27 March 2014

Chaitra 13, 1420 Jamadiul Awal 25, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 363

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

3 | ‘GOVERNMENT SOFT TOWARDS JAMAAT’

5 | MIND YOUR MONEY

12 pages | Price: Tk10

9 | A WELL-KEPT SECRET

10 | BD WOMEN BOW TO EXPERIENCED WI

Bangladesh sings into Guinness record PM joins as over 2.5 lakh perform national anthem on Independence Day record officials through video cameras. n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Each participant was given a pack of The country yesterday set a new world record as over 2.5 lakh people sang the National anthem in chorus celebrating the 43rd anniversary of Independence Day at the National Parade Ground in the city.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the programme titled Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla along with her ministers and lawmakers.

The organisers, cultural affairs ministry and the Armed Forces Division

P2

NATION PAYS HOMAGE

targeted to mobilise at least three lakh people to lend their voice to the singing of the National anthem together to surpass the last year’s Indian record that saw 121,653 people.

The entire 4km parade square was divided into 15 sectors to accommodate the participants in a disciplined manner.

With the headcount by counting machines each participant entered the venue strictly monitored by Guinness

dry food, medicine and a miniature national flag and a cap.

In the middle of the square, a big podium was erected on which Sheikh Hasina, ministers and other dignitaries stood.

People from all walks of life entered through the makeshift gates on the eastern and western sides of the venue.

Crowds from the parade ground spilled out onto the adjacent streets to be the part of the mammoth event.

Sheuli, 30, got up at dawn. But yesterday it was different from her usual routine: no monotonous sewing in the garment factory amid noise of the machines.

She had been eagerly waiting for this day, March 26, when she planned to don the newly-made green and red salwar-kameez matching the national flag that cost her Tk700.

Sheuli had to walk eight kilometre to join the programme.

“Walking this long distance is difficult but I had no problem. If so many  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

A portion of gathering that joined the chorus of the national anthem in an attempt to set a new Guinness record at the National Parade Ground yesterday

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Outlay for Tk250,000 crore budget Hasina annoyed, vents nearly ready for next fiscal year anger on truant MPs

England hope to stop Lankan juggernaut

n Asif Showkat Kallol

Uddin Khan from n Minhaz Chittagong

The government, in line with its political promises, is set to place yet another ambitious budget for the upcoming FY 2014-15, with little said about execution and ensuring accountability of public funds.

At the meeting of the budget monitoring and resources committee on April 2, the Finance Division will seek approval for a proposal that may range between Tk2,50,000 crore and Tk2,55,000 crore.

Deficit will range between Tk67,000 crore to Tk68,000 crore, and efforts will be put in to keep the deficit under 5% of the projected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the coming fiscal.

The initial size of the budget for the ongoing fiscal (FY 2013-14) was Tk2,22,491 crore which was later trimmed to Tk2,11,220 crore.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith will place the budget for the coming fiscal at parliament on June 5.

The government is reportedly looking to incorporate two of its major political pledges in the upcoming budget – creating more jobs and encouraging

INSIDE World

6 Russia and the West drew a tentative line under the Ukraine crisis after US President Barack Obama and his allies agreed to hold off on more damaging economic sanctions.

Entertainment

7 British-Bangladeshi filmmaker Munsur Ali’s debut film Shongram is set to release tomorrow in 50 cinemas of the country. The film will be premiered today at the Blockbuster Cinemas.

foreign and local investment.

“The next budget will be big because our economy has expanded over the years. Moreover, we need a big budget in order to recover from the political destruction suffered during hartals and blockades last year,” Muhith recently told a group of journalists.

The initial size of the budget for the ongoing fiscal was Tk2,22,491 crore which was later trimmed to Tk2,11,220 crore On April 2, in a meeting of the Fiscal Coordination Council, the GDP growth target and the rate of inflation for the new fiscal may be fixed.

Sources said although the initial plan was to fix GDP growth target at 6% because of the political turmoil, ultimately the government might target 7% for both inflation and growth.

For the ongoing fiscal, the initial growth target was 7.2%, which, how-

ever, was later slashed to 6.5% in the wake of the prolonged turbulence.

“A handsome amount of public money is spent for consumption. This is good for Bangladesh’s economy.

Consequentially, the size of the budget will also be bigger,” said Shamsul Alam, member of the General Economics Division of the Planning Commission.

“Individual incomes have also risen over the years, inducing a need for an enlarged budget to ensure inclusive growth,” he said.

“Over the past five years, the Awami League government has not utilised public money well because of political reasons... Although there have been some corruption in spending public funds, if people have more money in their hands, the economy will be benefitted,” he explained.

Sources said budgetary allocation for the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the upcoming fiscal might range between Tk84,000 crore to Tk88,000 crore. The ADP is most likely to prioritise infrastructure and agriculture as usual.

During the ongoing fiscal (FY 2013-14),  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has recently expressed annoyance at the poor attendance of the lawmakers and ministers in parliament.

She has also asked the whips to prepare a list of the lawmakers who are absent from the assembly and hand it over to her.

Unhappy with the MPs’ performance in the maiden session of the 10th legislature that started on January 29, the prime minister on March 20 summoned Atiur Rahman Atik and Shahiduzzaman Sarker and questioned why the MPs skipped the assembly.

In reply the whips told the Leader of the House that many MPs were in their constituencies due to the ongoing upazila polls. The duo assured Sheikh Hasina that they would go tough after the upazila elections on March 31.

“Give me a list of the MPs who skip the sittings. They must attend the parliament regularly,” Shahiduzzaman Sarker quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying.

He said they informed the prime minister that many of the MPs were busy campaigning in the upazila elec-

tions. “We have told the prime minister that we should be tougher after the upazila polls,” he said.

Atiur Rahman also admitted that the prime minister was angry with the absence of the MPs. On March 20, at least four MPs skipped the House after submitting questions to the ministers. Again, Home Minister Mohammad Nasim did not attend the assembly, although he was supposed to answer to a private-member resolution on the health ministry.

There are cases that ministers scheduled to answer to the questions of the MPs skipped the sittings. Even the substitute ministers also remained absent from the proceedings.

The situation did not improve much even after 48 MPs elected from reserved seats for women joined the assembly on Sunday.

On March 25, the attendance of the MPs came down to less than 60 around 8:30 pm, prompting a parliament secretariat official to bring the matter to the notice of whip Shahiduzzaman Sarker.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

Sexual harassment on the rise in capital n Tazlina Zamila Khan From 2011 to 2014, the country saw a gradual rise in incidents of violence, including sexual harassment, against women. Such a trend can be seen in recent statistics released by the Women Support and Investigation Division under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

According to the data, there were around 76 incidents of rape last year, up from 28 in 2011. Besides, in 2011, the number of cases related to harassment, acid crime and dowry stood at 14, three and 40, while the figures rose to 35, five and 125 last year.

A 14-year-old girl, who was gangraped by eight men at Gabtoli bus terminal in the capital on December 27, 2012, has still been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She was raped in an empty bus and became unconscious after the incident.

A Brac study from June 2013 shows 44.68% students were victims of molestation, 49.25% were threatened after rejecting romantic proposals,

Violence against women: A dangerous trend Year Rape Dishonour Acid Dowry Trafficking Kidnapping Others 2011 28 14 3 40 2 9 2 2012 71 15 6 92 08 109 02 2013 76 36 5 125 3 116 10 2014 (till Mach 15) 9 5 4 32 02 26 02 and erotic comments were thrown at 77.78% while 14.44% were blackmailed through photographs, 12.22% were persuaded into physical relationship, and 66.67% were harassed with text messages or phone calls.

Around 43% girls reported that men tried to touch them. In all the cases, 52% of the victims did not take any measures against harassment fearing public disgrace while 35% discussed the issue with their mothers.

Worse, 25.4% victims dropped out of study after being harassed.

“When we make complaints about harassment we are ashamed as people gossip about us. It becomes tough to

cope with the situation,” a female student told the Dhaka Tribune.

When contacted, Senior Assistant Commissioner of the DMP Victim Support Centre Asma Begum Rita said: “Solving a case is a lengthy process. It frequently happens that after cases are lodged the victims and offenders come to a mutual understanding. They then come to us to withdraw the case.”

Executive Director of Bangladesh National Woman Lawyers Association (BNWLA) advocate Salma Ali said 95% victims avoid lodging complaints.

“Our major finding is that students are harassed more by teachers and less by other students. As for workplace

Two times ICC World Twenty20 runner-up Sri Lanka are keen to continue the winning streak and confirm a semifinal berth when they face England this evening at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

England who started with a defeat against New Zealand in a rain-curtailed match will be desperate for a win to stay alive in the tournament.

England had a promising start with the bat against New Zeland before rain had the final say and the Duckworth-Lewis method helped the BlackCaps prevail. The performance of Moeen Ali and Michael Lumb was the inspiration for the English men as their positive intent helped England to consolidate the journey while Ravi Bopara and Tim Bresnan scored quick runs in the end to boost the English total.

“That was an unfortunate one.

harassment, bosses are usually the main offenders rather than colleagues.

There should be a change in the mindset of our society and stalkers must be punished. Mobile courts should be proactive in this regard,” she said.

Salma stressed the need for frank discussion between children and parents. She said instead of suggesting that daughters ignore stalkers, parents should teach them to face the offenders bravely.

“Boys should learn to respect the opposite sex. They should remember that their mothers or sisters could also become victims,” she said.

Secretary of the women and children affairs ministry Tariq-ul-Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that men were “rogues” by nature. He said an individual with a sound mind could not harass others.

“These cases are tough to handle but we have established one-stop crisis centres in 40 districts and 20 upazilas to reduce the rate. We get 300-400 calls a day and inform the local administration to take actions based on those complaints,” he said. l

There was a long way to go in that game. Chasing 170 is tough in any game, although they had a good start, we backed ourselves to defend that.

The boys are getting better at their skills and playing out in those conditions the other night we learnt a lot, we initially thought the wickets were going to be low and slow, but they were going out quite a bit,” said English batsman Ravi Bopara to the media yesterday.

“The game [against Sri Lanka today] is a must win game for us. We have to win. Winning against them would be a big thing for us, a big confident boost and that’s the way we are looking at it,” said the middle-order batsman.

For Sri Lanka senior men, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan may not have contributed much in recent games, but the form of the rest of the batters is doing the work for the side which is one of the leading contenders for a spot in the final of the tournament and will be hoping to march confidently into the next round.

Sri Lanka in their previous game humiliated Netherlands getting the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Nation pays tribute to martyrs to mark 44th Independence Day n Tribune Report With a spirited rendering of the National Anthem – Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomai Bhalobasi – by over 2.5 lakh people from all strata in the capital’s National Parade Square, the nation celebrated the 44th Independence and National Day yesterday, paying homage to three million martyrs of the Liberation War, according to our correspondents and news agencies.

The other programmes of the day included placing of wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar, Shikha Chironton (Eternal flame) Suhrawardy Udyan and at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi, offering of prayers at mosques, temples, churches, pagodas and all places of worship, seeking welfare of the state and its people, distribution of improved diets to those in hospitals, jails, orphanages and old-age homes, discussions, cultural functions and illumination of important government offices.

Early in the morning, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of the state placed wreaths at the National Memorial as a mark of respect to the martyrs.

They stood there in solemn silence for some time, paying glowing tributes to the martyrs.

Hasina along with her party stalwarts and advisory council also laid wreaths at the memorial.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament Begum Raushan Ershad separately placed wreaths at the memorial in the morning.

The Chief Justice, cabinet members, lawmakers, chiefs of the three forces, diplomats, high civil and military officials, war-maimed freedom fighters,

WEATHER

37.0o THURSDAY, MARCH 27

Weather likely to remain dry across the country n UNB Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Khulna, Rajshahi, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and the region of Comilla until 6pm today.

Weather may remain mainly dry elsewhere over the country, Met Office said.

Day and night temperature may rise by (1-2) degree Celsius over the country.

DHAKA SUN SETS 6:12PM SUN RISES 5:55AM TODAY TOMORROW TEMPERATURE (Nationwide)

36.4ºC Rajshahi

18.7ºC Hatia

Highest and lowest temperature recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

Low

33.7 30.2 36.4 32.2 35.2 33.5 32.3 32.2

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:39am 5:55am 12:04am 4:29pm 6:12pm 7:28pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

23.5 22.8 21.8 20.5 22.2 21.9 19.5 22.6

members of the Bir Shreshtras and martyred families and eminent citizens also paid respect to the martyrs.

Later, Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders also placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu on Dhanmondi Road 32 in the capital.

The day was a public holiday.

Marking the occasion, important road islands and city intersections were decorated with national flag, miniature flags and colourful lights.

Different institutions and organisations including Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Sector Commander’s Forum, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote and Nirmul Committee observed the day, holding discussions, candle-light vigil, musical soirees, street dramas, painting shows and poetry recitation sessions.

