25 May 2014

Joishthya 11, 1421 Rajab 25, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 55

SUNDAY, MAY 25, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

7 | BACK TO SCHOOL

9 | SHARIF TO ATTEND MODI’S SWEARING-IN

20 pages | Price: Tk10

13 | REAL SECURE LA DECIMA

11 | NOTES FROM UKRAINE

RAB: Jihad of AL masterminded Ekram’s killing Another suspected AL leader Shiblu surrender to police n Ashif Islam Shaon The Rapid Action Battalion yesterday claimed that local Awami League leader Jihad Chowdhury had masterminded the killing of Fulgazi Upazila Chairman Ekramul Haque.

Interrogating eight people, seven of whom were arrested from the capital and another from Feni, RAB found that internal feud between Jihad and Ekram over establishing supremacy led to the

Jihad provided firearms to Abid, Shahnan, Shifat, Saikat and one Sunny to carry out the mission killing that took place four days back in broad daylight in Feni town.

However, Jihad Chowdhury, joint secretary of Fulgazi upazila unit Awami League, is still at large.

Seven of the arrestees, aged between 20 and 24, took part in the killing mission on Tuesday on the instructions of Jihad Chowdhury, RAB’s Media Wing Director Habibur Rahman told a press briefing arranged at its headquarters.

The plan had been made at Salam Gymnasium in Feni a day before the murder, he added.

One of the arrestees was accused of giving shelter to the killers at his Bashundhara residence.

The alleged killers arrested from the residence are Abidul Islam Abid, Jahidul Islam Saikat, Chowdhury Md Nasir Uddin Anik, Kazi Shahnan Mahmud, Sajjadul Islam Patwari alias Shifat, Shahjalal Uddin Shipon and house owner Helal Uddin. Based on their statements, another youth named Jahid Hossain was picked up from Feni.

Abid, one of the prime accused, is son of the general secretary of Feni Mohila Awami League and cousin of MP Nizam Uddin Hazari.

Habibur Rahman told the press conference that around 8:00am on Tuesday, Jihad briefed the killers on the entire plan for the killing of Ekram. A group of 60 to 70 people took part in the killing mission. Dividing into several groups, they had followed Ekram from his house.

Jihad provided firearms to Abid, Shahnan, Shifat, Saikat and one Sunny to carry out the mission. Minutes before the incident, the armed attackers, led by one Ruti Sohel, created panic among the local people by blasting crude bombs and vandalising vehicles.

When Ekram’s car arrived in Bilashi Cinema Hall in Academy area around 11am, the attackers pushed an easy bike  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Elite force RAB produces eight persons, arrested for their alleged link with the killing of Fulgazi upazila chairman, at its headquarters yesterday

Feni murder: Financier, arms provider under scanner n Mohammad Jamil Khan, from Feni Investigators of the Fulgazi upazila chairman murder incident are crosschecking the information that a local BNP leader had financed the killing.

A highly-placed source in the Feni police, seeking anonymity, said information extracted from the arrested revealed that the BNP leader had used local Awami League leader Jihad Chowdhury, who had longstanding feud with the slain chairman, Ekramul Haque Ekram, for the murder.

The suspected BNP leader, who is

Khaleda warns of ‘out of control situation’ if election delayed n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia gave a warning yesterday that the situation might go beyond everyone’s control if the government does not hold an election under a non-partisan administration, before it is too late.

The party, which boycotted the January 5 election, asked the government not to indulge in excesses and to hold the parliamentary election immediately to resolve the political deadlock.

“We have the right to hold meetings and processions...excesses will not bring any good [for the government],” Khaleda told the government.

“Hold an election under a non-partisan government before the time expires. Any initiative after the expiry of [right] time will not work. The situation  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

also a key accused in the case, had apparently given Jihad Tk2 crore, to be used for the killing.

Besides them, two influential leaders of the Awami League knew about the plan beforehand and had remained silent.

P3 WHO IS THE BENEFICIARY Top criminal Jihad, the joint general secretary of Awami League’s Fulgazi unit, is involved in drug peddling. He is from the Hasanpur village of Anandapur union in Fulgazi. He is a former member of

HASINA’S VISIT TO JAPAN

Dhaka to seek assistance for six mega projects n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Law enforcers stand guard at the entrance of the Supreme Court after they bar a pro-BNP lawyers’ rally on the premises yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Joynal Hazari’s steering committee and the cousin of local BNP leader Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury Minar.

According to several high officials involved in the investigation process, Jihad allegedly provided the assailants with guns.

Suspected financier Minar is accused in a number of cases filed with different police stations in Feni. He is also the accused in several cases including one for murder with the capital’s Mohammadpur police station. Minar controls a portion of Feni’s transport business.

Earlier, Jihad had tried to kill Ekram

During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Japan, Bangladesh will seek assistance for six mega projects.

The projects are Ganges Barrage, multimodal tunnel under Januma Bridge, new nuclear power plant, new rail bridge parallel to Bangabandhu Bridge, Eastern bypass, restoration of four rivers around Dhaka city and improvement of Mawa-Kalna-Narail-Jessore road with the construction of a bridge over Kalna.

“All of these are big projects and we don’t expect they will agree to provide assistance for all the projects,” Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told a press briefing held at the ministry yesterday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last

night left Dhaka for Tokyo at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. This is her third trip to Japan as the prime minister and first bilateral trip after she assumed power in January.

Both the prime ministers will have official talks on May 26 and a joint statement will be declared afterwards.

Mahmood said the two prime ministers would negotiate the projects and it is not possible to say now what projects would be selected or how much assistance would be provided.

About the deep sea port at Matabari, he said it had not been included in the project list. “If Japan wants to discuss it, Bangladesh would response positively.”

About assistance for new nuclear power plant, he said an accident took

Thailand’s military junta said yesterday it had disbanded the Senate and placed all law-making authority in the army chief’s hands, dramatically tightening its grip after a coup that has sparked Bangkok protests and drawn international condemnation.

The regime also confirmed it had detained former premier Yingluck Shinawatra and scores of other ousted government leaders and would hold them for up to a week as it corralled

potential opponents to its takeover.

“The Senate is dismissed. Responsibility for any laws needing the approval of the parliament or Senate will instead be assumed by the leader of the (junta),” said an army bulletin on national television.

Thailand’s fragile democracy has been repeatedly stunted by 19 actual or attempted coups since 1932.

Analysts called yesterday’s developments an ominous sign that the junta led by the army chief, General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, could be digging in for

a long-term, pervasive takeover, as it had earlier said the Senate would be retained.

Sporadic protests flared in Bangkok for a second straight day, with hun-

P9 HOW COUP UNFOLDED dreds of demonstrators defying a ban on political gatherings to denounce the coup, echoing calls from Washington, the EU and elsewhere around the world for the restoration of civilian rule.

Prayut seized control Thursday af-

ter anti-government forces had waged a several-month campaign, marked by deadly Bangkok street protests, to oust Thailand’s civilian leaders.

Civil liberties have been curbed, media restrictions imposed, most of the constitution abrogated, and rival protesters from both sides of the political divide cleared from the capital.

Political analysts view the coup as part of a long-running effort by a Bangkok-based power elite – aligned with the monarchy and military – to eliminate the political dominance of

Reducing total revenue by 0.62%

Target Tk149,000cr

Income tax target Tk56,620cr From income tax Tk56,620cr or 38%

From corporate tax Tk36,803cr or 65%

From rest Tk19,817cr

2.5% fall in corporate tax will reduce revenue by Tk920cr

From rest Tk92,380cr

News

4 Though the draft of the proposed ‘Palli Sanchay Bank’ is still waiting in the parliament for passage, the authorities have already started preparation to set up around 100 upazila branches for the bank.

Infograph: Tahmidur Rahman

Business

B1 The rate of corporate income tax is likely to remain unchanged in the upcoming fiscal year as the National Board of Revenue forwarded a fresh recommendation to PMO.

Nation

6 There is a serious shortage of storage space in the district’s government provided warehouse where Boro harvest is kept. This has farmers and the millers deeply worried.

Entertainment

12 Kazi Nazrul Islam, has many distinct features that set him apart from other more ordinary beings. Besides his literary talents, Nazrul was also an actor and a filmmaker, a fact that is hardly acknowledged.

n Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

11 ‘Study hard. It helps you become a good human being.’ This is probably a piece of advice most parents give to their children, or at least that’s what they should be doing.

8 ‘We’re in a war situation,’ says one of the deliverymen bringing ballot papers in under armed guard to a polling station in the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillya. ‘There is more security this time,’ he adds.

Suspected thief ‘dies in DB custody’

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Op-Ed

World

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

Yingluck’s elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, a billionaire telecoms tycoon, shook up Thai politics by winning devotion among millions of rural poor with populist measures, catapulting him to prime minister in 2001 polls.

He was deposed in 2006 in a military coup, fleeing abroad two years later to avoid a corruption conviction, but his family and allies have continued his success at the ballot box.

The military said yesterday that

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE FY15 REVENUE OUTLAY (PROJECTION)

three times during the upazila polls that took place on March 15. At that time, Ekram filed two cases and a general diary against him. The first case was filed on March 13 accusing Jihad of attacking his motorcade. The second case was lodged on March 19 and the GD was filed on March 23, according to Feni police records.

Jihad is also one of the 23 accused in the Jubo League leader Bashir Ahmed murder case.

According to sources, Jihad, Bashir and Golap Chairman were three of

Police and doctors in the district gave different versions of the death of a suspected thief yesterday, a day after he had been picked up by the DB police personnel.

Ashraf Hawlader, 50, was taken to the Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital at around 10:30am. He was already dead.

But the police allegedly pressured the doctors to mention in the death certificate that the detained had died at the hospital. OC of Gopalganj DB police Alimul Huq refuted the allegation that Ashraf’s death occurred in custody.

However, Dr Imtiaz Faruq at the hospital’s emergency ward said the man had died at least 30 minutes before he was taken to the hospital.

Ashraf, who was from Ballabdi village in the Madaripur sadar upazila, was caught by locals in the DC Office area on Friday noon. He had allegedly stolen a wallet from a team of Tabligh Jamaat who had stopped to prepare for prayers, the OC said.

When he ran, locals caught him and handed him over to the DB police. The DB team handed him over to the Sadar police station at around midnight.

“Ashraf fell sick just after he got into the police car at around 9:20am, yesterday. He died after he was taken to the hospital,” the OC claimed. He might have died due to cardiac arrest, fear or any internal complication, he added.

Rathindra Nath Tarafder, an SI of

Thai coup leader cements grip, assumes law-making power n AFP, Bangkok

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Sport

13 Chennai Super Kings cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over an out-of-sorts Royal Challengers Bangalore to strengthen their second place in the seventh edition of the IPL, here today.

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, May 25, 2014

'13 AL, BNP men killed Mannan'

Murderers are involved in illegal trade n Our Correspondent, Lakshmipur At least 13 people affiliated with the ruling Awami League and the BNP took part in the killing of Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on Wednesday to ensure the smooth passage of their business in drugs, firearms and other criminal activities.

“The mystery behind Mannan killing is almost resolved. We have some confirmed information about those involved in the murder. The suspects are leaders of two political parties,” district Police Superintendent Shah Mizan said yesterday.

The slaughtered body of Mannan, president of sadar upazila’s Charshahi union Awami League unit, was recovered early Thursday near his house in Rampura village.

Relatives said Mannan had received a call on his phone and left the house around 11pm on Wednesday.

According to a preliminary report by the police, three of the criminals had slaughtered Mannan while 10 others guarded the place near a road.

Police have the names of at least seven people who are leaders of the Awami League’s student and youth bodies – Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League, and the BNP’s Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal. The killing was not a result of an internal conflict, rather some unscrupulous people from different parties planned to kill Mannan, police say.

These criminals are involved in different illegal businesses that they conduct through the shelter provided by these political parties.

Some of them were enemies of Mannan as he used to protest the illegal businesses in the area, police said. He was a respected person of the area. l

More women officers to be employed n BSS

State Minister for Public Administration Ismat Ara Sadek yesterday said the government is determined to employ more women officers in higher posts in various institutions including in the administration to create ample scope for participation of women in the decision-making process of the state and all the fields of social life.

The state minister said this while speaking at the first Annual General Meeting of the BCS Women Network in the capital.

Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Women Network was formed in the year 2010 with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for raising mutual cooperation, sympathy and feeling of unity among the BCS women officers and enhancing their professional skill and standard. The organisation has now a total

member-strength of nearly 1100.

The state minister called upon the women BCS officers to play their due role in transforming the administration suitable for facing the challenges of the 21st century through development of their professional skill.

She said that no barrier and any conservative or communal force would be able to jeopardise the forward march of the country’s womenfolk.

Ismat Ara Sadek disclosed that out of a total of 5,174 officers working in the BCS Administrative Service at present, only 931 are women. She expressed her optimism that the number of women officers in the administration would be increased speedily.

Secretary of the Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation (IME) Department Suraiya Begum chaired the function which was also addressed by Prof Dilara Hafiz, principal of Titumir Government College, Dhaka. l

RAB: Jihad of AL masterminded  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

into the way of his vehicle that veered off the main road before it got stuck in the central reservation. Abid first pumped two bullets, into the chest of Ekram.

Someone inside the car tried to resist the attackers by firing bullets from a pistol, but failed. At one stage, four of the injured companions of the chairman managed to get out of the car. Bullet-hit Ekram was lying motionless on the seat next to the driver.

To ensure his death, Sohel poured patrol into his vehicle and set it on fire, the RAB official said quoting Abid.

Later, they handed over their firearms to Jihad Chowdhury who asked them to take shelter in Helal’s resi-

dence at Bashundhara. Based on their statements, Habibur said, they were trying to hunt down other perpetrators.

Talking to reporters, Shahjalal, another arrestee, said they were taken to the spot to take part in a BCL showdown. He claimed that he did not know about the attack. They were 50-60 in number.

Meanwhile, another suspect Abdullahil Mahmud Shiblu, president of Feni Municipality Ward 5 unit Awami League, surrendered to Feni Sadar Police around 3:15pm, said Paritosh Ghosh, superintendent of police in Feni.

A RAB team along with some arrestees was on the way to Fulgazi to launch drives there when this report was being filed around 7:30pm. l

Suspected thief ‘dies in DB  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

DB police, and SI Monzel Ali, duty officer at the sadar police station, gave similar versions of the arrest and death.

On the other hand, physician Faruq said two police personnel had brought Ashraf, who was already dead, to the hospital at around 10:30am. When he declared the detained to be dead, the policemen left the emergency ward.

“We registered his name at around 1pm when the police provided his name and address. In the report, we mentioned that the person had died before he was brought to the hospital,” he said adding that things would be clear after

the post mortem report came in.

A senior official at the hospital said some people in the police were trying to influence the doctors and the senior health department officials so that the report was prepared stating that Ashraf’s death had occurred at the hospital.

“If the person died naturally, there is nothing to be worried. But now it seems that he did not die normally,” the official said, seeking anonymity.

