in 2015 and Bangladesh will go to India to play a Test series in the August or September of 2016. India will also play another series after that,” he said.

Bangladesh’s Test status is secure and there was nothing to worry about as far as relegation was concerned He also that all full members will enter into a series of contractually binding bi-lateral agreements as a matter of urgency so that they can confirm a comprehensive schedule of matches in a Future Tours Programme that is ex-

tended to 2023.

“Australia has also morally agreed to play Test series though it is on paper and ink. England has also assured to honour the FTP and said they will enhance the ratio of exchange of tours,” claimed the BCB president, adding Bangladesh’s Test status is secure and there was nothing to worry about as far as relegation was concerned.

Speaking of Tamim Iqbal resigning as vice-captain, Nazmul said, “I have heard the news while I was away at Singapore, it did not feel right to deal with the matter from abroad.

As I was scheduled to arrive home today, I thought I better talk to him after reaching the country. I will look after the matter and decide whether it will be accepted or not. I also want to say Mashrafe was a former captain and he was handed the leadership with a view to pulling the best out of him.” l

Abahani held to a draw n Shishir Hoque A late equalizer by Chittagong Abahani forward Md Sohel Mia saw his team hold Bangladesh Premier League leaders Abahani Limited to a 1-1 draw at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday, after the Dhaka outfit had led for most of the match courtesy of an early goal by Cameroonian striker Ekele.

The traditional Sky-Blues went into the game against bottom placed Chittagong Abahani three points clear of Mohammedan at the top of the table.

The draw saw Chittagong Abahani

move ahead of Feni Soccer Club.

Abahani dominated the game from the outset and retained control of the ball throughout but were unable to convert that into goals. The leaders’ forward line was weakened by the absence of star striker Osei Morrison, who was injured.

Morrison’s replacement, Ekele Patrick, gave the Sky Blues the lead in the 10th minute when the Cameroonian coolly placed Awudu Ibrahim’s lovely cross into the net. At the half-hour mark, Towhidul Alam’s effort was saved by Chittagong Abahani goalie Nahid Uddin. Five minutes later Awudu Ibrahim’s angled shot missed the target.

Abahani had two good chances

in the 81st and 82nd minutes of the match. First, Arman Aziz’s header was punched away by goalkeeper Nahid and a minute later, Atiqur Rahman Meshu’s cross from the right wing was headed into the post by Abdul Baten Komol.

Chittagong Abahani by contrast, made the most of their late chance. A short pass from Javed Khan in the 85th minute found Sohel in a comfortable position inside the box and the forward slotted the ball through the goalkeepers legs to make the score 1-1.

Abahani nonetheless retain their position at the top with 18 points from eight games, while Chittagong Abahani moved to ninth place with five points from nine games. l

Tamim resigns vice-captaincy n Mazhar Uddin from Chittagong It was quite an eventful day in Chittagong after Bangladesh managed to draw the second Test against Sri Lanka as Tamim Iqbal resigned as vice-captain and coach Shane Jurgensen was furious with the media for showing up to an unofficial practice session yesterday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Tamim posted a status on his official facebook account at 11:45am, which read - “#BREAKING: Tamim Iqbal resigns from vice-captaincy. He says that he wants to concentrate on his batting.”

The left-hander confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune. “I wanted to concentrate on my batting first. I have already informed BCB about my decision,” he said, adding that he was unhappy with his performances against Sri Lanka.

Tamim, Bangladesh’s star opening batsmen returned scores of 6, 11, 0 and 31 in his four innings in the Test series.

The chairman of the BCB Cricket Operations Akram Khan verified Tamim’s decision to quit as vice-captain, “Yes Tamim informed me about his decision and we are waiting for the BCB president Nazmul Hasan who will take the decision,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh coach Shane Jurgensen, who had announced on Saturday that there would be no practice session on Sunday (yesterday), was furious with the press for coming to the ground while he was running a practice session with six players.

Jurgensen as well as the players, refused to talk with the press and it was learnt that they were under instructions from the team management in so doing. l

Abahani and Usha share title n Raihan Mahmood

Abahani players celebrate a strike of Pushkor Khisha Mimo (no. 10) at the hockey stadium yesterday

COURTESY

Overruling the by-laws of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League, the league committee of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation declared Usha and Abahani joint champions after Abahani beat Usha 3-0 in the last match of the Super Four phase at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

With two powerhouses of the local hockey arena Mohammedan and Mariner Young’s not playing in the league, the two title contender league virtually finished on another off-colour situation.

The by-laws approved by the seven participant clubs categorically said the title will be decided through a play-off subject to the equal points of the two teams. Both Usha and Abahani finished on the same 24 points after playing nine matches each respectively. Usha beat Abahani 2-0 in the last match of the first league and Abahani took revenge yesterday with the convincing

It was a good and bad experience for the Bangladesh side in the two match Test series which ended on Saturday after the home side lost the first Test by a huge innings and 248 runs but came back to draw the second by batting out the last day.

Bangladesh batted badly in the first Test and poor shot selection saw them bundled out for 232 in the first innings. They were furthermore made to struggle by a barrage of bouncers from Suranga Lakmal and Shaminda Eranga, who took 11 of the 20 Bangladesh wickets to fall in the match.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan batsmen thrived to a huge total of 730, with maestro Mahela Jayawardene smashing 203 and opener Kaushal Silva scoring his maiden Test century, courtesy of Bangladesh’s horrible catching.

Bangladesh’s batting did not improve in the second innings as the batsmen continued with their poor shot selection and were in a hurry to finish the match in four days. The only notable performance was Shakib al Hasan’s half centu-

The second Test came on the Tigers’ lucky ground in Chittagong but the team selection for the match raised eyebrows ry in the first innings and three wickets, but irresponsible batting and unnecessary shots remained a big concern.

The second Test came on the Tigers’ lucky ground in Chittagong but the team selection for the match raised eyebrows, as Bangladesh chose just one

pace bowler. In the event, the Test saw history written by the greatest batsman in world cricket, Kumar Sangakkara.

The left hander broke many records and reached many milestones when he smashed his first triple hundred, followed by a hundred in the second innings – as only Graham Gooch had done before. In the first innings, Sri Lanka posted 587, despite Shakib’s 11th five-wicket haul.

The Tigers replied adequately this time with Shamsur Rahman scoring his maiden hundred and Imrul Kayes, who was returning to the national fold after two years, also making a ton to lead Bangladesh to 426. For Sri Lanka, Ajantha Mendis, who was returning to the side after a year, took six wickets in the innings.

Sri Lanka posted another 305 runs in the second innings. Vice-captain Dinesh Chandimal smashed his third century -

ward Pushkor Khisha Mimo led the offence. Moreover their custodian Ashim Gope produced some brilliant saves, particularly the penalty corners, which put Abahani on the top.

Usha on the other hand saw their drag and flick specialist Mamunur Rahman Chayan fail to convert six penalty corners and Jahid bin Talib miss two easy chances. Usha came to the match leading by three points and a draw would have seen them become champions but they failed to rise on the occasion.

Kashif Ali put Abahani ahead in the 7th minute after Musa Mia and Amir Shezad paved the way for his drag off the very first penalty corner. It was Mimo who scored two spectacular goals in the 65th and 69th minutes. On the first occasion, Mimo flicked a power hit of Pakistani midfielder Md. Tousiq at the top of the net and in the second, he went past Chayan before unleashing a fierce diagonal reverse hit past Usha’s Pakistani goalie Imran Butt. l

Shamsur pleads guilty

Series ends in Tigers rising n Mazhar Uddin from Chittagong

3-0 victory.

However both the teams urged the federation to defer the play-off for one day and to hold it on Tuesday instead of Monday. They also pointed out that they are not in a position to play the match under the local umpires. It would be mentionable that two Malaysian umpires Anbaamba and Nurus Shami bin Sari conducted the match efficiently. Both the umpires are scheduled to fly home today. The league committee sat in an emergency meeting to reach a conclusion and with the consent of the two teams, declared them joint champions.

In the match, it was Abahani who were visibly the better outfit of the day as teamwork made all the difference.

All the departments of Abahani performed better in comparison. They also had their leading men in the respective departments as Pakistani Kashif Ali led the defence, another Pakistani Amir Shehzad and local youngster Romman Sarker in the midfield and national for-

all against the same side - as the visitors set a target of 467 for the Tigers.

It was a test of temperament and discipline for the home side on the turning wicket as they went into the last day with the goal of surviving and drawing the match. Almost every batsman showed some temperament and calmness, especially the newest sensation in the batting line Mominul Haque, who brought up his third hundred in only his seventh Test. With Mominul and Shakib at the crease, the visitors asked for play to be called off half an hour early and the match was drawn.

The home side’s gutsy performance to save the match under pressure is a positive sign for Bangladesh cricket, while the batsmen might have learnt something from the batting genius Kumar Sangakkara, who showed why he has been the best batsman in the Test arena for a long time. l

n Mazhar Uddin from Chittagong Bangladesh’s opener Shamsur Rahman has been officially reprimanded after pleading guilty to a charge of making inappropriate comments about an umpiring decision at a media conference held after the third day’s play (Thursday) during the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong.

Shamsur was found to have breached Article 2.1.7, which relates to public criticism of or inappropriate comment in relation to, an incident occurring in an International Match or any Player, Player Support Personnel, Match official or team participating in any International Match.

On Friday evening, Shamsur admitted the offence and accepted the proposed sanction offered to him by David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees. As such, there was no need for a formal hearing.

The range of permissible sanctions for all first Level 1 offences is a warning or reprimand and/or the imposition of a fine of up to 50% of the applicable match fee.

The right hander batsman criticised the umpire Paul Reiffel’s decision to give Nasir Hossain out caught behind.

Replays showed clearly that Nasir had not made contact with the ball. Earlier, Bangladesh’s coach Shane Jurgensen had also complained about the decision and stated that the Tigers had been suffering from bad umpiring for the last two years. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Britain corrects WC hooligan blunder The British government has corrected a blunder in which it barred 2,500 of England’s most notorious football hooligans from just the opening day of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a newspaper said Sunday. Police Minister Damian Green signed a legal document that would have left them “free to cause mayhem”, The Mail on Sunday said, had one of his team not later spotted the error.

The statutory instrument forces known hooligans to surrender their passports between certain dates.

–AFP

Sport

Monday, February 10, 2014

Pellegrini blames City stalemate

Woods’ niece wins Australian Masters

Manuel Pellegrini insists Manchester City’s failure to regain first place in the Premier League is hardly surprising after his squad was ravaged by injuries to several key players. City would have finished the weekend in first place had they beaten Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday, but instead dropped to third after settling for a point from a frustrating 0-0 draw. That meant they failed to overtake Arsenal, who had lost 5-1 at Liverpool earlier in the day, and were passed by new leaders Chelsea, who beat Newcastle 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

–AFP

Tiger Woods’ niece stepped out of her superstar uncle’s shadow on Sunday by winning the biggest tournament of her career at the Australian Ladies Masters. Cheyenne Woods, who is the daughter of Tiger’s half-brother Earl Dennison Woods, held off a strong challenge by Australian amateur Minjee Lee (278) to card a final-round four-under-par 69 and complete a 16-under 276 total for victory. Sunday’s victory on the Ladies European Tour at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast was easily her most significant so far.

–AFP

No more horses, Man City are Jaguar in title race: Mourinho

SCORECARD, DAY 4 New Zealand 1st innings 503 McCullum 224, Williamson 113, Anderson 77; Sharma 6-134, Khan 2-132

India 1st innings 202 R. Sharma 72; N. Wagner 4-64, T. Southee 3-38, T. Boult 3-38

New Zealand 2nd innings 105 Taylor 41; Sharma 3-28, Shami 3-37

Manchester City are still favourites to win the Premier League and are the “Jaguar” car in the title race, according to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Despite watching his side move to the top of the table with a 3-0 home win over Newcastle United on Saturday, Mourinho said Chelsea’s only aim was to qualify for the Champions League.

“It’s time to kill (talk of) the horses,” Mourinho, who described his team as a “little horse” in the title race after beating City on Monday, told the BBC. “Manchester City is a Jaguar. You cannot put an L-plate behind a Jaguar. We are what we are and we know where we want to go and this season we only have one objective, which is to finish top four.”

“We are happy with what we are doing and at this moment in time we are top,” he said. “That is great, but we want to play well and improve and that is it.

