20 April 2014

Boishakh 7, 1421 Jamadius Sani 19, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 21

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Most abductions veiled in mystery 10,182 cases filed in 2002-2013, 196 in 3 months this year; probe in over 3,000 cases yet to start n Mohammad Jamil Khan n Mohammad Jamil Khan Bangladesh Chhatra League leader Tanvir Hassan Anjan, also an MBA student of Shanta Mariam University of Creative Technology, went missing from Uttara area on January 28 this year.

Two general diaries were filed with Bhatara police station (no 1475) on January 29 and with Uttara west police station (no 371) on February 6.

Moreover, the victim’s family submitted written applications to the Rapid Action Battalion, Detective Branch of police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Inspector General of Police and state minister of home requesting proper investigation into the incident.

But there has been no trace of the victim and no progress in the probe made till date.

Family sources said Anjan had gone

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Data according to Ain O Shalish Kendra 80 70 60 50 40 30

'2010

'2011

'2012

Data according to Police Head Quarters 1200

Abduction cases filed

800

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club President Manjur Kader yesterday claimed that General Ayub Khan had allocated the Dhanmondi playground only to the elite and not for street children.

“This is why only the elite living in Dhanmondi area will use the playground. It’s not for all,” he said while addressing a press briefing arranged at the playground.

Manjur, however, did not explain who belong to the elite in Dhanmondi.

“Led by Mobassher Hossain, Iqbal Habib and some others, a few drug addicts and hired individuals are routinely creating chaos in the name of environmental concern. There is a limit of patience. They have crossed the limit and now we are forced to file suit against the so-called green activists. We will file the case against them for contempt of court,” the club president said.

During the two-hour briefing, Manjur showed a copy of a High Court order and said the green activists had violated the court directive. “Construction of tennis, badminton and basketball courts hasn’t violated the court order.”

He said he would hand over the copies of the court order to reporters after the briefing, but got angry with some of  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

0

March

200

February

400

January

600

Dhanmondi playground only for elite! n Abu Hayat Mahmud

'2014

Jan-Mar 2014

1000

0

'2013

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

With the summer heat rising, the number of water-borne diseases have risen significantly over the past few weeks. The picture shows patients receiving treatment at a hospital in the capital yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Only two female forensic specialists examining rape victims countrywide n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

Abduction cases filed

SLH/DT INFOGRAPHIC

NUMBERS OF CASES FILED WITH POLICE FOR ABDUCTION OVER THE YEARS

out of his house on road 1 of sector 13 in Uttara after having lunch around 3pm on January 28 on his personal motorcycle (Dhaka Metro-La-21-2076).

His friend Tanvir’s younger brother Sunny was with him. Leaving Sunny at the intersection of road 1, Anjan was returning home after borrowing Tk5,000 from him, but did not reach home as yet.

His mobile phone ringed until the next noon, but no one answered. After 1pm, it was found switched off.

Police recovered his motorcycle from the Airport police station area on February 9 but failed to get more information about the victim who was the organising secretary of Chhatra League’s Bhatara unit of the capital.

Anjan’s case is not the only one in which the law enforcers have failed to trace the victim of abductions. A number of political leaders, businesspersons, doctors and noted individuals

The 23 public medical colleges in the country currently have only two specialised female forensic doctors for treating rape victims.

Although a High Court order on the examination of rape victims prompted the health directorate to post female doctors in the forensic departments of medical colleges a year ago, none of those doctors reportedly had any specialised training on forensic medicine.

The only two doctors in the country who have specialised diplomas in forensic medicine are Dr Momtaz Ara and Dr Aliza Ali of Dhaka Medical College

and Sir Salimullah Medical College, respectively.

Professor Dr Habibuzzaman Chowdhury, head of forensic medicine department of the DMC, told the Dhaka Tribune that the public medical colleges face a shortage of both male and female forensic medicine doctors.

Admitting that only two female teachers currently have specialised forensic diplomas, Dr Habibuzzaman said neither male nor female doctors are interested in pursuing degrees in forensics.

Most medical colleges lack the adequate, trained manpower, the doctor said, adding that a forensic department should ideally have one professor and

one associate professor each, along with two assistant professors and four or five lecturers.

Sources say the forensic departments in the relatively newer medical colleges, including Cox’s Bazar and Satkhira, are run by lecturers, while only three public medical colleges - Dhaka, Sir Salimullah and Rangpur – have three fulltime professors of forensics.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Professor Dr Din Md Nurul Hoque, is set to appear before the High Court today regarding a recent court order that directed him to explain whether its previous order to ensure the appointment

No headway in Siddique abduction investigation n Kailash Sarkar The mystery behind abduction of businessman Abu Bakar Siddique, husband of BELA Chief Syeda Rizwana Hasan, gradually deepens as neither the abductors were identified nor the motive behind it could be determined.

Even the vehicle used in the abduction was yet to be recovered.

All questions remained unanswered though five days elapsed since the abduction and three days after the release of the abductee.

Police, RAB and DB said they had been trying their best to unravel the mystery.

The victim claimed that he was

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

DISPUTE OVER DHANMONDI PLAYGROUND

INSIDE

Eminent citizens seek PM’s intervention n Raihan Mahmood Eminent citizens representing different environmental organisations have urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to immediately intervene in saving the Dhanmondi Club ground from “grabbers” who are now using the name of Sheikh Jamal to put their ill motives into action.

In a press conference held at a city hotel yesterday, Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said as per the master plan of the capital, the ground of Dhanmondi Club should remain as an open space for the residents of Dhanmondi.

“It is unfortunate that the ground has now been made off limits to the common people,” he said, adding that people from all walks of life should have access to the ground as their basic right.

Prof Nazrul Islam at the press conference urged the Prime Minister to take necessary steps in this regard.

“A quarter is using the name of a family member of Bangabandhu. It is clear that the ground cannot belong to a club or organisation. People involved with the process are tarnishing the image of the Bangabandhu family,” he said.

Architect Iqbal Habib, the joint sec-

retary of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, said Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club doesn’t have any legal grounds to support their cause.

On March 15 in 2011, he said, the High Court declared illegal all the infrastructures on the playground and asked the DSCC to demolish all the illegal infrastructures within 15 days.

“But nothing has been done in this regard. DSCC has filed appeal against the verdict. And the ground has been made off limits to the residents for the last two and a half years,” he added.

Barrister Sara Hossain said they will

News

revive the legal procedures from today.

“We will resume the legal procedures as the court ruling has not been implemented. As Sheikh Jamal president Monjur Kader, one of the defendants, has not yet responded to the show-cause notice, we will revive the legal procedures,” she said.

Architect Mobassher Hossain said it is unfortunate that the presidents of BCB and BFF have extended their support to a wrong cause.

“As the guardians of the country’s cricket and football, they would have  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

Architect Iqbal Habib, the joint secretary of BELA speaks at the press conference regarding the Dhanmondi Club ground yesterday. Prof. Zamilur Reza Chowdhury, Prof. Nazrul Islam and Prof. Zafarullah Chowdhury are also seen in the picture. (Right) Monjur Kader (C), the president of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, makes a point in a press conference held on the club premises yesterday MUMIT M

5 Man arrested with Rs50 lakh at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday morning.

Nation

6 Members of seven ethnic minority families in Rajshahi district are living under open sky as their houses were demolished.

Op-Ed

11 For Imran H Sarkar, it’s a lost battle.

A formal end to his reign in an invisible empire based in Shahbagh since February 2013 is now in sight.

Sport

14 Atletico Madrid took another step towards their first La Liga title for 18 years as two goals in the last 20 minutes handed them a 2-0 win over Elche at the Vicente Calderon on Friday.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Concept paper drafted to punish doctors’ negligence n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) has prepared a concept paper for two separate draft laws, which aim to ensure the safety of doctors as well as punishment for professional negligence, misconduct and criminal offence by healthcare professionals.

Professor Dr Abu Shafi Ahmed Amin, president of the BMDC, told the Dhaka Tribune that they would submit the concept paper before the health minister by the last week of this month, while it was likely to take several more months for the law to be finalised.

Sources said discussions would be arranged with health professionals, lawyers, journalists and members of civil society, before the law is finalised.

Seeking anonymity, several senior health officials told the Dhaka Tribune that it was high time for introducing acts to make both doctors and patients more responsible towards each other.

With the number of unauthorised ill-equipped hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres growing across the country, most of the facilities lacked trained doctors, nurses or technologists. Many of the hospitals also allegedly fail to preserve record of patients, while there was no arrangement for auditing deaths of patients.

Hospitals in the developed countries hold audits for the deaths of each patient, while monitoring and supervising by respective ministries ensure

that the cause of death could easily be identified.

However, there is reportedly no fixed procedure in Bangladesh that ensures determining whether the death of a patient had been caused by negligence in treatment.

Several doctors expressed their frustration to the Dhaka Tribune, saying a group of unscrupulous doctors – who had been carrying out illegal activities in the name of treating patients – was tarnishing the reputation of the profession.

They also pressed for the enactment of a proper law which would help the people regain confidence on the healthcare sector and also ensure accountability for doctors.

Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub, president of Health Rights Movement Bangladesh and former president of Bangladesh Medical Association, told the Dhaka Tribune that assaults on doctors by relatives of the patients was a bad sign for the health sector.

The family members – who felt that negligence had been committed in treating the patient – should opt for lodging criminal cases against the doctor, instead of launching an attack, he added.

BMDC President Dr Amin, who is also a professor at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said the hospital had regularly been running morbidity and mortality clinics to identify the causes of diseases and mortality. However, it was being done only for academic purposes, but not to serve the patients, he added. l

2 kg gold seized at Dhaka Airport n Kailash Sarkar

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate seized another haul of 17 gold bars weighing over 2 kgs.

They also arrested a Dubai expatriate immediately after his arrival at Hajarat Shahjalal International Airport last night.

The gold worth around Tk1 crore was seized within 24 hours into the seizure

of over 1.3kg gold with the arrest of 6 other expatriates Friday night.

Identified as Zakir Hossain of Comilla, the man was arrested around 9:15pm while he had been crossing the Green Channel with the gold bars, said Moinul Khan, director general of the directorate.

He said, “The gold worth around Tk 1 crore was seized after his movement was seemed to us suspicious. l

Police produce two criminals involved in making fake NID cards at the DMP Media Centre in the capital yesterday. Story on Back Page

Bangladesh to discuss drug smuggling with Myanmar n UNB Bangladesh is seeking to hold talks with Myanmar for discussing ways to prevent drug smuggling along the border, Home Ministry officials have said.

Home Ministry Additional Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed told the UNB that the foreign ministry has been asked to contact Myanmar to set a date for the talks.

Bangladesh has long been facing a massive inflow of smuggled contraband drugs like yaba and phensedyl from Myanmar.

A Home Ministry delegation, headed

by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, has been on a visit to Bangladesh’s border areas with Myanmar since Friday to inspect measures to stop drug trafficking.

Asaduzzaman said Bangladesh was looking forward to a fruitful dialogue with the Myanmar authorities and find a solution to the long-standing issue.

Bangladesh officials said huge amount of illegal drugs, including contraband yaba tablets, are smuggled into the country through hilly areas of the border, especially Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar and Naikhongchhari in Banbardan.

The 250km land border between Bangladesh and Myanmar is also found out to be a hotspot for drug-smuggling between the countries.

Home Ministry Joint Secretary Siddikur Rahman said a high-profile monitoring committee comprising members of Police, Rapid Action Battalion, Coast Guard, Border Guard Bangladesh and officials of different anti-narcotic organisations, has already been formed

to curb drug smuggling along border areas of the country.

The monitoring committee is headed by Home Ministry Joint Secretary SiddikUllah.

SiddikUllah said the monitoring committee will conduct an inspection of its own along the border areas this month.

The committee would make some crucial decisions based on the inspection in its first meeting that is scheduled to be held this month, he added.

According to the Home Ministry, over 49 lakh bottles of phensedyl, more than 654kg heroin, four lakh bottles of illegal alcohol, 194,608kg of hemp, five lakh ampoules injection drugs and over 51 lakh pieces of yaba tables were seized by the law enforcement agencies and the BGB along the border from July 2009 to June 2013.

Only two female forensic specialists Dhanmondi playground only for elite!  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

of female doctors to examine rape victims and ascertain the age of girls has been fulfilled or not.

Dr Md Shah Newaz, director (administration) of the DGHS, confirmed the news and claimed that the directorate has already posted female doctors as per the High Court’s directive.

Although the DGHS had previously submitted a list of female doctors who were assigned to examine rape victims, the court official concerned did not present it before the judges, Shah Newaz said, adding that the director general would again present the list to the court today.

The Health Ministry has also re-

portedly drafted a new guideline that, if implemented, will bind police to record a rape victim’s statement within three hours of being approached and hospitals to conduct medical examinations without police reports.

The draft quashes the “two-finger test,” traditionally used by doctors to find out whether someone was really raped or not. The guideline labels the test “unscientific” and “horrendous.”

DMC Professor Dr Habibuzzaman, who heads the sub-committee for preparing the draft of the new guideline, told the Dhaka Tribune on Thursday that the draft guideline has already been finalised and will be submitted before the ministry soon. l

No headway in Siddique abduction  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

dropped in the capital’s Mirpur Thursday night after over 30 hours following his kidnap by an armed gang of seven to eight.

Abu Bakar Siddique said he had been on his way to Dhaka from his garment factory at Fatullah in Narayanganj when the incident took place.

Syed Nurul Islam, superintendent of police in Narayanganj district, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday they were trying to make headway in their investigation.

“Although the victim is freed, our bid to unravel the mystery will continue. We are also trying to recover the vehicle used in kidnapping,” said the SP. Meanwhile, to accelerate the investigation, a five-member committee comprised of senior officials of Police, RAB and DB visited the garment factory of the businessman yesterday afternoon and also the spot from where he had been abducted.

The probe body led by Additional Commissioner Sheikh Maruf Hasan of Dhaka Metropolitan Police vowed to solve the mystery.

Besides, Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam of DB at a press briefing in the capital’s Minto Road said they had been conducting investigation on the basis of deposition given by the victim before a Narayanganj court on Friday.

The police official claimed that the businessman was kidnapped in a planned way. CNG auto-rickshaw driver Hafizul Islam who carried Siddique from Kazipara of Mirpur also gave deposition at the court yesterday.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, BELA

Chief Rizwana Hasan said they were not aware of the progress of investigation as the lawmen did not disclose anything to them. She added that they themselves failed to guess why her husband was abducted.

Following his release, businessman Siddique described his experience as saying that the abductors released him near the Ansar Camp at Mirpur 1 around midnight with his eyes blindfolded and gave him Tk300.

“I could not see anything for some time after opening the blindfold which I was forced to wear since my abduction,” Siddique said, adding that he took a rickshaw to Kazipara from where he hired a CNG auto-rickshaw to go to his residence in central road area.

“But I was stopped by police at the check post near the Kalabagan playground,” he said.

When Siddique identified himself he was taken to Dhanmondi police station. His family was informed of his whereabouts and asked to come to the police station.

“They changed the car after kidnapping me and after around three or four hours I was taken to a house where I was confined in a room on a higher floor. I also slept on the floor,” Siddique told reporters at the police station. He, however, said the abductors did not misbehave with him except for some scuffles.

“They gave me food and water properly and also bought me medicines when I informed them that I had high blood pressure.” Siddique said the abductors aged around 35 years, stout and short-haired. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

them when reporters approached him.

He said two to three newspapers were unethically hampering the development work on the playground.

“You interviewed me over phone, but it wasn’t published. I am cha lenging the owner of your newspaper. He’ll pay for this,” Manjur yelled at a reporter.

In the wake of protests by the green activists, the club arranged the briefing to make clear its stance on the playground.

Before starting the briefing, the club authorities arranged a Power Point presentation to show the playground’s present and past condition.

A documentary on the success of the club was also screened.

Although the briefing lasted for two hours, the club authorities only allowed reporters five minutes to ask questions. However, they only took questions from two reporters before wrapping up.

“The playground was earlier a haven for drug addicts and floating sex workers. Different seasonal fairs were also arranged here. It is Sheikh Jamal

mum on the issue.

Meanwhile, the club authorities sued some activists on Friday, hours after they demonstrated against illegal occupation of the playground and construction of structures on it.

The club’s General Secretary Arifur Rahman filed the case with Dhanmondi police station against former president of Institution of Architects Bangladesh (IAB) Mobassher Hossain, architect Salma A Shafi, Bangladesh Women’s Sports Association General Secretary Kamrunnahar Dana, Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) Iqbal Habib and several others for creating chaos in the playground.

Activists of over 50 environmental and social organisations and also residents of Dhanmondi are forming human chains and organising rallies demanding the playground be opened to the people and all illegal structures by the club be stopped.

In 2004, following submission of a petition by Bapa and IAB, the High Court directed the then city corporation (now Dhaka South City Corpora-

Club that brought sporting events back here,” Manjur observed.

“Mobassher Hossain built commercial office in Dhanmondi Residential area and now he is raising his voice in favour of Dhanmondi residents. Call the residents. I want to see whose call they respond to, Mobassher or mine,” he added.

Nazmul Hassan Papon echoed the same view and said: “My support for all the activities of the club will be there. We will assist them if we are asked to do so.”

Apart from Manjur, Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan Papon and former players of the club, including Shahed Reza, Tanvir Mazharul Hossain Tanna and Shawkat Aziz Russel, spoke at the briefing.

“Most of the people living here support the 10-point demand placed by the green activists. We, however, didn’t speak overtly because the playground is under full control of the club named after the younger brother of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” a resident of Dhanmondi told the Dhaka Tribune.

He also said the club authorities had indirectly threatened the locals to keep

Most abductions veiled in mystery  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

have gone missing in the last couple of years.

Besides the ruling party leaders, a number of leaders of other parties are also missing. Family members of the victims claimed that the abductors had not demanded money after their disappearance.

According to the statistics of human rights watchdog Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 268 people were abducted between 2010 and March this year. Of them, bodies of 43 persons were found, 24 released while 14 handed over to police.

However, the remaining 187 people are still missing and their families and the law enforcers do not know anything about their whereabouts.

The maximum number of abductions took place during first three months of the current year when 39 people were abducted, says ASK. Among them, 11 were BNP leaders, four service holders, four Chhatra League leaders, three Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leaders, two Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders, one Jamaat-e-Islami leader, three businesspersons and 11 general people.

Of the 39, bodies of only 12 persons were recovered, but the fate of remaining others is still shrouded in mystery.

The figure of crime cell of the Police Headquarters reveals that a total of 10,182 cases and general diaries were filed regarding abductions across the country since 2002 until last year.

Even though the ASK reports about 39 abductions this year, police said a total of 196 cases were filed.

More significantly, the law enforcers have totally failed to start investigation of over 3,000 cases registered after 2002, alleged a source.

Asked why not initiate probe in so many cases, Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker refuted the allegation. He affirmed that the law enforcers had conducted investigation in every abduction incident.

“During investigation, police unearth mystery behind the incidents. But it takes some time in some cases,” he said.

The IGP further states that if any specific complaint comes up against any official of the law enforcement agencies, action follows against the accused after investigation.

BNP leader and former lawmaker Il-

ias Ali went missing around two years ago and the law enforcers so far submitted 36 progress reports to the court.

Like Ilias, police have also failed to make any headway in the abductions of BNP’s Laksham upazila unit President Saiful Islam Hiru and municipality unit President Humayun Kabir.

They were arrested allegedly by some RAB personnel on November 27 last year. Joint Organising Secretary Jasim Uddin of the same unit was also picked up at that time.

However, Jasim was later handed over to Laksham police the same night.

The law enforcers have failed to trace the two others.

President of the Awami League’s ward 41 unit Hazi Nur Mohammad was abducted on October 19, 2011 from his residence in Savar. His son-in-law Abdul Mannan and Mannan’s friend Iqbal were working to trace him. However, they were also abducted from the capital’s Agargaon area on December 3 and have remained missing until date.

Hazi Mohammad Wazi Ullah, president of Dhaka Super Market Owner’s Association in Bangabazar area, went missing in 2011.

About 48,000 drug-smuggling related cases are pending with the court.

Sources at the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) told the UNB that they have already tracked down the wealth accumulation by some suspected smugglers and prepared a list.

This will be used by the Home Ministry to conduct a special anti-smuggling drive.

They said the DNC has prepared profiles of suspected drug traders along with their photos, as well as placing some recommendations to the Home Ministry to curb the smuggling of yaba.

DNC Additional Director Abu Taleb said patrols along the border in Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf, particularly along the Naf river that separates Bangladesh and Myanmar, should be increased to curb yaba-smuggling. l

tion) to free Dhanmondi playground from the illegal occupation by Sheikh Jamal Club.

In March 2011, the court again ordered the DSCC, the Public Works Ministry and the club authorities to remove all illegal structures so that the ground remained open to everyone. l

Eminent citizens  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

thought twice about what they are doing. They are supporting restrictions on play by children on a ground,” he said.

Prof Zafrullah Chowdhury, the founder of Gonoshasthaya, got surprised to see his name among four persons who tried to enter the ground.

“Security personnel prevented me from entering the ground.

Filing of the case against me proved that the field is not open to all.

If a man wants to walk into the field and see his name to be included as a law-breaker, it is really shocking.

I urge the people concerned to withdraw the case,” he said. l

Police are yet to trace him while the abductors did not demand anything for his release. Jubo League leader Liyakat Hossain was picked up from his own residence on Dhanmondi 27 on November 26, 2008. He has since remained missing and no progress yet been made.

The abduction cases of Jubo League leader of Feni’s Sonagazi upazila unit Sarowar Jahan Babul, Dhaka’s ward 98 Jubo League Organising Secretary Tushar Islam Titu and Pallabi unit Awami League’s Relief Affairs Secretary Abdul Karim Howlader are still unresolved.

In this regard, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, state minister for home affairs, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have already given special instruction to the authorities concerned to complete the investigations of old abduction cases and the general diaries filed with different police stations.”

He observes that usually, a group of people after abduction puts the blame on the law enforcers.

“Those who are responsible for these heinous acts will not be spared and the persons still missing must be rescued following fair investigation,” he added. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

Prioritise core issues of locals, seminar told n Abu Bakar Siddique Local climate change experts have suggested that the government take adaptive measures, prioritising the local people and the vulnerability of the region, with a view to tackle the existing and potential threats of climate change.

They also emphasised on considering the combination of science and local knowledge while initiating development projects to ensure sustainability.

The views came on the first day of the second national conference on community-based adaptation at the city’s Spectra Convention Centre.

“The development measures without any basis in science, the local’s needs and their knowledge, will not bring any sustainable outcome,” said Dr Atiq Rahman, executive director of the Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS).

As an example, he pointed out that the government needed to take immediate measures to ensure the availability of fresh water in the southwest region since the area was severely hit by massive cyclones in the recent years.

A study discussed at the conference states that people in the coastal regions, including Satkhira and Patuakhali, were more vulnerable than in other parts of the country regarding the access to safe drinking water because of saline water intrusion.

A study titled “People’s Perception Regarding Climate Change on Water Access Scenario along the Coastal Zone in Bangladesh” was conducted by the Centre for Global Changes (CGC).

The scenario where people severely lack access to fresh water is one that will be increased in the near future because of the changing patterns of the climate, it says.

“Around four-fifths of the coastal households collect drinking water from tube-wells, the number of which is lower than the average national cov-

erage of tube-wells,” said Dr Ahsan Uddin Ahmed, executive director of CGC, who led the study.

According to Water Aid Bangladesh, currently the coverage of tube-wells as the source of drinking water in the country is around 1 crore.

As per different reports of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable nations in terms of the negative impacts of climate change.

The recently published final draft report by working group II of the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC also said the recent climate-related extremes like drought, flood and cyclones will affect the people’s lives and livelihoods in different ways, including a disruption of food production and water supply across the world.

The CGC study suggests that a large number of khas (government) land should be converted into community ponds to increase the number of Pond Sand Filters (PSF) in the coastal zone.

Both the government and non-governmental agencies are currently working on the issue to meet the demands for fresh water in these areas.

In addition, the study suggests promoting proven technologies including rain water harvesting to increase fresh water availability for the people.

The two-day long conference began yesterday with the participation of different stakeholders including researchers, activists and different government and non-governmental actors.

Around 33 studies prepared by different NGOs working on the vulnerability to climate change and local people’s practices will be discussed at the conference.

The conference was jointly organised by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the BCAS, the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCRD) and the Action Research for Community Adaptation in Bangladesh. l

News

3

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Birdem doctors stop work for one hour n Tribune Report

Patients in Birdem Hospital’s outpatient department did not receive any treatment as the doctors stopped work for an hour yesterday, demanding security in their workplace.

The doctors left their work stations and gathered at the hospital’s auditorium for an hour at noon.

Several doctors from the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and Mitford Hospital joined them to show solidarity, said Tanzina Hossain, a physician with Birdem’s Endocrinology Department.

The protesting doctors also decided to continue with their programme for one hour every day until their demands, including punishment of those who reportedly assaulted some colleagues last Sunday, were met.

“We have decided to continue this programme until a trial those who assaulted three of our colleagues on Sunday night, is ensured,” said Anwarul Islam, a doctor of the surgery department.

A day after the alleged assault, Birdem doctors went on strike demanding action against the suspected assailants, who included a police officer. They went back to work on Wednesday after Additional Superintendent of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police ABM Masud Hossain, who allegedly instigated the assault on the doctors, was removed from his post.

The Birdem doctors claimed that following the death of a patient, Sir-

A doctor puts a black badge on his collegues’s apron yesterday demanding security in their workplaces

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

any case regarding the incident, but recorded a general diary with the Ramna police station. The affected doctors, however, said they planned to file a case with the court today.

Meanwhile, a probe committee, which was formed to investigate whether there was any negligence in the treatment of the patient, Sirajul Islam, is expected to submit its report today.

“The hospital authorities have asked Mirza Mahbubul Hasan(director of clinical services) to check the treatment issue. The committee will talk with the patient’s relatives. It will not work to find out what happened that night during the attack on the doctors,” AK Azad, president of Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune over the phone yesterday. l

Six newsmen allegedly assaulted by doctors

BNP threatens against obstruction in long march n UNB

n Mohammad Jamil Khan A group of students and intern doctors of Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital (SSMCH) allegedly beat up three reporters and three camerapersons of private television channel ETV on its premises yesterday.

The three reporters were Ilias Hossain, 30; Mohammad Nurunnabi, 28; and Julhash Kabir, 30; while the cameramen were Humayun Kabir Titu, 32; Monirul Islam, 28; and Rumi Talukdar, 27. All six were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital following the assault.

Ilias told the Dhaka Tribune that he went to the hospital to visit Masum, a person he is familiar to, and accompanied him to a doctor’s room. He requested the doctor to arrange specialised treatment

ajul Islam, his unruly relatives assaulted and injured Dr Anowar Hossain, Dr Kalyan Devnath and Dr Shamima Akter of the Endocrinology Department.

Relatives of the deceased, however, have been claiming that he died due to negligence in treatment. They also denied assaulting any doctor or vandalising the hospital.

The Birdem authorities did not file

for Masum who had been undergoing treatment for 14 days for TB disease.

“An intern doctor asked me to check Masum’s weight in machine even after knowing my identity. This angered Masum and he asked the doctor not to behave badly with me. Masum’s attitude, however, enraged the doctor and he, along with his colleagues in the room, began slapping Masum,” he recalled.

Ilias came under attack as he tried to save cameraman Humayun, who attempted to film the scuffle but was assaulted by the doctors. The camera was broken by the doctors as well.

After receiving information, Nurunnabi, Julhash, Monir and Rumi arrived on the scene but the doctors, along with some 40-50 students, attacked them and damaged another camera.

Witness Hazi Rakib, owner of a shop in Armanitola, said hospital Principal Prof Dr Dilip Kumar and DG Jakir Hossain were present there but did nothing.

Nurunnabi alleged that Jakir had broken his mobile phone as he had tried to call his office for help.

Later, ETV Chief News Editor Ibrahim Azad and Chief Reporter Mahatier Faruki Khan along with the police and RAB officers went to the spot and rescued the six.

Faruki told the Dhaka Tribune that it was a misdeed on the doctors’ part and a complaint would be lodged against them seeking punitive measures.

DG Jakir refused the allegation of assault on journalists. He told the Dhaka Tribune that it was a misunderstanding as the cameramen had tried to capture images without taking permission. l

Senior BNP leader MK Anwar yesterday warned the government that people would resist if it tried to obstruct the party’s long march towards the Teesta Barrage in Nilphamari on Tuesday.

“It is not only the BNP’s programme, but also the people’s one. So, people will resist if any obstruction is created to stop it,” he said while campaigning in Nayapaltan in favour of the event. A BNP press release said the party would start the march from Nayapaltan at 8am.