Civil Surgeon of the district Dr SM Sirajul Islam said they will produce a post mortem report with accurate information about Ashraf’s death and the reasons behind it. l

Dhaka to seek assistance  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

place in Russia in 80s, but power production from nuclear plants was not stopped.

France, Germany, and other countries in Europe have nuclear power plants and Bangladesh should not be afraid, he said. “Accidents may happen, but we should not sit idle,” he added.

The minister hoped that a formal announcement about 35th Japanese loan package of $1.18 billion for Bangladesh would be made.

“We hope that our request for ODA package will be declared during the trip,” he said, adding, “The visit of the prime minister is considered as an important step to uplift the relationship to a level of comprehensive partnership.”

The prime minister will encourage

Japanese investors to invest in Bangladesh as they are looking for new avenues of investment and Bangladesh would like to take the opportunity.

“We hope that Japanese investors would invest in power and energy, infrastructure, ICT, textiles and RMG and pharmaceutical sectors,” he said.

Dhaka will request Tokyo to relax rules of origin so that Bangladesh’s exports to Japan increase. A business delegation would also accompany Hasina.

At present, 176 Japanese companies are operating in Bangladesh with an investment of $1.3 billion and it was 61 in 2007.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh’s export to Japan would touch $1 billion this calendar year. l

Retractable device installed in the city's Hare Road to prevent vehicles from going the wrong lane creates traffic congestion yesterday as most of the drivers saw it for the first time as no awareness was created among them before the move SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Higher Secondary admission begins from May 28 n Mushfique Wadud The admission process for Higher Secondary level for the academic year 2014 will begin from May 28, the education board officials told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Interested students can apply online or via SMS from May 28 to June 12. Selected candidates’ list will be published on June 22. The deadline for submitting application fees is June 30 and classes will commence from July 1.

Chairman of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, Taslima Begum told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that like the previous years, there will not be any admission test this year.

Students will be admitted according to the results of Secondary School Certificate and its equivalent examinations and through online. She asked the students to visit the board’s website for

detailed information on the admission process.

Leading colleges in the city have already issued their circulars for admission in 2014. Among them, Dhaka College set GPA 5 as minimum score for science students to apply, GPA 4.80 for Business Studies, and GPA 4.50 for Humanities group.

Viqarunnisa Noon School and College seeks GPA 5 for science group, GPA 5 for business studies group, and GPA 3 for Humanities group. Students have to apply through text messages.

College’s website has details about the admission process.

However, Rajuk Uttara Model College issued a circular only for their internal students.

The Higher Secondary admission guidelines by education ministry said colleges under MPO facility in the Dhaka metropolitan area cannot col-

lect more than Tk5,000 for admission, Tk9,000 for colleges under partial MPO in the metropolitan area, Tk1,000 for colleges in upazila level, Tk2,000 for district level and Tk 3,000 for other metropolitan cities except Dhaka.

It also said colleges cannot take more than Tk120 for single admission form.

The SSC result was published on May 17. This year, the pass rate was 91.34%, a 2.31 percent increase than the previous year, and a total of 142,276 students got GPA 5, which were 51,050 more than the previous year.

There were concerns among the students and the guardians whether all the passed students would be able to get admitted to the colleges. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, however, said there won’t be any crisis as a good number of seats in the colleges remain vacant every year. l

Rumours spread over today’s HSC math question leak n Mushfique Wadud Rumour of HSC mathematics question leak spread fast when a question paper, claiming to be of today’s mathematics exam, was posted on Facebook yesterday night.

The question paper did not resemble a board format paper and there were comments that it was mainly of a coaching centre based paper.

Several examinees said they became worried after seeing the question paper on Facebook.

Dhaka Education Board’s exam controller SM Wahiduzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune they were not aware of any question leak. It is nothing but a rumour, he said.

The board earlier had to postpone English (paper 2) examination when allegations of a leak surfaced. A committee, headed by an additional secretary, was also formed to investigate the incident. l

Thai coup leader cements grip, assumes law-making power  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Prayut had sent a letter regarding his takeover to the country’s revered king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Prayut had sent a letter regarding his takeover to the country’s revered king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The monarch, 86, commands great respect among his subjects, and his blessing is traditionally sought to legitimise Thailand’s recurring military takeovers.

The army said the king had “acknowledged” Prayut’s letter, but stopped

short of describing the response as an endorsement. The palace has yet to issue a statement on the crisis.

Briefing the media for the first time since the coup, the military said Yingluck and other prominent figures had been taken in under a martial law provision allowing detentions of up to seven days without charge. It was not known whether any charges were being prepared, but military officials said the detainees were in no danger. “(Yingluck) is under detention, and

she is fine,” Lieutenant General Thirachai Nakwanich, head of the military command for central Thailand including Bangkok, told AFP. A military official told AFP she was being held at an unspecified army barracks in Bangkok.

A night-time curfew imposed by the junta has tamed the capital’s often rowdy tourist districts, further chilling a vital visitor industry already cooled by the long-term strife.

Tensions spiralled in early May when a court ruling controversially

stripped Yingluck of office, setting the stage for the coup.

Meanwhile, the US is suspending $3.5 million in military aid to Thailand, its first punitive step against the country for the coup, the State Department announced Friday.

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said the department is still reviewing a further $7 million in direct US assistance to Thailand, and an undetermined amount of aid from other global and regional programs. l

Khaleda warns of ‘out of control situation’ if election delayed  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

may go beyond everyone’s control. So beware,” the former premier said while addressing a pro-BNP lawyers’ rally at the National Press Club.

Earlier, police barred the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum – the BNP’s lawyers’ front – from organising a rally on the Supreme Court premises. Police said the organisers had not taken any permission from the Supreme Court registrar.

Khaleda said: “The government is already rotten [to the people]. We are giving it some scope to come back on the right track. We will announce our programme at the right time. Let them rot more.” She asked party leaders and

activists to have patience and that victory will come in time. “When the people will come out of their houses, they [government] will be compelled to surrender to the people,” she said.

Referring to the government’s “bar” on holding a citizens’ gathering at the Engineer’s Institute auditorium last week, the former premier said: “They did not allow us to hold any rally because they are weak and afraid of the people. They are in power with the help of guns. But this situation will not prevail for long.”

Khaleda alleged that there had been conspiracy to victimise her by filing false cases. “I am not afraid,” she said

demanding that the cases against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be resumed to ensure the rule of law in the country.

“There were 15 cases against Hasina and four cases against me. If there is a rule of law, then the cases filed against Hasina should be resumed and my cases continued. It is not acceptable that the cases filed against Hasina have been withdrawn as she is the prime minister,” Khaleda said.

She alleged that the government high-ups were behind the seven murders in Narayanganj and that the three former RAB officials were in safe custody because they might divulge many truths if allowed to go free.

“If Hasina thinks that she will be in power forever, she is wrong. One day, the government has to be accountable for all the killings. Hasina will be brought to book and interrogated for the misdeeds,” Khaleda said. She demanded that all the suspects of the Narayanganj and Fulgazi killings be brought to book.

Reiterating her demand to dissolve RAB, Khaleda said the elite force has been used for political purposes.

Opposing the passing of the budget in parliament, she said: “This government is illegal as there are no people’s representatives in the House. So, this illegal government cannot place any budget in parliament.” l

Feni murder: Financier, arms provider under scanner  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Ekram’s close associates during 19962001. Golap had a conflict with Ekram before 2000 and became detached.

Bashir was killed by Jihad, on Ekram’s orders, because of a conflict in establishing supremacy in the area that falls under ward number nine.

The conflict between Jihad and Ekram aggravated during the upazila polls as the former wanted to take part in the election from Fulgazi where the latter was elected as chairman. At that time, Ekram suspended Jihad from the party.

However, Nizam Hazari, Awami League lawmaker of Feni 2 and general secretary of its district unit, later withdrew the suspension order stating that the upazila committee has no authority to suspend anybody.

After the incident, Jihad publicly announced: “Ekram suspended me

from the party, and I will suspend him from life.”

Several political leaders of Feni told the Dhaka Tribune that they also suspected Minar of being a financier of the killing.

“Minar patronises Golap Chairman.

So, it may be true,” Madhab Sarker, president of NAP (Bhasani), said.

On the other hand, Mohibul Haque Russel, president of the Feni unit Communist Party of Bangladesh, said both Ekram and Minar had crime records and they wanted to harm each other.

“So, it’s not impossible that Minar was involved in the murder.”

During interrogation, the arrested told the police that the killing was conducted the way Bashir had been killed earlier. As per the plan, the killers waited since morning on Academy Road and committed the murder by dividing into three separate groups.

The first group stopped the running vehicles to create obstacles on the road, the second one opened fire and the third group broke the vehicle’s glasses and set it on fire. In the killing mission, councillor Shiplu played an important role.

Around 3:20pm yesterday, Shiplu went to Feni model police station.

When asked why, he told the Dhaka Tribune that the members of Rapid Action Battalion had blamed him for the killing. “Since I am involved in the murder, I have come to the police personally,” he stated.

In the meantime, Feni police interrogated Rezaul Haque Jasim, who is the brother of the victim and the plaintiff of the case, at the police superintendent’s office.

After the interrogation, Jasim told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are happy about the activities conducted by the

police and the RAB. Now we believe that the killers may be brought to justice.”

When asked about the suspects, he said it was a well-planned murder in which some influential people had been involved. He, however, refused to give the names of the suspects.

Since the incident had been committed by some hired goons, “we are not sure about those responsible for the murder,” he added.

When contacted, Paritosh Gosh, police superintendent of Feni, told the Dhaka Tribune that Shiplu, whose name appeared in media a couple of times, was under custody for interrogation.

“Action will be taken against those responsible after the investigation. No one involved in the murder will get mercy,” he added.

Meanwhile, police are conducting raids in different areas to arrest the suspected killers. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Law enforcers bar BNP from holding rally again n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Police barred pro-BNP lawyers from holding a rally on the court premises, saying they did not take any permission from the court authorities and there is a court directive not to hold any political programme on the court premises.

The Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum – a proBNP lawyers’ platform – organised the rally at the court premises, protesting the killing of senior lawyer Chandan Sarkar in Naryanganj, where BNP chief Khaleda Zia was scheduled to deliver a speech.

Shibli Noman, assistant commissioner of Ramna police station, said they did not take permission from the court registrar. “There is a directive from the honourable court not to hold any political programme on the court premises. We are detaining the people who forcefully wished to gather and tried to hold an illegal rally,” he said.

Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, president of the Supreme Court Bar Asociation, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Many meetings took place on the Supreme Court premises earlier. There was no need to take any permission from the court registrar or the chief justice to hold any rally. It is my jurisdiction as the president of the bar to give permission.”

Police personnel allegedly broke the stage at midnight on Friday and put up barricades to control the entry of the lawyers, party leaders and activists into the court area. A huge number of police took up positions inside and outside the court area and barricades were placed in the area to control vehicular movement as well.

Five cops hurt in sound grenade blast n Kailash Sarkar At least five policemen were injured in a sound grenade explosion during a training exercise e in the capital’s Rajarbagh Police Lines yesterday evening.

The injured were whisked off to nearby Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital and other hospitals in the city, whose details could not be known immediately.

Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said: “A few policemen sustained minor injuries in a sound grenade explosion due to improper handling of it while they were running during a training exercise in Rajarbagh around 6pm.”

The exercise was arranged for police officials who are going to join the UN Peace Keeping Mission, the DC continued. l

When the lawyers tried to enter the court area, 15 lawyers, including a woman, were picked up by police from the Mazar gate of the court. However, some pro-BNP lawyers dodged the police and entered the venue and held a short meeting.

The meeting started at 10am with some 50 lawyers. The speakers used hand mics. The meeting ended at around 12:15pm, half an hour before BNP chief Khaleda Zia entered the National Press Club.

Since the police barred the lawyers from holding a rally on the court premises, they shifted to the National Press Club.

As the lawyers were not allowed to hold a rally on the court premises, Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum President Rafiqul Islam Miah announced that a series of agitation programmes will commence, including a boycott of the court.

Rafiqul Islam, also a standing committee member of BNP, said lawyers will boycott the court tomorrow from 10:30am to 1pm, across the country.

They will stage countrywide demonstrations on the court premises tomorrow, form a human chain on Tuesday and bring out a black flag procession on Wednesday and Thursday in law offices.

On May 22, police refused to permit some BNP activists to hold a citizens’ gathering at the Engineers Institute in the capital on the same issue. On that occasion, police claimed that the hall authorities had cancelled the hall booking. Earlier, the party wanted to hold a rally at Naryanganj and then Jatrabari, but the party did not get permission then either. l

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday speaks at a rally at the National Press Club organised by Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum after police barred the organisation from holding it on the Supreme Court Bar Association premises in the city MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

FULGAZI CHAIRMAN MURDER

Both Nizam and Joynal Hazari are likely to gain benefit Nizam emerges as a key figure in the politics of Feni after Joynal Hazari fled to India As things started going wrong with NiHe found out that during his ab- parliamentary election. n Mohammad Jamil Khan from Feni exile.

Nizam saw that Ekram had been zam, Ekram drew close to Joynal again. sence, Ekram and Nizam had built a Fulgazi sans Ekram was likely to benefit both Joynal Hazari and Nizam Hazari – one a former MP of the area and the other the current.

Expelled Awami League leader Joynal Hazari, once called the “godfather” of the area, had been out of Feni for many years.

During the period from 2001 onwards that Joynal had not been in the area, slain Ekramul Haque, once close to Joynal, drew close to Nizam Hazari.

Nizam mainly emerged in Feni’s local politics after Joynal fled the country in 2001 as the BNP-led alliance came to power.

Things were not easy for Joynal, who used to be most powerful man in the area, even after he returned from

strong clan.

In fact, Joynal’s relation with Ekram started deteriorating during the last days of his stay in the area before exile.

Back in those days, as a member of Joynal’s “steering committee,” Ekram had allegedly made a huge fortune by manipulating local tenders but had stopped keeping contacts with Joynal.

However, Ekram’s good terms with Nizam started going haywire. Reportedly, Nizam realised that Ekram was a barrier for his ambitions.

In January, Nizam was elected a lawmaker from Fulgazi while a month later, Ekram was elected the upazila chairman.

Local residents said Ekram wanted to run against Nizam in the January

‘BNP’s roar will go in vain’ n Tribune Report Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said the government is not worried about Khaleda Zia’s statements as they are aware of BNP’s organisational strength and their inability to start a movement.

“We know the strength of BNP. Currently they have no organising capacity to conduct anti-government movements,” the leader said while talking to the journalists yesterday at his TCB Bhaban office in Karwan Bazar in the city, in response to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s statement announcing

anti-government movements.

He alleged that the BNP chief has tried to hold a rally on the Supreme Court premises to undermine the judiciary.

“They tried to hold the rally in the Supreme Court premises without prior approval. There is also a ruling of the High Court which prohibits the holding of rallies on the court premises. Through her bid to hold the rally at the court premises, Khaleda Zia proved again that she does not believe in the rule of law,” he added.