“I want to secure a Champions League position and the further we are from fifth place, then we can begin to think about other things. For now, my concern is increasing the gap between ourselves and fifth.” l

India 2nd Innings (Overnight 87-1) M. Vijay c Watling b Southee S. Dhawan c Watling b Wagner C. Pujara c Watling b Southee V. Kohli c Watling b Wagner R. Sharma c Watling b Southee A. Rahane lbw Boult M. Dhoni b Wagner R. Jadeja c Sodhi b Boult Z. Khan c Taylor b Wagner I. Sharma c Watling b Boult M. Shami not out Extras (b12, lb7, w2, nb4) Total (all out; 96.3 overs)

13 115 23 67 19 18 39 26 17 4 0 25 366

Fall of wickets 1-36 (Vijay), 2-96 (Pujara), 3-222 (Kohli), 4-248 (Dhawan), 5-268 (Rahane), 6-270 (R. Sharma), 7-324 (Jadeja), 8-349 (Khan), 9-362 (Dhoni), 10-366 (Sharma) Bowling Boult 23.3-2-86-3 (2nb), Southee 23-4-81-3, Wagner 25-8-62-4 (2nb), Anderson 7-1-22-0 (2w), Sodhi 15-2-780, Williamson 3-0-18-0 Result New Zealand by 40 runs

New Zealand players celebrate after picking the last wicket of India during Day 4 of their first Test at Eden Park yesterday

New Zealand snare 40-run win over India Neil Wagner was the toast of New Zealand Sunday as they pulled off a dramatic 40-run win in the first Test against India at Eden Park.

Wagner, New Zealand’s go-to man, twice turned the game with quick wickets to wrest control away from India in a match that see-sawed throughout.

New Zealand, with innings of 503 and 105, had set India (first innings 202) a winning target of 407 and had them all out for 366.

On a riveting fourth day of the David and Goliath clash between the eighthranked New Zealand and secondranked India, the outcome was settled in the final session when India lost their last five wickets for 98 runs.

Wagner made the crucial breakthroughs, earning high praise from captain Brendon McCullum whose own double-century provided the backbone of New Zealand’s huge first innings.

At tea on Sunday, with four sessions remaining, India needed 137 to win while New Zealand needed five wickets.

As the target narrowed and wickets fell, rival skippers McCullum and Mahendra Singh Dhoni were forced to rethink their strategies.

When the first over after tea saw the removal of Rohit Sharma for 19, India opted to go on all-out attack.

Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja belted 54 in under seven overs in what Dhoni described as deliberate “risky cricket” to put pressure on New Zealand.

But the gamble did not pay off. Boult

ended their slogfest by sending Jadeja packing for a rapid 26 off 21 deliveries.

Zaheer Khan joined Dhoni in a 25run stand, forcing McCullum to spell his senior bowler Southee and go back to Wagner. He instantly broke the partnership to reduce India to 349-8.

With Dhoni left to try to get his side home Wagner struck again, bowling the Indian captain for 39. Boult ended the innings when Ishant Sharma was caught behind for four.

The dismissal gave B.J. Watling his sixth catch of the innings, a world record fourth innings performance by a wicketkeeper. He equalled McCullum’s New Zealand record of nine for the match.

Wagner ended the innings with four for 62 while Southee and Boult took three apiece. l

Hamburg’s stars pelted by fans after record defeat Hamburg players had missiles hurled at them by the team’s fans after the club’s 3-0 defeat by Hertha Berlin which heaped further pressure on embattled coach Bert van Marwijk.

Hamburg’s defeat on Saturday was a club record sixth straight Bundesliga loss leaving the former European champions second from bottom of the league.

A group of players, including captain Rafael van der Vaart, were pelted with eggs, beer cups and lighters when they went to talk to angry fans outside Hamburg’s Imtech Arena on Saturday night.

A group of 250 fans, shouting “fucking millionaires”, attacked the players’ luxury sports cars and had to be beaten back by police with batons and pepper spray. l

Lille snap drought Champions League hopefuls Lille snapped a five match winless run on Saturday as they beat lowly Sochaux 2-0, while Marseille helped their European prospects by easing past Bastia 3-0 in Ligue 1.

Eighteen-year-old Divock Origi stabbed home amidst a goalmouth scramble after just three minutes at the Stade Pierre Mauroy before Ryan Mendes added a second goal in second-half stoppage time to strengthen Lille’s grip on third place. For Origi it was his first goal since the opening weekend of the season, while Cape Verde striker Mendes rounded off a clinical counterattack to belatedly get his campaign up and running as Rene Girard’s men moved three points clear of Saint-Etienne.

Earlier, Marseille gave their European aspirations a timely boost as they cruised to a 3-0 home win over Bastia.

Dimitri Payet struck twice in the first half before Andre-Pierre Gignac added his 11th of the campaign after the break to keep Marseille fifth, five points adrift of Lille. l

RESULTS Marseille

3 0

Ajaccio

3 1

Guingamp

1 2

Lille

2 0

Montpellier

1 1

Valenciennes

2 1

Payet 13, 25, Gignac 55 Faty 18, Andre 37, Cavalli 77 Alioui 62

Origi 3, Mendes Da Graca 90+3 Cabella 44

Doumbia 26, Waris 88

Bastia

Rennes

Doucoure 33

Reims

Fortes 69, Ayite 72

Sochaux

Evian TG

Berigaud 32

Nice

Maupay 75

Bale on target as Real go top, Atletico lose

Real Madrid's forward Jese (L) scores past Villarreal's goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo (R) during their La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on Saturday AFP

Gareth Bale compensated for the absence of the suspended Cristiano Ronaldo with a goal and an assist as Real Madrid went top of La Liga with a 4-2 win over Villarreal, whilst Atletico Madrid lost 2-0 at Almeria on Saturday.

The Welshman took advantage of an error from Chechu Dorado to chip home the opener before setting up Karim Benzema to put Madrid on the road to victory.

A wonder strike from Villarreal rightback Mario Gaspar gave Villarreal hope before half-time, but the in-form Jese Rodriguez made it 3-1 just after the hour mark with a lovely deft finish.

Giovani Dos Santos’ free-kick halved

the deficit once more before Benzema’s second of the game sealed the points 15 minutes from time.

Los Blancos are now ahead of Atletico on goal difference after they lost

RESULTS Valencia

5 0

Rayo Vallecano

4 1

Real Madrid

4 2

Almeria

2 0

Mathieu 41, Alcacer 44, 68, Feghouli 62, Vargas 79

Falque 26, 63, Arbilla 28, Larrivey 45-P Bale 7, Benzema 24, 75, Jese 63 Verza 80, 86-P

Real Betis

Malaga

Iakovenko 71

Villarreal

Mario 42, Dos Santos 69

Atletico Madrid

for just the second time in the league this season as two late goals from Verza handed relegation threatened Almeria an unlikely win.

Atletico were dealt an early blow as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois missed out due to injury and the Belgian’s absence was to prove vital as his deputy Daniel Aranzubia endured a nightmare evening.

After a keenly contested first-half short on clear-cut chances, Atletico had started the second period strong as Diego Ribas flashed a shot just wide.

Things got even worse for the former Deportivo la Coruna keeper six minutes later when he was harshly adjudged to have brought down Jonathan Zongo inside the area and was shown a red card.

Having made all three substitutions, midfielder Gabi had to go in goal and

Verza converted from the spot with ease. It was a far happier evening for Real at the Santiago Bernabeu and boss Carlo Ancelotti hailed Bale’s contribution in Ronaldo’s absence.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man turned provider 14 minutes later with a right-footed cross that Benzema stabbed home at the near post.

Jese did get the third goal for the hosts when he nudged the ball past Asenjo with the outside of his right foot for his fourth goal in as many games from Di Maria’s through ball.

However, Real definitively sewed the game up when a flowing counterattack involved Sergio Ramos, Jese and Benzema ended with the Frenchman side-footing home his 15th goal of the season. l

Mayer storms to downhill title, Russia eye first gold Austria’s Matthias Mayer stormed to gold in the Winter Olympics men’s downhill Sunday as Russia eyed a first medal and tried to solve the problem of empty seats at its $50 billion showpiece.

Mayer, 23, clocked 2min 06.23sec down the 3.5km-long course at Rosa Khutor, high above the Black Sea, for the first Austrian downhill gold since Fritz Stroebl at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

Mayer also bettered his father Helmut’s silver-medal showing in the

super-G at the Calgary Games in 1998.

Italian Christof Innerhofer took silver at just six-hundredths of a second behind while Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud claimed bronze a further 0.04sec adrift.

World downhill champion Aksel Lund Svindal was fourth while another strong favourite, Bode Miller of the United States, was a disappointing eighth.

Hosts Russia were fighting on two fronts -- looking for a first medal to ease the huge burden of expectation and to get spectators to the compactly placed venues in time for events.

Organisers said they had sold 92 percent of the tickets available for the

first day of medal competition on Saturday but admitted thousands had not made it on time.

She also admitted that “we had some problems due to the Russian mentality of arriving as close as possible to the start of an event and never in advance”.

Russian Plushenko chases second gold Later Sunday, Russia could win their first gold in the figure skating team competition.

Fittingly, veteran Russian star Yevgeny Plushenko, 31, can help seal his second Olympic gold after 2006 when he performs in the men’s free skating, with the women’s and ice dancing

events also scheduled.

Finland’s Enni Rukajarvi was second while Jenny Jones took third to give Britain its first ever Olympic medal on snow. Switzerland’s Dario Cologna powered to victory in the men’s Nordic skiathlon, hanging on for the second Olympic gold of his career.

Cologna finished in 1hr 08min 15.4sec ahead of Marcus Hellner of Sweden with Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway claiming bronze.

Switzerland’s Simon Ammann, the 2002 and 2010 double Olympic champion, will aim to become the first ski jumper to win five gold medals when the normal hill final is staged. l

Italy players celebrate their victory over Russia at the end of the 9th European Futsal Championships final, in Antwerp, on Saturday AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Monday, February 10, 2014

Cairns demands to see match fixing evidence

QUICK BYTES

'Pietersen lost England’s trust' Kevin Pietersen’s England career was ended because of a total loss of trust between him and the team’s management, according to former captain Andrew Strauss. The England and Wales Cricket Broad (ECB) announced the end of Pietersen’s association with England earlier this week, citing a need for a new “team ethic and philosophy” after the 5-0 Test series defeat in Australia. The ECB is yet to fully explain its reasons for deciding to jettison Pietersen, but Strauss believes it was the inevitable consequence of a breakdown in trust. “Without trust, the team environment is stillborn,” he wrote in British newspaper the Sunday Times. “It is for this reason that Kevin Pietersen’s international career had to be brought to an end. “The media have been searching for a ‘smoking gun’. Everyone is looking for disciplinary problems, bust-ups and character clashes, but they are looking for the wrong thing.

–AFP

Rodgers cools title talk after Liverpool rout Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers remains insistent that his team cannot win the Premier League despite apparent evidence to the contrary in their stunning 5-1 victory over former leaders Arsenal. The Anfield side raced into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes of Saturday’s game; the start of an outstanding performance that hauled Liverpool to within six points of the league summit. Earlier in the week, Rodgers had claimed a top-four finish – and Champions League football next season – was his side’s only realistic goal, and he clung to his position after the game. “Yes,” said Rodgers, when asked if he still believed Liverpool were incapable of ending a 24-year wait for a league title. “You only need to look at our squad – that’s an indication. “We’ve been outstanding for a big part of the season. In the main, the consistency and quality of our game has been incredible and the objective has always been to finish as high as we possibly can.

–AFP

Coetzee gets maiden win in Joburg South Africa’s George Coetzee claimed his first European Tour title, winning the $1.77m Joburg Open at the Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on Sunday by three shots.

Coetzee, who started the final round fours shots off the lead, closed with a 66 for a 19-under winning total. Three shots back and in a share for second place were Justin Walters of South Africa (73) Tyrrell Hatton of England (66) and South Korean Jeong Jin (71).

Coetzee, who had finished in the top 10 on the European tour on 24 previous occasions, said he was “lost for words”.

“I’ve been waiting a while and I started doubting, so I am very happy,” he said.

“I get to share this with my family and friends and my caddy. “It was my mum’s birthday yesterday and I wanted to win it for her because I forgot to get her a present.” The win also qualifies Coetzee for the British Open at Hoylake in July.

–AFP

Mills scores 32 to spark Spurs over Bobcats Australian guard Patty Mills came off the San Antonio bench to score a game-high 32 points and lift the Spurs over Charlotte 104-100 in an NBA game Saturday. The 25-year-old from Canberra made 10-of-13 shots from the field, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, and sank 8-of-9 from the free throw line while also contributing seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Mills rescued the Spurs on a night when their starters struggled to find their shooting touch. French guard Tony Parker went 3-of-13 and scored only nine points, while countryman Boris Diaw had 13 points and French reserve guard Nando de Colo added 15 points. Spurs big man Tim Duncan had 16 points and 13 rebounds but made only 6-of-13 from the floor. In all, San Antonio starters went 18-of-48 from the floor. Charlotte center Al Jefferson had 26 points and nine rebounds, while Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson added 23 points in a losing cause.