It, however, rescheduled Tuesday afternoon’s rally in Rangpur for Wednesday morning due to unavoidable reasons. l

Khaleda calls for young leadership again n Mohammad Al-MasumMolla

ICCCAD Director Dr Saleemul Haq delivers his keynote speech at the sceond National Conference on Community-based Adaptation to Climate Change in the capital yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Inu for environment-friendly development policies n UNB Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu yesterday underscored the need for adopting environment-friendly sustainable development policies fitted with Information Communication Technology to face the climate change challenges.

The minister was speaking at the inauguration of the second National Conference on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change (NCAB2) at the capital’s Gulshan.

Inu said they need to have a three-tier synergy – domestic, regional and global – in order to formulate viable and successful strategies for community-based adaptation to climate change.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had urged all developed countries to come forward to face the impacts of global climate change.

“The climate change caused by excessive emission of greenhouse gas from industries of the developed countries affect all other countries of the earth, although we are not at all responsible for it,” he added.

Director of International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) Dr Saleemul Huq presented the keynote speech at the conference.

Member of Planning Commission Dr Shamsul Alam also spoke at the programme, which was chaired by Executive Director of BCAS Dr Atiq Rahman. l

Rights bodies decry climate fund mismanagement n UNB Activists of several rights groups yesterday expressed concern over the mismanagement of two climate funds.

They also demanded ensuring inter-ministry coordination and integration of climate adaptation in the upcoming national budget. They expressed the concern at a seminar on budget, climate resilience and adaptation at the National Press Club. EquityBD, a network of right groups, organised the event, says a press release.

Syed Aminul Haque of EquityBD presented the key note paper. He said Bangladesh Climate Change Strategic Action Plan (BCCSAP) was a standalone document. The Sixth Five Year Plan has little integration to the document or climate resilience actions. The UNDP CPER (Climate Change Public Expenditure Review) 2012 has already shown that only 3.8% of the budget allocation has effective correlation to climate change. Aminul also placed five demands in this regard.

Aminur Rasul of Unnayan Dhara raised question on both the trust and resilience fund management and demanded a white paper on management of the two funds. Prodip K Roy of on Line Knowledge Centre pushed for bringing the funds under one single management.

Earlier, the TIB identified mismanagement in the two funds. l

For the second time in about a week, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia openly berated the senior party leaders for failing during street movements and stressed on the need to bring in young blood, yesterday.

“Our organisational strength is good.

We have many leaders; but we also need to bring young leadership to the forefront. Then again, we need experience as well. The senior leaders will give advice. New leadership should come forward, otherwise organisational stagnancy will cripple the party. Old people cannot lead movements,” she said.

The former premier was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the two-day national council of Sramik Dal, BNP’s labour front, at the Institute of Engineers Bangladesh in the capital. The seventh council aims to elect new leadership today.

Once before, on April 12, when speak-

ing at the council of Dhaka city unit Sramik Dal, Khaleda said new leadership would be brought to the forefront.

BNP leaders and activists believe that Khaleda’s eldest son Tarique Rahman – often referred to as the “symbol of youth” within party ranks – will head the party in future.

Tarique, who is facing a number of corruption charges, has been living in London since 2008. In recent times, after years of inertia, he has become active in the UK capital, trying to regain ground by delivering strong political messages.

His recent comments that his father Ziaur Rahman was the “first president of Bangladesh” and that Bangabandhu was an “illegal” prime minister, gave rise to huge controversy.

During yesterday’s programme, calling upon the government to arrange for a fresh national election as soon as possible, Khaleda said: “Democracy has been exiled. People cannot express their opinions freely because the gov-

ernment has killed it [democracy].”

Echoing her son, Khaleda claimed: “People know that Zia [her husband] was the actual leader of the war. When he was fighting on the battlefield, many [Awami League leaders] were watching plays at the Theatre Road [in Kolkata].”

Claiming that BNP was the real pro-liberation force, she said: “You [the government] are committing crimes against humanity every day. For this, you will be held accountable.”

The BNP chief then accused the government of abducting BELA chief Syeda Rizwana Hassan’s husband AB Siddique. “He was abducted in broad daylight. When protests arose from different corners, he was released. The illegal government has showed prudence by releasing AB Siddique, otherwise a movement could not be stopped.”

She also accused the government of extorting huge sums money in the name of helping the Rana Plaza victims. l

4 Two frauds caught n Kailash Sarkar RAB arrested two people who had been conning people of their money and introducing themselves as Jiner Badsha (kings of genies).

Abu Miah, 22, and his elder brother Milon Miah of Gosaipur village in Gaibandha’s Gobindaganj upazila were held at Dhaka’s New Market and Gaibandha, respectively, said RAB-2 Operation Officer Raihan Uddin Khan.

The duo had been cheating naive people by promising them a lucrative change in their lives over the next two years, he said.

“They deceived Kalpona Akter Sweety from Dhaka’s Hazaribagh into giving them over Tk 4,00,000,” he said.

They described how they used to cheat people at a press conference in Dhaka city yesterday.

Abu and Milon said they used to first target naive people and then collect their details so that they could deceive the gullible people into believing them to be so-called “kings of genies.” They added that another of their brothers, Sabur Miah, 22, was also involved. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Malaysia places demand for 2,000 workers bypassing G-to-G system Ministry officials fear G2G mechanism to be challenged if recruitment allowed

n Rabiul Islam Malaysia has recently placed demand for 2,000 skilled workers to recruit them in its plantation sector, bypassing the government-to-government mechanism.

The Malaysian interior minister had placed the demand to the Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry through the Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur.

The government of Bangladesh on November 26, 2012 signed an agreement with the Malaysian government to send workers to that country in a systematic way.

Under the agreement, so far nearly 4,000 workers had gone to Malaysia to work in the plantation sector.

Now an aspirant migrant has to spend only Tk30,000 to go to Malaysia, but it was Tk300,000-Tk400,000 before signing the agreement. However, the government initiative was hailed by various quarters.

Officials at Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) said a Malaysian company, Feelda, wants to recruit 2,000 skilled workers, including foremen and supervisors, in the plantation sector.

And the company placed the demand to MCAB, a high-powered committee comprising several ministries.

Accordingly, the Malaysian interior minister placed the demand to the government of Bangladesh.

“I cannot tell you why the demand was placed bypassing the existing

G-to-G system,” Bangladesh labour counsellor in Kuala Lumpur Mantu Kumar Biswas told the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.

Seeking anonymity, a senior official at the Expatriates’ Welfare Ministry said, “If we allow recruitment out of the G-to-G system, mechanism will be challenged.”

“We have asked BMET to examine whether the required manpower is available on the government database,” the official said, adding that they would try to send workers through BMET. “We have received the demand, but we will not allow the recruitment out of the G-to-G system,” BMET Director General Begum Shamsun Nahar told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

An official at BMET which deals with

overseas employment said they were scrutinising the demand to find out required workers.

Various vested groups at home and abroad had been opposing the G-to-G system soon after signing the deal.

Expatriates’ Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain was determined to maintain the G-to-G system. The minister on different occasions warned that he would never allow irregularities.

Earlier, private recruiters sent 100 workers which was surplus to requirements, causing sufferings to the additional workers.

Despite praiseworthy attempts, the government has to face criticism as it has failed to send workers as per its expectations. l

150 tolas of gold looted from jewellery shop at Farmgate n

Ashif Islam Shaon

Unidentified criminals looted a huge amount of gold ornaments and money by cutting a hole in the wall of a jewellery shop in the Farm View Super Market in the capital’s Farmgate area, yesterday.

Shopkeepers suspect robbers entered Kolpana Jewellers from the adjacent shop by cutting through the common wall The owner of “The Kolpana Jewellers” claimed that 150 tolas (1.75kg) of gold jewellery, mortgaged gold worth Tk14 lakh and Tk7 lakh in cash were taken.

Police said the robbery probably took place between late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Police picked up four people, including two night guards, for questioning.

Police also suspect the involvement of a next door shopkeeper, who has

been missing since the robbery.

Kolpana Jewellers is located on the first floor of the five-storey market. There are 45 other jewellery shops on the floor, and many of the shops have common walls on two or three sides.

A hole of around one square foot was found on the eastern wall of the robbed shop, which has common walls on three sides. Digging equipment was also found in an adjacent shop on the eastern side.

Police and shopkeepers suspect that the robbers entered Kolpana Jewellers from the adjacent shop by cutting through the common wall.

Swapan Pal, owner of the looted shop, told the Dhaka Tribune that he went home after locking up around 8:30pm on Friday. Around 9:30am yesterday, his son, Madhap, opened the shop and found the eastern wall damaged.

In addition to the market’s security guards, the jewellery shop owners have employed two extra night guards for the first floor, Swapan said.

After the shops are closed, night guards Probir Mandal and Ashish Sha-

n Mohosinul Karim The government is planning to conduct a mass campaign to promote artificial insemination in livestock to improve varieties and to fulfil the country’s increasing demands for protein.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is expected to start the mass-campaign, which will create awareness among the people about this, in Thakurgaon on May 6.

“After finishing the campaign in northern districts, the ministry will conduct the campaign in other districts of the country,” Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Sayedul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune last week.

At the same time, the government will also establish five new “Semen Laboratories” in the country. At present, Bangladesh only has one such lab-

Apparel makers have demanded the duty-free import of safety equipments required for making their factories safe and environment-friendly ones.

The demand was made at a press conference held at the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday.

“The import of sprinkler, fire door and other safety and environment-friendly equipment should be made duty-free ones. We are requesting the government to take steps to that end,” BGMEA President M Atiqul Islam said.

He also demanded duty withdrawal on import of “pre-fabricated” materials required for building construction.

The chief of the country’s apparel sector apex trade body, however, mentioned that the government has agreed to reduce duty on some safety equipment from 61% to 15%. Atiqul also demanded the quick implementation of Garment Industrial Park project to be set up at Gojaria in Munshiganj. l

ULAB awards meritorious students

n Tribune Report

A man shows journalists the hole in a common wall of the jewelery shop through which robbers looted 150 tolas of gold at the capital’s Farmgate yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU ha lock the main collapsible gate of the floor and keep the keys with them.

“Nobody is allowed to stay in the shops at night. We do not know how the gold was stolen after all the security measures,” Swapan said.

The guards reportedly told police

that they did not hear any breaking sounds while on duty.

Meanwhile, Didarul, the owner of the shop on the eastern side, said he had rented it out to a man named Milon for Tk30,000 per month.

“Last month, I rented that shop to

Government mulling campaign for artificial insemination to meet local protein demand oratory in Dhaka. The new laboratories will be established in Rajshahi, Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet. The Semen Laboratory in Rajshahi is expected to be completed by next month.

The initiative has been taken to preserve high quality semen from cattle and chicken, after importing the specimens from abroad.

The minister also said India has fulfilled its demand for animal protein through milk, meat and eggs from its local production. It has done so by conducting cooperative activities in the sector.

“The Indian authority has operated artificial insemination programmes throughout the country to improve the varieties of cattle and poultry. It helped them to become self-sufficient in the sector even with a population of 135 crore,” he said.

Apparel makers seek duty-free safety equipment n UNB

He further added: “But, despite being a small country with a population of only 16 crore, Bangladesh produces a small portion of our real demand. We could not achieve it [self-sufficiency] as most of our varieties are old. We must improve the varieties by artificial insemination and spread it all over the country.”

According to the ministry’s statictics, the basic demand for milk in Bangladesh was around 1.40 crore metric tonnes in the fiscal year 2012-13, while the basic production was at 50.67 lakh tonnes, covering only 30% of the country’s demand. At the same time, basic demand for meat was around 67.20 lakh metric tonnes, while basic production was only 36.20 lakh tonnes, covering 54% of the demand.

Similarly, the annual demand for eggs was around 1597.40 crores in the

same year, while basic production was only 761.74 crore, which covered 48% of the country’s needs.

According to the ministry, there are around 330,116 dairy and poultry farms in the country at present with 114,555 of those being registered farms and 212,561 remaining unregistered.

Among the farms, 254,762 are poultry farms while the rest are dairy farms.

The minister also noted that a Bangladeshi delegation of experts, led by the fisheries and livestock minister, will visit India soon to gain further knowledge in this regard.

“We will try to ensure improved varieties of cattle and poultry for every family in the country as per the demand. As a result, they will get adequate animal proteins and we will have a meritorious new generation,” he added. l

Milon, who is now missing. Milon told me that he would run a mobile phone accessories shop there. He started his business this month,” Didarul said.

Afruzul Haque, assistant commissioner of the DMP’s Tejgaon zone, said they were trying to apprehend Milon. l

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) awarded scholarships to its highest-achieving students for the Fall 2013, Spring 2013 and Summer 2013 terms at its Dhanmondi Campus, yesterday.

Nurul Kabir, editor of the New Age, attended the function as the chief guest. He presented the Dean’s Honour List Scholarships and the Vice Chancellor’s Honour List Scholarships to the respective recipients. Both scholarships cover full tuition for an entire term.

ULAB also awarded its two most prestigious Scholarships, the “Kazi Anisur Rahman Scholarship” to Zulker Naeen of the Media Studies and Journalism Department and the “ARM Inamul Haq Scholarship” to Tonmoy Kar of the Department of Business Administration.

Vice Chancellor of ULAB Professor Imran Rahman also awarded some of the scholarships. These scholarships cover full tuition with a stipend for the students who have achieved outstanding academic merit and school spirit.

Professor Brian Shoesmith, senior advisor, Strategic Planning, began the ceremony with a welcome speech and Professor Imran Rahman, vice chancellor of ULAB, gave a closing speech. l

Road crash kills three in Chittagong n CU Correspondent At least three persons, including a minor girl and an expatriate, were killed and three others were injured in separate road accidents in Chittagong city and elsewhere in the district on Friday and yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Tufa Aktar, 5, resident of Keranirhat of Satkania, Ismail Hossen Rabbani, 26, a Dubai expatriate residing at the Halishar residential area and Safiul Alam Safi, 37, of the Amatal area of Sitakunda upazila, said police sources.

Md Ramij, sub-inspector of Dohazari Highway police station, said an unidentified vehicle overran Tofa on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway in the Mowlovidokan area of the upazila at 11am yesterday while the girl was crossing the road, leaving her dead on the spot.

Abdul Majid, officer-in-charge of Akbarshah police station, said Rabbani skidded off his motorbike on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at the City Gate area near the Glaxo Pharmaceuticals factory around 11pm on Friday night after losing control over the steering.

A truck then smashed into the youth from the back, leaving him dead on the spot. The truck driver fled the scene after the incident, said the OC. Meanwhile, in another accident, a speeding truck collided with a CNG-driven auto rickshaw, conveying Safi and his family members, from behind at Madambibirhat, Sitakunda upazila, leaving Safi dead on the spot, said Iftekhar Hasan, officer-in-charge of the Sitakunda police station.

Three of Safi’s family members sustained critical injuries and were admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital, the OC added. l

CPB, BSD demand fair share of Teesta water n UNB

Leaders of Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal march towards Lalmonirhaat yesterday demanding fair share of Teesta waters from India BANGLAR CHOKH

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) yesterday called for a movement to press India to allow Bangladesh its fair share of water from Teesta River.

They alleged that Bangladesh was not getting the fair share of waters of the common rivers, including Teesta, because of submissive policies of the successive governments in Dhaka.

Leaders of the CPB and the BSD also called upon the government to settle the water dispute with India at bilateral, multilateral and international forums, including the UN. They were addressing a rally at Sadhur Bazar adjacent to Teesta Barrage in Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat district.

Reading out the “Teesta Declaration” at the rally, CPB General Secretary

Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed said the dispute with India over the water issue would not be resolved if the current subservient foreign policy remained in place.

Referring to the failures of the successive governments in resolving the water issue with neighbouring country, he alleged that the past governments have protected the interest of India.

He stressed the need for adopting coordinated plans for proper water distribution of 57 international rivers flowing through the country, including the 54 common ones with India. He also called for building unity among the people of both Bangladesh and India for ensuring proper and beneficial use of waters of the common rivers for all.

He urged the government to compensate farmers who incurred losses due to the lack of irrigation from India’s unilateral withdrawal of Teesta water. l

Obituary MA Qasem, group director of BEXIMCO died at 11:15am at United Hospital Ltd. (Innalillahe Wa Innna Ilaihe Rajeun) yesterday. He was 80. He left his wife, three sons, a daughter, grandchildren and wellwishers to mourn his death.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Sunday, April 20, 2014

One held with Rs50 lakh at Dhaka airport n Kailash Sarkar Officials of Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation (DCII) arrested a man with Rs50 lakh equivalent to Tk65 lakh at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday morning.

The arrested was identified as Mohammad Idris, 32, of Fulgazi upazila in Feni district.

Meanwhile, six expatriates were held with 1,341 grams of gold at the airport on Friday night.

Since smuggling of gold, currencies, precious metals and other valuables through the airport is rampant, customs officials and police have seized over 1,000kgs of gold and several thousand crores of currencies in recent times, sources said.

According to the officials, Idris was arrested with the Indian rupees shortly after his arrival in Dhaka from Pakistan via Dubai.

Assistant Commissioner of the DCII Ayesha Akhter said Idris was picked up from the green channel area of the airport around 10:15 am after he had arrived here from Pakistan by a flight of Air Arabia.

He went to Pakistan on April 3 on a business visa and returned to Dhaka via Sharjah, she added.

“During primary interrogation, the detainee claimed that some people gave him the currencies to carry from

Pakistan to Dhaka,” she quoted Idris Ali as saying.

The man had returned to Dhaka via Sharjah with an attempt to dodge the eyes of law enforcers as passengers coming from Pakistan are usually treated with suspicion, she said.

However, she could not confirm whether the seized currencies were fake or real.

More than 90% of the Indian rupees coming from Pakistan and seized in Dhaka were found to be fake, said Kamrul Hasan, assistant commissioner of Customs Department.

Alamgir Hossain Shimul, senior assistant superintendent of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), said the seized Indian rupees include notes of Rs500 and Rs1000.

Meanwhile, the six expatriates were arrested with gold from 10:00 pm to 11:30 pm on Friday after their arrival at Dhaka from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur by three separate flights.

The arrested were Hamidul Islam, Haider Sharif, Nadim Khandaker, Shah Alam Majumder, Ishaq Mia and Dipak Mandal.

Alamgir Hossain Shimul said the seized gold includes three bars and many bungles, chains and rings.

“The gold was seized by searching their bodies and luggage during their departure from the airport after their arrival at Dhaka,” he added. l

People use the country’s first escalator-equipped foot-over bridge in the capital’s Chairman Bari area yesterday

RAJIB DHAR

Minister: No fund crisis for Padma Bridge n UNB

Rajshahi Medical College Officials helpless as grabbers becomes university eat up Kalandi canal

Planning Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal yesterday said there was no fund constraint for the implementation of the proposed Padma Bridge project.

“The dream will turn into reality soon. We will be able to implement the dream project by the next three and a half years,” he said while visiting the bridge’s Mawa site in the morning.

He said an amount of Tk2,042 crore had already been allocated for the project which would be used by January next.

The minister mentioned that five packages – Jajira approach road, Mawa approach road, accommodation, main bridge and river control – had been taken for implementing the project.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader was also present during the visit.

Obaidul said work on the main bridge would be visible within this year. Work order would be given on completion of the tender process, he said.

Local MP Shagufta Tasmin and Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Md Saiful Hasan accompanied the ministers during the visits. l

The Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim formally announced the Rajshahi Medical College as Shaheed AHM Kamruzzaman Medical University yesterday.

The minister said the Rajshahi Medical College is being named after AHM Kamruzaman who was the minister for relief and rehabilitation of the expatriate government during the Liberation War in 1971.

The minister made the declaration at a views-exchange meeting at the Kaisar Ali Memorial Auditorium of Rajshahi Medical College.

Shaheed Kamruzzaman is also the father of Khairuzzaman Liton, former mayor of the Rajshahi City Corporation.

The Health Ministry issued a circular on April 15 stating that the government had decided to upgrade the status of

WEATHER

PARTLY SUNNY SUNDAY, APRIL 20 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:22PM SUN RISES 5:32AM FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

41

29

Chittagong

36

26

Rajshahi

42

25

Rangpur

41

24

Khulna

40

26

Barisal

40

26

Sylhet

39

21

Cox’s Bazar

35

25

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

39.5ºC Rangamati

20.5ºC Srimangal

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:14am 5:32am 11:57am 4:31pm 6:22pm 7:41pm Source: IslamicFinder.org

n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

the Chittagong and Rajshahi medical colleges into medical universities.

Sources said these would be the country’s second (and third) public medical universities. At present, there is only one medical university, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. This latter was also upgraded from being a post-graduate institute to a medical university in 1998.

Former Rajshahi city mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, local lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, Bangladesh Medical Association President Mahmud Hasan, Secretary General Iqbal Arsalan, were present at the programme among others.

Earlier, the Awami League government had initiated the status upgrade of the Dhaka Medical College into a medical university but had to cancel the decision due to a huge protest from the third and fourth class employees of the hospital. l

n Our Correspondent, Brahmanbaria Influential people regardless political affiliations are encroaching on the Kalandi canal in Akhaura upazila, Brahmanbaria, as it is not recorded as khas land (state-owned land) on surveys.

The canal, which flows into Bangladesh through the Akhaura-Agartala check post, is the only sewage line for the upazila town.

Locals say the land grabbing begins at night. First, it is encircled with bamboo or tin-shed structures. Then brick installations are erected behind the bamboo or tin-shed ones.

Most grabbers belong to some political parties. Though they have political differences, they are united when grabbing land and sharing it among themselves, sources say.

Though the canal is now drying up, the land grabbing continues unabated.

It will soon go off the map in the upazila, allege the locals.

The Dhaka Tribune correspondent also visited the canal, which flows into the Teesta River, and found shops and multi-storey buildings being built on both sides of it.

Talking to locals, it was learned that influential people, mainly involved in politics, had set their eyes on this canal soon after the political changeover in 1990s.

Land grabbing, however, came to a halt after the 1/11 changeover on January 11, 2007, when some installations set up along with both sides of the canal had been demolished.

Later, in early 2008, it began again and has been continued unhindered.

Assistant Officer of Akhaura upazi-

Barisal boiling on heat wave n Our Correspondent, Barisal Normal life in Barisal city and region continues to be paralysed as a severe hot spell has been prevailing there for three weeks.

The city met office says it has so far recorded 38 degree Celsius as the highest temperature and 22 degree Celsius as the lowest in various parts of the district with average wind speed of 9-11 km per hour.

The temperature may cross 40 degree Celsius within a short-time, it

forecasts.

Especially, children, aged people and students are suffering from this heat wave most.

Students are thinly attending schools, colleges and universities.

People are also contracting diseases like fever, diarrhoea and asthma patients’ sufferings have become miserable.

City roads look almost deserted from 1 to 6pm while they are crowded after the evening falls.

Rickshaw pullers, hawkers are

found taking shelter under roadside trees or at city parks to get rid of the broiling heat.

Youths and children and also many domestic animals are seen bathing in ponds, canals, marshes and other water bodies for so long.

Diarrhoea is in control here but the number of people coming to hospitals with complaints of stomach ache is on the rise.

Doctors have suggested living on balanced diet as well as drinking much pure water to be free from summer dis-

eases and dehydration.

“We have noticed people drinking watery food as soon as temperature rises. But they should be careful of what they eat or drink during this time,” says Civil Surgeon Dr ATM Mizanur Rahman.

“Otherwise they may be attacked with diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice, dehydration, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, viral fever, influenza, and other viral diseases,” he says.

Earlier on March 8, only 8 mm rainfall took place in the region. l

Nahid underlines research on zoology

n UNB Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday called for extensive research on zoology to help protect biodiversity and ensure food security.

Addressing a seminar at Dhaka University, the minister said the study of zoology should match country’s development agenda.

The seminar discussed education, research and job opportunities for Zoologists in Bangladesh and its problem and prospects. It was jointly organised by the Zoology Department of DU and the Zoology Association.

Nahid said the government will take steps for ensuring world-class, modern education to speed up national development.

Presided over by Zoology Association chairman Prof Monjur Chowdhury, the seminar was also addressed

by DU Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman Ikram Ahmed, and chairman of Zoology Department of DU, Prof M Moksed Ali Howlader. l

Members of Amra Nagar Bashi form a human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding a formalin-free Bangladesh DHAKA TRIBUNE

la Land Office Saroar Alam said: “We cannot reclaim this canal or stop them from encroaching on it since it is not recorded as khas land.

“But we have filed civil suits against more than one of the land grabbers,” he added.

The land grabbers say they own the land as per BS and RS khatians, claiming that their lands were outside the canal boundaries.

Asked about this, Akhaura Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Khurshid Shahriar echoed Alam. “This canal is not recorded on surveys and the grabbers are taking advantage.

“Yet, we are trying to stop the land grabbing. When we go to stop it, they [land grabbers] file cases with the courts against us. We have written to the deputy commissioner about it,” he added. l

4 in-laws arrested over torturing housewife n Our Correspondent, Barguna Four people were arrested early yesterday by Taltali police of Barguna for torturing a housewife to death over dowry.

The four were in-laws of the victim Hanufa Aktar, 20.

Officer-in-Charge Mizanur Rahman of Taltali police station said Abdul Majid Fakir, father-in-law, Halima Begum, mother-in-law, Khalil Fakir and Jalil Fakir, brothers in-law , were arrested in this connection after severe injury marks were found on the dead body of Halima.

Officer-in-Charge Azam Khan Faruki of Barguna Sadar police station said the victim’s father Rafez Uddin Haoladar had lodged a case as complainant against the husband and in-laws in this regard yesterday noon.

Rafez said his daughter Hanufa was married to Al-Amin, a truck driver, about 18 months ago. He claimed that since marriage, his daughter was tortured for dowry by her husband and in-laws.

According to Rafez, Hanufa fled from her husband’s house in February and took shelter in his house. About three weeks ago, Al-Amin came and took her back home, assuring that she would not be tortured. However, she was tortured again and Hanufa was admitted to Barguna General Hospital on April 13 in critical condition.

She was later transferred to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital after her condition deteriorated on April 14.

Hanufa succumbed to her injuries at Barisal SBMCH Friday night. Her in-laws claimed that she had died because of her sickness. However, during bathing of the dead body, severe injury marks were sighted following which the victim’s parents informed the police. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Ethnic minority families evicted from land Separate land commission for the minority people demanded

n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Members of seven ethnic minority families in Pachondor Mahalipara under Tanore upazila of Rajshahi district are living under open sky as the local administration along with the associates of land grabbers demolished their houses.

On 30 March, a police team along with 150 men of alleged three land grabbers went to the area and swooped on the people with sticks, machetes and spears. They also demolished their houses, said locals.

Police said they had demolished the houses as per the court’s order.

The victims are Lobin Murmu, 50, his brother Mangra Murmu, 45, Biren Kisku, 45, Anjila Tudu, 50, his brother Keletus Tudu, 40, Johon Hasda, 55, and 70-year-old widow Sokoda Karmakar.

The families cannot afford to manage their daily expenses, let alone build new houses. They are leading an inhuman life.

Sokoda Karmakar told Dhaka Tribune that she made a roof of straw for her house but Thursday’s storm had blown it away.

Police along with the grabbers damaged their houses without any notice adding that victim Lobin Murmu demanded immediate recovery of their land from the grabbers.

Another victim Anjila said they had

Man shot dead n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari A villager was shot dead and a schoolgirl sustained bullet injuries as miscreants opened fire on them at Jurgachhari village in Lakshmichhari upazila yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Joy Kumar Chakma, 45, while the injured was Kalpa Rani Chakma, a Class IX student of Lakshmichhari Pilot High School.

Superintendent of police SK Mizanur Rahman quoting locals said: “A gang of armed criminals attacked the house at Jurgachhari Para targeting the members of Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghity Samity (PCJSS) and started firing.

Sensing danger, the PCJSS members escaped the scene. But Joy was killed and Kalpa injured in gun attack.

Police sent the body to Khagrachhari Adhunik Sadar Hospital while injured Kalpa Rani was admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

PCJSS Lakshmichhari upazila unit President Jyotish Dewan claimed that the attack was carried out by the members of UPDF. District UPDF Press Secretary Niron Chakma, however, denied their involvement in the attack. l

been living in the land for the last 40 years. But the three grabbers Fazlur Rahman, Anisur Rahman and Estab Ali now claimed its ownership.

Leaders of ethnic people urged the authorities concerned to protect the ethnic people from eviction. They demanded a separate land commission for the ethnic people.

Rabindranath Saren, president of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad, talking to Dhaka Tribune demanded a separate land commission for the minority groups.

He said: “If the government meet their demand, the ethnic people will get the rights to their own lands.”

Tanore police station Officer-inCharge Bazlur Rashid, however, said Fazlur Rahman, Anisur Rahman and Estab Ali of Sadipur village of Tanore filed a case with a Rajshahi court 11 years ago claiming ownership of the 32-decimal land and they got the court order last December.

The court also ordered the local administration to hand over the land after evicting the illegal occupants, the OC added.