The leader alleged that Khaleda Zia and her family members are facing cases with charges of corruption, militan-

cy and arms dealing, so her anger at the court can be easily understood.

‘BNP chief has tried to hold a rally on the Supreme Court premises to undermine the judiciary’ Expressing the government’s strong stance on the Narayangani and Feni Murders, ruling party lawmaker Hanif said no one will go unpunished, even if they are influential leaders. l

Plain-clothes police yesterday arrest a lawyer while he was trying to enter the Supreme Court premises to attend a rally of BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum on the Supreme Court Bar Association premises RAJIB DHAR

controlling nearly all the tenders floated for infrastructural works in the area.

Moreover, taking advantage of Joynal’s absence, Ekram had established supremacy in Fulgazi.

The conflict between the two peaked recently centring the construction of the Feni Diabetic Hospital. Their supporters locked into a clash after one of Nizam’s associates locked the hospital.

According to local politicians, there was one other big reason why Ekram was dangerous for Nizam. They said the deceased was the witness of all of Nizam’s wrongdoings and crimes.

Recently, after a national Bangla daily published a report on Nizam’s activities, he started fearing that Ekram might have tipped off the daily.

When contacted, Joynal Hazari told the Dhaka Tribune that he had nothing to do with the murder of Ekram.

Claiming that it was now clear who had been behind the murder, Hazari said he had all kinds to proof and was ready to hand them over to the investigators if they consulted him.

On the other hand, Nizam told the Dhaka Tribune: “Investigation is underway. We hope that the mystery would be solved soon.”

Although local BNP leader Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury Minar’s name was included in the list of accused of the case filed in connection with the murder of Ekram, interestingly, even the plaintiff did not believe that he was involved.

Ekram’ brother Jasim, plaintiff of

the case, has said before that Minar was made an accused only because his men had attacked Ekram twice during the upazila parishad election.

When contacted, Minar said: “It is true that I contested the upazila election against Ekram. But a gruesome killing like that is beyond my imagination. The allegations against me are totally baseless. A group of people are trying to lead the investigation astray.”

Abdur Rahman, president of Feni district Awami League, said a vested interest had been trying to tarnish the ruling party’s image through preplanned activities.

Abu Taher, acting president of Feni district unit BNP, said: “It is now clear to all that Ekram was killed because of Awami League internal conflicts. None of our party members was involved with it.” l

Banned Hizb-ut Tahrir reawakening n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

The banned Islamist organisation Hizbut Tahrir has been trying to be organised again in the port city and elsewhere of the district, especially in the hilly areas to establish their controversial ideology amongst the people.

Publishing leaflets, jihadi books, different outlets and pasting posters on city street walls secretly, the banned organisation has been trying to build up their network amongst the students of different reputed educational institutions in Chittagong.

The organisation, however, was silent in last few months, but recently they have become secretly active, said police sources.

Police nabbed 48 Hizb-ut Tahrir men from the district with many leaflets, zihadi books and banners in last three months, while the number of arrestees was 17 from November, 2013 to February, 2014, they added.

In the latest incident, Kotwali police early yesterday nabbed Hizb-ut Tahrir leader Atikur Rahman, 24, an MBA student of Chittagong University, from a student mess in the port city’s Anderkillah area acting on a tip-off.

AKM Mohiuddin, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, told Dhaka Tribune that they found some zihadi books and leaflets from his possession, while they also nabbed seven activists of the banned organisation from Anderkillah Shahi Jam-e-Masjid premises after Jumah prayer on Friday when they attempted to bring out a procession.

“The arrestees are students of different colleges and universities of the city, while they did not give mentionable information after repeated queries in initial interrogation,” he said.

Two cases were filed with Kotwali police station in this connection, while the arrestees were produced before court yesterday, he added.

Metropolitan Magistrate Rahmat Ali sent the eight arrestees to jail rejecting a seven-day remand prayer and bail plea from police and defence, said Rezaul Masud, additional deputy commissioner of prosecution of the CMP. Sources said around about 10,000 members of the banned organisation were working actively across the country where most of them are students of reputed educational institutions, including Dhaka University, Chittagong University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

The banned organisation, however, did not conduct any subversive activities elsewhere in the country, but they were publishing anti-state, communal and militant statements by pasting posters, publishing leaflets and Zihadi books, sources said.

Police said although around 200 leaders and activists of the banned organisation were arrested from different brisk processions in the port city and elsewhere of the district in last five years, police could not find out any mentionable information about the organisation.

Kotwali police station OC said that the organisation had no office and they carried out their programmes secretly.

“It is tough to trace the high com-

mands of the organisation, as police could nab the root-level activists only who have no contact with the high command because of their several-step organisational structure,” he said.

Seeking anonymity, a high official of the CMP told the Dhaka Tribune that CMP still did not know where they had been printing their publications, who had been leading the organisation in Chittagong region or who had been donating to the organisation.

ADC Babul Akhter of Detective Branch of the CMP said police were working to collect information about the organisation. “The organisational activities are being operated such a system so that a portion cannot know another portion’s activities except their high command.”

CMP Additional Commissioner (crime and operation) Banaz Kumar Majumder claimed that Hizb-ut Tahrir was only enclosed with pasting posters, distributing leaflets and attempt of bringing out processions secretly, while the CMP had a strong vigil over the militant and banned groups.

Home Ministry of Bangladesh had banned the organisation in the country on September 24, 2009 as its objectives were contradictory to the constitution of the country, internet sources said. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Palli Sanchay Bank to start soon n Mohosinul Karim Though the draft of the proposed “Palli Sanchay Bank [Rural Savings Bank]” is still waiting in the parliament for passage, the authorities have already started preparation to set up around 100 upazila branches for the bank.

The “Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar [One House One Farm]” project authorities had allocated money for constructing own buildings for the 100 branches of the bank. Rest of the branch offices would be built phase by phase, Project Director Dr Prosanta Kumar Roy told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The government has decided to set up the Palli Sanchay Bank for the poor to reduce poverty, realising the “Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar” project for the rural development under the LGRD Ministry.

The draft of the Rural Savings Bank Act 2013 was prepared by the Rural De-

velopment and the Cooperative Division to establish the bank, which was approved by the cabinet meeting on November 10, 2013.

Dr Roy said the draft of the act was waiting in the parliament to get its nod for setting up the bank. It was expected that it would get approval of the parliament soon to eliminate poverty of the country.

It would be a unique initiative in the country, even in Saarc countries to set up such a bank funded by the savings of the poor beneficiary groups of the project and would be established with 100% online banking system as the existing system of online transaction of the project would be handed over to the bank, the project director said.

He also said the proposed bank for the poor people would be established so that the rural people could utilise their savings for a better life, and

change their fate.

“Its banking activities will be started after the bill is passed in the parliament.

But, we have already started the process of building own offices for the bank as its banking activities is already going on. We will just hand over the assets and resources to the bank,” he added.

“We are hopeful that the branches of the bank will be set up in all the upazilas by this year and gradually it will be opened at union level.”

He said the way the “One House One Farm” project had been showing a new path in poverty alleviation, the same way the “Palli Sanchay Bank” would help rural people build their fortune themselves and shield them from the high interest charged by microfinance institutions. The bank members would get loan at less than 10% interest. The initiative of the government would reduce poverty of the country to below

20% by 2015 from the present rate of 29.75%, he opined.

The project director also said the number of beneficiaries from the project was 21.6 lakh under around 36,000 societies across the country. The savings of the beneficiaries had already risen to Tk570 crore, he added. The government had given Tk355 crore as bonus for the members according to its terms and conditions.

Total investment of the project is around Tk925 crore while over Tk579 crore was distributed among the members. Earlier, the project director briefed some reporters about the progress and success of the project.

He said the project was expecting that it would be possible to create a fund of around Tk9 lakh for each society under the project. It would be created with the contribution of the members and donation of the government. l

Modern computer lab for BCB members launched n Tribune Report Under the mutual co-operation agreement between American International University Bangladesh (AIUB) and Bangladesh Cricket Academy (BCB), an international standard computer lab with ten modern computers was installed at the latter’s academic building in Mirpur.

Dr Carmen Z. Lamagna, vice chancellor of AIUB and Acting Chief Executive Officer of BCB Nizam Uddin Chowdhury jointly inaugurated the lab on May 17, said a media release.

The release also stated that AIUB emphasises on Computer Science and Information technology for which has it earned a good reputation both at home and abroad.

As per the agreement, AIUB has been providing training to all members

concerned of BCB under the English Language Teaching Program, Leadership Program and Public Awareness Program, in order to improve their merit and professional experience. The members availing these programmes are comprised of players from the National team, BCB Academy, pace foundation, Under-19 team, upto-17 team, women’s cricket team, coaching staff and the coordinating and operational staff.

AIUB offers scholarship at undergraduate and graduate level to six BCB players and three officials every year.

The program was also attended by AIUB Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Charles C. Villanueva, Founder and Vice President (student Affairs) Nadia Anwar and BCB Game Development Chairman Khaled Mahmud Sujan and Acting Operations Manager AEM Kawsar, among others. l

Bangladesh’s autism resolution passed at WHA n Moniruzzaman Uzzal In an immediate board approval, the World Health Assembly (WHA) passed a resolution on Friday regarding autism, which had been placed by Bangladesh last year.

The resolution means the capacity of health and social care systems will increase in terms of providing services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families The annual Assembly is the supreme decision making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which passes such resolutions. Passing a resolution means all 194 member states agree with it.

The assembly urged member states to include the needs of individuals affected by autism spectrum and other developmental disorders in policies and programmes related to child and adolescent health and development and mental health.

NSU freshers’ orientation programme held n Tribune Report The reception programme of honour’s first year students enrolled for the summer-2014 semester at North South University (NSU) was held at its Bashundhara campus yesterday.

More than 500 students were enrolled for the undergraduate programme under different departments said a press release.

Speakers at the programme said in line with the professional courses, the NSU has been teaching students “General Education” such as ethical, moral, religion values, responsibilities to society and the state.

In the session, Ragib Ali, Chairman of NSU Trust was present as the chief guest, while Dr Amin Sarkar, Vice Chancellor of NSU, chaired the ceremony, as well as Benajir Ahmed, member of NSU Trust as the special guest among others. l

Autism spectrum disorders comprise a range of development disorders that include autism, childhood disintegrative disorder and Asperger syndrome. All over the world, most people with autism spectrum disorders and their families do not receive any care from health care and social care systems.

The passing of the resolution means the capacity of health and social care systems will increase in terms of providing services for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. It also means the focus of care will be shifted from long-stay health facilities to non-residential services in the community.

With the resolution passed, health surveillance systems for capturing data on autism spectrum disorders will be improved and will ensure that countries are better able to diagnose and treat autism spectrum disorders.

The resolution highlights the need for the WHO Secretariat to help strengthen countries’ capacities to address autism spectrum and other developmental disorders, facilitate resource mobilisation, engage with autism-related networks and monitor progress. All efforts will be put in alignment with the WHO Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020. l

Relatives of Rana Plaza victims form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, demanding compensation. Although 13 months have passed since the building collapsed, all the victims are yet to recieve proper compensation MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

‘Free educational institutions from destructive politics’ n

DU Correspondent

Prominent personalities urged the students to free educational institutions from destructive politics for bringing back transparency in politics, as it has lost its glorious image.

“Practicing destructive politics has now become a trend to the youths of this generation which could be eliminated through practising democratic politics and giving up terrorism,” said Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of Bangladesh Communist Party.

He said this while addressing a memorial ceremony held at the Madhur Canteen in Dhaka University marking 43rd death anniversary of Madhusudhan De (Madhu Da).

DU acting proctor Amzad Ali conducted the memorial meeting and Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique presided it over while former DAC-

SU vice-president and Workers’ Party President Rashed Khan Menon, former commerce minister Dilip Barua, Mahfuza Khanam, former DACSU VP, Aktaruzzaman former DACSU VP and leaders of several students and progressive organisation’s were present, among others.

Mujahidul Islam also said our political culture has been tainted and it has affected the student politics. Now student leaders remain busy with extortion, smuggling and terrorist activities which spoilt the view of exalted student politics. He emphasised reactivating of DASCU for stopping such political menace at the Dhaka University campus.

Commemorating Madhu Da, Selim said he used to patronise the progressive politics and he was non-communal as an individual.

Rashed Khan Menon said Madhu Da played a significant role in our country’s

democratic movement by the students during the 1960s. His contributions will be remembered for eternity, he added.

He also expressed disappointment over the political atmosphere in the educational institutions and urged the youths to remain tolerant to the oppositions. Speaking on the occasion, DU VC Arefin Siddique said Madhusudhan De was one of them who laid down their lives in 1971 for the greater interest of our country. “He will be remembered with deep respect by all the teachers, students and officials of Dhaka University forever.”

The memorial ceremony began at 11pm through placing wreaths on the sculpture of Madhu Da at Madhur Canteen by Arefin Siddique. It was followed by singing the national anthem by the guests and one minute silence was observed to show respect to the liberation war martyrs’. l

Govt to announce nonmonetary facilities n Asif Showkat Kallol Finance Minister AMA Muhith is likely to announce the non-monetary facilities of the government staff in the next fiscal year budget speech as per the recommendations of the Permanent Pay Commission.

Officials of the Finance Division said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had directed the finance minister to give some hints about the new pay scale in his budget speech at the budget preparation meeting a week ago.

Quoting the prime minister, the Finance Division officials said the government will announce the new pay scale despite the pressure from the country’s macroeconomics and the negative impacts on the consumer price level.

Chairman of the Pay Commission Dr Mahmmand Farashuddin is now preparing a draft of recommendations for the new pay scale that will be incor-

CNG-run auto-rickshaw owners threaten strike again n Abu Hayat Mahmud

Bangladesh Biplobi Workers’ Party form a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday, demanding a stop to murder and forced disappearence MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Owners of CNG-run auto-rickshaws have threatened again to go on a 36-hour strike from Tuesday if the lifespan of auto-rickshaws is not extended to 15 years.

Dhaka Metropolitan CNG Auto-rickshaw Owners’ Association issued the threat from a human chain in capital yesterday.

The announcement came hours after the CNG refuelling station owners’ threat of an indefinite strike to meet their 7-point demand.

Barkat Ullah Bhulu, president of the organisation, said: “We got information from a credible source that the government is planning to keep condition for overhauling CNG engines at the

12th year.

“But, only six months are left to end the 12th year for overhauling engine.

It is not possible to overhaul engines within such a short period of time.”

He demanded the gazette in line with the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) recommendation on the extension of CNG auto-rickshaw’s lifespan.

In 2002, the government banned all two-stroke auto-rickshaws in urban areas and paved the way for four-stroke CNG-run three-wheelers, for which the lifespan was set at nine years.

Currently, there are around 13,000 commercially-run “green” auto-rickshaws and 3,000 private ones, usually painted grey, operating in the capital. l

porated in the next fiscal year budget speech scheduled to be announced on June 5.

The chairman said the pay scale hike of 13 lakh government staff definitely had an impact on inflation rate.