–AFP

Fulham's Darren Bent (C) heads to score against Manchester United during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England, yesterday

Fulham punish United, Tottenham go fifth n AFP, London Darren Bent scored a dramatic 94th-minute equaliser as the Premier League’s bottom club Fulham undermined Manchester United’s Champions League hopes in a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Fulham had taken a shock lead through Steve Sidwell in the 19th minute, but quick-fire goals from Robin van Persie and Michael Carrick in the final 12 minutes appeared to have set United on course for victory.

There was one final twist in the tale, however, as deep into stoppage time David de Gea could only push a Kieran Richardson shot into the air and Bent nodded in the rebound to earn Fulham a vital point.

The draw left United nine points adrift of Liverpool, who occupy the fourth and

final Champions League place, while Fulham inched to within four points of safety at the foot of the table.

As Fulham attacked down the left, Sidwell drifted into the box undetected and when Lewis Holtby picked him out with a lofted pass, the former Chelsea midfielder slid in to tuck a side-foot volley past De Gea. United manager David Moyes introduced Adnan Januzaj, Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez as United laid siege to the visitors’ goal and the pressure finally told in the 78th minute when Van Persie tucked in a volleyed cross from Juan Mata.

Less than two minutes later the turnaround was complete as Carrick beat Stekelenburg with a deflected shot from the edge of the box.

Moyes celebrated with scarcely disguised relief, but in the penultimate

RESULTS

Man United

2 2

Tottenham Hotspur

1 0

Van Persie 78, Carrick 80 Adebayor 65

Fulham

Sidwell 19, Bent 90+4

Everton

United now find themselves six points behind fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur, who stole a march on Everton with a 1-0 victory over their Champions League qualification rivals at White Hart Lane.

Emmanuel Adebayor settled the game in the 65th minute, chesting down a quick free-kick from Kyle Walker and resisting the attentions of Seamus Coleman before drilling a low shot past Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard. l

Verona forward Juan Gomez came off the bench to level late and secure a 2-2 draw at home to Juventus as the champions spurned the chance to extend their lead on misfiring Roma on Sunday.

Roma were away to Lazio in the city derby only four days after a 3-2 win over Napoli in the first leg of the Italian Cup semi-final. But despite shading what was a rough and tumble encounter at the Olympic Stadium, Rudi Garcia’s men failed to grab the win that would have reduced their deficit on the Bianconeri to seven points with a game in hand.

Draws for both title challengers mean Juventus retained their ninepoint lead over the Giallorossi, with Napoli, who outclassed AC Milan on Saturday, are now only four points off second place in third.

Juventus looked to be on their way to an easy win in the north east when Carlos Tevez broke the deadlock after just four minutes. l

NATIONAL CRICKET LEAGUE

Rajshahi win, join Dhaka Division at top BRIEF SCORES Defending champions Rajshahi defeated Barisal in a second round game of the 15th National Cricket League yesterday to join Dhaka Division at the top of the points table, while the matches - Dhaka Metro against Sylhet and Khulna versus Rangpur - ended in draws.

Rajshahi vs Barisal

Rajshahi completed a 131 run win over Barisal at the Shahid Kamruzzaman Stadium.

Continuing from their overnight score of 48/2, Barisal – who were chasing 369 for victory – were bowled out for 238 in 104.4 overs.

Iftekhar Nayeem top scored with 75

Khulna vs Rangpur

Rangpur v Khulna

Sylhet v Dhaka Metro

Barisal v Rajshahi

Khulna (1st innings): 408 all out in 118.3 overs Rangpur (1st innings): 283 all out in 85.3 overs Khulna (2nd innings): 256/8 in 63 overs (Dollar 63, Soumya 60, Tushar 54, Sohrawardi 4/54) Rangpur (2nd innings): 266/4 all out in 84.4 overs (Naeem Islam 104) Match Drawn

Metro (1st innings): 315 all out in 110.1 overs Sylhet (1 st innings): 284 all out in 115 overs Metro (2nd innings): 293/7 in 99 overs (Asif Ahmed 106, Saykat 76, Nabil 3/78) Sylhet (2nd innings): 72/1 81 overs Match Drawn

Rajshahi (1st innings): 330 all out in 97.2 overs Barisal (1st innings): 231 all out in 67 overs Rajshahi (2nd innings): 270/9 declare in 73.3 overs (Junaid 83, Jubayer 58, Monir 4/69, Kamrul 3/58) Barisal (2nd innings): 238 all out in 104.4 overs (Nayeem 76, Delwar 4/38) Rajshahi won by 131 runs

while for Rajshahi, Delwar Hossain took four wickets and Shafiul Islam three. Rajshahi’s top order batsman

Jabbar Memorial Tennis underway The 17th edition of Jabbar Memorial Tennis, organised in the memory of the founder president of Engineers Recreation Center, Dhaka got underway with a colourful opening ceremony at the ERC, Ramna yesterday.

Biren Sikder, the state minister for youth and sports, inaugurated the meet as the chief guest. A total of 392 players, including the top players of the

country, will be playing in the nine categories of the five day tournament. The male and the female champions will be awarded with a purse of Tk25,000 and Tk12,500 respectively. The tournament is sponsored by Max Group.

Engineer M. Shamimuzzaman Basunia, the president of Engineers Institution, Eng. Golam Md. Alamgir, the executive vice president of ERC, general secretary Khan Ataur Rahman Santu were also present at the ceremony. l

DAY’S WATCH Star Sports 4 2:40PM Sochi Winter Olympic 3:00AM La Liga Celta Vigo v Athletic Bilbao

Juve, Roma lose points

minute of stoppage time Bent scored to complete another day of despair for the champions.

RESULTS

REUTERS

State minister for youth and sports Biren Sikder inaugurates the Jabbar Memorial Tennis at ERC, Ramna yesterday COURTESY

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns went on the front foot over ongoing match-fixing allegations Sunday, and rounded on former teammates and high-profile officials, including the legendary Richard Hadlee.

He demanded his accusers produce details of what he is alleged to have done, and expressed disappointment that the New Zealand Cricket board, of which Hadlee is a member, had apparently turned their back on him.

Cairns is one of three former New Zealand players, along with Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent, tied to an International Cricket Council (ICC) match-fixing probe.

But 10 weeks after the ICC confirmed the investigation, Cairns said no one had approached him.

“Surely there should be some onus on the ICC or other governing bodies to come forward and present some reliable evidence to justify the investigation,” he said Sunday.

“The current rumour and speculation, which has been widely reported around the world, is doing untold damage.” l

Junaid Siddqiue, who scored 126 runs in the match, was named man-ofthe-match.

The match at the Bogra’s Shaheed Chandu Stadium was drawn after Khulna were added just four runs to their overnight 252/8 as they lost their last two wickets to set Rangpur 381 to win.

Rangpur never went for the victory and played finished at 266/4 from 84 overs, with Naeem Islam scoring 104 not out and Tanvir Haider 52 not out.

Dhaka Metro vs Sylhet

Dhaka Metro, who started the day with 119 on the board, went on to 293/7 declared. Asif Ahmed starred with an unbeaten 106 while Nabil Samad took three wickets for Sylhet.

The match ended in a tame draw as Sylhet batted 18 overs to score 72/1. l

Torino

1 2

Verona

2 2

Lazio

0 0 0 1

Immobile 5 Toni 52, Gomez 90+4

Livorno

Bologna

Cristaldo 11, 24

Juventus

Tevez 4, 21

Roma Genoa

Antonelli 10

0 0 1 0

Catania

Fiorentina

2 0

Atalanta

Udinese

3 0

Chievo

Napoli

3 1

AC Milan

Parma Sampdoria

Gastaldello 11

Cagliari

On Saturday Ilicic 16, Wolski 86

Di Natale 56, Fernandes 74, Badu 86 Inler 11, Higuain 56, 82

Taarabt 7

Bender, Reus added to casualty list Champions League side Borussia Dortmund’s injury worries have worsened with both Germany pair Marco Reus and Sven Bender out of Tuesday’s German Cup quarter-final at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Left winger Reus suffered a torn right thigh in Saturday’s 5-1 Bundesliga hammering of Werder Bremen and will be out for a fortnight, while defensive midfielder Bender has a thigh strain and misses the next week.

The double injury blow is more bad news for Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp who lost Germany defender Mats Hummels last week after the centre-back injured his foot in a friendly and will miss the Frankfurt double-header. l

Australia storms into Fed Cup semis with Russia win Australia stormed into the Fed Cup semi-finals Sunday for the first time in 21 years with a commanding 4-0 performance led by two Samantha Stosur wins and a comprehensive doubles display.

Stosur, the world number 16 and 2011 US Open champion, saw off 158-ranked teenager Victoria Kan in exactly an hour, with a straight sets 6-2, 6-3 win over the 18-year-old Fed Cup debutante to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead over Russia.

“I’m very, very happy. She (Kan) can do a lot of different things, she does everything nicely and when she gets older and a little bit more strong I’m sure that will all come together,” said Stosur.

“We’re still in it, so we have a chance to win it,” she added of the Fed Cup. Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua sealed a clean sweep of the Russians with an emphatic 6-1, 6-3 doubles win over Irina Khromacheva and Valeria Solovyeva.

Dellacqua said she and Barty had both had a “great week”. l

Marcel’s Brand Ambassador and RB Group additional director AFM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn hand over the sponsorship money to kabbadi federation officials at BNS yesterday COURTESY

Marcel Women’s Kabaddi tomorrow Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation looks forward to pick new talents in women’s kabaddi with the Marcel LED Television Inter District Women’s Kabbadi billed to start at seven venues across the country from Tuesday.

In the venues of Faridpur, Nilphamari, Barisal, Kushtia, Jamalpur, Rajshahi and Narail, a total of 29 districts will vie for the zonal championship, who will earn the final round ticket. Comilla and Habiganj the lone representatives of Chittagong and Sylhet Divisions and reigning champions

Dhaka will play directly in the final round. The district round will be completed on February 26 but the date of the final round is yet to be decided.

Nazrul Islam, the general secretary of the kabaddi federation said he hoped they would be find new talents in the meet at a presser yesterday. The additional director of RB Group A.F.M.Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, brand ambassador Marcel actor Amin Khan, Marcel head of marketing Mosharraf Hossain Razib were also present on the occasion. The representatives of the sponsors welcomed the federation’s idea of hosting the beach kabaddi at Cox’s Bazar in the future. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, February 10, 2014

Goons rob street children in Dhaka Girls face double trouble as they have to pay to police and boy street vendors as well n Udisa Islam In many of the busy intersections of the capital, every time a traffic police signals for a stop, small children, with packets containing candies of various kinds in their hands, rush towards the vehicles standing in the signals.

If someone buys a candy from one of those children, they may think that they have done the child a favour by buying a Tk1 candy, which may ensure a meal for the poor kid.

‘In the National Child Policy 2011, no comprehensive coverage is given to street children. There is a compelling need for the policy to be sensitive towards this vulnerable segment’ But the truth is – the Tk1 that the child gets by selling a candy does not entirely goes into his pocket.

The kid has to pay 10% of the money that he gets by selling a candy to a group of goons, locally known as “mastans” or “boro bhai” (big brother).

The Dhaka Tribune reporter recently talked to a seven-year old girl kid who sells candies on the streets of Dhaka.

“We usually spend almost the entire of our incomes for food, but not before paying at least 10% to the mastans,” said Shahana, the kid.

Hundreds of these children – many as young as Shahana – earns around Tk20-30 per day by selling candies.

They are bound to pay the amounts to the mastans, otherwise they will not be allowed to sell anything.

“We give the mastans Tk10 everyday so that they allow us to sell candies or other things on the street,” Shahana said.

“Since I cannot pay more than 10% of my income, I cannot to the other parts of the street. The mastans have their own areas. Those who can pay more can only go to other parts of the street,” she added.

These children, mostly from ultra-poor floating families that live in the slums and roadsides of the capital, contribute significantly to the meagre earnings of their families, many of whose only endeavour is to ensure at least one meal a day.

Apart from candies, these children also ferry flowers and newspapers running from one bus to the other and knocking at the windows of cars.

Badsha, an 11-year old boy, who sells various things at the capital’s Bijoy Sarani intersection, told this reporter: “I came here with my mother when I was two years old. Every day I have to give my mother Tk50. Since I have to give the ‘boro bhai’ a part of my income, I have to beg after finishing my day’s sell so that I can cover for the Tk50 target.

“When I will be 14, I will be eligible to become a boro bhai of this area. I wish to become a boro bhai one day,” Badhsa said.

According to the UNDP, the total number of street children in Bangladesh is over 400,000. Nearly half of these children live in Dhaka city alone.

A very large percentage of these children are young girls.

These girls are said to be particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

They have to pay more for ensuring their physical safety and sanctity.

In March, 2012, research organisation Unnayan Onneshan published a report titled “Social Connection of the Street Girls in the Context of Dhaka City, Bangladesh.”

The research showed that a majority of the street girls (37.50%) sell flowers for a living. Nearly half of these girls have a daily turnover of Tk100-300.