Bangladesh Postal Department released a commemorative stamp marking the day.

The day was also observed at all the divisional and district headquarters with identical programmes including singing the National Anthem yesterday.

In Chittagong, crowd gathered at Parade Square, Cheragi Pahar, MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Patenga beach and many other public places across the port city from the early morning to become the part of the chorus to perform the National Anthem.

The district administrations organised the event in the playground and stadia while students and people of all walks of life attended the event with enthusiasm.

Bangladeshis living in foreign countries also took part in the grand event by singing the National Anthem in their respective places. l

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pay their respects to the Liberation War martyrs yesterday at the National Memorial in Savar

PMO

One killed, 70 injured in violence surrounding Independence Day programmes n Tribune Report At least one person was killed and 70 others injured in yesterday’s crude bombs attacks and in separate clashes surrounding Independence Day programmes at five different districts.

Our Chapainawabganj correspondent reported that a crude bomb explosion killed a Jubo Dal activist and injured three others at a local Shaheed Minar in Shibganj upazila.

The deceased was 25-year-old Sujan Ali from Chaturpur village in Shibganj municipal area, while the three injured – Abul Bashar, 36, Nurul Islam, 40, and Toufique, 25 – are undergoing treatment at Shibganj upazila health complex.

Eyewitnesses said two powerful crude bombs exploded in quick succession when local leaders and activists of the Awami League and the BNP were placing wreaths at the local Shaheed Minar in the wee hours of the day. Su-

jan was critically injured as one of the bombs hit his body when it exploded.

“Sujan died while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital at around 2am,” Ashiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shibganj police station, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The OC said it might have been an act by a militant organisation, adding that raids were underway to arrest the culprits.

Meanwhile, following the news of the Jubo Dal activist’s death, BNP activists vandalised the office of Awami League’s Shibganj upazila unit and torched a motorcycle, blaming the ruling party activists for carrying out the bomb attack.

Shahjahan Mia, president of district unit BNP, also alleged that the police had also fired several rounds of bullets at the time of the incident, a claim which was denied by OC Ashiqur.

Elsewhere in Kurigram, five schoolgirls suffered injuries to their faces when

unidentified miscreants blasted a crude bomb during an Independence Day programme at their school grounds in Fulbari upazila, reported our correspondent.

The victims are Ayesha Khatun, Johora Begum, Lucky Akter, Nisha Begum and Reshma Akter – all classnine students of Fulbari Josimia High School. They are undergoing treatment at Fulbari upazila health complex.

Miscreants blasted the crude bomb when around 200 students of the school were performing a display of the national flag at a programme marking the Independence Day. Our Sylhet Correspondent said at least 10 people, including four police personnel, were injured in clashes between Shibir activists and the police in front of Modonmohon college of Lamabazar area.

Mohammad Rohomotullah, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said the clashes ensued after law enforcers stopped a procession by

Islami Chhatra Shibir, brought out to mark the Independence Day. The Shibir activists hurled crude bombs at the police, who retaliated by firing 30 rounds of bullets, he added.

In Habiganj, at least 50 people were injured in a clash between rival groups of villagers at Baniyachong upazila, centring a sports event to mark the Independence Day, reported our correspondent.

Police sources said the Hiala High School in Mokrompur union organised the event; while the two-hour-long clash ensued after supporters of Hiala village resident Gedu Mia were denied participation in the games by school managing committee President Nur Mia. Meanwhile, our Satkhira correspondent reported that at least six people were injured in a factional clash between two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Satkhira Government College unit, following disputes over attending an Independence Day programme. l

Patriotic spirit outside National Parade Ground

State to challenge Rana Plaza owner’s bail

Bakar Siddique and n Abu Mohammad Jamil Khan

n Nazmus Sakib

With over 2.5 lakh people joining the chorus of the national anthem at the capital’s National Parade Grounds yesterday, a large number of people gathered outside the venue as well to share the patriotic fervour.

Since early morning, people fashioning dresses of red-green combination walked towards the venue at Agargaon, as law enforcers shut down traffic movement on the adjacent roads for security purposes. The roads that were closed included Manik Mian Avenue, the road from Khamarbari to Taltola, and the road from Shyamoli to Agargaon.

The entire area donned a festive mood, as people embraced the celebration of Independence Day by waving the national flag and singing the na-

tional anthem.

Although it was a long walk to the venue under a sunny sky, no one seemed to mind the extra physical stress as they were keen to be part of the record-breaking attempt.

“Like me, no one has any bad feeling about the long walk towards the parade ground, as we are joining in a great event like singing our national anthem together,” said Syed Arman, a resident of Azimpur who brought his five-yearold daughter to the programme.

When over 2.5 lakh people inside the parade grounds began singing the national anthem at around 11:20am, thousands more standing outside the venue also joined the chorus to celebrate the occasion.

Jalal Uddin, a private service holder, and his ten-year-old son had to join the chorus while waiting near the Agargaon

Bangladesh sings into Guinness  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

people can walk, why should not I,” Sheuli told the Dhaka Tribune.

Walking for two hours at a stretch and waiting in the queue for one more hour, Sheuli and her colleagues could finally enter the venue around 9:00 am.

The clock ticked away. At 8:10am one lakh people joined. With the clock striking 9:40am the number of people stood at two lakh.

A large number of people stood on the roads and pavements outside the parade square wall.

At 11:05am actor Afzal Hossain announced that 254,681 people gathered, according to the machines.

“But we think more than three lakh people have joined us,” he said, before two rehearsals were done after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked people for turning up at the parade square.

Afzal then gave a call to people to lend their voice to the National Anthem with renowned singers on the central stage.

The entire area adjacent to the parade ground reverberated with the people singing in chorus “Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi” (my golden Bangla, I love you).

“Yes, we have made the world record; thank you very much,” announced the presenter amid huge ju-

bilation.

Many of participants, however, expressed their anger over the medicines distributed to the participants by a Jamaat-owned company.

“The government rejected the donation of the Islami Bank but Ibn Sina Pharmaceutical Company distributed paracetamol, anti-acid tablets and oral saline packs.

This is company of the same group Islami Bank belongs to. This is absolutely objectionable,” Raufur Rahim, a student of Tejgaon College, said. l

England hope to stop Lankan juggernaut  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

former all out with only 39 runs on the board. The side’s skipper Dinesh Chandimal will be hoping that his bowlers continue with the form and help the side register their third win on the trot.

“Bowling the opponents out on 39 happens sometimes, but we are playing to our strengths and it can happen in the next game [against England] also.

We never underestimate any team, England have a good side for T20 format” said Chandimal. l

intersection, as they were late to arrive at the venue. However, Jalal expressed his joy at being able to be at least a part of the occasion, adding that his son would learn to love the country from the event.

As the crowd made their way back home after the programme, they held their heads high with pride for a successful celebration of the Independence Day. The mass singing of the national anthem, “Amar Sonar Bangla,” saw 254,681 people participating at the venue to mark the country’s 44th Independence Day. People from all walks of life including freedom fighters and personnel from Border Guard Bangladesh, the police, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansar and VDP joined the chorus; while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with her cabinet members, MPs, politicians and cultural personalities, also joined the programme to sing the national anthem in unison. l

The state has decided to challenge the High court order that granted bail to Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana for six months in a case lodged by Rajuk for constructing the building flouting building construction laws.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam told the Dhaka Tribune that they would move the Appellate Division against the bail after the vacation that ends on March 31.

Md Selim, the deputy attorney general concerned, said they High Court judges had not yet signed the bail order that came on March 23 “considering facts of the case.”

Had Sohel Rana complied with the law, the disaster would not have taken place. “Alongside, the offence was non-bailable as per the Building Con-

Hasina annoyed, vents anger on truant MPs  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Awami League lawmaker Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin was about to leave the House, but Shahiduzzaman requested him to sit on the chair. At that time, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and Textiles Minister Emaj Uddin Pramanik were on the front bench.

ASM Feroz and Shahiduzzaman then went to the lobbies and brought back the MPs gossiping at the Chamber and fulfilled the necessary quorum, 60 MPs. The whips also asked the lawmakers not to leave the House further.

According to parliamentary practices, the whips who enjoy the status of state minister are in charge of ensuring attendance of the MPs and the ministers.

On March 24, 133 out of the total 345 MPs, including 40 female lawmakers, turned up at the House at 5:10 pm, but the attendance reduced to only 62 at 9:00 pm.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury and Telecommunications Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui were seen on the front bench until the end of the sitting at 9:30 pm.

In the last 26 days of the current session, many MPs, including front bench lawmakers, attended the House at the

beginning, but left after signing the attendance sheet.

On March 2, Social Welfare Minister Mohsin Ali and Promod Mankin remained absent, although parliament was scheduled to see question-answer hour on the social welfare ministry.

In the last 26 days of the current session, many MPs attended the House at the beginning, but left after signing the attendance sheet Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed responded to the questions on the ministry.

Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Food Minister Quamrul Islam on March 11 skipped the House, although they were scheduled to answer to the questions of the MPs during the question-answer hour.

Tofail Ahmed answered to the questions on their behalf, saying that he could not answer to the questions of the MPs properly on the disaster management ministry. l

struction Act, 1952. These are the two major grounds to question the bail,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Rana is currently in jail in other cases of which one is for causing death of workers due to negligence. The High Court earlier granted bail to Abdul Khalek, father of the building owner, and seven others in this case.

The eight-storey Rana Plaza collapsed on April 24 last year, claiming at least 1,135 lives and injuring nearly 2,500 people.

Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) registered the case against Rana and 11 others with Savar police station for using substandard materials and violating building construction law.

The investigators found that Rana got approval for a six-storey building, and later, violating the related law, illegally obtained approval for four more floors. l

Outlay for  PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

the initial size of the ADP was Tk65,870 crore which was later reduced Tk54,000 crore.

At the end of December last year that is the first six months of the ongoing fiscal, 10 big ministries and division, which received 82.7% of the total ADP allocation, managed to spend only about 26.38%.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said: “We are preparing an implementable budget for the next fiscal year for enhancing growth rate.”

One of the major headaches for the ongoing fiscal is the narrowing inflow of money from foreign sources. Only about Tk24,000 crore came from foreign sources which was 64% lower than what it was a year ago.

At the end of the first six months of the ongoing fiscal, net foreign credit stood at Tk613 crore – nearly one third of the Tk1702 crore a year before.

The country will have to depend on the domestic banking system for further finances, professionals said.

Finance ministry officials said the preparation of the budget was going on in full swing. The ministry has already sent letters to the other ministries asking them to propose their allocation requirements.

The finance minister is scheduled to hold discussions with various think tanks today including the Policy Research Institute, the Policy Research Group, BIDs and the PPRC. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Thursday, March 27, 2014

PM calls for rekindling spirit of independence n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday joined hundreds of thousands of people at National Parade Ground in the capital to hold her voice in singing the national anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla Ami Tomay Bhalobasi.”

Accompanied by her cabinet colleagues, the premier sung the national anthem in perfect agreement and harmony with thousands reawakening the spirit of independence in people particularly the new generation.

It was a Guinness Book Records programme of singing the national anthem together by the highest number of people in any part of the world in which more than 2.54 lakh people participated.

Ministry of Cultural Affairs with cooperation of the Armed Forces Division arranged the event, marking the 44th Independence and National Day to renew the patriotic and national spirit and zeal in Bengalee people that they had showed in 1971 to liberate the country.

Written and composed by Biswakobi Rabindranath Tagore “Amar Sonar Bangla” is a pioneer song in the cultural and political movement of Bengalee people against subjugation.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman adopted the song as the national anthem of newborn Bangladesh as it meant to renew

the unified spirit of Bengalee people to raise consciousness for freedom, patriotism and native land.

In her short speech on the occasion, the premier urged all to rekindle the spirit of War of Liberation in people particularly in new generation, saying the succeeding generations would carry forward the spirit to materialise the dream of martyrs of independence.

She evoked and eulogised the role of Bangladesh’s national anthem in shaping country’s history, traditions and struggles of people saying, “We express our love to our motherland, people and nature through our national anthem.

“Our national anthem ignites our sense and stirs up our emotion. Today’s event of singing the national anthem by highest number of people would remain as a history of Bangladeshis creating a record of our nationalistic spirit and patriotism.”

The premier said Bangladesh was a nation used to creating history. Bangladeshis made history while being liberated through a ceaseless struggle for 24 years under the leadership of Bangabandhu.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was born for prosperity of her people. The nation would march forward to have its cherished goal, and the nation would certainly make its position amidst the world comity. l

Barred from national anthem event, student commits suicide n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah A third year honours student committed suicide yesterday after she was barred from participating in the national anthem event at her college in Shailakupa upazila of Jhenaidah.