Given that circumstance, they will consider raising the facilities of non-financial items. “We will consider recommending the introduction of health insurance and the government will buy books for its staff,” he said.

The government pays Tk700 for health allowance for each of its staff in the existing pay structure, and the Permanent Pay Commission has asked for opinions about raising the health allowance to about Tk1,500-2,000. The commission also wants to raise the two children education allowance to Tk1200 from the existing Tk300.

The government formed the Pay Commission on November 24 last year and issued an order in this regard. l

Road crash kills ex-college principal n CU Correspondent A former principal of the Hathazari College was killed in a road accident in the Hathazari upazila, Chittagong yesterday morning.

AM Obaidullah, 70, was from Hathazari upazila in Chittagong, said police sources.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Alamgir Hossain of the Hathazari police station said a CNG-run auto-rickshaw knocked Obaidullah down in front of the Medical Gate near his residence in the upazila at around 10am while he was crossing the road, leaving him critically injured.

He was rushed to the Hathazari upazila health complex and later, was shifted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries after an hour, said Nayek Abdul Bashar of the CMCH police outpost. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Drive against unfit vehicles yet to start in the capital n Abu Hayat Mahmud Almost a month into a planned drive against all unfit and unauthorised vehicles, the authorities are yet to make any emphatic move to remove such vehicles from city roads and highways across the country.

Although Communication Minister Obaidul Quader announced last month that a crackdown on unfit vehicles would start from May 1, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and other relevant authorities have extended the deadline by a month.

BRTA officials said they set the new deadline to give time to transport owners to renew fitness certificates of their vehicles.

“Although the drive against unfit vehicles was supposed to start from May 1, we have internally set it to May 31 for the owners to collect fitness certificates afresh for all kinds of unfit vehicles,” BRTA Chairman Nazrul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune.

“If any motorised vehicle is found plying on the roads or highways without a fitness certificate after the deadline, tough action will be taken,” he added.

Nazrul Islam said the decision to push the deadline came from a meeting of the taskforce charged with implementing the drive.

The taskforce comprises of officials from BRTA, Roads and Highway Division, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, the police and associations of motor vehicle owners.

The BRTA chairman also said mobile courts would continue to clamp down on unfit vehicles, and after the May 31 deadline, they will take tougher measures.

Nazrul also said action would be taken against all unauthorised transports, such as three-wheel mishuks, human haulers and battery-run rickshaws.

BRTA data show a total of 87,795 unfit motor vehicles are plying on the roads of Dhaka, posing threat to road safety and contributing to traffic congestion.

According to the vehicle registration authority, there are around 800,000 registered vehicles in the capital.

Motorcycles and bicycles, however, do not require fitness certificates to ply on city roads. On the other hand, BRTA-issued fitness certificates are mandatory for CNG auto-rickshaws, human haulers, cars, buses, trucks and other types of motor vehicles.

A Dhaka Tribune investigation found a large number of motor vehicles running on faulty brakes, with engines and

bodies in poor condition. Such vehicles run on the city roads under the very nose of law enforcers and BRTA, creating traffic jams and polluting the environment.

A BRTA official, seeking anonymity, alleged that the owners of unfit vehicles had the upper hand over the authorities because of political clout.

Buses

City-dwellers look upon public buses as a more affordable mode of mass transport.

But a large number of unfit buses with faulty engines are creating congestion on busy roads. Passengers also face problems due to overcrowding, dilapidated seats and broken windows.

Despite the poor condition of the buses, passengers hardly complain because they are more concerned with getting a seat and reaching their destination.

To avert transport shortages, the road transport advisory council at a meeting on April 24 decided to give a six-month grace period to bus owners to replace their rundown vehicles.

At the time, Obaidul Quader, who heads the council, said: “Although we have taken a decision to withdraw all unfit public transports, it would not be possible to remove all at one time. ... So, we will give six months’ time to replace them.”

Admitting that Dhaka faced transport shortages, the minister said there were only 4,000 buses operating in the city of more than 15 million people.

CNG-run auto rickshaws

At present, there are around 13,000 commercially-run green CNG auto-rickshaws and 3,000 private ones, usually painted grey, operating in the capital. In 2002, the government banned all two-stroke auto-rickshaws in urban areas and introduced the fourstroke three-wheelers, licensing them for nine years.

After the licences expired in 2011, the authorities extended them by two more years at the demand of vehicle owners.

The authorities are set to allow four more years for running the CNG vehicles, on condition that old gas cylinders and rundown bodies are replaced.

Mishuks

Unfit and illegal two-stroke mishuks, a motorcycle based three-wheeler run on petrol, continue to run on city roads without any permission or licences.

The BRTA banned 2,829 mishuks from city roads after their route permits expired on December 31, 2011.

Later, through different movements

47kg touchstone statue recovered in Barisal n Our Correspondent, Barisal A touchstone-made, 47kg antique statue was recovered from the Kasemabad area in the Gournadi municipality here yesterday.

Gournadi police station OC Abul Kalam said day-labourers found the statue in the area at around 1:15pm, while they were re-excavating an old pond which belonged to Jalal Hawlader and they informed police. The statue is 27inches in height and 16inches in width.

WEATHER

THUNDERSHOWER OR RAIN

SUNDAY, MAY 25 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:39PM SUN RISES 5:12AM FORECAST FOR TODAY Dhaka

35

27

Chittagong

32

26

Rajshahi

36

27

Rangpur

36

26

Khulna

34

26

Barisal

33

26

Sylhet

34

25

Cox’s Bazar

32

27

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

49.0ºC Jessore

21.0ºC Bogra

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

3:48am 5:12am 11:56am 3:17pm 6:38pm 8:03pm Source: IslamicFinder.org

Police recovered the statue and lodged a general diary, informing the higher authorities, the OC continued.

However, the locals claimed the statue to be one of Buddha.

When contacted, Afroza Khanam Mita, assistant director of the Department of Archaeology under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, said before examining the statue, it would be difficult to ascertain its proper value, identity, construction materials and age. l

CNG filling station owners threatens to call indefinite strike from June 8 n Aminur Rahman Rasel CNG refuelling station owners threatened to go on an indefinite strike across the country from June 8 if the government does not meet their 7-point demand including a rise in commission.

President of Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association Zakir Hossain Noyon issued the threat at a press briefing at its office in the capital yesterday.

“We will go tough if our demands are not met by June 7 as many CNG filling station owners are incurring loss due to a rise in electricity cost,” he said.

CNG refuelling station owners demanded CNG prices be raised when power price is raised saying that prices of both the energy sources were interlinked.

For the owners, the margin at present is a mere Tk0.12 for per cubic metre CNG after adjustment of all costs and they demanded the margin be raised to Tk2.98. They called for providing gas connections for the 54 new stations.

The association demanded installation of Electronic Volume Correction (EVC) metres at the refuelling stations by replacing the existing ordinary metres so that the bill could be generated accurately according to the pressure readings of gas. l

A run-down mishuk plies in city yesterday despite the communication minister’s announcement to remove all unfit vehicles from May 1 ABU HAYAT MAHMUD and court rulings, mishuk owners got permission to run the vehicles on condition that the two-stroke engines are replaced by four-stroke CNG ones.

The owners, however, have not taken any steps for conversion and continue to operate the vehicles illegally.

Battery-run rickshaws

A section of unscrupulous owners are running their pedal rickshaws on battery-power, flouting a ban.

Hundreds of unregistered battery-run rickshaws are plying across the capital with little or no resistance from traffic police.

The government imposed a ban on the manufacture and import of the bat-

tery-run three-wheelers as they consume a lot of electricity for recharging batteries.

Regardless of having valid licences or road permits, the owners are operating the vehicles without any fear as they have links to the ruling party, sources claimed.

Human haulers

There are around 5,000 unfit human haulers running on city roads. In 199697, three-wheel auto-tempos were replaced with the haulers to decrease environmental pollution.

According to BRTA, there are 3,547 registered and around 1,500 illegal human haulers plying on city roads. l

USTC staff work abstention continues in Chittagong n CU Correspondent The academic activities of University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC) has collapsed as the teachers, doctors, officials and employees continued their work abstention programme for the sixth consecutive day yesterday.

Despite passing six days of the deadlock, the trustee board of the USTC remained silent turning a blind eye and are yet to take any step to resolve the issues, said the agitators.

Because of the strike, all the academic and administrative activities remained suspended since May 18, while the services of the Bangabandhu Memorial Hospital under the university remained out of purview.

Demanding implementation of service rules, the teachers, doctors, offi-

cials and employees started their work abstention on the sixth day on the campus yesterday.

Despite passing six days of the deadlock, the trustee board of the USTC remained silent turning a blind eye and are yet to take any step to resolve the issues Meanwhile, a team of teachers, doctors, officials and employees met Dr Afsarul Amin, former minister, also chairman of parliamentary standing committee of Education Ministry, at his residence and informed him about their demands.

Auto-rickshaw driver shot dead, 2 held

n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

Dr Kamal Uddin, joint secretary of the “Teachers-Doctors and Officials-Employees Coordination Parishad” also an assistant professor of the ENT department at the Medical Faculty of the USTC, said Dr Afsarul also expressed his solidarity with the demands.

Dr Kamal said the USTC authorities had not been implementing the service rules, pay scale and other job facilities for its staff, while the university’s vice-chancellor and pro vice-chancellor who were fully controlled by the university trustee board, could not give any solution.

Students of the USTC said no class and examination was held in the last six days because of the strike. They are concerned about their professional examination scheduled to be held next month. l

An auto-rickshaw driver was shot dead allegedly by a group of robbers at Gucchagram of Ichhakhali union under Rangunia upazila in Chittagong early yesterday.

Police nabbed two alleged robbers – Selim, 32, and Jahur, 32 – near Sotya Pir’s shrine around 5:30am in this connection, said Owaliullah Oli, officer-in-charge of Rangunia police station.

The dead body of Mohammad Rubel, 22, of Gucchagram was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added.

The OC also said around 10-12 robbers attacked Rubel who was returning to his residence with his CNG-run auto-rickshaw, and shot him to death on the spot around 12:45am, as the victim identified some of the robbers.

Hearing the sound of gunshot, locals rushed to the spot. However, the robbers opened fire at the villagers and managed to flee away, the OC said.

On information, Rangunia police set eight check posts across the upazila and nabbed two alleged robbers, said the OC, adding that they found 10 rounds of cartridges and three robbed mobile phones from their possession.

“Police caught the duo while they were fleeing the upazila by a CNG-run auto-rickshaw,” he also said. Police were interrogating the duo and conducting drives to nab the other robbers.

The victim’s father lodged a case with Rangunia police station in this regard. l

Road crash kills 7 in Bagerhat n UNB

Water-logged Green Road in Dhaka yesterday exposes the city’s poor storm water drainage system following a moderate rainfall SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

At least seven people, including two children, were killed and three others injured in a collision between a microbus and a bus in Taiyab’s Battala area on Khulna-Mawa Highway in Fakirhat upazila on Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Moin, 35, his wife Munni, 25, their twoyear old son Mahin, Sagar, a constable of Khulna Metropolitan Police, Dola, Mim and Monir. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Boro procurement face setback in Sherpur n Tribune Desk There is a serious shortage of storage space in the district’s government provided warehouse where Boro harvest is kept. This has farmers and the millers deeply worried.

Sources at the district food controller’s office said the authorities have set a target to purchase 38,553 tonnes of Boro paddy and 2,832 tonnes of rice in the current season.

The government has fixed Tk20 and Tk31 for each kilogram of paddy and rice respectively as per official procurement rates.

Farmers can directly sell their produce to the government’s food warehouses while the authorities will procure rice from millers during the procurement drive.

To attain the target of food crop procurement, the food officials concerned have already made an agreement with 387 rice-mill owners.

The procurement move began on May 17 and it will continue till August 30, reports UNB Officials concerned said the authorities targeted to purchase 21,568 tonnes of rice and 743 tonnes of paddy from

Vegetable vendor hacked in Jhenaidah

n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah A vegetable vendor was hacked to death early yesterday in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila.

The dead was identified as Abdul Khaleque, 42.

Quoting locals sources, Jhenaidah police Officer-in-Charge Shahbuddin Azad said a gang of miscreants came to his house in the early hours and started hacking Khaleque when he was sleeping on the courtyard.

He was rushed to a local private clinic but later referred to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital in critical condition where duty doctors declared him dead.

Police said since Khaleque had two wives there might have been conflicts in the family. The OC said: “After primary investigation, it is been suspected that conjugal dissatisfaction might have been reason behind the murder.” l

Sadar upazila during the ongoing procurement drive.

However, with the total storage capacity is 7,000 tonnes of food grains, there are 13 government LSD (Local Supply Depot) go-downs in Sadar upazila.

They said there is very little space in the go-downs as they already have previous stocks of 6,000 tonnes of paddy, rice and wheat.

If paddy and rice are collected as per the government’s procurement target, stocks of the go-downs have to be shifted elsewhere three times over.

In the current situation, it will not be possible for the food officials to collect over 2000-2500 tonnes of food grains during the procurement drive if the godowns are not cleared to make more space.

Talking to the UNB correspondent, general secretary of district Rice Mills’ Owners Association Asaduzzaman Rawshan said the food crops procurement drive is likely to face difficulties due to some limitations in the procurement policy adopted by the government this year.

He further said that rice mill op-

erators making contact with the food department have to supply rice to the government warehouses within 15 days into the procurement drive according to the government policy, adding that food officials cannot procure all rice from millers due to shortage of storage facilities.

He demanded changes in the procurement policy and extension of the supply period for the millers taking into account other local problems including natural disasters.M Asaduzzaman Khan, Preservation and Movement Officer (SMO) of Sherpur LSD go-downs, admitted the fact and said they wrote to higher authorities to shift previous stocks from the go-downs in Sadar upazila elsewhere.

When contacted, district food controller GM Faruk Hossain said due to good quality and higher demand of Sherpur rice, there will be no problem for the authorities in shifting stocks of rice to other districts from Sherpur.

He hoped that the higher authorities will take steps to clear the go-downs crammed with previous stocks of food grains and help achieve the target of Boro procurement. l

‘Govt cannot skip its 3,000 farmers become self-reliant liability on Narayanganj by cultivating chilli in Pirojpur and Feni murder’ n Tribune Desk

n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar The government cannot skip its liability on the Narayanganj and Feni murder, said Communication Minister Obaidul Kader yesterday in Cox’s Bazar.

Obaidul Kader told this to reporters while visiting the construction work of Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Marine Drive at Imamer Daile in Jaliapalang union under Ukhia upazila of Cox’s Bazar.

The minister said it is the responsibility of the government to bring the criminals to justice by revealing the truth. We have to be accountable and unearth the conspiracies behind the murders.

Those who are involved in these murders should be given exemplary

punishment irrespective of their political and social affiliations, he said.

When asked about the telephonic conversation between Shamim Osman and Nur Hossain, the minister observed that if this were true, legal actions would definitely be taken against him and there is no scope of flexibility for criminals even if they are ruling party men.