“But we are the unlucky ones. We have to give away 30% of our incomes to the local mastans, police and our fellow boy children,” said Swapna, a street girl child.

Wahida Banu, executive director of Aparajeyo Bangladesh, said they had been trying to save these children from such harassments.

“In the National Child Policy 2011, no comprehensive coverage is given to street children. There is a compelling need for the policy to be sensitive towards this vulnerable segment. Street children need to be distinguished but not isolated from other children in policy frameworks,” she added. l

A child sells flowers to commuters at Panthapath intersection in the capital yesterday

RAJIB DHAR

Popular faces mark the day 78

new books unveiled A M A R E K U S H E Y B O O K FA I R 2 0 1 4

n Ahmed Zayeef Presence of a number of celebrated authors marked the ninth day of the Amar Ekushey Book Fair yesterday.

Publishers gleefully witnessed a phenomenal rise in their sales.

Although it was the first working day of the week, the presence of visitors was noticeable both inside and outside the fair premises. A number of buyers and visitors walked inside the fair while many were seen just gathering outside chatting with friends.

Noted actor Dr Enamul Haque was found near the Nazrul Mancha inside the fair busy in attending his fans with autographs. He said: “Nowadays it is very difficult to find

people in delight. But here everyone is strolling and buying books happily. Young people are pouring in groups. I am enjoying the scene very much.”

While entering the Suhrawardy Udyan, the correspondent found Language Movement hero Dr Ahmed Rafique talking to some visitors and publishers.

“This fair makes me proud as a participant of the Language Movement. The crowd of the book lovers reminds me of the golden time in 1952,” said the Language movement veteran.

Habibul Bashar, former captain of Bangladesh cricket team was walking inside the fair premises searching for his favourite books from stall to stall. He came to the fair for the first time this year.

“I love books. Every year I visit the fair several times. I wanted to come earlier but I could not because of the ongoing Bangladesh-Srilanka test match.”

“When I think about the fair, the Bangla Academy premises appear in my mind. The authority could have ensured the quality

of the academy premises by decreasing number of publishers instead of dividing the fair into two venues,” opined an emerging poet Alfred Khokon.

Osman Gani, president of Bangladesh Gayan O Srijonsil Samity and publisher of Agami Prokashoni, said: “The number of new books are increasing. The visitors are also coming in frequently. The sale is on a continuous rise.”

A total of 78 new books were published yesterday.

Among them, Hasan Azizul Huq’s “Robindro o Vashavabona,” Shamsujjaman Khan’s “Muktibudhdhi, Dhormoniropekhkhota o Shomokal” from Kothaprokash, Syed Shamsul Haque’s “Shongkhoshor shomudrer tire,” from Shudhdhoshor Prokashoni are some worth mention.

A discussion on “Ostad Momtaz Ali Khan” was held at the central stage at the fair where cultural personality Gulam kuddus presented the key note paper.

Poet Asad Chowdhury presided over the discussion. l

Cox’s Bazar police ‘sells’ 3 tourists to traffickers

HC ruling on using ‘judge’ title n Nazmus Sakib

n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

The High Court yesterday issued a ruling, seeking explanation as to why the law secretary should not be directed to issue a circular on not using the title “judge” before one’s name except the judges of the Supreme Court.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain also directed Taha Mullah, a judicial officer and editor of Bangladesh Legal Decisions, a monthly publication of the Bangladesh Bar Council, not to use “judge” before his name until the disposal of the ruling.

The order was passed on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Asaduzzaman Siddique stating that according to article 152 of the constitution only Supreme Court judges are entitled to use the title. The law secretary, Bar Council secretary and Taha were made respondents in the plea.

Manzill Murshid argued for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy represented the state. l

Police allegedly handed over three tourists to human traffickers in exchange for money in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday.

Of the three victims, one Md Faruq Hossain of Jessore was rescued by local residents, while two others - Mukubul Hossain and Md Russel - remain missing.

Faruq said he and two of his friends arrived at Cox’s Bazar on Friday on a vacation. On Saturday morning, they were held by police officials from Inani police outpost in Ukhia when they were heading towards Teknaf through Marine Drive Road from Cox’s Bazar town.

In the afternoon, police reportedly handed over the three victims to human traffickers in exchange for money. Soon, the victims learned that they would be shipped off to Malaysia illegally.

Human trafficker had also seized their mobile phones when they tried

to contact their families. The victims were then forcefully boarded on three separate cars and taken to three different locations.

Later, locals managed to rescue Faruk after he started screaming when the car reached Sonapara Bazar area in Ukhia.

After spending the night at a local house, Faruk went to report the incident to the Additional Superintendent of Police in Cox’s Bazar yesterday morning.

When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police Chotrodhor Tripura told the Dhaka Tribune: “I also advised him to submit a written complaint in this regard. But he has not done so.

However, action would be taken after an investigation.”

Inani police outpost in-charge SI Md Said Mia said he was not aware of the incident as he on a leave on Saturday and SI Borhan Uddin was in charge.

Borhan, however, said he was not aware of the incident either. l

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Interference of local arbitration bodies hinder the path to justice n Muktasree Chakma Sathi Interference of locally formed arbitration bodies, mostly comprising local influential, religious, traditional and political leaders, and chairmen and members of union parisad and municipalities, are hindering rule of law, particularly in combating violence against women.

Apparently, the government has no specific monitoring mechanism regarding the formation and jurisdiction of such local bodies.

In many areas, these arbitration bodies, also known as “shalish committees,” even deal with serious crimes such as attempt to rape and rape, stepping completely out of their jurisdiction.

Lawyer Sara Hossain, executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), said: “The tra-

ditional dispute resolution bodies that we have in the country have no jurisdiction to award punishment.”

According to existing laws of the country, locally formed bodies can only deal with petty civil and criminal offences such as burglary and scuffle.

A recent incident of child rape revealed that an alleged rapist named Hakim Bhandari, 54, had violated three female relatives before that and all he had to face every time was local arbitration.

Hakim, however, was nabbed on January 31 for his fourth alleged rape of the minor girl.

Pranab Chowdhury, OC of Sadarghat police station in Chittagong, said they had found in investigation that Hakim, locally known as a “pir” or a religious teacher, had earlier violated his stepmother, stepsister and one of his aunts.

“Until victims inform us about such crimes, we cannot take steps. Even if local arbitration body, who dealt with the previous rapes, informed us, the rape of the eight-year-old girl could have been prevented,” said Pranab, who arrested Hakim after primary investigation in a case filed by the girl’s father.

There are, however, several landmark directives of the country’s highest court regarding the authority of such local arbitration bodies. Those directives were issued in 2001, 2010 and in 2012 following writ petitions filed by several rights groups.

A High Court directive in 2001 mainly declared “fatwa,” a religious edict, illegal by local shalish.

Later, two individuals named Mufti Mohammad Toyeeb and Abul Kalam Azad filed appeals with the Supreme

Court against the HC verdict on the point that fatwa could not be declared illegal because it was a Quranic provision.

Following their petition, on May 12, 2012, the Appellate Division declared fatwa legal, on condition that fatwas must come from a select few renowned scholar and not affect the legal rights and the dignity of a person. The full verdict of 2012 is yet to be published.

Sara, executive director of BLAST, which was a party in these petitions, pointed out: “The absence of the full verdict is also creating problems and confusion regarding the jurisdiction of the locally formed shalish bodies.”

Adampur Union Parishad Chairman Mohammad Sabbir Ahmed Bhuiyan told the Dhaka Tribune that as a local government body, they tried to solve petty cases, some of which were con-

nected with violence against women.

“Yes, I have dealt with a number of violence against women cases along with dealing with other kinds of civil issues.

“Whenever there are incidents such as stalking and attempt to rape, people come to us instead of going through the formal legal or judiciary bodies,” he said.

According to a 2010 HC directive, the persons responsible for imposition of extra-judicial punishments and the abettors should be held responsible under the relevant sections of the Penal Code and other laws.

When informed about the scenario, Ashok Madhab Roy, additional secretary of the Local Government Division, told the Dhaka Tribune: “If you can bring out specific cases in specific areas, we will take care of such local bodies.”

When asked if the division had any

kind of monitoring mechanism about the formation of shalish bodies, he said: “The division gets these information from the government officials such as deputy commissioners.”

However, Rangamati Deputy Commissioner Mostafa Kamal said his office might know about the formation of shalish bodies if they were formed by Union Parishad and Municipality members. “But, informing us is voluntary, not mandatory.”

BLAST, in a recent study, pointed out a number of cases where victims of violence against women, particularly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, did not receive justice because of interference by local arbitration.

Last week, there had been several media reports which cited a number of cases where political leaders interfered and freed alleged violators. l

DNA tests identify 43 more Rana Plaza victims n Mohosinul Karim Forty-three more victims of the Rana Plaza disaster have been identified through DNA tests, an official said.

The DNA testing authority at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital yesterday handed the DNA test reports of 43 hitherto unidentified workers to the labour and em-

ployment ministry, Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar told the Dhaka Tribune.

Earlier, the DNA laboratory finished testing the genetic material from 157 unidentified victims, out of 322samples that were sent to them for identification. The remaining 122 samples would be identified soon, Mikail said.

The secretary said the names of the iden-

tified victims would be disclosed soon to prevent harassment of their families.

The identification reports would be sent to the relevant authorities to process compensation packages for the families, he said.

Surviving family members will get money and other benefits according to an announcement made by the prime

minister, he added.

More than 1,135 people died in the Rana Plaza building collapse on April 24. Most of the victims were workers at garment factories housed inside the multi-story building at Savar.

The tragedy is deemed as one of the worst industrial accidents anywhere in the world. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207.

Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com

Continue to the Business section...

Business

B3 Envoy Tex Q1 profit drops 62%

B4 The economics of min

wage: Good intentions, bad outcomes

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Pre-budget meets with ministries to begin early

FINANCING PADMA BRIDGE FROM FOREX RESERVE

Business feared to be deprived of BB loan n Tribune Report Financing the proposed Padma Bridge project from own resources would put pressure on Bangladesh Bank, limiting its capacity to serve local business at the time of releasing fund from the country’s foreign exchange reserve.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith dropped the broader hint in response to an appeal from Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) at a meeting at the ministry yesterday.

BTMA urged him of taking steps so they get financial assistance from the central bank’s forex reserve for importing capital machinery for their factories.

Bangladesh Bank provides private sector with foreign exchange loan from its reserve, which at present, hovers around US$18bn – equivalent to around six months of import payments.

“The bank (Bangladesh Bank) will not be able to help the businessmen at that time,” Muhith told the BTMA delegation, led by its president Jahangir Alamin.

He said the government has already decided to take funds from the reserves during issuance of the work order for the bridge as it trying to mobilise funds from different sources. The central bank would maintain its strong forex reserve to support the project.

While announcing the Monetary Policy Statement for the second half of the current fiscal year late last month, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman had told that the central bank would build foreign exchange reserve to finance the Padma Bridge project – one of the six fast-track projects of the new government.

The World Bank and other devel-

Young entrepreneurs’ fair kicks off today

n Tribune Report A three-day fair to display products made by the young entrepreneurs begins today in the city’s Dhanmondi.

The fair named as “Uddyokta Haat” at the Women Voluntary Association’s auditorium will exhibit products including IT, software, gadgets, handicrafts, readymade garments and jewellery.

A number of 42 young and innovative entrepreneurs will participate in the event.

With the slogan “We will not look for jobs but give jobs,” the exhibition will continue till Wednesday.

Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN) has introduced the event while Facebook-based group “Chakri Khujbo Na Chakri Debo”, a platform working to encourage young entrepreneurs, is the organiser.

“The number of unemployed youth has reached around 3 crore in Bangladesh. Providing jobs to them is a great challenge now,” said Munir Hasan, general secretary of BdOSN. “If we could develop SME sector of the country and encourage young people to entrepreneurship, it would be easier to deal with such challenges.

Uddyokta Haat is one such initiative in this regard,” he said. l

opment partners had suspended their financing decision of US$1.2bn for the US$2.9bn project on corruption allegation, before the government expressed its unwillingness to take the loan.

In response to another request, the minister said it would take time to solve the gas crisis the industries in Chittagong are facing.

The BTMA delegation also urged the minister to solve the hassles associated with releasing 5% cash incentive for the affected spinning mills. They pointed out that the government had declared special facility on September 20 in 2011 for the spinning mills that had been affected by purchasing cotton at very high prices.

But to receive the cash incentive, the spinning mills were required to submit copies of the Export Performance form and shipping bills. They argued that it was not possible for the spinning mills to submit those documents because the spinning mills were not directly involved with exports.

They were indirectly involved with the process through the export-oriented fabrics and ready-made garment manufacturers. They sought waiver of the tax at source on local letter of credit (LCs) and back-to-back LCs. The BTMA leaders said the tax charged during payment of prices of cotton bought through local LCs was leaving a negative effect on the total export of fabrics. Thus it was raising the prices of cotton as well as yarn.

