28 March, 2014

Chaitra 14, 1420 Jamadiul Awal 26, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 364

FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Bangladesh polio-free

Not a single case of polio has been reported in the country since 2006 n Moniruzzaman Uzzal Bangladesh could have got the polio-free status five years ago had it not been for its neighbours India and Nepal, who took three and four more years respectively than what Bangladesh took to eliminate the fatal disease from its soil.

Yesterday, the South-East Asia Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEA-RCCPE), an independent panel of 11 experts in public health, epidemiology, virology, clinical medicine and related specialties, declared the region polio-free.

Before that, the commission met for two days in New Delhi to review evidence from 11 countries, prior to deciding that the countries had met the certification requirements, which included ensuring at least three years of zero confirmed cases due to indigenous wild poliovirus; excellent laboratory-based surveillance for poliovirus; demonstrated capacity to detect, report, and respond to imported cases of poliomyelitis; and assurance of safe containment of polioviruses in laboratories.

According to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), the polio-free

countries are Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bhutan, North Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and East Timor.

Professor Dr Mahmudur Rahman, a member of the SEA-RCCPE, confirmed the news. The announcement ceremony was also attended by State Minister for Health Zahid Maleque, Director of primary healthcare Dr Abu Zafor Md Musa, and Dr Shafiqur Rahman, programme manager of the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI).

The WHO South-East Asia Region, home to a quarter of the world’s population, became the fourth of six WHO Regions to be certified polio-free. With this step, 80% of the world’s population now lives in certified polio-free regions.

Dr Tajul Islam Bari, former programme manager of the EPI, told the Dhaka Tribune that six SEARO countries – Bhutan, North Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and East Timor – have been polio-free for more than 15 years, while the rest have remained polio free for different time periods (Bangladesh and Indonesia since 2006, Myanmar since 2007, Nepal since 2010, and India since 2011).

Certification of the region came as  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

INSIDE World

9 Kim Jong Un’s distinctive hairstyle is the ‘do of the day’ on the Internet, thanks to a viral report that every male university student in the capital is now under orders to get a buzz just like it.

News

5 The Science and Industrial Technology Fair 2014 began in the capital yesterday.

Bangladeshi players do stretching exercises during a training session yesterday in Dhaka ahead of their ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match against India

Cornered Tigers face high flying India n Mazhar Uddin When a team is low in confidence for reasons both on and off the field, one should guard against expecting anything outstanding from that team. Unfortunately and sadly, that is the current state of Bangladesh cricket team as they face the high flying India in their second encounter of the super ten stage of the World T20 Championship at the Sher-eBangla National Stadium this evening.

The cricket-crazy fans of the nation would be hoping for a better display today as the Tigers look to put the disappointments of losing against Hong

Kong and West Indies behind them and roar back to their vintage best. The main challenge for the Tigers would be to actually gather mental strength which they have been lacking recently.

They must know a win today will essentially take them out of the focus of all the negativity and criticism which have recently engulfed the team badly. However, only their on field performances will prove whether BCB  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

PM to Biman: Make profit or face closure n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Despite offering all-time best services, national flag carrier Biman is incurring massive losses, which the authorities claim was because of the political chaos and a fall in manpower export to the Middle East.

The airliner lost 18.59% of revenue and 18.49% of passengers in the first

eight months (July-February) of the ongoing fiscal (FY 2013-14) compared to the same time a year ago.

Revenue for July 2013 to February 2014 stood at Tk1,858.27 crore, down from Tk2,282.48 crore during the same period in the previous fiscal. The amount is just a touch over two-thirds of what the carrier targeted for the eight-month period.

AP

Khaleda: Zia was first president of Bangladesh n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday claimed that party founder Ziaur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh as he proclaimed the independence of the country.

Tarique Rahman, eldest son of Khaleda Zia and Ziaur Rahman, at a

P2 WHAT HISTORY SAYS

At present, Biman is operating flights on a total of 19 routes, the highest ever in history. It is going to introduce a new flight to Frankfurt on March 31 and New York in June.

It has recently added a new Boeing 777 aircraft called “Ranga Provat” to its fleet. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the aircraft yesterday.

discussion in London first claimed that his father was the first president of the country citing the same logic.

“In 1971 when nobody was saying anything Ziaur Rahman proclaimed the independence. That’s why he is the first president of the country. Awami league is scared of Ziaur Rahman as he is the announcer of independence,” Khaleda said addressing a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, March 28, 2014

Afil and Monirul apologise for violating code n Mohammad Zakaria Sheikh Afil Uddin and Monirul Islam elected from Jessore-1 and Jessore-2 constituencies yesterday sought apology for violating the electoral code of conduct during the 10th parliamentary elections held on January 5.

They sought the apology during a hearing on the issue held at the Election Commission. However, the commission will give its order on Sunday, EC’s senior assistant secretary (law wing) Mosharaf Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the hearing started at 11:00 am and ended just after five minutes.

Acting chief election commissioner Abdul Mobarak, election commissioners Mohammad Abu Hafiz, Md Shah Newaz, Zabed Ali and acting secretary of EC Sirazul Islam were present.

On January 7, the EC issued show cause notice to Afil and Monirul, asking them why their candidature would not be cancelled for violating the electoral code of conduct.

On January 1, an agent of independent candidate Rafiqul Islam brought the allegation against the duo. The electoral inquiry committee that submitted its probe report to the commission on January 3 found that the two

violated the code of conduct.

On January 15, the two MPs-elect replied to the show cause notice. They criticised five dailies — Dinkal, Prothom Alo, Manabzamin, Dhaka Tribune and Daily Star for publishing “biased reports”.

The two said they think the commission cannot cancel their candidature as per Article 91E in the Representation of the People Order. The returning officer could apply the laws before announcing the results, but there was no chance to enforce the laws after they had been declared elected, they added.

They filed writ petitions with the High Court, seeking order to publish the gazette of election results. The HC, however, asked the EC to resolve the matter.

On December 30, Afil, also vice-president of Jessore district Awami League, called on the ruling party activists to bring out a victory procession by 11:59am on January 5 after casting “false votes for Monirul by occupying the polling centres.”

He gave the directives while speaking as the chief guest at a views- exchange meeting of Monirul’s polling agents on the Parbazar High School premises in Jhikargachha upazila.

The commission has yet to publish the gazette of election results of the two constituencies. l

RE-POLLS IN SIX UPAZILAS

AL bags two more chairman posts n Tribune Report In the re-elections to three upazilas held yesterday for chairman posts, Awami League-backed candidates won in two upazilas while the BNP in one.

Polls were also held yesterday for vice-chairman posts in two upazilas and vice-chairwoman post in one.

Both the BNP and the Awami League secured vice-chairman posts in Kuliarchar upazila of Kishoreganj and Titas upazila in Comilla.

The Election Commission postponed the polls in some centres in the six upazilas because of violence on March 15, local officials have said.

So far, the ruling Awami Leaguebacked candidates secured 180 chairman posts, BNP 148 and Jamaat-e-Islami-supported candidates won 33 chairman posts.

In Muktagachha of Mymensingh, BNP-backed candidate Zakaria Harun won the chairman post defeating his nearest candidate Billah Hossain, supported by the Awami League.

In Hizla upazila of Barisal, Awami League-backed Sultan Mahmud Tipu was declared winner yesterday. He defeated BNP-backed Dewan Shahidul

CURBING CRIMES

Benazir blames political culture n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Benazir Ahmed, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), yesterday said curbing crime was not possible as law enforcers remained occupied with tackling political programmes.

“The ongoing political culture is responsible for this. Police are always busy chasing people accused in politically motivated cases and which is why they cannot squeeze out time to curb crime and arrest criminals,” Benazir added.

DMP commissioner made such statement while addressing a view-exchange meeting at the DMP headquarters organised by the Coalition against Tobacco Bangladesh.

Mili Bishwash, additional commissioner (traffic), Abdul Jalil, additional commissioner (admin), Ibrahmi Fatemi, joint commissioner and Ali Niamat, president of the Coalition against Tobacco also spoke on the occasion.

“We have given all-out effort to maintain security of people during political unrest but if we had given the same effort to arrest criminals, people could have lived a more peaceful life.

We could also have busted drug nets.”

We have arrested over 400 drug dealers in the capital over the last three month and the mobile courts punished those drug dealers, he said.

He claimed that there has no phensydil factory in the capital. He urged people to help police in controlling crime and stop the use of drug. l

Islam following re-voting at three polling centres. Rebel BNP candidate Abdul Gaffar Talukdar bagged the third highest number of votes.

The BNP-backed candidate boycotted the elections and the upazila BNP announced hartal for Sunday in the upazila.

In the re-elections held in two centres of Hajiganj upazila in Chandpur, Awami League-backed candidate Abdur Rashid Majumder secured the chairman post defeating Nazrul Islam who was backed jointly by the BNP-Jamaat.

In the upazila, ruling party-backed vice-chairwoman candidate Parveen Islam won over her nearest BNPbacked candidate Rabeya Aktar.

In Comilla’s Titas upazila, ruling party-backed vice-chairman candidate Shahinul Islam won the polls where re-election was held at one centre yesterday. His nearest contender was Jamaat-backed Sagir Hossain.

In Kishoreganj’s Kuliarchar upazila, BNP-backed vice-chairman candidate Mesbah Uddin Ahmed won the post.

Re-election was held at one centre.

In Kamalnagar upazila in Lakshmipur, BNP-backed vice-chairwoman candidate Hosna Ara Bashar won the post. l

Members of Rapid Action Battalion present before the media two drug peddlers with 2,825 bottles of phensidyl seized at Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah yesterday

BNP website: Zia seventh president n Tribune Report

It appears that the BNP has been contradicting itself on its claim regarding Ziaur Rahman being the first president of Bangladesh as Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman’s claim does not match the information on the party’s official website.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday claimed that Zia was the first president of Bangladesh. Her elder son and the party’s Senior Vice-Chairman

Sabiha gets AL nomination again n Tribune Report The ruling Awami League has again chosen Sabiha Nahar Begum whose nomination paper for elections to reserved women seats was cancelled by the Election Commission because of having default telephone bill.

The decision was made by the party’s Parliamentary Board at its meeting yesterday at Ganabhaban, presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap told reporters.

Shabiha got the party ticket along with 38 others on March 6 and she filed the nomination paper. After scrutiny, the EC on March 11 cancelled her nomination paper for defaulting telephone bills worth Tk11,835. The EC also rejected her appeals.

Apart from Sabiha, the EC also cancelled the nomination paper of Jatiya Party candidate Khurshid Ara Haque for the same reason.

The EC on March 23 declared fresh schedule for the two vacate seats. The last date of filing nomination is April 1. l

Bangladesh polio-free  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

countries prepare for the introduction of inactivated polio vaccine in routine immunization as part of the eventual phasing out of oral polio vaccines, while also committing to the global polio endgame plan which aims to ensure a polio-free world by 2018.

A press release by the WHO quoted Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for the WHO South-East Asia Region, as saying: “This is a momentous victory for the millions of health workers who have worked with governments, nongovernmental organizations, civil society and international partners to eradicate polio from the region. It is a sign of what we can be-

queath our children when we work together.”

At present, only three countries are polio-endemic: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. According to a WHO report, cases of polio have decreased by over 99% since 1988.

Bangladeshi EPI officials termed routine immunisation as the root of the success in eradicating polio in the country, as it popularised oral polio vaccines among parents.

Although only 2% of Bangladeshi children under five years of age were immunised before 1985, the number jumped to 60% within 10 years after the introduction of routine immunisations in 1985. l

Khaleda: Zia was first president  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Jatiyatabadi Mukktijodha Dal organised a discussion to mark the Independence Day where the former premier questioned the freedom fighters: “Did you free the country from the shackle of Pakistan to get shackled to another country?”

Khaleda on behalf of her husband Ziaur Rahman received the crest for his glorious role in the independence war.

Khaleda Zia was also honoured with a crest for her role in the war.

Criticising the government for honouring the foreigners for their role in the Liberation War, Khaleda said: “The way foreigners were honoured it seemed that people of Bangladesh did not fight in the Liberation War.” Reminiscing her ordeal in 1971 she said: “During the Liberation War, I along with my two sons and wife of

BANGLAR CHOKH

Colonel Mahfuz came to Dhaka from Chittagong by a steamer. I was then arrested and detained in different cantonments.”

She however recognised the contribution of the Awami league and Bangabandhu to the liberation war, “They inspired people in the Liberation War. We will not deny it.”

The BNP chief also said she was not proud of being the wife of a president or prime minister rather she feels proud of being the wife of the “proclaimer of independence.”

She said fair election was not possible under a partisan government and it was “proved once again in the upazila parishad elections.”

Khaleda asked the government to take the initiative to hold talks to restore caretaker government system to oversee the polls. l

Tarique Rahman made the same claim on Wednesday.

However, on the BNP website, https:// bangladeshnationalistparty-bnp.org, the party acknowledges Ziaur Rahman as the seventh president of the country.

“Founded in 1978 by Major General Ziaur Rahman, the Seventh President of Bangladesh, the party has evolved into one of the most powerful political entities in South Asia,” reads the founding history section on the website.

On the note of authenticity of the website, the Dhaka Tribune looked up the address with www.whois.com – a website that looks up website registration. It says the website is registered to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party with registrant ID CR81094577 and office address of 28-1 Nayapaltan, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh after independence up to January 1972, national encyclopedia Banglapedia says.

Abu Sayeed Choudhury was the sec-

ond president from January 1972 until December 1973 and then Mohammadullah from 1973 to January 1975.

Bangabandhu was the president for the second time from January 1975 until his assassination in August that year, after which Khondakar Mostaq Ahmed took charge for a brief period.

Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem was the president from November 1975 to April 1977. It was Ziaur Rahman who came as the seventh president of the country. l

Chhatra League criticises Gonojagoron n Arif Ahmed Ruling Awami League’s student body Bangladesh Chhatra League and some students of Dhaka University yesterday demonstrated against Gonojagoron Moncho and its spokesperson Imran H Sarker for using the national flag colours on a stage at Projonmo Chattar on Wednesday.

They formed a human chain under the banner of “Conscious Students” on DU campus, protesting the “wrongdoing.” Later, they brought out a silent procession.

Chhatra League’s central unit Deputy Secretary for Cultural Affairs Sheikh Asman and DU unit Organising Secretary Aditya Nandi demanded punishment for Imran for “demeaning” the

dignity of the national flag.

When contacted, Imran told the Dhaka Tribune that it was a conspiracy.

He claimed that Chhatra League leader Asman, a student of DU Fine Arts Insti-

BCL demanded punishment for Imran for “demeaning” the national flag tute, had demanded toll from Moncho activists on March 25 midnight when they were working on the stage.

“As the activists declined to pay the money, Asman arranged the demonstration [yesterday] to take revenge.”

About Chhatra League’s protest

against the used of red and green on the stage, Imran said the agitators did not know the use of the national flag and so were spreading such propaganda.

Gonojagoron Moncho made the stage at the Shahbagh intersection for a rally and cultural programme to observe the Independence Day. Imran that day bitterly criticised the government for not implementing the Moncho’s six-point demand, including banning Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, and taking action against Jamaat’s financial institutions. He also slammed the government and the Awami League’s associate bodies for frequently taking donations from pro-Jamaat organisations, including the Islami Bank. l

Cornered Tigers face high flying India  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

president’s statement that there would be drastic changes in the team after the tournament has had a negative effect.

None of the cricketers except Shakib al Hasan has played to their potentials so far with star opener Tamim Iqbal scoring a duck and five against Hong Kong and West Indies respectively.

Anamul Haque also seems to have lost his supreme touch which was prominent during the Asia Cup. Therefore, this lack of solidity at the top of the order has disabled the middle order to actually have a foundation to unleash attack onthe opponent later on. Perhaps it’s now also the right time to give Shamsur Rahman a chance as youngster Sabbir Rahman has failed to justify his selectionby scoringonly three runs in the last two matches.

The middle order has also failed to fire when required where Nasir Hossain,the most consistent cricketer of the Bangladesh side in the recent

past, had to pay the price by losing his place in the starting XI in the last match for the first time in his career since he made his debut three years back.However, the all-rounder may get the opportunity today in place of Mahmudullah who averages just four in T20s and 11 overall in 2014 while Sohag Gazi who played against West Indies and conceded 38 runs from four overs is likely to be replaced by the experienced campaigner Abdur Razzak who was dropped against West Indies.

Veteran pacer Mashrafe bin Mortaza is expected to lead the pace attack alongsidethe ever-learning youngster Al Amin who was the pick of the bowlers against West Indies with figures of 3-21. The home side can take some positives from the past when they face India asthey have beaten the Indians three times in limited overs cricket.

On the other hand, India have been playing some outstanding cricket

throughout the tournament so far and have rightly won both their matches against Pakistan and West Indies comprehensively. They know a win todayagainst the Tigers will all but ensure a berth in the semi-final for them.

They are again likely to bank on their spin triowhich include Amit Mishra, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who so far been have been instrumental behind India’s success so far in the tournamentand surely pose the biggest threat for the Bangladeshi batsmen.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli at the top of the India’s batting order are also in terrific form.With Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni following these two down the order, the Tigers better be at the top of their game to avoid any embarrassment. Rohit Sharma said at the press conference that this was the best Indian team so far to win the competition after they clinched the inaugural tournament in 2007. l

PM to Biman: Make profit, or face closure  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

At the programme organised to mark the inauguration, Hasina stressed on the needs for profitability for the survival of the national flag carrier.

“You all know very well what will happen if it [Biman] is shut down.

Everyone will lose their jobs. We want you to work properly so that Biman can become a profitable organisation,” the premier told the Biman employees.

October 2013 happened to be the only recent month when Biman achieved its target. It earned Tk347.58 crore against a target of Tk331.91 crore.

The performance was mostly propelled by the Hajj flights. However, in October 2012, Biman earned Tk369.10 crore.

January 2014 turned out to be the worst month for Biman in terms of passenger and revenue. Around 118,000 passengers traveled with Biman in the month, resulting in a revenue of Tk175.54 crore, against a target of

Tk365.20.

“Movement from Bangladesh and inbound traffic declined massively because of the political unrests, badly affecting our business,” Mohammad Sha Newaz, director (marketing and sales) of Biman, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said: “In 2011-12, our total traffic was more than 17 lakh. It came down 15 lakh during the last fiscal. It may go down further during the current fiscal.

“We have very few leisure passengers. Most of our passengers are [Middle East-bound] labourers and ethnic.

As labour export to the Middle East has been facing problems, it is affecting our business,” he also said.

According to Sha Newaz, 90% of Biman’s traffic comprise labourers and ethnic people.

A Biman official said at one point earlier this year, a Biman aircraft flew to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia with only nine passengers.

However, despite all the miseries in passenger services, state owned airliner’s cargo services earned some good revenues in recent times. From July last year to this February, Biman’s cargo services earned Tk178.32 crore, a touch higher than what it earned a year ago.

During yesterday’s programme, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina advised the carrier to induct more cargo aircrafts to its fleet so that it could earn more revenue. Currently, aircrafts are leased for cargo services.

Biman Managing Director Kevin Steele, who resigned last week citing personal reasons, took a number of initiatives such as opening new routes since he joined last March. Sources said most of those initiatives did not work out.

The Dhaka Tribune tried to contact him via e-mail on Wednesday placing two questions for him. He, however, has not responded till last night. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Friday, March 28, 2014

Hasina brushes aside allegations of vote rigging Electronic voting system to be introduced in next elections n Emran Hossain Shaikh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has brushed aside the allegations of vote rigging against her party-backed candidates in the ongoing upazila polls, saying that a section of media was spreading propaganda against her party.

“Jamaat has won several chairman and vice-chairman posts in the upazila elections. If the Awami League would rig votes, Jamaat could not win a single post,” Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, said while addressing a discussion in the capital yesterday.

The premier blamed BNP Senior ViceChairman Tarique Rahman for distorting the history The Awami League organised the programme to mark the country’s 44th Independence Day. The premier declared her plan to put into operation the electronic voting system in election next time.

“None will be able to stuff the ballot papers if we introduce the electronic voting system. Election will be held in future by using EVMs (Electronic Voting Machine),” she said.

The Awami League president expressed her opinion to hold the local body elections under party banner.

“As the upazila polls are non-partisan, we have no control over anything,” she said.

Though there has been no chance for the candidates to use party symbols in the local body elections, all political parties extend support to them.

AL General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam has recently hinted that the government would bring an amendment to the law to hold such elections under the party banner.

Mentioning the results of the ongoing upazila polls, the Awami League chief said the Awami League had many a candidate in each upazila but as the party was careful about the matter this time, it could ensure single candidate that helped Awami League win the victory.

“When our candidates suffer defeat, some media say AL has lost popularity and when it secured a large number of seats, they blamed us for rigging,” the premier said.

The government came under huge criticism as the candidates backed by the ruling party won a majority seats in the third phase of upazila polls.

The premier blamed BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman for distorting the history.

Tarique, who has been in London on parole, recently said that Ziaur Rahman was the country’s first president.

Pointing her finger at the BNP, the prime minister said once they used to say that Zia was the proclaimer of independence and now they are saying that Zia was the first president.

She said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first president of Bangladesh.

Senior leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful Islam also addressed the programme with party presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair. l

Members of various cultural groups bring out a colourful procession in the capital yesterday, marking the World Theatre Day

Prosecution eyes setting history by trying Jamaat n Udisa Islam

The war crimes tribunal prosecution will soon submit the formal charges against Jamaat-e-Islami for its role during the 1971 Liberation War, after scrutinising the report submitted by the investigation agency yesterday.

Investigation Officer Md Matiur Rahman handed over the probe report and other related documents to Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arif Tipoo yesterday afternoon at the prosecution’s office.

Tipoo said: “A prosecution commit-

tee headed by Tureen Afroz will now go through the documents and prepare the formal charges.” He claimed that they could set history by this case as it was unusual to try an organisation for war crimes.

Prosecutor Tureen, team leader for this particular case, said: “After the Nuremberg trial [in Germany against Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party], it is the second instance in the world of bringing an organisation to justice for its alleged crimes.”

The investigation agency on March 25 disclosed the summary of the probe

report, praying for a ban on Jamaat, its associate bodies and mouthpiece the daily Sangram, and action against financial institutions.

The probe began after the agency had filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal on August 18 last year.

The probe body brought seven types of charges against Jamaat, its then students’ wing Islami Chhatra Sangha that was renamed Islami Chhatra Shibir in 1977, associate organisations – Peace Committee, razakar, al-Badr and alShams – for committing crimes against

Subhan’s case transferred to tribunal 2 Man gets life term for n Udisa Islam The International Crimes Tribunal 1 yesterday transferred the case against war crimes accused Maulana Abdus Subhan to the other tribunal on its own volition.

It also rejected a review petition against the tribunal’s indictment order after a hearing. Lawyer Shahjahan Kabir took part in the hearing for Subhan, a Jamaat-e-Islami nayeb-e-ameer who faces nine charges of crimes against humanity.

Subhan faces the charges of superior responsibility in the crimes, planning acts of genocide, killings, abduction, confinement, torture in confinement, arson and looting committed at different places in Pabna during the 1971 Liberation War. Prosecutors Zead-al-Malum, Sultan Mahmud Simon, Tapos Kanti Baul and Rezia Sultana Chaman opposed the review plea in their part of hearing.

Rowshan plans to quit politics n Manik Miazee Leader of the Opposition Rowshan Ershad yesterday announced her intention to retire from politics and said she would not take part in the next election.

She made the announcement at a programme where her husband HM Ershad, also chairman of the Jatiya Party, said the country’s politics has been facing a lot of problems because “most of the politicians do not have proper education.”

“I have got a lot from politics and have nothing to get,” Rowshan said.

They made the comments while addressing the programme at Diploma Engineers’ Institute in the capital marking the 31st founding anniversary and council of Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, student front of Jatiya Party.

Rowshan claimed that particular circumstances forced her to take part in the January 5 general election. “I did not want to take part in the election, but the situation had forced me.”

The opposition leader said she has no conflict with party chief HM Ershad and there is no question of axing him from the party.

Ershad also said there is no internal conflict in the party and they always remain united. l

Malum said the matter which the defence was trying to raise had already been decided. “There is no way to create ambiguity.” Sultan Mahmud said the charges had been framed against Subhan following the laws and due procedure.

In 1972, Subhan was accused by a special tribunal of collaborating with the Pakistan Army during the war and summoned After hearing both sides, tribunal Chairman Justice M Enayetur Rahim rejected the review plea.

Accused Subhan, 84, was indicted on December 31. The charges are based

on more than nine separate incidents of crimes against humanity, in which more than 400 unarmed people had been killed. He was the acting chief of Pabna unit Jamaat and vice-president of Peace Committee.

In 1972, Subhan was accused by a special tribunal of collaborating with the Pakistan Army during the war and summoned. However, he did not face the trail as he had already fled to Pakistan with former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam. He became a lawmaker in 2001 from Pabna 5 constituency.

Meanwhile, the tribunal 2 yesterday adjourned until March 31 the hearing on explanation of British journalist David Bergman upon a time petition.

On February 20, the tribunal asked Bergman to explain his writings on personal blog on the trial process by appearing before it or through counsel.

The order came after High Court lawyer Abul Kalam Azad submitted a petition last month. l

raping minor girl in Ctg n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong A Chittagong court yesterday sentenced a person to life and fined him Tk50,000 on charges of raping an eightyear-old girl in Chandanaish upazila of the district in 2011.

Judge Md Rezaul Karim of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal 1 passed the order when accused Shamsul Alam, 44, was produced before the court, said Prosecutor Chandan Talukder of the tribunal.

He said the court gave the sentence under section 9 (1) of Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. The tribunal also ordered the district revenue collector to receive the fines from the convict and give it to the victim.

According to the case statement, Shamsul raped the girl near a pond at

Bhandaripara of Chandanaish on October 2, 2011 and fled while the locals rescued the victim and took her to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

On October 4, 2011, the mother of the victim lodged a case with Chandanaish police station, accusing Shamsul, while the accused gave his confessional statement under section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code after being arrested.

The victim gave her statement under section 22 of Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Police submitted the charge sheet of the case before the court on January 8, 2012 against the accused while the court framed charges on February 29, 2012.

The court sentenced the verdict after listening to the testimonies of eight prosecution witnesses. l

humanity and genocide and violating the Geneva Conventions.

The report states that all the policymakers, organisers, directors and leaders at all levels of the organisations are responsible for the crimes against humanity.

Members of Jamaat’s Majlish-e-Sura in 1971 are likely to be summoned to defend the party’s role. Chief Coordinator of the probe body Abdul Hannan Khan earlier said: “If they want, the central leaders of the party can defend in the court. Otherwise, the trial will begin in absentia.” l

Fakhrul sent back to jail n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sent back to jail yesterday after he was rejected bail in two murder cases filed with Shabagh and Ramna police stations.