The minister also said the construction work of Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf road will be completed by the December of 2015 and funds will be disbursed to implement the project in time.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, the head of Bangladesh Army’s engineering corpse Major General Abdul Kader were present, among others. l

Traffic system breaks down in Rajshahi city n Our Correspondent, Rajshahi Traffic system has broken down in the absence of the functional Automatic Traffic Light Signal System in Rajshahi city.

Traffic jam is a common sight in most points of the city. Road crashes often take place because commuters and drivers do not go by manual signals.

But neither traffic police nor the city corporation are eager for setting the system right for reasons unknown.

According to Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), automatic traffic lights were established C&B, Laskhmipur, Bindu, Saheb Bazar Zero Point, Moni Chattar and Talaimari crossings forTk36 lakh 1996.

In 2002 Medical College Gate, Bohorompur Bypass Road, Court Station, Kashiadanga Bypass, Kashiadanga Bypass (old) crossings were brought under automatic traffic light system for Tk49 lakh.

Automatic traffic lights were then installed at the intersections of Utsab Cinema Hall, Sagarparha, Shiroil Station, Zia Shishu Park and Nouda Para’s Aamchattar in the city.

This correspondent visited the traffic lights and found some flickering sometimes and some totally out of order and the remainder have been set up at such a place that drivers cannot catch sight of them at all.

A city traffic constable, seeking anonymity said, “We are struggling to make commuters and drivers go by traffic laws, but neither the city corporation nor the traffic police are going for setting the lights right.”

The city accounts for 113 traffic constables, five assistant sub-inspectors and three inspectors, one officer-incharge and one traffic inspector for policing traffic system.

“Traffic lights have not been working for so long,” says the traffic constable, adding: “Traffic policing could be made much better if they are repaired.”

Golam Murshed, acting Executive Engineer (power division) at Rajshahi

A local Chhatra League leader lifts earth illegally from a government road at Satarpara in Lakshmipur’s Ramganj upazila causing sufferings to people. The picture was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

The photo taken yesterday shows a broken-down automatic traffic signal light at a crossing in Rajshahi city DHAKA TRIBUNE City Corporation says, “Most of the traffic signal lights have gone out of order. We have a plan to repair them.”

But we will do the repairs on the fast-track basis if traffic police contact us about this.”

Rajshahi Metropolitan Traffic Inspector Raihan Ibne Rahman says, “We

cannot enforce traffic laws properly because of the broken-down traffic lights and so we cannot enforce the laws even if we want it eagerly.

However, if Rajshahi City Corporation repairs and re-install traffic lights consulting us, we can enforce traffic lights properly.” l

Over 3,000 farmers of twenty-eight villages under Sharupkathi upazila of the district are now self-reliant through commercial cultivation of Bombai Chilli, a chilli variety of the South-Asian region.

Although the ‘Bombai Chilli’ cultivation has increased significantly in the upazila during the last 2-3 years, it has currently gained huge popularity among the farmers of the region.

The commercial farming of this variety first began in all the villages of AtgharhKuriana union, in addition, cultivation began in most of the villages of Sohagdal and Sutiakhati unions under the upazila.

A farmer of Bangkura village Shusil Mistri said:”I have cultivated the chilli

for the first time on 12 decimal land with a cost of Tk50,000. So far, by selling the chilli, I have earned nearly Tk3 lakh and is expected to earn Tk1 lakh more.”

‘Bombai Chilli’ cultivation has increased significantly in the upazila during the last 2-3 years, it has currently gained huge popularity among the farmers of the region “The selling price of Bombai Chilli is Tk400-500 (per thousand) and at least 60,000-70,000 chillis are produced

from one decimal of land,” said Moklesur Rahman another farmer from the upazila.

“It is impossible to earn such a huge amount of money by growing other crops. Cultivation of the the chilli is profitable as it is grown on a small piece of land,” said the farmer.

Shahidullah Mia, agriculture officer of Sharupkhati upazila, told BSS that Bombai Chilli cultivation has started at a commercial level for the first time in the region.

However, the officer could not provide details about the total quantity of chilli being been produced in the upazila.

The official expects that the farmers will be able to earn at least Tk3 to 3.50 crore by selling the special variety of chilli during this year. l

Rajshahi division transport strike starts today n Our Correspondent, Bogra

Tk50,000 embezzled from school fund, headmaster accuses UP chairman

Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation (BRTWF) Rajshahi Regional Committee and Rajshahi Transport Owners’ Group jointly called an indefinite strike from today in Rajshahi division.

The transport bodies called the strike to press home their six-point demand including stoppage of shallow engine-run vehicles on the highways, end to police harassment on transport workers, stopping of carriage of overloaded goods on the trucks etc.

The President of Rajshahi Regional Committee of BRTWF Abdul Latif Mandal told the Dhaka tribune that the strike will come into effect in the eight districts of the division from 6am today.

Transport sources said although the Rangpur division was outside the purview of the strike but the coaches from and to the division will not allowed to ply on the strike affected highways of the Rajshahi division. l

n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari An allegation of misappropriating Tk50,000 from the fund of Sindukchhari High School in Mohalchhari upazila has been brought against the members of the school’s managing committee by its headmaster in Khagrachhari yesterday.

The headmaster, Jagadish Chandra Tripura, also alleged that his office was locked down after he protested the incident and a plot to remove him from the post is being planned.

He claimed that the school managing committee President Suinuprue Chowdhury, also the local Sindukchhari union parishad chairman, committee members Kongyorang Marma, Ripruchai Marma and the school’s teacher Parimal Chakma forcibly took Tk50,000 from the school fund on May 4.

“After I requested them to return the money, the same group accompanied

by six-seven outsiders came to my office on May 6 and compelled me to sign a regulation book,” he added.

Jagadish said: “On May 13, they locked my room so that I cannot operate official tasks.”

“Right after the incident, I informed the issue to Mohalchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Laboni Chakma but the matter was not paid any heed yet.”

When contacted, the managing committee President Suinuprue Chowdhury denied the allegations and claimed that the headmaster himself had embezzled the amount from the school’s fund and was staging a propaganda against them to hide his crimes.

“But we will take stern action against him,” Suinuprue added.

Terming the headmaster non-qualified and dishonest, Suinuprue requested this correspondent to investigate more and find out the true characteristics of the headmaster. l

Nazrul’s birth anniversary celebration begins

Police arrest top criminal in Jessore

n BSS

A top listed criminal was arrested by the police from the Naldanga upazila of the district on Friday.

The arrestee Taufiqul Islam Shafin was an accused in several cases including extortion, police sources said.

Sub-Inspector Shoyeb of Jessore Kotwali police said Shafin was arrested from his residence around 11:30pm and a gun, two rounds of bullets, 75 pieces of yaba pills and 15 bottles of phensedyl were seized from his possession. l

The 115th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam began at Trishal in Mymensingh through a three-day national level programme.

The celebration, jointly organized

by Cultural Affairs Ministry and Mymensingh district administration, has begun today at Darirampur Nazrul Mancha and continue till May 27.

The programme included colourful rallies, discussion meetings, cultural shows, gathering of poets, staging of dramas and dance sequences. Eminent artistes of the country will attend the cultural shows.

A three-day fair styled ‘Nazrul Mela’ will also be held marking the occasion.

Rebel poet Nazrul, born at village

Churulia of Bardwan district in West Bengal in India on May 25 in 1899, stayed for about a year in his boyhood at village Darirampur in Trishal and studied at Darirampur High School.

Kazi Rafiz Ullah, a sub-inspector of police working at Bardwan at that time, brought Nazrul to his village home at Kazir Shimla in Trishal in 1914. Still the people of Trishal and Mymensingh district as well remember Nazrul as their near and dear ones.

F i n a n c e Minister AMA Muhith will inaugurate the celebrations as the chief guest. l

n Our Correspondent, Jessore

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Career

Rising levels of grades at examinations in schools have not been matched by the delivery of even the most basic skills

BIGSTOCK

n Tim Steel By 2008, the changing dynamics of tertiary education in UK, especially following the introduction, in England, of tuition fees, saw all four of the leading accounting firms revisiting recruiting practices that seemed to have died out with the dramatic increases in capacity for advanced studies. The “Big Four,” the major audit and accounting firms in UK, all working worldwide, PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst and Young had all revived the practice of recruitment of school leavers.

As someone whose corporate career, which, having included posts as Head of Marketing of Jaguar cars, and GM of SONY UK, has been described as successful, commenced as school leaver recruit to the Unilever giant’s Unilever Companies Management Development Scheme, the revival of such schemes

grabbed my attention.

The Unilever programme ended its school leaver recruitment in the seventies, citing the development of business schools, and the free access to such institutions.

By 2014, the widespread reintroduction of the practice was reported by the Association of Graduate Recruitment of UK as accounting for inclusion in the programmes of over 54% of their members.

Financial services businesses, including the prestigious Bank of England, may have led the revival, but that 54% of businesses also include such FMCG giants as Nestle and Cadbury.

The move gives a warning light to the tertiary education business, as, around the world, including UK these days, it may reasonably be described.

Whilst few are referring to the qual-

ity of education delivered, and its failure, especially, in areas where personal skills require mental acuity in pursuit of profits, such as in financial services, that such businesses should be leading the chase, clearly raises questions.

More discretely, such as Gaenor Page, then Head of People, PwC, in 2008, commented: “For us, this is about getting the right people into the right place, at the right time for our business.”

Many, including myself, as chairman and CEO of a major advertising business, have had reason to question the delivery, by academic institutions, of effective education, especially in terms of managing thought processes, as distinct from memory. Even elementary skills, such as grammar and numeracy, have been conspicuously at lower levels of attainment.

Even in UK, rising levels of grades at

7

Sunday, May 25, 2014

examinations in schools have not been matched by the delivery of even the most basic skills, and where, especially, tertiary education is a business, in which the customers demand delivery of service quality, but a delivery that they can, as parents and guardians who pay for the service, only really judge by results of examinations, in which failure could damage reputations of institutions/businesses and must be treated with scepticism.

As an employer in UK of many thousands of employees, the certificates they bring with application have never mattered to me as much as personality, and evidence of achievements outside the classroom.

I am quite sure that this was also the approach of the interviewers who selected me for the Unilever programme.

My academic record was far less distinguished than my “social” and sporting

achievements.

As chairman of the regional Sixth Form Society, whose membership included, not only my own ancient Grammar School, but also leading public schools, and as President of Debating, and Chairman of Games Committee (despite my own lack of team sporting interests), it seemed, apparently, worthwhile to Unilever personnel to subject me to psychographic tests which lay at the foundation of their selection process.

(I have never been sure if my selection and posting to Lever Brothers, the soaps and detergents giant as, presumably, psychologically suited to marketing soaps, was the tribute to my personality and skills I suppose I should have regarded it!)

In Bangladesh, I have often found non-graduates more fluent in the use of English, as much, being less inhibited in its use, as anything, and certainly better equipped to deliver outcomes rather than being preoccupied by processes.

Since, in the real world, there is no such thing as “perfect English,” they are less inhibited in their communication, if less entirely literate. Universities, it appears, are not great developers of either physical or intellectual achievement, both qualities that are vital to successful performers in, especially, the private sector in competitive economies.

The constant appearance in social media of a roll call of the successful in, especially, the private sector, and the political, both requiring imagination, courage, initiative and flexibility, is an embarrassment that universities have learnt to live with. Names like Bill Gates and Richard Branson may be claimed to be exceptions.

However, research that I was asked by the major British investment bank 3is, to undertake in the 80s revealed, in profiling successful entrepreneurs that two thirds had characteristically left school at the age of 16, and most had gone bankrupt at least twice, before finally succeeding.

A profile that may well represent a challenge to financial institutions seeking potential winners to back, but also represents a challenge to business schools. University degrees in Entrepreneuralism flourished, briefly, but closed, in at least one university, when none of its graduates even attempted to become an entrepreneur.

The worldwide reversion to school

leaver recruitment has not yet arrived in Bangladesh. Perhaps, opening vocational skills training programmes to offer companies a subcontracted programme in skills tailored to their needs might protect this business sector.

However, it is hard to see how, in a truly competitive environment, companies can survive, based on the recruitment of wealthiest students from the most expensive universities.

Rather, as a Unilever recruiter put it to me, when I asked why I was posted to Lever Brothers, rather than to Van Den Burghs, their highly successful fats and margarine business: “Lever Brothers has to fight for every point of market share against some of the toughest competitors in the world, Procter and Gamble, and Colgate; they need street fighters. If Van Den Burgh gain more market share the Monopolies Commission will be all over them; it’s the place for gentlemen.”

It is hard to see how, in a truly competitive environment, companies can survive, based on the recruitment of wealthiest students from the most expensive universities

Street fighter! Me! Well, I often wonder how stellar my career might have been if I’d opted for university. And that doesn’t only give me pause for thought. It must, I suspect, be giving the better businesses of Bangladesh pause for thought, too. And it needs to give young Bangladeshis, eyeing a career, reason to listen less to parents and teachers, and more to their own sense of self belief.

There can be little doubt that, as, increasingly, in the rest of the world, in Bangladesh, the first line of recruiters for effective management performance may well, soon, be forming at the school gate, rather than university graduation ceremonies. l

What anchors us to success n Ahsan Sajid Some people know exactly what they want with their career – how they would like to close the quarter, and where they would like to be in five years. For the vast majority of people, however, their idea of what they want out of their career is a vague idea at best.

University programmes follow standard curriculum for all and organisations manage their employees' careers according to what is best for the organisation. This is why one must become self-reliant when it comes to career management and do it on their terms.

Understanding career anchors may help us understand what we are best suited for and where we should be heading.

Career anchors represent one’s unique combination of perceived career competence, motives and values.

According to Edgar Schein, a former professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, a career anchor is “that one element in a person’s self concept that he or she will not give up, even in the face of difficult choices.”

Personality, motivation and values affect career choices and preferences, through the metaphor of an anchor pulling people towards particular roles that they are ideally suited for. Career anchors become apparent to us gradually; the early years of anyone’s career is a time for learning – about the job and about the self.

More often than not, it is during the first few years of our careers that we come to challenge our idea of ourselves.

This happens when we find out that what we thought we were good at and the nature of the work that we thought we would do all throughout university is inconsistent with the actual day-today work experience. This forces us to confront ourselves about what we are good at, and what we really want to do.

As one’s job experience accumulates, strengths and weaknesses and preferences become clearer. Having made difficult choices and decisions, we are better equipped to know what we really want with our life.

In “Career Anchors: Discovering Your Real Values,” Edgar Schein, a former professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, identifies eight different anchor types. One or more of these types may match your interests and preferences, as identified through your work experience so far.

Your type will become clearer the further along your career you go. People don’t fall neatly into any one category and therefore you are most likely a combination of two or three.

something of value, such as making the world a better place to live in, solving environmental problems, improving harmony among people, helping others, improving people’s safety, curing diseases through new products and so on.

People under this anchor pursue such opportunities even if it means changing organisations, and they do not accept transfers or promotions that would take them out of work that fulfils those values.