Deceased Niharika Khatun Aruna, 23, daughter of Abdul Aziz of Bijulia village was a student of Islamic history at Kushtia Government Women’s Degree College.

Her father told the Dhaka Tribune that he had asked her not to go as there were household chores to do.

Aruna’s uncle Miraj Hossain filed an unnatural death case with Shailakupa police station, saying: “As she was asked not to join the event, Aruna shut the door of her room and hanged herself from the ceiling with a scarf around 10am.”

She was buried without post mortem examination with the deputy commissioner’s permission, Shailakupa OC said. l

Gonojagoron Moncho brings out a flag procession at the capital’s Shahbagh intersection yesterday to mark the Independence Day

Activists criticise government’s Jamaat view n Arif Ahmed

Youth-led public platform Gonojagoron Moncho activists have expressed frustration over the government’s compassionate view towards anti-liberation party Jamaat-e-Islami and its political and financial institutions.

From a rally on the occasion of the Independence and National Day at Shahbagh, the activists also censured the government for not implementing the six-point charter of demands submitted to the prime minister over a year ago.

A protest against life sentence of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla turned into a mass movement on February 5 last year at the Shahbagh intersection.

They demanded capital punishment for all war criminals and ban on Jamaat and its students’ wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Their other demands include action against Jamaat’s financial organisations, establishing a permanent tribunal to try the war criminals, special directives for law enforcers to arrest and punish those involved in violence after tribunal verdicts, and action against some electronic and print media for favouring the anti-liberation party.

Spokesperson of the platform Imran H Sarker said the government was reluctant to meet their demands, while this negligence had led to strengthening the Jamaat-Shibir.

He said the government had not taken strict action against the Jamaat-Shibir cadres who carried out violence across the country following tribunal verdicts. The joint force’s operation in Satkhira, which he termed eyewash, was also not effective.

He alleged that the government was

soft towards Jamaat, its wings, financial organisations and supporters, and criticised the government offices and the Awami League’s associate organisations for taking donations frequently from Jamaat-controlled organisations.

He cited the instance of Islami Bank’s Tk3 crore donations for “Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla” event held yesterday at the National Parade Square.

The government later said it would not accept the money for the particular project due to reservation of the cultural affairs ministry.

Imran also questioned the willingness of the government in holding the war crimes trials as it took around two months to appoint a chairman for International Crimes Tribunal 1 and the prosecutors lacked coordination.

He said only a few convictions did not mean justice. So far, the two tribu-

nals have convicted 10 war criminals, of who Quader Molla has been executed after the Appellate Division cleared the appeals case. Six war crimes suspects are currently on trial while investigation is underway against several others.

Speaking at the rally, noted academician Mohammad Zafar Iqbal urged the youths to stay united for the movement with patience.

Dhaka University teacher Prof Kaberi Gayan, rights activist Khushi Kabir, tribunal prosecutor Turin Afroz, JaSad Chhatra League President Shamsul Islam Sumon and Chhatra Union General Secretary Lucky Akter also spoke at the occasion.

The activists later brought out a procession bearing national flag from Projonmo Chattar and arranged a concert where several prominent cultural personalities performed. l

Police raid Shibir HQ, city Jamaat office

European MPs push for dialogue

n Tribune Report

n UNB The European Parliament (EP) has called upon Bangladesh’s two major political parties – Awami League and BNP – to “engage in a dialogue” to find a way forward that would give its people a chance to express their democratic choice in a “fully representative way.”

The EP also expressed concern over the current situation resulting from the January 5 elections and the reported incidents of “violence and vote rigging” in the ongoing multi-phased local elections.

A delegation of the EP, led by Jean Lambert, chairperson of the delegation for relations with South Asia, conveyed the message to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, according to a media release issued yesterday.

Lambert, however, observed that the country would overcome its current crisis and pursue its development as a democratic, secular and tolerant state.

This was the first high-level visit from the European Union (EU) since the January 5 elections.

The EP delegation called for a reinforcement of independence of the EC to which EU has contributed 10m Euros over the past few years and said there should be a full investigation into the disruption in polling.

It also called on the government to ensure space for the civil society and maintain freedom of expression, notably by amending the Information and Communication Technology Act, which, it is feared, could lead to the arbitrary criminalisation of citizens.

Concerned by reports of attacks on minorities, extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, the EP delegation called on the government to fully investigate these reports and to effectively implement its “zero-tolerance” policy on police abuse.

European parliamentarians assessed progress made to improve factory safety and workers’ rights, notably with reform of the Labour Law and the commitment to hire 200 new safety inspectors.

Still, they could see that much remained to be done – European buyers and Bangladeshi owners should continue to fulfill their commitments under the EU-Bangladesh Global Sustainability Compact. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Law enforcers in a raid yesterday seized bomb-making materials from a high-rise building at Paltan that houses the city unit of Jamaat-e-Islami and the headquarters of its students’ wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Morshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Paltan police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had raided the 14-storey building on information around 1pm.

The building is owned by Chhatra Shibir.

Police recovered explosives circuits that would be needed to make around 20 crude bombs (popularly known as cocktails); and also leaflets, posters, banner and list of activists during the drive. No leaders and activists were present at that time.

In separate statements, Jamaat acting secretary general Shafiqur Rahman and Chhatra Shibir President Abdul Zabbar condemned the incident saying that the police had vandalised their offices in the name of raid and seized seven bags of publications.

The leaders claimed that they had not been allowed to enter the building for the last few years.

The raid comes a day after the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal disclosed its probe report on Jamaat’s war crimes in 1971. The report recommends that the tribunal bans Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir; Jamaat mouthpiece the daily Sangram be closed; property of the party, its associates and other organisations be confiscated; and compensation is realised for the 1971 atrocities. l

Medicine export earnings increase by 24% in eight months n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Street children participate in an art competition organised by Pushpokoli in the capital’s Dhanmondi Lake area yesterday on the occasion of Independence Day. Pushpokoli is an NGO working to educate deprived children RAJIB DHAR

The country’s export earnings from pharmaceutical sector have increased by 23.57% to $48.18 million in the first eight months of the current fiscal year compared to the same period in the last financial year.

During the period between July 2013 and February 2014, Bangladesh fetched $48.18m by exporting medicines compared to $39m during the same period in the last financial year, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data shows.

However, the sector has achieved 67.12% of its $71.78m export target set for the current financial year.

In 2012-13, Bangladesh exported medicines worth $59.82m which was 24% higher compared to $48.25m in 2011-12.

According to the EPB, Bangladesh

PCJSS demands polls to hill district councils n Tribune Report Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti has protested the government move to amend laws of three hill district councils to widen the size of the interim bodies.

In a statement yesterday, the PCJSS also criticised the government for not holding elections to the councils since the signing of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997 and demanded immediate elections.

On March 10, the cabinet ap-

proved drafts of the proposed laws for Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari district councils. As per the proposals, the number of the members of each interim council would be raised to 11 from five.

The PCJSS says: “As the governments change, they do not hold elections, rather appoints chairmen and members to the councils, and runs those undemocratically.

“These corrupt interim bodies have no accountability to the indigenous people and become rehabilita-

tion centres for the ruling party men.”

The PCJSS alleges that the government is deliberately bypassing the elections with a view to create obstacle in the process of implementing the 1997 accord, struck between the then Awami League government and the PCJSS to end a decade long war.

“Although the government in its manifesto for January 5 election pledged to implement the accord, no effective step has been taken yet,” says the statement. l

currently exports pharmaceutical products to 98 countries, of which Myanmar imports the highest quantity of medicines worth $7.21m followed

by Sri Lanka with $4.85m, the Philippines with $3.88m, Vietnam $3.35m, Kenya $2.81m, Afghanistan $2.53m, the UK $2.13m, Slovenia $2m and Brazil $1.08m. The pharmaceutical industry also set a target of exploring 30 new destinations for their products during the current financial year.

“Export earnings from pharmaceutical products have continued increasing as global buyers have chosen Bangladeshi products for price competitiveness and its superior quality,” Abdul Muktadir, managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The country’s pharmaceutical sector was in the initial stages of captur-

ing the global market, which, he said, would take time; but the sector was now showing geometrical growth.

If the government could ensure World Health Organisation’s certification for testing laboratories and the drug administration, the export volume would increase several times. “It needed branding and certifying the quality of products,” he said.

“The government should strengthen the drug administration, appointing fully-fledged professional persons as their performance and integrity will help boost exports as well as the country’s production,” said a high official of a pharmaceutical company, preferring not to be named.

He claimed that people involved in this sector are facing problems in getting clearance for exporting pharmaceutical products.l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Bangladeshi citizens yesterday celebrated 43 years of independence with a fresh vow to uphold the spirit of the Liberation War and to materialise the dreams of the freedom fighters. Many events were organised across the country to celebrate the occasion with patriotic fervour.

Clockwise from top left: In the capital, an event was organised at the National Parade Ground to set a new Guinness record for the most people singing a national anthem together. Children in Kurigram perform a display depicting the struggles during the Liberation War in 1971 . With patriotism in their hearts, children sing the national anthem in a programme organised by Sammilito Sangskritik Jote at Dhanmondi’s Rabindra Sarobar. An elderly woman looks at documents and books on the Liberation War displayed at an exhibition organised by Barisal University Officers Association with the help of Barisal Reporters Unity on the university premises. People from all walks of life in Comilla sing the national anthem yesterday along with the rest of the country. University students celebrate the Independence Day by saluting the national flag at the National Parade Ground yesterday PHOTO: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN, RAJIB DHAR, DHAKA TRIBUNE

Two BNP leaders arrested n Our Correspondent, Sirajganj Police arrested two BNP leaders in separate drives yesterday on charges of setting fire to a train in 2010 and the district’s Awami League office last year.

Officer-in-Charge Habibul Islam of Sirajganj Sadar police station said they had arrested district Chhatra Dal Joint Secretary Abdul Halim from his residence on charge of setting fire to a train on August 11, 2010, on the day of BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s rally.

Sirajganj municipality area BNP General Secretary Helal Uddin was arrested on charge of setting fire to an Awami League office during last year’s violence carried out by BNP-Jamaat in the area, Officer-in-Charge Abdul Hai of Balkuchi police station said. l

One lakh candidates to fight for 1,800 health service posts n Moniruzzaman Uzzal More than one lakh candidates are set to vie for 1,808 vacant posts of third and fourth-class DGHS employees, the recruitment test for which is set to be held tomorrow.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has received 81,944 applications against 1,260 vacancies for third-class posts, and 22,170 applications for 548 vacant posts of fourthclass employees in 26 districts.

The hour-long written test will be on 70 marks of multiple-choice questions, while 5,424 candidates will later be se-

lected on the basis of merit to appear for a 30-marks viva-voce exam.

The recruitment test will be the first one to be held under the authority of the incumbent health minister, state minister for health and the new DGHS director general, all of whom had given special instructions to make the recruitment fair and controversy-free.

Seeking anonymity, a senior DGHS official said a new company had been selected to check the test papers with OMR machines, as the previous company tasked with the job was alleged to have been involved to unfairly select the candidates.

Sources said a large number of candidate recommendations have already started coming in from different influential quarters including cabinet members, political leaders and public officials.

Several senior officials of the ministry and the directorate, however, told the Dhaka Tribune that to receive any sort of favour, the candidates must first pass the written test.

Dr Md Shah Newaz, DGHS director (administration) and member secretary of the central recruitment committee, told the Dhaka Tribune that the questions and the answer sheets would be handed over in sealed trunks to offi-

cials of the civil surgeon’s offices in the presence of a magistrate today.

A 52-member team consisting of senior officials of the health ministry and the DGHS has been formed to inspect the recruitment test in 26 districts.

During different earlier recruitment efforts, health officials were criticised for allegedly taking bribes to recruit candidates, while several cases were also filed with the high court in this regard.

Because of the allegations and the cases, the final results for the DGHS recruitment of 915 third and fourth-class employees in nine districts remain pending. l

Authorities disconnect power 15 killed, 70 hurt in separate accidents to deep tube wells across the country n Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Authorities of Palli Bidyut Samity have disconnected the electricity connections powering two deep tube wells in Koddonarayanpur village of Naogaon’s Mohadebpur upazila recently for breaking government water pumping rules.

According to sources, a Palli Bidyut team of Superintendent Engineer Md Fazlul Haque and General Manager Nurur Rahman visited the village on Saturday and found that both the tube wells were being operated during the daytime, flouting the government rule. Later, they disconnected the power supply to the wells.

After the incident, local farmers were unable to irrigate and apply fertiliser on around 400 bighas of land during the current Boro season due to

lack of water.

Farmers said they were worried about the paddies as sprouts had already came out and it would hamper the production if the lands were not irrigated properly.

They said they would face a massive loss if they do not receive water.