BTMA leader also sought waiver of the tax at source on raw materials bought through back-to-back LCs for manufacturing export-oriented products. l

n Asif Showkat Kallol

A child seen working at a balloon factory in Old Dhaka where many such factories are located and supply the products to other parts of the capital city MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Biman to welcome new aircraft and bid farewell to old one n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The country’s national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines will add a brand new aircraft to its fleet and bid farewell to its old one tomorrow.

On occasion of welcoming the third brand new Boeing 777-300ER at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport and bidding farewell to the old DC-10, Biman has arranged a programme where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to attend.

Khan Mosharaf Hosen, general manager of Biman’s public relations, said, “Program has been arranged at the airport to welcome the new aircraft and see off the old one simultaneously.”

On Friday, Biman got a brand new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, named “Akash Pradip” the third Boeing carrier, as part of Biman’s plans of increasing its punctuality, which currently stands at around 65% timely flights.

Sources said, “Akash Pradip” is expected to fly for Jeddah in Saudi Arabia within the next week.

“We have a plan to continue our service with Akash Pradip in London and Rome, also with Jeddah and Riyadh,” Mohammad Sha Newaz, director (marketing and sales) of Biman, told the Dhaka Tribune.

On the other hand, DC-10 aircraft will make its last passenger flight on its Dha-

ka-Kuwait-Birmingham route on February 20, when farewell program will also be held at the airport simultaneously.

The legendary workhorse will make some fanfare flights in the skies of Birmingham for the following three days too as it flies nine scenic tour flights.

The aircraft, after its last flight on the afternoon of Feb 24th, will then get prepared for its delivery to a museum.

Some fourty-three years ago, the legendary workhorse logged its maiden voyage for passengers on 05 August, 1971, the year of Bangladesh Liberation, on an American Airlines round trip between Los Angeles and Chicago, Biman’s said a press release earlier. l

Finance Ministry has decided to start the pre-budget tripartite meetings with different ministries and bodies one month early of the schedule as the country, whose economy has been hit by political unrest, suffers fund shortage.

The meetings between finance ministry, planning ministry and the respective ministries and bodies will begin on February 17 when they traditionally start in mid-March.

The first meeting will be held with the Anti-Corruption Commission.

A total of 58 meetings will be held till March 15 at the finance division’s office, presided over by Finance Secretary Fazle Kabir.

Finance Division will be the last participant of the meeting.

The meetings will discuss total fund demands and earnings of the ministries, divisions and bodies for the next fiscal year.

As the government is depending on huge bank borrowings to meet the deficits, Finance Minister AMA Muhith made the directive to start early budget preparation.

A finance ministry official said the deficit could reach Tk67,353 crore equivalent to 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP). In the current fiscal, the deficit is 4.6% of GDP. According to the finance ministry plans, Tk43,160 crore deficit will be managed by domestic borrowings, Tk32,947 crore from banks and the remaining part from the non-banking sources including the saving instruments.

The thin possibility of receiving necessary low-cost project funding from the external sources led the finance ministry to plan hefty bank borrowings. l

Apparel team goes to Vietnam today to see workers’ rights there

ILO delegation prepares plan for RMG workers’ rights

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

A delegation from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), now in Dhaka, has started its work on preparing plans for capacity building of the employers, mid-level managers, supervisors, trade union leaders and workers on occupational safety, health and workers’ rights issues.

The eight member delegation includes officials from Geneva, Bangkok and New Delhi along with a senior representative from the ILO International Training Centre (ITC) based in Turin, Italy.

The visiting delegation is going to make calls on the state minster for labour and employment Md. Mojibul Haque Chunnu and its secretary Mikail Shipar today, said a statement of ILO released yesterday.

The team will soon meet the RMG stakeholders including the Bangladesh Employers Federation, BGMEA, BKMEA and two trade union bodies, the National Coordination Committee for Workers Education (NCCWE) and the Industriall Bangladesh Council (IBC) before preparing the plans in details, said the statement.

A team of garment owners will leave for Vietnam today to learn about trade unions, workers’ productivity and working environment in the country’s apparel sector.

The delegation will see what industrial practices exist in the South-east Asian nation and if they could be applied in the Bangladeshi garment sector to ensure workers’ rights and improve productivity.

The four-member team is comprised of representatives from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA.) “During the visit, we will talk to workers and trade union leaders,” said BGMEA vice president ShahidullahAzim who is also a member of the delegation.

BKMEA vice president Mohammed Hatem, director Md Shamsuzzaman and Youngone Corporation Bangladesh’s consultant Mehedy Mahbub are also in the team.

According to BGMEA data, Bangladesh workers’ productivity is 77% while the Vietnam’s workers productivity is 90%.

In the fiscal year 2012-13, Bangladesh exported RMG products worth $21.5bnwith employing 40m workers while Vietnam exported $17bn with 1.5m workers during the same time.

“The visit is to see the wage structuresand living standard of the workers in Vietnam’s apparel sector,” said Mohammed Hatem.

The issue of trade unionism in Bangladesh’s garment sector came to the spot light after the Rana Plaza disaster, putting emphasis on greater workers’ freedom in association.

Following the deadliest incident in the garment history, the United States suspended GSP facility for Bangladesh and asked to improve working conditions and ensure workers’ rights in the RMG sector. Recently, BGMEA president Atiqul Islam said:“Before Rana Plaza collapse there were 35 trade unions in the sector. Now it is now 96 while another 66 are awaiting approval.” l

n Tribune Report

They will also hold meeting with the newly appointed Inspector General of Factories and Establishments along with the incumbent officials to conduct a detailed assessment of the training and capacity building needed for the Directorate and also to develop a three year partnership plan, it added.

'The upgrading of the inspection services is a significant milestone in our joint efforts to strengthen the capacity of the government' During the visit of the delegation, the development of partnerships will be explored with a wide range of institutions.

“We will be targeting the capacity development of national master trainers who will then in close partnership with national institutions train a large number of government officials, factory owners, managers, supervisors and trade union leaders on safety and workers’ rights, creating a cascading effect," said the

statement quoting Srinivas B Reddy, Country Director of ILO, Bangladesh.

The activities will be rolled out under a number of ILO projects and programmes on working conditions, fire safety and workers’ rights funded by Canada, the Netherlands, UK DfID, the US Department of Labor, Norway, and Switzerland.

Hailing the government for upgrading the Chief Inspector of Factories and Establishments office to a ‘Directorate’ Reddy said, “The upgrading of the inspection services is a significant milestone in our joint efforts to strengthen the capacity of the government, employers and workers organizations in addressing the working condition.”

On January 15, the government issued orders sanctioning 679 new staff positions in the Directorate including 392 new inspector positions. With this upgrade, the number of labour and factory inspectors will increase to a total of 575 from the current 183 positions.

The ILO considers this to be a significant step towards improving safety and workers’ rights in Bangladesh garment industry, said the ILO statement. l

BTRC wakes up for telecom roadmap 2013-15 after a spoiling year n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

The country’s telecom regulator finally woke up for formulating a threeyear telecom roadmap-2013-2015, in the year 2014, after spoiling a year from the proposed period.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) had earlier decided at a meeting held on 19 March 2013, to work out a strategy for attracting foreign investors and for upgrading the technologies and services up to the international standard.

After spoiling the first-year of the plan, BTRC is learnt to ask the officials concerned to immediately prepare department-wise planning by 12 February.

“The roadmap drafting committee has requested all the respective officials of various departments to incorporate their respective plans on respective departments by 12 February, this year,’’ reads an office-notice signed by Md Nurunnabi, member secretary of the committee.

Though the commission has given only six weeks to prepare the roadmap after the formulation of the committee, but they have utterly failed to come up with any plan so far even after eleven months, according to an official.

“We are on our way to formulate a roadmap, which is essential for boosting the industry, and also hope that it will be made public within a couple of weeks,” said Sunil Kanti Bose, Chair-

man of BTRC, while addressing a programme at a city hotel recently.

the deadline set for the plan,” said ATM Monirul Alam, commissioner of

The roadmap drafting committee has requested all the respective officials of various departments to incorporate their respective plans on respective departments by 12 February, this year

“It is our fault as we couldn’t sit together for quite a long time to formulate the plan but we have to make it anyhow, although we have missed

spectrum management division and convener of the roadmap committee.

As the tenure of Monirul Alam ended up recently, he was out of the com-

mission for a few days. He, however, has been reappointed as the commissioner.

This the second time BTRC initiates to prepare a roadmap. Earlier in 2008, BTRC had formulated first roadmap consisting of 20 action plans under the military-backed caretaker government.

Earlier, BTRC chairman Sunil Kanti Bose said, “As our aim is to establish a digital Bangladesh, there has to be a roadmap, especially for spectrum and new licenses.”

“This is to facilitate entrepreneurs in the industry to prepare their future business and investment plans.”

Mobile operators also praised the decision to prepare a modern road-

map for this developing industry.

Though telecom watchdog is planning for a three-year long roadmap, telecom sector has sought for roadmap for at least ten years.

“We need to have a very clear cut roadmap for ten years, which can also forecast about the prospect of the industry,” TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune.

After finalizing a draft, BTRC will sit with the high officials of the post and telecommunications ministry and also will hold meetings with the stakeholders and industry experts to discuss about it before formulating the telecom roadmap-2013-2015. l

B2

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stocks end flat on profit booking

DSE key features February 9, 2014

n Tribune Report

Number of Contract

ing 2.3% market capitalization, followed by IT sector shedding 2.2%, textile 1.8% and mutual funds 1.4% respectively.

The major sectors posted mixed performances with pharmaceuticals rising highest 4%, followed by power, and food and allied which rose 1% and 0.7% respectively.

Other large cap sectors closed in red with banks falling more than 2%, non-banking financial institutions 1% and telecommunications 0.3%.

The market breadth remained negative as out of 289 issues traded, 73 advanced, 194 declined and 22 remained unchanged.

Zenith Investment said market came under pressure on the heels of some profit taking. Buying enthusiasm has remained somewhat subdued whereas sellers took some profits off the table, slowing down the pace of the main index.

However, the blue chip stocks and the new index DSES did manage to attract attention of the investors and chose not to follow the path of DSEX, it said.

Square Pharmaceuticals, the country’s top pharmaceutical company, was the most traded stocks with shares worth almost Tk38crore changing hands, followed

by Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company, Olympic Industries, Meghna Petroleum, Lanka Bangla Finance, Jamuna Oil, Envoy Textile and BD Building. l

Stocks ended flat yesterday as late profit booking wiped off early gains.

The market began positively in the morning, riding on pharmaceuticals, power and food and allied stocks but profit taking mainly on banks in the late hour pulled it down.

After climbing more than 26 points, the benchmark DSEX eventually lost 22 points or 0.4% to end at 4,822. However, the Shariah based DSEX index edged over 6 points or 0.7% higher to 1,002. The blue chip comprising index DS30 rose 17 points or 1% to 1,698.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index, CSCX, was down 46 points to 9,476.

Investors were somewhat meticulous and watchful, resulting in drop of turnover that stood at Tk695 crore, down 9.75% over the previous session.

“The benchmark index dropped as catchy price of some stocks after a weeklong rally signaling the investors’ instinct to book profit on stocks,” said Lanka Bangla Securities in its market analysis.

It said economic news also posted expectation of future correction in the current account balance as import grows with investors’ confidence.