Technical/Functional

Those with an anchor placed strongly in some technical or functional area never give up the opportunity to apply their skills in that area and to continue to develop those skills to an every higher level. They derive their sense of identity from the exercise of their skills and are most happy when their work challenges them in those areas. They may be willing to manage others in their technical or functional area, but are not interested in management for its own sake and would avoid general management because that would mean having to leave their area of expertise.

Pure challenge

People with an anchor of pure challenge love the opportunity to work on solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems, to succeed over tough opponents, or to overcome difficult obstacles. For them, the only meaningful reason for pursuing a job or career is that it permits them to succeed in the face of the impossible.

Some people find such pure challenge in intellectual kinds of work such as engineering, while others find the challenge in complex, multi-faceted situations, such as strategy consultancy; most think of it as an interpersonal competition. Novelty, variety and difficulty are what these people look for, and easy is another word for boring.

General managerial

People with a key career anchor in general managerial strive to climb to a level high enough in an organisation to enable them to integrate the efforts of others across functions and to be responsible for the output of a particular unit of the organisation. They want to be responsible and accountable for total results; they identify their own work with the success of the organisation for which they work.

If you are presently in a technical or functional area but your anchor is general managerial, you view that as a necessary learning experience; however, your ambition is far wider. Just being at a high managerial level in a function does not interest you.

Lifestyle

Autonomy/Independence

People with the autonomy/independence anchor like to define their own work in their own way. If you are in an organisation, you want to remain in jobs that allow you flexibility regarding when and how to work. If you cannot stand organisational rules and restrictions, you seek occupations in which you will have the freedom you seek, such as teaching or consulting.

These people routinely turn down opportunities for advancement in order to retain autonomy. They may even seek to have a business of their own in order to achieve a sense of autonomy; however, this motive is markedly different from the entrepreneurial creativity described later.

BIGSTOCK

Security/Stability

Those with an anchor of security/stability seek employment security or tenure in a job or organisation. Their main concern is to achieve a sense of having succeeded so that they can settle down.

The value is illustrated by a concern for financial security (such as pension and retirement plans) or employment security. Such stability may involve trading loyalty and willingness to do whatever the employer wants from you for some promise of job tenure.

If this is your anchor, you are less concerned with the content of your work and the rank you achieve in the

organisation, although you may achieve a high level through dedication and consistency alone. As with autonomy, everyone has certain needs for security and stability, especially at times of financial stress or when one is facing retirement. People biased in this way are so concerned with these issues that they build their entire self-images around the management of security and stability.

Entrepreneurial creativity

People who have entrepreneurial creativity strive to create an organisation or enterprise of their own, built on their own abilities and their willingness to

take risks and to overcome obstacles.

They want to prove to the world that they can create an enterprise that is the result of their own effort. They may be working for others in an organisation while learning and assessing future opportunities, and go out on their own as soon as they feel they are ready. Commonly they want their enterprise to be financially successful as proof of their abilities more than for profit.

Service

If your key anchor is service and dedication to a cause, you would not give up the opportunity to pursue work that achieves

People under the lifestyle anchor seek a situation that permits them to balance and integrate their personal needs, their family needs, and the requirements of their career. They want to make all the major aspects of their life work together toward an integrated whole and therefore need a career that provides enough flexibility to achieve such integration.

If this is your anchor, you may have to sacrifice some aspects of the career.

However, you define success in terms broader than just career success. You feel that your identity is more tied up with your life, where you live and how your family situation is than with any particular job or organisation.

Understanding the eight career anchors identified by Schein may help you assess how well suited you are for your current job and what your organisation’s plans for you are, as opposed to your plans for yourself. You are either in what is the ideal role for yourself, or you need to make a change to succeed along your desired career path. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Sunday, May 25, 2014

‘War situation’ as Ukraine goes to polls n AFP, Donetsk “We’re in a war situation,” says one of the deliverymen bringing ballot papers in under armed guard to a polling station in the eastern Ukrainian town of Dobropillya. “There is more security this time,” he adds.

Ukraine goes to the polls today to elect a new president, but pro-Russian separatists have threatened to disrupt the vote in towns and cities they control in the industrial east.

“We intend to make sure that voting does not take place here on our territory. If necessary we will revert to the use of force,” said Denis Pushilin, a top leader of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic.

“We have the right to do so because our countrymen are dying here every day,” he told reporters.

The Kiev authorities have warned they may not be able to ensure voting takes place across the east, where there are already numerous reports of militants intimidating election workers and seizing polling stations.

Security concerns have also been heightened after a deadly surge in violence in the past week, with well over two dozen people – perhaps many more – killed in fighting between Ukrainian forces and the rebels.

In Dobropillya, the ballot papers arrived in a funeral van along with a security guard carrying an AK-47 rifle and were carried into the town hall basement by local election workers.

A few dozen unarmed policemen stood around nearby, looking bored.

“The elections will definitely take place here,” said Yelena Ganicheva, head of the election commission in Dopropillya, which lies some 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Donetsk and is

Pope opens Mideast trip lamenting Syrian conflict n AP, Amman, Jordan

Members of the election commission prepare ballots at one of the polling stations in Kiev on May 24 under Kiev’s control.

Inside the town hall, a Ukrainian flag flying from the roof, workers from the district election commission were filling in forms as they awaited the delivery of the ballot papers.

Around the district covering some 80 polling stations almost all are planning to operate, except in separatist-controlled Druzhkivka where the election commission was disbanded.

“The voting booths are in place, the ballot boxes are there,” said Ganicheva.

- ‘Vote will not happen’ -

But in the town of Makiivka, just to the east of Donetsk, polling station head Tetyana Fyodorovna said preparations had been halted after armed men seized the district election commission on Friday.

“We were getting ready for the vote but now the elections are not going to happen here,” she told AFP by phone.

In the main city of Donetsk and neighbouring towns in the heart of eastern Ukraine’s coal and steel industry, most of the campaign posters are for Mikailo Dobkin, a hardliner standing for

AFP

the Regions Party of ousted pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych.

But quite often the posters are vandalised, splattered with mud or the eyes of the candidates torn out.

At a school in central Donetsk that should be a polling station, caretaker Olga Viktorovna showed AFP around an empty hall where there were no visible preparations.

“We have always held presidential and local elections here, but this time there will not be anything it seems,” she said. l

Pope Francis thanked Jordan yesterday for welcoming hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria, calling for an “urgent,” peaceful solution to the conflict in the neighboring nation as he began a three-day visit to the Middle East.

Francis also lauded Jordan for the “climate of serene coexistence” enjoyed by Christians and Muslims in the desert kingdom. He called for greater protections for minority Christians across the region in a speech to King Abdullah II and Jordanian political and religious leaders.

“Religious freedom is in fact a fundamental human right and I cannot fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle East and the entire world,” he said.

Francis’ plane touched down at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport, where an honor guard, Catholic leaders and Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, King Abdullah II’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs, met him. He immediately headed to the king’s palace in a simple, four-door sedan, a group of motorcycles riding alongside him. Small groups of people waving Jordanian and Vatican flags cheered him as he passed.

At the palace, Francis met with Abdullah and Queen Rania, their children gathered for the meeting. In his palace speech, Francis said Jordan’s “generous welcome” to Syrian refugees warranted international appreciation and support.

Jordan last month opened a third refugee camp, evidence of the strains the conflict is creating for the country.

Jordan is currently hosting 600,000 registered Syrian refugees, or 10 per-

Al Qaeda gunmen storm Turkish PM’s aide who kicked mine Yemeni city, kill at least 27 disaster protester sacked n Reuters, Aden

At least 27 people were killed in an overnight raid by gunmen on a city in southeastern Yemen, residents and a local official said yesterday, as al Qaeda continues its fightback against a government offensive in the country.

Armed with rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and explosives, attackers drove in from the surrounding desert on 15 pickup trucks into Seyoun after detonating a car bomb at the entrance to the city in Hadramout province.

Al Qaeda has carried out many hitand-run attacks since the Yemeni army drove it from its southern strongholds in Abyan and Shabwa provinces last month. The West is concerned the group could use Yemen, which borders major oil producer Saudi Arabia, as a base for international attacks.

The militants targeted at least seven locations, including the main military posts, the local police headquarters, bank branches and the airport.

Residents said the city’s electricity supply was cut during the attack and they heard explosions and gunfire throughout the night. The militants briefly captured some buildings before

withdrawing early on Saturday.

“They wanted to capture the city and control it,” a local official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.

The official said 20 attackers died and said they took away 18 bodies. Five members of the security forces and two soldiers died in the fighting, he said.

Local officials said they suspected the attack was led by Jalal Balaidi, a senior al Qaeda figure in the region.

Hadramout province stretches from the port of Mukalla in the south to the Saudi border, through arid valleys and empty desert, the type of landscape al Qaeda uses to its advantage across the Middle East. A regional website said the attackers were wearing Yemeni army uniforms. It said that dozens of casualties were taken to local hospitals.

A US ally, with a population of 25 million, Yemen is trying to end three years of political unrest, which began when mass protests erupted in 2011 against Ali Abdullah Saleh, the president of 33 years, who stepped down.

Apart from the fight against al Qaeda, the government faces by southern separatists for independence and battles with rebels from the Shi’ite Muslim Houthi movement. l

n Reuters, Ankara An aide to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan who made front page news around the world after being filmed kicking a protester in the wake of Turkey’s worst ever mining accident has been sacked, a government official said yesterday.

Footage earlier this month showing Yusuf Yerkel apparently lashing out at the man - who was being held on

the ground by two security officers sparked widespread outrage and came to symbolize the government’s widely criticized handling of the disaster.

Despite expressing regret for what happened, Yerkel was sacked by Erdogan earlier this week, although news of the decision only emerged at the weekend, the official told Reuters. “Yusuf Yerkel apologized but it was too late. At the end of the discussion the Prime Minister fired him directly,” the source said.

The incident had threatened to become a major embarrassment for Erdogan, who is already under heavy fire himself. During the same visit to Soma he became embroiled in angry altercations with protesters, who were expressing rage at Turkey’s poor work safety record.

Yerkel had been off work since shortly after the incident, reported to be suffering with leg injuries sustained whilst kicking the man. l

7 dead in California college shooting n AFP, Los Angeles

Seven people were killed and seven others wounded in a mass shooting at a college town in southern California, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said yesterday.

Brown said at a pre-dawn press conference that the shooting in the town of Isla Vista, near the campus of the University of California at Santa Barbara, “appears to be a mass murder situation.” Police said the gunman was among the dead.

The suspect, driving a black BMW, opened fire on pedestrians from his vehicle at several locations in the town last night, is among those killed.

Police received their first emergency calls about the shooting around 9:30 pm local time on Friday.

Twice, the shooter exchanged gunfire with police from his car, and fled both times. He then crashed into a parked vehicle. When police approached him they “determined that the suspect ... was dead of an apparent gunshot wound to

the head,” Brown said. Police recovered a handgun from the suspect’s vehicle.

Authorities believe that the shooter acted alone, and said they are investigating a threatening video posted by the alleged shooter on YouTube as evidence.

Police are “analysing both written and videotaped evidence that suggest this atrocity was a premeditated mass murder,” Brown told reporters.

Authorities have not yet released the suspect’s name. l

Obama win on Guantanamo prison may be short-lived n AP, Washington

President Barack Obama scored a rare win in his 5-year-old campaign to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as a Senate panel approved giving him the authority to transfer terror suspects to the United States if Congress signs off on a comprehensive plan to shutter the facility.

It’s not a done deal, however, as top Senate Republicans vowed on Friday to do all they can to keep the Guantanamo facility open and leave the 154 detainees incarcerated.

The Senate Armed Services Committee wrapped up a defense bill Thursday that would authorize the transfer of terror suspects to US soil “for detention, trial and incarceration, subject to stringent security measures and legal protections, once the president has submitted a plan to Congress for closing Guantanamo and Congress has had an opportunity to vote to disapprove that plan under expedited procedures.”

The bill also authorizes the temporary transfer of detainees to a US medical facility operated by the Defense Department “to prevent death or significant imminent harm.”

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, hailed the defense bill provision as a significant change in the long standoff between the Obama administration and bipartisan congressional oppo-

nents over the post-Sept. 11 prison for terror suspects.

Levin said the bill has “created a path to close Guantanamo.”

The effort still faces resistance from Republicans and Democrats in Congress who have repeatedly and successfully fought White House efforts to move detainees to US soil.

Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee, voted for the overall defense bill but is determined to work with his allies in the House to scuttle the provision. Inhofe maintains that Guantanamo is the only option to house terror suspects.

If Obama offers a plan, “I’m hoping that anything that comes can be slowwalked till he’s out of office,” Inhofe said in an interview Friday. Another member of the committee, Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., said the administration has failed to produce a coherent policy on detention and interrogation, and she promised to lead the Senate effort to keep Guantanamo operating.

“Bringing members of al-Qaida and its affiliates to our homeland and telling them they have a right to remain silent defies common sense, represents a serious national security risk, and prevents us from collecting the intelligence we need to prevent future terrorist attacks and save American lives,” Ayotte said in a statement.

Ayotte prevailed in adding anoth-

Protestors wearing orange prisoners’ jumpsuits hold signs as they call for the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility during a global day of action for the closing of the prison and the end of indefinite detention in front of the White House in Washington AFP er provision to the defense bill — a one-year moratorium on transferring detainees from Guantanamo to Yemen, where al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is considered one of the terror group’s most dangerous off-shoot worldwide.

Efforts in committee to give the

president unfettered authority to close Guantanamo attracted unusual conditions. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., won approval for establishing a process in which any administration plan would be subject to a joint resolution of disapproval from both houses of Congress.

The president could veto the resolu-

tion, thus requiring a two-thirds majority to override the move.

But even before that, the full Senate must pass the defense bill and that version has to be reconciled with the House legislation, which passed on Thursday.

The House bill prohibits any transfer of terror suspects to the United States. l

cent of its population, but Jordanian officials estimate the real number is closer to 1.3 million.

Francis is due to get a firsthand look at the plight of Syrian, Iraqi and Palestinian refugees later Sunday when he celebrates Mass at Amman’s international stadium and then meets with some 600 refugees and disabled children at a church in Bethany beyond the Jordan, which many believe is the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism.

Christians believe they are being targeted in part because of antiChristian sentiment among Sunni Muslim extremists Christians make up about 5 percent of Syria’s population, but assaults on predominantly Christian towns by rebels fighting President Bashar Assad’s rule have fueled fears among the country’s religious minorities about the growing role of Islamic extremists in the revolt.

Christians believe they are being targeted in part because of anti-Christian sentiment among Sunni Muslim extremists and partly as punishment for what is seen as their support for Assad.

Francis has frequently lamented the plight of refugees, denouncing the “globalization of indifference” that often greets them in their newly adopted homelands. At the same time, he and his predecessors have decried the flight of Christians from the Holy Land. l

Somali parliament under attack by Shebab rebels n AFP, Mogadishu Somalia’s Shebab rebels launched a major attack on the national parliament yesterday, setting off a car bomb and penetrating the building with suicide commandos, police and witnesses said.