Operators of both tube wells Rabbani and Ashraf Ali said the authorities of the samity disconnected the power lines without any notice or reason.

The samity’s GM Nurur Rahman said: “According to government rules, tube wells can only be operated from 11pm to 9am. We disconnected electricity lines of both tube wells as they broke the rule.”

“We have already informed the matter to Rural Electrification Board and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources,” he added. l

n Tribune Report At least 15 people, including school students, were killed and around 70 others were injured yesterday in separate accidents across the country.

In Tangail, three students were killed in road crash at Achimtola on Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge highway yesterday evening. The deceased were Rokon, 15; Sohel, 16; and Selim, 16.

Jobaidur Alam, officer-in-charge of Gorai highway police, said the three were killed on the spot when a Dhakabound passenger bus collided head-on with the motorbike they were on.

In Chittagong, two people died after being run over by train in separate incidents in Mirsharai upazila. The deceased were Amzad Hossain, 24; and

Rabiul Islam, 20, said Yasin Faruk, the OC of local Government Railway Police.

In Cox’s Bazar, two people were killed in road crashes, one in Ramu Tea Stall area and another in Zoarinala. The victims were Shah Alam, 75; and Saiful Islam, 8.

Raju Naha, the OC of Ramu police station, said the two died while crossing road.

In Jhenaidah, a woman was killed on the spot while six others were injured when two shallow-engine-driven three-wheelers collided at Kajirber village under Moheshpur upazila. The deceased was Afroza Khatun, 48.

In Sonargaon, four people were killed and 15 others were injured when a passenger bus lost control and hit them at Tribordi on Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 8am.

In Gaibandha, a student was killed

and 18 others were hurt in separate road crashes. Thirteen-year-old Kakoli Khatun, a student of Kakoli Kazipara High School, was on her way to attend Independence Day programme when she was killed.

In Brahmanbaria, at least two people, including a child, were killed and 29 more were injured when a bus veered off a bridge near the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Sarail upazila. Sarail police station OC Ali Arshad said the one of deceased was yet to be identified, while the child killed was nine-yearold Tariqul Islam, a resident of Jamalpur village in Gazipur. All the injured also hailed from the same village and had been returning home after offering prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, he added. l

Freedom Fighters ‘boycott’ Independence Day programme n Our Correspondent, Chapainawabganj

Freedom fighters of Gomastapur in Chapainawabganj yesterday boycotted an Independence Day programme to make the world record of participants singing the national anthem.

At a press conference yesterday, local Muktijoddha Sangram Rakkha Committee Convener Aktar Ali Kochi Khan made an announcement in this regard.

He alleged that local BNP-Jamaat activists on December 11 last year assaulted some freedom fighters for joining the Victory Day’s programme in Mokarampur area.

Though the committee filed a case in this regard on December 12, police were yet to arrest the attackers even three months, he added, and claimed that police helped them to get bail form court.

Yesterday the freedom fighters submitted a memorandum at several government offices demanding cancelation of the bail of the accused and necessary actions be taken against them.

He said they boycotted yesterday’s programme protesting the incident. l

Obituary Md Habibul Hoq, father of the Dhaka Tribune’s Senior Brand Executive Yasser Tamim Haque, died yesterday at the age of 73. He was a retired executive engineer of the Water Development Board. Habibul Hoq, who left behind two sons and four daughters, was buried at the Banani military graveyard.

His Qulkhani will be held on March 28 after Asr prayer at his Gulshan residence. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Juris

5

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Mind your money

JURIS QUOTE

Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 is the applicable law in this regard the proceeds of an offence, or it is financing any terrorist activity, a terrorist group or an individual terrorist l Any other transaction or attempt of transaction delineated in the instructions issued by Bangladesh bank from time to time

Predicate offence

Predicate offence means the offences mentioned below, by committing which within or outside the country, the money or property derived from is laundered or attempt to be laundered, namely: (1) corruption and bribery (2) counterfeiting currency (3) counterfeiting deeds and documents (4) extortion (5) fraud; (6) forgery (7) illegal trade of firearms (8) illegal trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and substances causing intoxication (9) illegal trade in stolen and other goods (10) kidnapping, illegal restrain and hostage taking (11) murder, grievous physical injury (12) trafficking of women and children (13) black marketing (14) smuggling of domestic and foreign currency (15) theft or robbery or dacoity or piracy or hijacking of aircraft (16) human trafficking (17) dowry (18) smuggling and offences related to customs and excise duties (19) tax related offences (20) infringement of intellectual property rights (21) terrorism or financing in terrorist activities (22) adulteration or the manufacture of goods through infringement of title (23) offences relating to the environment (24) sexual exploitation (25) insider trading and market manipulation (26) organized crime, and participation in organized criminal groups (27) racketeering and (28) any other offence declared as predicate offence by Bangladesh Bank.

Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress Martin Luther King, Jr American leader (1929 - 1968)

LAW CARTOON

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) BIG STOCK

I

n Juris Desk

n response to the growing concern about money laundering, Bangladesh had enacted the Money Laundering Prevention Act (MLPA), 2002. Subsequently MLPA, 2009 was enacted to expand the definition of money laundering, and the coverage of the offence.

To strengthen the anti-money laundering regime of Bangladesh, and meet the international standards, Money Laundering Prevention Act (MLPA), 2012 has been promulgated repealing the previous legislations. Recently Bangladesh has been dropped from the grey list of countries which need to improve their enforcement of laws on money laundering and terrorism financing activities.

What is money laundering

Money laundering means knowingly moving, converting, or transferring property involved in an offence for the following purposes: l Concealing or disguising the illicit nature, source, location, ownership or control of the proceeds of crime l Assisting any person involved in the commission of the predicate offence to evade the legal consequences of such offence l Smuggling money or property earned through legal or illegal means to a foreign country l Knowingly transferring or remitting the proceeds of crime to a foreign country or remitting or bringing them into Bangladesh from a foreign country with the intention of hiding or disguising its illegal source l Concluding or attempting to conclude financial transactions in such a manner so as to reporting requirement under this Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 may be avoided l Converting or moving or transferring property with the intention to instigate or assist for committing a predicate offence l Acquiring, possessing or using any property, knowing that such property is the proceeds of a predicate offence l Performing such activities so as to the illegal source of the proceeds of crime may be concealed or disguised l Participating in, associating with conspiring, attempting, abetting, instigate or counsel to commit any offences mentioned above

Smuggling of money or property

Smuggling of money or property means: l Transfer or holding money or property outside the country in breach of the existing laws in the country l Refrain from repatriating money or property from abroad in which Bangladesh has l an interest and was due to be repatriated l Not bringing into the country the actual dues from a foreign country, or paying to a foreign country in excess of the actual dues

Suspicious transactions

The following transactions are considered as suspicious transactions under the law: l Which deviates from usual transactions l Of which there is ground to suspect that, the property is

To watch over the illegal financial transactions, a separate unit called the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) within Bangladesh Bank is to be instituted. To combat money laundering BFIU can take following actions: l Collect information from the governmental, semigovernmental, autonomous organisations or any other relevant institutions or organisations preserved or gathered by them. l Provide other law enforcement agencies with the information relating to money laundering and terrorist financing. l Provide information relating to money laundering or terrorist financing or any suspicious transactions to the financial intelligence unit of another country on the basis of any contract or agreement entered into with that country under the provisions of this Act and may ask for any such information from any other country. l Provide such information to the financial intelligence units of other countries spontaneously where there is no such contract or agreement. l

OFFENCES AND PUNISHMENTS RELATED TO MONEY LAUNDERING Section

Offence

Punishment

4

Money laundering by individual

Imprisonment for a term of at least four years but not exceeding 12 years and, a fine equivalent to the twice of the value of the property involved in the offence or Tk10,00,000 whichever is greater.

Court may also pass an order to forfeit the property of the convicted person in favour of the State which directly or indirectly involved in or related with money laundering or any predicate offence.

CARTOON BY RIO SHUVO

4

Money laundering by company or other entity

A fine of not less than twice of the value of the property or Tk20,00,000 whichever is greater and in addition to this the registration of the said entity shall be cancelled

5

Violation of an order for freezing or attachment

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or with a fine equivalent to the value of the property subject to freeze or attachment, or with both

7

Obstruction or non-cooperation in investigation, failure to Imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year submit report or obstruction in the supply of information or with a fine not exceeding Tk25,000 or with both.

8

Providing false information regarding the source of fund or self identity or the identity of an account holder

Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding Tk50,000 or with both

NOTICE BOARD Send us queries for

Ask Your Advocate and also your articles on any legal issues at: law@dhakatribune.com

Dhaka Tribune

FR Tower, 8/c Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka- 1207 Visit our website at: www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

Freedom of press to report court proceedings n Md Nasir Shikder

O

ne of the fundamental principles of justice says: “justice must not only be done, it must also be seen to be done.” Thus, publicity of court cases serves an important public purpose. It enables people to appreciate the working of the court and the administration of justice. More importantly, there is curative value to the public in seeing criminal laws in operation, purging society of crimes. It informs the ordinary citizens about matters of public interest and is therefore an indispensible facilitator of the right to information.

Openness is a safeguard against judicial error and misconduct. It is also an effective deterrent against perjury by witnesses. The principle of open justice system applies to courts as well as to judicial and quasi judicial tribunals.

Media have a right to report court proceedings under Articles 35(3) and 39 of the Constitution of Bangladesh and also entitles the right to publish a faithful report of the proceedings witnessed and heard in courts or tribunals. Although in principle the media enjoy no higher status than that of the ordinary citizens, but in practice, they do.

Ordinary citizens do not have free access in the way the media do, for instance, they do not enjoy the privilege of sitting in the media bench as journalists do. All these privileges have given not for the reason that media have any special wisdom, interest, or status enjoyed by publishers, editors or journalists. It’s because the media are the eyes and ears of the masses. They act on behalf of the ordinary people.

In Attorney General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd, 1988, (3 All ER 595) it was held that: “media’s right to know and their right to publish is neither more nor less than that of the general people. The media enjoys privileges on account of the citizen’s right to be informed on matters of public impor-

BIG STOCK

tance. Indeed it is that of the general public for whom they are trustees.”

The Bombay High Court in Saroj Iyer v Maharashtra Medical Council of Indian Medicine, (AIR 2002, Bom 97) observed that, the journalist has a fundamental right to attend proceedings in court; and the right to publish a faithful report of the proceedings witnessed and heard in court. The court also observed that this right is extended to judicial and quasi judicial tribunals as well.

The right to report court proceedings and publicity of the same serves several important purposes. It stems from the necessity for transparency, to enhance public knowledge about the working of the law and the administration of justice. Seeing criminal trials reaching logical conclusions,

brings in confidence among the people and assure them that no criminal goes unpunished.

The constitutional right of the media to report court proceedings, and publicity of the same is not an absolute right.

Media enjoy this right subject to certain limitations. The open justice system must be done away with when there are higher considerations. For instances, the names and identifications of rape victims or riot victims must be protected.

Such persons may be reluctant to complain if their identities are disclosed and trials publicised. It is not only necessary to protect such persons from public humiliation and embarrassment, but also necessary to ensure that the victim gives the best available evidences which she may not be able to provide if she is under public gaze. Similarly, family disputes

demand privacy, particularly to protect children from unwarranted publicity. The court may restrict the publicity in the interest of justice.

A number of statutes empower, or require the court to restrict admission of media personnel to certain court proceedings and publication of such proceedings. For instance, The court has the inherent power under section 151 of the Civil Procedure Code, 1908 to order a trial to be held in camera, but this power must be exercised with great caution and only where the court is satisfied beyond doubt that the ends of justice would be defeated if the case were to be tried in open court.

Section 14(1) of the Nari-O-Sheshu Nirjaton Damon Ain, 2000 prohibits the publication of the name of a victim of sexual offence and Sub-Section 2 of Section 14 imposes a period of maximum two years imprisonment or fine not more than Tk200,000 or both for non compliance of section 14(1). Section 20(6) of this Act also facilitates the court to hold camera trial.

Moreover, Section 14 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 empowers the courts to exclude the public from court proceedings while section 11 of the Family Law Ordinance, 1985 empowers the courts to restrict outsiders when the suit is matrimonial in nature. Along with the Section 27 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 read with Section 352 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 deal with the court’s power to hold trial outside the public gaze when required.

We live in an age of media and openness is a vital safeguard against any irregularity on the part of the judiciary.

Having said that, there is a corresponding duty on the part of the media to report accurately, responsibly and to avoid unwarranted sensationalisation which would only hinder and trivialise the process of administration of justice. l The writer is a lecturer, Department of Law and Justice, Southeast University.

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

West, Russia signal line drawn in crisis n Reuters, The Hague Russia and the West drew a tentative line under the Ukraine crisis after US President Barack Obama and his allies agreed to hold off on more damaging economic sanctions unless Moscow goes beyond the seizure of Crimea.