The court rejected his bail petitions in two bus arson attack cases. The cases were filed with Shahbagh and Ramna police stations.

On January 20, the High Court granted eight weeks (till March 29) anticipatory bail to Fakhrul in the three murder cases. However, he was granted bail in two other cases.

He was granted bail for six months in a case registered with Ramna police station on charge of a petrol bomb attack on a requisitioned police bus Bangla Motor area on January 3 that left a number of police officials injured. A vacation bench comprising Justice Rezaul Hasan and Khurshid Alam Sarkar passed the order. l

Government forms Hefazat nayeb-e-ameer faces arrest taskforce to list fugitive warrant in blast case Bangladeshis living abroad n Mohosinul Karim The government has taken an initiative to bring back fugitive Bangladeshi nationals, including the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, from abroad for trial or executing the sentences that were already given against them.

Already, the cabinet division had formed a high-power ten member taskforce, led by Law Minister Anisul Haque, to prepare a list of fugitive Bangladeshi criminals or accused living abroad and their whereabouts after consulting with stakeholders.

Other members of the taskforce are State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, the attorney general, senior secretary of the home ministry, the foreign secretary and law and justice secretary, the inspector general of police and the director generals of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence and the National Security Intelligence.

According to a recently issued cabinet division order, the taskforce will prepare a list of the fugitive convicts

and accused, which would include their names and whereabouts, so that the government can take necessary steps to bring them back into the country for trial or execution of the convictions.

The taskforce would also carry out the groundwork needed to bring them back and monitor the returning process.

The order also said the taskforce will also suggest the government on what steps that may be taken against those who had already gained citizenship of the country where they now reside.

The taskforce has been given the authority to co-opt new members if necessary and will find ministerial support from the home ministry. It will remain effective until further notice.

According to cabinet division officials, the taskforce was formed to bring back a huge number of criminals who had been living in abroad.

Six out of 12 convicted killers of Bangbandhu killing case and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s two sons Tareque Rahman and Arafat Rahman Coko, who had been convicted in various cases, have been living in out of the country for a long time. l

n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong

A Chittagong court yesterday issued arrest warrant against Nayeb-e-Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury in a case filed over grenade blasts at his Lalkhan Bazar Madrasa where three students were killed in October last year.

Second Metropolitan Sessions Judge SM Abdur Rashid issued the arrest warrant against Mufti Izhar, also chairman of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote, and fixed April 6 for hearing on charge framing in the case.

The accused is currently on bail from the High Court.

Public prosecutor Kamal Uddin Ahmed said the warrant was issued as Mufti Izhar had not appeared at the court after submission of the charge sheet in line with the High Court directives.

Charge sheet in the blast case was submitted before the court on February 10 accusing nine persons, including Izhar’s son Mufti Harun.

The court accepted the charge sheet on March 2.

Mufti Harun, a leader of radical Islamist group Hefazat, and seven other accused were produced at the court yesterday.

Several locally-made grenades were blasted at Jamiatul Ulum Al Islamia Madrasa, a Qawmi madrasa headed by Mufti Izhar, around 11am on October 7 last year leaving five students injured critically. Later three of them suc-

cumbed to injuries.

Four live grenades were recovered from the spot after the incident. Law enforcers also seized 18 bottles of picric acid, used to amplify the magnitude of explosion, from the residence of the Hefazat leader on the madrasa premises. The madrasa is known as a den of outlawed Islamist group Huji.

Police on October 10 filed three cases in connection with the blast, killing and recovery of picric acid. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, March 28, 2014

Lalbagh roads left unrepaired for long n Abu Hayat Mahmud The city’s road network across most of Lalbagh in old Dhaka has been left unrepaired for months, putting the residents in perennial sufferings.

The roads in the vicinity are worn out and narrow, with shops on both sides grabbing up space.

Re-carpeting, re-construction or major repairs to the roads are long overdue.

The Dhaka South City Corporation – entrusted with the task of road development in the areas – attributes fund crunch to the derelict condition of the roads.

Besides potholes and broken slabs on drains, the old Dhaka residents suffer congestion while indiscriminate parking of vehicles on both sides of the roads has added to the woes of commuters.

Sultan Mohammad, a resident of Nur Fatah Lane in Lalbagh, said: “The conditions of most internal roads across the area remain pathetic all the year round.”

“The poorly-shaped lanes make it difficult for us to drive along and so every vehicle’s driver turn to the main road stretching from Azimpur to Lalbagh area to avoid bumpy journeys, resulting in unbearable traffic jam.”

Sultan also blamed the city corpora-

tion for the sorry state of the internal roads that were repaired almost a decade ago.

During a recent visit to the Lalbagh and its adjoining areas, the Dhaka Tribune correspondent found that most of the drains were open, with some having broken slabs on them.

Asked about it, Munsur Ali, caretaker of Asia Tower in Lalbagh, said like the roads and lanes, the drains also remained dilapidated for a long time.

Locals called for immediate steps by the Dhaka South City Corporation to repair and carpet the roads stretching from board office to Dhakeshwari, BC Das road, Nur Fatah lane, Kazi Riaz Uddin road, KR road, JN Shaha road, Lalbagh road, Atosh Khanna road and Azimpur roads crisscrossing Daira Sharif residential areas, Chhapra Mosque vicinity, Sheikh Saheb Bazar and New Paltan areas.

Asked about bad shapes, Zahangir Alam, chief engineer of DSCC, told the Dhaka Tribune correspondent, “I am not bound to speak about anything to the media. I don’t know which roads are in derelict condition.”

Md Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of DSCC, said: “We do not have sufficient funds to repair and reconstruct all roads in old Dhaka.”

“We will see to it if there is sufficient fund.” l

Two pedestrians watch their steps before they walk past a broken covering of a sewerage line in the capital's Lalbagh area yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

ACC lodges cases against Barisal BIWTA officials, contractors

ACC hails media for its fight against graft

n Our Correspondent, Barisal

n Tribune Report

The Anti-Corruption Commission lodged two separate cases against four officials of Bangladesh Water Transport Authority and two contractors for substandard work at Barisal River Port development project.

However, Nahid Serniabad, a Bangladesh Chhatra League activist, who did the port development works on behalf of the contractors, was not accused in the cases.

Neamul Ahsan Gazi, sub-assistant director of the ACC, lodged the cases with Barisal Kotwali police station on March 25 night, alleging misappropriation of Tk7.88 lakh through substandard works.

Superintendent Engineer Zulhasuddin Ahmed, Executive Engineer AZAM Shahnewaz Kabir, Assistant Engineer SM Ashrafuzzaman, Sub-Assistant Engineer of BIWTA Tariqul Islam and two contractors Bazlur Rahman, owner of Bijli Construction of Barisal and Abdus

Salam, owner of Salam Enterprise of Dhaka, were made accused in the cases.

Bazlur Rahman allegedly misappropriated Tk4.8 lakh by not using 11.76 tonnes of rods in constructing 12 spades of the port.

The BIWTA officials were accused of helping the contractors in misappropriating public funds and the contractors for substandard work On the other hand, Abdus Salam misappropriated Tk2.77 lakh by not using 6.9 tonnes of rods in constructing railing of the veranda of the port.

The BIWTA officials were accused because of helping the contractors in misappropriating public funds, the complainant said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the modernised Barisal Port on March 20, 2012, although many portions on the work remained incomplete.

Only three weeks after the inauguration, a big crack developed on the roof of main office building of the newly constructed Barisal River Port on April 13, 2012, which was repaired instantly.

Saydur Rahman Rintu, president of Barisal Chamber Of Commerce’s and Industries, said quality of the of the port development work was of low quality.

Meanwhile, Chhatra League leader Nahid Serniabad said huge increase in material and labour costs in between the tender calling and project implementation period were to blame for the substandard quality. l

Bangladeshi farmer INDEPENDENCE DAY EXPLOSION shot by BSF n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi dent in Kurigram. On Sunday, a group n Tribune Report of unidentified people carried out an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot

The media is playing a vital role in combating corruption, ACC Chairman M Bodiuzzaman yesterday said.

The anti-graft body finds evidence and information from the media reports on the basis of which it conducts inquiry and takes steps to ensure punishment to corrupt people, he said.

The ACC picked up 155 media reports for inquiry in last year, 115 reports in 2012, 97 in 2011, 82 reports in 2010 and four in 2009.

The chairman was addressing at the “ACC Media Award 2014" ceremony held at the ACC auditorium at Segunbagicha marking the week-long Corruption Prevention Week 2014.

The anti-graft body yesterday awarded Anti-Corruption Commission Media Award 2014 to three reporters from print and electronic media for their investigative reports on corruption.

A three-member jury board headed

Arrest of bombers demanded

a Bangladeshi farmer at Char Asharia Dah frontier under Godagari upazila in Rajshahi yesterday.

The injured is Mohammod Tota of Char Asharia Dah village of Godagari.

Family members of Tota said some BSF jawans who were patrolling the border had opened fire on Tota around 7am while he was working on his paddy field. The bullet had hit his back.

Later, locals rescued him and admitted to the Godagari upazila health complex where doctors suggested taking him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Tota was admitted to the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital around 3:30pm where he is currently undergoing treatment on bed number 23 of ward 6.

Confirming the news, Rajshahi 37 BGB Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Nazim Khan told reporters that they had sent a protest letter to BSF and had called for a flag meeting; however, the BFS men were yet to response. l

Students, teachers and guardians in Kurigram yesterday protested against the attack on school students during their Independence Day celebration.

They also demanded arrest of the culprits for carrying out explosion in which five students were injured.

The demand came yesterday at a human chain held at Zero point in Phulbari Bazar area of the district as police failed to arrest any yet.

The protesters demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the offenders, according to our correspon-

explosion on the ground of Jashimia Model High School, leaving at least five students seriously injured.

Headmaster Abed Ali, Assistant Teacher Obaidul Haque, teacher Akhtara Begum, a guardian Nazir Hosain and a 10th grader Mahabubul Haque of the school spoke at the programme.

In Chapainawabganj, a dawn-todusk hartal enforced by the BNP-led 19-party alliance protesting the death of a BNP leader was observed peacefully yesterday.

The hartal supporters brought out a

procession in the morning in Shibganj upazila. However, no picketing was reported. No goods-laden trucks and long-route buses of Chapainawabganj, Sonamoshjid and Rajshahi plied across the districts, but small vehicles were seen running on the road. Besides, the shops were shut for the day.

Law enforcers were active in order to tackle any untoward incidents.

The hartal was called protesting the death of district BNP president and convener of 19-party alliance Asaduzzaman Sujan, 25, who was killed in a blast at a Shaheed Minar in the upazila on March 26. l

Policymakers blamed for depletion of forests n Abu Bakar Siddique

The government’s indifference towards conservation of forests and biodiversity has caused fast depletion of the country’s forest areas, pushing most of the flora and fauna into danger, professionals have said.

“Saving forests should be the first initiative to save the biodiversity living there,” Yunus Ali, the chief conservator of forest, said at the inauguration of a workshop titled Updating Species Red List of Bangladesh Project at the capital’s Spectra Convention Centre yesterday.

The Red List estimates the risk of extinction of a certain species which will help to take conservation plans and setting priority.

“It [saving forests] is not happening in most cases due to

the intervention of local policymakers, and to some extent, the respected heads of authorities, including the minister himself,” Yunus said.

Citing an example of the Madhupur sal forest, he said the area had come down to around 10,000 hectares from around 45,000 hectares. “The forest has now turned into an orchard of banana and pineapple,” he added.

Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, county representative for the IUCN Bangladesh, echoed Yunus.

He later told the Dhaka Tribune that like the Madhupur forest, other prominent sal forests, including the one in Mymensingh-Gazipur, had been disappearing due to wrong policy intervention of the government.

The Mymensingh-Gazipur sal forest that spreads over an area of around 65,000 hectares was depleting for not being declared as a reserved forest. “These activities put the wildlife in a vulnerable situation,” Ishtiaq said.

The former chief forest conser-

vator said the government should take initiatives to transform the exiting forest areas into reserve forests to save the land from grabbers and industrialisation.

The Updating Species Red List of Bangladesh Project was jointly launched by the IUCN and the Forest Department and will end by 2015.

In 2000, the IUCN published a Red List of Fauna Species in Bangladesh, covering the status of 895 species under five categories – mammals, birds, amphibians, fish and reptiles.

According to the list, different types of species including Gangetic ghorial, saltwater crocodile, hoolock gibbon, phayre’s leaf monkey, ritha fish, pungus fish and baghair fish were labelled as “critically endangered” due to habitat loss and food scarcity.

The new Red List will include two more categories – butterfly and crustacean (snails, crabs and shrimps), and the number of species will be increased to around 1,700. l

by former editor of the Independent Mahbubul Alam scrutinised the reports before it finalised three reporters for award.

The other two members of the board are editor of daily Samakal Golam Sarwar and Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer of the Boishakhi Television Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul.

The reporters who received the awards are New Age Staff Correspondent Sadiqur Rahman, ABC Radio Senior Reporter Amin Al Rasheed and Independent Television Staff Correspondent Muhammad Rishad Huda.

All three reporters were awarded a crest, certificate and prize money.

ACC Commissioner M Shahabuddin said journalists were the prime source that unveils corruption.

“The ACC thinks that the media can play the strongest and effective role in curbing corruption,” he said. ACC Commissioner Nasir Uddin Ahmed was also present at the programme. l

National grid gets fresh gas supply n Aminur Rahman Rasel The Bangladesh Gas Field Company Ltd (BGFCL) yesterday started supplying 12 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas per day to the national grid from the 22nd well of the Titas gas field.

BGFCL Managing Director Md Nurul Absar confirmed the news and expressed hopes that the fresh supply would “help the country to ease the gas crisis.”

The company, a subsidiary of the state-owned Petrobangla initiated the drilling of the well through Bapex for exploration of gas.

Absar also said the BGFCL expected to add at least 50mmcf of gas per day to the national grid from two wells within May this year. Wells 19 and 27 at the Titas gas field would separately produce 25mmcf of gas every day, he added.

On the other hand, Bapex has completed the drilling work of the six wells of Semutang gas field of Khagrachhari, Abdul Halim, director of Bapex’s well-drilling project, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He also expressed hopes of adding at least 10mmcf of gas per day to the national grid from the well within the first week of April.

“Wells 4 and 5 at the Fenchuganj gas field will produce 40mmcf of gas per day within May,” MA Baki, managing director of Bapex, told The Dhaka Tribune. The well 3 at the Shabazpur gas field would also produce 20mmcf of gas per day, he added. l

Schoolgirl raped by drug peddler n Our Correspondent, Kurigram A drug peddler was arrested yesterday for allegedly raping a girl in Sadar upazila of Kurigram district.

Police and locals said Dail Alam, 25, son of Nurul Islam, took the schoolgirl to an under-construction building by luring her into giving food during school tiffin break and raped her last Sunday.

The victim’s parents wanted to hide the matter first, but now they are demanding punishment to the culprit as their daughter fell ill.

The locals detained the rapist and handed over to local police.

The victim was taken in police custody for physical examination.

Locals said Alam had once fled police custody after being detained on charges of phensidyle business.

Sub-Inspector Abdul Gafur of Kurigram Sadar police station said: “We will file a case against the detainee on charges of raping a minor girl.” l

BU students protest campus violence n Our Correspondent, Barisal Barisal University students formed a human chain on campus yesterday, protesting violent incidents and illegal activities allegedly perpetrated by ruling party supporters.

On Wednesday, at least five students were injured when two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League, reportedly aided by outsiders, clashed over delivering speeches at a national day programme, organised by the university authorities. Three of the injured students, meanwhile, were admitted at the Barisal Medical College Hospital.

Speakers at yesterday’s demonstration blamed the BU authorities for failing to ensure security of general students, and demanded punishment of the culprits.

“Not only factional clashes between BCL rivals, but also outsiders backed by leaders of the ruling party’s student wing, cause disturbances on the campus,” one speaker said.

Vice-Chancellor Harunor Rashid said disciplinary as well as legal actions would be taken against the trouble-makers.

Shakhawat Hossain, Kotwali police station OC, said patrolling was intensified on the BU’s temporary campus. l

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Local Government Engineering Department Office of the Upazila Engineer Upazila: Rajbari Sadar, District: Rajbari.

Memo No. LGED/UE/Raj/Sadar/2013-14/191

Date: 23.03.2014

CORRIGENDUM This is to notify that due to unavoidable circumstances some corrections have been necessary & made for the following Tender Notice No 06/2013-14 vide memo number stated as bellow Tender Notice Number, Instead of to be read memo number &. Date Tender Notice No. 06/2013- Last date of selling: 24/03/2014 Last date of selling: 30/03/2014 Tender closing date: 25/03/2014 Tender closing date: 31/03/2014 2014, Memo No. LGED/ UE/Raj/ Sadar/2013-I4/142, Tender opening date: 25/03/2014 Tender opening date: 31/03/2014 Date: 02.03.2014

All other terms & conditions in this Tender Notice will remain unchanged.

(Md. Jalal Uddin Sheikh) Upazila Engineer Rajbari Sadar, Rajbari, Tel No. 0641-65570 Memo No. LGED/UE/Raj/Sadar/2013-14/191/1(50) GC-36/14 (5"x3)

Date: 23.03.2014

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

850 young scientists showcase their innovations A total of 210 projects, including drones, power generators and fertiliser savers, demonstrated

n Mushfique Wadud The Science and Industrial Technology Fair 2014, organised by the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), began in the capital yesterday.

A total of 210 projects were showcased by 850 students across the country in the fair which is scheduled to end tomorrow.

Speaking at the inaugural programme, famous writer and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal said Bangladesh had three crore school going students and a country having such high number of young students did not need any other resources. If it is possible to make these students knowledgeable, the country would become more successful, he observed.

Sharing an experience of one of his students who made an experimental drone, Zafar said youth only need encouragement which could lead to outstanding successes.

He urged government to take initiatives so that the science students got jobs in their own field of work and could conduct researches and other development activities, adding that budget for science and technology sector needed to be increased.

State Minister for Ministry of Science and Technology Yafes Osman said without practice of science, the country cannot reach its potential.

Tawhidur Rahman, a higher secondary student of Rajshahi College, dreams to be an aeronautical engineer and wants to work to strengthen the defence system of his motherland. He and his friend Rashedul Hasan have made an experimental drone named “RCSRO2” that can fly for 30 feet.

Tawhidur said they had been working on this project for the last six months and expressed hopes saying: “One day I want to make an original drone.”

Binoy Pramanik, a class ten student from Natore, brought an innovative idea of producing electricity without any source. His project can generate 1,000 volt power by charging two capacitors at once.

Binoy said he has been working on this project when he was in class six.

Load shedding inspired him to conduct such a project, he said, adding that some electronic devices in his house were run by electricity produced by his invented device.

Four students of University of Asia Pacific showcased a multipurpose robot named “Rover BD” which can be made commercially viable by using local materials.

Meanwhile, some young scientists with little or no formal education also attended the fair with their innovative projects.

Jasim Uddin Khan from Gaibandha’s Gabindaganj came up with an idea of making flour from potatoes. He said farmers often cannot sell their pota-

A student describes his project to Professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal at the Science and Industrial Technology Fair at the BCSIR in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR toes or had to sell at low price, and this project would save the country thousand crores of taka.

Yahiya Molla invented a fertiliser saving machine that is able to save

5

Friday, March 28, 2014

30% use of fertiliser and increase 25% of production.

Belal Mia, an electrician by profession, invented a security system in which by spending only Tk8,000-

10,000, security of lockers or cars can be ensured with a mobile device. If used, the owner will get a mobile call to warn him of potential burglary attempt. l

Chinese Yunan province governor due tomorrow n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Governor of Yunan province of China Li Jiheng will come to Dhaka on a goodwill visit tomorrow.

“It is a goodwill visit to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and boost up regional connectivity,” Foreign Ministry Director General Ashud Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune.

The visit of the governor is important as Kunming is the capital of Yunan province and four countries, Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar are engaged in negotiations to have an economic corridor to connect Kunming to Kolkata through Myanmar and Bangladesh to boost up regional connectivity.

Li Jiheng is scheduled to meet Communications Minister Obaidul Quader and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, he said.

He is also likely to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during his trip and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries will also have a view exchange meeting with him, Ashud said.

Bangladesh has started working on thematic areas for the BCMI corridor linking Bangladesh with China, Myanmar and India.

The report on the study will be presented in the joint study group meeting of the BCIM corridor project scheduled to be held in Chittagong in June this year.

Under the BCMI project, the four countries in last December in its first meeting in China decided to establish physical connectivity between them. l

More Russian scholarships Smuggled gold seized again at Chittagong airport for Bangladeshi students n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

n

Mohosinul Karim

The Russian Federation has expressed intentions to extend academic scholarship for Bangladeshi students.

Deputy Head of Russian Federal Agency for Cooperation with Foreign Countries Alexander Chesnokov said: “Russia will offer more scholarships to Bangladeshi students if response is received by the government.”

The foreign delegate came up with the offer at a press conference in the capital on Thursday after a meeting with Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor.

Earlier, a four-member delegation led by Chesnokov met the minister at his office.

“About 650 international students are enrolled in Russia for higher education under government scholarship

WEATHER

MOSTLY SUNNY FRIDAY, MARCH 28 DHAKA SUN SETS 6:13PM SUN RISES 5:54AM TODAY TOMORROW

n UNB

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

Mild heat wave that is sweeping Khulna division and the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna and Dhaka.

TEMPERATURE (Nationwide)

37.2ºC Rajshahi

18.5ºC Hatia

Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were City Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

High 36.0 30.8 37.2 33.8 36.8 35.2 32.8 33.0

Low 25.2 23.5 22.8 21.6 24.5 24.4 21.5 23.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:39am 5:54am 12:04am 4:29pm 6:13pm 7:29pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

programme,” Chesnokov said.

It would be increased to 1,000 by this year, he said.

“The quota of scholarship for Bangladeshi students has already been raised to 61 this year. It will increase if we get response.” he added.

Regarding employment for Bangladeshis, Chesnokov said Russia would consider job opportunities for qualified and efficient persons with professional expertise in the federation.

Noor said, “Russia gave tremendous support during the Liberation War.” The Russian Federation was also interested to heighten the collaboration with Bangladesh in cultural and educational sector.

Russia is interested to exchange delegation between the two countries for cultural exchange between the younger generations. l

Only two days after the biggest ever seizure of smuggled gold in Chittagong, a fresh cache of gold bars worth Tk2.7 crore was seized again at the Shah Amanat International Airport yesterday, prompting the port city police to strengthen its initiative to seek out the culprits behind the gold smuggling trade.

Acting on a tip-off, customs officials of the airport nabbed Mohammad Rezauddin Rana, Osman Gani and Mohammad Ayub, who arrived on a Bangladesh Biman flight from Dubai carrying 54 gold bars that weighed around 6.29kg, said Moshiur Rahman Mondol, assistant commissioner (AC) of Chittagong Customs House in the airport.

The detained men hid the gold in their shoes, Moshiur said, adding that the bars were handed over to the Bangladesh Bank. The three men were

later handed over to Patenga police station, where a case has been lodged.

“We [CMP] sat in a meeting today, where both the police and the Detective Branch were instructed to look into the matter seriously, as the gold smuggling has increased recently,” said Anwar Hossain, assistant commissioner (port zone) of the DB.

CMP to re-investigate gold seizure cases for stopping rampant smuggling The Detective Branch would reinvestigate the gold seizure cases, while the 10 arrestees of Tuesday’s gold seizure would be taken into remand for interrogation, he said.

On Tuesday, 10 people were held with 923 gold bars, weighing 107kg and worth Tk46.15 crore, in the biggest ever

gold recovery in the port city.

Airport sources said a syndicate of the airport’s daily-based contractual workers and unscrupulous employees of different airlines and civil aviation were involved with the smuggling.

Most of the smuggled gold was seized from flights coming in from Middle East countries, especially flights of Oman Airlines, Flydubai and Bangladesh Biman, the sources added.

Nahid Nawshad Mukul, assistant director (AD) of the Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation in Chittagong, said smugglers were using Dhaka and Chittagong as their transit points after the duty on gold was increased in neighbouring countries.

Banaz Kumar Majumder, additional commissioner (crime and operation) of the CMP, told the Dhaka Tribune that the smuggling masterminds could not be identified as the gold changed many hands before reaching the carriers abroad, while the receivers in

the country also stayed anonymous by only using mobile phones to communicate with the carriers.

Customs AC Moshiur said the airport had no network of closed-circuit television to follow the movements of the passengers, staffs and employees; which was one of the reasons behind rampant gold smuggling.

Masud Saik, commissioner of Chittagong Customs House, however, said surveillance has been increased over the airport’s daily-based employees, while Shah Amanat Airport Manager Wing Commander Nur-EAlam said more CCTV cameras would be introduced to improve monitoring at the airport.

Customs sources said along with yesterday’s recovery, more than 1,600 gold bars worth Tk80 crore have been seized from the airport in 46 drives this year so far, which is a massive increase from the seizure of 686 gold bars worth Tk35.3 crore in 16 drives in 2013.l

Weeklong programmes to be held at Liberation War Museum n Tribune Report

The authentic history of the Liberation War of Bangladesh should be dispersed across the country so that every citizen can realise the significance of independence.

Speakers called for the move at a discussion held at the Liberation War Museum premises yesterday.

“Everyone should know the actual history of the war of independence.

Then the dreams of the freedom fighters would come true,” said Director General of the museum AKM Mahbub Ul Alam.

The discussion was held as part of a week-long programme launched yesterday, organised by the Liberation War museum to mark the county’s 44th

Independence Day and its 18th founding anniversary. Different cultural programmes, including a book fair, have been organised on the occasion.

Liberation War Museum, Bangladesh was established in 1996 to commemorate the heroic struggle of Bangalees for democracy and national rights and the armed struggle that led to emergence of Bangladesh as a secular democratic state in 1971.

Through its extended activities, the museum works for generating interest in the history of the war among the mass.

Dr Sarwar Ali, Aly Zaker, Rabiul Husain, Ziauddin Tariq Ali, Sara Zaker, Asaduzzaman Noor, Mofidul Haque and Akku Chowdhury are the founder trustees of the museum. l

Chittagong court grants bail to ABM Mohiuddin n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong A court here yesterday granted bail to former Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission for concealing information in his wealth statement.

Chittagong Divisional Special Judge SM Ataur Rahman granted the bail upon the submission of a Home Ministry recommendation by Mohiuddin to withdraw the case.