Deputy Commissioner Mezbah Uddin Choudhury said he asked the public prosecutor to file a case against Fazlur Rahman, Anisur Rahman and Estab Ali. He also said if the government won the case, the DC office would lease out the land to the ethnic people. l

Ethnic family members are living under open sky at Pachondor Mahalipara in Tanore upazila of Rajshahi after the local administration along with land grabbers have demolished their houses recently DHAKA TRIBUNE

8th National Convention on disabled persons held in Faridpur n BSS The day-long 8th National Convention of disabled persons organised jointly by Action on Disability and Development (ADD) International, Surjodoy Pratibandhi Sangstha (SPS), Astha Protibandhi Sangstha (APS) and National Grassroot Disability Organisation (NGDO) funded by European Union(EU) and Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) was held yesterday at the local Kabi Jasimuddin Hall.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Faridpur Abu Hena Morshed Zaman was the chief guest in the inaugural session presided over by SPS president Sk Abdur Rob Russel.

Police Super Md Jamil Hassan, Civil Surgeon Dr Sirajul Haque Talukdar, Zilla Parishad administrator Jainul Abedin, Awami League advisory council

member SM Nurunnabi, Sadar Upazilla Chairman Khondoker Mohtesham Hossain Babor, Disabled persons employment district committee President Prof Md Shahjahan and NGO personnel Azharul Islam were the special guests.

Mosharraf Hossain, Country Director of ADD International delivering his convention speech stressed the need for implementation of the government policy including the 10% reserved quota in all kinds of the government job.

He also thanked the present government, particularly Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her commitments and love for the disabled who initiated the passing of the disabled people related bill at the Jatiya Sangsad in 2013.

The main object of the convention was to bring about a greater engagement by the state and key social actors

n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

Employees of Milk Vita Ltd form human chain yesterday in Baghabari under Shahzadpur upazila of Sirajganj district demanding regularisation of their job DHAKA TRIBUNE

At least four members of Border Guard Bangladesh were injured in a gunfight between BGB men and Yaba smugglers at Moulvipara in Teknaf upazila of the district Friday night.

Injured BGB men are Khorshed Alam, Nurul Islam, Mohamamd Abdul Majid and Mintu Das.

NEWS IN BRIEF Man electrocuted in Jhenidah A man died from electrocution in Jhenidah town on Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Akkas Ali, 50, son of late Samer Ali Mandal, a resident of Goyeswar village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila. He used to work as a night guard in Bazar Para area of the town. Officerin-charge Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury of Sadar Police Station, quoting locals, said Akkas Ali came in contact with a live electric wire while plucking drumsticks (sojne) climbing a tree on the premises of the house of the judicial magistrate at 9:00am. Informed, a fire fighting unit from the local fire station came in and disentangled the body from the wire.

Police recovered the body and sent it for autopsy. – UNB

Kidnapped girl rescued after 3 months in Sylhet; one held

Police rescued a schoolgirl from Barolekha upazila in Moulvibazar district on Friday afternoon three months after

Sadar upazilla Chairman Kh. Mohtesham Hossain Babor in his speech declared that the disabled persons of his upazilla will all preferences in various development programs suiting to their physical abilities so that they can lead a dignified and hassle free life. He also assured of creating employment opportunities for them.

The day-long convention was divided into three sessions including the inaugural session. The second and third sessions included discussions on ‘the participation of the disabled in political and social activities and ‘the social and economic rights of the disabled’ respectively.

Abdur Rahman MP and Md. Jahangir Hossain ADC (Gen) attended the second and third sessions as the chief guest respectively. l

A man was hacked to death by unknown miscreants at Joyrampur village in Damurhuda upazila of the district yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Amjad Hossain, 45, son of Samad Ali. Police said a group of unknown miscreants numbering 5-6 hacked Amjad, father of two children, with sharp weapons indiscriminately when he along with his wife and children was sleeping in a veranda leaving him dead on the spot.

On information, police recovered the body in the morning and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy.

Shikdar Mashiur Rahman, officerin-charge of Damurhuda model police station said Amjad might have been killed over previous enmity.

The OC said they were trying to arrest the killers. l

Bangladesh Border Guard men injured in gunfight with smugglers

100 houses gutted n Our Correspondent, Panchagarh At least 100 houses were gutted in a devastating fire at Gitalgoch village under Vhajanpur union of Tetulia upazila in the district yesterday.

Fire service sources said the fire originated from the kitchen of the house of one Ramijul Islam and soon engulfed the adjoining houses at 2:30 am.

On information, firefighters from Tetulia and Panchagarh fire stations went to the spot and doused the fire. l

to the recognition of disability rights in Bangladesh in the light of the law passed by the government on October 9 of 2013 in the line with the UN convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

DC Morshed Zaman in his speech disclosed that according to a survey conducted by District Social Services department there are 26,500 various types of disabled persons in this district and of them 4800 have already given ID cards so that they get facilities and other preference under social safety net program.

He assured the huge convention attended by about 500 handicapped persons of different ages and sex coming from various corners of the district that during his tenure here he would take special care for the development and welfare of the disabled.

Man hacked to death in Chuadanga n Our Correspondent, Chuadanga

her abduction from Jakiganj upazila in Sylhet. The rescued girl was Afia Begum,14, daughter of Kabir Uddin, a resident of Rasulpur village in Jakiganj.

Earlier, one day after the incident, police arrested Sohel Ahmad,22, son of Sahab Uddin, a resident of Maijkandi village in Jakiganj, in connection with the abduction. Police said Sohel and one of his associates picked up Afia from in front of her residence at Rasulpur village on January 19. The victims’ father Kabir filed a case against Sohel with Jakiganj Police Station on January 26. Following secret information, a team of police led by Subinspector Yunus Ali of the police station rescued the girl from a house nearby Barolekha Bazar in the afternoon. – UNB

29 rescued in Benapole while being trafficked to India

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rescued 29 people, including women and children, while they were being trafficked to India through Putkhali border here on Friday night. Subedar Farid Uddin, commanding officer of

Khulna BGB Battalion-23 Putkhali camp, said acting on a tip-off that some Bangladeshis were being sent to India through the border point, a team of the border force conducted a drive in Charer Math area of the border and rescued the gullible people. The rescued people, who hail from different areas of Jessore, Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Narail and Gopalganj districts, include 15 women and one child, BGB sources said. However, the human traffickers fled the scene after sensing the presence of the BGB team.

Later, the rescued were handed over to Benapole Port Police Station. A case was filed in this connection. – UNB

3 held with firearms, ammo in C’nawabganj Members of Rapid Action Battalion arrested three people along with one kg gunpowder, two firearms and four rounds of bullet from Kaliganj in Shibganj upazila on Friday. The arrestees were identified as Abdur Razzak Kalu, 20, son of Harunur Rashid of Manakasha area, Ariful Islam, 30, son of Bazlur Rahman of Parchouka, and Insarul, 22, son

of Kubir Ali of Garatola area in the upaizla. Being tipped off, a team of RAB-5 conducted a raid in the area and arrested the three arms traders along with one kg gunpowder, a pistol, a magazine and four rounds of bullet, said the captain of RAB-5. A case was filed in this connection. – UNB

Youth chopped to death in Jessore A youth was chopped to death by some miscreants on the premises of City College in the town Friday night. The deceased was identified as Islam Uddin, 18, son of Afzal Hossen of Barandipara area of the town. Police sources said a group of miscreants led by Hafizur and Akidul of the same area chopped Islam with sharp weapons around 9pm during a quarrel over sitting arrangement at a cultural show on the college campus.

The youth suffered fatal injuries in the attack. Islam Uddin was rushed to Jessore Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A murder case was filed with Kotwali Model thana in this connection. – BSS

Acting on secret information that a consignment of Yaba tablets was coming from Myanmar through the Naf River, a team of BGB 42- battalion led by its Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Abujar Al Jahid went to the area at about 10pm.

When a boat with smugglers reached the area, the BGB men challenged them. Sensing danger, the smugglers opened fire on the border

guards prompting the BGB men to fire back, triggering a gunfight.

Four BGB men were injured during the gun battle. The BGB personnel also arrested Mohamamd Ismail, 42, an alleged smuggler, from the spot.

The injured were sent to Teknaf Upazila Health Complex.

The BGB men also recovered 50,000 yaba tablets from the spot. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

7

Sunday, April 20, 2014

A new sphere of innovation for corporate Bangladesh Social media marketing is changing the landscape of how businesses do business in the country

BIGSTOCK

n Naiian Yazdani and Nakibul Hoq Rome was not built in a day and neither are successful enterprises.

The reality is that no matter how strong an organisation's network is, product, patience and diligent planning is required to drive the brand forward.

Organisations have to reach out and communicate their products at the right place, at the right time and to the right people in the most efficient way possible.

The consumers of modern Bangladesh are bombarded with information across all mediums, from gigantic billboards to television advertisements.

The modern lifestyle has resulted in an information overload and penetrating such an environment can prove to be difficult. One product that has gained

prominence and popularity in Bangladesh is Facebook, pointing to the next frontier of advertising for enterprises – social media.

At Webable, a Dhaka-based start-up specialising in digital marketing and brand creation on the digital platform, the employees work with the modes of mass-communication over social media. Around 3 million Bangladeshis are using Facebook today and this number is increasing rapidly on a daily basis. FMCGs, NGOs, financial services firms, consultancies, etc recognise this surge of people spending their time on social media and are looking to align their marketing strategies accordingly in search of a competitive advantage.

According to Shadab Mahbub, cofounder and chief innovation officer at Webable: “The social media marketing industry is growing at an exponential rate. In the two months since we began operations, we have already worked

with more than 20 companies.”

The speed at which Bangladeshi companies have taken on this new strategy has been a pleasant surprise for Webable. “With a small team of only 9 members, our business is not just growing - it is booming as more and more companies recognise the need to have their brand marketed on the digital platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.”

What makes this industry so dynamic is that it is driven by young and energetic entrepreneurs with growing ambitions in a country where manufacturing businesses are increasingly being dominated by a few large conglomerates.

Unlike many aspects of the corporate and political sphere which are directed by a few, social media has an unwritten script outside this framework. Shadab, for instance, is only a sophomore at the University of Dhaka and majoring in finance while another cofounder and CEO, Ovick Alam, is a marketing graduate from the same university.

According to Shadab, “Once the preliminary stages are done, we move on to assess how to make the most of the publicity we are generating for the brand. We optimise the articles for search engine visibility and adjust the advertisement budgets to ensure that maximum return on investment is achieved. Webable also specialises in designing funnels to leverage the online traction and generate qualified leads for businesses.”

Of course, an enterprise in this medium requires an understanding of the processes in order to maximise its value. Social media is also the age of data creation.

Checking in at restaurants, posting photos and campaigns all over the social media are now established norms; this means that any news, be it good or bad, spreads like wildfire on the digital platforms.

Just a few years ago, one of the soundest advices that any mentor would give their mentee, one that all of us have surely heard was: “Keep your life compartmentalised.” This was not only sound and reasonable but it really worked – you keep your work separate from your studies, personal life, and hobbies. Everything has its own place and you would be doing yourself no service by letting baggage from one compartment spill into another.

Today, our lives are markedly different. Gone are the days when you would simply put a lid on work once you leave work. The lines between a professional and personal life are getting increasingly blurred – it’s almost an everyday occurrence to leave work and then end up spending a few more hours brainstorming with the team on Facebook from home or constantly checking up on project updates or worse, having to constantly update someone on progress.

With a lifestyle like this, a leave is

the only time that you can truly turn your brain off from work. However, unless you prepare for it aptly, you will end up having to spend your leave doing this and that for work over the phone and social media.

If there is a leave looming anywhere in the near future for you, it is time to tie up loose ends and get ready to plug off from work. While leaves are ideally a great time to relax, the holidays, more specifically the days leading up to the holidays can be extremely stressful.

It’s not just because of preparations at home but for the long break and sub-

While leaves are ideally a great time to relax, the holidays, more specifically the days leading up to the holidays can be extremely stressful

Companies are starting to take notice of this and reformat it into data. For example, a major retailer can track Instagram photos of a consumer who posts a picture of a purchased product.

This enables them to build a profile of their lifestyle, expenditure and other products which they may be likely to consume.

As the manufacturing industry becomes more difficult to fund and more competitive, today’s entrepreneurs

Nakibul Hoq is a research analyst at GradConnect, an international career information and advisory firm. You can email him at nakib@grad-connect.com and find more career information at www.gradinsights.com and www.grad-connect.com.

Naiian Yazdani is the director of strategy at GradConnect. You can email him at naiian@ grad-connect.com.

An enterprise in this medium requires an understanding of the processes in order to maximise its value The role of these digital marketers is to utilise the identity of the organisation and create a brand image on the social media platforms. They meet with the brand manager to brainstorm and formulate the optimal strategies to expose the product and the company to the mass audience.

This job entails various moving parts such as identifying the target consumers, devising the format and forms of the output and packaging it in an efficient and deliverable manner. This may include the creation of graphics content, websites and articles to promote the brand in the market.

BIGSTOCK

5 steps to gear up for a big leave n Career Desk

Around 3 million Bangladeshis are using Facebook today and this number is increasing rapidly on a daily basis

increasingly are pivoting themselves towards the service based industries.

They are choosing innovative fields such as the social media to build their ideas and quench their entrepreneurial thirst.

As Bangladesh evolves into a modern economy gearing itself as a hub for technology-based start-up companies, these entrepreneurs will play a pivotal role in how all businesses interact with their consumers and in doing so spawn a whole new industry. l

sequent damage it might do to your prowess at work.

The following are a number of helpful suggestions to help you get ready for the break, and switch off completely without any unwanted intrusions from work.

Do the research

The first step is to do your research.

Study your contract. Exactly how many leaves are you entitled to? Can you put them all together and take a long leave?

Would you rather break them into two shorter leaves? Find out how many days you are allowed to have off. There are various nuances to a contract, so instead of making assumptions, it is safest to meet with the HR department and your supervisor and make sure you know which days you can officially have off.

Save up days

If you are planning to go on a big leave and require a few more days off than you have for vacations, save up on leaves the rest of the year. Many com-

panies have an additional privilege leave on top of vacation leaves. Find out if you can take them consecutively.

If you can add any additional days to your official vacation days, you could give yourself that much-needed long break. However, before you start stockpiling your vacation time, make sure you run your plan by your employer.

Some employers may not let you do this, and you will have lost stored up time for nothing.

Inform colleagues

Make sure that everybody on your team is aware of your plans. You don’t have to go into personal holiday plans but it is best to mention if you’ll be out of town or out of country, in case you are needed for emergencies. Sharing just this little bit of information upfront will avoid uncertainties later. It reduces significant stress for everybody when the team is aware of who is re-joining when.

Leave a replacement

Whether someone is officially assigned to do your work during your absence or a colleague offers to pick up the slack, make sure you are sharing enough relevant information about all on-going projects you are handling with your team.

In case work has to move forward while you are gone and someone has to fill-in, the more information your temporary replacement has, the easier the time will be for everyone. It will also significantly reduce the chance of you having to return to a growing pile on your desk on your first day back.

Do a final meeting

BIGSTOCK

Even if not an official meeting, try arranging a casual sit down before the vacation with your employer and fellow colleagues. It will be easier for everyone to leave things as neat and tidy as possible. Getting on top of as many projects, phone calls and emails as possible before leaving is ideal.

Most importantly, use the meeting to set some ground rules for when you are not going to be there. In case you need to be contacted during the holidays, make sure everyone knows how, when and where. Make clear what times you will dedicate to leisure, and leave a schedule for when it is appropriate to contact you. l

Sound like you know your business n Career Desk

Jack up the price of (something) - to make a price higher Jump off the shelves - to sell very well

BIZ VOCAB

Keep books - to keep records of money that is gained or spent

A kickback - an amount of money that is paid illegally for favorable treatment

Red ink - debt (the red ink on a financial statement) Red tape - rules and regulations that seem unnecessary (often from the government) Robert’s Rules of Order - the official book of guidelines and rules about how to conduct a meeting Rule (someone) out of order - to rule that someone is not following the rules of a meeting

Land an account - to acquire an account

Run an ad - to place or put an advertisement in a publication

Lay (something) on the table - to present a matter for discussion

Saddled with debt - to be burdened with debt

Lead time - the amount of time between the placing of an order and the receipt of the goods that you have ordered, the time available to prepare for something

Seller’s market - a situation where there are more buyers of a product/service than sellers so the sellers have an advantage

Line of products - a group or category of products that are similar to each other

Slash prices - to reduce prices significantly

Make a go of (something) - to produce good results, to succeed at something

Stand adjourned - to be dismissed or to end (used for a meeting)

Make a motion - to make a suggestion or proposal at a meeting

Strike while the iron is hot - to take advantage of an opportunity

Make money hand over fist - to make money fast and in large amounts

Sweetheart deal - a deal made between friends or businesses so that both may receive a benefit

Move a product - to sell a product A number cruncher - an accountant, someone who works with numbers

Table a discussion - to postpone a discussion until a later time

On the block - to be for sale, to go on sale

Take a nosedive - to collapse, to decrease in value

Out-of-pocket expenses - the direct expenses that one must personally pay for something

Take a pay cut - to accept a decrease in one’s salary

Out of the loop - to not be part of a group of people that is kept up-to-date with information about something Outsource (something) - to use outside sources for something rather than those within a company or its facilities Overnight (something) - to send a document or package somewhere for delivery the next day Pay off - to succeed, to yield good results

Take minutes - to write down the details of a meeting Take stock - to count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock at a business, to take inventory Throw cold water on (something) - to discourage or forbid something Turn over - to do business to a certain amount of money or product

Plug a product - to promote a product

Turnover (of products) - the rate at which a product is sold and replaced

Put one’s nose to the grindstone - to work diligently or hard

Turnover (of workers) - the rate at which employees join and leave a company

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Sunday, April 20, 2014

15 Qaeda suspects How the US made its Putin problem worse n killed in Yemen Poll: Most in Donetsk Reuters, Washington

n AFP, Sanaa

In September 2001, as the US reeled from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, Vladimir Putin supported Washington’s imminent invasion of Afghanistan in ways that would have been inconceivable during the Cold War. The sequence of events early in Washington’s relationship with Putin reflects a dynamic that has persisted through the ensuing 14 years and the current crisis in Ukraine: US actions, some intentional and some not, sparking an overreaction from an aggrieved Putin.

As Russia masses tens of thousands of troops along the Russian-Ukrainian border, Putin is thwarting what the Kremlin says is an American plot to surround Russia with hostile neighbours.

Experts said he is also promoting “Putinism” as a global alternative to Western democracy.

A drone strike yesterday killed 15 Al-Qaeda suspects and three civilians in Yemen’s central Baida province, a stronghold of the extremist group, a security official said.

The jihadists were travelling in a vehicle towards the southern Shabwa province, witnesses said. The three civilians were passing by in another car.

The United States is the only country that operates drones in Yemen, but officials rarely discuss the covert programme. Last month, Yemen’s President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi defended the use of drones against Al-Qaeda in his country, which has killed dozens of militants in a sharply intensified campaign over the past year.

Drone strikes “have greatly helped in limiting Al-Qaeda activities, despite some mistakes, which we are sorry about,» Hadi told the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat.

The drone programme has come under criticism from human rights activists concerned over civilian casualties.

The United Nations said 16 civilians were killed and at least 10 wounded when two separate wedding processions were targeted in December.

The victims had been mistakenly identified as Al-Qaeda members, it quoted local security officials

as saying at the time.

Following the deaths, Yemen’s parliament voted for a ban on drone strikes, but analysts say lawmakers are unlikely to be able to halt the US campaign.

The US has defended the drone campaign, which allows it to target Al-Qaeda without the use of ground forces in lawless areas where authorities cannot or will not act against the group.

Militants regularly attack security forces from hideouts in the mountainous terrain of Baida. On Tuesday, Qaeda suspects shot dead the province’s vice governor and an intelligence officer.

Tribal ources in the region claim a recent video of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula chief Nasser al-Wuhayshi welcoming 19 militants who escaped a Sanaa prison was filmed between Shabwa and Baida.

Addressing scores of jihadists in the rare video appearance, Wuhayshi pledged to pursue the war against Western “crusaders” everywhere possible.

In the February jailbreak, AQAP militants slammed a car bomb into the eastern gate of a Sanaa prison as others attacked the guards at its main entrance. The attack allowed 29 inmates to escape, including the 19 jihadists.

Yemen is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden and the home base of AQAP, which has been linked to a number of failed attacks on the US homeland. l

Syria rivalry splits jihadist ranks n AFP, Baghdad

Egyptian leftist submits bid for presidency

Rivalry between jihadist groups fighting in Syria has sharply divided global militant ranks once loosely allied under Al-Qaeda, sparking infighting which experts say has hampered efforts to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

And while senior leaders of Al-Qaeda were all but above question under revered founder Osama bin Laden, the conflict has gone so far that even his replacement Ayman al-Zawahiri has come in for fierce criticism on jihadist forums online.

Powerful rebel groups in Syria, including Al-Qaeda’s designated local affiliate Al-Nusra Front, have been locked in fierce fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), with thousands of people killed since January.

Jihadists were initially welcomed by other rebels battling to topple Assad since 2011. But allegations of brutality towards civilians and rival fighters sparked a backlash and even accusations that they served Assad’s interests.

In a sign of how sharp the divisions have become, ISIL spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani has accused Al-Qaeda leaders of betraying the jihadist cause.

“Al-Qaeda today is no longer a base of jihad (holy war),” Adnani said in a statement posted on jihadist forums, playing off the militant group’s name, which means “the base” in Arabic.

“Its leadership has become a hammer to break the project of the Islamic State,” Adnani said, adding that “the leaders of Al-Qaeda have deviated from the correct path.”

In an interview with a Qaeda-run media outlet released by the SITE monitoring service yesterday and dated between February and April, Zawahiri called for unity and suggested the Assad regime had penetrated jihadist ranks and sowed sedition.

“If I command you to fight your mujahideen (holy warrior) brothers, do not obey me. If I command you to blow yourself up among your mujahideen brothers, do not obey me,” he said.

Online, the clash among jihadists has seen criticism of Zawahiri from around the Islamic world, though others have defended the Al-Qaeda chief.

“Zawahiri has fallen... We will not listen to him any more. To the dustbin of history, oh Al-Qaeda,” tweeted ISIL supporter Munassar al-Mumineen.

Ahmed, another Twitter user, attacked Zawahiri as “old” and called him “the Prince of the Khawarij” – those who have left the proper path of jihad.

Alan Fraser, a Middle East and North Africa specialist with British risk consultancy AKE Group, said disputes among jihadists have happened before, including within Al-Qaeda itself.

“Jihadist groups have always been prone to division and infighting, as there is generally a lot more at stake than just ideological issues,” he said.

“There have always been tensions between and within groups over the extent of their extremism.”

Inside Syria, however, splits between jihadist groups ultimately play into Assad’s hands. l

n AFP, Cairo Egyptian leftist Hamdeen Sabbahi yesterday submitted the documents required to run in next month’s presidential election, in which he is likely to be the only rival to former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Sabbahi is currently Sisi’s sole challenger after lawyer Mortada Mansour announced he was withdrawing his candidacy, although there is another day before the expected end of the registration period. Sisi, who is riding a wave of popularity after ousting Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last July amid massive street protests, is widely expected to win the May 26-27 election.

“With God’s will, we will wage a

Not paying attention?

It’s also a dynamic that some current and former US officials said reflects an American failure to recognize that while the Soviet Union is gone as an ideological enemy, Russia has remained a major power that demands the same level of foreign policy attention as China and other large nations - a relationship that should not just be a means to other ends, but an end in itself.

“I just don’t think we were really paying attention,” said James F. Collins,

great and victorious battle,” Sabbahi told supporters after submitting his candidacy to the electoral commission.

Sabbahi has surpassed the 25,000 signatures from citizen supporters required to officially register his candidacy, gathering 31,100 signatures from 17 provinces, according to his campaign team. He was accompanied by scores of supporters, who cheered him on and chanted: “Sabbahi is the symbol of freedom!” They carried boxes containing the signed forms to be delivered to the electoral committee.

A longtime opposition figure jailed during the rule of strongman Hosni Mubarak and his predecessor Anwar Sadat, Sabbahi came in third in Egypt’s first free presidential election in 2012. l

Nigeria Islamists still holding 85 schoolgirls n Reuters, Maiduguri Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram is still holding 85 girls it abducted from a raid on a secondary school in northeastern Borno state this week, although the other 44 were free, the state government said yesterday.

Monday’s mass abduction of schoolgirls aged 15 to 18 by Boko Haram, who are fighting for a breakaway Islamic state in northern Nigeria, shocked Africa’s most populous country.

It also underscored just how powerless Nigeria’s military is at protecting civilians despite a year-long state of

emergency meant to flush the rebels out of three states in the northeast.

The Islamists attacked Chibok school, in remote Borno state, which had 129 girls staying in it, on Monday.

Most of them were abducted, although the precise numbers were not clear.

Borno state education commissioner Inuwa Kubo said that 16 students had managed to flee back home during the night of the attack, while another 28 had escaped after being abducted.

The other 85 were still missing.

“We continually pray that all our students return in good health,” Kubo said. l

who served as the US ambassador to Moscow in the late 1990s. The bilateral relationship “was seen as not a big deal.”

Officials from the administrations of Presidents Bush and Barack Obama said American officials initially overestimated their potential areas of cooperation with Putin. Then, through a combination of overconfidence, inattention and occasional clumsiness, Washington contributed to a deep spiral in relations with Moscow.

Common cause

Bush and Putin’s post-2001 camaraderie foundered on a core dispute: Russia’s relationship with its neighbours.

In November 2002, Bush backed Nato’s invitation to seven nations - including former Soviet republics Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - to begin talks to join the Western alliance. In 2004, with Bush as a driving force, the seven Eastern European nations joined Nato. Putin and other Russian officials denounced the move.

Democracy in our time

Another core dispute between Bush and Putin related to democracy. What Bush and other American officials saw as democracy spreading across the former Soviet bloc, Putin saw as pro-American regime change. Putin was deeply sceptical of US efforts to nurture democracy in the former Soviet bloc, where the State Department and American nonprofit groups pro-

against joining Russia n AFP, Kiev A majority of inhabitants in Ukraine’s pro-Russian protest hub Donetsk do not want to join Russia but consider the government in Kiev to be illegitimate, according to a poll published yesterday.

52.2 percent of people questioned in the region, the focal point of separatist unrest that has seen pro-Moscow militants seize a string of towns, said they were against joining Russia while 27.5 percent favoured rule from Ukraine’s former Soviet master Moscow.

Among the 3,200 respondents across Ukraine’s entire Russian-speaking southeast, the number of those opposed to Moscow taking control rose to 69.7 percent, according to the poll from Kiev’s Institute for International Sociology published in the Russian-language Weekly Mirror newspaper.

In the Donetsk region, where separatists

vided training and funds to local civil-society groups. In public speeches, he accused the US of meddling.

A vaporized relationship

In 2011, Putin accused Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of secretly organizing

have declared an independent republic and demanded a referendum on autonomy, 38.4 percent said they backed Kremlin demands to federalise Ukraine and 41 percent said they wanted a decentralisation of power.

Inhabitants in the east remain highly suspicious of Kiev’s interim authorities, who took over from pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych after his ouster in February following months of bloody protests.

Some 74 percent of respondents said they consider acting President Oleksandr Turchynov to be illegitimate, the poll said.

Russia, which Nato says has some 40,000 troops on the border, has said it has the right to intervene militarily in Ukraine to protect Russian speakers and has denied Western allegations that it is behind the separatist unrest. But 57.2 percent of those polled in Donetsk said they felt their rights have not been violated and 66.3 percent said they were against a Russian military intervention. l street demonstrations after disputed Russian parliamentary elections. Putin said Clinton had encouraged “mercenary” Kremlin foes. And he claimed that foreign governments had provided “hundreds of millions” of dollars to Russian opposition groups. l

‘Iran bears no hostility to world’ n AFP, Tehran

Iran nuclear agreement

Iran has no intention of committing acts of aggression but retains the right to defend itself militarily, President Hassan Rouhani said Friday.

Speaking at a parade to mark Army Day, Rouhani delivered a peaceful message that referenced negotiations with leading powers aimed at securing a permanent deal to resolve a decade-long impasse over Tehran’s nuclear programme.

“The neighbours should know that the Iranian military wants stability in the region,” he said. “During the nuclear talks we told the world we do not want to attack anyone and we do not want war.”

Although the speech was preceded by fighter jets passing overhead, and followed by a procession of missiles and other military hardware on trucks, Rouhani’s tone contrasted sharply with the often bellicose rhetoric of his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who routinely took aim at Israel.

“We are people of reason and dialogue,” Rouhani said. “Over the past two centuries Iran has never attacked anyone.”

Since coming to power last August, Rouhani, seen as a moderate determined to revive Iran’s sanctions-ravaged economy, has presided over a delicate thaw in relations with the West.

Under a preliminary deal signed last November, Iran agreed to freeze some nuclear activities for six months, which led to modest sanctions relief and a promise from Western states of no new restrictions on its hard-hit economy.