Describing Russia as a “regional power” and not the biggest national security threat to the United States, Obama said Russian forces would not be removed militarily from Crimea, but the annexation of the Black Sea region was not a “done deal” because the international community would not recognise it.

“It is up to Russia to act responsibly and show itself once again to be willing to abide by international norms and ... if it fails to do so, there will be some costs,” he told a news conference at the end of a nuclear security summit in The Hague.

After scoffing at a decision by Obama and his Western allies to boycott a planned Group of Eight summit in Sochi in June and hold a G7 summit without Russia instead, the Kremlin said it was keen to maintain contact with G8 partners.

“The Russian side continues to be ready to have such contacts at all levels, including the top level. We are interested in such contacts,” President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told Interfax news agency.

Obama said he was concerned at the possibility of further Russian “encroachment” into Ukraine and believed Putin was still “making a series of calculations”. He insisted Russian speakers faced no threat in the country, contrary to Moscow’s assertions.

He urged Putin to let Ukrainians choose their own destiny free from intimidation, saying he was sure they would opt for good relations with both the European Union and Moscow rather than making a zero-sum choice for one against the other.

“Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbours, not out of strength but out of weakness,” Obama said. “We (the

World

Thursday, March 27, 2014

BJP manifesto to be cautious on FDI, focus on jobs n Reuters , New Delhi

NOT A THING TO PLAY WITH

United States) have considerable influence on our neighbours. We generally don’t need to invade them in order to have a strong cooperative relationship with them.”

Asked what was to stop a further Russian “land grab”, the U.S. president drew a distinction between an attack on members of NATO, covered by its Article V mutual defence clause, and on non-members where the West could apply international pressure, shine a spotlight on those states and provide economic support.

A senior administration official told reporters traveling with Obama that “there’s no question that NATO is prepared to defend any ally against any aggression.”

Conciliatory gestures

Moscow made two conciliatory gestures on Monday after its deputy economy minister said up to $70 billion in capital may have fled his country in the first quarter of the year.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Deshchytsia, for the first time, even though Russia does not recognise the Kiev government.

Moscow also allowed monitors from the pan-European security watchdog OSCE to begin work in Ukraine after prolonged wrangling over their mandate, which Russia says excludes Crimea.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Deshchytsia protested at the annexation of Crimea. Lavrov said Russia did not intend to use force in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, and “the two sides agreed not to fuel further escalation in the Crimea problem that could cause casualties”, it said.

Ukraine ordered its remaining forces in Crimea to withdraw for their own safety on Monday after Russian forces fired warning shots and used stun grenades when they stormed a marine base and a landing ship. There were no casualties.

However, that order came too late to save the job of interim Defence Minister Ihor Tenyukh, sacked by parliament on Tuesday over his handling of the crisis. l

A handout picture released by the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) shows children staring at the remnant of a mortar projectil recently abandoned in the Alabassi camp for Internally Displaced People (IDP), in Mellit, North Darfur. UNAMID recently restarted its operations right after the clashes between the Government forces and armed movements AFP

Congress manifesto promises inclusive growth, India for all n Agencies, New Delhi The Congress yesterday released its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections promising inclusive growth while countering opposition claims of misgovernance, saying it fulfilled 90% of its 2009 poll promises.

Party president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled the manifesto in New Delhi.

Rahul, who had taken a personal interest in the drafting of the manifesto and met a cross-section of people including women, youth, minorities, porters, farmers and fishermen, in order to incorporate their views, said it reflects views and opinions of common people who the party consulted before building it up.

Turkish court orders lifting of Twitter ban n Reuters, Turky

Obama brokers Japan, South Korea talks

A Turkish court has issued a temporary injunction ordering the telecommunications authority to restore access to Twitter, five days after the government blocked the social network, local media report.

The ban came after the popular social media platform was used to post audio recordings implicating the country’s prime minister in corruption.

The administrative court in Ankara will inform the telecommunications authority, TIB, which is expected to grant access to Twitter in the coming hours, private NTV television said yesterday.

TIB blocked access to the US-based social network last week under orders from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after it became a conduit for links to recordings suggesting government corruption..

On Tuesday, the UN had called on Turkey to stop blocking Twitter, saying Ankara could be breaching its international rights obligations by banning the site. The US also denounced the ban as “unacceptable.” l

US President Barack Obama brought together the leaders of Japan and South Korea for their first face-to-face talks as a North Korean ballistic missile launch underscored the need for Washington’s two key Asian allies to repair their strained ties.

Washington hopes the three-way summit will improve relations between Seoul and Tokyo, which are clouded by the legacy of Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula and Seoul’s concerns that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to rewrite Japan’s wartime past with a less apologetic tone.

The United States wants to strengthen the allies’ combined response to regional concerns such as North Korea’s banned weapons programs and China’s growing assertiveness in disputed waters.

In what appeared to be a show of defiance, North Korea fired two medium-range Rodong ballistic missiles into the sea at 2:35 a.m. Japan and Korea time, both Tokyo and Seoul said. That was precisely when Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye were sitting down

n

Reuters, The Hague

with Obama in The Hague for their first meeting since Abe took office in 2012.

North Korea’s first firing in four years of mid-range Rodong missiles that can hit Japan followed a series of shortrange rocket launches over the past two months and could help improve cooperation between Tokyo and Seoul.

Park, Abe and Obama, who met on the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in the Hague, emphasized the need to work together on containing the North Korean nuclear threat.

“Over the last five years, close coordination between our three countries succeeded in changing the game with North Korea: our trilateral cooperation has sent a strong signal to Pyongyang that its provocations and threats will be met with a unified response,” said Obama, who will visit Japan and South Korea next month.

In an apparent attempt to break the ice with Park, Abe addressed the South Korean leader in Korean at the start of the talks, saying he was “very happy to be able to meet” her. But the summit left aside thorny disputes over the shared wartime history of Japan and Korea. l

THAI BIRD-SINGING CONTEST

“For a country to grow, there needs to be firm partnership between economic sector and poor; (the) best party to do this is Congress,” he said.

The prime minister said it’s a unique day when the Congress party is going to recommit all to a new vision of inclusive society and expanding economy.

“Congress’ record is visible to anyone who cares to look at it. We have provided an agenda for growth,” he said.

“Development has many models, one is Gujarat. Congress model recognises need for inclusive growth.”

Singh provided statistics to counter claims made by opposition on his government’s “policy paralysis,” saying in all aspects of economic growth and development, UPA’s record was superior to that of NDA.

Report: Russia warned US about Boston bomb suspect n Reuters, Washington Russian authorities warned the FBI in 2011 about Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of two Chechen brothers accused of carrying out last year’s Boston Marathon bombings, but US authorities missed chances to detain him, NBC News reported.

Citing a congressional report it said could be released by the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee as soon as Thursday, NBC News said the Russian intelligence agency FSB cabled the FBI about its concerns in March 2011, warning that Tsarnaev was known to have associated with militant Islamists.

The network said the FBI opened an investigation of Tsarnaev that month conducted by a joint task force of federal, state and local authorities.

Tsarnaev was interviewed in person, and a memo was sent to the Customs and Border Protection database called TECS that would trigger an alert whenever he left or re-entered the United States.

But the investigation was closed in June 2011 after finding Tsarnaev had

no links to terrorism, NBC quoted the report as saying.

In September 2011, the FSB sent a cable to the CIA, restating the warnings of the first memo. NBC News quoted sources close to the congressional investigation as saying a second note about Tsarnaev was entered into the TECS system the next month, but spelled his name “Tsarnayev.”

The note directed that if Tsarnaev were encountered leaving or re-entering the United States, his detention was “mandatory.”

US officials have said a misspelling of Tsarnaev’s name on flight records may have contributed to some law enforcement agencies not being alerted to his movements.

Several days after the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and wounded more than 260, Tsarnaev died after a gunfight with police while he and brother Dzhokhar, now 20, were trying to flee the city.

NBC News quoted a congressional staffer as saying: “The report is not blaming the FBI,” but “looking at processes and filling holes.” l

Ukrainian sex boycott: Don’t give it to a Russian

n Agencies, Crimea

A group of Ukrainian women have launched a sex strike against Russian men to protest Moscow’s moves in Crimea. Organizers of the campaign ‘Don’t give it to a Russian’ have urged fellow Ukrainian females to deny sex to Russian men.

According to the Huffington Post, t-shirts designed by the campaign are printed with the slogan, followed by a verse from the poem Kateryna by Ukraine’s Taras Shevchenko: “O lovely maidens, fall in love, but not with the Moskaly (the Russians).

Katerina Venzhik, one of the group’s founders, said that the women started the campaign to draw attention to Russia’s policies in Crimea, adding that the campaign will donate proceeds from the t-shirts to the Ukrainian army.

Whether the campaign will take off remains needs to be seen, as it catches momentum. However, in Russia, bloggers have responded fiercely to the movement. l

Arab summit backs Syria political solution, rejects ‘Jewish state’ n AFP, Kuwait City

Hanging bird cages are displayed on poles during a bird-singing contest in the Rueso district in Thailand's southern province of Narathiwat. Hundreds of bird owners from Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore took part in the traditional contest held every year. AFP

“The growth rate during NDA was 6.8%, it was 8.4% in UPA I and 7.3% in UPA II. We have delivered more growth than our opponents,” he said.

He said there have been attempts to spread misinformation and this manifesto will provide the right picture “This is a forward looking document, I invite you to read it carefully and to then endorse it,” he said.

Sonia Gandhi said that her party fights for principles which unite people and strengthen democracy.

“For some, manifesto is a vote grabbing tool, not for Congress. We will fight for India which belongs to all,” she said.

“We will fight for a secular India which belongs to all sections of the society.” l

India’s main opposition party BJP would welcome more foreign direct investment in defence, if elected, but would delay opening up big-box retail to global players now barred from the country’s market of more than 1.2 billion people.

The nationalist party, which opinion polls show is on course to win the most seats in an election starting April 7, would also introduce a general sales tax and overhaul the financial sector, its manifesto is likely to say.

Party sources told Reuters these concrete steps form the core of a pitch to voters that sets aspirational goals of creating 250 million jobs over the next decade, building up to 100 ‘smart’ cities and constructing a high-speed rail network.

“The manifesto’s priorities, in this order, are jobs, investment, manufacturing and infrastructure,” said one BJP official involved in drafting the document due out next week.

The BJP’s candidate for prime minister, Narendra Modi, is campaigning on his economic record in running his home state, Gujarat, where the party trumpets an unemployment rate of less than a third of the national average.

By contrast, the Congress party, which unveiled its own manifesto yesterday, is running campaign ads that depict smiling artisans making bricks or weaving by hand - an appeal to its core constituency of poor voters.

While the BJP platform seeks to tap into the hopes of 100 million firsttime voters whose job prospects have been hurt by a slowdown in economic growth, the tenets of ‘Modinomics’ remain nebulous beyond a broad focus on supply-side reforms.

“Most of these proposals have been discussed by other parties too,” said Shumita Sharma Deveshwar, a director at Trusted Sources, a policy advisory firm. “The key is implementation of these policies. That is the bigger challenge.”

A “broad consensus” exists in India to overhaul the financial sector to turn the country into an international hub, the source said. l

Arab leaders called yesterday for a political solution to the conflict in Syria, overlooking Saudi-backed demands for greater military support for rebel forces to tip the balance in the war.

They were united, however, after a two-day summit in Kuwait in siding with the Palestinians in refusing to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, a flashpoint issue threatening to derail US-brokered peace talks.

Syria’s opposition National Coalition chief Ahmed Jarba called at the opening of the summit for the rebels to be supplied with “sophisticated” weaponry.

“I do not ask you for a declaration of war,” he said in a speech to Arab leaders, calling for pressure on world powers to fulfil pledges to supply arms.

Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, whose country is a key backer of the revolt against Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad, said the world was “betraying” rebels by failing to arm them and leaving them “easy prey”.

But the final declaration read out at the end of the summit called instead for a political solution to the three-year conflict which has cost over 146,000 lives.

“We call for a political solution to the crisis in Syria based on the Geneva I communique,” calling for a peaceful transition of power, they said.

The communique, drawn up at an international conference in 2012 in the Swiss city, calls for a “peaceful transition” in Syria without specifying the fate of Assad.

“We strongly condemn the massacres committed by the Syrian regime against unarmed people,” leaders of the 22-member Arab League said. They reaffirmed their “total support for the Syrian National Coalition as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people.”

Although last year’s annual Arab

summit, held in Doha, allocated Syria’s seat to the National Coalition, it remained vacant at Kuwait’s meeting.

The opposition has yet to meet the legal requirements, according to Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi, whose organisation is divided over the conflict in Syria.

A clearly dissatisfied Jarba said that the decision “sends a message to the Assad regime encouraging it to continue to kill Syrians”.