The court, however, did not give any direction to the next procedure in this regard.

On January 27, the court issued an arrest warrant against Mohiuddin, also president of Chittagong city unit AL, as he did not appear before it, which on February 16 granted an ad-interim bail to him in his presence.

ACC Deputy Director Abu Mohammad Arif Siddique launched the case against Mohiuddin on December 2, 2007 for amassing wealth illegally and not mentioning it in his wealth statement.

On November in 2008, charge of the case was framed and the court indicted him on February 5, 2009.

Later, the High Court gave a stay order on the case. l

Dancers perform at a cultural programme marking the Independence Day at the Liberation War Museum in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Hall-Mark bigwigs summoned in three fresh cases n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A special court for loan recovery yesterday summoned Hall-Mark Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud and his wife, its Chairman Jasmin Islam in three cases filed anew by the stateowned Sonali Bank authorities for loan default.

The bank’s Executive Officer Md Abdus Salam filed the cases with the newly launched Artho Rin Adalat (Court of Loan) in the capital, of which judge Md Rabiuzzaman summoned the defendants after taking the cases into cognizance and ordered them to submit written statement by April 4 through

their counsel.

In the cases, other defendants are Hall-Mark Accessories Limited, HallMark packaging Limited, Hall-Mark Style Limited.

The cases filed for the recovery was for a total of Tk217,122,901 from the three companies. Of the amount, Tk109,254,385 from Hall-Mark accessories, Tk9,186,958 from Hall-Mark Style Limited and Tk16,061,558 from Hall-Mark packaging.

With the three, Sonali Bank authorities has filed a total of nine cases against Hall-Mark group for the recovery of Tk62cr default loan.

Abdus Salam said: “Sonali Bank will

file 12 more cases against the MD, its Chairman and its other sister companies,” According to the earlier filed six cases, Tanvir and Jasmin opened Tk41cr letters of credit (LCs) with Ruposhi Bangla Branch of Sonali Bank to import equipment for the three companies from 2007 to 2011, which did not pay money to the bank.

Earlier, on October 4, 2012, the ACC filed 11 cases against the Hall-Mark owners as well as its higher employees and some Sonali Bank officials in connection with the much-talked loan scam of Tk 3,500 crore. Tanvir is now behind bars while Jasmine is on bail. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

UN watchdog urges Obama to review deadly drone policy n Reuters, Geneva A UN human rights watchdog called on the Obama administration yesterday to review its use of drones to kill suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban militants abroad and reveal how it chose its targets.

In its first report on Washington’s rights record since 2006, it also called for the prosecution of anyone who ordered or carried out killings, abductions and torture under a CIA program at the time of President George W. Bush, and to keep a promise to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

It called for the prosecution of anyone who ordered or carried out killings, abductions and torture under a CIA program at the time of George W. Bush US officials did not immediately comment on the findings of the UN Human Rights Committee, which is made up of 18 independent experts.

The Obama administration increased the number of drone strikes after taking office in 2009 but attacks have dropped off in the last year. It has been under pressure from affected governments, the United Nations and activists to rein in the strikes and do more to protect civilians.

The United States should give more information on how it decided someone was enough of an “imminent threat” to be targeted in covert operations in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia and other countries, the report said.

“Meagre number of criminal charges”

The committee also called for more investigations into intelligence operations

launched by the administration of President George W. Bush in the wake of the September 11 2001 attacks on America.

Critics say the CIA program used harsh interrogation methods, including “waterboarding” or simulated drowning, that constituted torture banned by international law.

There has only been a limited number of investigations into “unlawful killings ... and the use of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of detainees in US custody, including outside its territory, as part of the so-called ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ program,” it said.

The report welcomed Obama’s order in January 2009 to end the CIA program.

But it noted with concern that all reported investigations into alleged abuses were closed in 2012 “leading only to a meagre number of criminal charges brought against low-level operatives.”

The panel said many details of the CIA program remained secret, hindering accountability and redress for victims.

In an apparent reference to lawyers who drew up memos justifying the Bushera interrogation techniques, it said: “The responsibility of those who provided legal pretexts for manifestly illegal behavior should also be established.”

Death penalty, detentions

The UN experts also voiced concern at the US use of the death penalty and in particular “racial disparities in its imposition that affects disproportionately African Americans.”

They regretted mandatory detention of immigrants for prolonged periods of time, deportations of immigrants and the “exclusion of millions of undocumented immigrants and their children from coverage under the Affordable Care Act.” The 18 experts examined US compliance with a landmark treaty on civil and political rights at a two-day session earlier this month. l

World

Amnesty reveals global surge in executions n AFP, London The number of known executions worldwide rose to at least 778 last year following a surge in Iraq and Iran, Amnesty International said yesterday, but China remains the world’s biggest state executioner by far.

Beijing is thought to have killed thousands of its own citizens, more than the rest of the world put together, the London-based human rights organisation said.

But the charity’s annual report on death sentences and executions worldwide said the Chinese authorities “continue to treat the figures on death sentences and executions as a state secret.”

The rise in the known judicial uses of the death penalty -- from at least 682 in 2012 -- was chiefly due to Iraq and Iran, the report said.

Iran put at least 369 people to death in 2013, up from at least 314 in 2012, and Amnesty said there was credible evidence from sources in the country that at least 335 further executions were carried out in secret. Iraq executed at least 169 people in 2013, a sharp rise on the 40 given the death penalty in 2011 and 101 put to death in 2010, with death sentences there often passed after “grossly unfair trials,” the report said.

People were executed in 22 countries in 2013, one more than the previous year, although Indonesia, Kuwait, Nigeria and Vietnam all resumed use of the death penalty.

Outside China, almost 80 percent of executions worldwide were carried out

by Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Only five other countries have executed in each of the past five years: Bangladesh, North Korea, Sudan, the United States and Yemen.

In the US last year, Maryland became the 18th abolitionist state, with Texas now accounting for 41 percent of all executions in the Americas.

Worldwide, people were executed for murder, drug-related offences, adultery, blasphemy, economic crimes, rape, “aggravated” robbery, treason, collaboration with foreign entities, and acts against national security. l

Syrian refugee Majd Ammari, 13, performs the role of King Lear as he and others like him rehearse one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies at the sprawling Zaatari refugee camp in Jordanian desert near the border with Syria. Syrian actor-turned-director Nawwar Bulbul has been working with these children for more than two months in the hope of drawing the world’s attention to their plight AFP

Catalans keep up pressure for vote to split from Spain Student Marc Cots believes Catalans want an independence referendum so badly, they would turn out to vote even if Spain sent tanks to the region to stop them.

“We have to vote. If they want, on the day of the referendum they can bring tanks to Catalonia but we are going to vote all the same,” said the 20-year-old after signing a petition in central Barcelona in favour of the referendum.

The Catalan government has already set November 9 as the date for the referendum -- two months after an independence vote in Scotland that has been authorised by the British government.

But Spain’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday ruled “unconstitutional and null” a declaration by the Catalan regional parliament which claimed Catalonia had a sovereign right to hold a vote on its future.

The court upheld a legal challenge to that declaration by Spain’s national government, which argues referendums on sovereignty must be held nationally and not regionally.

“For me, the Constitutional Court ruling doesn’t change anything,” Cots said, however. “Catalonia is a nation due to its history, its language and its different culture. We have a right to vote whether they like it or not.”

He was one in a steady stream of people that included pensioners, young families with children and tourists who visited a stand set up in Barcelona’s Catalonia Square by the Catalan National Assembly, a powerful pressure group, to gather signatures on the petition.

The petition urges Catalonia’s political leaders to “do as much as they can, that they exhaust all of the paths open to a referendum.”

The group has not revealed the total number of signatures it has collected so far, but said that over the weekend of January 11-12 it gathered over 200,000 at booths set up across Catalonia, which is home to 7.5 million people.

“People are very excited because we have never been so close to achieving it,” said Maria Lluisa Forcadell, a 55-year-old volunteer who staffed the stand on Catalonia Square.

Sisi may revive strongman era to quell Egypt unrest, analysts say

Egyptian students who support the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi run from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes following a demonstration outside Cairo University AFP

n AFP, Cairo Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is assured of winning Egypt’s forthcoming presidential vote but at the cost of reviving the era of strongman rule as he faces a dilapidated economy and rising militancy.

Analysts say Field Marshal Sisi, who on Wednesday announced he was quitting the army to run for president, was certain to continue the crackdown on Islamists that started when he overthrew elected president Mohamed Morsi in July.

And, the experts say, with security issues likely to hamper Sisi from delivering on his promise of economic recovery, he could resort to repression more and more.

Sisi’s widely-anticipated candidacy is being hailed by the millions of Egyptians who are weary of more than three years of turmoil since the Arab Spring overthrow

Obama tells Pope Francis he is a ‘great admirer’ n AP, Vatican City

KING LEAR REVISITED

n AFP, Barcelona

Friday, March 28, 2014

The stand was decorated with the Catalan independence flag, which features red and yellow stripes and a white star inside a blue triangle.

“You can’t negotiate anything with Madrid. They have made their response clear. So we have to press ahead even if it is outside of the law,” said Sergi Codina, 32, a restaurant manager, as he signed the petition.

Polls show that 70-80 percent of Catalans want the referendum to be held, said Barcelona University political science professor Jordi Matas.

“There is a parliamentary majority that is behind it and above all a majority of the population that does not stop demanding this referendum,” he added.

Proud of their distinct language and culture, many in Catalonia say they feel short-changed by the central government which redistributes their taxes. Spain’s economic woes, with 26 percent unemployment and drastic public spending cuts, have sharpened this feeling, prompting calls for independence to grow louder in the past two years. l

A visibly energized President Barack Obama held a nearly hourlong audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday, expressing his great admiration for the pontiff and inviting him to visit the White House.

Although Obama and the church remain deeply split over abortion and contraception, Obama considers the pontiff a kindred spirit on issues of economic inequality, and their private meeting in the Papal Library ran longer than scheduled. After they emerged to cameras, Francis presented Obama with a copy of his papal mission statement decrying a global economic system that excludes the poor. Obama said he will keep it in the Oval Office.

The president and pope both appeared tense at the start of the audience, when they initially greeted one another, but then were all smiles by the end of the meeting and seemed to have found a rapport, though they spoke through interpreters.

“It is a great honor. I’m a great admirer,” Obama said after greeting the pope with a slight bow as they shook hands.

“Thank you so much for receiving me.”

Obama arrived at the Vatican amid all the pomp and tradition of the Catholic Church, making his way in a long, slow procession through the hallways of the Apostolic Palace led by colorful Swiss Guards and accompanied by ceremonial attendants. The president bowed as he shook hands with the pontiff in the Small Throne Room, before the two sat down at the pope’s desk.

The two were scheduled to meet for just half an hour, but their private discussion lasted 52 minutes. At the end, they exchanged gifts, with the pope offering Obama two medallions and a copy of his apostolic exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel.”

Obama presented the pope with a seed chest with fruit and vegetable seeds used in the White House Garden, mentioning that he understands the pope is opening the gardens at the papal summer residence to the public.

The chest was inscribed with the date of their meeting and custom-made of leather and reclaimed wood from the Baltimore Basilica — one of the oldest Catholic cathedrals in the US It is likely that Francis will travel to the US in September 2015 for the church’s World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. l

of veteran strongman Hosni Mubarak.

But it is likely to further inflame Islamist protests and worry those secular activists who fear a return to rule by military men and the strong-arm tactics of the Mubarak era.

Aside from Morsi, whose year in office deeply polarised the country, every Egyptian president has been drawn from, or installed by, the army.

Dressed in army fatigues for the last time in public, Sisi promised in a televised address to bolster the precarious economy and crush the “terrorism” that has surged since Morsi’s overthrow.

Michele Dunne, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, said Sisi’s address suggested he would continue the crackdown on the Islamists that has made little headway in restoring stability.

“I didn’t hear Field Marshal Sisi say anything in the initial speech to suggest there will be a shift in the security strategy,” she said.

Since Morsi’s overthrow, his supporters have staged weekly and at times violent protests, leading to the deaths of at least 1,400 people, mostly Islamists, in clashes with police.

Militants in the same period have killed more than 200 security personnel in bombing and shooting attacks.

Encouraged by many Egyptians who view the Islamists as destructive, the authorities have arrested some 15,000 people and placed thousands on trial.

“If the crackdown goes on and people continue to be killed every week, it will be difficult, perhaps impossible, to restore stability and get the economy on its feet,” Dunne said. l

Bin Laden son-in-law guilty of terrorism n Agencies A US jury has reached a guilty verdict in a terrorism-related case against a sonin-law of Osama bin Laden, Aljazeera reported. The verdict on Wednesday came after about five hours of deliberation in the case against Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, the highest-ranking al-Qaeda figure to face trial on US soil since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The jury returned a guilty verdict on three charges: conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiring to provide support to al-Qaeda and providing support to al-Qaeda. “He was more than just Osama bin Laden’s propaganda minister,” US lawyer Preet Bharara said.

“Within hours after the devastating 9/11 attacks, Abu Ghaith was using his position in al-Qaeda’s homicidal hierarchy to persuade others to pledge themselves to al-Qaeda in the cause of murdering more Americans.”

Defence lawyer Stanley Cohen

emerged from court promising to appeal.

Abu Ghaith had testified during a three-week trial that he answered bin Laden’s request in the hours after the attacks to speak on widely circulated videos used to recruit new followers willing to go on missions similar to those on September 11, 2001.

“The storm of airplanes will not stop,” Abu Ghaith warned in an October 2001 video that was played for the jury.

Asked about the trial of Abu Graith and those accused of the September 11, 2001 attacks, US Senator John McCain told Al Jazeera: “The process obviously has been incredibly slow.

Pointing out how long the Abu Graith case had taken to come to trial, McCain said: “It’s many years later, whether it was in New York or Guantanamo.”

Captured in Jordan last year, Abu Ghaith has actively participated in his trial. He listened to testimony and arguments through headphones linked to an Arabic translator. l

‘Naked’ Yanukovych exposed at Ukrainian anti-cafe n AFP, Kiev

“So I’m taking the painting and start to leave, but all of a sudden a photographer takes a picture of me holding the art piece First he was stripped of his presidency, then his lavish mansion and opulent tastes in the corridor,” she told AFP in an interview.

As opposition protesters and ordinary were laid bare, and now ousted Ukraine Ukrainians discovered with horror the leader Viktor Yanukovych has been exposed even further, in an infamous nude opulence at Yanukovych’s lavish mansion Mezhygirya, the picture went viral as many painting on display in central Kiev. said it had been found along with luxury A burly and grim Yanukovych slouches cars, a private zoo and golden toilets. in an unflattering position, with no detail “I came home and in the morning the left to the imagination, in the painting picture was all over the Internet already called “The Naked King” which swept to accidental fame during the revolution that and saying that the picture was from Meforced him to flee the country in February. zhygirya,” said Oleynik.

In reality the image was painted in 2012 Olga Oleynik, 25 was -- and still is -- just as part of a series of nudes of well-known a struggling artist painting what she calls politicians called “I am a man.” Appreciation “unusual” pieces, when she scored a lucky break: a friend working for a local television of the artwork ranged from amusement to awe and outrage. station got her a spot on air to show her “The artist might be crazy, very painting of the reviled president.

But her opportunity coincided with rap- strange masterpiece,” one Facebook user commented on the picture. Another called id-fire change in Ukraine after months of Yanukovych a “renaissance victim” while protests reached a bloody zenith, leaving around 100 dead, prompting parliament to another suggested the picture be “nailed to the refrigerator to spoil an appetite.” oust Yanukovych.

The now-famous painting has taken On the same day Yanukovych’s arch-riup residence in a corner of an “anti-cafe” val Yulia Tymoshenko was freed from owned by Oleynik in a basement in the prison and Oleynik was sidelined by the heart of Kiev. l breaking news.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Weather frustrates hunt for missing jet after new leads n Reuters, Perth High winds and icy weather halted the air search yesterday for a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet presumed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, just as new satellite images emerged showing what could be a large debris field from the plane.

The latest possible sightings of wreckage from Flight MH370, which went missing 19 days ago, were captured by Thai and Japanese satellites in roughly the same remote expanse of sea as earlier images reported by France, Australia and China.

“We detected floating objects, perhaps more than 300,” Anond Snidvongs, the head of Thailand’s space technology development agency, told Reuters.

“We have never said that the pieces are part of MH370 but have so far identified them only as floating objects.”

A Japanese satellite also captured images of 10 objects which could be part of the plane, Kyodo news agency quoted the government as saying yesterday.

An international search team of 11 military and civilian aircraft and five ships had been heading for an area where more than 100 objects that could be from the Boeing 777 had been identified by French satellite pictures earli-

er this week, but severe weather forced the planes to turn back.

“The forecast in the area was calling for severe icing, severe turbulence and near-zero visibility,” said Lieutenant Commander Adam Schantz, the officer in charge of the US Navy Poseidon P8 maritime surveillance aircraft detachment.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is coordinating the effort, confirmed flights had been called off but said ships continued to search despite battering waves.

“This is incredibly important to us. The reality is we have 239 people whose families want some information and closure,” Flying Officer Peter Moore, the captain of an Australian AP3C Orion, told Reuters.

New images

The Malaysian airliner, on a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, is thought to have crashed with the loss of all 239 people aboard after flying thousands of miles off course.

The objects spotted by the Thai satellite were between 2 metres (6.5 ft) and 16 metres (52 ft) in size and were in an area around 2,700 km (1,680 miles) southwest of Perth, Snidvongs said.

The pictures were taken on Monday, a day after a satellite operated by

France-based Airbus Defence & Space spotted 122 potential objects in a 400 sq km (155 sq mile) area of ocean around 2,500 km southwest of the Western Australian city.

The pictures by the Japanese satellite were taken on Wednesday of debris about 2,500 km (1,553 miles) southwest of Perth, the biggest measuring 4 by 8 metres, a government official said.

MH370 vanished from civilian radar screens less than an hour after takeoff and investigators believe someone on board may have shut off the plane’s communications systems. Partial military radar tracking showed the plane turning west off its scheduled course over the South China Sea and then recrossing the Malay Peninsula, apparently under the control of a skilled pilot.

The logistical difficulties of the search have been highlighted by the failure so far to get a lock on possible debris, despite the now numerous satellite images.

The prolonged and fruitless search and investigation have taken a toll, with dozens of distraught relatives of 150 Chinese passengers clashing with police and accusing Malaysia of “delays and deception.” China has repeatedly voiced its frustration with the efforts of Malaysia to find the plane. l

Suu Kyi among spectators at Myanmar army parade n AFP, Naypyidaw Tanks and missile carriers rumbled through Myanmar’s showpiece capital yesterday as fighter jets soared overhead at an annual parade attended by top generals and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The show of military strength came as the opposition campaigns to remove unelected soldiers from the country’s fledgling parliament, three years after the end of junta rule.

Suu Kyi attended the Armed Forces Day parade for a second straight year along with army chief Min Aung Hlaing, as rifle-toting soldiers marched through the purpose-built capital Naypyidaw.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner’s debut at the event last year caused surprise given her long imprisonment by the generals who ran the country for decades with an iron fist.

But since her release in 2010, Suu Kyi has established a working relationship with a reformist government headed by President Thein Sein, a former general.

Last year Suu Kyi admitted she remained “fond” of the military, despite a litany of allegations that it has committed rights abuses in Myanmar’s ethnic conflicts. l

Mandatory Kim haircuts a baldfaced lie? n AP, Tokyo North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s distinctive hairstyle is the ‘do of the day on the Internet, thanks to a viral report that every male university student in the capital is now under orders to get a buzz just like it. But it appears the barbers of Pyongyang aren’t exactly sharpening their scissors.

Recent visitors to the country say they’ve seen no evidence of any mass haircutting.

North Korea watchers smell another imaginative but uncorroborated rumor.

The thinly sourced reports say an order went out a few weeks ago for university students to buzz cut the sides of their heads just like Kim. Washington, D.C.based Radio Free Asia cited unnamed sources as saying an unwritten directive from somewhere within the ruling Workers’ Party went out early this month, causing consternation among students who didn’t think the new ‘do would suit them.

“I was there just a few days ago, and no sign of that,” said Simon Cockerell of Koryo Tours, which specializes in bringing foreign tourists to North Korea. “It’s definitely not true.” An AP journalist in Pyongyang also said he had not seen any recent changes in hairstyles among college students in the capital.

Wide interest in the reports reflect the fascination the outside world has had with the unique hairstyles of both Kim Jong Un

Criminal charges no barrier to contesting India polls n AFP, New Delhi

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels celebrate the signing of the peace agreement during a rally at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat town, in southern island of Mindanao on March 27 AFP

Philippines, Muslim rebels seal historic peace deal n AFP, Manila The biggest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines signed an historic pact yesterday to end one of Asia’s longest and deadliest conflicts, promising to give up their arms for an autonomous homeland.

Following four decades of fighting that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the peace deal with President Benigno Aquino’s government at a high-profile ceremony in Manila.

“The comprehensive agreement on Bangsamoro is the crowning glory of our struggle,” MILF chairman Murad

Ebrahim said at the signing ceremony, using a local term that refers to a Muslim homeland.

“With this agreement the legitimate aspirations of the Bangsamoro and the commitment of the government of the Philippines to recognise those aspirations are now sealed.” The pact makes the MILF and the government partners in a plan to create a southern autonomous region for the Philippines’ Muslim minority with locally elected leaders by mid-2016.

The Bangsamoro region would cover about 10 percent of territory in the mainly Catholic Philippines. The

planned region has a majority of Muslims, but there are clusters of Catholic-dominated communities.

Muslim rebels have been battling since the 1970s for independence or autonomy in the southern islands of the Philippines, which they regard as their ancestral homeland dating back to when Arabic traders arrived there in the 13th Century.

The conflict has condemned millions of people across large parts of the resource-rich Mindanao region to brutal poverty, plagued by Muslim and Christian warlords as well as outbreaks of fighting leading to mass displacements. l

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Almost 10 percent of politicians contesting the first phase of India’s election next month are charged with attempted murder, rape and other crimes, advocacy groups said yesterday.

Of the 64 candidates contesting the election in two states, six have declared in their affidavits filed with the election commission they face criminal cases including for cheating and dishonesty, the groups said.

The candidates are contesting seats in the remote northeast states of Assam and Tripura which head to the polls on April 7 in the first stage of the world’s biggest election.

The six candidates are mostly from small, regional parties or are independents who have been charged but not convicted of the crimes levelled against them and are therefore still eligible to run.

The analysis of the affidavits is the latest from the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch, two groups pushing for better governance.

Earlier this month, they said 37 percent of candidates from the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party announced so far nationally have criminal cases pending, and 25 percent from the ruling Congress party.

The ADR’s Jagdeep Chhokar said the figures were just the tip of the iceberg, with plenty more politicians expected to file similar affidavits.

“I expect the (total) national figures will be about 30 percent of candidates.

I feel very queasy about these figures.

Society deserves and wants higher standards,” Chhokar told AFP. India’s politicians have long come under fire for their sometimes dubious backgrounds. Cleaning up Indian politics remains a major issue at this election. l

Thai PM loses bid to delay negligence hearing n AFP, Bangkok Thailand’s anti-corruption authorities rejected a request yesterday by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to extend a deadline to defend herself against negligence charges that could see her banned from politics.

Yingluck has been summoned to appear before the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) by Monday.

Her legal team asked the panel for 45 more days to prepare its case, according to one of her lawyers, Norrawit Larlaeng.

“They did not allow it because they said our reasons were not logical and we have had enough time already,” he said.

Yingluck has been charged in connection with a rice subsidy scheme, and could face an impeachment vote in the upper house of parliament within weeks.

The NACC says that Yingluck was warned of corruption allegations and financial losses linked to the flagship policy but failed to take action.

Norrawit said the defence team had been denied the chance to review the evidence against her. “The prime minister feels the investigation against her has been rushed,” he said.

The kingdom has been deeply divided since a military coup in 2006 that ousted Yingluck’s brother Thaksin Shinawatra. l

and his father, the late Kim Jong Il, who had a one-of-a-kind bouffant. Though the forced grooming story may be one of many reported oddities about North Korea life that turn out to be false, it is true that the government has its own “fashion police.”

Choe Cheong-ha, a defector who left North Korea in 2004, said members of a government-run youth organization routinely check for people who are not dressed appropriately. He said they look for whether people are wearing the mandatory lapel pins with the images of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, or for violations such as blue jeans, clothes with English words or above-the-knee dresses. l

China to strengthen Internet security after US spying report

n Reuters, Beijing

China will beef up its internet security in response to recent reports that the US government spied on a major telecommunications firm, the Defence Ministry said yesterday.

Reports that the US National Security Agency infiltrated servers at the headquarters of Huawei Technologies Co. “lay bare the United States’s hypocrisy and despotic rule,” ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng told a briefing.

“For a while now, some Americans have jabbered on and on, condemning Chinese hacking attacks,” he said. “But the truth is that this is without any basis in fact, it’s simply a thief crying ‘Stop, thief!’”

The ministry did not say what steps would be taken to strengthen Internet security.

The White House has said that the US does not spy to gain commercial advantage. Cyber-espionage has cast a shadow over China-US ties, with each side accusing the other of spying.

On Saturday, The New York Times and German magazine Der Spiegel published articles on information about Huawei contained in classified documents given to journalists by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

In the same briefing, Geng warned the United States not to sell arms to Taiwan, which China sees as a rogue province. US sales of weapons to the democratic and self-ruled island have long incensed Beijing.

Asked about a mass stabbing at a train station in a southwestern city in March that left 29 dead and about 140 wounded, Geng said that the military was well prepared to “strike back at all kinds of violent terrorist activities.” l

Japan frees world’s Chinese farmers make longest-held death ‘Transformers’ from used cars row inmate Shandong province.

AFP, Beijing n “We’ve installed lights in their eyes, n AP, Tokyo A group of farmers have brought to life and some of their arms and legs can The world’s longest-serving death row inmate was freed yesterday by a Japanese court that found investigators had likely fabricated evidence in the murder case that put the former pro boxer behind bars for nearly half a century.

The Shizuoka District Court suspended the death sentence and ordered a retrial for 78-year-old Iwao Hakamada, who had been convicted in the 1966 murder of a family and was sentenced to death in 1968. More than 45 of his 48 years in prison have been on death row, making Hakamada the longest-serving such inmate, according to Guinness World Records.

Hours later, Hakamada walked out of the Tokyo Detention Center, escorted by his sister as dozens of media and supporters waited outside. Hakamada briefly looked at the crowd and got inside a car without speaking. Hakamada was not executed because of a lengthy appeals process. l

the “Transformers” films, toys and TV series and built giant robots out of old car parts, in rural China.