Among the major sectors, bank saw the highest sell pressure los-

DSE Broad Index :

(-) 0.46%

▼

DSE Shariah Index :

1002.96220

(+) 0.66%

▲

DSE - 30 Index :

1698.66763

(+) 1.00%

▲

CSE All Share Index:

14953.92790

(-) 0.49%

CSE - 30 Index :

12636.74640 9476.74080

Company Meghna Con. Milk -B 7th ICB M F-A Stylecraft -A Envoy Textiles Ltd-N BD Fixed Income MF-A AB Bank - A Trust Bank-A Islamic Finance-A Libra Infusions-A Mercantile Bank -A

Closing (% change) -8.77 -7.16 -6.25 -5.70 -5.43 -4.72 -4.69 -4.65 -4.53 -4.35

CSE LOSERS Company Nitol Insurance -A Continental Insur. -A Islamic Finance-A Envoy Textiles Ltd-N Paramount Insur-A GSP Finance-A Trust Bank-A AB Bank - A BD Finance-A Mithun Knitting -A

Closing (% change) -7.96 -6.61 -6.42 -5.52 -5.00 -4.75 -4.67 -4.41 -4.37 -3.98

6,952.98 133,536,867 142,174

Traded Issues

290

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

85

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

204

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,311.04

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.01

Turnover (Million Taka)

580.04

Turnover (Volume)

Average (% change) -7.87 -7.16 -6.25 -5.74 -2.28 -4.56 -3.86 -3.93 -4.53 -4.84 Average (% change) -8.42 -6.61 -4.18 -5.31 -5.71 -3.92 -3.75 -4.33 -4.41 -3.10

Closing average

13,240,005

10.53 88.20 1084.70 49.74 9.00 32.83 20.67 20.76 493.64 20.07

Closing average 37.00 31.08 20.84 49.92 26.60 28.68 20.53 32.94 22.33 83.04

20,886

Traded Issues

230

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

78

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

150 1

▼

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

(-) 0.16%

▼

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,186.75

(-) 0.49%

▼

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.51

Closing 10.40 88.20 1084.70 49.60 8.70 32.30 20.30 20.50 493.60 19.80

Closing

Daily high 11.00 88.20 1084.70 52.50 9.10 34.00 21.30 21.60 520.00 21.00

Daily high

37.00 31.10 20.40 49.60 26.60 28.10 20.40 32.50 21.90 82.10

Turnover in million

Daily low 10.30 88.20 1084.70 47.90 8.50 30.80 19.20 20.30 480.00 19.00

Turnover in million

Daily low

37.00 31.10 21.50 51.00 26.60 29.50 21.00 33.40 22.60 86.00

37.00 31.00 20.40 49.10 26.60 27.90 20.30 32.20 21.80 82.00

Latest EPS

0.400 0.044 0.108 149.750 0.018 49.221 10.158 19.051 1.086 58.652

-4.58 13.84 47.83 3.10 0.54 1.65 1.47 0.87 3.04 1.61

Latest EPS

0.019 0.093 2.084 8.373 0.027 0.717 0.246 3.457 1.032 0.319

Savar Refractories-Z BD Submarine Cable-A Renata Ltd. -A JMI Syringes MDL-A AramitCementA DESCO Ltd. -A Ambee Pharma -A Square Pharma -A Olympic Ind. -A ACI Limited- A

2.75 2.35 0.87 3.10 1.51 1.34 1.47 1.65 0.40 2.42

Latest PE -ve 6.4 22.7 16.0 16.7 19.9 14.1 23.9 162.4 12.5

Company Rangpur Foundry -A BD Submarine Cable-A Bata Shoe Ltd. -A JMI Syringes MDL-A Ambee Pharma -A PragatiLife Insu. -A Square Pharma -A DESCO Ltd. -A Bangladesh Lamps -A AramitCementA

Sector 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 736.37 417.21 145.31 799.86 435.63 910.59 1.78 664.81 986.09 1.11 44.93 116.29 96.90 319.45 127.72 145.67 270.02 477.65 141.96 113.35 0.30

% change 10.59 6.00 2.09 11.50 6.27 13.10 0.03 9.56 14.18 0.02 0.65 1.67 1.39 4.59 1.84 2.10 3.88 6.87 2.04 1.63 0.00

Million Taka 75.84 30.67 6.25 87.75 28.06 56.61 58.36 69.65 0.21 6.14 6.02 13.74 16.75 18.84 4.61 12.62 47.97 18.35 22.05 0.02

CSE

% change 13.06 5.28 1.08 15.12 4.83 9.75 0.00 10.05 12.00 0.04 1.06 1.04 2.37 2.89 3.25 0.79 2.17 8.26 3.16 3.80 0.00

Million Taka 812.21 447.87 151.56 887.61 463.69 967.20 1.78 723.16 1055.74 1.31 51.06 122.30 110.64 336.21 146.56 150.28 282.64 525.62 160.31 135.40 0.33

Total

Closing (% change) 8.00 7.54 7.28 6.27 4.92 4.76 4.71 4.47 4.26 4.23

Average (% change) 7.55 8.27 7.82 3.61 5.71 3.40 2.59 4.18 4.09 4.26 Average (% change) 7.66 9.32 7.29 4.28 2.88 4.76 4.34 3.09 4.48 5.09

Closing average 60.00 197.03 967.95 223.15 66.50 62.68 306.43 255.58 191.52 186.92

Closing average 108.00 198.09 867.58 225.52 305.91 239.90 256.31 62.36 140.94 66.46

Closing 60.50 200.00 971.00 226.20 66.80 63.20 307.60 259.40 194.00 187.40

Closing 108.00 201.10 867.60 228.70 307.00 239.90 260.10 63.10 142.00 66.50

Daily high 61.00 203.00 971.30 229.00 67.60 65.00 310.00 260.00 195.00 189.90

Daily high 108.00 202.00 869.30 232.00 307.80 239.90 261.50 63.70 142.70 68.00

Daily low 60.00 169.50 907.00 215.00 60.00 57.00 302.00 240.00 180.00 175.00

Daily low 108.00 189.90 861.00 217.10 300.00 239.90 250.00 56.50 137.80 64.70

Turnover in million 0.006 350.050 107.256 75.200 36.285 27.880 7.247 388.104 246.630 11.618

Turnover in million 0.108 35.299 0.521 11.389 0.522 0.240 22.769 2.477 1.064 4.553

Latest EPS 0.60 3.28 41.39 1.97 1.16 1.12 5.01 11.36 6.90 1.57

Latest EPS 3.03 3.28 52.75 1.97 5.01 2.38 11.36 1.12 -0.77 1.16

Latest PE 100.0 60.1 23.4 113.3 57.3 56.0 61.2 22.5 27.8 119.1

Latest PE 35.6 60.4 16.4 114.5 61.1 100.8 22.6 55.7 -ve 57.3

GENNEXT: The Company has further informed that the subscription period for rights issue will be from 18.03.2014 to 09.04.2014. Record date for entitlement of rights share: 25.02.2014. The purpose of issuing Rights Share is to pay off debt and expand the production capacity.

LANKABAFIN: As per Regulation 30 of DSE Listing Regulations, the Company has informed that a meeting of the Board of Directors will be held on February 16, 2014 at 3:00 PM to consider, among others, audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

ENVOYTEX: (Q1): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 1st quarter ended on 31st December 2013 (Oct'13 to Dec'13), the Company has reported profit after tax of Tk. 39.36 million with EPS of Tk. 0.28 as against Tk. 105.63 million and Tk. 0.75 (restated) respectively for the same period of the previous year.

DELTALIFE: The Company has informed

that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to establish two fully owned subsidiary companies namely (1) DLIC Asset Management Company Limited with an Authorized and Paid-up Capital of Tk. 50.00 crore and Tk. 10.00 crore respectively and (2) DLIC Financial Services Limited with an Authorized and Paid-up Capital of Tk. 50.00 crore and Tk. 25.00 crore respectively subject to the approval from the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) and Bangladesh Securities & Exchange Commission (BSEC).

GSPFINANCE: The Company has informed that Mr. Kaiser Tamiz Amin has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of the Company with effect from February 06, 2014.

DBH: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has authorized the Management to negotiate and complete the necessary formalities to procure a floor space as follows: Floor

space measuring 2,075 sft. at the 4th floor of Union Nahar Square, Plot # 19, Sonargaon Janapath Road, Sector # 13, Uttara Moderl Town, Dhaka at a total cost of Tk. 3,01,50,000.00 (excluding registration expenses).

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.

IPO Subscription: Matin Spinning Mills Limited subscription date 26-30 January 2014, NRB upto 08 Feburay 2014. @ Tk. 37/-, face value taka 10 and market lot 200.

Hwa Well Textiles (BD) Limited subscription date 17-23 February 2014, NRB upto 04 March 2014. At per, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

Latest PE 13.5 13.2 24.0 16.1 17.6 21.4 14.0 20.0 55.8 34.3

The benchmark index dropped as catchy price of some stocks after a weeklong rally signaling the investors’ instinct to book profit on stocks

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY

7.65 7.01 6.84 5.60 5.20 4.81 4.80 4.55 4.53 4.11

CSE GAINERS

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company

ANALYST

Closing (% change)

News from trade server

Number of Contract

4822.71727

DSE LOSERS

Company

CSE key features February 9, 2014

Daily capital market highlights

CSE Selected Index :

DSE GAINERS

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Monday, February 10, 2014

% change 10.78 5.95 2.01 11.78 6.16 12.84 0.02 9.60 14.01 0.02 0.68 1.62 1.47 4.46 1.95 1.99 3.75 6.98 2.13 1.80 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

Square Pharma -A BD Submarine Cable-A Olympic Ind. -A Meghna Petroleum -A LankaBangla Fin. -A Jamuna Oil -A Envoy Textiles Ltd-N

BD Building Systems -A Aftab Auto.-A Padma Oil Co. -A

Grameenphone-A ConfidenceCement A Orion Pharma-N Navana CNG-A Renata Ltd. -A Delta Life Insu. -A Singer BD -A UCBL - A Active Fine Chem.-A S Purbanchol Power-N CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company BD Submarine Cable-A

Square Pharma -A Aftab Auto.-A BD Building Systems -A Appollo Ispat CL -N Orion Pharma-N aamra technologies-A UCBL - A Grameenphone-A Jamuna Oil -A JMI Syringes MDL-A Meghna Petroleum -A Olympic Ind. -A RAK Ceramics-A LankaBangla Fin. -A UNITED AIR-A BSC-A

Volume shares 1,518,536 1,776,644 1,287,727 821,043 2,354,510 643,542 3,010,886 2,019,025 1,475,422 388,861

610,800 798,261 1,686,920 1,543,459 110,807 356,800 404,662 3,021,389 919,257 1,170,930

Volume shares

178,200 88,833 226,758 255,550 525,800 230,960 358,590 525,183 60,800 48,552 50,500 39,847 56,533 172,922 145,075 637,945 21,440

Value in million 388.10 350.05 246.63 231.36 170.98 151.34 149.75 147.05 140.39 131.05

127.60 121.33 112.87 110.90 107.26 94.61 94.47 87.72 87.13 86.90

Value in million

35.30 22.77 21.67 18.66 17.17 15.44 15.41 15.32 12.67 11.46 11.39 11.22 10.88 10.81 10.52 10.34 10.22

% of total turnover 5.58 5.03 3.55 3.33 2.46 2.18 2.15 2.11 2.02 1.88

1.84 1.75 1.62 1.59 1.54 1.36 1.36 1.26 1.25 1.25

% of total turnover

6.09 3.93 3.74 3.22 2.96 2.66 2.66 2.64 2.19 1.98 1.96 1.94 1.88 1.86 1.81 1.78 1.76

Daily closing 259.40 200.00 194.00 283.00 71.60 237.30 49.60 72.90 96.20 338.90

207.90 149.30 66.80 71.60 971.00 263.30 235.00 28.90 93.80 73.40

Daily closing

201.10 260.10 96.10 73.10 32.60 66.70 41.70 29.10 207.70 237.40 228.70 285.10 193.50 62.10 71.10 16.10 473.30

Price change 4.55 7.01 4.53 1.69 -2.19 2.82 -5.70 3.99 2.78 3.04

Daily opening 248.10 186.90 185.60 278.30 73.20 230.80 52.60 70.10 93.60 328.90

Price change

Daily opening

-1.00 -1.06 2.14 2.29 6.84 0.38 3.02 -2.69 -1.99 0.27

7.54 4.71 2.78 4.13 0.00 2.30 -3.02 -2.02 -1.19 3.31 6.27 2.37 3.98 0.32 -3.53 -1.23 0.32

210.00 150.90 65.40 70.00 908.80 262.30 228.10 29.70 95.70 73.20

187.00 248.40 93.50 70.20 32.60 65.20 43.00 29.70 210.20 229.80 215.20 278.50 186.10 61.90 73.70 16.30 471.80

Daily high 260.00 203.00 195.00 290.00 74.70 239.40 52.50 73.90 97.50 341.00

211.40 155.10 67.60 73.50 971.30 272.00 235.70 30.00 98.00 75.20

Daily low 240.00 169.50 180.00 254.00 70.00 228.00 47.90 64.00 84.30 320.00

207.20 148.00 60.00 68.00 907.00 262.70 225.00 26.80 91.90 68.00

Daily average 255.58 197.03 191.52 281.79 72.62 235.17 49.74 72.83 95.15 337.01

Daily high

Daily low

Daily average

202.00 261.50 96.90 74.20 33.00 67.50 44.00 30.00 210.10 240.00 232.00 286.80 195.00 63.20 74.50 16.40 480.50

189.90 250.00 94.00 71.00 32.40 65.50 41.50 29.00 207.10 231.50 217.10 278.00 187.50 61.60 70.50 16.00 472.50

208.90 151.99 66.91 71.85 967.95 265.16 233.46 29.03 94.78 74.22

198.09 256.31 95.57 73.02 32.65 66.86 42.98 29.17 208.46 236.10 225.52 281.70 192.47 62.49 72.54 16.22 476.73

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Envoy Tex Q1 profit drops 62% n Tahmidur Rahman

Envoy Textiles Limited quarterly earnings dropped sharply due to declining exports and interest income.