A huge car bomb went off outside the gates of the parliament in central Mogadishu shortly before midday, and a string of smaller blasts followed by intense gunfire were also heard coming from inside the complex.

Police said at least four attackers were killed, and AFP reporters at the scene also counted four dead security guards, adding that a number people had also been wounded. Exchanges of gunfire could still be heard coming from inside the building more than an hour after the attack started.

“There is an attack near the parliament building. There was a car bomb explosion and gunfire broke out,” police official Husein Ise told AFP. Witnesses said Shebab militants, the Al-Qaeda-linked group fighting to overthrow Somalia’s internationally-backed government, stormed into the complex while MPs were meeting inside, and a spokesman for the militants confirmed they were behind the attack.

“The so-called Somali parliament is a military zone. Our fighters are there to carry out a holy operation,” Shebab’s military spokesman, Abdulaziz Abu Musab, told AFP by telephone. “We shall issue a comprehensive report after the conclusion of the operation,” he added.

Recent Shebab attacks have targeted key areas of government, or the security forces, in an apparent bid to discredit claims by the authorities that they are winning the war against the Islamist fighters.

The parliament attack appeared to be a repeat of an assault on February against the heavily-fortified presidential palace, which saw a car bomb go off at the gates of the Villa Somalia followed by an attack by suicide gunmen which left at least 16 dead including the attackers. In that attack, the Shebab gunmen were dressed in police and military uniforms.

Last month two Somali MPs were also assassinated by the Shebab in shooting and bomb attacks inside Mogadishu, and the Shebab said they hoped to kill all MPs “one by one.”

The Shebab, who also claimed responsibility for the September 2013 attack on Nairobi’s Westgate mall in which at least 67 people were killed, have also carried out a string of other high-profile attacks in Mogadishu this year.

Hardline Shebab insurgents once controlled most of southern and central Somalia, including large parts of the capital, but were driven out of fixed positions in Mogadishu and Somalia’s major towns by a 22,000-strong African Union force. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

How the Thai coup unfolded n AP, Bangkok Thailand’s all-powerful army chief started the extraordinary meeting by asking participants to give a progress report on their “homework.”

The participants were the country’s most important political rivals, plus four Cabinet ministers from the embattled government, election commissioners and senators. The homework: solving a crisis so complex it has split the Southeast Asian nation for nearly a decade, fueling repeated spasms of bloodshed and upheaval.

They didn’t know it then, but they only had about two hours to figure it all out. Just after 4:30 p.m. Thursday, the conference room would be sealed by soldiers, and the man who called the meeting, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, would become Thailand’s new ruler.

Accounts of those pivotal moments at a military complex in Bangkok known as the Army Club, relayed by two lawmakers who were present and Thai media, indicate that Prayuth had no intention of engaging in the kind of protracted negotiation necessary to mediate a conflict that reignited last year when protesters took to the streets.

The sequence of events raises questions about whether the meeting was a ruse to neutralize anyone who might oppose the coup. The fact it happened so swiftly suggests that Prayuth was already planning to do what demonstrators had pushed for all along: overthrow the government, if the two sides could not reach a compromise.

There was never much hope they would. The intractable divide plaguing Thailand today is part of an increasingly precarious power struggle between an elite, army-backed conservative minority based in Bangkok and the south that can no longer win elections, and the political machine of exiled exPrime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his supporters in the rural north who backed him because of populist policies such as virtually free health care.

The army deposed Thaksin in a 2006 coup. And on Friday, it detained his sister, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was forced from office earlier this month by a controversial court verdict for abuse

World

ANTI-COUP PROTESTS ACROSS BANGKOK Clockwise from top left: Anti-coup protesters hold placards during a protest at the Victory Monument in Bangkok on May 24. A girl holds a candle during another protest against military rule in central Bangkok. Thai soldiers ask people to disperse after they broke up an anticoup gathering. A Thai riot-policewoman stands guard in Bangkok. Local commuters take pictures and watch from a bus as demonstrators attend an anti-coup protest.

of power, which she denies.

Deputy army spokesman Col. Weerachon Sukondhapatipak said Saturday the junta would likely hold her for one week so she can “calm down and have time to think.”

When Prayuth declared martial law on Tuesday, the 60-year-old officer insisted he was only trying to restore stability and force all sides to talk. The next day, he summoned rival factions and Cabinet officials who had little choice but to show up.

After that initial two-hour meeting, everyone was told to come back with proposals to end the crisis, said a lawmaker who attended and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Could rival protest groups call off their demonstrations? Could an interim government be agreed upon? Should political reform (demanded by protesters) or new elections (demanded by the government) come first? Could the country hold a referendum on its fate?

When talks resumed Thursday, the atmosphere was much different.

Participants were ordered to leave their cellphones outside, more soldiers were on guard and they were heavily armed. Prayuth opened the meeting, saying his aim was to bring peace.

“What I’m doing today is in the interest of security,” he said, in a video released by the military’s TV station.

“If this steps over anyone, then I have to apologize. I insist that I will honor every side, always.”

An hour later, there was, predictably, no agreement, the lawmaker said.

The talks kept returning to a single point: how would the government go?

Former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the Cabinet could sacrifice for the nation and resign. Somebody else suggested that the civilian administration might just “take leave.” Others said ministers could step down one by one, or en masse. The government officials said “they couldn’t do it, claiming they were brought to power by the people and therefore could not step down,” said Sirichoke Sopha, a former member of Parliament from the opposition Democrat Party who was present at the talks. “We pleaded for them to step back, asking them to sacrifice to save democracy.” l

Twitter to take India election innovations global n Reuters, New Delhi

US social networking company Twitter is planning to replicate parts of its India election strategy across countries that go to polls this year, after it emerged as a key tool for politicians and media companies during the world’s largest democratic exercise.

In India, Twitter Inc worked closely with politicians including the victor Narendra Modi who used the platform for election campaigning, and also partnered with mobile and media firms to distribute tweets online and offline.

Now, with polling due in countries such as Brazil, Indonesia and the United States later this year, the San Francisco-based company plans to take its India lessons abroad to expand its foothold in the political arena and increase its user base.

“The election more than any other moment provides a nice microcosm of the value Twitter can add ... we are sharing widely the lessons of this Indian election around the world,” said Rishi Jaitly, India market director at Twitter.

Last week, the company sent its top political strategist to Brazil to explain the potential of the social network to senators, who are likely to use Twitter’s six-second video app Vine for campaigning after it was used by Indian politicians, the company said.

For the US election, the company

has started looking for partners to replicate their “Tweet To Remember” feature used in India, which enables users to add the voting date automatically to their mobile calendar using a tweet.

ter election, and the novelty of the technology gave an advantage to the politicians who adopted first - especially the BJP, said Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Twitter widely emerged as a political tool first during the 2012 US presidential elections, and then during the Arab Spring uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East Twitter widely emerged as a political tool first during the 2012 US presidential elections, and then during the Arab Spring uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East. Today, US President Barack Obama has more than 43 million Twitter followers.

In India, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) embraced the technology ahead of rivals, collaborating with thousands of volunteers to spread the Hindu nationalist leader’s message and counter criticism on the web.

It was the country’s first major Twit-

“The Indian experience will serve as a model for other developing countries ... In the US, the saturation of the social media space by all parties may have a cancelling out effect,” Vaishnav said.

The modi way

Tech-savvy Modi, who now has 4.3 million Twitter followers, used the platform relentlessly. He recently tweeted “selfies” and pictures with his mother. On May 16 he set a Twitter India record with his victory acknowledgement tweet.

His rivals lagged. A few years before

UN rights envoy: Myanmar needs constitution change n AP, Yangon The UN human rights envoy to Myanmar yesterday expressed concern over the military’s veto power on constitutional changes, which he said are crucial for the country’s democratic transition and next year’s elections.

Special Rapporteur Tomas Ojea Quintana, who is completing his sixyear term this month, said in a statement that the military’s power to block constitutional amendments did not augur well for the 2015 elections. He said there must be civilian oversight over the military.

9

Sunday, May 25, 2014

The 2008 constitution, drawn up under the previous junta regime, gives the military a mandatory 25 percent parliamentary seats, which is enough to veto any constitutional change and disqualify pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running for president.

“Constitutional reform in Myanmar is a crucial step in the transition to a more democratic nation,” Quintana said.

Suu Kyi considers the current constitution undemocratic and boycotted the 2010 elections. However, she ran in by-elections in 2012 after changes were

made in election laws and won a seat in the lower house of Parliament.

The Nobel laureate has been holding rallies to gain public support and to convince the military and the government to amend the constitution.

An article in the constitution says anyone whose spouse or children owes allegiance to a foreign power cannot become president or vice president.

Suu Kyi’s sons are British nationals.

Several other provisions are also under scrutiny for revision, and some proposed changes would strengthen self-government in regions of the country dominated by ethnic minorities. l

India’s mammoth election, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor asked Rahul Gandhi, the lead campaign manager of the now ousted party, to join Twitter.

Gandhi declined.

With about two-thirds of India’s population under 35, Modi targeted the young and smart by topping up campaigning with social media, holograms and recorded voice calls.

The potential was, and still is, huge: India has the world’s third largest internet user base of 239 million and more than 900 million mobile connections.

Many access web on their phones.

Twitter’s reach was not restricted to its estimated 35 million India users, as nearly 400 multilingual news channels that closely tracked politicians on the website reached 153 million households, data from TAM Media Research showed.

Modi, who is due to be sworn in on Monday, has not let up his Twitter onslaught since the election and like other global leaders will make the service a central part of his communications arsenal.

Meanwhile, Tharoor has again advised his top leadership to adapt to social media platforms as a part of their renewed strategy to improve communication.

“There is no reason why we should cede that space to the BJP. This is an area in which we can be just as good,” said Tharoor, who has over 2 million Twitter followers. l

Double blow for AAP as two top leaders quit n AFP, New Delhi India’s upstart anti-corruption party suffered a heavy blow yesterday when two of their leaders quit after accusing their high-profile chief of impulsive decision-making. Shazia Ilmi and GR Gopinath of the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party said they did not approve of the “sensationalism” agenda followed by the fledgling party’s leader Arvind Kejriwal.

They were referring to Kejriwal’s recent decision of choosing to remain behind bars rather than pay bail in a defamation case. Kejriwal has been branded a “drama queen” by opponents on Wednesday for refusing to pay the bail. l

Nawaz Sharif to attend Modi’s swearing-in

Nawaz Sharif

n AFP, Islamabad Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif will attend Indian prime minister-elect Narendra Modi’s inauguration tomorrow, his office said, in an unprecedented diplomatic move aimed at mending strained ties between the nuclear-armed rivals.

The Pakistani PM’s attendance will be a first in the history of the South Asian neighbours, which have fought three wars since independence in 1947 and remain bitterly divided over the disputed region of Kashmir.

Like all other heads of government from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) which includes Pakistan, Sharif had also been formally invited by India this week.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has decided to visit India and attend the swearing-in of... Modi,” his spokesman told AFP on Saturday.

Modi will take the oath as prime minister on Monday, 10 days after his right-wing Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) scored a landslide victory, securing the first majority by a single party in 30 years.

“It’s very good news that Nawaz Sharif has accepted Mr Modi’s invitation,” BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters in New Delhi. “It will mark a new beginning in our ties.”

Sharif, who is himself a centre-right leader, has hailed Modi’s “impressive victory” and many diplomats hope the two men can thaw ties between the neighbours.

Narendra Modi Sharif has cited his working relationship with Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India’s last prime minister with the right-wing BJP as a reason for optimism, according to diplomatic sources. It was during Sharif’s second term in 1999 that Vajpayee rode a bus to Lahore to sign a peace accord, raising the prospect for normalisation between the two-nuclear armed neighbours that have fought three wars.

“Vajpayee had said you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your neighbours. Mr Modi is following just that” principle by extending an invitation to Sharif, Javadekar said.

‘Modi-Sharif handshake’

In Pakistan, Sharif’s move to attend the searing-in ceremony was hailed by the religious right-wing party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), an ally of his government. “Pakistan conveyed a positive gesture to India. The decision to attend swearing-in is a welcome sign,” said JUI chairman Maulana Fazalur Rehman, who also head a parliamentary special committee on Kashmir.

He added that close ties with India “may help resolve the Kashmir issue.”

Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Indian-held Kashmir, echoed similar sentiments.

“I hope that this will mark a new beginning in ties between our two countries. The people of J & K (Jammu and Kashmir) will be watching closely,” he said on Twitter. “Can’t help feel sorry for others taking oath or attending because the only photo op that will matter now will be the Modi-Sharif handshake.” l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Sunday, May 25, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

Time to govern in prose

W

e welcome Narendra Modi’s scheduled trip to Dhaka, as it could be a positive step towards repairing India-Bangladesh relations.

Much has been made of Modi’s recent comments about Bangladeshi “illegal” immigrants in India, escalating tensions between the two neighbours. However, we see it as a good sign that Modi’s first official trip as prime minister of India might be to Bangladesh, with the Teesta water-sharing deal looking to be high up on the agenda.

Although details of the visit are vague, we believe this meeting between the two heads of state could serve as a golden opportunity to put hostile sentiments arising from some comments made by Modi during his campaign, behind us.

It is said that one campaigns in poetry but governs in prose.

Modi’s sometimes inflammatory speeches on the campaign trail, though they understandably antagonised many Bangladeshis, can now hopefully be seen as campaign rhetoric. Now that he has officially been elected prime minister of India, Modi must, for the sake of his own country, demonstrate the qualities of good statesmanship. This means governing in prose.

India cannot prosper by alienating Bangladeshis, and we hope this meeting will yield the right kind of result for both nations. The signing of the eagerly anticipated Teesta water-sharing deal and negotiating the land boundary agreement for the betterment of both nations will be a constructive start to Modi’s rule.

Modi’s first official trip as prime minister could be a positive step in India-Bangladesh relations

Action needed on food contamination

C

ampaign groups held a human chain outside the Jatiya Press Club this week to protest the scourge of rampant food adulteration in the country.

Random tests carried out by the Institute of Public Health in different markets last month found that around 50% of vegetables and 35% of fruits were contaminated with unsafe level of pesticides.

The traders who attacked a mobile court at Mohammadpur Town Hall Kitchen Market, for taking action against formalin found in fish, should heed the bigger picture. It is not in the interest of anyone, including traders, for the marketplace to be tainted by contaminated food.

Consumers are entitled to expect all food products in every marketplace to be safe and for authorities to take all necessary action on their behalf.

The government needs to take speedier action to stamp out the most rampant abuses.

Poultry industry association leaders have, for instance, repeatedly urged the shutdown of factories that have been producing toxic feed using tannery waste, and this would be a good place to start.

It should go further, however, and recognise that consumer concerns extend beyond simply deliberately adulterated food.

High levels of pollution across the country have wreaked havoc with many supply chains. Fish resources in the Sunderbans have been placed at high risk by the practice of fishermen using pesticides to catch fish, while ashes from brick kilns that have been illegally set up near farmlands have caused huge damage to crops.