The original toys, which were a huge hit with children in the 1980s, could be turned from cars into robots and back again. Their popularity spawned a hit television show, and more recently, the movie franchise.

In Shandong province, they have inspired a range of towering creations, including some in the red and blue colours of Optimus Prime, the leader of the benevolent Autobots.

Others are in bright yellow - like the famous Bumblebee character adored by young fans. Some of the robots are crafted from the grey metal of the evil Decepticons.

“It’s a personal hobby; I watched the movie and learnt the models online, so I wanted to make it on my own,” Wang Shizun, one of the farmers, told AFP by phone yesterday from Zhangqiu in

move,” he said.

He and his partner oversee a staff of 11 farmers, reports said, and OFweek, a website covering China’s high-tech industry, said the models fetch from 10,000 to 100,000 yuan ($1,600 to $16,000) apiece.

The tallest of creations are 12 metres high, but flight and the ability to convert themselves back into cars remain elusive.

“We’re thinking about making them transform,” Wang said, “but it’s hard to make them transform into cars at this stage.”

The group have also made other models which seem to take inspiration from various movies and characters, including Alien, Predator, and Star Wars’ C-3PO. With some the makers have exercised more creative licence, adding their own designs or traditional Chinese elements such as a mask. l

A visitor looking at a life-sized “Transformer” model on display in a yard in Jinan, Shandong. A group of farmers in China has undertaken an unusual hobby: building life-sized “Transformer” models out of second-hand car parts, some as tall as 12 metres high AFP

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Memo No. 263 Date: 27/03/2014.

OTM (Open Tendering Method).

GoB. T-11/E.E. Workshop Division, Dhaka, 2013-2014.

43 (Forty three) nos.

29/04/2014 during office hour.

30/04/2014 up to 12:00 Noon.

On 30/04/2014 at 1:00PM (all tenderer can be present at the opening time of the tender documents.)

E.E. RHD, Workshop Division, Tejgaon, Dhaka/ E.E. RHD Equipment Control Division, Dhaka/S.D.E. Workshop Sub-Division, Tejgaon, Dhaka.

E.E. RHD, Workshop Division, Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Executive Engineer, RHD, Workshop Division, Tejgaon, Dhaka.

As per Regulation No. 12 of “Public Procurement Regulation 2008” and tender documents of “Procurement Good-2 those tender having Trade License.

Registration VAT & TIN. Prior Experience in same type of works mentioned in the group list and financially solvent tenderers are eligible to submit this tender. At the time of purchase of schedule, original documents mentioned above must be shown otherwise tender documents will not be sold.

450/- per set for each group (non refundable).

As per group list (Bank Draft/Pay Order or irrevocable Bank Guarantee from any local scheduled bank).

30 (Thirty) days for each group.

Md. Hadayetul Bari.

Executive Engineer, RHD. RHD, Workshop Division, Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Telephone No: 8870480 1. Attested photocopy of the following documents will be submitted by the tender shall submit the following documents with the tender: a. Registration of VAT. b. Valid TIN Certificate. c. Valid Trade License. d. Experience certificate for executing the same type of a single work to the Taka 3:00 lac for the last 2 years. e. Yearly average statement of turn over of Taka 3:00 lac from the Bank during the last 3 (Three) years. f.

Cash flow statement 1/3 to be submitted from schedule Bank.

2. The procuring entity reserves the right to accept or reject all tenders.

3. Final decision will be taken as per recommendation of TEC.

Group list of work Group No 1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Name of the work In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2294 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-0018 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3361. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3303. Micro bus Dhaka-Metro-Cha-51-2175. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2811. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1936. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2768.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3277. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9342. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0349. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1563. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3272.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-112-2292. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2741 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0084 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1563. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5754. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3361. Prado jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-1621. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2811. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0658. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-gha-11-2890. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-3001. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-02-0639. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-2827. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9068 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Va-7284 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Ga-02-0658. Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4021. Mitsubishi Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1542. Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3890 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Ka-02-0703 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-8261.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0514. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7912. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2768. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2728. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0653.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro--Ja-4670. Pickpu Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3246 & Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-3271 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop Division, Dhaka In the year 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9342. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4213. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3684. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0812. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3277. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-15-1378.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2834. Pajero jeep Barisal-Gha-05-0021. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-8569. Land Crossure jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0039. Prado jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-3303. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2293. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2811. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1950. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha--11-2890. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroTha-11-4039. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2827. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2890. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2830 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Va-9542 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0680.

Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3548. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Va-9619 & Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroCha--9780 of different division, RHD, Dhaka through workshop division, Dhaka In the year 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Mitsubishi Pickup Dhaka Metro-Ta-11-0374 through RHD, works division, Dhaka In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4218. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0682. Mitsubishi Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3548. Toyota Hilux Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7858. Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3246. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-02-3001. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-0269. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0631. Toyota RAV-4 jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3284. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2293 & Toyota Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1120 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0111. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2728. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3726. Land Crossure jeep Barisal-Gha-05-0021. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7763. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5219.

Pajero jeep Kishorgaong-Ka-25. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0343. Pajero jeep Charto MetroGha--02-0414. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha--11-2226. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-2534.

Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2355 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0632 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3362. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0812. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4215. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1762. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0750. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1370.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Ja-4670. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-1768. Pickup Dhaka MetroTha-11-3523. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1652. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3652.

Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7984 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-8261 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Trailor No-14. Staff bus Dhaka MetroSha-11-0045 & Mobile crane R-5 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-8216.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3395. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5219. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1213 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0584 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work Keya jkeep Dhaka Metro-Ka-11-1369. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Iba-11-7763. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tjha-11-3518. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-11-1726.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2294. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Ja-4670. Lesus Car Dhaka Metro-Kha-12-2554 & Pickup Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-8261 of Differenet Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0687. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Va-9616. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1950. Micro bus Dhaka MetroCha-51-2513 & Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tja-11-0195 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka

Tender security (Tk.)

19

20

21

22

23 24

25

26

27

28

29

30

14,000.00 31

14,000.00 32

33 13,500.00 34

14,000.00 35 11,500.00

36

14,000.00 37

38 14,000.00

39

11,000.00

14,000.00

40.

14,000.00 41.

14,000.00

13,500.00

42.

14,000.00 43.

Friday, March 28, 2014

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Nissan Truck Dhaka Metro-Mo-07-0010 through RHD Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0660. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Va-9619 & Mitsubishi Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3890 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3515 through RHD Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0154.

Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2521. Toyota Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3619. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0111. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2522. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0680.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2890. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2886. Land Crossure jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0084 & Toyota Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7858 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Staff bus Dhaka Metro-Sha-11-0046. Staff bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-5634. Staff bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-7016 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3270 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3383 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3363. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3230. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3191. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3249. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-2526. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3383.

Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2249. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3518 & Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-2525 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3295 & Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-0269 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9619. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0639 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0687 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1950. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3429. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3724 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0349 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0632 & Mitsubishi Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7763 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1845.

Nissan pickup Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2728. Nissan Sunny Car Dhaka Metro-Gha-15-1378. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5721. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0682. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-13-0750. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4218. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5754. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3112. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3424 & Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-2812 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2539 & Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3619 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3246. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Ja-1670. Pickup Comilla-Mo-02-0038. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-2293.

Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1621. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1936. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7910. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1651. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1563.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3361. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5219. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1542. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3619. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1726. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1950 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0680 of of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2522. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0788. Toyota Land Crossure jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-7775. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2530. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-8192. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-3444 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0061 of of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-2521. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1651. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0631. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha--11-3361. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2739. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9342. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0750 & Pickup Al. TH-196 of Different Division, RHD, Dhaka through Workshop Division, Dhaka.

In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero Jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-0037.

Pajero jeep Dhaka metro-Gha-11-3273, Pajero jeep Dhaka metro-Gha-11-3277, Pajero jeep Dhaka metro-Gha-11-3684, Pajero jeep Companigonj Ka-25, Toyota Micro bus Dhaka Metro Cha-51-1921 & Nissan Pickup Al. TH-195 of Different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Keya jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2796, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-5745 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3304 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3272, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2251, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-5745, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2768, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-13-0812 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-112226 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajerojeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-3272, Pickup Dhaka Metro Tha-11-3518, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-4215, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha11-2739, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-0349, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3061, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-4845, Pickup Dhaka Metro Tha-11-4037, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-112768, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Va-9542, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3381 & Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-0051 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3272, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Cha-9780, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-2850, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-0631, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-0154, Micro bus Thakurgaong-Cha-13-0006, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-1936, Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro Gha-11-4021, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-3034, Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1921, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2226, Prado jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-2294, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3271 & Land Crossure jeep Barishal-Gha-05-0010 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-13-2827, Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-3303, Mitsubishi Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-7763, MitsubishiLancer Car Dhaka Metro-Kha-12-2553 & Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4039 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-11-0154 through (RHD) Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair Pickup Dhaka Metro Tha-11-3468 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro Gha-02-0041 of different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2711.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0632. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2800. Nissan jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-2192. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-1179. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0812.

Nissan Piekup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4037. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-0375. Puckup Dhaka MetroTha-11-7767. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1936. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-02-2539. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-05-0264. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-3246. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-3001.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3446. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-Gha-11-3444 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0680 of Different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4215. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2293. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3303. Micro bus ThukurgaongCha-13-0006. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1936. Nissan Sunny Car Dhaka Metro-Gha-15-1378.

Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4037. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-4213. Nissan Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11+3518. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2175. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-02-1708. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4228. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2355. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3681. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2829. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroVa-9542. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3295. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-2830 & Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-2534 of Different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-4037. Pickup Dhaka Metro Tha-11-2767. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-27-39. Pajero jeep Dhaka MetroGha-02-0285. Car No-15-1378. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0812. Prado jeep Dhaka MetroGha-11-1762. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1936. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-9342.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-13-0788. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-11-2293. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3362. Pickup Dhaka Metro-Tha-11-0375. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3681.

Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-5721. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-0269. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-8390. Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3726. Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-1950.

Prado jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-11-3273. Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-0051 & Micro bus Dhaka Metro-Cha-51-3070 of Different Division (RHD) Dhaka through Workshop Division Dhaka.

In the Year of 2013-2014 the supply and repair work of Pajero jeep Dhaka Metro-Gha-02-0680 through (RHD) Workshop Division Dhaka.

14,000.00

14,000.00

Deputy Executive Engineer, RHD Workshop Division, Dhaka Remainder No. 263/3 DG – 60/14 (20x4)

Md. Hadayetul Bari Executive Engineer, RHD Workshop Division Dhaka Date: 27/03/2014

14,000.00 14,000.00 8,000.00

14,000.00

14,000.00

10,000.00

9,000.00

13,000.00 10,000.00

14,000.00

14,000.00

13,500.00

14,000.00

14,000.00

11,000.00

14,000.00

14,000.00

8,500.00

11,000.00

13,000.00

13,500.00

9,000.00

13,500.00 14,000.00

14,000.00

13,500.00

14,000.00

10,500.00

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Friday, March 28, 2014

Working together for disaster preparedness

In the aftermath of SIDR that that hit all the 32 coastal districts, damaging lives and livelihood immensely. The photo shows a remnants of a village called Southkhali in Bagerhat

O

n Mohammed Norul Alam Raju n the last Thursday of every March, Bangladesh observes National Disaster Preparedness Day (NDPD) across the country. With the aim of disaster preparedness at all level, this year the day was celebrated on March 27. Expectedly, this year the theme of the day was the uncertainty of disasters and the importance of preparedness.

Over the years, it has been established that preparedness is a better option for disaster management due to the fact that disaster management in Bangladesh has received a lot of attention from different corners. A paradigm shift from conventional relief and rehabilitation to comprehensive disaster management is being focused on where preparedness is at the heart of the cycle. But there is a long way to go.

HAZARD RANKINGS OF BANGLADESH Based on Human Exposure

Based on Economic Exposure

Flood

1st out of 162

3rd out of 162

Cyclone

6th out of 89

12th out of 89

Earthquake

17th out of 153

42nd out of 153

Hazard

Source: EM-DAT, 2013

Across the globe, the importance of preparedness has been recognised.

In 1988, after implementing a flood mitigation and watershed management project in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) calculated that each dollar invested in DRR in Kinshasa resulted in savings of at least $45.58 during the following rainy season in 1999 (nef, 2012).

There are other studies that suggested investing on risk reduction before the risk happens i.e. the World Bank estimates that every dollar spent on risk reduction saves $7 in relief and repairs.

Where Bangladesh stands Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country, the geographical settings and various other anthropogenic features make the country vulnerable to frequent and devastating natural disasters. Due to unplanned urbanisation, covered by over 230 rivers, 580 kilometers of exposed coast lines, increasing trend of population and impact of climate change, an increased number of disasters are occurring in varying scales.

As a result, Bangladesh frequently suffers from devastating floods, cyclones, storm surges, tornados, cold wave, riverbank erosion and drought.

The country’s precarious perch in between two tectonic plates exposes it to devastating earthquakes in near future.

Bangladesh rated as the nation most at risk from extreme weather and geophysical events - study ranking 229 countries on their vulnerability to natural disasters (NDRI 2010-2011). The history of striking disaster in Bangladesh gives a devastating scenario with the country ranked first out of 162 countries based on human exposure due to flood related hazards and third based on economic exposure.

It is ranked sixth out of 89 countries based on human exposure in terms of cyclone related hazards and twelfth from economic exposure. For earthquake, the country ranked seventeenth out of 153 countries based on human exposure and forty-second out of 153 countries based on economic exposure.

In different disasters over the past 30 years, a total of 323 million people have been affected, out of which 191,836 were life casualties. The total amount of resulting damage in terms of economy was $17.1mn (EM-DAT).

Besides, a severe cyclone took a toll of 0.3 million human lives in Bangladesh; the figure was 0.14 million in April 29, 1991. Other major disasters include devastating “Sidr” that hit all the 32 coastal districts, damaging lives and livelihood immensely.

Looming disasters Although most of the earthquakes that hit the country was inconsequential, Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable country from earthquakes as it is surrounded by regions of high seismicity. According to CDMP study, some 78,323 buildings will be destroyed completely if a 6 magnitude earthquake shakes Dhaka.

In case of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, some 72,316 buildings in the capital will be damaged totally and 53,166 others partially. The numbers will go up to 238,164 across the country for an 8.5 magnitude tremor.

Over the years, river erosion is considered one of the major disasters of Bangladesh both from natural and man-made causes due to the impact of climate change and human intervention. A research shows, (CEGIS, 2011) almost 0.1 million people become homeless every year due to river erosion.

Mitigating risks Over the years, Bangladesh has confronted many challenges of natural disasters and tried to mitigate the risks of natural disasters. Lack of proper preparedness always challenges the population living at extreme risk; specially women, children, aged citizens

and persons with disabilities.

Followed by various international and national level commitments in disaster risk reduction, numerous measures are proactively taken by the Government of Bangladesh to address disaster risks comprehensively.

It is done so with the vision to reduce the vulnerability of the poor to the effects of natural, environmental and human induced hazards to a manageable and acceptable humanitarian level by bringing a paradigm shift in disaster management from conventional response and relief practice to a more

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

and allocating useful resources.

For managing cyclonic disasters, Bangladesh has significantly improved its preparedness. After Mahasen it has been commended by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “While tropical storm Mahasen reached the coastline of Bangladesh on Thursday weaker than anticipated, the preparedness work undertaken by the government and humanitarian partners saved countless lives.”

But, the country still has a long way to go, particularly for the areas

Considering all the hazards, an effective response plan is required where local needs, contexts and aspirations are addressed

comprehensive risk reduction culture, and strengthening the capacity of the Bangladesh disaster management system in improving the response and recovery management at all levels.

Bangladesh has successfully formulated and enacted disaster management act, policies, plans, standing orders and appropriate institutional framework for implementation. This provides basic operational mechanism for all the relevant ministries and agencies, but the effective functioning of all the pledges has yet to be tested.

There continues to be lack of coordinated implementation, lack of sustainability, access to modern technologies, access to information and of course scarcity of resources. Lack of coordination among the department themselves hampers quickest response in emergency. There is a need to complement disaster management vision of Bangladesh by building organisational capacity, sustainability

of improving coordination among the efforts of government and the NGOs, unavailability of required number of shelters, lack of volunteers, awareness-raising materials and level of modernisation of the Cyclone Preparedness Programm (CPP).

In case of a cyclonic storm, taking shelter at the safe home is the ultimate preparedness measure. In 13 coastal districts of the country, 3770 shelters have been constructed over the years (DDM:April, 2013) for around 10 million people, while a significant number of shelters are not in right locations due to misappropriation and lack of planning during the construction time. In the last four years, around 970 shelters have been built, although 5000 shelters were supposed to be constructed.

Mixing modern technology and indigenous knowledge, developing an appropriate flood signalling system is yet to be achieved. There is a serious

NATURAL DISASTERS FROM 1980 – 2010 No of events No of people killed

234 191,836

Average killed per year

6,188

No of people affected

234

Economic Damage (US$ X 1,000)

191,836

Economic Damage per year (US$ X 1,000)

191,836 Source: EM-DAT

gap in constructing flood shelters in the flood prone areas where mainstreaming disaster risk reduction plans into Annual Development Planning should be considered with high attention. Measures should be taken for raising houses at the low land areas, developing cluster villages for the low-income community and ensuring clean water for all.

Hurdles to cross Despite recent efforts, Bangladesh still has a huge amount of work to do in preparing for an earthquake, particularly for the major cities of the country including Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Mymensingh.

Along with the rapid urbanisation – where around 35,000 people move to urban areas in every week – Building Code need to be strengthened and enforced; preparedness measures should be taken by the community and household levels. Till date, only the bare minimum of efforts have been taken for raising the preparedness knowledge of the communities and increase the stock of the government. For earthquake awareness community volunteers can act as change agents.

In this regard, the government decided to train 62,000 community volunteers to carry out rescue operations immediately after disasters, but it trained only 8,000-9,000 volunteers in the last four years. For massive awareness of earthquake, government and non-government organisations can work together for building partnership where media can play an effective role.

A regular basis earthquake demonstration, mock drills at both community and school level should be organised so that people can learn how to respond during and after the tremor.

There should be a concrete plan for slum dwellers and their hazards they may be exposed to.

Finally, for making the country resilient to disasters and promote preparedness at all level, a gradual and self-supporting change is required where sustainable engagement should be ensured from all levels of stakeholders, particularly from the disaster management committee.

Considering all the hazards, an effective response plan is required where local needs, contexts and aspirations are addressed. In the last few decades, Bangladesh became a leader in developing institutional frameworks and capacity building initiatives.

Similar efforts should be deployed for the implementation of policy frameworks, promoting a culture of safety and dissemination of best practices which ultimately will make the country resilient to disasters. l Mohammed Norul Alam Raju is program officer at Urban DRR, Oxfam. He can be reached at nraju@oxfam.org.uk.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

PPP for hi-tech parks a welcome move

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he cabinet committee on economic affairs is discussing proposals to establish hi-tech industrial parks and ICT villages under public private partnership (PPP) initiatives.

Final approval will still be needed from the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement, but plans are well advanced for two existing proposals where the government has already acquired land.

These relate to 162 acres acquired in Sylhet’s Companiganj upazila for a hi-tech park, and the acquisition of 34 acres in Rajshahi to establish a “Silicon City.” There are also plans for a Mohakhali ICT village within the capital, which is planned to be built on 47 acres of land currently occupied by slum dwellers.

Sources at the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) report that three offers have already been submitted for the Mohakhali ICT village and that one local company, which has applied to develop this project with a foreign partner, has also submitted a proposal for the Sylhet hi-tech park.

It is clear that there is considerable demand to establish these types of development and that the economic benefits attained would also benefit those from whom the land required is acquired.

By providing land and basic infrastructure connections there is huge scope for the government to attract technology companies to build operations in the country, and to develop the country’s technological capabilities in knowledge-based industries such as biotechnology, electronics, IT and telecommunications.

Using PPP to develop more highly-skilled jobs is a logical move to help provide opportunities for new graduates and to grow the economy in new directions.

There is huge scope for the government to develop the country’s technological capabilities in knowledge-based industries

Comprehensive solution needed to save canals

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he canals of Dhaka are in serious jeopardy due to rampant encroachment, indiscriminate waste dumping and lack of maintenance.

Restoring the city’s canals is essential not only for environmental reasons but also to improve the quality of life in our capital.

Over the years, as the number of canals in the capital has decreased, so have most of those which remain been seriously depleted due to encroachment.

Vanishing canals and wetlands reduce biodiversity and increase Dhaka’s vulnerability to floods by diminishing ground water levels and natural drainage. The authorities must not continue to turn a blind eye towards land-grabbers.

Dhaka Wasa must invigorate its efforts to reclaim canals from illegal occupation by building walkways, channels and planting trees to demarcate embankments. Related measures to re-dig and improve the condition of canals would have widespread public support.

It is time that the appropriate authorities come up with a comprehensive and long-term solution to restore and maintain the canals, which are vital to the health of our city. This includes coming up with better planned housing so that illegally appropriated canal land is not so attractive to developers.

An even bigger priority has to be to ensure a proper citywide waste management system, so there is no dumping of garbage into the canals.

These waterways are a crucial part of the city’s heritage and environment and should be respected in their own right as amenities for the public, not the domain of land grabbers.

Friday, March 28, 2014

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

New topic in class 8 is easy and interesting March 26

One of the best topics in the Class eight math curriculum is the study of patterns. An excellent initiative by the education board, it has been formulated by the Brac Education program. Newly introduced in the class eight math textbooks, this tutorial on patterns uses e-content to make for a lively, enjoyable and excellent lesson, which both students – whether slow learners or high-achieving – and teachers would enjoy.

Lessons start with simple examples and finish with complicated ones, but students can learn all at one go. An excellent game is introduced at the end, and students should have little trouble in getting the highest marks as long as they are paying attention.

It is free to download from Brac’s e-education site, can be collected from any divisional or district Brac office, and can be found in Brac-supported non-government secondary schools with a Gonokendro, ie Brac library.

Lessons such as this one on patterns encourage children to learn and continue learning, something I hope to see more of in our nation’s youth.

Md Tofazzel Hossain

But a missed opportunity March 19 People I completely agree with Nazim Farhan Choudhury.

The ICC World Cup Inauguration in 2011 was much much better than this time’s ICC T20 World cup.

This time it was a waste of money, time and energy.

As the author says, the organisers of the event lacked vision. There have been reports that streets/ highways were being decorated with toilet tiles.

Don’t these people have a little sense of showing something good to the world? Or are these people without standards? Such lowly people.

I do not dislike AR Rahman; he is an internationally renowned singer. But, why does he have to dominate the concert? Even the renowned hip-hop singer Akon was not given that much stage time, and sadly he managed to reduce his time, as we saw live.

Furthermore, is Bangladesh lacking artists and performers? Oh come on, what happened to the popular singers in our country, including the ones mentioned by the author? Such a shame, a great chance to publicise our stars was missed.

Also, what has the celebration got to do with “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”? Isn’t this going too extreme in an international event like this?

Now, it is not that I am not patriotic. I am from the minority community in Bangladesh, but I love Bangladesh. I defend the country wherever I go and praise it.

Too sad and unfortunate that wherever these politicians go, they spoil the way. See what’s happening in the universities today. What has politics done to university education? Recently a professor in Dhaka University was demanding jobs for BCL men without merit qualification. Is this the

way to lead the country?

2.5 lakh chorus Amar Sonar Bangla March 26 Ahnaf Saber What a waste of money to pull off a stunt when we could be doing so much more productive tasks on Independence Day. Farah Naz We could donate the money to our underprivileged freedom fighters’ and martyr’s families, to the fighters who lost their limbs during the war, and the Birangonas. Would that have been of any less value then setting the record? Shame on us.

Ahnaf Saber Farah Naz: That too on a “record” that won’t be of any benefit to the country, nor does the rest of the world give a care.

Our country is not a public concert where we need stunts. It is a nation of 160 million where we need lives of dignity and prosperity.

matthewislam A fair counterpoint. Very well-written and aptly describes what in my heart is also a frustration, Farhan. I hope the nature of the entertainment that we can present is less in doubt in the future because there is a revival of demand for good art and I hope we reach a stage where it’s a no brainer that we be more culturally sensitive and have the means to plan shows of this size. Well done again.

First ever commercial Bangladeshi-made video game ‘Hatirjheel’ launched

Nazim Farhan Choudhury matthewislam: Thank you. I pray that day is not far in the future.

March 26 Ahh … reminds of the old Nintendo 64 days.

Good job nonetheless.

Fahad Muzaffar

FedUp Bangali I’d say it’s not the fault of any artist or any organiser. I’d say it’s the fault of “lack of patriotism” which leads to corruption and ignorance in everything which is done in this country. BCB does not bother about the culture of this country; they just wanted to put up a show, so its Indian counterparts were pleased. BCB just like every other leader of this country does not care about the progress or promotion of Bangladesh. It’s all about filling up their pockets, and pleasing others.

Ahsanul Hadi Well written. Thank you.

“I know I will get a ‘no one of AR Rahman’s calibre’ thrown at me now. But how do we know that?”

We already know it. For example: Zoe Rahman, Idris Rahman – two famous jazz musicians who have already flabbergasted us with, “Melting pot,” “Where rivers meet” etc.

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

Vanishing canals and wetlands increase Dhaka’s vulnerability to floods by diminishing ground water levels and natural drainage

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Wound with a knife (4) 5 Assemblage (5) 8 Procession (6) 9 Metal (4) 10 Worthless dog (3) 12 Return to former habit (6) 13 Dodges (6) 15 Colour (6) 18 Unites (6) 20 Period of time (3) 21 Long, detailed story (4) 23 Seemingly mocked by fate (6) 24 Sample (5) 25 Require (4)

DOWN 1 Venomous ill will (5) 2 Sailor (3) 3 Fragrance (5) 4 Prohibit (3) 5 Book of the Bible (7) 6 Single occasion (4) 7 Separate (4) 11 Advise strongly (4) 12 Daydream (7) 14 Turn away (4) 16 Climbing plant (5) 17 Region (5) 18 Dissolve (4) 19 Torn clothing (4) 21 Female pig (3) 22 Spirit (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

11

Friday, March 28, 2014

99 not out n FS Aijazuddin

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o get a measure of Khushwant Singh’s life (he died on March 20, 2014, at the age of 99), one needs to remember that when he was born in 1915, the First World War had just begun. And if one goes back another 99 years, to 1816, Maharaja Ranjit Singh was still on the throne of Lahore. Khushwant Singh managed to telescope through his writings that 200 year gap into one seamless narrative of Punjabiat.