Profits of the company in the first quarter from October through December, 2013 was Tk3.9 crore, a fall of 62% from Tk10.5 crore in the same period a year earlier, according to the company’s unaudited financial statements.

As soon as the news hit in the market yesterday, stock prices of the textile heavyweight started to slide. At the end of the day, stock prices fell 5.7% to close at Tk49.6 a share on the Dhaka Stock Exchange.

Shares valued Tk15 crore were traded, which was more than 2% of the total trading value at the country’s largest bourse.

The sharp drop in the company’s profitability is resulted from a 20% drop in sales and its quarterly gross profit in 2013 stood at Tk14.1 crore

against Tk19.9 crore in 2012, registering a fall of 30%.

From its interest income, the Envoy textile made profit of Tk33 lakh in 2013 against Tk2.7 crore in 2012. According to the statement, the company has a cash balance of Tk4.7 crore, which was Tk35.8 crore at the year-end of 2012.

In 2013, the company also increased its long term secured loan by Tk44 crore alongside for financing its production expansion plans.

The company in its IPO prospectus said it planned to expand its existing business by doubling its capacity of denim fabrics per year by setting up a fully automated state of the art rope denim plant.

“Profit took a hit of recent political unrest and image crisis in the world due recent industrial accidents,” said Abdus Salam Murshedy, managing director of Envoy Textiles Limited.

He, however, said, “We will come back to the satisfactory profitability

Google Chromebox aims at conference room n AFP, San Francisco

level, as we have already started our second unit production, which will double the output. But, it might take time to be able to reach the level of profits as seen in the past.”

In December last year, the company was given a rating of “AA2” based on unaudited financial statement ended on June 30, 2013 by Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited. l

Google took aim at office meeting rooms on Thursday with the release of a Chromebox for videoconferencing.

“These days, we often connect with each other from far-flung locations, coordinating time zones and dialing into conference calls from our phones,” product management vice president Caesar Sengupta said in a blog post.

“Meetings need to catch up with the way we work -- they need to be face-toface, easier to join, and available from anywhere and any device.”

Chromebox-for-meetings is available in the US at a starting price of $999 and is to be released later this year in Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, and Spain.

The first model box comes with a high-definition camera and a speaker with a microphone. A monitor must be

Starry-eyed budget carriers in India luxury car market Southeast Asia stare at overcapacity accelerates despite n downturn Reuters

Low-cost carriers are flying high in Southeast Asia on the back of sharp growth in air travel, but as hundreds of new jets swarm into the region concerns are rising about its ability to absorb the record numbers of planes on order.

Southeast Asian carriers have been devouring as many new airplanes as planemakers can sell, gambling that low fares and rising disposable incomes will drive the region’s 600 million-strong population to keep flying to new destinations.

An aircraft buying binge fuelled by cheap interest rates and backed by Western export credits shows few signs of halting, with Vietnam’s VietJetAir and Thailand’s Nok Air both expected to place orders at the Singapore Airshow this week.

But after years of explosive growth, the region’s budget carriers are now facing fears of overcapacity as deliveries accelerate, airlines expand into each other’s markets and currency weakness threatens to puncture economic growth.

“This is the only region in the world where airlines have more orders than current fleet and there’s more to come,” said Brendan Sobie, chief analyst at industry consultancy CAPA. Airlines in Southeast Asia are estimated to have a fleet of 1,800 by the end of this year, he said, while their order book is set to surpass the 2,000 mark. Asia-Pacific planes on order make up 36% of the world total and the figure is rising, says Airbus.

Already last year, available capacity grew faster than passenger demand in countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, putting pressure on yields or the average revenue per passenger for every kilometre flown.

That could extend further in 2014 as carriers in Southeast Asia take delivery of about 230 aircraft worth over $20bn this year, at a rate close to one new jet every working day.

One such aircraft is a short-haul Boeing 737 now making its way to the region and due to reach Singapore’s SilkAir in time to be shown off at the February 11-16 air show.

The arrival of the airline’s first Boe-

ing symbolises a price war between planemakers generated by Asia’s order boom, after SilkAir ditched its previous supplier Airbus.

Order now, pay later

One reason many airlines have been ordering at once is that engine improvements now allow significant fuel savings.

When you run an airline, for reasons which are both economic reasons and prestige, you want a new kit, so you order an aircraft. And if your neighbour orders aircraft, so you order aircraft

Ample liquidity provided by moneyprinting central banks has also made it easier to fund the relatively small upfront payments needed to place headline-grabbing plane orders.

But bankers warn the race to buy efficient aircraft in anticipation of high demand could spell trouble for the sector.

“When you run an airline, for reasons which are both economic reasons and prestige, you want a new kit, so you order an aircraft. And if your neighbour orders aircraft, so you order aircraft,” said Bertrand Grabowski who heads German bank DVB’s aviation and land transport finance divisions.

“I wouldn’t call it irrational exuberance but clearly everybody in Asia is ordering aircraft more than they really need,” Grabowski told Reuters in an interview.

Most of the aircraft orders come from the region’s two fastest growing airlines - Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd, run by entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, and Lion Air, co-founded by Indonesian

businessman turned politician Rusdi Kirana.

Both carriers have placed orders for hundreds of Boeing and Airbus aircraft valued at tens of billions of dollars as they race to get Asians flying in a region set to overtake the United States as the biggest aviation market.

Others ordering aircraft include Cebu Pacific, Tiger Airways, 40% owned by Singapore Airlines Ltd, Garuda Indonesia’s low-cost unit Citilink, and the Qantas Airways Ltd-owned Jetstar and its affiliates such as Singaporebased Jetstar Asia.

In the event that any airline cannot complete an order, there are others waiting in the wings to take their slot.

New deals

While Fernandes has dismissed speculation of an aircraft order bubble in Asia, AirAsia’s profits have taken a knock due to a gruelling price war in its home market, stoked by Lion affiliate Malindo and competition from Malaysian Airlines.

AirAsia has termed competition in Malaysia and Thailand as “irrational”.

Kirana, the head of Lion Air which does not disclose profits, believes consolidation in the sector is “inevitable” given the large number of companies in the low-cost market.

Recently, Tiger Airways agreed to sell its Philippine operations to dominant carrier, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia’s Philippine unit bought into smaller Zest Air. Such concerns are unlikely to get much of a public airing at this week’s aerospace event, where deals may be signed for between 100 and 200 jets worth $10-20bn- albeit far below the record $200bn seen in Dubai in November.

Manufacturers are perennially upbeat and Boeing is expected to reiterate confidence in long-term Asian demand this week.

“Nobody is going to place a future order unless they know that whatever they are taking in today is being absorbed in the market at a reasonable yield and a reasonable load factor level,” said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ vice president, AsiaPacific and India sales.

“I wouldn’t say the party is ending in the near-term but the rate of growth will slow down.” l

B3

Monday, February 10, 2014

n AFP, Greater Noida German giant Mercedes admits it was “a little surprised” when Indian customers snapped up 125 of its new topof-the-line S-Class luxury cars costing $250,000 apiece in just 16 days.

India’s auto industry has skidded onto an icy patch and is set for a second straight year of decline, but one segment still accelerating is luxury cars.

Analysts at India’s premier auto fair in the capital’s suburb of Greater Noida last week said for the “really rich”, economic downturns have a “negligible impact” on their luxury spending.

The wealthy are much less sensitive to high interest rates and are more resilient overall to downturns, say analysts.

“Luxury cars sales are still growing at 15%-plus year-on-year. For the next three years, segment growth is expected to continue at 15% upwards,” noted a report by the Confederation of Indian Industry and market research firm IMRB International.

Sales have gone into overdrive for parts of the luxury auto segment. Daimler AG’s Mercedes Benz, for instance, saw sales rocket 32% year-on-year in India, despite punitive import tariffs.

Still, “while we believe strongly in our product, we were a little surprised when we sold 125 S-Class cars in 16 days -- and this was to customers who bought them sight unseen”, MercedesBenz India chief executive Eberhard Kern said.

The cars purchased were the Indian launch edition of Mercedes’ latest luxury S-Class sedan, priced at 15.7m rupees ($250,000).

In sharp contrast, passenger car sales are set to slump close to 10% in this financial year to March 2014, forecasts the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), after years of growing around 30%.

The market has been hit by high borrowing costs and receding consumer confidence amid economic growth of just 4.5% half the rate seen during India’s boom times.

Big spenders But while India staggers from its worst downturn in a decade, previous years of rapid growth have created a

new moneyed class who are buying prestige marques and keeping the segment above water.

“Economic downturns have a negligible impact on luxury consumers... and income levels overall have been rising,” Shrawan Raja of Indian Autos Blog, an Indian motoring portal, told AFP. Although World Bank figures show 33% of the planet’s poorest call India home, the country also has minted 65 dollar billionaires, according to Forbes, and hundreds of thousands of dollar millionaires.

A decade ago, the lone luxury car commonly spotted on India’s famously congested, potholed roads was Mercedes, the first premium carmaker to open shop in 1995. But now Audis, Jaguars, Bentleys, Aston Martins, Porches and other top badges regularly weave through traffic.

The big spenders are top executives, ex-farmers who’ve sold property for vast sums to developers and a younger, wealthy generation with different values from their frugal parents who shied away from “conspicuous consumption”, analysts say.

“There has been an attitudinal change to spending money -- making this a more hospitable place for luxury automakers,” Anil Sharma, senior research analyst at IHS Automotive consultancy, told AFP. India’s luxury car market is still tiny -- the total sold by the big luxury players in India, Mercedes, Audi, BMW and Jaguar LandRover, was 30,100. But that number is forecast to climb by 168% by 2018, according to consultancy IHS. ‘Huge headroom’ for growth The market “is still in its nascent stages,” but will be “very important for the future”, Mercedes’ Kern told AFP, adding, “Headroom for the market to grow is huge”.

In mature markets, luxury cars account for 10% to 15% of sales, while in India “just two out of every 100 cars sold” is a premium vehicle, Audi overseas sales vice-president Terence Johnson told AFP. “We’ve 10 top priority markets which are strategic long-term and India’s one of them,” Johnson added. l

provided. There is an annual management fee of $250 for the videoconferencing setup. As many as 15 people can take part in a Chromebox video conference using smartphones, tablets, laptops or other Internet linked computers.

Google has been working to expand its business beyond online search and into businesses with a productivity and collaboration software offered as services in the Internet cloud. The California technology titan also continues to promote Chrome-powered boxes and laptops that push computing power to servers in Google data centers.

Google introduced the first Chromebook in mid-2010 in a challenge to Windows operating software at the heart of Microsoft’s empire. Shifting operating software to banks of servers online means that Google updates programs and fends off hackers and malicious software. l

Iran drawing up new contracts to attract oil majors n AFP, Tehran Iran’s oil ministry said yesterday it is preparing a new type of contract that would be more attractive to major oil companies in case of the lifting of international sanctions.

International oil and gas companies have withdrawn from Iran since the strengthening of US and European sanctions in recent years over Tehran’s controversial nuclear drive.

These sanctions have drastically reduced oil exports from Iran, also lowering production to less than 3 million barrels per day.

But a landmark nuclear agreement reached in November between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group of world powers has raised hopes in Tehran that the energy sector could be revived by the return of oil majors.

'The reality is that these contracts were one-sided and only beneficial to Iran.

Foreign companies were complaining' A committee formed at the oil ministry to iron out the new type of contracts is expected to finish its work by May or June, ministry official Mehdi Hosseini who heads the team, told reporters.

The new contracts would replace buyback types under which contractors funded projects and got paid in the form of an allocated production share a system applied for more than 20 years in Iran.

“The reality is that these contracts were one-sided and only beneficial to Iran. Foreign companies were complaining,” Hosseini said.

Without giving out details, he said the new contract would be “very close to what is practiced at international level to provide maximum flexibility in all areas, including operation, cooperation and bureaucracy.”

Once ready, the new contract would be presented to international companies at a major conference expected to be held in London in November, he said.

According to Hosseini, Iran “will need $150bn over the next five years for exploration and production operations.” l

Google buys 5.94% stake in Lenovo n AFP, Hong Kong

Standard Bank Limited held its annual business conference for the on-going year on Saturday at a hotel in Dhaka. The conference was presided over by Md Nazmus Salehin, the bank's managing director and CEO

Trust Bank Limited held its 14th extra ordinary general meeting on Feb 6 at Trust Milonayotan in Dhaka. The meeting was presided over by Maj Gen Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf, rcds, afwc, psc, vice chairman of Trust Bank Limited

Jamuna Bank Training Academy recently arranged a training course on international trade and foreign exchange operation. Mirza Elias Uddin Ahmed, deputy managing director of Jamuna Bank Limited inaugurated the training course

Norihisa Matsumoto, JICA volunteer will work with BUET Mechanical Engineering Department to produce low cost fuel efficient vehicle. The 28 years old mechanical engineer arrived in Dhaka on Friday along with four other JICA volunteers.