Iran’s talks with the P5 +1 powers – the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany – will resume on May 13, with leaders seeking a lasting accord to end a long-running international standoff over the country’s nuclear activities. l

Reported uranium reserves: 4,400 tonnes

A temporary deal to curb the nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief took effect January 20 when Iran started eliminating highly enriched uranium Major facilities (approximate locations) Nuclear site

Reactor

Natanz Allow daily inspections by IAEA experts

Uranium mine

CASPIAN SEA

Arak Halt progress to commission reactor under construction

Karaj Holds some enrichment equipment

Feb 1

$550 million

TEHRAN Main nuclear research center Parchin Military base Fordo Allow daily inspections

by IAEA Sagand experts

Isfahan Research reactors, uranium conversion Anarak Nuclear waste disposal

Bushehr 1,000 MWe pressurised water reactor went online September 2011

Funds to be unblocked Frozen assets released under sanctions relief Installment schedule

Ardakan Yellowcake production plant

Payment for dilution of half of stock of 20% enriched uranium to 5% Mar 7

$550 million Apr 10

$550 million

Gashin Apr 15

$450 million

GULF GULF OF OMAN

Uranium enrichment Nuclear energy is produced from U235, which makes up just 0.7% of natural uranium, the rest being U238 Enrichment increases the proportion of U235 by separating it from U238 Civil use U235 proportion increased to 5%

March 1

$450 million

Military use U235 proportion increased to 90%

Under the deal Iran will limit enrichment to 5% and neutralise its stockpile of uranium enriched to 20%

Payment for 2nd half dilution May 14

$550 million Jun 17

$550 million

Jul 20

$550 million Sources: IAEA/NTI/ISIS

Iran general for new UN pick n AP, Tehran A senior Iranian military official has urged the foreign ministry to name a new envoy to the UN after the US blocked its chosen ambassador over alleged ties to the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran.

Semiofficial Fars news agency also quoted Gen. Mohammad Bagherzadeh as saying Saturday that Hamid Aboutalebi should remain close to his

mother because the family lost two sons during the 1980-88 war with Iraq.

President Barack Obama signed legislation Friday aimed at blocking Aboutalebi from entering the US Tehran has refused to name a different envoy after Washington refused to grant him an entry visa. Iran says it is challenging the US “through legal channels.” Iranian lawmakers say American opposition to Aboutalebi’s entry is a misuse of the geographical location of the UN. l

Mourning and memories in Márquez’s languid hometown n Reuters, Colombia

A wreath hangs above a portrait of Gabriel García Márquez in front of a museum converted from the house he grew up in

REUTERS

The sleepy Colombian town that was Gabriel García Márquez’s birthplace and inspired him to write “One Hundred Years of Solitude” mourned its Nobel Prize-winning author with music, candles and flowers.

A day after García Márquez’s death, his cousin Nicolas Ricardo Arias leafed through dog-eared photographs and recalled with a smile the family reunions on the rare occasions when Aracataca’s famous son returned home.

“I remember him with his whisky and his jokes,” said Arias, 78, on the porch of his humble home in the town near Colombia’s Caribbean coast. “This is a very special day of sadness and memories ... Today we will just remember Gabriel.”

García Márquez, who died at his home in Mexico City on Thursday, spent the first years of his life in Aracataca and drew on it for some of the characters and tales in his masterpiece “One Hundred Years of Solitude.”

Dozens of mourners gathered on Friday at a shrine of flowers and candles on the piece of land where he was born. Musicians played guitar and sang ballads commemorating his life.

“We heard he had died, and we rushed right here,” said one resident, Sara Parodis,

as she made cut-out yellow butterflies, a tribute to the swarms of butterflies that appeared in the classic novel whenever one character’s forbidden lover arrived.

“One Hundred Years of Solitude” tells the epic, dream-like story of seven generations of the Buendia family in the fictional town of Macondo, based largely on Aracataca.

García Márquez said he drew on the stories that his grandmother told him when he was a child, laced with folklore, superstition and the supernatural.

The novel sold over 30 million copies, helped García Márquez win the 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature and popularized the genre of magical realism. It made Aracataca famous and drew literary pilgrims hoping to absorb some of the bewitching energy he wrote about.

In Aracataca, residents are clearly proud of their native son but some feel he could have done more to ease poverty here.

“He brought nothing at all to the town.

We have his house, and a few murals, but nothing much else,” said Osvaldo Bergara, selling water on a street corner close to the house. But others, like his cousin Nicolas, say García Márquez is not to blame and that local corruption has sapped the town of its potential. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

9

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Korea ferry relatives give DNA swabs to help identify dead n Reuters, Jindo/Mokpo Some relatives of the more than 200 children missing in a sunken South Korean ferry offered DNA swabs yesterday to help identify the dead as the rescue turned into a mission to recover the vessel and the bodies of those on board.

The Sewol, carrying 476 passengers and crew, capsized on Wednesday on a journey from the port of Incheon to the southern holiday island of Jeju. Thirty-two people are known to have died.

The 69-year-old captain, Lee Joonseok, was arrested in the early hours of Saturday on charges of negligence along with two other crew members, including the third mate who was steering at the time of the capsize.

Prosecutors later said the mate was steering the Sewol through the waters where it listed and capsized - for the first time in her career.

Asked why the children had been ordered to stay put in their cabins instead of abandoning ship, Lee, apparently overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, told reporters he feared they would have been swept out to sea in the strong, cold current.

Early reports said that the ferry turned sharply and listed, perhaps due to a shift in the cargo it was carrying and crew members said the captain, who was not initially on the bridge, had tried to right the ship but failed.

Some 500 relatives of the 270 people listed as missing watched a murky underwater video shot after divers reported they had seen three bodies through the windows.

The official number of those miss-

ing was revised up from an earlier estimate of 269.

Packed in a gymnasium in the port city of Jindo day and night since Wednesday, tempers frayed and fist fights broke out after the video was shown. The video, viewed by relatives and journalists, did not appear to show any corpses.

Chances of finding survivors ‘almost zero’

President Park Geun-hye was jeered by some when she visited on Thursday. “Park Geun-hye should come here again,” Kang Hyuck’s mother said.

Three cranes were moved close to the sunken ship yesterday but were not deployed. Strong tides and rough weather

Ferry recovery ‘could take two months’ n Agencies South Korean officials said the recovery operation after Wednesday’s ferry disaster may take two months, BBC reported.

Divers are battling strong currents in poor visibility to reach 270 missing passengers - 32 are confirmed dead. Some 174 passengers have been rescued.

Asked how long the rescue operation was likely to continue, Shin Won-Nam, the head of the Emergency Management Centre, told reporters that it could take weeks, if not months.

“Please lift the ship, so we can get the bodies out,” a woman who identified herself as the mother of a child called Kang Hyuck said, using a microphone.

Relatives have criticized what they say is the slow response of the government and contradictory information given out by authorities in the early stages of the rescue mission.

“We are not sure about it. But according to the experts, the rescue may last one or two months,” he said.

Investigations are focusing on a sharp turn the vessel took before it started listing and whether an evacuation order could have saved lives. Footage from the ship appeared to show instructions from crew members for passengers to remain on board even as it tilted dramatically to one side.

The ferry Sewol was sailing from Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju. It capsized and sank within two hours. l again impeded efforts to get inside.

Coastguard spokesman Kim Jaein said the cranes would be deployed when the divers say it is safe.

“Lifting the ship does not mean they will remove it completely from the sea.

They can lift it two to three meters off the seabed,” he said.

Coastguard officials said that divers would make another attempt to enter

Search resumes after Everest’s worst climbing tragedy

Relatives of a Mount Everest avalanche victim grieve as bodies arrive at the Sherpa Monastery in Kathmandu AFP

n

Reuters, Kathmandu

Sherpa climbers aided by helicopters resumed a search yesterday for four missing guides after an ice avalanche swept the lower slopes of Mount Everest, killing at least 12 in the deadliest accident on the world’s highest mountain.

Climbers declared a four-day halt to efforts to scale the 8,848-metre (29,029-ft) summit and, while some decided to abandon their mission, others said they would go ahead after talking to their Nepali guides.

“I sat and counted 13 helicopter lifts - 12 were dead bodies flying overhead suspended by a long line from a helicopter,” Tim Rippel of Peak Freaks Expeditions wrote in a blog.

“Everyone is shaken here at Base Camp. Some climbers are packing up and calling it quits, they want nothing to do with this. Reality has set in.”

Shocked relatives wondered how they would cope without the men who take huge risks to earn up to $5,000 for a two-month expedition - around 10 times average annual pay in the isolated mountain kingdom.

“He was the only bread winner in the family,” said 17-year-old Phinjum Sherpa, as she waited for the body of her uncle, Tenji Sherpa, at a Buddhist monastery in Kathmandu.

“I am shaken now the family has no one to support it. We have no one to take care of us.”

The ice avalanche struck a peril-

ous passage called the Khumbu Icefall, which is riddled with crevasses and piled with seracs - massive ice boulders or columns that can break free without warning.

Although relatively low on the mountain, climbers say it is one of the most dangerous points on Mount Everest. There are, however, no safer paths along the famous South Col route first scaled by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

The sherpas caught in the ice slide were ferrying equipment from Base Camp to Camp 1 - one of four waypoints that lie beneath Everest’s South Face en route to the final climb to the peak.

Around 100 climbers and guides had already passed beyond the Khumbu Icefall to prepare their attempts on the summit. They are safe, but a new path will have to be made to make it possible to continue the expeditions.

Rippel’s sherpas had lucky escapes - two had returned to base camp five minutes before the avalanche hit, while two were briefly trapped above the avalanche but managed to make their way down, he wrote.

The Himalayan Guides, a Nepali hiking group, said six of its sherpas had gone ahead of climbers they were accompanying in order to fix ropes and crack snow and ice to carve out a route, when they were caught and killed by the avalanche.

“Now we are concentrating on the rescue. Once that is over we will hold a meeting and decide what to do next,” Bhim Raj Paudel, a member of the group, told Reuters. l

the ship in the evening.

“The chances of finding anyone alive now are almost zero,” said Bruce Reid, Chief Executive Officer of the International Maritime Rescue Foundation.

“There will still be a search operation on the water, a surface search, but it would be more of a recovery exercise now. They’ll be looking for bodies.”

The capsize occurred in calm weather on a well-travelled 400 km (300 mile) sea route from Incheon to Jeju some 25 km (15 miles) from land.

Lee, the ship’s captain, was described by officials from Chonghaejin Marine Co Ltd, the owner of the vessel, as a “veteran”.

“I had ordered (passengers) to leave the ferry, but (later) I said to them to stay because there was no rescue ship,” he told South Korean television as he was led away by police.

Police also raided Chonghaejin offices in Incheon and Yang Joong-jin, a prosecutor in the city of Mokpo, said ten people were being questioned over the loading and stowing of the Sewol’s cargo.

Yonhap news agency said 180 vehicles were onboard the ferry along with 1,157 tons of freight. At least some of the freight was in containers stacked on the foredeck. The vice-principal of the school, Kang Min-gyu, 52, was one of those rescued as the children followed orders and stayed aboard. He hanged himself outside the gym in Jindo, police said.

His body was discovered on Friday and police released part of a two-page suicide note. “Burn my body and scatter my ashes at the site of the sunken ferry,” he wrote. “Perhaps I can become a teacher for the missing students in my next life.” l

Children write their letters of hope for missing schoolchildren trapped in the capsized South Korean ferry, at Ansan Jungang station in Ansan AFP

Appear on May 24 or face action, court warns Kejriwal n Agencies A Delhi court yesterday warned Arvind Kejriwal and three other AAP leaders that it would initiate “coercive process” if they fail to appear before it on May 24 in a criminal defamation complaint filed against them by India’s Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal’s lawyer son Amit Sibal.

Metropolitan magistrate (MM) Sunil Kumar Sharma told advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared for Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Prashat Bhushan and Shazia Ilmi, that he should ensure that the accused appear before him on the next date of hearing.

“Ensure that everybody is present on the next date (of hearing), otherwise I will initiate coercive process,”

the court told Mehra and fixed the matter for hearing on May 24.

The court also imposed a cost of Rs 2,500 each on Sisodia, Bhushan and Ilmi while allowing their plea seeking exemption from personal appearance for today.

It, however, allowed the exemption application of Kejriwal for today and did not impose any cost on him on the ground that he himself is contesting the Lok Sabha poll.

All the four accused did not appear before the court yesterday on the ground that they were busy in campaigning for the Lok Sabha election.

The court, on March 15, had imposed a cost of Rs 2,500 each on Kejriwal and Sisodia for their failure to appear before it. l

‘There’ll be no place in India for Modi critics’ n Agencies In remarks that are bound to create a big political storm, a BJP leader from Bihar suggested at a rally yesterday that those who oppose his party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will have “no place in India” after the results of the general election are announced.

“Those who want to stop Narendra Modi (from becoming prime minister) are looking towards Pakistan. In the coming days, they will have no place in India. They will only have place in

Pakistan,” Giriraj Singh said while addressing a gathering in Godda district of Jharkhand.

Mr Singh made the remarks in the presence of senior party leader and former president Nitin Gadkari. He is the party’s candidate from Nawada in Bihar.

Opinion polls suggest that the Narendra Modi-led BJP could win the maximum seats in the national election.

Voting in the world’s biggest election, spread across nine phases, ends on May 12 while results will be declared on May 16. l

Every fifth poll candidate in MP has criminal record n Agencies Every fifth contestant in the fray from India’s Madhya Pradesh has a criminal background, an analysis by a thinktank revealed on Friday.

Major political parties contesting in the state, including Congress, BJP and BSP, have seen a rise in number of tainted candidates since the last Lok Sabha elections in 2009, reported Times of India.

Besides, the number of candidates with serious criminal cases has also risen, barring Congress.

Madhya Pradesh Election Watch (MPEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have analysed selfsworn affidavits of candidates, including four major parties, Congress, BJP, BSP and AAP submitted to Election Commission.

Of the 370 candidates analysed by ADR, 65 candidates (18%) have declared criminal cases against them, while in 2009 of 420 candidates analysed, 41 (10%) had declared criminal cases. Of these, 35 have declared serious criminal cases, including charges of forgery, cheating, causing disappearance of evidence of offence, extortion, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation and crime against women. In contrast, 26 (6%) had serious crimes to their name in the 2009 Lok Sabha election.

In 2014, the maximum number of tainted candidates has been fielded

by Congress and BSP. Ten (36%) of 28 candidates in each party have criminal cases against them while 8 of 29 (28%) candidates from BJP and 8 of 27 (30%) candidates from AAP have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. l

Underwater jet search Obama to bolster US ‘rebalance’ to Asia could end within a week n AFP, Washington

n Reuters, Sydney The current underwater search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, focused on a tight 10 km (6.2 mile) circle of the sea floor, could be completed within a week, Australian search officials said yesterday. Malaysia said the search was at a “very critical juncture” and asked for prayers for its success.

A US Navy deep-sea autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is scouring a remote stretch of the Indian Ocean floor for signs of the plane, which disappeared from radars on March 8 with 239 people on board.

After almost two months without a sign of wreckage, the current underwater search has been narrowed to a small area around the location in which one of four acoustic signals believed to be from the plane’s black box recorders was detected on April 8, officials said.

“Provided the weather is favourable

for launch and recovery of the AUV and we have a good run with the serviceability of the AUV, we should complete the search of the focused underwater area in five to seven days,” the Joint Agency Coordination Centre told Reuters in an email.

Officials did not indicate whether they were confident that this search area would yield any new information about the flight, nor did they state what steps they would take in the event that the underwater search were to prove fruitless.

More than two dozen countries have been involved in the hunt for the Boeing 777 disappeared from radar shortly into a Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flight in what officials believe was a deliberate act. Weeks of daily sorties have failed to turn up any trace of the plane, even after narrowing the search to an arc in the southern Indian Ocean, making this the most expensive such operation in aviation history. l

President Barack Obama will use an Asian tour beginning next week to bolster US alliances in the region at a time of increased geopolitical tension.

Obama is scheduled to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, and will be under duress to address maritime territorial disputes between US allies and China.

Aides said Friday that the president would restate staunch US support for its friends, underline its role as a Pacific power, and seek to reassure the region that his Asia “rebalancing” strategy is not running out of steam.

Obama will also attempt to make progress in dragged out negotiations over the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, and reassure potential partners that he could get it endorsed by a reluctant Congress.

Obama is set to travel to Asia on Tuesday, but will certainly remain preoccupied by simmering foreign policy crises elsewhere, especially in Ukraine and in the Middle East.

Maritime dispute headache

“The president’s trip to Asia is an important opportunity to underscore our continued focus on the Asia-Pacific region,” said Obama’s national security advisor Susan Rice.

The president will reassure the region that his Asia ‘rebalancing’ strategy is not running out of steam “At a time of ongoing regional tensions, particularly with regard to North Korea and territorial disputes, the trip offers a chance for the United States to affirm our commitment to a rules-based order in the region.

“There’s a significant demand for US leadership in that region, and our strategy of rebalancing to Asia includes eco-

nomic, political, security and cultural interests in Northeast and Southeast Asia,” she said.

Obama would emphasize that Washington wants maritime disputes in the South and East China seas settled peacefully, in accordance with the rule of law, Rice said.

Washington does not take a position on the various territorial claims of regional powers, but has in the past angered China by suggesting that these claims should be solved through a multi-lateral process.

China, taking advantage of its size and influence, prefers to discuss the maritime rows in a bilateral fashion with individual nations.

Obama’s trip will be his first to the region since Beijing declared an Air Defense Zone in the South China Sea last year, which Washington branded as illegitimate.

Fifth official Asian trip

The president begins his fifth official trip to Asia when he lands in Japan for a state visit on Wednesday, and has

a private dinner with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The next day, after an official arrival ceremony at the Imperial Palace and then formal talks, he will hold a press conference with Abe. After several engagements during the day, including a meeting with business leaders, Obama will attend a state dinner hosted by Emperor Akihito.

Senior US officials said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity, that both Japanese and US trade officials were working to narrow gaps on market access in the auto and agricultural sectors that have slowed wider TPP talks.

They declined to put a timetable on the talks, but the rest of the region will be looking to Obama and Abe to at least demonstrate concrete progress in the discussions in Tokyo.

In Seoul, Obama will hold talks with South Korean President Park GeunHye that focus on North Korea’s belligerence. The US president will also attempt to ease tensions between Seoul and Tokyo. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Online media policy against the public interest

T

he government’s draft Online Media Operation Policy contains many disastrously bad ideas, which will do nothing to aid the free and smooth functioning of the media.

It has been drafted with excessive measures which can only serve to thwart online media and reflects an outdated and unrealistic bureaucratic mindset.

Proposed provisions range from the onerous – a Tk5 lakh license fee – to the mercenary – 2% of advertising revenue going to the government – to the downright impractical and ridiculous – sites on the internet not being supposed to link to other sites.

According to the draft, online operators will also only be able to publish advertisements for only 20% of their total content.

While we are not opposed to the concept of regulatory mechanisms, the proposals outlined in this draft policy are extreme and counterproductive.

Even existing online-based news agencies and portals will be required to get licenses under the new mandate. Furthermore, license holders will have to get BTRC approval in order to run not only online portals, news agencies, and web-based newspapers, but also personal websites.

The government’s attempt to clamp down on personal sites is particularly objectionable. This merely opens up the possibility of tyrannical and despotic moves on the government’s part.

If implemented, the draft measures can only hurt the government by making it look autocratic, as they are an affront to freedom of speech and expression.

We call on the government to take a more sober view and rule out all measures which undermine freedom of expression.

The government’s attempt to clamp down on personal sites is particularly objectionable

Thank you to our readers

D

haka Tribune is now formally one year old as a newspaper.

Whether you have been buying the paper since its launch or have become a regular reader during the course of our first year, we would like to formally thank all of our readers.

It is our privilege to serve the public. Dhaka Tribune is highly conscious of its responsibility to deliver reliable, timely reporting and to provide a platform for a diverse range of opinions.

As is reflected by the impact of our articles and in the lively discussions which take place on our letters page and online, we have an informed and active readership, which has helped Dhaka Tribune to grow rapidly in the marketplace.

We thank our readers and writers for all of their contributions and support.

Bangladesh faces many challenges and opportunities. We hope that we shall continue to succeed in helping to present new ideas, new voices, and new ways of looking at the world.

We promise to endeavour every day to be worthy of the confidence and trust which readers place in this newspaper.

We shall strive to fulfil our responsibility to dig deep into events and to speak truth to power when calling the accountable to account.

With its youthful and dynamic population, Bangladesh is moving fast towards a more inclusive and prosperous future.

We thank our readers in supporting our aim to be the voice of a changing Bangladesh, where all citizens are glad to be Bangladeshi.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

A doctrine misunderstood

Shakib Al Hasan

April 17 Dear editor, This is in response to your op-ed piece, “In Defence of Shakib Al Hasan.” In your proxy apology for the all-rounder, you have conveniently forgotten the role of Bangladeshi supporters in gaining test status and our increased presence in world cricket. The reason Shakib gets to bask in glory that even the most famous Bangladeshi would be jealous of is us, Bangladeshi supporters. In 2000, when ICC handed us test status, it was not because we had been consistently punching above our weight, or had the cricketing domestic infrastructure that augured a bright future.

It was because of the intensely passionate fanbase in the country which ensured sustainability to the game that ICC was actually scared of losing when the game had reached a global plateau. While other countries had to earn their stripes, we supporters shouted ourselves hoarse to elevate our team to where it stands.

So the next time Shakib or his apologists try to pass on the buck, could we all please remind them that the Bangladesh cricket team’s raison d’etre, those people who make it possible for Shakib’s colleagues to have a job in the international arena in the first place, is plebs like us? Is it ok for him if we have a say in what we wrought, however irrationally exuberant it sounds?

Faruq Hasan

April 11 An excellent article indeed. Forced protective custodianship is not only dangerous in the realm of foreign relations, but also equally dangerous for any relationship, be it personal or organisational.

Examples are aplenty. Gonojagoron Moncho in its initial stage reveled, having the protection of the student league as well as the ruling government, a sort of protective custodianship. But now the original organisers of the moncho are experiencing the bitter lesson of the ultimate result of this protection. nds

More BB authority over Grameen Bank April 11

Tarique hits again April 10

Pen Muni As a promising future leader of Bangladesh, Tarique should be more careful with his words. Be he in the party in power or opposition, he is likely to be an important figure for this nation in the years to come, and many are looking forward to fresh leadership. This kind of hateful rhetoric not only damages his own reputation, but also alienates many supporters of his own party, who have respect for Bangabandhu.

We need hospitals, clinics, schools, and libraries.

We need good governance, a strong ACC, and an independent EC. We need to control inflation and curb bureaucracy. There are so many ways this man could have attacked the ruling government, and he chose to revert to this?

The AL-led government seems bent on destroying Grameen Bank (GB). Muhith has said that GB never saw an election under Yunus. Yet, under Yunus, GB won the Nobel Peace Prize along with Yunus himself. deep purple blue

Are you happy?

April 12

Traveller_23 Pen Muni: Tarique Rahman, a promising future leader of Bangladesh? I would hardly use the word promising. More like an inevitable future leader of Bangladesh, given our political dynasties and flair for nepotism.

voting systems to be advocated. They also scrapped the upazila elections during their governance. He can’t attack corruption either, since corruption was always at an all-time high when the BNP was in power. According to data from Transparency International, GDP was always at an all-time low at 4%, and never rose, since much of the money was allegedly taken out of the country and invested in offshore accounts. Inflation was always at its highest each time the BNP came into power, based on data from the WB and the IMF. Load-shedding too was at its highest during their government, so he cannot refute these arguments that you have mentioned.

123 Pen Muni: He knows he cannot attack these, since it was their government that stopped clinics for the poor; and schools he can’t attack either, since Hasina’s government is spending a lot on education, like supplying free books to educational establishments.

In some cases, we are surpassing India, such as in the case of poverty reduction since the AL came into power. He can’t even attack the ACC or the EC, since it was the BNP/Jamaat regimes that didn’t allow press coverage for elections or allow electronic

Guest 123: I am not sure the failure of BNP regime can be construed as a defence for AL. We might be surpassing India, but we have a long way to go. We have 1 doctor for every 1700 citizens.

The large portion of the rural population is still devoid of true medical assistance. “Literacy” rates have increased, but the quality of education has not. The ACC, EC, and even judiciary are far from running without the ruling party’s influence. The point is, Tarique needs to grow as a statesman.

It was well-written and will mean something to a lot of people out there.

Omar

Ahmed Shafi: Allah’s Bangladesh not for non-believers

April 12 Bangladesh is already one of the least developed countries in the world; the last thing it needs is religious fundamentalism. People need to realise that people like this have no place in modern society.

1nzi

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PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Dry, of champagne (3) 3 Spoken (4) 6 Stopper (4) 7 Fabled monstrous bird (3) 9 Therefore (4) 10 Floor covering (3) 11 Utter wildly (4) 13 Dodge (5) 16 Silly (5) 18 Look slyly (4) 19 Ship’s record (3) 20 Part of the eye (4) 21 Bath (3) 23 Measure of length (4) 24 Facial feature (4) 25 Present (3)

DOWN 1 Swelling wave (5) 2 Self (3) 4 Uncommon (4) 5 Zodiac sign (3) 6 Money bag (5) 8 Bird (5) 9 Level (4) 12 Make suitable (5) 14 Contends in rivalry (4) 15 Power (5) 17 Joint (5) 18 Farm animals (4) 20 Tavern (3) 22 Flying Saucer (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

Sunday, April 20, 2014

In style n Mahmood Hossain

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A movement hijacked?

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Death before awakening

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n Khawaza Main Uddin

or Imran H Sarkar, it’s a lost battle. A formal end to his reign in an invisible empire based in Shahbagh since February 2013 is now in sight. The lacklustre media coverage of splits within Gonojagoron Moncho only succeeds to show the twilight of Sarkar’s movement.

It’s high time that both those who supported and opposed the Shahbagh protest rallies that began with the demand for capital punishment for war criminals of 1971, agreed to raise some cogent issues, no matter how unpalatable they may seem. Of course, the ones who had difference of opinion, or those who had no political position on the moncho can speak out without the risk of being bracketed as Razakars or atheists.

It is being said that the moncho has lost its relevance to the ruling camp.

Jamaat leader Quader Mollah has been executed and the Awami League has returned to power, feeling ensconced and secure at the moment. But what is done is done. Finished!

This politics can be summed up by one coinage – ad hoc-ism – which suits our interests and activities.

Many of our unique ideas such as the Gonojagoron Moncho or the platform for mass awakening disappear into political rhetoric devoid of any popular appeal. The AL might not have initiated this platform, but the party hijacked the movement within three days by engaging its A and B teams and also local and foreign friends.

Days ago, it had made an entente with Jamaat’s student-wing Shibir, as reflected in a Motijheel rally.

Reversing that position, the AL leaders made a showdown in Gonojagoron Moncho and managed to sideline the opposition BNP from there.

Jatiya Sangsad had amended laws in the middle of the war crimes prosecution, following moncho demand.

The AL camp also demonstrated its political hypocrisy. Ministers and senior AL leaders lined up at Shahbagh to express solidarity.

The prime minister told parliament that her “heart goes out to them” (Shahbagh protesters).

Many of our unique ideas such as the Gonojagoron Moncho or the platform for mass awakening disappear into political rhetoric

Exposing double standards, a few hundred people continued to block Dhaka City’s nerve point of Shahbagh causing the public to suffer for months when the opposition parties were not allowed to hold meetings. There were parallel centres of gravity of power.

Sheikh Hasina headed the AL government but the moncho spokesperson who bears Sarkar (literally meaning government) in his name, acted as an alternative authority to order the hoisting of national flags.

Even school authorities were asked to send children to Shahbagh. A section of “intellectuals” termed it the second liberation war, instigating the young blood to behave recklessly.

The moncho targeted anyone with a dissenting voice, going to the extent of declaring Bangabir Abdul Kader Siddiqui a Razakar!

Hardly anyone dared to question the sources of funding for Sarkar and his comrades, or if it was the prerog-

Pahela Boishakh or Prathama Boishakh? n

Syed Almas Kabir

“P

ahela Boishakh” (or “Poila Boishakh”) has been carved in our hearts, so I’m taking quite a risk to write this note!

I believe the words pahela, dosra, thesra, and such, have been borrowed from Farsi/Urdu. The correct Bangla words for these are prathama, dwitiya, tritiya, etc.

The names of the months in the Bangla calendar “Bangabda,” are based on the names of the lunar mansions (nokkhotro) - locations of the moon with respect to particular stars during the lunar cycle.

These names were derived from “Shakabda,” another calendar of this region that was introduced during the Shaka Dynasty. The dates of these months were referred to as prathama, dwitiya, tritiya, chaturthi, panchami, shashthhi, saptami, ashtami, nabami, dashami, etc.