The Pakistani flag is, understandably, an intolerable sight for many

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Flying the flag

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n Zafar Sobhan

et’s be blunt. The reason behind the recently announced ban on Bangladeshi nationals waving foreign flags during the T20 World Cup cricket matches was to put an end to the distasteful thought of having to witness Bangladeshis wave the Pakistani flag in public during the month of March.

The BCB had the wit to proscribe all flags, to provide a fig-leaf of respectability to the decision, but there can be little doubt as to what the motivation behind the rule was. No one really cares about someone waving a Sri Lankan flag.

Damn straight, many will argue. I am quite sure I wouldn’t have to look far to find friends and family who not only thoroughly approve of the law, but would add that anyone found transgressing be administered a sound chappal-beating, for their temerity.

And it is hard not to be sympathetic to this point of view, especially in the month of March.

Nevertheless, on balance, the ban highlights a tendency among Bangladeshis that I find even more disturbing than the waving of Pakistani flags, as irksome as the act is, and that is why, on balance, the ban does not sit right with me.

I would rather live a country where everyday life was not choked by innumerable petty rules and regulations than one in which our Pakistani cricket-team loving (not Pakistani-loving per se, they will insist) friends would

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be given a sharp lesson in history and decorum.

It is significant that the justification given by the BCB was that Bangladeshis brandishing the national flags of other nations runs contrary to our own flag laws.

Say what? What kind of nonsensical law would this be and why do we even have such a law on the books? But they are right. Bangladesh does indeed have a flag law on the books and the law does indeed seem to proscribe waving the flag of any other nation. That is the problem.

The default cultural understanding is that we are not permitted to do anything unless there is a law expressly permitting us to do us. It is not that we are free to do as we please unless there is an explicit law saying that we cannot.

How many times have we all heard the unanswerable conversation stopper: We have no rule for this.

It is for this reason that every little task in Bangladesh is so arduous, from paying one’s taxes to getting a telephone line to starting a business to building a house. The rules make

This is about living in a country where every part of our lives is not dictated by petty rules and regulations

Here in Bangladesh we live within a dizzying web of rules and regulations, many of which are difficult if not impossible to comply with. Just sitting there, minding your own business, reading this newspaper, I assure you that you are breaking some law or the other. Everyone is, all the time.

The problem is two-fold. The first is that we simply have too many rules and regulations on the books, almost all archaic and anachronistic. The second is that we have evolved into a bureaucratic and officious people, ever anxious to hold others to the letter of the law.

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rule-breakers of us all and contribute to people’s lack of respect for the law.

Now, of course I am not suggesting that we revert to some kind of Hobbesian existence, with no rules and regulations, so that we can all run amok without fear.

But we need to consider rethinking our mind-set when it comes to the over-regulation of every aspect of existence and take note of the negative effect it has had on both our maturity and our development. This mind-set and the apparatus of rules that we have created around it is a large part of what is holding us back as a nation.

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If there is one thing we need to change about ourselves, it is this.

In the bigger scheme of things I am more concerned about our affinity for obscure and pettifogging rules and the alacrity with which we play the sub-section (e) clause (f) paragraph (g) card than I am about Pakistani flags (or Indian ones, for that matter) being waved in the stadium.

In short, my opposition to the flag ban is not on the grounds that we need to separate sport from politics, and that it is all just fun and games. My opposition comes from the fact that we have too many petty limitations and constraints on what we can and cannot do as it is, and I am loath to hand another victory to the bureaucratic and officious mind-set that dominates our thinking here in Bangladesh.

So let people fly their damned flags. Like Americans who see their stadiums dominated by Mexican flags when the US plays Mexico or the English who see their fellow-countrymen proudly failing the Tebbit test by waving flags in support of the country of their origin at Lords, we ought to just suck it up.

This isn’t about tolerance. After all, we are all tolerant until we come face to face with something we just can’t stand. I get that. I get that Pakistani flags are intolerable to a lot of people, and with reason.

But this is about living in a country where every part of our lives is not dictated by petty rules and regulations, and that’s a trade-off worth taking. l Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

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Throughout his life, he regarded his birth-village of Hadali (now part of Pakistan’s Punjab) with inordinate affection. He felt it qualified him to be a Pakistani. When we last met on March 4, a fortnight before he died, he told me: “You know that I am a Pakistani by birth and at heart.” I replied: “You are a better Pakistani than most of us.” He laughed: “I have told them I want to be buried in Hadali.”

I had gone to see him, as I tried to do whenever I was in New Delhi, in his ground-floor flat in Sujan Singh Park, near Lodhi Gardens. This time, it was to present him with a copy of my latest book The Resourceful Fakirs: Three Muslim brothers at the Sikh Court of Lahore. His attendant Bahadur told me that Khushwant was resting but if I was to leave my telephone number, he would call me and let me know if Khushwant could receive me.

The next day, rather than waiting for the call, I went to the flat of his daughter Mala Dayal (she lives in one opposite) and had coffee with her. Just after midday, Bahadur rang. Mala led me across the hallway into Khushwant’s flat, through the dining room into the rear verandah.

Khushwant sat in a wicker chair, his legs outstretched in the sun, the rest of his body in the shade. He wore a grey track suit and had a black woollen cap on his head. I noticed some biscuit crumbs caught in his beard.

Mala reminded him who I was. He recognised me within a second. I gave him my book. “Inscribe it for me,” he said, adding after I had done so: “Now write it in Urdu.” He demonstrated (as if I could ever forget) his mastery of Urdu and Persian by reciting a couplet of Iqbal’s. “You know that I am 99 years old.” I replied: “May my years be added to yours.” He looked up at me with the softest expression, and said: “No, but may you live as long as I have.”

I held his hand, the hand that had

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spent a lifetime writing books and inimitable articles, and kissed it. He brushed his cheek with mine. Both of us knew that it was a farewell. I left and stood on the gravel outside, recalling our first meeting on August 21, 1978.

I had gone to show him my first book – Pahari Paintings and Sikh Portraits in the Lahore Museum – which had just been published, and to discuss my second Sikh Portraits

by European Artists, still in the press.

Khushwant Singh gave me his study on The Fall of the Kingdom of the Punjab which covered the same period.

He inscribed it “with much affection.”

That affection remained undiluted and undiminished throughout the ensuing 35 years of our association.

For me as a student of Sikh history, Khushwant Singh’s academic achievements stand like some Uluru/Ayers Rock in the landscape of his life. His more popular works – his articles, short stories, novels, compendia of jokes – gained him more fame, hopefully fortune, certainly notoriety, but none yielded him the stature that I believe he deserved as a serious writer.

The opening lines of arguably his most famous novel – Train to Pakistan – reveal Khushwant’s Singh’s formidable powers of description and at another level the intensity of his feeling for rural roots. This bonding revealed itself in many ways, often unexpectedly. On one occasion, he stunned his Pakistani audience during a Manzur Qadir Memorial lecture at Lahore in 1989 by declaring that before Mohammed Ali Jinnah became the Father of Pakistan, he was the Son of India. No one but Khushwant Singh would have shown such provocative mischievousness, and no one else would have been able to calm and then conciliate his audience with the fire-extinguishing speech that followed.

After my last meeting with Khushwant Singh, Mala called to say that he wanted to write on my book in his next column. That explains why many mourners noticed the copy I had given him lying by his bedside.

He brushed his cheek with mine. Both of us knew that it was a farewell

He has been cremated in New Delhi.

His family has agreed that some of his ashes may be brought to Pakistan for burial, as he wished, in his birth-village Hadali. The son of Punjab will be returned to its soil. l FS Aijazuddin, OBE, is the author of more than a dozen books. This article was first published in Dawn.

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Cleaning up our brand n Ekram Kabir

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irst we created the biggest ever human flag of Bangladesh, and now we’ve created a world record by singing our national anthem.

These two events have drawn quite a lot of attention from the international media. They have given Bangladesh huge mileage in the international arena.

of the day, we fail to be a country with an eye-catching positive image. We fail to work on eliminating the aspects from our national life that tarnish our image.

Yes, we do have a few elements that provide some happiness as far as our positive branding is concerned. Our participation in international cricket does give us good mileage. Our own team may not have given us our de-

We fail to work on eliminating the aspects from our national life that tarnish our image

And from a branding point of view, as I understand as a common man, these two events are examples of country-branding. These are signs of promoting the “positive” side of Bangladesh.

In fact, these are the times when we, the common people, get enthusiastic, thinking that our policymakers now would focus on branding our country in the global arena. But after a while, we see our euphoria subside on this vital matter. We get engrossed in violent politics, and violence becomes the emblem of Bangladesh to the international community. At the end

sired outcome that we all so passionately hoped for, but we’ve benefited a lot by becoming an international cricket tournament venue.

The ongoing T20 television promo on all sports channels has brightened Bangladesh’s face. All cricket-loving eyes are now on Bangladesh. What’s now needed is to improve our team’s performance in order to be appreciated more in this field.

Despite some serious setbacks, the “made in Bangladesh” apparel tags have given us the opportunity to become a leader in the global garment-exporting sector. We could suc-

cessfully create an environment – with our quality, price, and diligence – in which almost all international buyers are now quite dependent on Bangladesh. This could be achieved due to our private sector entrepreneurs who, despite all odds, worked relentlessly to turn this into a success story for us.

Apart from the apparel industry, many more “made in Bangladesh” brands are now making great inroads abroad. Quality products such as pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, leather products, and cement etc are being exported to many countries.

However, our desired march to prosperity is being hampered due to several elements that transmit negativity about us. Most of the time, we fail to realise what’s actually harming us, and sometimes our own lack of enthusiasm, or will, keeps us far behind what other countries are doing.

Take tourism as a possible sector.

Tourism in Bangladesh has been neglected in the last 43 years. We failed to brand our tourism in 43 years where as many other countries in the region have done it in a decade. The prime reason for this was, perhaps, our unwillingness to market our tourism wealth. Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Nepal have shown wonderful advancement in branding themselves as tourist destinations.

It’s not true that we don’t have sites to attract foreign tourists. There are hundreds of spots that are waiting to be developed as tourist attractions.

The infrastructure of the existing sites may not be up to the desired mark, but we don’t provide any information to the international travelers about our attractive destinations.

There’s hardly any proper office that would provide such information to them. Does it cost a lot? We don’t even utilise our media to promote Bangladesh tourism abroad. Our missions also don’t seem to be doing anything about it.

Having said that, we must also mention that we may not require any

branding for ourselves if we could just eliminate a few elements that impart our negative image. Our politics and corruption are two major aspects that give us a bad name. Most of the foreign investors and buyers shy away when they watch the festival of violence in our political arena. Security is one of the expectations for them when they want to invest in any country. From a distance, Bangladesh, politically, is a very violent country, and they get scared by that fact.

Then again, the writing on the global

wall, as far as our corruption is concerned, doesn’t give a picture to be happy about. No matter how vigourously we deny, we have a proven track record of setting world records several times when it came to corruption. This also vastly contributed to our negative image.

So, when we talk about branding our country, we first certainly need to eliminate the factors that are bugging our image. l Ekram Kabir is Executive Editor of Natunbarta.com.

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Onukrosh releases today n Punny Kabir Golam Mustafa Shimul’s debut feature film Onukrosh will be released today in Binaka cinema hall. Besides, the film will have its World TV Premiere on the same day on Channel i at 3:05pm.

Shimul, who has directed about 100 TV plays before, finally emerges as a filmmaker this time with the film that revolves around many political questions which are now at burning state. According to Shimul, the canvas of the film encompasses the Liberation War in 1971 till the current time. It is about a retired army officer (played by Pijush Bandyopadhyay) of Pakistan who comes to Bangladesh in

AFD celebrates birth centenary of Albert Camus n Entertainment Desk

search of his “son” (war child).

Raiz Mahmood Jewel plays the role of the war child whose mother was tortured and raped by the army officer. At the final phase of the war, the army officer became severely injured and incapable of fathering a child. So, in his old age he comes to Bangladesh to find his “only child.”

“It’s a critical story. The word Onukrosh means forgiveness. Here the army officer seeks forgiveness to the war child and begs to be accepted as his father. The whole story gives the answer why such crime cannot be forgiven. Thus the film goes in depth to the issues of trial of the war criminals, loopholes in our political system and many more,” said Shimul. l

To celebrate the 100th birthday of Albert Camus, Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) and The Reading Circle are organising a discussion on the Nobel laureate’s The Outsider ( L’Etranger), today at the auditorium of AFD at 5pm.

The discussants from the Reading Circle will be Dr Niaz Zaman, Asfa Hussain, Shahruk Rahman, Jackie Kabir, Shirin Islam, Syed Badrul Ahsan and Raana Haider.

Besides, Olivier Litvine, Director of Alliance Française de Dhaka will also participate in this discussion.

A television series on Tin Goyenda, the popular and one of the most famous series of juvenile detective novels, is on the cards. Maasranga Television will air the series presented by Horlicks and the story for the series is generated by Mazharul Haque Pintu and projected to be directed by Abul Hasan Khokon.

For the portrayal of the three vital characters of the novel, Kishore Pasha, Musa Aman and Robin Milford,

Exhibition

Solo Sculpture Exhibition

By Hamiduzzaman Khan Time: 10am – 8pm Athena Gallery of Fine Arts, Progoti Shoroni, Uttar Badda

Festival

Documentary Festival

By Documenting Bangladesh 5 Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm Main Auditorum, National Museum, Shahbagh Swadhinota Utshab

By Liberation War Museum Time: 5pm – 7pm Liberation War Museum & Mirpur Graveyard

Theatre

Payer Awaj Pawa Jae

By Theatre Time: 7:00pm – 9:30pm Experimental Theatre Hall, BSA Konthonalite Shurjo

By Tirandaj Natyadal Time: 7pm – 9pm Studio Theatre Hall, BSA

The Outsider is considered as one of the masterpieces of world literature. It is about Meursault who does not care about the conventions of the society. After the death of his mother, everyone is shocked when he shows no sadness. And when he commits a random act of violence in Algiers, society is baffled.

His refusal to satisfy the feelings of others and of society only increases his guilt in the eyes of the law. But soon Meursault discovers that he is being tried not simply for his crime, but for his lack of emotion, which condemns him for being an outsider, a stranger. l

Actors hunt on for Tin Goyenda TV series n Entertainment Desk

TODAY IN DHAKA

Friday, March 28, 2014

the production team is searching for new actors between 15 to 18 years and capable of acting, riding bicycle and motor bike, driving car, swimming, skating and karate.

Those who are interested are requested to send resumes at tingoyenda@maasranga.tv or Maasranga TV, 2 Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Road, Banani, Dhaka.

Tin Goyenda, as the name explains, is the tale of three teenage detectives.

They are not only investigators, but adventurers as well. They always look

for thrill, suspense and challenge.

Sometimes Georgina Parker and her pet dog Ruffian accompany them.

Tin Goyenda appeared at a time when the Bangladeshi book market offered very few juvenile detective novels. Apart from the Feluda series

by Satyajit Ray, no contemporary detective series for children were available in that period. In August 1985, the first Tin Goyenda book also named Tin Goyenda hit the market and caught the attention of thousands of thriller-loving young people. l

The Last Krishnochura : agony of a nature lover

Ananta Jalil emerges as a choreographer!

At the upcoming Cultural Journalists’ Forum of Bangladesh Performance Award ceremony on April 14, Jalil and Barsha, the Most Wanted duo of Dhallywood film industry, will be seen dancing on Jalil’s choreography.

A source confirms that the performance will feature two selected parts of Jalil and Barsha’s next film Most Welcome 2.

Kumar Mardur to perform today

n Limana Solaiman A miniature photography exhibition is going on at the capital’s Hatirjheel, a connecting road built on top of a water-body for easier en-route of people living near Tejgaon, Gulshan, Badda, Rampura, Mouchak and Maghbazar. The exhibition is Zaid Islam’s way of showing the change and update of the landscape since the work of the project started in 2008. He expresses his feeling of losing something when a Krishnochura tree was being bulldozed to the ground in order to make life easier for the city dwellers.

About his exhibition, Zaid Islam said: “One morning I was looking out of my window when I saw that the Krishnochura tree I used to look at, was being bulldozed as the work of the Hatir-

n Entertainment Desk

Spectators at the exhibition at Hatirjheel jheel project started. I felt helpless and as loss at it was a common and soothing sight for me. Afterwards, I noticed a group of children running towards the tree and I also joined them with my camera. I wanted to capture the moment, the children’s reaction to the destruction of something that was fa-

miliar to them. I felt a connection with the lot and a similar kind of stirring within myself, but at that time I could not identify it for what it was.

“They touched the branches, the leaves, and the bright flowers. Then they started collecting parts of the tree.

I ran down to join them. I too wanted

to bring back the last flower of this tree that I have known for years, I grew up seeing it from a distance.”

The exhibition opened on March 28 and will conclude today. After six years, Zaid found the group of children who are teenagers now and inaugurated the exhibition with them. l

Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) brings An Evening of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music by eminent Indian classical vocalist Kumar Mardur, this evening at its Gulshan auditorium.

A musician tutor and Junior Guru at ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, he hails from Dharwar and has trained in classical vocal music under his father, Pandit Somanath Mardur.

Harmonium artiste Rupashree Bhattacharya, an ITC Sangeet Research Academy scholar, and proficient tabla artiste Sanjoy Adhikary will accompany him in today’s show. l

Madonna to direct third film n Entertainment Desk Madonna is getting ready to shout “action!” again: She’s going to direct her third motion picture.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the BBC and other media, Madonna is set to helm Ade: A Love Story, the debut novel of Rebecca Walker, daughter of Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple.

Rebecca Walker will co-produce the indie film, along with Bruce Cohen, who produced Silver Linings Playbook and American Beauty. She also is the author of a memoir, Black, White, and Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self, about growing up interracial and with different religions (her father is civil rights lawyer Mel Leventhal).

Her novel tells the story of a

young American student who falls in love with a young Muslim man on an idyllic island off the coast of Kenya before the clash of cultures complicates the relationship.

Madonna evidently loved the book when it was published last year.

She posted a picture of the cover and the blurb, “Read this Book! An incredible journey! A Beautiful LOVE story!”

It will be Madonna’s third time in the director’s chair, although her previous efforts were not resounding successes. WE, in 2011, was a period retelling of the Edward VIII/Wallis Simpson imbroglio, while 2008’s Filth and Wisdom was a comedy centered on roommates living desperate lives in London.

Still, she had a huge world tour last year and was named the world’s top-earning celebrity — with about $125m —by Forbes in 2013. l

Marking the Independence Day of the country, several cultural organisations, troupes and bands celebrated the occasion through a variety of programmes. On top, a new band Oitijjho performed songs at the Gonojagoron Moncho, bottom left, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote arranged a celebration at the Rabindra Sarobar and on the right, the dance piece portrayed was arranged by Charukola in an event at Shilpakala SADIA MARIUM

Aamir Khan beats Shah Rukh and Ranveer to romance Deepika Padukone? n Entertainment Desk While it’s confirmed that Deepika Padukone has replaced Kareena Kapoor Khan as the heroine in Shuddhi, the guessing game is just going on and on as far as the male lead is concerned. Originally, it was Hrithik Roshan who was roped in as the hero of the film, but he walked out of the project and chose to work with Katrina Kaif in Bang Bang.

Ever since then various names like Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika’s alleged beau Ranveer Singh have been doing the rounds to play the male lead in Shuddhi.

However, now it is rumoured that it’s neither SRK nor Ranveer who has replaced Roshan Jr in the film. In fact, it’s none other than Mr Perfectionist, Aamir Khan who will romance Padukone in Karan Johar’s much talked about project.

There is a strong buzz that KJo wants Aamir to star in Shuddhi. And if at all he manages this, it will surely be a casting coup of sorts, which will ultimately give the film a big boost. And why not? After all the deadly combo of Aamir and Deepika in Shuddhi will surely get the cash registers ringing at the box office. l

Did you know?

Sturridge/Suarez are only the 3rd duo to both score 20+ goals in a single season (Cole/Beardsley 93-94 & Drogba/ Lampard 09-10)

Friday, March 28, 2014

Sport

14 Knee injury rules

Valdes out of World Cup

15 Tevez at the

double as Juve edge Parma

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Australia face

WI in do-or-die match

Mahsrafe urges fight back

Australia women’s captain Meg Lanning plays a shot during their World Twenty20 match against Ireland at Sylhet International Stadium yesterday

Lanning hits record 126 in Aussie win Australia women’s skipper Meg Lanning breezed into the history books by scoring 126 off just 65 balls, highest individual score in women’s T20, during their match against Ireland yesterday.

The two-time world champions as a result earned a comfortable 78-run win in their second World Twety20 match.

Lanning became the third woman, and the first Australian, to reach the

triple figure in a T20 international and she entertained the Sylhet International Stadium crowd with 18 boundaries and four towering sixes. The previous record was held by South African Shandre Fritz who had scored an unbeaten 116 against Netherlands in 2010.

Riding on Lanning’s ton and opener Delissa Kimmince’s 35, Australia posted a gigantic total of 191/4 as the Irish were restricted to 113/7. Isobel Joyce was the highest scorer for Ireland with 28.

Salma seeks improvement against favourites Bangladesh women will surely want to forget their catastrophic batting display in their previous game against West Indies when they face England in their second match of the Women’s World Twenty20 at the Sylhet International Stadium this afternoon at 3.30pm.

After being beaten by West Indies in their opening game, today’s tie will be an even tougher test for the home side against one of the favorites of the tournament who is ranked second in women’s cricket behind Australia only.

Bangladesh have never met England in their 19 previous T20 internationals which means the two sides will be facing each other for the first time today.

The support from the home crowd will be there but the thing to worry most for Bangladesh women’s team is their feeble batting display in the last game and maybe that was the reason why they came to the practice ground a bit early in the morning yesterday to put their batting hitches in order.

“We have never played against them (England). We have only watched their

bowling and fielding in their practice session and that is the only idea we have about them. Hopefully we will play good cricket tomorrow (Friday),” said Bangladesh captain Salma Khatun who also added how they are practicing hard to improve batting. “We are working hard to improve our batting.

We are batting against spin and pace and the batsmen are practicing very hard.”

On the other hand, England returned to winning ways by beating India in theirprevious match after being defeatedby West Indies in the opener.

Bangladesh’s strength restson their spinnersheavily but England vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarah Taylor says she has no problem facing spinners, “I enjoy playing against spin.

Obviously the wickets turn a bit more.”

“There is going to be a lot of new things to learn while playing against Bangladesh. They’ve been absolutely brilliant with the game here. The women are coming through. It’s going to be a big crowd here, obviously supporting Bangladesh. Hopefully there will be a few for us. It’ll be a good game I’m sure.” l

Since making her international debut in 2010, the 22-year-old Lanning scored her maiden ODI century against England in only her second international game making her the country’s youngest ever centurion – male or female.

However, the Australian captain said there was nothing on her mind about records while getting closer to the century. “I was not thinking about the records, I was thinking to get us to a biggest total possible,” she said. l

It has just been over a year that Lucy O’Reilly stepped in her teenage shoes and when girls of her age are usually occupied with the development of fashion sense and musical records, the 14-year-old is making her country Ireland proud by taking up a different path.

Lucy has certainly made her father proud, former Irish cricketer Peter O’Reilly, and not only that she is also the youngest cricketer to make debut in World Twenty20.

“It’s really great to represent my country and it is special for me that I got to achieve that very young. But like everyone, I’m here to win game,” said Lucy to Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

It was easy for someone to distinguish the all-rounder when Ireland played against Australia yesterday and it wasn’t only for her infantile age and look, but her approach in the world stage. She has at least six teammates double her age with

them,” said Lucy the right-handed batsman cum medium pacer.

Women’s cricket is slowly developing around the world and it is expected that a one takes it up as a career from her childhood. Ireland seems to be a perfect breeding place for such as it isn’t only Lucy, there is also Elena Tice who began her career at

Australia’s 191/4 is the highest ever in a women’s WorldT20 match surpassing New Zealand’s 180/5.

The 78-run margin of victory is the biggest in women’s World T20 history.

Lanning became the first Australian woman to score 1000 and more in her T20 career.

126 – Lanning became the highest individual scorer in a T20 match

Gavaskar ready to take over troubled India board Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar said he was willing to take the helm of India’s embattled cricket board Thursday, following a request by the Supreme Court designed to stem the damage from a betting scandal.

At a dramatic hearing in New Delhi, a panel of judges also called for the banning of two teams from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), in a potentially devastating blow to a tournament which begins next month.

After warning the incumbent N. Srinivasan that they could order him to quit, the judges proposed 64-year-old Gavaskar take over on an interim basis as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

“In the place of Srinivasan, we propose to appoint an experienced cricket player like Sunil Gavaskar to replace him and function as BCCI president,” said Justice A.K. Patnaik, the panel’s chairman.

“The fact that I am contracted to the BCCI to do TV commentary has to be put on record,” he told the NDTV network. l

14-year-old Lucy here to win games Clare Shillington, 19 years older, the oldest among them and Lucy said she learns a lot from them.

“We all are a part of the team, we play as a team. There are also so many young players in the squad. I learn a lot from

MUMIT M

Former Bangladesh captain and fast bowler Mashrafe bin Mortaza looks to bounce back from the terrible past and put up a fight against India in their second World Twenty20 second round today. The hosts so far have been disappointing and haven’t showed any sign of resistance in their slumping defeats against Hong Kong and West Indies.

Mashrafe echoed that they have always fared better when they got off to a good start and said, “We will play to win for sure, but above everything else, we have to start well. We have to agree that we lost the last two games badly. First of all, we have to fight hard.

Once we do that, we can play better.

We have always won when we have given a good fight. We didn’t do that in the last two matches.”

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan just a day ago slammed the cricketers for their approach and informed that he had no idea why the cricketers are not able to play to their potential. Mashrafe accepted the fact as the performance of the side was not up to the mark and said, “I find it hard to comment on it, as it is only natural for everyone to talk after these two losses.

“As players, we have to accept it. We have to try and turnaround from the next game. We had a long discussion with him, and he wants to help everyone,” he said.

The 30-year-old added they need a combined effort for the unit especially form the spinners as they have always proved to be game changers for the Tigers.

“Our spinners have always been a factor, though the pacers have to provide a good start. But when the spinners do well, we win games. We will still need a combined performance, as that often brings us wins. All the bowlers have to do well against India.

“At the moment, everything seems to be difficult. I feel that if we can start well tomorrow, it will be easier for us.

We lost wickets early against West Indies and Hong Kong. I still believe that our batsmen can dominate top-class attacks,” said Mashrafe.

Meanwhile, despite sitting comfortably in the table with two wins out of two, Rohit Sharma informed they will take the game today very seriously as a slip up might cost them a semi-final spot.