The Syria government’s brutal repression of protests which erupted in March 2011 had resulted in its suspension from the Cairo-based Arab League.

The “Kuwait Declaration” made no mention of arming the rebels, although the Doha summit stressed the “right of every state to offer all forms of self-defence, including military,” to the opposition. The declaration echoed UN peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who called at the summit for a political solution. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

7

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Shongram all set to hit 50 cinemas

n Hasan Mansoor Chatak British-Bangladeshi filmmaker Munsur Ali’s debut film Shongram is set to release tomorrow in 50 cinemas of the country. The film will be premiered today at the Blockbuster Cinemas, Jamuna Future Park.

The production have a plan to hold a world premiere in London in June 2014 followed by Europe and international release.

Fashion model and aspiring actor Dilruba Yasmeen Ruhee pairs with talented young actor Amaan Reza for the first

time on the silver screen. The film also features international cast including Bollywood’s Anupam Kher, and Hollywood and European star Asia Argento. Other Bangladeshi artists include Armaan Parvez Murad, Shubrotho and Ananta Hira.

Shongram is a romantic drama which is set against the backdrop of the Liberation War in 1971, a flashback story told forty-three years later in London by a British Bangladeshi freedom fighter Karim. He shares his experience with a reporter. He tells the tale of falling in love during a difficult

time. Karim, played by Amaan Reza, falls in love with a jovial rural girl Asha played by Ruhee. What further complicates the situation is the fact that they were of different religion. Karim is Muslim while Asha is from a Hindu family - this single aspect is the cause for a roller-coaster journey.

The serenity of village life is suddenly interrupted by war and Karim must grow up fast to survive in an era where mass killings and abduction was common. He must also carry out his duty and can finally search for his love, Asha.

Filmmaker Ali who wrote and directed the film while The Piano and Hideous Kinky famed scriptwriter, Billy Mackinnon, helped Ali in writing for the screen development.

Ali is a film graduate from London.

He has been working on this project for the last three years, aiming to reach an international audience with an international cast and crew from UK to Berlin.

The film includes Lorenzo Levrini, an international cinematographer who aesthetically captured beautiful Bengal in the film.

The story opens with the original archive footage of NBC television, setting the backdrop to the film which is produced in its authentic languages of Bangla and Urdu. Shongram is a historic film. It is gritty, raw, romantic and nostalgic, while having an international appeal through the production techniques and a subject matter which is still very relevant today.

Munsur Ali, who has already received the British Bangladeshi Power and Inspirational Award as filmmaker, said to Dhaka Tribune: “The story of the Liberation War of Bangladesh is untold through screen to the west and rest of the world unlike other noteworthy incident of the world. So, I instigated to make the film with international cast and crew to give the film an international standard” Ruhee said, “When I decided to start career in film I didn’t get any suitable character And then Mansur Ali came to me with the script and I felt this is the best option to start my film career. I am grateful that I got to act in this film.” l

Neel Megher Kabbo on at Bronia Café and Gallery n Shadma Malik

Bridge between two eyes by Mahbubul Haque

Bronia Café and Gallery in Gulshan has organised a solo painting exhibition titled Neel Megher Kabbo featuring the works of artist Mahbubul Haque. The exhibition will continue till April 11.

The 22 artworks displayed are on acrylic, ink and pastel on canvas. The paintings are predominately in blue and gives a stylish and enthralling outlook.

The artist’s debut show has indeed caught the attention of the viewers that showcases his passion about sculptures as many of his paintings are based on sculptures.

About the use of the colour blue, the artist said: “At the moment, I am highly influenced by the colour blue.

This is the reason my canvases are highly inclined towards this colour. There are a lot of depictions of this colour.

But my narration encompasses a broader concept.

When I think of blue, I think of the vast open sky and the oceans. To me, blue is serene, it is beautiful and it represents all that is lively and beautiful. It was my particular scheme to see trees, stones, birds in the colour blue.

“In my previous work, poems were written on my canvas. In the memory of that work, I chose the title of this exhibition.”

About his artworks the artist said: “Apart from painting landscapes, I also represent last year’s issues on Savar Tragedy and the Ramu incident.” l

Gwyneth Paltrow announces separation n Entertainment Desk

Film Guerrilla, which recreates the heroic deeds of the valiant freedom fighters of the 1971 liberation war on an epic canvas, will be aired on Channel i today at 3:05pm. The cast of the film includes Jaya Ahsan, Shatabdi Wadud, ATM Shamsuzzaman, Refdous, Shampa Reza and many more.

Hollywood actor Gwyneth Paltrow announced on her Goop blog that she and her husband Chris Martin, frontman of band Coldplay, have split after more than a decade of marriage. “It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate,” she wrote in a post.

“We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate,” she added.

Now, they’re committed to raising their two kids, Apple, 9, and Moses, 7, in a loving environment.

“We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been,” the post continued. “We are parents first and foremost, to two incredibly wonderful children and we ask for their and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time. ” After posting a photo of the two of them in happier times, they signed it, “Love, Gwyneth & Chris.” l

Tapan Mahmud and Shaheen Samad perform patriotic songs

DHAKA TRIBUNE

IGCC celebrates Independence Day n Entertainment Desk A three day event to celebrate the 44th Independence Day of Bangladesh, organised by Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) was held at its Gulshan premises. Three versatile artistes from Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, Tapan Mahmud, Shaheen Samad and Timir Nandy rendered inspirational songs on March 25.

Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra was the radio broadcasting centre of Bengali nationalist forces during Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971.

This station played a vital role in the liberation struggle, ran a propaganda campaign through the war and broadcast the Declaration of Independence. In 1971, radio was the

only form of media reaching to the far ends of Bangladesh.

Tapan Mahmud rendered Swarthak Jonom Amar, Je Tomai Chare Charuk, O Amar Desher Mati and others. Shaheen Samad presented Mora Jhonjhar Moto, Manus Ho, Manush Ho, Manbo Na Bodhon Manbo Na and many more. Additionally, Timir Nandi performed Rokto Diye Naam Likhechi, Shono Ekti Mujiborer Theke and E Amar Jibon. In between their performance, they recalled their valuable memories which were entangled during the Liberation War. The event concluded with live screening of Ekattorer Jishu, Rabeya and Jibondhuli. The films are based on independence of the country. l

Target Platoon, the first production of the National Theatre Reparatory of Bangladesh Shilapakala Academy, was staged on Tuesday marking the horror of March 25 during the Liberation War. Written by Mamunur Rashid and directed by Syed Jamil Ahmed, the musical drama portrays the saga of the civilians’ becoming freedom fighters and defeating the regimented Pakistani occupational army during the in 1971 SADIA MARIUM

Sunny Leone threatened to be deported from India n Entertainment Desk The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) has demanded a ban on the movie Ragini MMS 2 as well as deportation of Bollywood star Sunny Leone from India in its memorandum submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

The organisation has also threatened to agitate in front of movie halls which screen the film, if it was not banned. In order to press the demand to stop the movie from being exhibited, the HJS said that is “educating” movie theatre owners, to stop the movie from being screened.

Calling Ragini MMS 2 “an assault on Bharatiya culture, dignity and Hindu deities” in its memorandum to the CFBC, the HJS said the movie begins with the chanting of the “Shree Hanuman Chalisa” which is sacred to Hindus and held the CFBC responsible for “increase in communal and social tension”.

“Notorious pornstar Sunny Leone plays a lead role in the film. By making use of Shri Hanuman, a deity known to have control over his organs and whose character was ideal, religious sentiments of Hindus have been hurt to a great extent,” the HJS memorandum said.

“Therefore, HJS has demanded that the movie should be immediately banned and pornstar Sunny Leone, who is leading the young generation of Bharat to carnal desires should

be deported from Bharat,” the memorandum said.

On the other hand, the film which has been released on Friday has already collected nearly Rs 32 crore (as of Tuesday March 25).

Meanwhile, the film’s lead actress Sunny Leone, who has received positive reviews for her performance, tweeted, “I’m so overwhelmed at the Monday theatre responses! Unbelievable everyone! Thank U so much 4 all ur support @RaginiMMS_2 U all rock my world!” l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Road user charges a good idea

A

draft government policy for road tolls has aroused much discussion.

The communication minister has clarified that the proposed tolls will only be brought in to use and pay for new highways, and not for existing roads and bridges across the country.

This is an idea that could have many merits, if it is properly implemented and enforced.

Market mechanisms can help ensure that those who use and benefit most from new roads will pay the most towards their construction, maintenance and improvement. Congestion can also be reduced by requiring road users to pay a fair price, and funds built up to pay for new infrastructure.

One of the factors contributing to existing traffic congestion and pollution is the fact that diesel and gas are currently subsidised by the government. This is needless on the most part, as car owners have to be able to afford high taxes in order to import vehicles in the first place.

A country of Bangladesh’s population density should not be subsidising road congestion.

Instead the government should be looking further at road tolls and similar mechanisms such as congestion charges to raise the price for road usage, in order to speed up overall journey times.

Such a policy needs to be joined up with improving and investing in modern buses and trains so that more commuters are tempted out of their cars, because it is in an attractive as well as a less taxed option.

Use market mechanisms to reduce congestion and pay for new infrastructure

Don’t underestimate safety

A

ccording to recent inspection reports, up to 3,000 factories in Bangladesh need to install fire doors to meet expected safety standards.

The total cost of fire safety equipment in the form of sprinklers, doors etc required by the RMG sector alone, is thought to be in the region of $300m.

With the one year anniversary of Rana Plaza approaching, all stakeholders need to show they are working together to ensure funding to pay for necessary upgrades.

Establishing internationally accepted safety standards is essential both for workers’ well being and to maintain the growth of the RMG sector. There is nothing to be gained by minimising the scale of the task which is needed, both in terms of modernising equipment and in providing better training for workers and supervisors.

Only last Saturday three garment workers were killed when a rooftop railing of a factory collapsed in Narayanganj during a storm. The incident once again highlighted the human importance of the need to raise safety standards.

Clearly, in the longer term, developing modern factories and industrial zones outside of Dhaka to which producers can relocate should be encouraged much more by the BGMEA and government.

In the meantime, the BGMEA needs to urge all its members to work with ongoing safety initiatives and to represent them effectively so that the costs of upgrades are shared out fairly between producers and buyers, for the long-term benefit of everyone involved in the industry.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

‘Bangladesh rich country by 2041’ March 21 We have no viable energy policy, and even if we were competent about our sea resources, no way will we feel the economic benefits so greatly and so quickly when we haven’t even started exploration!

Traveller_23

Street kids get training on mobile phone stealing March 22 Nazmul Khair Yes, and also laptops from backpacks.

Where is the bar now?

March 19

Sam I sympathise with the very articulate and wellargued point made by the learned counselor.

Nonetheless, he is perhaps being too harsh on his colleagues and on journalists. It is not easy to have that much idealistic courage in a one-party state where the official security apparatus, the Shahbagh mob, and the lower judiciary are all tightly controlled by the regime, and no recourse can be made to an independent commission.

People have to make a living and keep their families safe. Those who rise too much of a voice are likely to meet the same fate as Ilyas Ali and Siraj Sikder.

Lest we forget, even at the appellate level of the High Court, every one of the nine judges has been personally appointed by the PM in a unilateral fashion.

Naheed Sam: The “Shahbagh mob”? I would really appreciate it if you would explain what you mean by that – dictionary.com defines a mob as a riotous group among many other definitions and is that what you had in mind? And then if you would, please explain why you say that particular “mob” is/was controlled by the regime?

I do agree that we must all avoid making too much noise lest we find ourselves at the receiving end of the powers that be, and that’s why it’s always about making tough choices in Bangladesh, but I also think we use that as an excuse to skip taking responsibility for our actions, or inaction rather.

Surely if all the millions refused to allow the wrongs committed by a few hundreds or thousands, we could change the scene?

Arrests risk stability March 19

I can’t imagine you don’t see this government’s insolent intransigence in not initiating a “dialogue” with the Opposition, let alone fulfilling the overwhelming public expectation of a new, legitimate, free and fair national election, without delay.

These latest inexplicable arrests of Mr Alamgir and Mr Hossain cannot be condoned by any means – certainly not politically, much less legally. It’s only the ruling party’s continuation of their politically-motivated campaign to ceaselessly harass and intimidate the Opposition, aimed at disrupting and weakening their morale and political resurgence. Nobody argues against bringing to proper justice the violent miscreants and their instigators during the hartals/blockades recently. The government has abjectly failed in that effort. But the continuation of awfully arbitrary arrests of senior leaders of the BNP only further dents the government’s already battered credibility.

It inspires zero confidence in their willingness to restore democratic legitimacy in the country.