I believe when Emperor Akbar revised the Bengali calendar to synchronise it with the Hijri, the

ative of the moncho to demand the closure of financial institutions. The Ruposhi Bangla Hotel and flower traders had to incur losses. And the woes of patients in nearby hospitals were secondary. In the face of something so momentous, what is the suffering of a few thousand?

The repercussions of such extremist acts was obvious: The rise of the He-

Farsi/Urdu terms pahela, dosra, and such came along.

It is very surprising then, that both “Ekushey February” and “Pahela Boishakh,” two very important events to Bangalis, are referred to through non-Bangla words! While “Ekushey” should be referred to as “Aat-i Phalgun,” the first day of Boishakh should be “Prathama Boishakh.”

Though the adaptation of the foreign word “Pahela” as “Poila” has minimised the linguistic sin, it wasn’t really necessary as Bangla already has a perfectly good corresponding word. It is not like “Akademi,” which is used in West Bengal as Calcutta University adapted the English word into their language, much like “haspatal” is for “hospital,” because there were no suitable corresponding words.

Anyway, I hope I have not poured cold water onto the high spirits of the Bangla New Year.

Hope you had a Shubha Prathama Boishakh. l Syed Almas Kabir is a freelance contributor.

fazat-e-Islam, the wholesale branding of bloggers present in the Shahbagh demonstration as non-believers, and the eventual depletion plus faltering of the Shahbagh movement.

We witnessed some men and women of the rising middle class families, who initially went to Shahbagh to become part of a “great” demonstration, soon beginning to deny their involvement, lest they were stigmatised or faced cruel jokes.

Honestly, you don’t hear too many people boast about being part of it anymore.

A family friend of ours emerged as a “cyber warrior,” volunteering to upload moncho news items round the clock when her baby was left almost helpless at home. About her desertion from the movement, her brother said a few months ago, “the revolution betrayed.” Another friend of mine, who has external orientation, regretted the downfall of the moncho as the death

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of a “potentially far-reaching social movement.”

All this prompted me to ask what the expectations were from the Shahbagh movement, other than securing the execution of the convicted war criminals.

If it was to be a people’s movement, they should have raised voices against those killing human beings by producing and selling adulterated foods. They neither took a stand against corruption nor did they want jobs for the young and educated.

When asked, some enthusiastic participants of the movement could not articulate their dreams and vision, but Sarkar finally did by expressing willingness to float a political party.

Some might have assumed that the Shahbagh demonstration would be a reproduction of the Arab Spring that would, in course, change Bangladesh’s current political climate.

It’s now evident that such assumption lacked an understanding of the dynamics of politics.

Imran H Sarkar, an ambitious newcomer to Dhaka city, was a good choice for a scapegoat. He was used for others to secure their political seats.

Surprisingly, some “intelligent” people ignored the fallacy of the Shahbagh movement. It was named the platform for mass awakening when that was not the case in reality, nor was there any public awareness. It is puzzling how a “mass” movement could be backed and sponsored by the establishment.

So, the miscarriage of the Gonojagoron Moncho was an inevitable consequence. A reactive initiative followed by a series of questionable, exclusionist, and divisive actions had no scope to end up as a constructive outlet. l Khawaza Main Uddin is Executive Editor at ICE Business Times.

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ever, ever, ever wear anything you are uncomfortable in. Because that is what you’ll project: I look like a fool,” said Tom Ford.

The morning staring sessions in front of the vanity mirror, the art of makeup applied in the most meticulous manner, the magnificent lot of dresses hung for anyone to view with pleasure, accessories galore and overpriced pieces – all of this means nothing unless you are completely and full-heartedly comfortable in your own skin.

There is undoubtedly a huge misconception when it comes to fashion and style. Let’s first state an obvious fact: We, as Bangladeshis, have never been known to be fashion-forward.

But this isn’t about fashion itself.

This is about the lack of thought and effort that goes into improving our image – style. The general public sees something fashionable to be expensive, lavish, and are left with their jaws dropping because they could never imagine donning something so elegant.

Before all the pricey items and the endless grooming sessions, there is the individual. Everyone has a set of characteristics. Some are similar while others are vastly different, but never exactly the same. Individuality in this country is a rare find. The majority, however, play a familiar role in the stage that is a masquerade.

Surely, we’d put Carnevale in Venice to shame. We’ve become too worrisome living on the expectations of others.

Presenting a façade is now a lifelong obligation.

We now live in a world of a more sophisticated audience. As much as we want to act a fool on certain days, we wish to remain as professional as possible. The best example of that is at a high-profile job or a significant event. What you are wearing is the telltale sign of how you are feeling – the mood changes with the outfits. Again, it’s what lies beneath. How you feel is how you will dress. The moment you decide to genuinely give an effort to look better, you start feeling better.

This satisfaction should fall on you as this isn’t completely focused on aesthetics.

Tradition shouldn’t be swept aside over the belief that foreign is always better

The true essence of style is the most alluring representation of your personality. It’s through the attitude and efforts of an individual. Those who practise this are influenced by multiple sources. The runway, celebrities, or others who possess an immaculate street style are all wonderful to be inspired by. There is no shame in borrowing certain features from certain

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individuals to cook up a recipe of your own. Emptying our pockets is unnecessary – those designer tags we can do without.

We lack the confidence as a nation.

Rather than being ourselves, we try too hard to be like others. There should be more pride taken to how we look. No one said wearing Westernised clothing would deem you as popular or stylish. Tradition shouldn’t be swept aside over the belief that foreign is always better. However, there is a perfect balance set by the men and women in our society, albeit a very tiny portion, who pull off the fusion quite well. This is a sign of hope – a sign of progress.

The true essence of style is the most alluring representation of your personality

Ultimately, our working middle-class is fooled into thinking Bollywood onset costumes are the must-haves – cheap knockoffs of anything is unflattering. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the truth. We educate ourselves in medicine, business, and engineering, yet disregard how we present ourselves to the rest of the world.

This is where fashion takes its place; it is where style should become the priority. We should be prepared in all fronts.

We deserve better. We can achieve greater things but don’t allow ourselves to enrich our lifestyles. We aim for the quick fix and that’s what halts the progress. With all due respect to our neighbours, we don’t need to imitate them. We live in a country with factories that churn out items for high-street fashion in Europe and all over the world. It’s a statement that should be made very clear. It’s not a matter of inferiority if we seek not to compete. Our presence simply has to be known. If we’re able to produce quality through rigorous labour, why not show the rest of the world we are equally stylish.

We have the ability to rub elbows with the best, but it depends on how much we really care, and how much effort we’re willing to put in. It’s time to open our minds completely and embrace ourselves. Let’s not worry about what others are doing or what they think is acceptable. It’s not only about what you are wearing, it’s how you are wearing it. If you’re doing right by you and yours, everything else falls into place. It’s not about outdoing any opponent; it’s about going toe-to-toe with the best and earning respect – the respect that comes from conduct (how we behave in society), and how we dress for the occasion.

And the secret to all of this – to an admirable style – is simple. Don’t try too hard. l Mahmood Hossain is a Staff Writer at the Dhaka Tribune and a fashion blogger.

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The Muslim thirst for global knowledge n Mohammad N Miraly

T

he Muslim societies of history were known by their contemporaries as places of pluralism, where people of different religions worked together on an unquenchable quest for knowledge, whatever the source.

Intellect was prized above all things, as it was seen as the means to understand God and creation. The Prophet Muhammad’s first revelation was a command to “Read!” and investigate the depths of the mind, since God teaches humankind “by the Pen” (Q. 96:1-5).

This command was the first revelation of the Qur’an, and it expressed a love for knowledge that was to become the pivot around which all the great Muslim cities flourished. That ardour for intellect was not hindered by any prejudice of race or creed. Knowledge was to be gained from everywhere, and people of all faiths lived and worked side-byside, inspired by an interpretation of the Qur’an that said “there is no compulsion in religion” (Q. 2:256), and that all the world’s diverse humans should “come to know one another” (Q. 49:13).

Spanning time and place, this pluralism of the mind was the characteristic of medieval Muslim societies like Abbasid Baghdad, Fatimid Egypt, Umayyad Spain, Ottoman Turkey,

and Mughal India. Known for their acceptance of diversity and promotion of inter-group cooperation, these societies were composed of different groups with their own philosophies, like an orchestra of different instruments blending harmoniously to create a symphony.

That was the music echoing from the walls of Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, which, by the 9th century, was the world’s biggest library. A community of global scholars, the House of Wisdom was an unrivaled centre for the study of subjects as varied as astronomy, medicine, zoology, and cartography.

Famously, its translations of Greek texts re-introduced Greek knowledge to Europe and spurred the European Renaissance some 500 years later.

Al-Khwarizmi – from whose work we get the words “algebra” and “algorithm” – introduced to future generations the Indian decimal system and its groundbreaking number “0.” It was here where scholars like the 10th century “father of optics” Ibn al-Haytham helped establish the modern scientific method through observable experiments whose revolutionary results reverberate through time to form the bedrock of modern science.

Under the Fatimids, Egypt was to

become the heart of Islam’s cultural, intellectual, and scientific life. The world’s first university, al-Azhar, founded in 10th century Fatimid Cairo, was a haven for scholars from all over the world – regardless of religious persuasion – to collaborate and debate the latest advancements in all fields of human endeavour.

Its vision for humanity was of an ethical community of diverse and different individuals In Cairo, the city founded by this Shi‘i dynasty in 969 CE, was employed a vast administrative service run by Christian and Jewish viziers, Coptic and Jewish officers, and an army staffed by Sunni Turkish as well as Christian commanders. Here, Jews and Christians enjoyed a religious freedom that reflected the modernist tendency of promotion.

Muslim Spain – known as Andalus – was a place where Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived cooperatively, in a time of Jewish persecution in Eu-

rope. In Andalus – the place of “three religions and one bedroom” – people of different faiths interacted freely to create a society that prized the pursuit of knowledge, which both symbolised and actualised for them the freedom of the human soul.

For the 10th century nun Hroswitha, Muslim Spain was “the ornament of the world.” For her European contemporaries, Andalus was the beacon of civilisation on the continent. It was a place where streets were lamp-lit for miles, where a system of aqueducts and sewers staved off the Plague, and where Averroes, Alhazen, and Maimonides produced brilliant philosophical and scientific works that were to become standard texts in European universities for centuries.

It is that strength of the human intellect that the Qur’an aimed to harness. Its vision for humanity was of an ethical community of diverse and different individuals striving to ennoble both themselves and society through the expansion of the mind to all the world’s diverse corners. l Mohammad N Miraly is an educator and film producer. He holds a PhD from McGill University in religion, ethics, and public policy, and is the author of themiralyblog. wordpress.com.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Shompur Kothon to explore milieu of the ancient monastery

Moushumi: I still get the same love from my audience n Milan Afridi

those films were everywhere.

It has been twenty years since Moushumi has been active on the silver and small screens.The Qayamat Theke Qayamat girl holds a unique position in the industry who is still at the top position for two decades in the history of Dhallywood. Dhaka Tribune had the opportunity interview the diva about her journey in the glamour world:

How did you manage to keep up while most of your contemporary heroines have faded away?

How do you look upon your two decades in Dhallywood?

From the director of my first film to all the directors I have worked till now, I am grateful to them for my present position. From shooting crews to co-artists—I am grateful to everyone. I am thankful to my father, my husband Omar Sunny, and the rest of my family members. But my audiences deserve my utmost thankfulness. Without their love and acceptance, I would not be who I am.

Who is Moushumi in the heart of audiences?

Audience's love has kept me young. I can't believe that I have already spent such a long period in the industry. I still get the same response as I used to get in the early stage of my career. In between, the difference is just that I have lost some of my beloved colleagues.

Recent project’s …

Honestly, I never considered anyone as my competition. I always think about myself.

I believe that my work will fix my position.

May be I have worked in something that has touched mass audience’s heart. This is the biggest achievement of my life. I don’t want to think like this. I want to live with the love of my audience, and through my works.

Now I am working on a political plot based film titled Leader. I am playing the role of a politician in the film. Another project is going on titled Tarkata directed by M M kamal Raz. My upcoming film Ek Cup Cha will hit the cinemas soon.

What about your next directorial project for Impress Telefilms?

How is working as UNICEF's goodwill ambassador for Bangladesh?

To protect child right, I am working as ambassador of UNICEF. I am working along with Jewel Aich, and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan. My goal is to protect and promote child rights for a developed country and change the society and its norms.

I am occupied with a few projects. So I am going through a very busy time. I will start working on this project after finishing my current engagements. Last time, my film got three national awards in different categories, this time I am targeting more awards. l

n Entertainment Desk As part of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s project of environmental theatres, an experimental production on the backdrop of the Shompur Bihar in Paharpur of Naogaon will be premiered today. The play titled Shompur Kothon will be staged by Theatre and Film Affairs Department of BSA on the premises of the Bihar.

Shompur Bihar is one of the most ancient Buddhist monastery in the Indian Subcontinent and is one of the most important archeological sites in the country which was announced UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

The story of the play portrays the history of the monastery through some historical characters like Dharmapal (played by Sekander Ali) who established Shompur Bihar in the eighth century.

As the Pal monarchs were zealot to Bhuddhism, numerous native and overseas pupils used to come here to acquire knowledge of Buddhism.

The audience will get to see the character of Kanhapad, who was one of the most important Buddhist mystic poets, played by Lalon Hossain.

A collection of poems by such poets during the time between eighth and 12th century, made the

historical Charyapada. Kanhapad was a practitioner in the monastery.

The play will also highlight the cultural development of the region in the era. The play reaches to climax with the depiction of how the Sen Dynasty took over the ruling power of the reign and started a mass annihilation in the 12th century. That incident led Buddhist people to be ousted from the land and later rehabilitate in Tibet, Nepal and other places. Despite of the dire circumstances, few abbots were able to practice Buddhism in the monastery. The final act shows how the activities of Shompur monastery was permanently shut down after the Muslims began to rule the region.

Debashis Ghosh, the director of the play, said about the difficulties faced in the production: “As the milieu of the 8th to 12th Century is the key factor here,, extensive research has been done to portray everything through acting, lighting and costumes.”

He added: “As we get to know that dialogues in the play could not be used because of the technological barrier at the archeological site, we developed the storyline through the movement of the characters, choreography and narration.” l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Exile in Calcutta

by Thomas Meyer Time: 3pm – 8pm Drik Gallery, House 58, Road 15/A (New), Dhanmondi

You also lost your first co-actor Salman Shah …

Serenading Suchitra Time: 12pm – 8pm Shilpangan Gallery House-7, Road-13, Dhanmondi

I still feel sad for him. He was my first co-actor of my first film. It’s not possible to forget him. Both of us worked together in Qayamat Theke Qayamat, Ontore Ontore, Sneho and Denmohor. Four of our films were successful in cinemas and songs of

Last Summer

by Iffat Ara Dewan

35 film personalities honoured n Entertainment Desk

Shodh airs on GTV tonight

An yearlong golden jubilee celebrations of the film society movement in Bangladesh came to an end through an award giving ceremony at the National Art Plaza Auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on April 18 in the capital.

A total of 35 activists of film society movement received the awards in three categories at the programme.

Alamgir Kabir (posthumous), Mahbub Jamil and Mohammad Khasru was honoured with Golden Jubilee Awards while Golden Jubilee Memorial Honorary Awards went to a total of 31 activists of film society movement including Kabir Chowdhury (posthumous), Waheedul Haque (posthumous), Badal Rahman (posthumous), Tareque Masud (posthumous), Shamima Akhter, Tanvir Mokammel, Baharuddin Chaudhury (posthumous) and many others.

Veteran film critic Anupam Hayat was bestowed with Special Honourary Award for his contribution in conducting extensive research in the sector.

The closing ceremony also witnessed the unveiling of a souvenir book in the presence of country’s film connoisseurs.

To celebrate 50 years of film society movement in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Chalachchitra Sangsad, in association with a celebration committee, started a yearlong programme on January 4, 2013.

The yearlong programme featured seminar, procession, roundtable discus-

n Entertainment Desk Drama series Shodh will be aired on GTV at 9:20pm tonight.

Story of the drama revolves around the rivalry between a doctor named Akter and a lawyer named Yasin. The lawyer wins a case against Akter whose carelessness during treatment results to death of a boy.

According to the verdict, Dr Akter had to give a huge amount of money to the victim’s family. The media also publishes the story and the family of Akter, who had a good reputation in the society earlier, becomes very humiliated. On the other hand, Yasin’s family becomes more dignified.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

After the incident, Akter’s younger son decides to take revenge on Yasin and goes to his house where he encounters Yasin’s daughter Reshmi.

She becomes furious by talking to him and ousts him.

The young man comes to know that Reshmi’s marriage ceremony is on the same day and this time he plans big targeting to spoil the wedding.

Written by Sourav and directed by Shahadat Hossain Sujon, the drama series features popular soap actors such as Al Mamun, Nima Rahman, Moushumi Nag, Shoyeb, Farzana Chhobi, Munia, Snigdha, Arman Parvez Murad and many others. l

Freezing Moments Time: 3pm to 8pm Drik Gallery House 58, Road 15/A (New), Dhanmondi

Avatar in 3D Frozen in 3D Ender’s Game Time: 10am – 10pm Star Cineplex, Level 8 Bashundhara City 13/3 Ka, Panthopath

Film

Festival

Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge, Gulshan Avenue

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (3D & 2D) Jonakir Alo Boishommo The Legend of Hercules 3D

Suchitra Sen Film Festival Time: 6pm – 9pm National Theatre and Dance Theatre Shilpakala Academy Segunbagicha

A three-day National Ganasangeet Utshob commenced on Friday at the open ground of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy DHAKA TRIBUNE

Aamir Khan’s Raakh to be re-released n Entertainment Desk

A scene from Shodh

2014 official selection lineup of Cannes unveils n Entertainment Desk

Tommy Lee Jones’ The Homesman, Moneyball director Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher, The Artist director Michel Hazanavicius’ Chechnya war film The Search, Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall and David Cronenberg’s Maps to the Stars will all be part of the competition lineup of the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in May. The lineup is heavy on films featuring Hollywood and international stars, but somewhat light on US directors. Female directors have a strong presence this year.

Overall, 18 films, down from 20 last year, will compete for the festival’s main award, the Palme d’Or. One film could be added, organizers said. The opening film, Olivier Dahan’s Grace of Monaco, will screen out of competition.

Other competition titles include Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner about the classic painter, Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent, Two

Days, One Night from Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, who are competing for Dardenne’s third Palme d’Or win, Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s The Captive, Japanese director Naomi Kawase’s Still the Water and Timbuktu from Abderrahmane Sissako. Plus, the living legend of French cinema, Jean-Luc Godard, will be back in competition and on the Croisette with his latest work, Goodbye to Language.

The competition films unveiled Thursday feature such stars as Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank,Hailee Steinfeld and James Spader (The Homesman), Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum (Foxcatcher), Robert Pattinson, John Cusack and Julianne Moore (Maps to the Stars), Ryan Reynolds and Rosario Dawson (The Captive), Berenice Bejo and Annette Bening (The Search), Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart (Clouds of Sils Maria), Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Lea Seydoux (The Blue Room), as well as others. Grace of Monaco by Olivier Dahan will open the festival. l

Aamir Khan-starrer, Raakh, will be re-released in June this year as part of PVR Director’s Rare. The film was Aamir’s first project after Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and wasn’t accepted well by the audience at the time, however it received much critical acclaim and subsequently bagged three national awards in 1989.

Producer of the film, Asif Noor is also planning a reunion dinner with the film’s cast and crew. He says, “We are working around their availability.

Things should be finalised in a couple of days.” It maybe pointed out here there were plans to re-release the film after its prints were digitally restored in 2009. Directed by Aditya Bhattacharya, the film had Santosh Sivan as its cinematographer while Aamir Khan, Pankaj Kapur and Supriya Pathak acted in it. The film was a revenge-thrill-

er about a young man who takes on the system after his friend is raped.”

Shiladitya Bora of PVR Directors Rare says, “This year marks the 25th anniversary of Raakh and we are excited to bring it show it again on the big screen under our banner. The entire film has been reframed as per Santosh Sivan’s vision. The film has also been re-edited by Sreekar Prasad and Chandan Arora. We are looking forward to a release in select theatres.” Speaking about the re-release, Santosh Sivan says, “It was my first film and I loved working on it. With Pankaj, Supriya, Aamir and others for company, it was a great experience and I remember being really excited to do something different.” When this film released in the year 1989, it didn’t do well at the box office. However, Raakh did win critical acclaim. Pankaj Kapur won the National Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for this film. l

Priyanka having toughest shooting period n Entertainment Desk National Award winning Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra, who is currently shooting a biopic on boxing champion MC Mary Kom, is having the toughest time of her life in Manipur.

The actress said on Friday that she had wrapped up the hardest schedule of her life.

Priyanka Chopra, who plays the role of India’s boxing champion M C Mary Kom, said earlier that every scene in the film is inspirational.

“Mary Kom is the story of every woman who wants to be larger than she is meant to be. Inspiring to do every scene, can’t believe only 15 days left to complete the film. It’s been so tumultuous yet wonderful,” Priyanka had posted on her Twitter page.

Priyanka has gone out of her way to be physically fit for the role, and she has spent long time with the sports icon herself to get right the nuances of the character.

Mary Kom biopic is scheduled to release on October 2 this year. l

Did you know?

Tottenham are one of only two Premier League teams (with Man Utd) yet to lose a league game from a winning position this season

Sport

Sunday, April 20, 2014

14 Atletico close in

on La Liga title

14 Show me more

respect, blasts Tour

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Spurs halt Fulham

charge, Chelsea eye summit

Poor form costs Maruf his job Maruful Haque is probably one of the most successful coaches in the country’s domestic football arena under the guidance of whom Sheikh Russell won historic treble last season. However, none of these facts mattered when the club sacked the coach yesterday.

The 46-year-old Montenegrin coach Dragan Djukanovic is set to replace Maruf during the second phase of the Bangladesh Premier League. It was learnt that the new coach had already arrived in Dhaka on Saturday to take charge of the team.

Maruful Haque was not the only one to lose his job though; his assistant coach Zulfiqar Ali Mintu as well as the goalkeeping coach was also shown the exit door.

After winning three silverwares to complete treble last year, Sheikh Russell’s performance graph has gone down drastically this season which saw them lose some key players like Sony Norde, Mamunul Islam, Zahid

Hassan Emily and Jahid Hossain even before the season began.

After an unprecedented successful campaign last year, Maruf extended the contract with the club for a payment of Tk 1.8m. Since then Russell’s performance in two professional tournaments- season opener Federation Cup and the recently concluded Independence Cup, have not been satisfactory as they crashed out from both the tournaments in the quarterfinal. Their poor display has affected them badly in the league too where they sit third with only nine points. These are the reasons which triggered the sacking of Maruful Haque in the middle of the season.

Maruf was unreachable though as his phone was found switched off.

Sheikh Russell president Nurul Alam Chowdhury confirmed the news of his sacking.

“We are grateful to Maruful Hauqe for providing the club with the treble last season. But the ongoing season has not been good for us as we have lost the Federation Cup and Independence Cup. We are not in a good position in the league as well,” said Nurul Alam yesterday.

“But what disappointed us most was the performance of the team in the recently concluded Independence Cup. We felt that the team could have done a lot better. Since there is a case for accountability, we have decided to sack the whole coaching staff including the head coach,” he added. “I want to make it clear that the decision was taken through full professionalism after discussing the matter with the coaches.”

Maruful Haque took the charge of Sheikh Russell for the second time in 2011-12 season and during his three years time with the club, Maruf once refused Bangladesh Football Federation’s (BFF) offer to work as an assistant coach of the national team. l

Soccer Club, Feni’s Nigerian marksman Chuka Charles cannot hold his excitement after scoring the winner against Team BJMC and decides to perform somersault in front of his teammates at the BNS yesterday MUMIT M.

Spirited Feni land first league win Nigerian forward Chuka Charles’ double strike gave Feni Soccer Club their first victory in the Nitol-Tata Bangladesh Premier League as they beat Team BJMC 2-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

After falling behind to Saiful Islam Saif’s wonderful volley in the opening half, Charles leveled the margin in the 58th minute before sealing the victory with a calm finish just two minutes from stipulated time.

The win made the Feni outfits leap-

frog Chittagong Abahani and Uttar Baridhara Club to get above the relegation zone to eighth place with seven points from 10 games. BJMC are placed a step above in the table with 12 points.

The Independence Cup success where Soccer Club finished runners-up gave the players enough confidence to snatch all three points with a dominating display throughout the game.

Feni began the game brightly and could have gone ahead in the 11th minute when Azmal Hossain Biddut missed a sitter. Charles’ cross from the right flank was headed down by Kabba Jobe for Bidduit inside the six-yard box, but the midfielder failed to keep his shot below the crossbar. Six min-

utes later, Abdullah Al Mamun squandered another clear cut chance firing on a Charles cross over the bar from the middle of the box.

All of a sudden against the run of play Saiful Islam took the lead for BJMC in the 21st minute with a powerful volley from inside the box following a freekick clearance that fell onto his feet.

Saiful not only put his side ahead by scoring the opener but also made a brilliant goal line clearance at the stroke of half time to keep his side ahead. Charles ran through the right flank to break into the penalty area and dribbled past the keeper but saw his shot cleared off the line by Saiful.

Feni posed more threats in the sec-

ond-half and wasted a pair of chances before Charles equalised in the 58th minute. Gambian midfielder Mathew Mendy provided a through pass to find Charles free towards the goal and the Nigerian forward slotted the ball into the net with cool finish.

Mathew Mendy could have taken the lead in the 75th minute when the Gambian’s placing shot went wide after a lovely lobbed pass from Landing Darboe.

Chuka netted his second of the evening to seal the victory in the 88th minute. The Nigerian striker beat the offside trap to receive a through pass from Landing and calmly placed the ball past onrushing keeper Ariful. l

Major changes unlikely: Nazmul

Barisal’s Sohag Gazi plays a shot during their National Cricket League match against Rangpur at Fatullah’s outer stadium yesterday

It was thought that national coach Shane Jurgensen and other supporting staffs of the team would be in the line of fire for Bangladesh’s poor showing in the last three months which saw the team play in major tournaments like Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 at home.

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan hinted of a major change in the dressing room because of such a poor display by the team which actually was doing better earlier. Some major decisions were supposed to be taken in a board meeting scheduled for the third week of the current month. However, BCB chief Nazmul’s comments in the media yesterday should come as a relief for coach

Bowlers’ have day out on the first day The first day of the final round of the Walton 15th National Cricket League saw the sides batting first bowled out for less than 300 runs in their first innings yesterday. It was a bowlers’ day out all around as the match between Dhaka Metro and Rajshahi at Chittagong produced as many as 17 wickets, the most, needless to say, for the day among all the matches. All eyes were, however, set on the match between Dhaka Division and Khulna. Dhaka are only a step away from regaining the title of the tournament after a long wait of six seasons. League leaders Dhaka locked horns with defending champions Khulna with a gulf of 21 points separating them from their nearest rivals Rajshahi, who could only narrow the gap with a massive 403-run win over Chittagong in the previous round.

Dhaka Div v Khulna

At stumps, Dhaka are trailing by 168 runs with nine intact wickets in their first innings at Cox’s Bazar’s Sheikh Ka-

mal International Stadium.

After opting to bat first, Khulna managed only 243 runs. A 106 runs partnership for the sixth wicket between Ziaur Rahman and Nizamuddin Ripon repaired the early damage to take the side to the respectable total. Zia scored 80 runs from 103 balls including five fours and eight sixes while Nizamuddin scored 43.

For Dhaka Division, Mohammed Masum bagged three wickets for 69 runs while Shuvagoto Hom picked up two by conceding only 6 runs.

Later, Dhaka batted for 17.3 overs before the day ended and scored 75 for one. Opener Abdul Majid added 42 before getting out while his partner Rony Talukder remained unbeaten on 32.

Barisal v Rangpur

Riding on a flashy innings by Sohag Gazi, Barisal posted a fighting score in their first innings against Rangpur at the outer field of Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.

Barisal were put into bat first and they and could manage 289 runs at the cost of all wickets. Losing 3 early wickets for just 26 funs actually contributed

to their struggle to get a big score. The fall of the fourth wicket on 61 runs saw the arrival of Gazi in the middle. He went onto put two partnerships – first 59 runs with Nuruzzaman (41) and another 57 runs with Shahin Hossain (45) to drive Barisal to safety.

Before being caught by Sohrawardi off Tavir Haider, Gazi scored 87 off 67 balls, courtesy of five sixes and six fours. Later, 52 runs by No 9 Kamrul Islam aided Barisal reach 289 runs.

Sohrawardi took three wickets for Rangpur.

In reply, Rangpur scored 89 for two with Nasir Hossain unbeaten on 27.

Dhaka Metro v Rajshahi

At Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Rajshahi ended the day with a 13 run lead against Dhaka Metro.