“We will be going with the same approach as before and we want to keep it simple, we know what we need to do to win this game. All three departments would be crucial and I am sure individuals are working on whatever areas they need to.

“The approach definitely won’t change but of course it is an important game playing Bangladesh. Obviously they will be getting a lot of support at their home ground and get behind them and we have to be at our best to win the match,” said Rohit.

Rohit also informed they are not at all worried about the IPL controversies back home and they are fully focused on the tournament and nothing else. l

an even younger age.

Lucy admires Elena and also admitted to get in the game encouraged by seeing her play. “We came to the game with the same experience and I would say I learned a lot from her.”

Elena, 17, made her international debut at the age of 13. The leg spinner Elena, who took the first wicket against Australia yesterday, is the second youngest cricketer ever to play in an international match, behind Pakistani spinner Sajjida Shah. Sajjida made her debut aged just 12 years and 271 days against Ireland in July 2000 while Elena made it to the international level at 13 years and 272 days through a T20 match on August 15, and played her first ODI at the same venue two days later.

Elena lived in Vienna when she was six and featured for the Austria Cricket Club for around three years. With her older brother Patrick, who is a wicketkeeper and part of Ireland’s U-19 set-up, the two often played in the same team until the family moved back to Ireland.l

Steyn, Tahir save Proteas blushes The pace and spin combination of Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir enabled South Africa to dodge an upset against Netherlands as they latter suffered a six-run defeat in their Group 1 match of the World Twenty20 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.

Chasing 146 runs, Netherlands opener Stephan Myburgh had almost secured them a historic win with his blistering knock of 51 from 28 balls.

However, once he was dismissed the Dutch hope also faded slowly as Tahir and Steyn fired the Proteas home to a nail biting win.

The Dutch side shattered from 80 for 1 to 139 all out - losing 9 for only 59 runs. This gifted South Africa the two points they desperately needed to stay in the competition for the semifinals run.

In the process Tahir also claimed his career best figures in T20I - 4 for 21 in four overs - which also included the wicket of Netherlands’ last hope Tom Cooper.

“I actually never thought of losing the game. Yeah, the score on the board was little low but we always believed of being able to defend that with the line-up that we have. There were moments when you think the game is gone but if you see, we have been involved in games like this for

the last two years and in most of it, we were in the winning side,” said man of the match Tahir to the media after the game.

Earlier, Netherlands’ charge was led by medium pacer Ahsan Malik who claimed his maiden five wickets in international stage for the expense of 19 runs only. His figures is also the best figures by an Associate bowler against a Full Member.

Netherlands were well on course after they restricted South Africa to 145 despite a steady start. Hashim Amla lost his opening partner Quinton de Kock in the first over but steered the Proteas with a quick fire 22-ball 42.

However the Dutch were clever as a bowling unit and used the slowness of the pitch to perfection. The lack of pace did not allow the South Africans to run away with a big total while four wicket in the last five overs tied them below 150.

Later, Netherlands got off to a flying start with opener Myburgh leading from the front. The right-handed batsman had charged the South African attack from the word go and kept on doing so until he was removed in the ninth over by JP Duminy.

The Myburgh thrust had propelled Netherlands close to the target but they succumbed to pressure once Steyn and Tahir bowled with experience.

They needed nine off the last two overs with a wicket in hand, but it too seemed big as South Africa emerged victorious. l

SCORECARD South Africa Hashim Amla c Barresi b Malik 43 Q de Kock c Myburgh b Swart 0 F du Plessis c van Beek b T. Cooper 24 AB de Villiers B. Cooper b van Beek 21 A. Morkel c B. Cooper b Malik 5 JP Duminy c Barresi b Gugten 12 D Miller b Malik 17 D Steyn c Barresi b Malik 5 B Hendricks c c Borren b Malik 3 Imran Tahir not out 9 L Tsotsobe not out 1 Extras: (b1, w4) 5 Total: (for nine wkts; 20 overs) 145 Fall of wickets 1-3, 2-45, 3-84, 4-92, 5-102, 6-120, 7-127, 8-133, 9-135 Bowling Swart 2-0-26-1, Gugten 4-0-28-1, Malik 4-0-19-5, van Beek 2-0-14-1, Bukhari 4-0-26-0, Seelaar 1-0-9-0, T. Copper 3-0-22-1 Netherlands S Myburgh b Duminy 51 M Swart c du Plessis b Steyn 8 W Barresi lbw b Tahir 14 P Borren lbw b Tahir 13 T Cooper b Tahir 16 B Copper c de Kock b Steyn 5 M Bukhari c Miller b Tsotsobe 11 P Seelaar c Duminy b Tahir 2 L van Beek run out 1 T Gugten c de Kock b Hendricks 8 Ahsan Malik not out 1 Extras: (b4, lb2, w3) 9 Total: (all out; 18.4 overs) 139 Fall of wickets 1-58, 2-80, 2-80, 3-82, 4-97, 5-116, 6-116, 7-118, 8-124, 9-134 Bowling Morkel 2-0-19-0, Hendricks 3.4-0-16-1, Tssotsobe 4-0-46-1, Steyn 4-0-19-2, Tahir 4-0-21-4, Duminy 1-0-12-1 South Africa win by six runs

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Monaco storm into Cup semis Monaco routed second division Lens 6-0 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the French Cup and keep their outside hopes of a league-and-cup double on track. Monaco boss Claudio Ranieri, whose side are 10 points behind runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue 1 title race, made six changes from the team’s last outing against Lille at the weekend. But the changes made little difference to the outcome against a Lens team who are second in Ligue 2 and seeking a return to the top flight.

–AFP

Sport

Friday, March 28, 2014

Hamilton eyes win in Malaysian GP Lewis Hamilton Thursday said he may have his best chance yet to finally win the Malaysian Grand Prix despite a disappointing mechanical flop in Australia which left him trailing in the standings. Hamilton said his Mercedes, which took him to pole position at the Formula One season-opener but then lasted just a few laps of the race, was the strongest he had brought to tropical Malaysia’s Sepang circuit. “I’ve had some good results here but obviously I haven’t won here. So that’s been the challenge every time I come,” said Hamilton.

–AFP

Ton-up Sehwag downs Durham Virender Sehwag’s typically rapid century ensured county champions Durham suffered a six-wicket defeat in their English season curtain-raiser against MCC in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The former India opener made 109 off 97 balls, including a six and 18 fours, as MCC chased down a victory target of 224 in 51 overs. England exile Samit Patel contributed a handy 48 as MCC eased to victory. MCC resumed on Wednesday’s fourth and final day on 48 for two, with Sehwag nine not out.

–AFP

Gerrard, Sturridge send Kops second In-form Liverpool enhanced their Premier League title credentials and closed to within a point of leaders Chelsea after overcoming a stubborn Sunderland side 2-1 at Anfield on Wednesday.

Steven Gerrard’s superb 39th-minute free-kick broke the deadlock and Daniel Sturridge doubled the hosts’ lead early in the second half, only for Ki Sung-yueng’s late header to leave Liverpool hanging on.

When the final whistle did come, to roars of relief from the home fans, it gave Brendan Rodgers’s side a seventh consecutive victory and took them above Manchester City, who retain two games in hand.

RESULTS Liverpool

2 1

Sunderland

2 1

Hull City

Gerrard 39, Sturridge 48

West Ham Noble 26-P, Chester 54-og

Ki 76 Jelavic 48

PREMIER LEAGUE Team 1 Chelsea 2 Liverpool 3 Man City 4 Arsenal 5 Everton

GP 31 31 29 31 30

W 21 21 21 19 16

D 6 5 3 6 9

L 4 5 5 6 5

GD PTS 39 69 45 68 52 66 19 63 16 57

Sunderland, meanwhile, remain third from bottom, three points from safety, but with a game in hand on the two sides immediately above them.

While Liverpool were unchanged from their 6-3 win at Cardiff City, Sunderland coach Gus Poyet gambled by fielding a five-man defence in an attempt to blunt the hosts’ razor-sharp attack.

A succession of Liverpool attacks broke down on the edge of the box, obliging the hosts to chance their arm from distance, but Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Joe Allen all failed to find the target.

They needed a helping hand and shortly before half-time they got one, as Sunderland defender Santiago Vergini conceded a free-kick for an untidy foul on Suarez just outside the visitors’ box.

As the last man, the Argentine could have been shown a red card, but although he escaped with only a yellow, Gerrard punished his offence by arcing a glorious free-kick into the top-right corner from 22 yards.

In response, Connor Wickham saw a deflected shot saved by former Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, but Sturridge’s strike three minutes into the second half gave Liverpool breathing space.

In the day’s other game, West Ham United edged 10-man Hull City 2-1 at Upton Park to end a run of three straight defeats and ease their relegation fears. l

Five-goal Celtic win 45th Scottish title

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard (C) celebrates scoring from a freekick with team mate Luis Suarez (L) against Sunderland during their English Premier League match at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England, on Wednesday AFP

Real beaten again as Atletico, Barca win Real Madrid suffered a huge blow to their La Liga title hopes as a 2-1 win for Sevilla sent them crashing to a second defeat in four days on Wednesday.

Colombian striker Carlos Bacca struck twice to give the hosts a sixth consecutive league win after Cristiano Ronaldo had opened the scoring.

League leaders Atletico Madrid now lead Real by three points and have a better head-to-head record against Los Blancos as they beat Granada 1-0.

Barcelona moved into second place, a point behind Atletico, with a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo at the Camp Nou thanks to a double from Neymar.

But it was a bittersweet night for the

Catalans as goalkeeper Victor Valdes may have played his last game for the club after suffering cruciate ligament damage.

Real were looking to react from a first defeat in 32 games on Sunday as they lost a thrilling El Clasico 4-3 to Barcelona and they started brightly with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema going close inside the first 10 minutes.

Ronaldo did open the scoring 14 minutes in as his free-kick cannoned off Ivan Rakitic to leave Sevilla goalkeeper Beto helpless.

The lead lasted only four minutes as Bacca finished off a fine move by converting Jose Antonio Reyes’ pass from close range. However, Sevilla were grateful to Beto six minutes before the break as he brilliantly turned Ronaldo’s piledriver over the bar.

However, the Italian still believes his

side have a chance to redeem themsevles in the final eight games of the season.

Barcelona now have the destiny of the title in their own hands as they host Atletico on the final day of the season.

Neymar had already put the hosts in front before Valdes’ injury as he tapped home Alexis Sanchez’s cross.

Lionel Messi continued his fine run of form to make it 2-0 from a wonderful Iniesta pass on the half hour before Neymar rounded off the scoring 23 minutes from time.

It was a quieter evening at the Vicente Calderon as Atletico continued to demonstrate their title credentials with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Granada.

In a game short on clear-cut chances, it was once again Diego Costa who made the difference for Diego Simeone’s men as he headed home Jose

Sosa’s corner 27 minutes from time to register his 32nd goal of the season. l

RESULTS Rayo Vallecano Larrivey 90-P

Barcelona

1 0

Osasuna

3 0

Celta Vigo

2 1

Real Madrid

1 0

Granada

Neymar 5, 67 Messi 30

Sevilla Bacca 18, 72

Atletico Madrid Diego Costa 63

Ronaldo 14

LA LIGA Team 1 Atlético Madrid 2 Barcelona 3 Real Madrid 4 Athletic 5 Sevilla

P 30 30 30 30 30

W 23 23 22 16 14

D 4 3 4 8 8

L 3 4 4 6 8

GD PTS 46 73 63 72 49 70 20 56 10 50

Celtic clinched their 45th Scottish title in style as they eased to a 5-1 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Wednesday.

It is the earliest the Scottish top flight title has been won since 1928/29, when Rangers won it on March 16.

Anthony Stokes got the party started early as he headed Celtic into a third minute lead before substitute Liam Henderson grabbed his first goal for the Hoops just four minutes after coming on at the interval.

Stefan Johansen then drilled an unstoppable shot past Paul Gallacher in the 53rd mintue and Leigh Griffiths and Stokes both had efforts ruled out for offside before Christie Elliott netted an 85th minute consolation for Thistle Stokes sent a sensational strike past Gallacher before Kris Commons had the final word with a goal in the third minute of stoppage time to send Celtic 26 points clear of Aberdeen with seven games remaining and seal a 45th league championship.

The Hoops have dropped just nine points on their relentless march to the title, tasting defeat just once in a season where ‘keeper Fraser Forster set a new Scottish shut-out record of 1,256 minutes.

It is a third successive league title for Celtic and manager Neil Lennon, who celebrated four years in the job on Tuesday, to add to the five championships he clinched as a player with the Parkhead club. l

I’m only one who can beat Blatter, says Platini UEFA chief Michel Platini told Reuters on Thursday he was the only person capable of beating Sepp Blatter in an election battle for the FIFA presidency.

The 58-year-old Frenchman emphasised he had yet to decide whether to stand for world soccer’s top job next year but told Reuters in a briefing following the UEFA Congress in Kazakhstan: “There is only one person who can beat Blatter”. Asked who that was, Platini said: “Me”.

The former France midfielder also said he told FIFA investigator Michael Garcia why, as a member of the organisation’s executive committee, he voted for Russia and Qatar to host the 2018

and 2022 World Cups.

Platini added he would “be the first” to fight any bid to stop Garcia probing corruption allegations surrounding FIFA and that his first thought when he saw Nicolas Anelka’s recent ‘quenelle’ salute was, “Oh-oh, do the English realise what a problem they have here?”.

Asked if he had enough backing outside Europe, he replied: “Yes I have many people who support me around the world but I have not yet decided to run.

“I am happy being UEFA president and I still have to decide about FIFA. I will consult many people but it will be my personal decision in the end.”

Blatter, 78, FIFA president since 1998, has dropped strong hints that he will stand for re-election for a fifth term. l

Bayer break winless streak South Korea’s Son Heung-Min hit a superb late goal to help Sami Hyypia’s Bayer Leverkusen claim their first win in ten games in Wednesday’s 3-1 Bundesliga victory at Augsburg.

Having previously tasted victory at the start of February, Leverkusen’s miserable run of results saw them slip from second to fourth in the table, crashing

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, surrounded by teammates, gestures as he lies injured on the pitch against Celta Vigo at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on Wednesday REUTERS

Valdes out of World Cup Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes was ruled out of the World Cup on Wednesday after suffering cruciate ligament damage in his right knee during his side’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, who has signalled his indication to leave Barca at the end of the season, was seen was seen crying as he left the field after just 23 minutes on a stretcher after jarring his knee whilst lunging towards the ball. Valdes will also miss Spain’s defence of their World Cup title in Brazil later this year.

“Victor Valdes has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will require surgery,” Barcelona confirmed via the club’s official Twitter account.

“It is very bad luck and a very costly

injury, too much for a game that means just three points,” Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta told Barca TV. Midfielder Andres Iniesta, meanwhile admitted it was difficult for the Barca players to concentrate on the game after the injury.

“It was an uncomfortable situation on the pitch. The players weren’t the same, the fans weren’t the same. Everything seemed a bit strange.

“The important thing now is that he recovers well.”

Valdes has made the fourth highest number of appearances in Barca’s history having been first-choice goalkeeper at the club since 2003.

He has won six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues in that time, but announced last year he would leave the Catalan capital at the end of the current season to seek a new challenge. l

out of both the Champions League and German Cup in the process.

Victory at Augsburg broke a streak of eight defeats in their last nine games in all competitions and eased the pressure on Hyypia, 40, who is in his first season as head coach.

The win keeps Leverkusen fourth in the league, which carries a Champions League play-off place, and three points clear of fifth-placed Wolfsburg. l

This photo taken on yesterday shows the first stamps of the Swedish football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic released in Sweden. Five millions stamps have been preordered AFP

Tevez at the double as Juve edge Parma A brace from Carlos Tevez in a cagey 2-1 win over 10-man Parma restored Juventus’s 14-point lead over Roma on Wednesday and kept the champions on track for a third consecutive Serie A title.

Roma had cut the gap on Tuesday with a last-minute 2-1 win at home to Torino.

But any expectations Juventus would hand Rudi Garcia’s team hopes of a title slip-up were effectively over by the 65th minute in Turin, when Parma, having reduced the arrears thanks to Cristian Molinaro’s half-volley, were reduced to 10 men when Amauri saw red for fouling defender Giorgio Chiellini.

Roberto Donadoni’s visitors pushed the champions all the way but Juve held on for a 26th win which also kept them on track to become the first Serie

A champions with at least 100 points from the season.

Tevez’s double took his tally to 18 for the season and top of the league scoring charts with a one-goal advantage on Ciro Immobile, who scored Torino’s consolation in the 2-1 defeat to Roma.

The Argentinian, however, picked

up a booking meaning he will miss Sunday’s trip to Napoli, who meantime stayed in the hunt for the second automatic Champions League qualifying spot with a 4-2 win away to Catania.

Napoli coach Rafael Benitez left Gokhan Inler, Goran Pandev and Gonzalo Higuin on the bench for the trip to Sicily, where the hosts were looking for only their second win over their rivals in their last 10 league encounters.

However Benitez was pleased his rotation policy paid dividends: “We made a lot of changes for this game but the team played well overall.”

Napoli were handed an unexpected favour when Phillipe Mexes and Mario Balotelli, from a free kick, scored one apiece in a shock 2-0 win away to Fiorentina to boost Milan’s flagging campaign.

Although the win reduced the gap on the first Europa League place to eight points, the performance will boost the confidence of under-fire coach Clarence Seedorf. l

RESULTS Atalanta De Luca 22, Denis 59

Cagliari Nene 31

Catania Monzon 52, Gyoember 75

Chievo

2 0

Livorno

1 0

Verona

2 4

Napoli

3 0

Bologna

0 2

AC Milan

Zapata 16, 43, Callejon 25, Henrique 40

Paloschi 7-pen, 78, Rigoni 89

Fiorentina

Mexes 23, Balotelli 64

Juventus Tevez 25, 32

Sassuolo Longhi 16

Genoa

2 1 1 2

Parma Molinaro 62

Sampdoria Sansone 1, Okaka 66

2 0

Lazio

Gilardino 65, Fetfatzidis 83

SERIE A Team 1 Juventus 2 Roma 3 Napoli 4 Fiorentina 5 Inter Milan

G W D 30 26 3 29 20 7 30 18 7 30 15 6 29 12 11

L 1 2 5 9 6

GD PTS 47 81 41 67 25 61 16 51 16 47

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Halestorm keeps England afloat

Australia face WI in do-or-die match Defending champions West Indies and Australia face off in a do-or-die clash today as action resumes in group two of the World Twenty20 Super-10s after a two-day break.

India lead what is billed as the “group of death” with two consecutive wins, while Australia, the West Indies, Pakistan and hosts Bangladesh have lost a game each.

Three wins in four games will not guarantee a team one of the two semi-final places from the group, but two defeats will almost certainly hasten an early exit.

George Bailey’s Australians, seeking a maiden World T20 title after winning the 50-over World Cups four times, were beaten by Pakistan in their only match so far in the tournament.

The West Indies, who lost to India, bounced back to thrash Bangladesh by 73 runs on Tuesday, which gave the champions the best net run-rate in the group of 1.75. Australia have three matches in hand and the West Indies two, but neither side can afford to lose the opening game of Friday’s doubleheader at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.

Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin said the knock-out situation was a blessing in disguise.

“Sometimes that can relieve the pressure because you know where you stand,” Haddin said. “There will be no second chance for us. We have got to make sure that we bring our A game and deliver under pressure.l

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six 6:30AM NBA 2013-14 Dallas v LA Clippers BTV, Gazi TV, Maasranga TV Star Sports 1, HD1 ICC World T20 2014 3:30PM West Indies v Australia 7:30PM Bangladesh v India Star Sports 4 1:00AM Sony Open Tennis Ten Golf 7:30AM Eurasia Cup Day 2

England batsman Alex Hales celebrates the victory over Sri Lanka during their ICC World Twenty20 match at The Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday AFP

The 1-1 draw between the archrivals Dhaka Mohammedan and Abahani in the last group match of Modhumoti Bank Independence Cup Football at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday will see the latter face the mighty Sheikh Jamal in the quarterfinals.

Mohammedan topped Group B with a goal difference of +3 while Abahani’s are second with +2. With four points each, Mohammedan will take on Group C runners-up Muktijoddha while Abahani will lock horns with Group C champions Sheikh Jamal.

Mohammedan went up in the 10th minute courtesy of a Samad Yusuf

Too much shuffling effects fielding: Kalpage More than Bangladesh series of defeats in the recent past, what has been more worrying about our tigers is their fielding. There have been the occasional flashes of brilliance in the field from our Tigers since the beginning of the bilateral series against Sri Lanka. But those acrobatic displays have been overshadowed unfortunately by their frequent and uncharacteristicsloppy approach in the field which has seen the Tigers dropping dollies indiscriminately. Such has been the effect of the epidemic that irrespective of their age or experience, every player of the team has looked vulnerablewhen chances have come their way.

These lapses in fielding has cost the team so dearly that they had to surrender potential wins because of their inability to accept chances. Therefore, an urgent remedy to this crisis is a crying need if they are to give themselves the best chance to progress further in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Current fielding coach of Sri Lanka and former coach of the BCB-National Cricket Academy Ruwan Kalpage

Plan U-15 Girls Football final today The final match of the Plan U-15 Girls Football between Chittagong and Sylhet will be held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 3:30pm today.

At a press conference held at the BFF Hosue yesterday, Chittagong captain Ling China Marma and Sylhet captain Mithila expressed their aspirations to the media. Sirajul Islam Bachchu, the chairman of BFF’s women’s wing, deputy chairman Mahfuza Akhter Kiron, Debashis Shaha - director, field operations and Masud, manager, UNIQLO officials Eiko Sherba and Ayako Kurihara were also present on the occassion.l

A breathtaking hundred from Alex Hales kept England alive in the World Twenty20 after they put their dismal catching efforts behind to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the Super 10s at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.

England lost to New Zealand in their first match and were desperate for a win that came riding on Hales’ unbeaten 64-ball 116.

On his way to the his maiden T20 century Hales also shared a record 152-run stand with Eoin Morgan, biggest for third wicket and fourth biggest over-all in T20 international.

England, chasing a mammoth 190, was pegged back very early with a double blow in the very first over. Mediumpacer Nuwan Kulasekara removed Michael Lumb for a duck on his fifth ball before Moeen Ali edge to second slip for a golden duck.

Hales and Morgan bailed the English side out with an outstanding display of patience and planning to bring the run chase back on track.

Hales was particularly impressive with his stroke making and the 25-yearold from Middlesex didn’t hesitate to

hit – be it the pacer Lasith Malinga or mysterious spinner Ajantha Mendis.

Hales reached the first fifty runs in 39 balls hitting seven fours.

With more time in the middle, Hales gained confidence, pressed on the gas and to the next fifty runs in 22 ball slating four boundaries and as many over boundaries.

England needed 23 runs off the last two overs while Alex needed five runs to land his century. Hales reached the mark in style as he walked across the stumps to make Kulasekara fire the ball even wider and he carved it beautifully over cover for a flat six. He slammed two more sixes after this off which the last was to nail the coffin and get England the much needed win.

In between the run fiesta, England had lost two more wickets, to Kulasekara, which included Morgan on 57 off 38. Kulasekara took all the four wickets for Sri Lanka.

Earlier, Sri Lanka, despite losing Kusal Parera (3) in the second over, had a flying start with their senior duo - Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene – coming back to form. Helped by the shambolic fielding display from the English, Dilshan and Mahela added 145 runs for the second wicket to answer all the critics.

Jayawardene scored 89 off 51 with 11 boundaries and three sixes while Dilshan made a 47-ball 55. l

MSC send Abahani to Jamal’s den blunder as the seasoned Ghanaian defender lacked power in his back header to custodian Sohel which was duly intercepted by onrushing Mohammedan striker Zahid Hasan Emily and all it needed was a gentle push.

Mohammedan came close again in the 17th minute, but forward Touhdul Sobuj’s glancing header on a Zahid Hossain cross whistled past the side post.

Abahani kept the possession of the ball in the midfield but lacked the finishing edge as all of their efforts lost the way in the middle of the Mohammedan box.

However Abahani’s Ghanaian stalwart Awudu Ibrahim restored the parity in the 53rd minute with an intelligent strike. Carrying an Osie Morrison through pass down the right flank Awu-

thinks too much rotations in the starting lineup is the reason for inconsistency in the Tigers’ fielding. Kalpage’s assessment is actually backed up by the Tigers’ fielding in their very last match against the West Indies where Mahmudullah dropped two catches while Ziaur Rahman, Sohag Gazi, Anamul Haque dropped one each.

“You cannot change the team every day because whole-sale changes is bound to create negative impact on fielding,” said Kalpage. “Players need to trust the coach and the management,” said Kalpage, expressing his disbelief after Bangladesh made four changes in their line up against the West Indies.

“It is always difficult for anyone to get into the shoes of the role that he is expected to play as a fielder,” added Kalpage, who is credited with giving Sri Lanka’s fielding a new height in the recent past. The former combative allrounder of Sri Lanka underlined the necessity of to the point individualanalysis. Kalpage believes this can help the cricketers to know their weakness as well as the management to make plans to reduce theirdeficiencies.

“We try to analyze everyone individually as only a combined effort can only help you in achieving your goal. We don’t tell anybody that you have done brilliant today. We rather try to remind them that there is always room for improvement,” maintained Kalpage.

“It is a game of 11 people. Maybe three people are brilliant today but there are other eight who have the chance to raise their standard,” he added.

The Lankan emphasized that perhaps the Tigers are trying too hard in the field which has resulted in losing concentration at crucial times.

“One needs to understand that a fielder needs to maintain a consistent tempo throughout the game, stick to the basics by not putting pressure on himself,” he stressed.

The 44-year-old from Kandy advised, ‘Practice hard but play simple’ – is the success recipe of Sri Lanka, the number one Twenty20 side in the world.

Nasir Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Mushfiqur Rahim and Rubel Hossain are among the few to be coached by him during his tenure at the BCB-Academy. l

du intended to cut a cross, but deceived Mohammedan goalkeeper Titumir with an angular shot from the near post.

Abahani’s pressure in the dying minutes nearly paid off but their Cameroonian forward Ekele Patrick squandered an easy chance in the 77th minute. He lost balance while trying to head an Awudu Ibrahim chip on the edge of the six-yard box.

Earlier Sony Norde, the Haitian star of the Sheikh Jamal led from the front to steer his team to a 3-1 victory over Muktijoddha. The IFA Shield runnersups piled up pressure from the very beginning and in the 13th and 14th minute Haitian forward Wedson Anselme and his compatriot Sony Norde shot wide off the side post from advantageous positions.