Google bought a 5.94% stake in Lenovo for $750m on the same day it agreed to sell handset maker Motorola to the Chinese technology giant, a report said Friday.

The US Internet firm acquired 618.3 million shares in the PC maker at $1.213 each when Lenovo bought Motorola for $2.91bn last Thursday, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

The deal provides Lenovo with footholds in smartphone and tablet markets where it is eager to gain traction.

It also came just a week after the Chinese firm said it will buy IBM’s lowend server business for $2.3bn, giving it a platform to compete in that sector with US giants Dell and Hewlett-Packard.

However, Lenovo’s Hong Kong-listed shares lost almost a quarter of their value in two days after the Motorola news, with traders worried the technology giant had bitten off more than it could chew by buying the unprofitable handset maker.

The firm closed 1.32% higher at HK$8.42 ($1.09) on Friday. l

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Monday, February 10, 2014

The economics of min wage: Good intentions, bad outcomes n Asif Khan Recently, after rounds of negotiations the minimum wage for blue collar RMG workers was increased by 77%. The humanitarian in me rejoiced at the news, as I believe that their income was too low to support a decent standard of living. These people have been shedding blood, sweat and tears for our country and quite frankly they deserve better.

However, the economist in me was not so sure about how much it would help them or even the economy itself.

Before you pigeonhole me as the stereotypical “crony capitalist,” I would ask that you at least peruse my reasoning.

Let me start with a bit of theory.

Free market economists, particularly of the Austrian school of thought (Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, etc) speak vehemently against any sort of government intervention.

Their logic, when applied to minimum wage, is simple. Setting a price above the market determined price will take the market to a disequilibrium and thus demand will be lower than supply.

Effectively, this would lead to higher unemployment and therefore a “deadweight loss” will be created. Now that I have covered the theoretical gibberish, it is time to discuss real life implications.

In reality, unemployment did clearly increase after the hike in minimum wages. Most RMG factories laid-off (close to 20%, if my sources are to be believed) employees in a desperate attempt to protect their thin profit margins. It was mostly employees from the unskilled category who were laid off.

Entry requirements were also raised.

For example, in one particularly large factory, the minimum requirement for educational qualification was raised from individuals who had passed through Grade 6 to SSC graduates.

What this suggests is that the more skilled workers are being better off

at the expense of the unskilled ones when minimum wages are raised. But the whole worker community is “not” benefiting from the wage hike, which would have been the ideal situation.

This would have been okay if the semi-skilled workers who still have a job got the full benefit of the hike.

Unfortunately my hypothesis is that their cost of living, particularly rent (the largest expenditure) will adjust upwards quite sharply. This is because the rapid urbanisation and dense concentration of people gives a lot of bargaining power to the landlords.

Thus, when wages increase they can raise rents as well. I have already seen the effect of the wage hike on inflation in the CPI figures for January 2014.

Non-food inflation rose by 1.7% MoM (month over month) driven mainly by “Gross rent, fuel and lighting” which grew to a staggering 3.37% MoM. Given that energy prices have not been adjusted upwards recently, I can conclude that its hikes in rent that drove most of the increase.

You can question my conclusion saying that there is a seasonality effect on rents because it is the start of the year. My counterargument is that an increase of such magnitude is quite unprecedented even when we look back at the numbers for past years.

My final argument is that some of the factories with a weak financial position will completely go out of business with the wage hike. All workers working in these factories will be out of work and there would be nobody to hire them as the industry as a whole is shedding workforce.

For these people, getting a lower wage is still better than getting no wage at all. One such early indicator is the fact that many factories have still not been able to comply with the directive.

Minimum wage is a great example of good intentions but bad outcome.

In the words of the economist Henry

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Hazlitt: “You cannot make a man worth a given amount by making it illegal for anyone to offer him less. You merely deprive him of the right to earn the amount that his abilities and situation would permit him to earn, while you deprive the community even of the moderate services that he is capable of rendering. In brief, for a low wage

you substitute unemployment. You do harm all around, with no comparable compensation.”

What then is the solution? There is no magic answer. We have to first try and figure out why exactly the market priced the wages for our garments workers at such a low level.

I am definitely no expert on the RMG sector but would point to the fol-

lowing factors: 1. The large population base of the country leading to an oversupply of workers.

2. Lack of education resulting in very low productivity compared to peer countries.

3. Infrastructure and energy bottlenecks slowing down growth of entrepreneurial activity.

Next wave of super-rich As Fragile Five fight back, markets train heading for London as sights on other emerging economies n new crises bite Reuters

n Reuters Political and financial upheaval in some of the world’s largest emerging economies is driving a new wave of rich migrants to London’s supercharged property market as a place to park their wealth, data from a leading real estate agency showed on Friday.

Knight Frank, a specialist in upmarket properties, said it had seen online enquiries about British homes from crisis-hit countries such as Argentina, Ukraine and Turkey soar over the past year.

“There is potentially a further wave of investment headed for the prime central London property market,” Tom Bill, associate in the Knight Frank residential research team, told Reuters.

This is despite prices in London already having risen sharply after a rush of foreign buyers of London mansions, prompted by the Euro zone debt crisis and the Arab spring, along with Britain’s political stability and benign property taxes.

Prices in London overall in the three months to December were 14.9% higher than a year earlier, according to figures from mortgage lender Nationwide, and some top-end values have inflated even more, driving prices in Britain’s capital beyond the reach of most residents and making it a hot political topic.

Finance Minister George Osborne said in December he would impose a capital gains tax on foreign property investors from 2015 in a bid to allay fears that wealthy foreign buyers are driving a property bubble.

In the case of Brazil, interest has more than doubled over the 12 months to the end of January, Knight Frank said, adding that an increase in web traffic translates into a pickup in actual sales within three to six months.

The agency, which sells homes worth at least 1m pounds and is marketing a 15 bedroom house on The Bishop’s Avenue, London’s “billionaires row”, at 65m, said the bulk of those enquiries were for homes in the capital.

No surprise

“This doesn’t surprise me at all,” said Sophie Dworetzsky, a partner specialising in rich private clients at law firm Withers. “If you invest in high-end London property you probably feel you have a degree of certainty - it’s like a safe currency.”

The biggest rise in interest came from Brazil, with a 115% spike over the 12 months to the end of January, com-

pared with a year before.

Brazil is one of the so-called “fragile five” economies seen as vulnerable to the US Federal Reserve scaling back monetary stimulus, because of its large current account deficit and reliance on outside capital.

The next biggest increases in enquiries came from Argentina, in the midst of a currency crisis, and Ukraine, which is reeling from a wave of political unrest. Enquiries from both countries spiked 67%.

Finance Minister George Osborne said in December he would impose a capital gains tax on foreign property investors from 2015 in a bid to allay fears that wealthy foreign buyers are driving a property bubble Other members of the fragile five group also saw a pickup in internet househunting in London’s plushest neighbourhoods. Enquiries from Indonesia and Turkey, which have both endured weeks of capital flight and falling currencies, rose 10%, while South African interest climbed 9% and Indian interest was up 3%.

London and the top end of its property market is a well-established harbour for money fleeing economic and political instability, because of Britain’s relative stability and a tax regime that historically goes easy on foreign residents’ overseas wealth.

However the issue of foreign property purchases is politically controversial, with many media reports saying expensive houses and appartments are often bought only as investments and are left unoccupied. The Guardian daily reported this week that several mansions on The Bishops Avenue had been left empty and were falling into disrepair.

Following is a summary of percentage changes in visits to Knight Frank’s website from specific countries in the 12 months to the end of January 2014 versus the prior 12 months: Argentina +67% Brazil +115% China +31% India +3% Indonesia +10% Mexico +37% South Africa +9% Turkey +10% Ukraine +67% Average +44%. l

Countries such as Hungary, lacking the protection of high interest rates, may take the hit from the next selloff wave in emerging markets now bold rate hikes have made the likes of Turkey too costly to bet against.

Calm appeared to have returned to emerging markets over the past week after concerns about a slowing Chinese economy and a US stimulus winddown sent fast money investors fleeing and whipped up near-panic selling of currencies.

Abrupt rate hikes in Brazil, India, Turkey and South Africa last month and last year’s tightening in Indonesia the “Fragile Five” economies with high external capital needs - have helped alleviate pressure on currencies.

While the same problems that pressured the markets in the first place - high inflation and current account deficits - are still there, rising interest rates make it simply too expensive for foreign investors to sell their currencies.

Now investors are testing the resolve of countries like Hungary, Russia and Romania, whose current account positions are less problematic.

The concern there is rather that the central banks are either more tolerant of currency falls than other countries or planning to cut interest rates, thereby not offering investors enough

reward for the risks.

“Fragile Five is the story that is done,” said Daniel Wood, senior fund manager of emerging markets debt at BNP Paribas Investment Partners.

“Investors are broadening out the attacks. It’s now expensive to attack Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.

They’re looking beyond the Fragile Five because it’s getting expensive to short them with interest rate hikes.”

Wood is short Romanian leu and Hungarian forint against long Turkish lira and Colombian peso.

Turkey’s benchmark policy rate its one-week repo rate - now stands at 10%. This compares with Romania’s benchmark rates of 3.5% and Hungary’s 2.85%.

“We’re short leu in the forward spaces. It’s not expensive. The leu could ultimately come under attack if they continue to provide cheap liquidity,” he said.

The Russian rouble is another currency that has been under pressure, even though the economy has a current account surplus - estimated to be 1.6% of gross output last year - with over half a trillion dollars in foreign exchange reserves.

Benchmark rates are also at a high 6.6%. However, the central bank’s reluctance to raise interest rates in the face of higher inflation is eroding the rouble’s yield advantage and leading to capital flight.

The rouble has lost over 5% so far this year against the dollar and has hit record lows on a dollar-euro basket.

The central bank conducts interventions if the rouble strays outside of the band, but it has also said it will stick to its plan to free-float the rouble by next year.

Barclays Capital says hiking policy rates is seen as the measure of the last resort.

This is triggering a huge capital exit.

According to EPFR, $1.6bn of funds have left Russia since the start of January.

More room to raise rates

Even after aggressive central bank tightening by the Fragile Five, interest rates adjusted for inflation are still at rock-bottom levels - deterring local buyers.

Deutsche Bank says real policy rates across emerging markets have averaged just 1.1% since 2009, which compares with an average of 3.4 in 2008.

That suggests the pain is far from over.

“Monetary policies are far from ‘tight’ and there has been little evidence that policymakers are willing to tighten fiscal policy where needed to facilitate the adjustment,” said Henrik Gullberg, Deutsche’s strategist.

“Unless policies are rebalanced to contain domestic absorption, EM currencies will continue to bear the brunt of the adjustment.” l

In my honest opinion, focusing on supply side policies such as education, healthcare and training to boost longterm productivity of the workforce would lead to a better outcome than a one-off hike in minimum wages. l The writer is deputy head of equity research at BRAC EPL Stock Brokerage who writes on finance and economics at www.asifkhan.info

NEWS IN BRIEF Taiwan’s Foxconn to invest up to $1bn in Indonesia Taiwan technology giant Foxconn group has signed a letter of intent to invest up to $1 billion in Indonesia as it seeks to diversify production away from China, officials said Sunday. Foxconn, also known by its Taipei-headquartered mother company Hon Hai Precision Industry which is the world’s largest contract electronics maker, said the investments would be in Jakarta province, which has better infrastructure than other regions of the country. – AFP, Taipei

China corruption crackdown hits catering sector: state media

China’s catering sector grew at its slowest pace in more than two decades in 2013 as diners avoided splashing out in luxury restaurants during an anti-corruption campaign targeting official excess, according to state media. Catering in China grew 9% last year, the weakest growth in 21 years, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on yesterday, citing the China Cuisine Association. It did not give the growth pace for earlier years. – Reuters

Yahoo to partner with Yelp on local search engine results: WSJ Internet portal Yahoo is partnering with consumer reviews website Yelp to beef up local results in its search engine, the Wall Street Journal reported on yesterday. – Reuters

World stocks rally after US jobs report; dollar slips Global equity markets surged on Friday as investors set aside any fear of economic softness in a weak US jobs report, while bond yields and the dollar fell as the data showed employers hired far fewer workers than expected in January. – Reuters

Wall Street rises despite weak January jobs data US stocks rose on Friday, giving the S&P 500 its first weekly gain in four as the impact of a weak reading on the labour market was dulled by harsh weather conditions and traders focused on expectations of further economic strength. – Reuters

Oil hits one month highs on US cold, tight supply Oil rose by more than $2 to one-month highs on Friday, fuelled by a sharp rally in gasoline and heating oil as supplies tightened and refiners started to shut down plants for maintenance. – Reuters A Hungarian currency trader reacts at his desk in the dealing room of a bank in Budapest

REUTERS