Rajshahi won the toss and sent Metro to bat first. And Mushfiq’s decision was justified by his bowlers as Delwar Hossain’s five-wicket haul demolished Metro for only 126 runs. Marshal Ayub’s 30 runs was the highest in Metro’s innings. In reply, Rajshahi also had to suffer from their own batting misery

Jurgenson and his coaching staffs as well as for players as no wholesale changes in the team is expected anytime soon.

Nazmul, during a conversation with the media at Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club yesterday, hinted of BCB’s intention to hire specialist coaches rather than to bring in a new head coach. The BCB boss also informed that there was a possibility of a new team psychologist joining the current crop of staffs.

“I have personally spoken to specialized spin and batting coaches. We are looking for these coaches. Yesterday (Friday) I gave approval for a psychologist. Our team (Bangladesh) was doing well. But just after losing to Afghanistan, their morale broke down.

The same thing happened after losing to Hong Kong. Previously, we used to

BRIEF SCORES, DAY 4 Rangpur v Barisal as they could only manage 139 runs for the loss of 7 wickets at stumps. Sabbir Rumman top scored with 64 runs while Shohid took three wickets for Metro.

Chittagong v Sylhet

At the end of day one, Sylhet were trailing by 138 runs against Chittagong at BKSP. Chittagong batted first after losing the toss and scored 213 runs for the cost of all wickets.

Abdullah Al Mamun’s 40 and Yasir Ali’s 27 had propelled Chittagong to a steady 79 for 1 before a dramatic flurry of wickets in short intervals pushed the side into discomfort zone with the score reeling at 95 for 6. The dismissal of Mominul Haque (35) on 188 runs called for more trouble for the side and it was Mohammed Saifuddin’s unbeaten knock of 64 runs which eventually saved Chittagong’s day from getting worse.

Enamul Haque Jr. and Ahmed Sadiqur picked up three wickets each for Sylhet. Sylhet were 75 for three at stumps. Skipper Alok Kapali was out for 28 runs. ‘Night watchman’ Enamul was unbeaten on 15 with Rajin Saleh on 3. l

Barisal (1st innings) 289 allout in 66 overs (Gazi 87, Kamrull 52, Shuvio 3/74) Rangpur (1st innings): 89/2 in 22 overs (Nasir 27*, Tarik 26, Monir 1/12) Rangpur trail by 200 runs

Dhaka Div v Khulna Khulna (1st innings) 243 allout in 81.4 overs (Zia 80, Ripon 43, Masum 3/69, Hom 2/6) Dhaka (1st innings): 75/1 in 17.3 overs (Majid 42, Rony 32*, Nahidul 1/1) Dhaka trail by 168 runs

Sylhet v Chittagong Chittagong (1st innings) 213 allout in 56.4 overs (Saifuddin 64*, Mamun 40, Enamul jr 3/68, Sadiqur 3/34) Sylhet (1st innings): 75/3 in 33 overs (Alok 28, Enamul m15*, Younus 1/3) Sylhet trail by 138 runs

Rajshahi v Dhaka Metro Metro (1st innings) 126 allout in 37.1 overs (Marshal 30, Sunny 20*, Delwar 5/41) Rajshahi (1st innings): 139/7 in 44 overs (Sabbir 64, Mushfiqur 22, Shohid 3/24) Rajshahi lead by 13 runs

come back stronger even after losing,” said Nazmul.

When queried whether there would be a change of head coach, Nazmul replied, “He (Shane) may stay. I can’t tell you right now. It is hard to get a good coach so quick. Saqlain Mushtaq was available but he says he wants to coach the team when they are on tour. What will he coach during a tour? He won’t come to Bangladesh which is a big problem.”

Nazmul further illustrated that the board was looking forward to persist with the current head coach and the coaching staffs. “But at the same time we want to hire former cricketers who were legendary spinners and batsmen, to come and do some special camps for both the junior and the senior teams.

These will be done in addition to the regular training camps,” he said. l

Mahmud looks for proper base Bangladesh National Cricket Academy head coach Richard McInnes cutting his association has made the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) think over to appoint a ‘specialist’ coach for the vacant post, informed BCB’s development committee chairman Khaled Mahmud yesterday.

“We’ll give priority to someone from the subcontinent. At the moment, we’ve some local coaches in the pipeline. Along with that, we kept some names from the subcontinent in the probable list,” said Mahmud yesterday.

“Actually, there have been works on development in the past years but the output was never great. We’re planning to shuffle those plans with proper decoration so that we get more positive result from it,” he said. Mahmud cited that the previous calendar as not adequate and his first task now is to make a proper calendar so that they could kick-start the tournaments in due time and finish them accordingly. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

West Ham striker dies of cancer

Sport

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Hamilton storms to record pole

West Ham United striker Dylan Tombides has died following a three-year battle with testicular cancer, the Premier League club said on Friday. The 20-year-old Australian, who made his first-team debut in a League Cup match against Wigan Athletic in 2012, was diagnosed with the illness in 2011. “Dylan was respected by everyone who knew him for his intelligent views on the game and his larger than life character,” the club said in a statement on their website. Tombides, who joined West Ham as a 15-year-old, played for Australia at Under-17 and Under-23 level.

– AFP

Mayor defends Becks stadium plan

Lewis Hamilton convincingly snared pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix Saturday as he put himself in line to win three races in a row for the first time and seize control of the championship. Under steady rain, the British Mercedes driver was untouchable as he powered to 1min 53.860sec, his third pole position in four races this season and more than half-a-second ahead of Daniel Ricciardo.

Australian driver Ricciardo again out-qualified his Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel, the four-time defending world champion, who was third in 1:54.960. – AFP

The mayor of Miami on Friday defended David Beckham’s plans to build a state-of-the-art stadium on the city’s waterfront, rejecting criticism of the project by a coalition of business groups. English superstar Beckham wants to build an eye-catching 25,000-seat stadium at the city’s port for his as-yet-unnamed Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise. Beckham’s proposed location for the stadium -- on a prime strip of real estate -- has drawn the ire of a grouping this week which urged the former Manchester United star to find a different site.

– AFP

Liverpool embark on title advance Liverpool visit Norwich City this weekend, determined to maintain focus on the task in hand despite growing national excitement about their bid to be crowned Premier League champions.

Last weekend’s pulsating 3-2 defeat of title rivals Manchester City left Brendan Rodgers’s side two points above Chelsea at the summit and needing four wins to guarantee a first league title since 1990.

It was Liverpool’s 10th successive win and the thrilling nature of their lateseason burst, coupled with the emotion generated by the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, has seen them cast as the neutrals’ favourites.

While a potential title decider at home to Chelsea awaits on April 27, the first obstacle that Steven Gerrard and his team-mates must overcome is Sunday’s trip to Carrow Road.

Norwich are in desperate need of points, however, as they are only two points above the relegation places and play Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in their final three fixtures.

City, who now trail Liverpool by six points but retain a game in hand, host fifth-bottom West Bromwich Albion in

World Cup ticketing centers open World Cup ticketing centers opened in Brazil on Friday allowing fans who have managed to purchase match tickets for the June 12 to July 13 extravaganza to claim them.

Centers opened in ten of the 12 host cities - fans will only be able to pick tickets up in the capital Brasilia and the southern city of Porto Alegre from next month.

More than 2.5 million have been sold to date via the FIFA web platform set up for the purpose and each bears the name of the buyer in an attempt to limit scalping. Dozens of fans queued up at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro after the center opened at midday. l

the Monday night game.

Like City, Everton suffered a midweek setback when they lost 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace, which enabled Arsenal to preserve their hold on fourth place, one point above Roberto Martinez’s side.

Arsenal visit Hull City on Sunday in a dress rehearsal for next month’s FA Cup final, with Everton welcoming Manchester United to Goodison Park later the same day.

FIXTURES Aston Villa Everton Hull City Norwich City

v v v v

Southampton Man Utd Arsenal Liverpool

United’s own Champions League hopes have been all but extinguished as they lie 10 points below the top four, but manager David Moyes will be desperate to avoid embarrassment on his return to his former club.

“We’ve not lost so many games in the last months, so there is no reason for us to feel deflated,” said Everton left-back Leighton Baines.

“We were on a run of good wins. To lose one game doesn’t take anything away from the way we’ve been playing and we’ve just got to get back on track as quickly as possible.”l

Elche goalkeeper Manu Herrera vies with Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa during their Spanish league match at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid on Friday AFP

Injury won’t keep me from Atletico close in on La Liga title World Cup: Neymar Brazilian football star Neymar said Friday he would be well enough to play in the World Cup in June despite a foot injury that could force him to miss the rest of the club season.

FC Barcelona said Thursday he would be benched for four weeks and could miss the rest of the club season.

With less than two months to go, Neymar however promised to be healthy on time to play in the World Cup. “I always had a bit of fear” that the injury would force me to “stay out of the World Cup,” Neymar told. “But within the

next three weeks I’ll be back and I hope to play Barcelona’s last game,” he said.

Brazil coach Felipe Scolari plans for Neymar to lead his country’s hopes for a sixth World Cup title on home soil in June.

In the meantime Neymar will stay in shape by exercising with weights and in the pool, the medical department of Brazil’s national team said after talking with Barcelona.

“It’s horrible to be out, without training, without playing, and to see your comrades playing and training,” he told Globo. Neymar will be the secondyoungest player to wear the number ten shirt for the Selecao at a World Cup.l

Atletico Madrid took another step towards their first La Liga title for 18 years as two goals in the last 20 minutes handed them a 2-0 win over Elche at the Vicente Calderon on Friday.

After a poor opening period from the hosts, they wasted a great chance to go in front 10 minutes after the break as David Villa’s penalty was saved by Manu Herrera.

The league leaders did eventually make the breakthrough 19 minutes from time when Miranda headed home Jose Sosa’s cross and Diego Costa converted a second Atletico penalty of the

night late on after Christian Sapunaru was sent-off for Elche.

Victory moves Atletico six points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table and within three wins of sealing the title.

Los Rojiblancos’ attention now turns to facing Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.

RESULT Atletico Miranda 71, Costa 90+1-P

2 0

Elche

“The players put in a great effort and now we have to recover as best we can for the game on Tuesday,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone.

“It is a very important game for the

Monaco seek derby redemption

A Colombia football fan Suzana poses after picking up her 2014 World Cup tickets in Rio de Janeiro yesterday REUTERS

Klopp dismisses Barcelona rumours Borussia Dortmund’s charismatic coach Jurgen Klopp has poured cold water on rumours linking him to Spanish giants Barcelona with the 46-year-old insisting he is happy where he is.

There has been speculation in the Spanish media linking the German to Barcelona and newspaper Marca reported that 31.3 percent of their readers would like to see Klopp coach them.

“No one has to give it any thought,” he told the BVB.de website.

“We’re all still a bit in love with this club here and the way we do things.”

Klopp still has hopes of lifting some silverware this season as they face German champions Bayern Munich in the German Cup final on May 17. l

Monaco host Nice in a Cote d’Azur derby on Sunday looking to get back to winning ways in Ligue 1 after the blow of losing in the French Cup semi-finals.

The principality club were stunned by struggling Guingamp on Wednesday, losing 3-1 after extra time to end their hopes of winning major silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

It was a defeat that did coach Claudio Ranieri few favours at a time when his future at the Stade Louis II is the subject of much speculation, especially with sports daily L’Equipe reporting

that the Italian changed his team selection three times in the corridors of Guingamp’s Stade du Roudourou before the match.

FIXTURES Monaco SC Bastia Bordeaux Lorient Reims Valenciennes Marseille

v v v v v v v

Nice AC Ajaccio Guingamp Montpellier Sochaux Nantes Lille

However, the Italian, who became known as the ‘Tinkerman’ during his time in charge of Chelsea a decade ago, deserves some credit for taking Mona-

co into second place in the table with only five games left and he remained bullish as to his future when he faced the press on Friday.

Lille travel to Marseille on Sunday evening looking to extend a 10-game unbeaten run as they try to secure a podium finish and keep the pressure on Monaco.

The game is also important for Marseille, who are sixth but can move level on points with Lyon as they try to snatch European qualification themselves.

At the bottom of the table, Ajaccio cross Corsica for the derby against Bastia knowing they have to win to stand any chance of further postponing their inevitable relegation. l

club, the fans and the history of Atletico Madrid.”

In contrast to their recent displays at home, Atletico were very slow out of the blocks and didn’t really get going until Raul Garcia replaced Adrian Lopez at half-time. Garcia made an instant impact as he was dragged down inside the area by Sapunaru.

David Villa assumed the penalty taking duties after Costa had missed against Getafe last week, however the Spanish international was also denied as Manu Herrera sprung to his left to turn the ball behind.

Villa then had a goal rightly ruled out for offside and Garcia headed just over as the pressure began to build from Atletico.l

Ronaldo back in training before Bayern clash Real Madrid top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training with his team mates on Friday as he battles to regain fitness before Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final, first leg at home to Bayern Munich.

The Portugal captain has been suffering from knee and thigh muscle problems and missed Real’s last four matches, including Wednesday’s King’s Cup final victory over Barcelona.

Ronaldo is the leading marksman in La Liga and the Champions League this season l

African history-maker Show me more respect, blasts Toure Appou eyes world record Oldest Int'l Goalscorer Mauritian Kersley Appou could become the oldest international goalscorer Sunday just seven days after creating African football history.

The striker overtook Cameroon legend Roger Milla last weekend as the oldest African international by playing in a 1-0 loss against Mauritania aged 43 years and 354 days. And if Appou finds the net in the second leg of a 2015 Cup of Nations qualifier, he will replace Singapore striker Aleksandar Duric as the oldest international scorer.

Serbia-born Duric was on target against Malaysia during 2012 aged 42 years and 105 days, according to soccer statistics foundation RSSSF. l

1 2 3 4 5

Aleksandar Duric Singapore 42 yrs 105 days Malaysia Roger Milla Cameroon 42 yrs 39 days Russia Stanley Matthews England 41 yrs 248 days Northern Ireland Kalusha Bwalya Zambia 41 yrs 19 days Liberia Fung King-Cheung Hong Kong 40 yrs 100 days South Vietnam

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure insists he doesn’t get enough respect from the rest of the football world because he is African.

Ivory Coast international Toure has won league titles in England and Spain and is on the six-man shortlist for the Professional Footballers’ Association’s player of the season award.

But the 30-year-old former Barcelona star echoed City teammate Samir Nasri’s claim that only his birthplace has blocked him from being hailed as one of the best midfielders in the world.

“I think what Samir was saying was definitely true,” Toure told BBC Sport.

“To be honest, proper recognition has only come from the fans. I don’t want to be hard and I don’t want to be

negative, but I want to be honest.”

Toure’s fellow Ivory Coast star

Didier Drogba and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o have also reached the top level of European football and Toure has taken inspiration from the way they have risen to the top despite humble beginnings.

“Those players are more than legends for me and Africa,” he said.

“I am very proud to be African, I want to defend African people and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans.”

Luis Suarez is a widespread oddson favourite for the PFA award, with Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard also ahead of Toure in the betting.

But the City star said he would “definitely” be unhappy to miss out, adding: “As a champion, as a winner, I always want to win.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Sunday, April 20, 2014

England go back to the future with Moores

QUICK BYTES

Zia shares lead in UAE Ziaur Rahman earned his second consecutive victory in the Open Section of the Asian Continental Chess Championships as the Bangladesh Grandmaster defeated 2630 rated Indian GM Abhijit Gupta in the 2nd round on Friday. The tournament is held in Sharjah in United Arab Emirates. Zia played with white pieces and used Trompowsky Attack and smashed Abhijit at 46 moves. Zia earned maximum two points after the end of 2nd round and shared lead in the points table along with other 6 players. Meanwhile in the women’s section, WFM Nazrana Khan Eva lost to Shymgys Kyzy Aijarkyn of Kyrgyzstan.

– Tribune Desk

Bad day for Siddikur Siddikur Rahman passed a horrible day as the Bangladeshi golfer carded a 5-over 77 in the second round for a total of 4-over 220 to slip to a joint 65th spot at the Maybank Malaysian Open yesterday. Siddikur, who shared 37th position at halfway stage on Friday, posted three birdies along with three bogeys and two double-bogeys in his woeful penultimate round at the $2.75m showpiece event.

Meanwhile, Overnight leader Lee Westwood saw his overnight four-shot lead reduced to one stroke by countryman Andy Sullivan after a tough third round.

Englishman Westwood battled to a oneunder-par 71 under sweltering conditions for a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Former Walker star Sullivan produced the day’s joint low round of 66 to charge into contention at the US$2.75 million championship sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

– Tribune Desk

Falcao gets World Cup green light Colombia striker Radamel Falcao will go to the World Cup but risks not being 100 percent fit, the surgeon who operated on the Monaco star’s ruptured knee ligaments said Friday. “I believe he will go to the World Cup. But at the highest level, at the start of the competition, Falcao will not be 100 percent,” Jose Carlos Noronha told the Lusa news agency. Falcao, seen as key to Colombia’s hopes at the World Cup, suffered the injury in a French Cup match on January 22 and went under the knife three days later in Porto.

– AFP

No way back for KP says Downton Kevin Pietersen’s hopes of reviving his international career appeared to end Saturday when England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Paul Downton said there was “no way back” for the star batsman. Pietersen, England’s leading run scorer across all formats, was sensationally axed from the national set-up following the team’s recent 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia.

However, Downton gave the most detailed explanation yet by anyone in the England hierarchy for Pietersen’s exile.

– AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six NBA Play Off 2013-14 5:00AM Atlanta v Indiana 7:30AM Memphis v Oklahoma City Ten Golf 9:00AM Malaysian open Day 4 Star Sports 4 12:45PM UBS Chinese Grand Prix Main Race English Premier League 5:00PM Norwich City v Liverpool 7:00PM Hull City v Arsenal 9:00PM Everton v Man United 1:00AM La Liga Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao Star Sports2 La Liga 9:00PM Rayo Vallecano v Real Betis 11:00PM Sevilla v Granada Star Sports 1 4:00PM La Liga UD Almeria v Celta Vigo

Shakib al Hasan of KKR bats during their IPL-7 match against Delhi Daredevils at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai yesterday

Delhi beat KKR in thriller Shakib hits unbeaten 30, Bangalore post second win BRIEF SCORES Shakib al Hasan was able to show some batting instincts at last in the Indian Premier League yesterday as the Bangladesh all-rounder remained unbeaten on 30 runs off 22 balls while his team Kolkata Knight Riders lost a close tie to Delhi Daredevils by four wickets at the Dubai International Stadium.

Electing to bat, KKR posted a decent 166 for five, thanks to some brilliant batting by Robin Uthappa (55) and Manish Pandey (48). Shakib came to the show at a crucial moment when they were struggling at 75/3 in 11 overs. He stayed in the crease till the last ball and

Mumbai 115/9 (20ov) Chahal 2-17, Starc 2-21 Bangalore 116/ 3 (17.3ov) Parthiv 57*, de Villiers 45* Bangalore won by seven wickets Kolkata 166/5 (20 ov) Uthappa 55, Pandey 48, Shakib 30 Delhi 167/6 (19.3ov) Karthik 56, Duminy 52, Agarwal 26 Delhi won by 4 wickets gave his fellows compact companies with two boundaries and a mighty six.

On the other hand, JP Duminy hit

a timely unbeaten 52 after skipper Dinesh Karthik set the foundation with a fighting 56-run knock to earn a four wickets victory for Delhi. Shakib bowled three overs where he conceded 25 runs without getting any wicket.

Delhi Daredevils batsmen responded to the challenge well and overhauled the target with three balls to spare.

In the first game of the day, Royal Challengers Bangalore humbled defending champions Mumbai Indians by seven wickets.

After restricting Mumbai Indians to a modest 115 for nine, RCB cantered to their second successive win in the tournament in 17.3 overs. l

AFP

Sunderland stun Chelsea Chelsea’s title hopes suffered a major blow with a shock 2-1 home loss to bottom side Sunderland on Saturday as manager Jose Mourinho suffered a Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge for the first time.

Fabio Borini, on-loan from league leaders Liverpool, scored the winner with a penalty in the 82nd minute after Cesar Azpilicueta brought down Jozy Altidore, bringing an end to Mourinho’s record of 77 unbeaten home league outings with Chelsea.

Sunderland’s Connor Wickham had equalised in the 18th minute to cancel out Samuel Eto’o’s early opener.

The defeat left Chelsea in second

Federer ousts ailing Djokovic in Monaco semis Roger Federer beat an injured Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-2 to set up an all-Swiss Monte Carlo Masters final with Stanislas Wawrinka after the Australian Open champion ousted David Ferrer 6-1 7-6 (3) on Saturday.

Holder Djokovic resisted for one set before pain in his right wrist was just too much to bear for the secondseeded Serb who bowed out on the first match point after one hour 14 minutes.

The much-awaited clash lived up to

expectations early on, with 17-times grand slam champion Federer saving two set points on serve at 5-4.

Federer, who has never won the Monte Carlo Masters, broke in the following game and pocketed the set with an ace before Djokovic went to his chair holding his right wrist.

The second set was a stroll for the Swiss who produced a series of forehand winners as he moved 18-16 up in his head-to-head record against Djokovic.

Earlier, third seed Wawrinka showed no mercy against the giant-killing Ferrer.

The Swiss raced through the first set and kept his composure in the second when the Spaniard raised his level.

Sixth seed Ferrer, who knocked out eight-times French Open champion and world number one Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals on Friday, was on the back foot throughout.

“It was the perfect start for me. I played very well in spite of the wind,” Wawrinka told Canal Plus TV. “He changed tactics in the second set, being more aggressive, and I became more hesitant but I played tougher then.”

BCL postponed Bangladesh Cricket League, the franchise based first-class cricket tournament, which was scheduled to resume on April 28 has been postponed. The Bangladesh Cricket Board tournament committee after holding a meeting yesterday came to the decision.

Acting secretary of the BCB tournament committee Ziaur Rahman informed the media that the franchises of the tournament has requested for few days of time before going into the game.

“The last round games of the National Cricket League will finish on April 22 for which the franchises of the

Peter Moores has been given a second chance as England head coach, after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced his appointment on Saturday.

The 51-year-old, the first man to twice be appointed England coach, replaced Andy Flower after he stood down following the team’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia.

In a two-year spell from 2007 to 2009, Moores led England in seven Test series, starting with a 3-0 win over West Indies, after replacing Duncan Fletcher.

However, he was forced out in 2009 following a rift with Kevin Pietersen that cost the star batsman the England captaincy, although the ECB ended Pietersen’s international career after the recent Ashes debacle.

Moores’ recall means there is no longer a position in the hierarchy for limited overs coach Ashley Giles after England decided they wanted one man in charge across all three formats. Moores joined Lancashire in February 2009, having previously guided Sussex to the County Championship title in 2003. l

Wawrinka quickly opened a 5-0 lead after breaking twice with a passing shot and a forehand return winner.

The Swiss, looking to win his first Masters 1000 title, sealed the opening set with a stunning backhand winner down the line.

Ferrer saved a break point in the opening game of the second set but Wawrinka, whose 31 winners made up for 40 unforced errors, accelerated again in the tiebreak and prevailed on his second match point when his opponent netted a backhand. l

spot on 75 points from 35 games with three matches left, two points behind Liverpool who have played 34 and visit Norwich City on Sunday.

RESULTS Aston Villa Cardiff Whittingham 51-pen

0 0 1 1 1 2

Newcastle Ameobi 23

Tottenham

3 1

Paulinho 35, Kane 48, Kaboul 62

Southampton Stoke Arnautovic 45-P

Swansea Bony 45, 90-P

Fulham Jedinak 59-P

Meanwhile, Fulham squandered an opportunity to escape the Premier League relegation zone after going down 3-1 at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. l

Foxes on verge of second tier title Leicester City moved within touching distance of securing the Championship title after David Nugent fired the leaders to a 1-0 win over 10-man QPR on Saturday.

Nigel Pearson’s already-promoted side restored their seven-point lead over second-placed Burnley and now need just three more points from their last three games to go into the Premier League as champions of the second tier. l

Bayern end league slump

BCL requested for some time for the players to rest and regroup,” said Zia yesterday.

The two third round matches of the BCL will be played on May 2 instead of April 28 at the inner and the other ground of Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium.

The final, which will be a five-day game, will be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on May 9 instead of May 4.

The Sri Lanka series followed by the Asia Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 for both men and women meant the BCL had to take the back seat temporarily. The BCB suspended the last round along with the final of the tournament

after January 18 of this year.

In the third round matches, Islami Bank East Zone will be facing Prime Bank South Zone at Fatullah Outer Stadium while defending champion Walton Central Zone will be playing against BCB North Zone.

Walton Central Zone are leading the points table with 31 points from two matches with a win and a draw.

BCB North Zone is in second position after playing as many matches with a solitary point separating them from the table toppers.

Prime Bank South Zone is in third position with 17 points while Islami Bank East Zone remains at the bottom with no win and two points. l

RESULTS Bayern Munich ended a run of three Bundesliga games without a win with an unimpressive 2-0 win at bottom club Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday, four days before their Champions League semi-final at Real Madrid.

Peruvian veteran Claudio Pizzarro and Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic were on target in what was only Bayern’s third win in their last seven games in all competitions.

Despite enjoying their customary 65 percent possession and fielding a near full-strength team, Bayern needed 76

Dortmund

4 2

Kirch 6, Lewandowski 18, Piszczek 57, Reus 79-P

Werder Bremen

3 1

Bargfrede 18, Garcia 78, Petersen 90+2

Freiburg Mehmedi 51, 87, Sorg 71, Darida 72, 1

Augsburg Eintracht

4 1 0 0 0 2

Mainz 05 Okazaki 14, 54

Hoffenheim Volland 3

Gladbach Herrmann 9

Hertha Berlin Bayern

Pizarro 76, Mandzukic 87

minutes to breach the Braunschweig defence with the hosts battling to preserve their top-flight status. l

Inter strengthen grip on Europa spot Inter Milan moved a step closer to qualifying for next season’s Europa League with a 2-0 Serie A win over 10-man Parma on Saturday while local rivals AC Milan boosted their chances of European football with their fifth straight victory.

Torino, two points further adrift in eighth, drew 3-3 with Lazio in an incredible match where Ciro Immobile scored his 20th goal of the season.

Napoli drew 1-1 at Udinese with Benitez’s side taking a 39th-minute lead through Callejon’s superb volley but Bruno Fernandes slotted home an equaliser 10 minutes after the restart capitalising on a dreadful pass from Reina. l

RESULTS AC Milan

3 0

Livorno

Balotelli 43, Taarabt 51, Pazzini 84

1 2

Atalanta Denis 87

Catania

2 1

Leto 45, Bergessio 63

Chievo

0 1

Verona Donati 53, Toni 72

Sampdoria Okaka 61

Sassuolo Berardi 40

Genoa De Maio 3

Lazio

1 2

Cagliari Sau 37, Ibarbo 82

3 3

Torino

0 2

Inter Milan

Mauri 42, Candreva 61-P Kurtic 52, Tachtsidis 67, Immobile 89

Parma

Rolando 48, Guarin 89

Udinese Fernandes 55

1 1

Napoli Callejón 38

Bangladesh Air Force players grab a Bangladesh Fire Service player in the match where they won by 23-21 points in the Walton 14th Premier Division Kabaddi League at the kabaddi stadium yesterday. In the other matches of the day Dhaka Wanderers beat Manaiknagar Kabaddi Club by 40-21 points and Bangladesh Navy outplayed Shahid Mozaffar Smriti Sangsad 58-16 points

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Giant mealybug imminent threat to plants, crops Entomologists say traditional insecticides have proven ineffective in controlling the pest is “drosicha mangiferae.” It is more n Ahmed Zayeef commondly known as the mango Zoologists have warned that giant mealybug, which is difficult to control using traditional insecticides and chemicals, may end up destroying plants and crops in epidemic proportions.

According to a report prepared by a group of entomologists from the Shere-Bangla Agricultural University, mango, jackfruit, citrus, papaya, brinjal, guava, tarmarind and rain-trees are most vulnerable to mealybugs.

Although the report said the pests did not pose any massive threat to the human body, zoologists claimed that exposure could cause skin infections.

The exotic pests recently infested the campus of the College of Home Economics at the capital’s Azimpur, triggering panic among students and prompting the authority to keep the college shut.

The three-member group of entomologists, led by Prof Dr Md Razzab Ali, prepared the report after visiting the college campus on Wednesday. It will be presented before media in a conference at the Education Ministry today.

The scientific name of mealybug

mealybug, giant mealybug or monophlebids.

The report said giant mealybugs lay purple-coloured eggs in loose soil within a 2-3m radius around the infested trees. Hatching of eggs starts with a rise in temperature and the nymphs crawl to the succulent shoots and base of fruiting parts. The nymphs and female bugs suck sap from inflorescence, tender leaves, shoots and fruit peduncles.

As a result, the affected inflorescences dry up. Rigorous infestation affects the fruit set and causes fruit drop.

They exude honey dew over the leaves, on which sooty mould fungus develop.