Sony Norde put Jamal ahead in the

Team Europe took a huge step towards winning the inaugural EurAsia Cup Thursday when they crushed Asia 5-0

Yesterday’s Fourball Results (Team Europe 5-0 Team Asia) Jimenez/ Larrazabal bt Jaidee/ Aphibarnrat 2 & 1 Bjorn/ Olesen bt Koumei / Tanihara 2 Holes Dubuisson/ Luiten bt Marksaeng/Siddikur 3 & 2 Fdez-Castano/ Gallacher bt Bhullar/ Lahiri 4 & 3 Mcdowell/ Donaldson bt Hyung-Sung/ Fung 3 & 1

Today’s Foursome Draw (Team Europe First) Jimenez/ Larrazabal v Jaidee/ Aphibarnrat Bjorn/ Olesen v Marksaeng/ Hyung-Sung Dubuisson/ Luiten v Oda/ Tanihara Fdez-Castano/ Gallacher v Siddikur / Lahiri Mcdowell/ Donaldson v Bhullar/ Fung

51st minute with a cool finish. Playing one-two with Mamunul Islam who provided the final pass the Haitian forward slotted the ball into the near post.

However Muktijoddha’s Nigerian forward Sunday Chizoba scored the equalizer in the 64th minute. Taking control of a Maruf Ahmed lob at the middle of the box Sunday turned around and sent a placing shot into the near post.

Sony Norde, who more or less scored all his goals with his feet, scored his second header on a Linkon cross into the middle of the net in the 86th minute.

Sohel Rana completed the rout in the 90th minute with a brilliant solo effort. Taking control of a Wedson long ball he went past one defender and curved a left footer into the far post. l

SCORECARD Sri Lanka T. Dilshan c Jordan b Dernbach 55 K. Perera c Buttler b Dernbach 3 M. Jayawerdene b Jordan 89 T. Perera not out 23 K. Sangakkara c Hales b Jordan 0 A. Mathews not out 11 Extras: (lb2, nb2, w4) 8 Total: (for four wkts; 20 overs) 189 Did not bat: D. Chandimal, S. Senanayake, N. Kulasekara, A. Mendis, L. Malinga.

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Perera), 2-149 (Jayawardene), 3-156 (Dilshan), 4-169 (Sangakkara) Bowling Ali 1-0-4-0, Dernbach 4-0-42-2 (1nb, 1w), Bresnan 4-0-48-0, Jordan 4-028-2 (1w), Tredwell 4-0-36-0, Broad 3-0-29-0 (1nb, 2w) England M. Lumb b Kulasekara 0 A. Hales not out 116 Moeen Ali c Senanayake b Kulasekara 0 E. Morgan c Mathews b Kulasekara 57 J. Buttler c Chandimal b Kulasekara 2 R. Bopara not out 11 Extras: (nb1, w3) 4 Total: (for four wkts; 19.2 overs) 190 Did not bat: T. Bresnan, C. Jordan, S. Broad, J. Tredwell, J. Dernbach Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Lumb), 2-0 (Ali), 3-152 (Morgan), 4-156 (Buttler) Bowling Kulasekara 4-1-32-4 (2w), Mathews 2.2-0-31-0, Malinga 4-0-31-0 (1nb, 1w), Senanayake 4-0-30-0, Mendis 4-0-520, Thisara 1-0-14-0 Result: England win by six wickets Toss: England

Ridoy, Rahima win TT titles Ridoy and Rahima emerged as the champions in their respective disciplines of Walton Independence Day Table Tennis at the Shahid Tajuddin Wooden Floor Gymnasium yesterday.

In the men’s final Ridoy beat Ripon Khan by 4-2 games to lift the men’s title while Rahima overpowered Lopa by 4-0 games to win the ladies title.

The title of the unseeded boys went to Khalek who beat Raihan by 3-0 games.

Syed Shahed Reza, the secretary general of Bangladesh Olympic Association distributed the prizes as the chief guest. Asaduzzaman Kohinoor, the general secretary of Bangladesh Handball Federation, Zobera Rahman Linu, the general secretary of Table Tennis Federation, vice presidents Sheikh Jahangir Alam and Moeenuzzman were also present. l

Ruchi School Champions Trophy starts on Sunday The Ruchi School Champions Trophy comprising 16 schools of the capital will start at the Army Museum ground from Sunday next.

The participating schools include Mastermind, Mohammadpur Government Boys’ School, Oxford International School, Hurdco International School, Motijheel T&T High School, Motijheel Model High School, Maple Leaf International School, Summerfield International School, New School Dhaka, BAF SEMS, Mirpur High School, Dhanmondi Government Boys’ School, Rajdhani High School, St. Joseph School, Mohakhali Model School and London Grace High School.

Teams will be split into four groups with the top team from each group moving into the semis. Amer Khan, the CEO of Root Marketing Services presented the meet to the press at the Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday. Abu Tayeb Siddiki, the DGM, Square Consumer Products, national team’s football coaches Lodewijk de Kruif and Rene Koster were present. l

Europe dominate opening day in the opening day four-ball matches of the Ryder Cup-styled event.

European captain Miguel Angel Jimenez and fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal gave them the perfect start by beating Team Asia leader Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat 2 and 1 in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur.

Only Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung and his South Korean partner Kim HyungSung had a good opportunity to give Asia a point after going three-up through seven holes. But Europe’s pairing of Graeme McDowell and Jamie Donaldson went on the offensive and turned it around to register a 3 and 1 victory.

Danish pairing Thomas Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen beat Japan’s Koumei Oda and Hideto Tanihara 2 up while

15

Friday, March 28, 2014

France’s Victor Dubuisson and Joost Luiten of the Netherlands defeated Thai Prayad Marksaeng and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman 3 and 2. l

Well, I think our hitting was good, except we couldn’t hold a putt. They got a few good long putts, but we played a great game.

We had a good chance for eagle on hole 11 but it ended up in the water. We were in a good position but my second shot was just short of the green. It’s all part of the game.

I would say it’s only the first day, nothing to worry, two days to go. The third day will be very good competition and tomorrow, as well, because tomorrow is foursome. I’m really looking forward to the next two days.

- Siddikur Rahman

Winners of the Walton Independence Day Table Tennis pose for a photograph at the Shahid Tajuddin Wooden Floor Gymnasium yesterday COURTESY

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Friday, March 28, 2014

Mysterious ‘suicide’ leaves questions unanswered n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Banni , who died under mysterious circumstances yesterday, lies at the Dhaka Medical College morgue

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

In a tragic incident, a 25-year-old girl yesterday took her own life in the capital’s Mohakhali. However, her parents claimed she was murdered.

The victim was Israt Jahan Banni, daughter of Ahsan Ullah residing in Uttar Mugda of Modinabagh.

“The girl took poison and died soon after she was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 02:30pm,” Mozammel Haque, Inspector of DMCH police outpost, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“We have detained Abdur Rahman, 32, son of Abdul Aziz of Mithapukur in Durgapur. He claimed he had a love affair with Banni,” Mozammel added.

Banni’s father Ahsan Ullah told the Dhaka Tribune that Abdur Rahman developed a relation with Banni a year ago. “He claimed to be a drama director and said he would give my daughter a role. He also took Tk200,000 from Banni in that regard.”

Father of the victim said his daughter took the money from her mother as he refused to give it.

“When I came to know about it, I forced her last month to bring the money back. When Banni pressured Abdur Rahman to return the money, he just killed her,” Ahsan alleged.

Sufia Kamal, mother of the victim, said Banni had got into altercation with her when she told her to bring the money back from Abdur. “She then left the house on March 2 and began living with Abdur. She sounded upset when she called me last night.”

Abdur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune in police custody that he had so far made four dramas, namely “Khoj the artist”, “Taharar Sonnasi”, “Songshoy”, and “Nil Shopno”.

“Of these, Taharar Sonnasi was aired on ETV. I gave her a role in “Khoj the artist.” On March 3, she came to my residence and said that her parents had forced her to leave. Since then, she was living with me. I live in a bachelor’s flat which is why I had to introduce her as my wife to others,” he said.

Abdur went on: “She got too upset about her parents’ attitude and also attempted suicide several times but I managed to calm her. On Tuesday night, she attempted to poison herself to death again but I managed to throw it out. In my absence the next morning, she took it.”

Abdur said sometimes she would extend financial assistance to him. “But I would not take much from her. It is now just a blame against me as I was about to marry her after securing a job.” l

Tribunal prosecution under ministry’s intense monitoring

20 non-resident Bangladeshis awarded CIP status

n Udisa Islam

The Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment has awarded 20 non-resident Bangladeshis CIP (commercially important person) status for their contribution to the country’s economy.

Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain handed over CIP cards to the recipients at Probashi Kallyan Bhaban yesterday. Secretary Khandaker Showkat Hossain and Begum Shamsun Nahar, director general of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, were present among others.

Of the recipients, 19 were given CIP status for sending remittance through banks in 2011 and in 2012 while the other received the status for importing products from Bangladesh, said ministry officials.

The status, in the remittance category for 2011, was bestowed upon Rafiqul Islam in Switzerland, Firoz-ul-Alam Khan in Russia; Habibur Rahman, Md Jasim Uddin and Mohammad Yeasin Chowdhury in Oman; Osman Ali Khan and Mohammad Liaquat Ali in Saudi

The law ministry is now monitoring the war crimes tribunal prosecution as it wants to resolve all the misunderstandings within the team.

The move has prompted the prosecutors to be “sincere” as the minister asked them to improve their work and keep a low profile in front of media about controversial issues.

On Tuesday, Law Minister Anisul Huq sat with the prosecutors of the International Crimes Tribunal to resolve the issues that surfaced a month ago.

He directed the prosecutors not to talk to media about the details of “confidential” meetings and other issues that may create controversies. Sources said some major decisions were made at the meeting.

Following this, behaviour of the prosecutors has changed and they hardly talk to media people or journalists.

Some prosecutors, who have no specific duties, have started to attend the tribunal proceedings. They had earlier

never appeared at the tribunal after the case against top war crimes suspect Motiur Rahman Nizami ended in November.

Seeking anonymity, a mid-level prosecutor said: “We are now under a monitoring process, so every prosecutor wants to stay safe. Anyone can inform the minister about our activities.

This fear has created another suffocating situation.”

The minister told the Dhaka Tribune: “I met the prosecutors for the first time after taking office. We talked on the case proceedings and progress that day. It will continue because I have to know the updates of the cases.”

One junior prosecutor said: “We are just doing our regular work without any chitchat to avoid any unpleasant incident.”

As there are two strong groups within the team, the prosecutors are scared about their position.

The prosecution had been in an uncomfortable situation since early this month after Mohammad Ali, conduct-

ing lawyer in the case against Nizami, in a TV interview made negative comments about the whole team and particularly Tureen Afroz. Soon two groups emerged within the team led

by Chief Coordinator MK Rahman and Chief Prosecutor Golam Arif Tipoo, as the latter wrote the ministry to intervene in the matter.

The ministry first set the meeting for March 20 but it was rescheduled for March 25. The attorney general was also present at the meeting held at the law ministry.

After the meeting, none of the 22-strong prosecution team was ready to talk about the meeting, mentioning it as “confidential” and “sensitive.”

When asked, prosecutor AKM Saiful Islam declined to comment on the issue. He suggested communicating with the minister directly.

Another prosecutor, seeking anonymity, said they had told the minister about the whole situation and hoped that things would improve in the near future. l

n Rabiul Islam

Arabia; Mohammad Mokbul Hossain in Qatar; and Tateyama Kabir in Japan.

Mohammad Mahtabur Rahman and Mohammad Akter Hossain in the United Arab Emirates; SM Parvez Tamal and Mahbubul Alam in Russia; Shahid Hossain Jahangir in Australia, Sakura Saber in Japan, Osman Ali Khan and Akkas Mia in Saudi Arabia; Abul Kashem in Kuwait, and Mohammad Delwar Hossain in Qatar received the status in the remittance category for 2012.

Meanwhile, Jagir Hossain Chowdhury was awarded the status for importing goods from Bangladesh in 2012.

The Expatriates’ Welfare Minister urged the recipients to use banking channels for sending remittance.

A non-resident Bangladeshi sending $1.5 lakh minimum in remittance annually is considered a CIP and gets some state privileges for a year.

According to the policy, a commercially important person is entitled to enjoy a range of privileges, including permission to enter the secretariat, and priority in booking seats for air, train and bus travel and other modes of transports for business travel in Bangladesh. l

Games and app launched marking Independence Day n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Different software companies and search engines of the country have released applications and games for Android and Windows platforms on Wednesday, honouring the country’s glorious Liberation War of 1971.

The Pipilika.com, the largest Bangla search engine, released a browser-based online game named Crack Platoon: Re-generation. The short first-person shooter game of 60 seconds allows a gamer to play as a freedom fighter on a mission to kill the Pakistani soldiers and their collaborators – Razakars – without killing any innocent people taken hostage by them inside a house.

Gamers have to shoot with the mouse, and for every Razakar killed they will receive 20 points and 10 points for every Pakistani soldier, but if any ordinary person is killed 50 negative points will be counted.

People can access and play the game at www.pipilika.com and also share their scores on Facebook.

Another organisation, Team ’71 released a game named Liberation 71,

which is currently available only for Windows PCs. The game was launched at Dhanmondi Club Games Corner in the capital. The gamer has to play the role of a freedom fighter, who is given 16 missions starting form March 26 to December 16, 1971.

Team ’71 said it had released the game as a pilot project, which will be completed by December 16. The game is a free download at www.liberation71.com.

The Ethics Advanced Technology Limited has launched an Android application named Shadhinota 26 that will help learn the eventful history of the 1971 Liberation War. The app details the 11 sectors during the 1971 Liberation War with the commanders and their responsibilities, regions and members etc, names and brief profiles of the seven Bir Shreshthas and important years such as 1947, 1952, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971.

The app contains YouTube links to rare video collections on the Liberation War. Users will also find lists of books on the war written by prominent Bangladeshi writers. The app can be downloaded from www.eatlapps.com. l

IBN SINA DRUGS

Government did not accept any favour: Noor n Mohosinul Karim Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor yesterday said giving drugs made

by Ibn Sina to the participants of the national anthem event did not mean the government accepted any financial help from the pro-Jamaat company.

The minister told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our stand is clear regarding the issue of taking support from pro-Jamaat companies. The government did not accept any help or financial support from them.”

The lunch box supplied to the participants of the “Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla” programme at the National Parade Ground on Wednesday contained three products made by the IBN SINA Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd: Unisaline, an edible saline; Sinapol, a paracetamol tablet; and Antanil, an antacid tablet.

IBN SINA Pharmaceutical is a concern of the Ibn Sina Trust, which is a sponsor shareholder of Islami Bank Limited – a financial institution owned

by Jamaat bigwigs. Recently, the investigation agency of the International War Crimes Tribunal found evidence that Jamaat had been involved with war crimes in 1971 as an organisation and recommended banning the right wing Islamist party.

In the wake of strong criticism in social and mainstream media, the government earlier this week returned the Tk3 crore that the bank had given for the event.

Many participants of the national anthem event threw away the drugs after seeing the maker’s name.

Noor claimed: “We procured the drugs from the suppliers by properly following procurement rules. The Armed Forces Division procured those drugs as per our [the ministry’s] demand. Purchasing more than three lakh packets of oral saline at a time is not an easy thing.

The company [IBN SINA] might have supplied some of those packets.

“It is not that the government has taken support from the company. A section of people are trying to create controversy regarding the issue. Although they are not banned, the government is adamant to avoid receiving any support from pro-Jamaat organisations,” Nur explained.

Shahinur Islam, director of the Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), told the Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday that the army did not know anything about the matter because the event had been organised by the ministry and that the army was only in charge of management. l

Autism ‘begins long before birth’ n BBC

Locals use handmade traps to fish in a canal of Rajshahi Barendra Development Authority in Godagari yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

‘Bangladesh among 10 new emerging countries’ n Tribune Report Bangladesh is one of the 10 countries that are set to take over as emerging economies from the powerful BRICS nations as they struggle with growing pains, says a French credit body report.

“After 10 years of frenetic growth the big five emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – the BRICS – are slowing down sharply,” the Compagnie Française d’Assurance pour le Commerce Extérieur (Coface) said.

In a report entitled “Coface identifies 10 emerging countries hot on the heels of the BRICS,” the organisation said average economic growth by the BRICS this year would be 3.2% points less than

the average in the last 10 years.

But “at the same time, other emerging countries are accelerating their development,” it said.

The growth of emerging economies and its effect on world trade flows is closely analysed by economists because of the huge impact on every aspect of the global economy and power balances, the AFP reports quoting the credit body.

Coface broke the 10 new emerging economies it has identified into two groups. The first comprises Peru, the Philippines, Indonesia, Colombia and Sri Lanka, which it named the PPICS. They had “strong potential confirmed by a sound business environment,” Coface said.

The second group comprises Bangladesh, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia.

But these countries are marked by “very difficult or extremely difficult business environments which could hamper their growth prospects,” Coface said.

However, the head of country risk at Coface, Julien Marcilly, said in 2001 “the quality of governance in Brazil, China, India and Russia was comparable to that of Bangladesh, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia today.”

But the 10 “new emerging countries” currently accounted for only 11% of the world population whereas the BRICS had accounted for 43% of the population in 2001. l

Scientists say they have new evidence that autism begins in the womb.

Patchy changes in the developing brain long before birth may cause symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), research suggests.

The study, in the New England Journal of Medicine, raises hopes that better understanding of the brain may improve the lives of children with autism.

It reinforces the need for early identification and treatment, says a University of California team.

US scientists analysed post-mortem brain tissue of 22 children with and without autism, all between two and 15 years of age. They used genetic markers to look at how the outermost part of the brain, the cortex, wired up and formed layers.

Abnormalities were found in 90% of the children with autism compared with only about 10% of children without.

The changes were dotted about in brain regions involved in social and emotional communication, and language, long before birth, they say.

The researchers, from the University of California, San Diego and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, say their patchy nature may explain why some toddlers with autism show signs of improvement if treated early enough.

They think the plastic infant brain may have a chance of rewiring itself to compensate.

“The finding that these defects occur in patches rather than across the entirety of cortex gives hope as well as insight about the nature of autism,” said Prof Eric Courchesne, a neuroscientist at the University of California San Diego.

Dr Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said: “If this new report of disorganised architecture in the brains of some children with autism is replicated, we can presume this reflects a process occurring long before birth. l

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B3 Digital ventures boost

ailing news media, study shows

B4 Watchmakers see uptick for timepieces at Baselworld show

FRIDAY, MARCH 28, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Next budget may see 5-year roadmap IDB to lend $44m for

Finance Minister AMA Muhith

n Tribune Report The government will announce the next budget for the fiscal year 2014-15 in line with its five-year plan for the sake of maintaining sustainable economic growth in the country.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday came up with the disclosure while briefing the journalists after a pre-budget consultation with a section of economists at the finance ministry auditorium.

“The vision of the government will be reflected in the first-year budget of the present government although it will be a little bid ambitious one as we still don’t know exactly the tenure of the present government,” categorically said AMA Muhith.

Among others, the top officials of the local think tanks- Bangladesh Institution of Development Studies (BIDS) and Policy Research Institution and Development Research Group attend-

DHAKA TRIBUNE

ed at meeting.

Hinting at a mid-term polls in the mid-tenure of the government, the minister, however, said: Even though a mid-term election might be held in the middle of the tenure of the present government, there will be no negative impact in the long-run on the country’s investment scenario as we have very good investment policy in the country to attract foreign investment.

Regarding policy focus on the upcoming budget for the next fiscal year, finance minister said the main focus would be on enhancing the efficiency of the administration along with building up business confident in the local private sector.

“The country receives foreign assistance which is only 3% of total GDP but we could use only 1.7% of that foreign assistance.”

Regarding revenue growth, the minister hinted that it will be increased up to 20% from the existing 14.1% as the

Stalemate over allowing FDI in service sector persists n Kayes Sohel The legal tangle is preventing foreign direct investment in Bangladesh’s service sector for last one and a half years, industry people say, as a court stay order against licensing is still in effect.

After a writ petition against the Board of Investment (BoI) recommendation to issue licence to fully foreign-owned firms in service sector, the High Court delivered the order in October 2012 for three months.

The court directed different ministries, departments and regulators concerned to stop issuing licences to purely foreign firms.

Although the order was for three months, it has been extended several times, being in force for last 19 months.

“It is a great deterrent to FDI,” said a leader of Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

“Several foreign firms in service sector have already turned back because of this legal bar,” he added. A BoI official said they had received a number of foreign investment proposals in service sector but could not make any progress as licensing has to be stopped after the court order.

In his writ, the petitioner specially mentioned the names of logistics, shipping, airlines, distribution and travel

World Bank vice president due today n Tribune Report World Bank’s vice president for South Asia, Philippe Le Houérou arrives in Dhaka today to build a longstanding partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank Group.

This is Le Houérou’s first visit to Bangladesh since assuming his position in July 2013 and comes as the global lender shifts more of its resources in the country to address infrastructure bottlenecks and expand energy generation.

“Bangladesh’s remarkable success in reducing poverty is an example for other developing countries who want to achieve the same. But Bangladesh has the potential to do much better,” said a press release yesterday quoting Le Houérou.

During visit, Le Houérou will meet with the senior government officials and the private sector and civil society leaders. l

agencies etc, the official said.

Mirza Walid Hossain, the petitioner, complained that the BoI was not following its own policy and recommending licence to foreign firms. According to him, the BoI in 2005 issued a directive discouraging 100% foreign-owned or joint venture companies in service sector like shipping, logistics, airlines, distribution and travel.

However, in 2008 the National Board of Revenue issued a circular allowing service sector firms fully owned by foreign investors to launch their operation in Bangladesh.

“It is really frustrating. I have learnt that we may need to yet more months to see a solution to the stalemate,” lamented a local investor who wished to launch a joint-venture shipping company.

For the sake of the country’s rapid economic development, investment is important from the private sector, he said.

Since the writ petition was filed against 15 high government officials, including Bangladesh Bank, National Board of Revenue and other public agencies, the government should take steps to resolve the matter immediately, the investor demanded.

A local agent of a foreign company alleged that he failed to renew his licence smoothly.

“However, finally I got a temporary renewal of licence in line with the court order,” he said. l

government’s expenditure will also be increased further.

Many have suggested to increase the amount of budget deficit in the next couple of years because of huge idle money although I am not agreed with a matter as budget deficit will not be exceeded 5% of the GDP, he further pointed out .

Regarding the size of the budget finance for next fiscal, minister said the next fiscal year budget will be finalised after the revision of the current fiscal year budget. Revised budget can be reduced by in between Tk10,000crore and Tk11,000 crore, which is Tk 2,22,491 crore in the current fiscal. Although it is not yet finalized, we have initially estimated Tk2,50,000crore for the budget of the next fiscal year.

In response to a question, the finance minister said the government would announce separate budget allocation for seven districts of the seven

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman has urged financial regulators to focus on financial inclusion including micro-insurance, micro-finance and socially responsible financing (SRF) for ensuring economic stability.

Addressing the 24th meeting of the Council and the 12th General Assembly of Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) in Brunei Darussalam yesterday,

second submarine cable n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd (BSCCL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Islamic Development Bank for $44m loan to join the country’s second submarine cable SEA-ME-WE-5.

“We have signed a primary deal with IDB and are expecting to get the money by August after signing a final deal,” Monwar Hossain, managing director of BSCCL, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The loan will be repaid in 26 instalments with two instalments each year, he said, adding that the state-run company would get two years installation time and one year grace period.

The borrower will have to pay 1.35% interest as per the London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor).

“It is a very soft loan for us and the Economic Relations Division (ERD) made a good effort for it,” said Monwar Hossain.

IDB also lent Bangladesh $35.2m during its first submarine connection SEA-ME-WE-4, which was paid back in 18 instalments.

Officials said Bangladesh would need around $68m (nearly Tk529 crore) to be connected with the second submarine network.

BSCCL will bear $44m from IDB loan and the remaining part (roughly Tk230 crore) from its own fund.

The company currently has Tk130 crore in its fund and will need to manage more Tk100 crore, according to the officials.

Monwar said they would collect Tk100 crore from the selling of surplus bandwidth of the first submarine cable.

BSCCL has 200Gbps bandwidth cur-

rently, half of which get the government’s approval for export.

Sources said in next two months the company will need to pay $13.7m (Tk108 crore) to install the second submarine.

On March 7, Bangladesh officially announced to join the second submarine, a consortium of 14 foreign companies, which was expected to help the country stay online without interruption.

Monwar Hossain said the two more Chinese companies were likely to join the consortium, which might reduce the Bangladesh’s overhead costs.

“It will be a high-class connectivity for both data and voice between Southeast Asia and western Europe,” he said, adding that the cable will primarily provide a bandwidth of 8Tbps and then increase up to 24Tbps.

The country will get an additional bandwidth of 1,400Gbps from the second submarine cable and always stay online even if one connection goes down.

The SEA-ME-WE-4 cable has already spent eight of its 20-year life time.

Bangladesh got connected to its first submarine cable in 2006. In the early 1990s, the then government had rejected a proposal for free connection with SEA-ME-WE-3. l

Accord and Alliance agree not to inspect single RMG unit twice n Tribune Report Both the two global retailers’ platforms, the Accord and the Alliance have agreed not to inspect a factory twice once done by either one to avert double-inspection in the ongoing safety and security check.

The decision was made at a joint meeting among the representatives from Accord, Alliance, ministries concerned, ILO, BGMEA and BKMEA, with commerce minister Tofail Ahmed in the chair.

The meeting held yesterday at the ministry of commerce, was attended, among others, by labour secretary Mikail Shipar, Brad Loewen, chief safety inspector of Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, M Rabin, managing director of Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety and Rob Wayss, executive director of Accord, BGMEA vice president Shahidullah Azim and BKMEA first vice president Mohammad Hatem.

We have decided that no factory will be inspected twice, which means if the Accord inspected a factory once, the

Atiur for socially responsible financing

n Tribune Business Desk

divisions including Tangali but there would be no funds for utilisingin the next fiscal year. The fund will, however, be allocated under the district budget from 2015-16 fiscal year.

The financial reporting act and PalliSanache Bank act will be passed this parliamentary secession although draft of the direct tax act will be finalized this fiscal year as soon as it will be finalised, said Muhith.

Minister, however, expressed his concern on the sluggish foreign and local investment growth because of the existing weakness of our economy coupled with bad investment situation.

The country has experienced investment growth of 1.2% over the last five years, which is not good for any economy as like as Bangladesh. The government will raise investment growth up to 32% from existing 27%, he also added.

Regarding banking sector finance, Muhith said: “Bangladesh Bank has now full control over the banking sector. The central bank is not only dismissing the board of directors of stateowned banks but also Bangladesh Bank can now sackthe managing directors of the state-owned banks”.