I’m bemused by your bias against, and peculiar condescension toward BNP. The BNP’s shunning of wanton violence during the last two months is wholly welcome in its own right. It is not some deference to

the ruling party’s authority or spurious conditions for dialogue. It is the government’s obligation to initiate serious political dialogue with BNP – not a reward or charity that the government grants for BNP’s good behaviour. This much is beyond dispute. You refer to the “deadly results” of the jailing of BNP leaders.

What hogwash! Can you point out any recent evidence of this perpetrated by BNP activists in the streets? In any case, do you advocate BNP activists’ completely benign acquiescence in the face of ruling party injustices? I’m both appalled and amused by your suggestion of some “incentive” for BNP to “toe the line.” I’m sure BNP is not remotely contemplating toeing anybody’s line. And as the Chairperson recently explicitly stated, her party isn’t going to indefinitely, foolishly entertain hopes of dialogue with the government. BNP’s alternative to dialogue is not a return to “violence” as you glibly suggest, although you ought to admit that every political movement in Bangladesh’s history has witnessed violence, to different degrees. BNP is more likely convinced of resolutely resisting state repression and compelling the incumbents to finally heed the will of the people.

Ronnie

Adiba Amath Wow … instead of basic education, this is what they’re taught! Sad, and sick!

Will Dhaka’s water pollution ever end?

March 24 Not until people are educated.

Mia Dodson

Missing plane ended in Indian Ocean March 24

It didn’t crash. BBC confirmed that it’s beyond doubt that it got lost.

Ramisa Rahim

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

There is nothing to be gained by minimising the scale of the task. All stakeholders need to ensure standards

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Postpone (5) 6 Respectful fear (3) 7 Live coal (5) 10 Transmits (5) 12 American state (4) 13 Fruit (5) 15 Eastern ruler (4) 16 Encountered (3) 18 Title of respect (3) 20 Farewell! (4) 22 Plant secretion (5) 23 Skin opening (4) 25 Speak (5) 27 Lowest point (5) 28 Metal-bearing rock (3) 29 White heron (5)

DOWN 1 Morse elements (5) 2 Female sheep (3) 3 Protection for ship’s side (6) 4 Refractory (7) 5 Permit (3) 8 Public transport (3) 9 Garden tool (4) 11 Horse’s mother (3) 14 Obliteration (5) 16 Wise counsellor (6) 17 Small tower (6) 19 Golf club (4) 21 Ignited (3) 22 Colour (3) 24 Strike with great force (3) 26 Before (poet) (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

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Thursday, March 27, 2014

9

Stars, planets, and black holes n Pratik Deb

T

Bangladesh has tremendous potential for growth

T

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BIGSTOCK

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D

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Y

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A well-kept secret

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n Mamun Rashid he gentleman was the boss of a finance agency.

He said Bangladesh had conveniently kept itself an LDC, and the business community home and abroad had intelligently kept Bangladesh hidden from global investors to take the skim for themselves only.

He said if we monetise our natural resource depositories as per international prices, adjust the agricultural produce with global prices, and put a price tag on the domestic work put in by many women at home, the size of the Bangladesh economy would be at least $250bn.

That gentleman is not alone.

Many in the West, and professionals working for global corporations with short stints in Bangladesh, think the same way. Unfortunately for them, our statistics do not paint the kind of rosy picture that would attract global biggies to invest in Bangladesh.

They are not aware of the fantastic returns on investment or on assets possible in this country. Global corporations are yet to take cognisance of the rising per capita income, or the rise of the middle class with changing tastes, lifestyles and outlooks.

Bangladesh remains a safe haven for local investors, with lower corporate governance.

The Bangladesh rural economy remains the beneficiary of 89% of inward remittances, which exceeded Tk1 trillion in recent years. Increasing inward remittance along with money disbursed by large microfinance

networks not only created tremendous synergy in rural Bangladesh, it significantly contributed towards the rise of women entrepreneurship, and integrated rural women into nation-building.

Continuous focus on the rural economy, and medium term and seasonal employment generating programs by subsequent governments backed by thoughtful support from development partners, has helped Bangladesh reduce its rural poverty significantly.

delays in project implementation. Yet, large projects supported by development partners have helped Bangladesh to positively impact its growth drivers.

Despite a shortage of funds, inadequate project implementation capacity, corruption, and institutional bottlenecks, Bangladesh never lost track of improving education. Public education has helped Bangladesh create graduates with a global outlook.

A few private universities also moved fast because of the increasing demand

Global investors are not aware of the fantastic returns on investment or on assets possible in this country

Synergy in the rural economy, focus on urban slum dwellers, and the rise of small and medium entrepreneurship, along with attention on building an above average health and education network, has helped Bangladesh to fast meet or even exceed many MDGs. Despite resistance to continuous reforms, or the lack of courage to go for bigger institutional or regulatory reforms, the country has already become an example among LDCs where reforms driven by development partners worked well. As usual, there are corruption charges against project managers, or lack of coordination among implementing agencies, or

of higher education. Bangladesh today should be proud to have a respectable private education sector, which is better than that of many similar countries.

Private entrepreneurship in Bangladesh is a success story all along. They have learned the tricks of survival amidst multi-faceted global challenges. They have proven their successes in not only putting up a large and reliable supply chain in the apparel business, but also in demonstrating their leadership in pharmaceuticals, steel, food processing, and consumer goods.

Though the banking sector had to live

with large default loans and a lack of customer-friendly products, things are shaping up fast.

Our media has stayed on the path of championing democratic values, women’s empowerment, better economic management, and support for the marginalised. Even major Islamist parties never made their voices loud against a scientific education policy. Increasing numbers of women are joining the workforce, taking senior positions in management and politics.

The country has comfortably positioned itself as an emerging trading nation, and has successfully reaped benefits from the international trade regime. The time has come for us to not only build but expand our core competence to operate as a global operator in the chosen fields.

We need more political, administrative, fiscal, and market reforms to attend to the changing needs of the global community. We need to build up our watchdog agencies in a respectable way, with commendable capacities. More of our educational institutions should pass the standardisation process, and produce worldclass graduates.

Our courts must deliver results closer to people’s expectations. Our regulatory bodies must be forward-looking, and our politics must reflect the aspirations of the teeming millions. We want more young and educated people to be in command of charting a path for Bangladesh, and lead this country from the front. l Mamun Rashid is a business professor and a financial sector entrepreneur.

he recent announcement of candidates for the upcoming parliamentary election by Trinamool Congress supremo and current chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee created unprecedented uproar and commotion in the state as she chose a large number of candidates belonging outside of the political arena.

From famous present-day Bengali movie star to ex-captain of national football team, from the history professor of Harvard University to the singer who used to be on the opposite political camp: Ms Banerjee certainly brought all the glitter she could possibly muster.

Stealing a page from her own book, Ms Banerjee upped the game she started during former elections when she was throwing away tickets to former film stars out of apparent flippancy that had been a trademark of her politics since time immemorial.

Yet, what made this occasion distinct are not the frivolity, but the brazenness and boldness with which she “depoliticised” her party high command.

Using the so-called “star attraction” to entice public opinion into vote-bank is nothing new. We are used to seeing jobless Bollywood veterans or former cricketer–turned–colour commentators vying in elections, thanks to the usual myopia of the mainstream political parties. But compared to the national stage, West Bengal had showed some restraint on this front, thanks to the goodwill of the people who usually refused to elect the exported vacuous magnetism of celebrities.

Only time will tell if Mamata was able to unilaterally destroy that tradition or not. Given the dismal state of the opposition, and with the heinous crimes they committed while in power still fresh in people’s memory, chances are Mamata would be able to get most of these straw men she handpicked elected to the parliament. And there awaits the disaster.

In spite of its apparent frivolity, the leadership of Trinamool Congress, mostly comprising of the supremo and her long shadow and a few individuals surrounding her, fawning and sniggering all the time in an ingratiating manner, must have thought the entire ordeal through. They must have anticipated the vitriol and lampooning being spewed at them.

All that, they must have thought, was a small price to pay to retain the general motto of their party democracy: Choosing people so inconsequential in their own political prowess that they would never be able to question the authority of the existing leadership. And where would you find better yes-men with general mass appeal than from film the industry? The slogan of Ms Banerjee, for the last state election, was also similar as she asked the constituency of West Bengal to cast their vote as if she herself was the candidate in all the seats. So the seed was always there, only it took a little time to germinate.

The onslaught of idiocy and sense-

lessness that Indian democracy has had to handle from its very inception has been much worse. The nation sunk into emergency, witnessed multiple riots being perpetrated to destroy the multiethnic value of the country, and even saw the use of an Osama bin Laden lookalike being used to woo voters.

Mamata may be the harbinger of the new era that is dawning upon us

So, it would not be fair to suggest that Mamata’s actions would rank even amid the top discombobulating moments of Indian politics, but it is certainly a shift of gear for the politics of West Bengal. And certainly it indicates the shift of political perspective in the entire subcontinent.

The sensationalisation of politics is more or less complete at this point.

The conversation of principles and tenets of the political discourse has been converted merely into the talking points of television shows where self-proclaimed political pundits and talk-show hosts have shout-fests at each other.

When the general election is reduced to something akin to a local soccer match played by two local rivals that people can watch sitting in front of their television sets, the state of the political system does not just become preposterous but ominous.

The players of entertainment had to be different from the policymakers, and who can put up a better show than some veteran actors finding a new centre stage on different settings?

Politics, it has been argued, has always been a form of performance.

No matter what the ideology is, the dramatic element is essential for its dissemination and consumption.

And when the ideologues are getting thinner to the extent of being nonexistent, and its consumption as a cheap form of public amusement is becoming ever so salient, the theatricality has to but be all that is.

The depoliticisation of politics is, perhaps, the biggest tragedy our generation is witnessing, alas with a celebratory demeanor. Thus, in a way, Mamata may be the harbinger of the new era that is dawning upon us, the usher of the brave new democracy where we elect entertainers rather than policymakers, we choose to be entertained than to be engaged into political dialogue, we choose to be the consumer of our democracy rather than its arbiter.

It is high time we woke up to the perverseness of the political circus of this sarcastic politics. l Pratik Deb is a medical doctor and former independent student activist of Kolkata, and is currently a doctoral researcher at Rutgers University. This article was first published in AlalODulal.org.

The hope for democracy n Syed Ishtiaque Reza

R

eactions came from some readers of the DT about this scribe’s previous writings. They said that democratic values and real governance could not be expected from the parties in Bangladesh, as they themselves were not democratic.

Yes, democracy is having a rough ride here in Bangladesh as the parties, who are to shape it, made the system difficult on various fronts over the decades. They have miserably failed to create a democratic ethos in society, or they deliberately did it.

The trust in the politics in democracy was first affected when the government of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went for a one-party rule (whatever the compulsion may have been at the time). The trust in democracy suffered the biggest blow in 1975, when Bangabandhu was killed, along with his family members.

Bangladesh not only lost the lane of democracy, but also the values of secularism, non-communalism, and liberalism.

From 1975 till 1991, Bangladesh was virtually under military rule, although several parliamentary elections were held during this period. The all-out

movement forced General Ershad to step down in 1990, who was in power for nine long years.

In 1991, Begum Khaleda Zia’s BNP came to power in an election held under a caretaker administration.

The election was dubbed free and fair across the world. The trust lasted for a few months as the ruling BNP was bitterly accused by the opposition of handling a by-election (Magura) with a serious autocratic attitude to retain the seat within the treasury bench in the house. Since then, the two major parties only nurtured mistrust.

Political leaders here usually say that democracy will be the political order for Bangladesh. But the political parties themselves are far away from democracy. The degree of internal democracy of the political parties in Bangladesh is weak.

There are many reasons, including weak organisations, strong centralisation, and prevalent informal decision-making processes controlled by a limited number of party elites (truly by party chiefs).

And the main three parties – BNP, Awami League, and Jatiya Party, are dynastic parties. This has important implications regarding the prospects of democratising party politics

and consolidating democracy in Bangladesh.

Everyone says democracy returned after nine years of struggle against the autocratic regime of Ershad in 1990.

But Bangladesh had to accept change through violent means. Every five years, the country experienced violent and destructive movements. And this time, the ruling party abolished the caretaker system, which was achieved through huge sacrifice.

At present, the situation is very critical, as the nation is facing an allout extremist threat. The South Asian region faced so-called jihadis fighting in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the Bangladeshis so far voted only for the moderates. This is the democratic culture of this nation – a valuable asset that is now under threat.

Bangladesh’s political culture kept no room to assess the quality of the political parties, along with a number of indicators. The parties here do not have any obligation to make their accounts public, and political party funds and funding remains a mystery.

The quality and extent of internal democracy, as said earlier, are never discussed. There is room to analyse the procedures for the election of party leadership (party president, front

leaders, election of candidates, and management) and the extent to which the parties are otherwise responsive and representative.