“Mealybug is difficult to control by insecticides and the use of chemicals has been inefficient. Sticky bands along with burning and burying treatments significantly reduced the frequency of infestation of mango mealybug. Burlap bands reduced population of mango mealybug nymphs by 78.98%. Stem injection can achieve a very high level of mortality of sucking insects [98%].

The mortality rates achieved with insecticide sprays were up to 55%,” said the report.

They occur in all zoogeographic re-

A cleaner tries to sweep away a mass infestation of mealybugs from a classroom of Home Economics College in the capital’s Azimpur yesterday gions but seem to be most diverse in tropical areas especially oriental regions. It can be found in India, Pakistan, Mayanmar, China, and the African countries.

The report suspects that the bugs travelled to Bangladesh from the African countries. Prof Razzab told the Dhaka Tribune that the pests might

Dry Teesta threatens transport, livelihood in northern districts Bakar Siddique back from n Abu the North Once with vibrant flow of water Teesta now runs dry looking back into its glorious past.

Crossing the river by boat – an efficient mode of transport between the northern districts – has now yielded only to foot walk for the river crossers.

The parched condition of the river hits both livelihood of those that counted on a thriving commuter-ferry business and the commuters themselves, who now take a long walk to go from one place to another.

“It is now a distant dream for all of us that the river will again be full to the brim with water and we will eke out our earning from the river,” said Hafizul Islam, who was spotted in a hut he used as office-cum-sojourn during daytime to conduct his boat station.

Hafizul had been running his Parulia boat station in Hatibandha upazila under Lalmonirhat district over the past 10 years, but the dry Teesta river had driven him out of his commuter-ferry business.

Like the Parulia boat station (kheya ghat), around 100 such stations on both banks of the river connecting four northern districts –Nilphamari, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Kurigram – are closed in the wake of weak water flow over the past four months.

Ferrying passengers across the river was the source of income of lessees like Hafizul.

He said: “If this situation persists, I

will have no other means but to end up in the gutter.”

The suffering of river crossers living in different char (shoal) areas is at its peak as they can no longer depend on water transport to move from one place to another.

The situation is at its worst this year as the river in its Bangladesh portion has received only 409, 500 and 550 cusecs of water respectively in three consecutive months A commuter, Monika Roy, who lives in Shindur Na Char, vented her anguish.

She said she had to walk the six-kilometre-long way from her home to her workplace Hatibandha daily in absence of boat.

“It is not only physical suffering to walk the whole distance under the scorching heat, but also time consuming,” she added.

The residents living in Haldibari, Noyarhat, volarhat, Kaliganj, Shindur Na Char, Shinghibari, Goddibari Dawabari, Votmari and even in different upazilas of Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts used the river stations to transport themselves from across the districts.

A student Ashis Roy said nowadays people of Joldhaka located on the west bank of Teesta in Nilphamari district

have travelled along with the baggage of the Bangladeshi soldiers returning from UN peacekeeping missions.

He suspected that there had not been enough checking and quarantining arrangements at the airport for baggage, vehicles and other items brought back by the returning peacekeepers.

Recently, the mealybugs were found at a naval base in the country.

Razzab said the authorities or departments concerned should pay great attention about the spread, bio-ecology, the nature of damage, economic importance and control measures for the giant mealybugs.

He also recommended intensive re-

DHAKA TRIBUNE

search to emphasise the control of the pest.

Nishat Parvin, vice-principal of the College of Home Economics, told the Dhaka Tribune the campus would reopen on April 27.

“The decision has been taken in consultation with experts. They have prescribed some pesticides to get rid of the insects,” she said. l

‘NID card’ costs Tk30 only! n Mohammad Jamil Khan

had to spend at least three hours on their journey to Hatibandha by road, whereas it took them only an hour to reach the destination by boat.

According to Lalmonirhat district council, there were at least 16 boat stations, most of which stopped operating this year.

Md Shahjahan, chief executive officer of district council, said revenue collection from boat stations dropped as most of them were closed.

In 2012-13, he said the government collected revenues amounting to around Tk2,00,000 by leasing them out whereas this year the collection had fallen to only Tk1,10,000.

Asked about the reason for weak flow of water in the river, Shahjahan said India did not release water into our territory this year, thus making the situation worse.

Bangladesh Water Development Board blamed the catastrophic reduction in the flow of Teesta river water on India that withheld the water flow.

The situation is at its worst this year as the river in its Bangladesh portion has received only 409, 500 and 550 cusecs of water respectively in February, March and April.

The flow of water between January and April stands at around 6,000, 5,000, 6,000 and 8,000 cusec, but the situation has changed over the years as India withheld the water flow,” Mir Sajjad Hossain, member of the Joint River Commission, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“Our neighboring country is just making our river dry during the lean period.” l

Once a busy place, the Parulia ghat of Hatibadha upazila in Lalmonirhat on the bank of River Teesta now exists in history only DHAKA TRIBUNE

A group of frauds have been coining money by supplying fake National ID (NID) cards to anyone willing to pay a nominal amount, as low as Tk30, following the Bangladesh telecom regulator’s tough stance on mobile SIM card registration.

The activities of this unscrupulous group were unearthed after law enforcers nabbed two perpetrators and recovered around 53,000 fake NID cards and 36,300 colored passport size photographs from their possession on Friday.

The frauds were actively producing fake NIDs for anyone who wished to acquire a SIM card without revealing their true identities.

The arrested were identified as Aminul Islam Mamun, 23, and Toufique Islam, 25.

“Police recovered over 53,000 fake National ID and nearly 36,300 passport sized photos from their possession,” Detective Branch Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam said while addressing a press briefing at DMP Media Centre, yesterday.

According to police, the Kadamta-

‘We disown Imran’ n Ahmed Zayeef Following the press conference where Imran H Sarker was removed as the spokesperson of the Gonojagoron Moncho, a faction named “Blogger and Online Activist Network” (BOAN) now says it disowns Imran.

It was declared yesterday at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. The conference was held under the banner of the BOAN. After the press conference ended, however, a notice appeared on the BOAN’s Facebook page, claiming that the organisation did not arrange it.

Blogger Onimesh Rahman presented the written speech at the conference. He said BOAN was with the Gonojagoron Moncho and its members would stay with it.

“We, however, will not support any faction until a structure is established.

At this moment, the Gonojagoron Moncho is not active at all,” he said.

Urging re-organisation of the Moncho, Onimesh said Imran will always keep the problems BOAN had faced a secret and will not publish any list of the BOAN members either.

“Imran turned the mass movement into a day event. For this, he has lost the moral ground of being the convener of BOAN,” he observed.

Onimesh said 25 BOAN members made the decision while a five-member committee would form the full BOAN committee soon. l

li police arrested Mamun from East Dholaiparh in the capital and recovered 4,650 fake National IDs and an equal number of passport-sized pictures from his possession when he was trying to sell these for Tk30 to Tk35 each.

When interrogated, he confessed that he received these fake NIDs from his partner, who he termed as the mastermind of the scam, from Gazipur’s Tongi area.

Later, police raided a house in Tongi’s Arichpur Bazar area and arrested Toufique and recovered another 48,450 forged NIDs and 31,650 photographs from his possession, the DMP spokesman said, adding that a computer, a printer, 15 Airtel and eight Banglalink SIM cards were also seized from racketeer’s hideout.

These fake NIDs were being used to purchase mobile SIM cards illegally, he added.

The arrested also confessed to the police that they were conducting such illegal activities for the last one and a half months and their prime customers were petty criminals, SIM card sellers and distributors.

When asked how these frauds

managed to collect the photographs, Monirul said they used to collect photographs from different unauthorised companies who often invite applicants to submit necessary documents through job advertisements. Some dishonest photo studio employees were also useful in getting them pictures, albeit in exchange for a hefty sum, he said.

“We are now tracing other criminals involved with such activities so that no innocent individual falls victim to a crime committed using fake IDs and photographs,” he added.

Earlier on April 1, the High Court ordered a deactivation of all unregistered SIM cards in the country.

The Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has recently initiated measures to check mobile phone-based crimes by banning the sale of pre-activated SIM cards as it becomes difficult for the law enforcing agencies to track down criminals using unauthorised SIMs for various illegal activities.

It has asked mobile operators to withhold SIM card activation for 72 hours and verify the buyers’ information during that time. l

Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir survives gun attack n AFP, Karachi Unknown gunmen on motorbikes opened fire at a prominent Pakistani television anchor on a busy road in the southern port city of Karachi yesterday, officials said.

Hamid Mir, who hosts a popular talk-show on Geo News, was travelling to his office from the airport when his car came under attack, senior police official Peer Muhammad Shah told AFP. “Four gunmen riding on motorbikes started firing at the car near Karsaz (around six kilometres from Jinnah International Airport) when Mir’s car was passing through, he received three bullets in the lower parts of his body,” Shah said.

Mir has long been a critic of the

country’s powerful intelligence agencies and military for their alleged role in the disappearance of thousands of people in the restive southwestern province of Baluchistan.

Last year, he survived a bomb attack in Islamabad when a bomb planted under his car was defused before it could go off.

Karachi police chief Shahid Hayat confirmed the incident yesterday.

“Hamid Mir has received three bullets but the doctors told me that he is out of danger,” Hayat told AFP. Geo’s Islamabad bureau chief Rana Jawad said: “Hamid was shot thrice, in the pelvic, abdomen and thighs.”

Mir had complained of receiving death threats from the country’s powerful intelligence agency. l

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B3 Ex-Apple chief plans mobile phone for India

B4 Progress but no deal in

US-Japan TPP trade talks

SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

State corps to get profit-sharing guideline n Asif Showkat Kallol The government has decided to prepare a guideline for 125 state-run corporations keeping a provision for them to give government 20% of their net profits.

The corporations can use the rest of the profit in productive sector as per the guideline to be formulated, said a senior finance division official.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation (Petro-Bangla) are among the state-run corporations.

The move came after allegations that the state-run corporations were keeping the profit as fixed deposit receipt (FDR) in commercial banks, depriving the government of the revenue, he said.

Besides, the finance division has no knowledge about those fixed deposits.

The decision was made at a meeting held last week at the finance ministry auditorium, with Finance Secretary Fazle Kabir in the chair.

High officials from the state-run corporations also attended the meeting. The meeting sources said the guideline will include five possible terms for the corporations including the profit sharing.

Besides, the government can take money from the reserved portions in

the form of loans through bonds.

It was also alleged that the staterun corporations didn’t disclose audited balance sheets and profit-loss accounts.

As per the meeting decision, the corporations will send audited balance sheets, income-expenditure and profit-loss accounts in the beginning of January every year.

If the corporations want to deposit profit to commercial banks, they will be required to inform finance division about the deposits and explain the reasons.

Meanwhile, the government has taken a number of reform initiatives to cut wastes of money by the corporations like BPC in line with the IMF conditions under Extended Credit Facility loan.

The government adopted an automated financial reporting software for the state-owned corporations and hired professional staff for financial management of BPC under the IMF conditions for Extended Credit Facility (ECF) loans.

A global firm will also be appointed to conduct, in association with a local company, financial audit of BPC for the fiscal year 2012-2013.

The audit, a new condition of International Monetary Fund for ECF loans, will be completed by September 2014.

The state-owned corporations are operated under 22 ministries and divisions. l

Lamudi to invest $1.6m in Bangladesh n Tribune Report

A man at the Malaysian stall at Dhaka Travel Mart 2014 showing the visitors how to prepare tea in a Malaysian style. The three-day international tourism fair concluded yesterday at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka DHAKA TRIBUNE

Travel Mart 2014 ends amid hopes n Tribune Report

A three-day international tourism fair styled “Eastern Bank Travel Mart 2014” concluded yesterday in the capital, amid huge turnout of the visitors.

With a smiling face, most of the exhibitors claimed that the visitors’ turn out seemed to be higher than the previous year although they could not give any exact figure about the visitors.

However, a section of participants expressed their dissatisfaction over the comparative turnouts of the visitors.

Airliners ranked top in getting onspot booking unlike any other participants at the fair.

It was noticed that the participants

Ceramic industries seek duty cut on raw materials import n Kayes Sohel

Ceramic product manufacturers have proposed the government to cut duty on imported raw materials to help them survive and remain competitive in the global market in the backdrop of the suspension of generalised system of preferences (GSP) by the US administration.

Because of the suspension of the GSP facilities in the US market, the profit margin has almost came down to zero level in the US market that made up 65% of our total exports, Rizvi Ul Kabir, general secretary of Bangladesh Ceramic Wares Manufacturer Association (BCWMA) told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“Bangladeshi ceramic products, particularly hotel ware are now entering into the USA market by paying 25% duty and we are doing business just to retain our customers by reducing product value by 20%, which largely affects our global competitiveness,” said Kabir.

In June last year, President Barack Obama has suspended the US preferential trade benefits or GSP (generalised system of preference) facilities, which Bangladesh had been enjoying since long.

Due to the GSP suspension, Bangladeshi products need to count heavy

duty while entering into the market of the United States. As a result, export of potential items such as ceramic, sporting equipment, plastic products and a small amount of textile products are now facing a severe setback.

In a budget proposal for the 201415 fiscal to the National Board of Revenue, the association demanded the government to reduce the raw material import duty to from existing 5%25% on different raw materials.

“Besides, higher import duties has increased the production cost, which is another setback for the growing industry that earned Tk360 crore annually in foreign exchange,” said Kabir.

Currently, 5% import duty is applicable on basic raw materials, 25% on cover coat, bond and silk screen, 10% on milk talc, magnesium sulphate and calcium carbonate, alumina liner, filter cloth and other raw materials.

Apart from this, the manufacturers also recommended reducing the import duty on zirconium, iron oxide and cobalt oxide to a minimum level.

The association also proposed to increase the import duty on finished ceramic products to help grow the domestic industry.

It recommended withdrawing the entire supplementary duty on locally made ceramic wares to boost the industry. The manufacturers, however,

proposed to increase supplementary duty on imported ceramic nameplate, tiles, cube and other related finished products to 80% from present 60%.

They also urged the government to increase the supplementary duty on imported glass table ware to 80% from present 45%.

Bangladeshi ceramic wares are being exported to 48 countries, including USA, European Union and Scandinavian countries. China, Poland, Thailand, Romania and Indonesia are the major competitors of Bangladeshi products.

In first nine months of the current fiscal year, export earnings from ceramics products stood over US$36m, an almost 30% rise, comparing to previous year, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.

According to the BCWMA, some 16 ceramic producing plants are now in operation in Bangladesh that created 5 lakh direct and indirect jobs.

The present investment in the country’s ceramic industry is roughly Tk5000 crore and total annual capacity of ceramic tableware manufacturing companies is 22.2 crore pieces, tiles 687 lakh square meter and sanitary ware 1.14 lakh metric tonnes.

After meeting 80% demand of domestic market, ceramic industries exported the rest. l

were trying to create a sense of urgency among the visitors for pre-booking, by offering attracting discounts in product prices and services at the fair.

The fair, specially, succeeded in grabbing the attention of the potential customers who are planning to visit foreign countries.

Discounts on domestic tickets sum up to a few hundred Taka while discount on tickets on foreign trip makes up around a few thousands Taka, which allured most the visitors more towards outbound tourism, said Kamrul Islam, assistant general manager (public relation) of United Airways.

He added: “The gathering of so many companies is to promote their products and services by informing the

interested visitors and the fair does not fall short of doing so.”

The fair overwhelmingly met our expectation as Malindo Air got near to a hundred ticket bookings, said Mizan Rodzi, a deputy director of Tourism Malaysia.

“We have come to the fair with only one discounted product but we have already generated close to 50% of the product’s yearly sales,” said GM Saklayen Selim, a marketing executive of Tune Aviation Ltd, a Bangladesh GSA for Malindo Air. Bangladesh Biman Airlines, being a partner of the fair, has also given a special and exclusive discount only for the participants, said an official at its stall. l

Golden Son Ltd (GSL), a 100% export-oriented joint venture of Bangladesh and Taiwan, is set to produce household electronic appliances for the local market within two years.

For the purpose, the company acquires 1.65 lakh square feet of land adjacent to its factory located on the bank of Karnaphuli River in Chittagong.

“We are set to put foot in the local market by 2015,” Belal Ahmed, managing director of GSL, told the Dhaka Tri-

 B 3 COLUMN 1

Kevin confident about Biman’s success n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

bune at the factory premises.

The company wants to grab share of home appliances market, as Bangladesh economy is growing with rising purchasing capacity of the people, he said.

All kinds of household items like fan, rice cooker, air cooler, refrigerator, blender and many other items with better quality but in competitive prices will be produced for selling in the local market, he said.

Since its inception in 2003, GSL has embarked on a joint venture with

The outgoing managing director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Kevin Steel has expressed his determination that the national flag carrier will make profit in 2014-15.

“I am very determined that this carrier will come fully profitable in 201415,” Kevin Steel told the Dhaka Tribune in an e-mail reply.

Kevin Steel, a Briton, was first foreign MD of the national airlines and resigned on medical grounds after one year of service.

Steel joined Biman as MD and CEO on March 18, 2013 on a two-year contract.

As he left yesterday for home, Director (customer service) AM Mosaddique Ahmed took over the charge.

Mosaddique will serve the post until a new MD is appointed. Advertisements have already been published in newspapers calling applications from eligible people for the post.

 B 3 COLUMN 5

 B 3 COLUMN 5

Golden Son eyes local electronic appliance market Sohel, back from n Kayes Chittagong

Lamudi.com, an online marketplace for real estate, yesterday announced investing $1.6m as part of a plan to expand for their footprint in Bangladesh.

Kian Moini, global managing director of the company, is currently in Dhaka for a short visit from Germany as he discussed future plan in Bangladesh, says the company in a communication.

The real-estate marketplace offers sellers, buyers, landlords and renters a platform to find homes, land and commercial properties online.

During the starting of the year, the global company had 100,000 listings across its market and doubled to 200,000 listings as of this month.

The fund of $1.6m is a portion of $7m, which the company last week agreed to disburse for its Asian ventures – Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the company said in its web posting.

Lamudi.com.bd is a venture of internet incubator Rocket Internet which was established in 2007 and the venture currently exists in markets of 21 countries.

BGMEA to observe Rana Plaza disaster anniversary n Tribune Report

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has chalked out a series of programmes to observe the first anniversary of Rana Plaza collapse that killed over 1,135 workers and injured at least 2,500 on April 24 last year.

The programmes include bringing out a mourning procession, hosting black flags at all factories, special prayers seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the workers and recitation from the holy Quran.

The main special prayer to be conducted by Moulana Mohammad Salah Uddin, Imam of the national mosque, will be held at 12:1 pm at BGMEA headquarters and also at all the RMG factories across the country at the same time on April 24.

Addressing a press conference at his office in the city, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam yesterday formally announced the programmes.

Announcing the programme, Atiqul Islam also urged the global retailers not to pull out any more orders from the shared building factories as it would

cut huge jobs leaving the workers in misery.

“It is nothing but inhuman to pull out orders from shared building, from which you are sourcing products for the last 20 years,” said Islam.

According the BGMEA, over 30% factories are housed in shared building, where 1.5m workers are employed, most of them are women.

Islam said: Since the Rana Plaza disaster, the BGMEA and factory owners has done lots of improvement to ensure workers safety and security and  B 3 COLUMN 1

Yunus Centre Design Lab produces 100 social business n Tribune Business Desk

The 14th Yunus Centre Social Business Design Lab took place at the Grameen Bank Auditorium yesterday.

The Design Lab was chaired by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. He welcomed the guests including those participating via live stream. Professor Yunus then provided a summary of the projects presented at the lab so far, reports UNB. Of a total of 113 projects, 97 projects approved for implementation, 36 projects are operational and 54 projects received investments, getting prepared to start the business soon.

At the 14th design lab, two milestones crossed – it crossed the 100 social businesses submitted in the design labs and the investors already invested over Tk1.25 crore till now in social

business projects.

At the lab, fourteen new social business plans were presented, included twelve Nobin Udyokta projects, businesses launched by young entrepreneurs who are the children of Grameen Bank families. In between, there was a question and answer session with Pro-

fessor Yunus while participants from different countries taking part online.

The day ended with signing of MoU for the launch of seven social businesses. Over 150 participants from national and international organizations attended the programme. l

B2 Stocks stay flat with volatile trade past week n

Stocks stayed flat in volatile trade in the past week, following a rally in the previous week, as investors opted for quick profits.

Some multinational companies, including Lafarge Surma Cement and Grameenphone and state-owned energy companies, particularly Meghna Petroleum, Padma Oil and Jamuna Oil have attracted investors’ attention ahead of their disclosures.

During the week that ended Thursday, the benchmark DSEX shed marginally 6 points or 0.2% to close at 4,599. The blue chip comprising index DS30 gained 27 points or 1.7% to 1,703.

The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, rose 15 points or 1.8% to 1,034.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE)’s Selective Categories Index (CSCX) lost 32 points or 0.4% to 8,868.

The week’s average daily turnover stood at Tk436 crore, registering a fall of more than 14% over the previous week that saw four trading sessions instead of usual five on account of public holiday on April 14 to celebrate Bangla New Year. The first trading sessions also lost 42 minutes trading time due to technical glitch.

“Market ended the week flat as it had been trading within a range of 90 points (4,560 to 4,650) for the last two weeks,” said Lanka Bangla Securities.

“This seems to be a consolidating period for market,” it said, adding the way the market breaks out, this range will give an indication of next market direction. It said DSE executed T+2 trading cycle which is expected to increase market liquidity.

DSE LOSERS

Jamuna Bank -A City Bank - A Rupali InsurA Beach Hatchery -A National Housing Fin.-B Meghna PET Ind. -Z CVO PetroChem RL-Z Apex SpinningA Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Prime Bank-A

Closing (% change) -16.98 -16.58 -14.19 -14.14 -12.86 -11.94 -10.80 -10.80 -10.68 -10.67

CSE LOSERS Company Jamuna Bank -A Midas Financing-Z Rupali InsurA City Bank - A Beach Hatchery -A National Housing Fin.-B Prime Insur -A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-N Union Capital -A Asia Pasific Insu. -A

Closing (% change) -18.75 -18.61 -16.95 -15.18 -15.07 -14.06 -11.76 -11.30 -10.23 -9.89

ANALYST

4598.91986

(+) 0.13%

1703.15934

(+) 1.64%

14196.9141

(+) 0.08%

12053.5750

(+) 1.12%

8868.7176

(-) 0.36%

Average (% change) -16.62 -17.20 -14.41 -13.89 -12.37 -11.76 -8.77 -10.71 -11.27 -10.74 Average (% change) -18.34 -18.61 -17.70 -16.38 -14.68 -9.83 -11.61 -11.54 -9.65 -9.89

Closing average 13.29 16.13 24.89 25.36 27.28 6.00 716.08 81.98 50.85 20.28

Closing average 13.00 22.30 24.50 16.18 25.23 26.87 22.45 50.90 23.88 23.70

Weekly closing

Weekly closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

Weekly high 16.00 17.00 28.00 29.30 30.30 6.50 790.50 91.00 58.90 23.00

Weekly high

13.00 22.30 24.50 16.20 24.80 26.90 22.50 51.00 23.70 23.70

276,089,746

15.90 24.70 27.30 16.50 29.50 30.10 24.60 58.90 26.40 23.70

332,144

Traded Issues

299

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

71

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

225 3

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,341.01

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

28.38

CSE key features April 13-17, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

1,389.05

Turnover (Volume)

26,861,418

Number of Contract

47,939

Traded Issues

243

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

59

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

182

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

1

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,247.15

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.24

Turnover in million

12.00 14.40 23.00 24.80 25.20 5.60 701.00 80.50 49.60 20.00

Weekly low

9.325 59.493 7.164 31.822 3.415 0.051 21.977 4.071 324.560 10.698

Turnover in million

12.70 22.30 23.00 15.00 24.60 26.60 22.30 49.60 23.50 23.70

21.10 9.78 8.71 7.73 7.33 6.88 6.63 6.47 6.29 6.02

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Weekly low

LafargeS Cement-Z Meghna Petroleum -A Eastern Lubricants -A Delta Life Insu. -A Northern Jute -Z Olympic Ind. -A Titas Gas TDCLA Desh Garments -B GlaxoSK (BD) -A GreenDeltaInsu -A

Closing (% change)

Latest EPS 2.22 1.09 1.80 1.14 1.39 -1.30 -4.06 1.85 7.26 0.56

Latest EPS

1.163 0.036 0.665 6.361 2.058 0.467 0.030 26.038 1.652 0.012

2.22 -5.96 1.80 1.09 1.14 1.39 2.23 7.26 1.17 2.67

Latest PE 6.0 14.8 13.8 22.2 19.6 -ve -ve 44.3 7.0 36.2

Latest PE 5.9 -ve 13.6 14.8 22.1 19.3 10.1 7.0 20.4 8.9

Company LafargeS Cement-Z LR Global BD MF1-A Northern G Insur-A Meghna Petroleum -A Delta Life Insu. -A Titas Gas TDCLA GreenDeltaInsu -A Eastland Insur -A Phoenix Insur -A Sandhani Life -A

Closing (% change) 18.56 13.24 9.83 9.59 8.25 6.88 6.38 5.38 4.76 4.52

Average (% change) 25.11 9.26 14.88 7.56 7.41 6.28 6.64 7.02 6.49 5.08 Average (% change) 24.61 13.24 9.70 8.71 7.55 6.86 5.51 5.22 10.00 4.45

Closing average 71.64 309.38 616.80 238.32 96.67 239.70 85.46 109.67 1,584.00 83.35

Closing average 72.50 7.70 37.99 308.76 239.29 85.50 84.41 41.14 44.00 90.06

Weekly closing 68.30 310.80 598.00 236.80 96.60 242.50 85.20 107.00 1,581.80 84.50

Weekly closing 69.00 7.70 38.00 310.90 238.70 85.50 85.10 41.10 44.00 90.10

Weekly high 74.90 315.30 636.00 245.00 99.00 243.50 86.40 114.70 1,623.00 85.00

Weekly high 76.10 7.70 38.00 315.00 244.00 86.10 86.00 41.60 44.00 91.00

Weekly low

Turnover in million

55.50 259.00 529.90 202.00 92.00 209.50 72.00 91.30 1,480.00 75.00

1365.576 1395.727 25.141 289.029 0.058 1207.970 349.494 21.148 31.620 24.601

Weekly low

Turnover in million

55.90 7.00 32.00 282.50 201.00 78.50 78.50 38.00 44.00 89.90

Latest EPS 2.19 22.36 6.02 2.92 -10.24 6.90 8.50 1.18 45.35 3.21

Latest EPS

112.427 0.042 0.761 75.643 24.635 13.752 0.833 1.447 2.200 0.162

2.19 1.52 1.82 22.36 2.92 8.50 3.21 3.71 3.81 2.39

Latest PE 32.7 13.8 102.5 81.6 -ve 34.7 10.1 92.9 34.9 26.0

Latest PE 33.1 5.1 20.9 13.8 81.9 10.1 26.3 11.1 11.5 37.7

Weekly news from trade server STANDBANKL: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

Date of AGM: 18.05.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Police Convention Hall (1st floor), Eskaton Garden Road, Ramna, Dhaka. Record Date: 23.04.2014. The Company has also reported profit after provision before tax of Tk. 1,010.98 million, EPS of Tk. 1.77, NAV per share of Tk. 16.29 and NOCFPS of Tk. 1.21 for the year ended on December 31, 2013 as against Tk. 1,333.13 million, Tk. 2.34, Tk. 16.87 and Tk. 20.19 respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2012.

Expire Date: 2014-04-13

per share of Tk. 52.35 and NOCFPS of Tk. 1.17 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

IBNSINA: The Board of Directors has recommended 25% cash dividend and 10% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 07.06.2014, Time: 9:30 AM, Venue: Emmanuelle's Convention Centre, Shimanto Square Market (Rifles Square) 5th floor, Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Record Date: 30.04.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 4.48, NAV per share of Tk. 36.25 and NOCFPS of Tk. 2.60 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

EXIMBANK: The Board of Directors has recommended 11% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 26.06.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: 'Bashundhara Convention Center-2', Block-C, Umme Kulsum Road, Bashundhara R/A, Baridhara, Dhaka-1229. Record Date: 27.04.2014. The Company has also reported consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.63, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 17.72 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. 0.19 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

PRAGATIINS: The Board of Directors has recommended 12.5% cash dividend and 5% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 15.05.2014, Time: 12:00 Noon, Venue: Jamuna Resort Ltd. Bhuapur, Tangail.

Record Date: 24.04.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 2.75, NAV

ILFSL: The Board of Directors has recommended 5% cash dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 29.05.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Spectra Convention Centre Ltd., House # 19, Road # 7, Gulshan-1, Dhaka-1212.