The pre-budget consultation meeting was attended, among others, by Dr. Zaidi Sattar and Dr. Ahsan H Mansur of Policy Research Institute, Dr. Mustafa Mujeri, BinayakSen, Zaid Bakht and Nazneen Ahmed of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, SajjadZohir of Economic Research Group.

During the meeting with the finance minister, local think tanks came up with a series of proposals which include budget allocation for union councils, planning for land utilisation, diversification of the agriculture products and encourage the hybrid agriculture products. l

he made the call saying that financial inclusion and SRF would not only for improving the condition of the disadvantaged, but also for wider objective of achieving financial stability.

He emphasized that higher access to finance enhances social and economic stability, reports BSS. Islamic Development Bank (IDB) president, governor of Sudan and chairman of Financial Supervision Authority of Indonesia supported Dr. Rahman’s views on micro-finance including Islamic micro-finance, according to a BB press release issued here.

Dr. Rahman also suggested IFSB to do more research and advocacy on capacity building of different central banks on their regulatory and supervisory role related to Islamic financing.

In addition to attending the Council meeting, the BB governor participated in the annual general meeting and a public lecture on financial stability. l

Alliance won’t inspect that particular factory again, Tofail Ahmed told the reports after the meeting.

“The decision has been made through extensive discussion not only to avert double-inspection to a single factory but also to expedite the entire safety and security check process.”

The Accord and Alliance along with the help of experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have so far inspected

ried building against its original plan for a five-storied building.

“It is quite expensive for the factories to install sprinkles for ensuring their fire-safety, but it is now mandatory to install such equipment from the sixth floor of a factory,” the minister said.

“The retailers brand will provide funds for the installation of fire equipments for remediation,’’ assured the minister.

Regarding the recent comment made

'The decision has been made through extensive discussion not only to avert double-inspection to a single factory but also to expedite the entire safety and security check process' 675 factories, out of which, only one factory building was found vulnerable, which has been remained closed till now, said Tofail.

Regarding the only closed factory Tofail said: The reason behind the factory closure is genuine as the factory owners illegally had built an eight-sto-

by US senator Menendez, commerce minister expressed his frustration as saying, “It is really unfortunate for us although there has been no labour unrest in the country’s RMG sector now.’’

He, however, questioned about the person who provided the false information on harassing RMG workers to

Menendez.

“How did he make the comment on GSP reinstatement based on an individual allegation?”

As asked Tofail categorically replied: The government will send its official reaction to the recently raised allegation of Menendez through the US ambassador in Dhaka.

Commenting on the appointment of 200 factory inspectors, the minister said the process is now at the final stage and waiting for the presidential nod. As soon as we get the consent from the president, the PSC chairman will accomplish the rest process within a short-period as he promised.

Regarding GSP restoration Tofail said, ‘There is no visible reason for not getting the GSP facility back as the government has met most of the conditions outlined by the US government and the rest will be done within the stipulated time-frame.

“After the evaluation of National Tripartite Action Plan, Accord and Alliance’s inspection and initiatives, we have reached a conclusion that we are moving towards a positive direction.” l

CUPCAKE VENDING: IT'S LIKE AN ATM, ONLY SWEETER

New York's first 24-hour Cupcake ATM, which can hold 760 cupcakes at a time in 20 different varieties, is located next to the Sprinkles Cupcakes bakery on the Upper East Side. The photo shows a woman taking her order of cupcakes after using the Cupcake ATM AFP

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Digital ventures boost ailing news media, study shows n AFP, Washington Online news ventures have added nearly 5,000 US media jobs in the past few years, boosting an industry that is still reeling from technology changes, a study showed Wednesday.

The Pew Research Center’s “State of the News Media 2014” report said these digital ventures are creating a more varied set of financial models for news, offering some hope to the troubled sector.

The Pew report said the largest number of journalists producing original reporting are still at newspapers, whose woes have deepened - with employment down 6.4% in 2012 and more losses likely in 2013 when final figures are tallied.

And the news business, which generates some $60bn in annual revenues, still relies on advertising for nearly 70% of its money.

But the online segment is gaining traction and pointing to successful new models, the Pew researchers said.

Boosting reporting power

“New players are boosting reporting power, technological talent and financial resources going into news, creating a level of energy not felt for a long time,” said Amy Mitchell, director of journalism research for Pew. While most newspapers have failed to generate significant revenues from their digital editions, some online news ventures are moving away from the ad-based model, getting support from philanthropists, venture capitalists and other methods such as conferences and events, Pew noted.

Intel buys fitness-tracking band maker Basis n

AFP, San Francisco

Intel on Tuesday announced it has bought fitness-tracking band maker Basis Science as part of a move into the hot wearable computing market.

The California-based chip maker did not disclose how much it paid for Basis, which makes a strap-on wrist band that captures data such as heart rate, activity, and sleep to help people live healthier.

Information is synched wirelessly with applications on smartphones.

Wearable computing has been a hot trend thanks to inexpensive sensors that can be built into formerly dump items and to increasingly powerful smartphones that can be used to analyze data collected.

Health and fitness have been early markets for lifestyle-tracking devices such as Up and Fitbit.

“The acquisition of Basis Science provides immediate entry into the market with a leader in health tracking for wearable devices,” said Intel vice president Mike Bell, general manager of the company’s New Devices Group.

“As we accelerate our position in wearables, we will build upon this foundation to deliver products that bring people greater utility and value.” l

These ventures “are spurring different ways to think about how to support journalism in the digital age,” said Pew research Mark Jurkowitz.

But Pew cautioned that “this growing investment in digital news does not mean the industry has figured out a consistent formula for monetizing that news.”

According to Pew, 30 of the largest digital-only news organizations account for nearly 3,000 jobs, and one big area of investment is global coverage.

Pew noted that Vice Media has 35 overseas bureaus, while the Huffington Post hopes to grow to 15 countries from 11 this year.

Other digital ventures growing overseas coverage include BuzzFeed and Atlantic Media’s Quartz. This comes at a time when international reporters working for US newspapers have declined 24% from 2003 to 2010, according to Pew. Pew said the gains at digital ventures have only modestly offset the losses in print, estimated at more than 16,000 newsroom jobs at newspapers and 38,000 in magazines from 2003 to 2012.

But the study said digital is showing strong journalistic efforts in some cases.

“Many digital outlets are working to fill reporting gaps created by the strain on resources at traditional outlets from niche topic areas like education to international coverage to local community news to investigative journalism,” the report said.

Social media driving news

The researchers said social media and mobile platforms are also transforming

The logo of news website The Huffington Post is seen on a computer screen in Washington AFP the news business. They found 50% of social network users share or repost news stories, images or videos, and 46% discuss news issues or events on social networks.

More than one out ten online news consumers have submitted their own content - videos, photos, articles or opinion pieces - to news websites or blogs, the report found.

About a third of US adults watch digital news videos, and news outlets like the Huffington Post have been expanding into video, the report noted.

Traditional television has seen mixed results, Pew said. Its analysis of Nielsen data showed fewer Americans watched cable news in 2013, while more tuned into network or local television news - the first increase for local

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Friday, March 28, 2014

TV news in five years.

Pew found fewer local TV stations in 2013 producing original news compared with 2012, a phenomenon driven by ownership changes and contentsharing deals. The study found a quarter of the 952 US television stations that air newscasts do not produce the programs they air.

For cable, the combined median prime-time viewership of the three major news channels - CNN, Fox News and MSNBC - dropped 11% to about three million, the smallest it has been since 2007.

The biggest decline came at MSNBC, which lost 24% of its prime-time audience. CNN saw a 13% drop and Fox’s audience dipped six percent, Pew said. l

Dollar ticks up after Wall Street sell-off n AFP, Tokyo The dollar edged up against the yen in Asia yesterday after falling in US trade on concerns about the US banking system and tensions between Russia and the West.

The dollar was at 102.18 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade, slightly up from 102.00 yen in New York Wednesday afternoon.

The euro, which dropped Wednesday on hints from the European Central Bank that it will act to fight deflationary pressures, bought $1.3790 and 140.92 yen compared with $1.3788 and 140.57 yen in US trade.

On Wednesday the US Federal Reserve rejected capital plans from five large banks as part of its annual “stress test” of firms’ ability to withstand a severe economic downturn.

The central bank said four of the five -- Citi, HSBC North America, RBS Citizens Financial and Santander Holdings USA -- had “qualitative” shortfalls in their capital foundations. The fifth, Zions Bancorporation, failed because its basic capital ratio was too low.

“The dollar came under pressure... after the Fed move helped US stocks and bond yields fall,” said Mitsui UFJ Trust and Banking senior dealer Toshihiko Sakai said.

But the rejection was “far from plunging financial markets into a riskoff mode”, he said. “It is also difficult to build large positions in the final days of the fiscal year.”

Exporters were offloading their dollar holdings as Thursday is the last day of spot trading on which transactions will be settled within the current fiscal year that ends on March 31.

Also playing on investors’ nerves

Facebook adds virtual reality firm Oculus to its shopping list, offering $2bn n AFP, San Francisco Facebook on Tuesday announced a $2bn deal to buy a startup behind virtual reality headgear that promises to let people truly dive into their friends’ lives.

Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg said that the acquisition of Oculus was a long-term bet that making the social network’s offerings more immersive would pay off.

“People will build a model of a place far away and you will just go see it; it is just like teleporting,” Zuckerberg said.

“I do think gaming is a start,” he said in a conference call, referring to the Oculus headset’s original design focus.

Zuckerberg billed the acquisition as part of a drive to build the “next major computing platform that will come after mobile.” For now, Facebook will use its resources to make Oculus headgear affordable and ubiquitous, according to Zuckerberg.

The California-based social network does not intend to become a hardware company, but Zuckerberg said it is open to people using virtual reality devices for immersive shopping experiences at Facebook.

Facebook plans to build on Oculus technology for areas such as communications, education, and entertainment.

Oculus shareholders will receive

n AFP, Tokyo

Beyond games

An attendee wears an Oculus Rift HD virtual reality head-mounted display at he plays EVE: Valkyrie, a multiplayer virtual reality dogfighting shooter game, at the Intel booth at the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas, Nevada AFP

The 7th meeting of Modhumoti Bank Limited’s executive committee held on Monday. The meeting was presided by EC chairperson, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh Green Delta Securities Limited recently inked a deal with CAPM Advisory Limited intending to expand its capital market operation. Wafi Shafique Menhaz Khan, CEO of Green Delta Securities Ltd and Adel Ahmed, MD and CEO of CAPM Advisory Limited signed the deal on behalf of their organisations

Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation seen paying tribute to the valiant freedom fighters on the Independence and National Day by placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar by the managing director of the corporation, Dr Md Nurul Alam Talukder along with other employees

Yahoo Japan to buy eAccess telecom firm for $3.2bn

$400m in cash and 23.1 million Facebook shares in the deal. Facebook called Oculus, launched in 2012, the leader in immersive virtual reality technology with a strong following among developers.

The company has already garnered more than 75,000 orders for the $350 Oculus Rift headset development kits.

“While the applications for virtual reality technology beyond gaming are in their nascent stages, several industries are already experimenting with the technology,” Facebook said.

“Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

Oculus’s headset earned raves from reviewers at the annual global technology fair CES in Las Vegas in January.

Buying it puts Facebook, the social networking leader, in competition with Oculus rival Sony for development of advanced virtual reality headsets.

Japanese consumer electronic titan Sony last week unveiled “Project Morpheus,” development of a virtual reality headgear system for its new-generation PlayStation 4 video game consoles.

Facebook said Oculus will maintain its headquarters in Irvine, California, and continue developing the Rift platform. l

is the ongoing stand-off between the West and Russia following Moscow’s takeover of Crimea from Ukraine this month.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Russia had moved more troops closer to Ukraine’s borders in recent days despite assurances it will not invade.

Markets remain wary as US President Barack Obama called for greater sanctions on Russia. Obama said Wednesday that the United States and its allies need to “step up” their commitments.

There are fears about the long-term ramifications of the stand-off, with Europe hugely reliant on Russia for its energy.

The dollar was mixed against other Asia-pacific currencies.

The greenback bought 60.15 Indian rupees after briefly falling below the 60.00 mark the previous day for the first time since late July.

The Indian unit has been slowly recovering from a sell-off that had been fuelled by the US Federal Reserve’s decision to start winding down its stimulus programme.

It also rose to 11,441.50 Indonesian rupiah from 11,402.50 rupiah while inching down to 32.57 Thai baht from 32.59 baht.

The dollar slipped to 44.98 Philippine pesos from 45.04 pesos, to Sg$1.2647 from Sg$1.2677, and to 1,071.44 South Korean won from 1,074.38 won.

The Australian dollar soared to 92.40 US cents from 91.93 cents on a brighter economic outlook of the country.

The Chinese yuan fetched 16.42 yen against 16.45 yen. l

Hafiz Ahmed Mazumder

Internet giant Yahoo Japan said yesterday it would buy almost all of domestic telecom company eAccess from its parent Softbank Corp. in a deal valued at around $3.2bn, or 324bn yen.

Yahoo Japan, a unit of the Japanese mobile phone and Internet service company Softbank, said the deal was aimed at further growth in its Internet services through smartphones and tablets.

By acquiring 99.68% of the telecom company, Yahoo Japan would be able to integrate Internet and mobile businesses, it said in a statement.

“We will remain true to our two companies’ DNA. We will continue to be wild and challenge the status quo,” Yahoo Japan president Manabu Miyasaka said, quoted by Dow Jones Newswires.

He said details about what kinds of services and pricing plans the new company would roll out would be announced later.

The deal is scheduled to be completed in early June, when eAccess is set to merge with telecom company Willcom Inc., also a member of Softbank group. l

Habibur Rahman

Fahim Ahmed Faruk

Pubali Bank Limited held its 31st annual general meeting at Basundhara Convention Centre in Dhaka on March 25, where the shareholders unanimously approved 5% stock dividend and 5% cash dividend for the year 2013. Hafiz Ahmed Mazumder has been elected as chairperson of the bank’s board of directors while Habibur Rahman and Fahim Ahmed Faruk Chowdhury have been elected as vice-chairpersons at the meeting

The board of directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited recommended a total 18% (10% stock and 8% cash) dividend for the year 2013, which is subject to the approval at the bank’s 31st annual general meeting. The decision came in a meeting of the board held at Islami Bank Tower on Saturday at the presence of Prof Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, the bank’s chairperson

The photo shows opening ceremony of 6th Clemon Mega Beach Carnival 2014

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Global support for reduction in govt control of web domain names n AFP, Singapore A plan to give control of the Internet’s technical operations to a diverse range of groups, including governments and businesses, instead allowing the state sole power, is gathering international support, participants at a Singapore meeting on the web’s future said yesterday.

The meeting convened by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was the first since the US government announced on March 14 it would hand over control of the Internet domain name system to a group comprised of various stakeholders in order to preserve the web’s freedom.

Some countries like China and Russia want oversight of the Internet’s technical functions to come under a group of governments or an inter-governmental organisation.

'What we see is that the majority of governments, the vast majority, very clearly recognise the ... benefits (of the model)' Kuek Yu-Chuang, ICANN’s vice president and managing director for the Asia Pacific, said “there is widespread agreement” on the multi-stakeholders’ model.

However, “there have been some suggestions on the table that maybe the governments can have an enhanced role,” he told AFP. Revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of massive snooping of Internet traffic by US intelligence had given fresh impetus to calls for control of the web to be pried out of American hands.

ICANN, a US-based non-profit group, controls domain names like .com and .org and Internet addresses under a contract with the US government that expires in September 2015.

ICANN has been tasked to lead talks on the transition, expected to be in place by the time its contract ends.

About 2,000 delegates from 150 countries attended the Singapore meeting, including those from governments, businesses, academe and Internet organisations.

“Some people will say that governments should have more control and some will say that the multi-stakeholders model needs to be completely preserved,” said Paul Wilson, director general of the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC), the region’s Internet registry.

He told AFP that this is a “fundamental difference that could carry through” discussions in the next 18 months.

Wilson however said that a “vast majority” of governments support the multi-stakeholders’ model.

“What we see is that the majority of governments, the vast majority, very clearly recognise the ... benefits (of the model),” he said.

Wilson noted that debates at previous stakeholders’ meetings were “much more polarised, much more black and white” and were marked with “muscle flexing” but this was no longer the case.

Critics say that having governments, especially those with authoritarian leaders, control the Internet’s domain name system would allow states to clamp down on dissent and the freedom of expression.

At present, the US government approves top level domain names such as .com, .net and .org. However, it also has control over domain names that involves countries like .ir for Iran, .ru for Russia and .cn for China, a situation that has sparked resentment from some governments.

Leaders of groups responsible for the Internet’s technical infrastructure warned at a meeting in Montevideo, Uruguay last year, that the web risked fragmentation at the national level if allegations of “pervasive monitoring and surveillance” pushed governments to take control.

“If the Internet fragments, it’s a big question mark on whether Singaporean users can use US services,” Kuek of ICANN said.

“Do we need to have a free trade agreement in order for Singaporean users to access American platforms, websites and services? I don’t know.

This is a big question mark,” he said, underscoring the need for a global governance of the web.

Discussions on the web’s future shift to a broader meeting of stakeholders in Sao Paolo, Brazil next month called NetMundial, in which both technical and non-technical aspects of the Internet will be tackled. l

A view of watches by Swiss watchmaker Rolex during the media day of the 42nd edition of the 'Baselworld' watch fair on March 26, in Basel. The world's biggest watch fair is set to open this week in Basel, offering an industry showcase for the world's most extravagant, rare and complex time pieces AFP

Watchmakers see uptick for timepieces at Baselworld show n AFP, Basel Baselworld, the showcase for watchmakers, opened on a bright note on Thursday, with industry leaders seeing a rise in global demand despite a sharp slowdown for expensive watches in China.

“We are confident for 2014,” JeanDaniel Pasche, head of the Swiss Watch Industry Federation, told AFP a day before the world’s largest watch fair opened to the public.

Francois Thiebaud, who heads the Swiss Exhibitors Committee, agreed.

“The year has gotten off to a good start,” he told reporters, pointing out that Swiss watch exports swelled 5.6% in January and a full 7% last month.

In 2013, Swiss watch exports edged up 1.9% to a record 21.8bn Swiss francs ($24.1bn, 17.8bn euros).

That marked a record high, but also a significant slowdown in growth, after exports a year earlier surged by nearly 11%.

Swiss watchmakers, especially in the high-end segment, have been hardhit by a drop in demand in China, one of their biggest markets which has driven breathtaking growth for several years.

But the bonanza suddenly lost its

spring last year as Beijing attempted to rein in corruption, including bans on extravagant gifts in business settings, sending Swiss watch exports to the country down 12.5%.

Pasche said that the Chinese market appeared to be “stabilising”, stressing that the country, with its ballooning purchasing power and appetite for luxury goods, could once again prove a boon for Swiss watchmakers.

“But this Chinese example also shows us that it is important for brands to be present around the world and not to focus too much on a single market.

Markets can go up or down, and you have to be able to compensate for the drops in other regions,” he said.

Jean-Claude Biver, head of niche watchmaker Hublot, told AFP that this diversification strategy was already in place and had been the industry’s salvation.

Japanese market speeds up

“Other markets compensated what we lost in China,” said industry veteran Biver, who recently took the reins of the brands owned by French luxury group LVMH. He expressed confidence that China

Creating leaders through connectivity n Ishtiaque Mahmud Before joining Grameenphone Ltd in January 2013 as CEO, Vivek Sood was executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) of the Indian mobile operator Uninor. With more than 42 million subscribers, Uninor is one of the fastest growing mobile operators in India. His 22 years of experience also includes executive positions in companies like Tata AIG life Insurance, Hutchison Telecom, Tupperware India and Hindustan Lever Limited (Unilever).

In the Leadership Summit 2014 organised by Bangladesh Brand Forum, Sood’s discussion revolved around the topic, Communication to Connectivity. Dhaka Tribune discussed views on leadership, key challenges for Bangladesh and the critical areas for improvement for leadership in the country on a previous interview with Sood. At the Leadership Summit 2014, DT caught up with him for a follow up discussion, where the extensively experienced business leader offered further food for thought.

What I learnt in Bangladesh

What I found remarkable about Bangladesh is that when it comes to regulations, stakeholders are very open minded and there is always a dialogue possible – quite unlike a number of other countries where you can’t initiate free and fair dialogue. Provided one has the patience and perseverance to carry the dialogue through, I feel the opportunity is always here. This has been a different experience for me here than in other markets.

I think the state of corporate leadership when it comes to multinationals, where I am experienced, is pretty much

the same here as it is in India. When it comes to domestic businesses, India is much more professional because of the sheer fact that large business houses in India have decided to venture out of the country and setup corporations out of India and become multinationals themselves.

They have had to do this by becoming much more professional and mature in dealing with issues such as governance, for example, which is something missing in Bangladesh.

online schools where somebody sitting in Dhaka can educate the young primary school children in some remote areas.

There is an opportunity for such things, however, what’s more important is that companies like Grameenphone can provide the access and we can provide the infrastructure, but there has to be somebody else with an expertise in developing the content. Because with this kind of modern means of disseminating education, it cannot be stagnant content, one have to always dynamically improve it with changing environment, so it’s a continuous process. We have examples of such projects being successful in India, and it can happen here.

Going forward

I think we had some good sessions at the Leadership Summit on how this country should develop leadership, but as was pointed out, the starting point is really about education; students need to be taught from early childhood how to be leaders instead of followers.

I think Bangladesh has spent too much time on educating in terms of content but not educating in terms of behaviour, in terms of developing traits, which can actually help them become leaders in the future. Leadership is also about how people are groomed to take over leadership positions. That is something which has to be the responsibility of preceding leaders.

In the corporate world, people at the top have to take the responsibility to develop their replacements, and that only come when they have a long term stake and look at succession as a way forward.

My belief is that prosperity and the will to prosper has to be a driving force for people to get educated and to me that’s pivotal. The focus has to be giving people the reason to work hard so that they can be employed and for that to happen we first need to create opportunities. That’s what the country

Critical leadership traits Grameenphone CEO, Vivek Sood should work towards.

As I talked about at the Summit, it’s all about connectivity and connectivity is about creating equilibrium, creating equality across geographies. If you’re able to provide good connectivity for getting information, knowledge, infrastructure, there would be less need for people to move to the city for job opportunities.

Bangladesh needs to have the right kind of access available outside of Dhaka for people to find occupations.

The government has to play a big role in terms of developing the right kind of infrastructure, where people and industries can move and start setting up establishments outside of Dhaka.

Education and connectivity

Going forward, connectivity must revolutionise education. We can develop

What I practice is: if you have confidence in yourself, you should be bold enough to take new challenges; for a leader there is never any taking the backseat. A leader must also be a people person, which means dealing with the lowest rung of his organisation to the highest echelons effectively while keeping them satisfied. A leader should also be willing to take risks, and learn to live with the consequences of the risks.

The next step

This Summit is being trans-communicated across 16 colleges and universities but one has to take it forward from there; you can’t just have a onetime event, it has to be a continuous process. The responsibility is with us leaders; we have to take the initiative and talk to the people and engage them more often. Such events often lose their significance after a while, unless we continue on the path. l

would roar back in the long term: “Just because there’s been a consolidation doesn’t mean that China will disappear.”

Meanwhile, the long-dwindling Japanese market was on the mend, South America was booming and the United States had returned to growth, he said, adding that he expected Swiss watch exports overall to grow by three to five percent this year.

Last month, exports to Japan alone soared 44 percent, according to the Swiss Watch Industry Federation.

“There is a renaissance and a strong recovery in this market which long was a very big luxury market but that for the past five years showed signs of weakness,” Luc Parramon, head of Hermes’s watch division, told AFP. There are also signs that Europe, where tourists are credited for keeping the watch-purchasing market afloat in recent crisis-wracked years, is finally seeing an uptick in domestic demand.

“The growth that we have seen in our industry comes thanks to Europe, which has done relatively well overall. We expect Europe to continue to be a very important market for our

industry in 2014 and to continue turning out positive numbers,” Pasche said.

Baselworld chief Sylvie Ritter agreed.

“Europe is doing better and better, and we expect more European buyers here than in recent years,” she told AFP. More than 100,000 visitors from around the world are expected to descend on the week-long show to view the offerings of about 1,500 exhibitors, and many retailers will place the bulk of their annual orders here.

But while the year seems to be getting off to a promising start, Swiss watchmakers are grappling with an unexpected, potentially crippling challenge.

Last month, Switzerland, which is not a member of the European Union, voted in a referendum significantly to curb immigration from the bloc.

“We are very worried,” Jacques Duchene, head of the Exhibitors Committee, told reporters, stressing that “if we have to limit our foreign workforce, I think that for some groups this will cause enormous problems.”

According to Pasche, about half of workers in the Swiss watch industry are foreigners who either reside in Switzerland or commute across its borders. l

Oil prices rise in Asia after strong US data n AFP, Singapore Oil prices edged higher in Asian trade yesterday on robust US consumer data and concerns over supply disruptions in Libya and Nigeria, analysts said.

New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery, gained 12 cents to $100.38 a barrel in afternoon trade, after surging $1.07 on Wednesday.

Brent North Sea crude for May gained two cents to $107.05.

“Crude made a huge move overnight rise due to the renewed strength in the US economy on better-than-expected durable goods numbers,” Kelly Teoh, managing director at I.R. Resources in Singapore, told AFP. WTI extended gains in Asian hours but the rise was less steep as the market took a breather.

The US Commerce Department said orders for durable goods -- a key measure for the economy -- rose 2.2 percent in February from the prior month, beating analysts’ expectations for a 1.0 percent decline.

The weekly US crude stockpiles report also showed a decline of 1.3 million barrels at the Cushing, Oklahoma oil-

DILBERT

trading hub for the US benchmark, suggesting expansion in economic activity.

European benchmark Brent crude was being influenced by concerns over supply disruption in oil producers Libya and Nigeria.

In Libya, rebels pressing for autonomy for the country’s eastern Cyrenaica region have been blockading terminals since July, leading to a decline in exports from 1.5 million barrels a day to just 250,000.

And Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell on Wednesday said it had declared a “force majeure” on crude from Nigeria as it struggles to repair a sabotaged pipeline.

“Force majeure” is a legal term releasing a company from contractual obligations when faced with circumstances beyond its control.

Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, accounting for more than two million barrels per day.

“While geopolitical events will influence price of Brent, WTI prices will be guided by economic data from the US,” said Sanjeev Gupta, head of the Asia-Pacific oil and gas practice at professional services firm Ernst & Young. l