Do the general people have any idea about the organisational complexity and diversity, geographical spread, formal rules and political programs, membership, and resources of the parties? No. Not at all. The parties in Bangladesh are the most nontransparent entities. There is also the question of the parties’ ability to aggregate and articulate collective social preferences, and to transform these into practical policies, and to mobilise electoral support for their programs and candidates.

Against this backdrop, the educated youths can think of evolving realistic policies by utilising the knowledge, talent, and expertise of the people that is ignored by political traditionalists, who rely mainly on their old cronies, having limited perception and feudal concepts.

The need of the time is to develop a consortium of leadership, robust enough to develop policies, so that a more dynamic force can come near the politics. In fact, the bitterness showed by the parties in power and opposition has created a venue for eradicating

corruption and poverty-based politics.

The curse of corruption made our entire national system ineffective. No one is sure whether a third force in politics will free the society from the oppressive grip of institutionalised corruption, and prove itself as an alternative to the two parties who have lost their flair.

No one is sure whether a third force in politics will free the society from institutionalised corruption

People want change in traditional politics. An equitable and just social order is sought, which the new political leadership can deliver. This is not an easy task, as it would result in a grim struggle against the powerful elite, who dominate politics and power. l Syed Ishtiaque Reza is Director of News, Ekattor Television.

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

11 City win derby,

Arsenal slip up

Thursday, March 27, 2014

11 Kewell announces

retirement

11 Big day for

Siddikur

Sport

Did you know?

Bayern Munich on Tuesday become the earliest champion in Bundesliga history (after Match Day 27)

Nazmul slams Mushfiq

Bangladesh skipper Salma Khatun (L) celebrates the fall of a West Indies wicket with her teammates at the Sylhet Stadium yesterday

MUMIT M

BD Women bow to experienced Windies Failure with the willow overshadowed the inspiring bowling performance from the spinners as Bangladesh women’s cricket team suffered a 36-run defeat in their debut match of the ICC World T20 against West Indies at the Sylhet International Stadium yesterday.

In front of a boisterous home crowd, Bangladesh bowled out West Indies on 115 runs but their batting weaknesses were exposed and Windies bowlers bowled Bangladesh out on 79. Bangladesh lost the last six wickets in only nine runs. The inexperience of the side were visible as they failed to cope with the pressure.

The beginning with bowling, mostly relied on the spinners, and fielding against an in-form West Indies side was the positive sides and skipper Salma Khatun gave the hosts a bright start.

Salma in her second delivery of the first over gave the hosts early breakthrough trapping Kycia Knight for LBW for a naught. Following the early wicket, Bangladesh piled more pressure on the opponents and it didn’t take them long to take the second one when Fahima Khatun bowled other opener Shaquana Quintyne on 11 in her first over.

Bangladesh spinners continued to take wickets on regular basis except West Indies’ highest partnership of 40 in the fifth wicket between Deandra Dottin and Stacy-Ann King. Dottin was not on her usual aggressive mode but contributed the most scoring a run-a-

ball 3 while Stacey added 20. Khadija Tul Kubra picked up three wickets giving away 24 while Salma Khatun and Fahima Khatun took two each for 11 and 12 runs respectivley.

BRIEF SCORE

West Indies 115 (20/20 ov) Deandra 34, King 20, Kubra 3/24, Salma 2/11 Bangladesh 79 (17.3/20 ov) Rumana 26, Salma 17, Quintyne 3/5, Smartt 2/9 West Indies Women won by 36 runs It took West Indies bowlers six overs to break the opening stand between Ayasha Rahman and Sanjida Islam although they only managed to add 19 runs in that time. After player-of-the-match

Suzie just loves cricket Australian fast bowler Ellyse Perry maybe is the most recognized name in the international women’s cricket arena for her twofold involvement with Australian cricket and football national teams but there are another cricketer who matches her credentials and she is no other than New Zealand captain and allrounder Suzie Bates.

Both Perry and Suzie are now in Sylhet to take part in Women’s World Twenty20. Suzie, who was the player of the match in their last game against Ireland scoring 51-ball 68, represented New Zealand basketball team at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and is one of many who were involved in other sports than cricket.

Bates made her international debut against India in the ODI series in 2006 where she helped the side with both batting and bowling to seal a 4-1 series victory. A year later, the 26-yearold gave up cricket for a while, around 18 months, and went to Beijing with basketball team to fulfill her dream of

playing in the Olympics. Not only basketball, Perry was once asked by the coach of her Canberra-based football club to choose between football and cricket but she later decided to stick into one discipline, the one where she achieved more honour.

“Basketball tests your physical fitness; cricket tests your mental fitness. If you’re not physically fit, you’ll be found out very quickly in a basketball game. That has helped me in my cricket as well. But overall, I think being able to handle things when you’re under pressure mentally is the biggest challenger here. What I loved about basketball was the intensity, obviously a few skills are transferrable, I do miss basketball, but for now cricket will do.” said Perry after the game against Ireland.

There were several other New Zealand cricketers who represented national team more than just cricket.

Rebecca Rolls represented New Zealand in both cricket and football while Sophie Devine was member of cricket and hockey teams. l

Quintyne bowled Ayasha, Bangladesh continued to lose wickets and it spread like a virus when they lost fifth wicket on 72. They lost six wickets to reach 79 from 72 between the gaps of 16 balls.

Salma Khatun admitted in the postmatch conference they need to work more to improve their batting. “Our bowling and fielding was good but as I said before our problem in batting has not improved. We could not utilize the power play and we need to work on it,” “I really don’t know why our batsmen are not getting run. If they get into runs I believe we can beat any team,” Bangladesh will play their second game against England tomorrow at 3.30pm. In the other match of the day England beat India by five wickets.

England bundled India out on 95 and scored 96 for five 18.1 overs. l

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan refused to accept skipper Mushfiqur Rahim ‘s statement that the players are not able to play freely because of the pressure of losing their places in the national side.

Mushfiq disclosed that at the post match presser after the loss to West Indies on Tuesday.

BCB boss said yesterday that he can’t see any reason behind the concern of the skipper, “We don’t have enough options if someone not performing at the opening spot we have to choose from Anamul, Tamim and Shuvo.

So, what insecurity they are having I don’t understand, and if you look at the middle order, we have Shakib and Mushfiq and that never had raised any questions and the same goes to the fast bowling and spin bowling department” said the BCB boss.

The BCB president had a meeting with the head coach, captain and the selectors and later included Akram Khan the chairman of the Cricket Operations in the discussion process.

“You can ask about Nasir and Mahmudullah and Nasir has been given a lot of opportunities and one can go through bad times and he even makes a comeback on the side.

So if we don’t give others a chance then what is the benefit of keeping them on the squad? Zia was included after Rubel Hossain’s injury other than that I can’t see any big changes,” said Nazmul.

The BCB boss however tried to spill cold water on the issue. “ I think he wanted to say that if the openers can make a good start at the top others can play freely that’s what he tried to say which is not happening at the moment.

Traditional rivals Dhaka Abahani and Dhaka Mohammedan will be locking their horns in the group B match of the Modhumoti Bank Independence Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 6:00 pm today.

This match is just a formality to actually determine the top two positions of the group as Arambagh, the other team of the group has already lost both of their matches to Abahani and Mohammedan by 2-0 and 4-1 respectively. The runners-up will face the champions of Group C which is expected to be grabbed by the mighty Sheikh Jamal. So the team that becomes the champion from group B will be able to avoid Jamal in the quarter fi-

Dale Steyn, the spearhead of South Africa’s pace attack hinted that South Africa would be unchanged in the game against Netherlands today. The number one ranked Test bowler opined that a winning combination usually remains unchanged.

“No, I don’t know. I don’t think so.

Personally, I don’t like to change a winning combination or a winning formula.

So no real reason to change a side. If the coaches and players feel differently,it depends on them”, said Steyn at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in the prematch press conference yesterday.

Steyn gunned down New Zealand to give the Proteas their first win of the tournament in their previous game.

The speedster thought that they (New Zealand) could have won the game.

“But we did and it’s a bonus for us”,

If we don’t give others a chance then what is the benefit of keeping them on the squad? Zia was included after Rubel Hossain’s injury other than that I can’t see any big changes Nazmul admitted that he also heard about the cricketer’s poor body language on the field and the careless attitude and informed that he had no idea how to solve the issue.

Nazmul informed that the board is planning to hire a coach only for the T20 format and also make some drastic change in the side for the shortest format of the game to improve and he thought not for the poor fielding but the top order failure was the reason for the l big loss against West Indies.

BCB boss hinted they will go for changes after the tournament will look for new players for the side. l

David v Goliath as Dutch take on Proteas The ICC World Twenty20 2014 resumes after a one day break as South Africa meet Netherlands at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium this afternoon. This group 1 encounter between the two sides can easily be dubbed as ‘Goliath versus David’ if one takes the cricketing prowess and history of these two sides into account.

South Africa will surely be in a buoyant mood after Monday’s nail-biting last over win as a remarkable last over

by Dale Steyn saw them snatching a win from the claws of the Kiwis when it seemed like the match was all over for them. That thrilling finish must propel them forward, if anything, with even better momentum and velocity as they look for their second win in three matches to boost their chances of securing a semi-final berth from this group.

The Dutchmen, on the other hand, would surely like to forget their nightmarish display in their first match

JP Duminy (R) and Albie Morkel play a warm up rugby game at MA Aziz Stadium yesterday against Sri Lanka who inflicted a crushing 9 wicket defeat on them with 90 balls remaining after cleaning them up first for a paltry 39 - the lowest Twenty20 International score ever. A defeat of such magnitude can so easily be demoralizing for any team. However, the Dutchmen are not immune to staging a strong comeback against all odds as they already have proven their ability to cause serious concern to any opponent, courtesy of their incredible and record-laden win against the Irish in their last match

Abahani-MSC duel today Steyn remains cool and composed nals. This might, and should add some extra spice to an ever spicy encounter historically.

Abahani struggled to find form against Arambagh and scored the goals only after their second tier opponent were reduced to ten men. They will heavily rely on their African recruits, the two forwards - Ekeleme Patrick and Osie Morrison from Cameroon and Ghana respectively.

Mohammedan fielded Nigerian Damien Chigozie and Cameroonian Baybeck in the midfield and defense respectively against Arambagh but their specialty and threat is posed by their four pronged local attack comprising the likes of Emily, Zahid, Wahed and Sobuj.

This would be the third match of the season between the traditional crowdpullers with Abahani winning both the matches. l

They said their game plan did not work accordingly,” he added.

Nazmul also informed that he has been talking with the players and keep motivating them as they have been doing and said that, everything is going as it was before.

When asked about actions against the cricketers Nazmul said, “What action? I slammed them what else.

But one thing I told them after the meeting that if anyone breaks the discipline they have to face action even dropping them from the side and tell them that you have been dropped for this reason. It may affect us in shortterm but in long term it will help us,” he informed .

said the 30-year-old from Phalaborwa.

He further talked about the influence of South Africa’slegendary fast bowler Alan Donaldon him, especially regarding dealing with pressure in the death overs.

“I think AD (Alan Donald) will be the first one to tell you that he didn’t play much T20.Although his expertise regarding the T20 is not very high but he still

played a lot of international cricket. So he knows about handling pressure and gives us expert advice”, affirmed Steyn.

The Chittagong phase of the worldevent will resume after two days of break with the game between South Africa and Netherlands in the afternoon. When enquired about how hepassed time during this short break, Steyn informed that they hardly had anything to do and tasted only pizzas from across the road adjacent to their team’s hotel in Chittagong.

“We have got a wine club (in the hotel), nothing special. We just have some fun. We have got a big team room in the hotel. We play poker. We also have a movie club, we watch movies and all. There is pizza across the road and we just order. We don’t get to go out as much. Never eaten so much pizza in my whole life,” said Steyn. l

of the qualifying round in Sylhet just five days ago. Therefore, the mighty Goliath should never underestimate the resilience of David and must guard against any possible threat. David must also show that the shambolic performance with the bat against the Sri Lankans was just a fluke, not a frequent reality.

All in all, it promises to be another good match of this year’s event. A lot is at stake for both sides and there is absolutely no room for either of them to rest in the laurels of their past heroics. l

SA release Parnell for India court case South African paceman Wayne Parnell has been released from World Twenty20 duties in Chittagong to appear in court in India on drug charges, team management said Wednesday.

He is due to appear in court in Mumbai on Thursday on charges linked to a late-night party after an IPL game in 2012, during his stint at the Pune Warriors.

Parnell was among nearly 100 people detained for medical testing after the party at an upmarket Mumbai hotel was raided by police, who found drugs at the premises. He denies any wrongdoing.

South African team manager Mohammed Moosajee said the decision to make 24-year-old Parnell available for Thursday’s hearing was made before the World Twenty20. l