Record Date: 30.04.2014.The Company has also reported consolidated net profit

TAKAFULINS: The Board of Directors has recommended 15% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

Date of AGM: 31.05.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, Multipurpose Hall, 160/A, Kakrail, VIP Road, Dhaka-1000. Record Date: 28.04.2014. The Company has also reported EPS of Tk. 2.28, NAV per share of Tk. 17.45 and NOCFPS of Tk. 3.67 for the year ended on December 31, 2013.

of Tk. 116.75 million, consolidated EPS of Tk. 0.68, consolidated NAV per share of Tk. 12.37 and consolidated NOCFPS of Tk. (0.97) for the year ended on December 31, 2013 as against Tk. 59.28 million, Tk. 0.35, Tk. 12.19 and Tk. 2.24 respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2012.

BSC: The Board of Directors has recommended 10% cash dividend (i.e. Tk. 10.00 per share of Tk. 100.00 each) for the year ended on June 30, 2013. Date of AGM: 21.06.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: "Shaheed Mohammad Fazlur Rahman Munshi Auditorium", Chittagong Port Area, Chittagong. Record date: 28.04.2014.

The Company has also reported net profit of Tk. 16.30 million, Basic EPS of Tk. 1.97, Diluted EPS of Tk. 1.21, NAV per share of Tk. 1,045.00 and NOCFPS of Tk. (14.39) for the year ended on June 30, 2013.

ISLAMICFIN: The Board of Directors has recommended 6% cash dividend and 4% stock dividend for the year ended on December 31, 2013. Date of AGM: 28.05.2014, Time: 11:00 AM, Venue: Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh, Kakrail, Dhaka. Record Date: 28.04.2014.

The Company has also reported net profit of Tk. 86.03 million, EPS of Tk. 0.77, NAV per share of Tk. 12.38 and NOCFPS of Tk. 0.99 for the year ended on December 31, 2013 as against Tk. 86.07 million, Tk. 0.77 (restated), Tk. 11.61 (restated) and Tk. (2.86) (restated) respectively for the year ended on December 31, 2012.

Market ended the week flat as it had been trading within a range of 90 points for the last two weeks

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

▲ ▲ ▲ ▲ ▼

13.20 16.10 24.80 24.90 27.10 5.90 705.40 80.90 51.00 20.10

17,460.55

Number of Contract

Weekly capital market highlights DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index :

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Sunday, April 20, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features April 13-17, 2014

“Mimicking last few weeks’ psychological trend, investors’ preference was mostly centralised to heavy-weight scrips, especially multinational companies, last week,” said IDLC Investments.

It said the sequential and active dominance from large caps prolonged the whole week’s momentum. Other cap classes faced significant correction, however, and those neutralised each other and showcased prime index to behave mixed, it said.

A segment of witty participants booked profit off and on from this bullrun of large caps and cyclical movements of smaller cap classes, it said.

Losers outshined gainers as out of 299 issues traded during the week, 214 declined, 70 advanced and 15 remained unchanged on the DSE. Among the major sectors, top gaining sectors of the week were cement that rallied 11%, fuel and power 4% and tannery 4.7%. Conversely, top losing sectors were ceramic that declined more than 5%, non-banking financial institutions over 3% and general insurance 2%.

Telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, food and allied edged down.

The investors’ attention was mainly centred on fuel and power, cement and telecommunication sectors, accounted for over 19%, 13% and 10% respectively of the past week’s total market turnover.

Meghna Petroleum, a state-owned petroleum distribution company, continued to dominate the top turnover for the second consecutive week.

Its shares worth Tk139 crore was changed hands in the past week. l

Tribune Report

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

DSE Million Taka 1356.44 616.75 219.37 976.71 1693.41 3749.04 9.03 1281.50 1613.54 4.40 152.09 248.23 77.83 2260.05 83.31 159.05 531.10 1579.07 184.40 660.84 4.37

% change 7.77 3.53 1.26 5.59 9.70 21.47 0.05 7.34 9.24 0.03 0.87 1.42 0.45 12.94 0.48 0.91 3.04 9.04 1.06 3.78 0.03

Million Taka 141.71 37.24 11.92 72.54 95.01 242.36 0.00 170.43 111.72 68.39 7.88 81.82 8.02 192.84 10.98 10.05 29.26 165.17 29.91 106.00 0.11

CSE

% change 8.89 2.34 0.75 4.55 5.96 15.21 0.00 10.70 7.01 4.29 0.49 5.13 0.50 12.10 0.69 0.63 1.84 10.37 1.88 6.65 0.01

Million Taka 1498.16 654.00 231.29 1049.25 1788.42 3991.40 9.03 1451.94 1725.25 72.79 159.97 330.04 85.85 2452.89 94.30 169.11 560.36 1744.25 214.31 766.84 4.48

Total

% change 7.86 3.43 1.21 5.51 9.39 20.95 0.05 7.62 9.05 0.38 0.84 1.73 0.45 12.87 0.49 0.89 2.94 9.15 1.12 4.02 0.02

Prepared exclusively for Dhaka Tribune by Business Information Automation Service Line (BIASL), on the basis of information collected from daily stock quotations and audited reports of the listed companies. High level of caution has been taken to collect and present the above information and data. The publisher will not take any responsibility if any body uses this information and data for his/her investment decision. For any query please email to biasl@bol-online.com or call 01552153562 or go to www.biasl.net

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Meghna Petroleum -A LafargeS Cement-Z Grameenphone-A Olympic Ind. -A Padma Oil Co. -A HeidelbergCement -A Square Pharma -A Jamuna Oil -A BSC-A Titas Gas TDCLA CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z Grameenphone-A Meghna Petroleum -A BSC-A HeidelbergCement -A Padma Oil Co. -A BD Submarine Cable-A Square Pharma -A Emerald Oil Ind. -N Matin Spinning-N

Volume shares 4,606,469 20,604,505 4,952,588 5,112,459 2,580,475 1,087,520 2,257,854 2,169,925 723,930 4,139,518

Volume shares 1,697,500 406,600 249,879 121,695 103,050 163,300 282,426 205,524 184,500 1,088,800

Value in million 1395.73 1365.58 1294.35 1207.97 939.95 647.96 640.83 514.77 444.90 349.49

Value in million 112.43 106.00 75.64 75.18 61.95 59.42 59.18 58.20 43.29 42.47

% of total turnover 7.99 7.82 7.41 6.92 5.38 3.71 3.67 2.95 2.55 2.00

% of total turnover 8.30 7.82 5.58 5.55 4.57 4.39 4.37 4.29 3.20 3.13

Weekly closing 310.80 68.30 254.60 242.50 356.80 591.20 283.70 238.40 631.50 85.20

Weekly closing 69.00 254.30 310.90 630.50 591.30 356.80 209.30 283.50 46.10 38.90

Price change 9.78 21.10 -0.55 6.88 0.85 0.37 1.21 4.06 1.12 6.63

Weekly opening 283.10 56.40 256.00 226.90 353.80 589.00 280.30 229.10 624.50 79.90

Weekly high 315.30 74.90 272.00 243.50 376.50 615.00 290.00 243.40 648.00 86.40

Weekly low 259.00 55.50 238.00 209.50 325.00 575.00 260.00 215.00 587.75 72.00

Weekly average 309.38 71.64 256.44 239.70 358.78 599.83 283.35 237.40 628.13 85.46

Price change 18.56 -0.47 9.59 0.59 0.24 0.90 0.00 1.36 -4.16 -6.94

Weekly opening 58.20 255.50 283.70 626.80 589.90 353.60 209.30 279.70 48.10 41.80

Weekly high 76.10 271.00 315.00 645.00 615.00 377.00 216.00 289.50 238.00 42.00

Weekly low 55.90 251.50 282.50 586.00 574.00 353.10 205.00 278.90 44.10 37.10

Weekly average 72.50 256.80 308.76 626.10 599.05 358.48 209.50 283.23 239.07 38.09

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Ex-Apple chief plans mobile phone for India n AFP, New Delhi Former Apple chief executive John Sculley, whose marketing skills helped bring the personal computer to desktops worldwide, says he plans to launch a mobile phone in India to exploit its still largely untapped smartphone market.

Inflexionpoint, an information technology supply company co-founded

by Sculley, will start selling the smartphones next month in India under the new Obi Mobiles brand, the Singaporebased firm said in a statement emailed to AFP Saturday.

“The smartphone share in India is only 20%, leaving the larger part of the ground with opportunities yet to be tapped,” said Sculley, 75.

Sculley, who served as chief executive of Apple from 1983 to 1993, famously clashed with technical visionary Steve Jobs over strategy, leading to the Apple co-founder’s exit from the company.

Jobs, who returned to head up Apple in 1997 and turned out a string of blockbuster products, died in 2011 after

Lamudi to invest  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Lamudi aims to increase economic empowerment of the country by reaching to the non-residential Bangladeshis and for rapid urbanisation, said David Zwagemaker, managing director of lamudi.com.bd said yesterday.

Commenting on the funding, in a statement, Paul Philipp Hermann, cofounder at Lamudi, added: “The announcement of this substantial funding for our Asian operations is very welcome and will be crucial in helping us to make better and faster progress towards our goal of becoming the market leader in online property in Asia.”

The company’s website for the Bangladeshi customers are one of the top 500 most visited website based on the performance during the last three months, according to Alexa, a website rating company. Currently more than 8,600 individual properties are listed at the site while 353 real estate companies are hosting their properties with lamudi.com.bd, all of which are RAJUK approved and varied by Lamudi.com.bd quality assurance team. l

BGMEA to observe  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

increased wages but the buyers did not increase prices of products. He also said the BGMEA was working hard to make the industry sustainable and to avert any further factory disaster for ensuring safe work place for the ready-made garment workers and the buyers should come up with realistic and effective measures for the betterment of the workers.

“The government amended labour law, increased wages, appointed factory inspectors after the Rana Plaza incident to ensure safety and improve working environment, said Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar.

In his written speech, BGMEA president said: The BGMEA had spent Tk14.50 crore for the treatment of workers, rescue operations and to pay wages. It also contributed TK2 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. l

battling cancer.

Inflexionpoint plans to set up a supply chain, design centre and offices in India, producing “affordable smartphones with superior technology”, Sculley said.

Smartphone shipments in India tripled from 16.2 million in 2012 to 44 million in 2013, International Data Corporation says, and analysts expect similar growth this year.

“We feel there’s an opportunity to build another brand in India that would combine global branding skills... (and) go into price points more like the local brands -- in the 5,000 to 8,000 rupee ($83 to $133) range,” Sculley said.

He gave few details of the devices which will be joining a crowded range of offerings except that they will boast the “latest technology” and will be sourced from China.”

After setting up in India, the company aims to expand to other growing markets in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Latin America.

Sculley added his old company, Apple, now faced a dilemma over whether

to lower product prices to compete in emerging markets.

“Either they miss the (emerging) market where 70% of the industry is, or risk the falling of their stock price dramatically if they go after the market,” the Economic Times newspaper quoted him as saying on its website Saturday.

“But one company’s dilemma is another company’s opportunity.”

Sculley said this year would be a big one for Apple in terms of products but added that it was “not clear they’re going to demonstrate a creative leap” in 2014.

But he added that it was unfair to expect such a leap every two years.

“Steve’s creative leap came every five years,” he said.

Sculley told The Times of India that he had long regretted Jobs’ exit from Apple, calling it “a mistake”.

“But Steve in 1985 was not the same as Steve in 1997. By the time he came back, he was a much more matured and experienced executive while back in the eighties, he was still a young, learning executive,” he said. l

Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif displays a high-end smartphone during its launch in New Delhi

REUTERS

China’s new breed of whistleblowers Golden Son eyes local electronic appliance market takes on big business n Reuters, Shanghai Chinese lawyer Hao Junbo wants to make you rich if you’re a whistleblower after a bounty. For big business in China he’s a headache, part of a small but fast-growing industry built around exposing corporate wrongdoing.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission received a tip-off a week from China last year, double the year before and five times more than in 2011. The attraction is a recently bulked up offer for as much as 30% of any fine if new information leads to the recovery of investor money over $1m. Last year, one Wall Street whistleblower pocketed $14m.

The SEC is just one of many channels for this new breed of Chinese whistleblowers whose information has helped lead to investigations in China of firms including British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline Plc and French dairy Danone SA. “It can’t be denied that the financial benefits are an important incentive,” said Hao, a Beijing-based whistleblower lawyer. Hao advertises online for whistleblowers to get in touch for the chance to “uphold justice and win a huge bounty too”, though he concedes he is yet to collect a reward.

Hao said signs of stronger government support for Chinese whistleblowers had helped the sector come out into the open, with 150,000 tips investigated by authorities last year. But there is still a way to go to catch up with the well-established “no-win-no-fee” lawyers in the United States and Europe.

Indeed, blowing the whistle in China can be a risky proposition, with those who come forward often facing a backlash from the local officials or businesses they accuse.

“Because some clients don’t want to reveal their identity, they hire us law-

yers to blow the whistle on their behalf,” said Hao. His cut is a negotiated slice of any final bounty.

Joining battle

Whistleblowers in China have become more daring, lawyers and business people said, creating a tougher environment for companies, especially in sensitive sectors like pharmaceuticals where there have been a spate of probes against corporate corruption.

“At this point almost every pharmaceutical company is looking at their internal rules and procedures and whether they are being complied with.

It is industry-wide,” said Shanghaibased lawyer John Huang, co-founder and managing partner at MWE China, which helps firms negotiate with whistleblowers.

Huang said the firm had seen whistleblower-related cases double over the last year, adding companies are launching internal investigations, seeking legal assistance and training to deal with issues such as dawn police raids and staff being arrested after insider tipoffs.

Companies have also recruited law firms, investigators and compliance experts to stop potential whistleblowers from reporting externally, attempting to defuse the situation in-house before it sparks a wider probe.

It doesn’t always work out and falling foul of a whistleblower can have a serious impact.

GSK’s China sales plunged after police accusations that it funneled up to 3bn yuan ($482.99m) to travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials to boost its drug sales.

The investigation was sparked by at least one high-ranking whistleblower, a person with direct knowledge of that investigation told Reuters. The person declined to be identified because of the

sensitivity of the case.

“Whistleblowers are quite normal in China. In a place like this there are always some people like that involved because of personal interest - they’re unhappy with their experience or have conflicts with others in the company,” the person said.

GSK declined to comment.

China’s leaders have also put their weight behind the anti-corruption crackdown, with President Xi Jinping calling on Chinese officials to “sweat” corruption out of the system. Firms in sectors from energy and autos to food and healthcare have come under the spotlight.

China’s disciplinary watchdog also launched an online portal to encourage whistleblowers this month. The site allows people to view cases by region and gives them as easy way to make their own reports.

Whistleblower shepherds

There is a small network of lawyers in China and even overseas to encourage and direct whistleblowers in the country, while official channels have been set up to uncover officials’ bad behavior at state-owned enterprises and within government.

Activists have also set up forums for whistleblowers to interact, such as the popular ‘People Supervision Net’, a muckraking portal headed by prominent Chinese whistleblower Zhu Ruifeng.

“You can find law firms, accounting firms and consultants who have built up businesses around being the ‘shepherds’ for whistle blowers, helping guide them through the process, and obviously the incentive is the financial reward,” said William McGovern, Hong Kong-based partner at law firm Kobre & Kim and a former SEC enforcement attorney.

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Taiwan’s finest engineers and Bangladesh’s industrial experts to provide the highest quality products and services at competitive prices.

Currently, GSL makes an array of products like fans and fan accessories, garment accessories, household items, solar items, screw items, water pumps, sports and baby toys and exports all of its products to the East and in parts of Europe.

The company is also eyeing to foray into the US market. “We have already sent product samples to the USA for getting clearance certificate. The production will be increased ten times from existing capacity, if approved,” said Ahmed.

The GSL Export Ltd, a subsidiary of GSL, has already set up a toy-manufacturing factory in its premises will go for production by June this year.

The company has signed a memo-

randum of understanding with Stephen Christenson, a German industrialist and businessman, to produce toys for exporting all over the world. Under the agreement, Christenson owns 50%, Golden Son 40%, and Belal Ahmed 10% stakes in GSL Export Ltd. “I formed the GSL Export Ltd a long time ago, to explore a new business, but political uncertainty delayed the overall process,” he said. However, it came true after Stephen decided to shift his business to Bangladesh due to recent increases in labour and production costs in Latvia and China, he said.

Presently, Stephen has business and factories of similar product lines in Germany, Latvia and China, among which, the factory in Latvia has been in operation for the last 103 years.

GSL is one of Bangladesh’s largest public companies involved in the manufacturing, importing and exporting of a variety of products. l

Kevin confident about Biman’s  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

“I have taken the charge for an interim period on request from board of directors,” AM Mosaddique Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

He was in the post before Kevin Steel joined Biman.

Biman sources said Kevin Steel left Dhaka for home Saturday morning while Biman board hosted a farewell for him on Thursday evening.

Steel said he had started some process and hoped his successor would take the lead to give Biman a new birth by taking some initiatives.

The initiatives, he said, should include offering of new services and opening and re-opening routes.

“In spite of all the problems with political unrest and losses in November

and December 2013, Biman still expects to make its [improved] loss target for 2013-14, and be fully profitable in 201415.”

Biman has already begun searching for a new managing director and chief executive officer. It published advertisements in newspapers and formed a four-member sub-committee headed

by Civil Aviation Secretary Khurshed Alam Chowdhury.

According to the advertisement, the new MD’s salary will be negotiable.

Steel’s monthly salary was Tk18.3 lakh plus a flat in a posh area in Dhaka, transport facilities and 12 business class air tickets annually.

The salary triggered controversies as no previous MD of Biman received more than Tk3 lakh. l

Iran oil exports rise to 1.2 million barrels per day n AFP, Tehran

Md Nurun Newaz Salim, chair of NCC Bank Ltd attended the recently held business review meeting of the bank as chief guest

Bangladesh Commerce Bank Training Institute recently organised a training workshop on prevention of money laundering and combating terrorist financing. The CEO and MD, Abu Sadek Md Sohel inaugurated the course as chief guest

Modhumoti Bank Limited has launched an ATM Debit Card on Thursday at its principle branch. Humayun Kabir, the bank’s chair inaugurated the launching programme

Social Islami Bank Limited and its social volunteers have donated to Kailakuri Health Project for building Chechua Diabetes Centre at Mymenshing under “Staying Close” initiative of the bank. The bank’s chair Major (retd) Dr Md Rezaul Haque handed over a cheque to the administrative officer of Kailakuri Health Project, Navian Nedin

Iran’s crude oil exports have hit 1.2 million barrels per day, almost doubling from eight months ago when the country elected a new president, a top government official said Friday.

Mansour Moazami, who holds the planning brief among the Islamic republic’s five deputy oil ministers, said the numbers were 20% above forecasts and they would rise further. “When the government took office, exports were around 700,000 barrels per day,”

Moazimi was cited as saying by Mehr, a semi-official government news agency.

He said the updated figure of 1.2 million was supplemented by 200,000 barrels per day of derivative gas products from crude. “Our oil exports are now 20% higher than in the budget numbers and we believe that in the current Iranian year they will increase further,” Moazimi added.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a reputed moderate who succeeded hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was elected in June, taking office in August. l

Bank Asia has arranged a syndicated term loan of Tk170 crore for Star Porcelain Pvt Ltd to help the company set-up of a 100% export-oriented high quality porcelain tableware products. An estimated cost for the project has been earmarked Tk248 crore

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Progress but no deal in US-Japan TPP trade talks n AFP, Washington The United States said Friday there had been progress but no final deal in talks with Japan that are crucial to advancing the ambitious 12-country TransPacific Partnership trade deal.

Negotiations failed to achieve a significant breakthrough just days before US President Barack Obama, who has made the TPP a key goal of his administration, arrives in Tokyo on a state visit.

The TPP would establish a free trade pact among 12 countries responsible for about 40% of global GDP Intense negotiations this week narrowed the gap between the two sides, but “considerable differences remain,” US Trade Representative Michael Froman said after his meetings with Japanese Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Akira Amari.

“The round we just completed was focused but difficult. After more than 20 hours of negotiations, we continue to make progress, and we are now faced with a reasonable number of outstanding issues.”

The two sides have been wrestling in particular over Japan’s barriers to

importing US autos and farm products.

The specific outstanding issues were not mentioned by Froman, but he said negotiators “have worked to be as creative as possible to address Japan’s political sensitivities.”

Even so, the overall goal is “meaningful access” to the Japanese market, “a goal that all TPP partners share,” Froman added in a statement.

Amari stressed that “big differences” remain, according to Kyodo News.

Kyodo said senior US and Japanese negotiators will meet again Monday in Tokyo.

The TPP would establish a free trade pact among 12 countries responsible for about 40% of global GDP. It is a key plank of Obama’s foreign policy, and an effort to anchor the US firmly to a region and put marketopening pressure on China, which has been excluded from the talks.

But huge sticking points remain, with the US and Japan - the world’s first and third largest economies fighting to protect important domestic industries.

Washington and many of the other parties to the talks - which also involve Canada, Chile, Mexico and several Asian countries - say Japan’s unwillingness to open its lucrative agricultural market is a dealbreaker.

Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe instructed Amari to accelerate the negotiations ahead of Obama’s arrival in Japan on April 24 for a state visit that had at one point been expected to crown the TPP. l

A cutaway Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is displayed during the second press preview day at the 2014 New York International Auto Show April 17 at the Jacob Javits Center in New York AFP

GM could benefit, too, from an ignition-switch victims fund

Wal-Mart takes on money transfer companies with new service

n Reuters

n Reuters

If General Motors Co creates a fund to compensate victims of its faulty ignition switches, an option that a top legal adviser suggested it is exploring, the company could give up strong defenses to a wave of lawsuits. But it could stand to gain even more.

By setting up a fund, GM could avert years of civil litigation and limit its financial and reputational harm.

GM has retained Kenneth Feinberg, a Washington lawyer who has overseen compensation funds for victims of high-profile catastrophes like the BP

ignition switch in February, which has now encompassed 2.6 million vehicles.

The cases have been brought on behalf of individuals injured or killed in accidents involving recalled vehicles, as well as by customers who say they suffered economic losses like lower resale value. They claim GM hid knowledge of switch problems for more than a decade.

GM has at least two strong defenses to those suits. One is that so-called New GM, the company that emerged from bankruptcy in 2009, can’t be held responsible for the actions of Old GM, which is a separate legal entity. Most

A man walks past a row of General Motors vehicles at a Chevrolet dealership on Woodward Avenue in Detroit Plc oil spill and the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Feinberg told CNBC on Wednesday that GM is “asking me to help develop some sort of program that might be used to compensate eligible claimants.”

Feinberg did not return a request for comment. A spokesman for GM, Jim Cain, said Feinberg is “highly respected for his handling of compensation issues, and we’ve hired him to explore and evaluate all options.” That work is ongoing, and no decisions have been made, Cain said.

GM has been hit with dozens of lawsuits since it began its recall over the

DILBERT

of the vehicles with faulty ignition switches were produced before the bankruptcy.

GM made this argument recently in motions filed in federal courts in San Francisco and Corpus Christi, Texas.

The company asked to put those cases on hold, saying it intends to ask a bankruptcy court in New York to decide whether such claims are barred against the current company.

Another potentially strong shield for GM, legal experts said, is the statute of limitations, which sets a deadline for filing certain lawsuits. Those limits vary by state, but lawsuits over acci-

dents more than two or three years old may encounter that barrier.

Waiving rights

A victims’ compensation fund typically requires claimants to waive their right to sue and give up the chance to pursue punitive damages, a type of award not linked to an actual injury but designed to punish companies.

Such waivers would protect the company from having to reveal potentially damaging details about its actions and face juries that could award victims huge sums in punitive damages.

A fund would not, however, shield the company from government probes and potential criminal prosecution. GM is under investigation by federal prosecutors, regulators and Congress. The company is also conducting an internal probe.

But funds are generally voluntary, and claimants can’t be forced to sign on, a problem BP confronted. While its fund processed more than 1 million claims and paid out more than $6.2bn, it was still hit with hundreds of lawsuits from those who were either ineligible or unwilling for the fund.

Compensation programs come in many forms and can be set up in a variety of ways. Congress created the fund for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the White House worked with BP on its compensation system. A company could also act on its own to set up a fund.

There’s another option - working with the US Department of Justice.

US Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, suggested that path on Wednesday, saying that GM should agree to make victim restitution a part of any resolution to the ongoing criminal investigation.

That could be GM’s best option, as working together with federal prosecutors may help allay criticism that it is acting in its own self-interest, said Adam Zimmerman, a professor at Loyola Law School and tort law expert who worked on the Sept. 11 fund. While fairly unusual, such an agreement would give GM, and victims, “more legal certainty and justice than its own fund.” l

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is launching a money transfer service in a direct challenge to the dominance of Western Union Co and MoneyGram, aiming to broaden the financial services it offers to low-income customers and increase store traffic.

Wal-Mart said on Thursday that Euronet Worldwide Inc’s Ria Money Transfer subsidiary would begin running the service, called “Walmart-2Walmart,” next week.

The new service, which Wal-Mart says will charge lower fees than those currently offered by competitors, will enable shoppers to send and receive cash from family members and friends at more than 4,000 US discount stores.

Wal-Mart, which will not offer the service online or in its international stores, hopes consumers will turn around and spend at least some of that money at the stores.

Daniel Eckert, senior vice president of services for Walmart US, said Walmart-2-Walmart “challenges the status quo and drives down prices.”

After the news, Western Union shares were down 4%, while those of MoneyGram International Inc, which currently provides such services for Wal-Mart shoppers, plummeted 15.6%.

Euronet was up 4.4%.

“This significant foray casts a pall over Western Union’s pricing model and long-term organic revenue growth outlook,” Andrew Jeffrey, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson, said in a research note.

For Western Union, US domestic money transfer represents about 8% of its total 2013 revenue.

When asked about the new Walmart

service, Western Union said it was well-positioned in the business, saying it offered services through a network of about 46,000 agents in the United States alone.

Sterne Agee analyst Jennifer Dugan said she thought the new Walmart service would not have a significant impact on Western Union’s market share and average pricing.

'We believe Western Union’s agent locations in the US are ... more convenient to the majority of those sending and receiving money transfers' “We believe Western Union’s agent locations in the US are ... more convenient to the majority of those sending and receiving money transfers,” she wrote in a research note.

Little access to banking services

The new service is another effort to boost finance revenues from Wal-Mart customers, many of whom have little access to banking services, into stores that are experiencing declining traffic.

According to a 2011 survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, 8.2% of US households are “unbanked” and another 20.1% are “underbanked,” making money transfers an important personal finance tool for them.

Walmart-2-Walmart customers can transfer up to $50 for a fee of $4.50, compared with between $4.75 and $5 at rival services, Wal-Mart said. Transferring $900 will cost $$9.50, compared with $73 via MoneyGram.

“The bigger loser is MoneyGram as they have a bigger threat as they have 27% revenue that came from Walmart in 2013,” said Rahul Agarwal at Guggenheim Partners. “MoneyGram gets a quarter of their revenue through that agreement.”

The Walmart service will limit customers to $900 in transfers a day; higher amounts would require the sender to provide much more information, adding a level of complexity that would compound costs, Eckert told Reuters, noting there will little demand anyway for transfers above $1,000.

Consumers can still transfer money through MoneyGram. MoneyGram also facilitates online money transfers, while WalMart-2-Mart will strictly transfer cash from store to store.

Western Union said its online domestic money transfer service was growing fast.

Wal-Mart has long been interested in taking a bigger piece of the financial services market. It had applied for a bank charter but withdrew it in 2007 after opposition from banks and labour unions.

Wal-Mart US last year generated about 1% of annual sales from financial services such as money orders, prepaid cards, wire transfers, check cashing and bill payments, according to its latest annual report. The company offers those services at its Walmart MoneyCenter locations and customer service desks. l

Japan investment in Southeast Asia surges amid China slump n Reuters, Tokyo Japanese companies’ investments in Southeast Asia surged last year to almost three times the amount invested in China, after relations between Beijing and Tokyo soured in 2012 and Chinese labour costs rose, a government agency of Japan said on Friday.

Japanese companies invested 2.33tn yen ($22.8bn) in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam last year, compared with 887bn yen in China, Japan’s largest trading partner, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), said.

Investments doubled in Southeast Asia and fell 18% in China over 2012

and China’s waning attraction is likely to continue as the ratio of companies planning expansion there fell to a record low of below 55%, JETRO said, citing a survey of Japanese companies.

“Viewed from the Japanese companies’ headquarters, China’s economy and China’s political situation present a considerable amount of risk,” JETRO Chairman Hiroyuki Ishige told reporters at a briefing.

Sino-Japanese ties have been strained by a territorial row over tiny disputed isles in the East China Sea and perceptions in Beijing that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to rewrite Japan’s wartime history and tone

down past apologies.

The fall off in Chinese investment follows the outbreak of riots against Japanese interests in 2012 when the territorial dispute escalated after the Japanese government bought the uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. Rising wages in China are also having an impact on companies trying to keep costs down and maximise profits.

China’s average salaries now exceed those of Thailand, according to a JETRO survey carried out between October and November last year.

The Philippines and Indonesian labour costs are about one third lower than China’s, while those in Vietnam are less than half, the survey showed. l