Comprehensive action is needed across all parts of the supply chain to ensure that food is kept safe and free from contaminants.

Action is needed across the supply chain to ensure food is kept safe

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

BNP still unclear about gains from Modi government May 18

Ronnie BNP leaders ought to muster greater maturity on this issue. The unconcealed glee, with which a few of them appear to welcome the ascension of prime minister-elect Narendra Modi to power in India, is pretty naive and silly. The new BJP government in India is neither going to hasten the end of the ruling regime in Bangladesh, nor guaranteed to grant any favours to a future BNP government. So there is no need for BNP leaders to get their hopes too high.

To be sure, the scandalously “elected” ruling AL will inevitably have a more daunting time dealing with a wholly democratically-elected (by a landslide, no less) BJP in India. That said, BNP ought to do its own rigourous homework on its policies and strategies to properly prepare to deal with this new government in India, should Khaleda Zia return her party to power in the near future. Personally, I much prefer to have a BNP government in Bangladesh dealing with a BJP one in India. It might seem counter-intuitive to many people, but I still feel these two proven principled, assertive political parties are (potentially) best suited to sort out the myriad “issues” between the two countries.

123 Yes, but did the democratic country have an election under a militant-backed CTG like you have been demanding?

No country in the world has an election under CTG, unless it is a failing or a failed state, and under this government Bangladesh is not a failing or a failed state, like Pakistan is today, but when BNP was running the country, Bangladesh was becoming

New record in pass rate, GPA 5 scores May 18 Tarik Chowdhury They pass the exam, but learn nothing.

Kaniz Fatema Tarik Chowdhury: Indeed.

Hossain Sajjad “This year, students faced creative question system on 21 subjects, while Nahid said some five lakh teachers were trained on the new system.”

This new system is going to create more pain in our education process.

Kaniz Fatema Hossain Sajjad: Completely agree with you, and yeah, it will be another painful system for students. I don’t think it’ll work to make them into human resources.

Police, polling officer killed in road crashes May 19

Rasel Adam I was there when the accident happened.

Shondhaya Tara Rasel Adam: Then it must be a sad experience for you. God bless them.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 11 represents T so fill T every time the figure 11 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

a failing state; that is why we had elections held under the CTG! Ronnie 123: Who are you talking to? I’m only assuming it could be me. Your circuitous comments are all too recognisable.

First, I’m no fan of a CTG system either; yet, everything the current ruling party has perpetrated both prior to, and subsequent to the January 5 national fiasco, (including most glaringly the upazila elections) prove at least two things: 1) As flawed and undesirable as the CTG system is, Bangladesh has obviously some way to go yet before ditching the practice for good; 2) BNP’s consistent argument that any election – let alone a free and fair national election – is impossible under this PM/ruling party has already been verily vindicated. By the way, heaven knows what you mean by a “militant-backed CTG.” Pulp fiction, I guess.

Now, your constant tantrums about Pakistan have gotten pretty stale ... pretty fast. I fail to understand this paranoia, though I know of its appeal as conventional propaganda against BNP. It simply doesn’t wash, to be honest. Your favoured party in Bangladesh has just lost its patron in India. I’d go so far as to say that had the AL held a credible, free election on January 5 (as was the overwhelming public demand in Bangladesh – not just mine or the BNP’s), then they would have met the same fate as the Congress has suffered in India. And gosh, look around the country today and tell everybody with a straight face that it doesn’t resemble a “failing” state.

SUDOKU How to solve: 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.

How history was made May 19 nds History is a sort of vegetable-like potato that one can use for any recipe that he or she likes. Mr Akbar, a long-time supporter of the Gandhi family, who put in all his available knowledge to glorify as the true representative of secularism, his one time favorite agenda, now finds history being made

by Modi. He is now finding the bright future and prospect of a shining India only in the hands of this leader. What an amazing volta face!

TJ Very well-written piece. The article captures the essence of the recent Indian election and singles out the reasons behind the BJP’s victory in the election.

BASIC bank seeks Tk600cr to plug capital gap

CROSSWORD ACROSS

DOWN

1 Wagers (4) 4 Passing crazes (4) 8 Liable (3) 9 Musical instrument (4) 10 Not working (4) 11 Male honey-bee (5) 12 Grotto (4) 14 Sharp blow (3) 15 Gratuity (3) 17 Tree (3) 19 Fate (3) 21 Article (4) 23 Satisfied fully (5) 26 Intellect (4) 27 Singing voice (4) 28 Bricks carrier (3) 29 Day labourer (US) (4) 30 Tear (4)

1 Card game (6) 2 Soft powder (4) 3 Weapon (5) 4 In favour of (3) 5 Concerning (5) 6 Spanish nobleman (3) 7 Bishop’s territory (3) 11 Storehouse (5) 13 Legally sound (5) 16 Went by (6) 18 Coat of arms phrase (5) 20 Singer (5) 22 Fashion (4) 23 Plant juice (3) 24 Beverage (3) 25 Vast age (3)

May 19

SM Tahidul Islam Hey, sure, let’s keep paying our taxes only to save those banks, as they clearly can’t save themselves.

Hasina calls Narendra Modi May 18

Samia Khan I wonder what he told her!

Sunny Leone to make Telugu debut May 18

Abu Syeed Why should this be published as news in Bangladesh?

Sheikh Jinat Mahmid Probably because a lot of people from Bangladesh have shown interest in knowing about her movies!

Derek Hess I’m a big fan of her work.

‘Biggest dinosaur ever’ discovered

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

May 18

PEANUTS

Sanchia Reaz Wow, just in time for release of the new Godzilla movie! Now that’s amazing!

Pass rate: A boon or bane?

May 18

Islam Shaheed Pity that many “Golden GPA 5 holders” do not even get pass marks on their university admission exams!

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Sunday, May 25, 2014

A reason to learn n Rushiba Ahmad

“S

Kiev has a chance to change things by electing a new leader

AFP

Notes from Ukraine

I

n Yuliya Zoricheva

t is February 18. Municipal authorities close the subway. Kiev has around 3 million residents.

Around 4:30pm the head of my office authorises staff to leave early due to danger. I drive to pick up my brother, and on the way home we give rides to two women. Pavements are crowded with people walking home, including the elderly.

The rest of the week is a blur. We “work from home.” I watch the news about the Maidan killings. One day, my friends and I make sandwiches for the protesters. It takes me two hours to get to the main square. The subway is still not operating.

The next day I go to a church close to Maidan – a sorting centre for food, medicine, closing, linens, blankets, etc. The church area is like an anthill, with some people bringing staff and volunteers sorting, packing, loading, and transporting materials to the protesters. They work in an assembly line.

I stay there to help for a while. As I see an old lady bringing used blankets and pillows and a young couple, most probably students, giving away old yoga mats, I recall the words of my father that Maidan protesters are paid by the West.

My cousin from Saint Petersburg emails me periodically. She asks why we hate Russians so much. At first I laugh, and then I don’t.

March

Crimea is gone. They always wanted to be part of Russia. I remember scornful comments my friend’s mother made about Ukraine and Ukrainians in Sevastopol seven years ago. To each his own, as they say, but I am afraid Putin won’t stop. And I feel sorry for the Crimean Tatars.

April

We expect a war, every night. Crimea was greatly subsidised from the state budget. Many Russians don’t know that. My cousin thinks Ukraine made that up. “Crimea is back” is like music to their ears, and they are deaf to any evidence-supported arguments.

Meanwhile, as Russian armed forces are stationed along the border with Ukraine, men enroll in the army, some volunteer, some are called up for military services. Women gather funds to buy food, clothing and flak jackets for the army. The army is in ruins. It has been systematically destroyed in the past 5 years.

a small village close to the border with Russia. She calls the protesters and the government in Kiev fascists. She says she has the right to speak Russian and no one will take it from her. I try to tell her about my personal experience, but she chooses to believe Russian mass media. She rebuffs all my arguments with intensely emotional responses.

It seems to me that there is a divide in the mentality of people in the East and the West. It is not even about the nationality. It is about the path they want to take and to what extent they are ready to leave their comfort zone to build the future they want. I also think that right now someone is skill-

Ukraine cannot win this unannounced war with Russia. This confrontation will continue as long as Russia and Europe-US have conflicting interests

before an official investigation is over.

A Russian friend calls it a Holocaust arranged by the Ukrainian nationalists.

Meanwhile, preliminary investigation reports show that in the burned down building, people died from chloroform poisoning. The question as to why chloroform was there remains unanswered. The city police head has fled the country. Ukraine is mourning.

Tensions rise.

May 11

Donbas holds a “referendum” that has no legitimacy. Voters do not need to produce an ID. There are no accurate voter lists. There is no law on regional referendum. But one cannot be blind to the fact that some people still vote.

I think Ukraine needs to acknowledge that some citizens are not happy with the government, and start a dialogue.

Currently, there is an anti-terrorist operation under way in Donbas. An open question remains as to who supplies weapons to separatists.

May 21

Meanwhile Donbas, an economically depressed area in the east of Ukraine, becomes another centre of conflict.

During Soviet times there was a large wave of labour migration to Donbas from various parts of the Soviet Union, and now it is primarily populated by Russian-speaking people. Naturally, many show affection towards Russia.

The influence of Russian TV channels is tremendous there.

Residents of Donbas represent a great share of voters who brought Yanukovych to power in 2010. And now many are not happy with the reshuffle.

Dialogues are not easy nowadays.

One day I call my aunt, a mine worker in

fully using divergence and differences to create hatred and fear.

May 2

Some 48 people die and 250 are injured during confrontations in Odessa, a major seaport along the coast of the Black Sea. The conflict begins as pro-Russian groups, with the police forces shielding them, open fire at pro-Ukrainian protesters. The fight ends with the burning down of a trade union building with pro-Russian groups in it.

Russian mass media immediately covers the event and focuses on the burning exclusively, accusing Ukraine

Four days before election day. The country needs a legitimate president.

This is that matters now. This is not an easy task with armed separatists occupying offices and intimidating election officials in Donbas.

This is also just the beginning.

Right now, Ukraine cannot win this unannounced war with Russia. This confrontation will continue as long as Russia and Europe-US have conflicting interests and influence. This is Ukraine’s chance to change things by becoming stronger, and we all hope that the new president will become the new leader of Ukraine’s consolidation and strengthening. l Yuliya Zoricheva works for an international organisation. She lives in Kiev.

tudy hard. It helps you become a good human being.”

This is probably a piece of advice most parents give to their children, or at least that’s what they should be doing. And children should be asking about the importance of studying at the very beginning of their student lives. It’s not enough to just do something with our lives, it has become vital to know why we do it.

What are we all studying for? Is it truly because we want to become good human beings? Is it working?

Maybe, but the real question is – does it matter?

Ask the people around you about the major problems in our country today, they will have an earful to give you. They’ll all tell you about the traffic jam, the poverty, the “bhejal” in our food, the electricity scarcity, the corruption ... the list goes on and on.

Sure we have a lot of problems, but all is not lost. There’s hope that someday these problems will just be vague fragments of our past. Since we have acknowledged these as problems, there must be some out there thinking about how to solve them. And one day, these people will break down the barriers and put these dilemmas to rest. I, for one, truly believe this. And so, even though these problems are frustrating, there are other problems that worry me more.

I’m worried about the problems that we don’t even consider as problems – the anomalies that our eyes fail to see. Like the way student life has become nothing but a mere chase for most, a chase for that high CGPA. Or that race to add more bullet points to our CVs, how only the students winning the race are treated as worth caring about and the rest are not looked upon twice, and the sheer ridiculousness of how teachers and parents alike are all part of this high pressure race, instilling in children’s minds that they have to top the class to be able to do something worthwhile in life.

The ones that do not shine through their academics are not thought about, for as long as the toppers are given attention, nothing else seems to matter. But sadly, it’s the students who have fallen a bit behind who need the most help.

Student life has become nothing but a mere chase for most, a chase for that high CGPA

This chase has made us lose focus of why we study at all. So, questions are getting leaked and students are committing suicide for not doing well in their exams. It’s almost as if children

are being brainwashed into believing that being the best in the competition, at any cost, is all that matters.

As long as you’re getting the highest grades – even if it’s in a dishonest way – you’re a shining star. What sort of a message is that to the younger generation?

Isn’t it sad that we are studying not for the sake of learning, but just to get through our exams?

Isn’t it a scary thought that the mindset of students, parents, and teachers today are all based around winning this horror of a competition? Isn’t this need to shine the reason why students resort to cheating? Isn’t it sad that we are studying not for the sake of learning, but just to get through our exams and to a position of respect?

If we don’t achieve the results our parents want us to, are we a lost case?

Society seems to think so. What if we need someone to still believe in us so that we can push ourselves forward to do something good with our lives? Will anyone believe in us if we don’t get the right grades?

It’s a sad and scary thought, for it shakes our faith in the growing generation, a generation that is slowly losing its grip on ethics. We memorise like totapakhis, and we vomit everything onto our exam papers year after year. But do our certificates or degrees ensure that we are “educated”? If we lose our morality in search of enlightenment, what value does it hold?

Traffic, corruption, etc are problems that we can hope will change. Adapting to these problems is not a sign that the human race has no future. But if we have to learn to live with the diminishing of ethics and morals, it will be hard to get out from the mess the human race will find itself in.

We can only get up so many times until we are in too deep to see the edge. All problems matter, but it is time we decide which ones matter enough for us to be terribly concerned.

At least we should start realising that they are indeed problems. Then, maybe someday, we ourselves will start to solve them. But first, we have to identify the problems themselves – the problems that are threatening the very existence of a world where goodness is of any value.

We need to remind ourselves of why we do what we do, so that we don’t do it for the wrong reasons. We, the next generation, are in dire need of being reminded of the right reasons, for we have many distractions to lead us towards the wrong ones. Remind us, won’t you? l Rushiba Ahmad is a freelance contributor.

Intruders? Not so fast n Junaed Shahid

T

his month, Indians elected Narendra Modi of the BJP to be the prime minister of the country – a man known to be a religious hardliner, and infamous for his actions (or lack thereof) in Gujarat during the communal riots of 2002 when he was the chief minister of the state. During his pre-election speeches, Modi referred to “illegal Bangladesh infiltrators” in India on several occasions, and pledged that if elected, he will make sure that they go back to Bangladesh.

It proved to be a successful election ploy for Modi, as he won a landslide victory, along with absolute majority in the Indian parliament. This is alarming for Bangladesh for two reasons. Firstly is the fact that the most powerful man in India at the moment harbours such beliefs. And secondly, that India is willing to vote him to power because he harbours such beliefs.

But is there really massive illegal intrusion by Bangladeshis to India as Modi and his supporters believe? Let us look at the information in hand.

India has over 140 million Muslims at the moment, and many of them are living as second class citizens in their own country. It has been widely reported that they are denied proper representation in civil and military services, and are even denied from opening bank accounts and renting suitable apartments in some cities.

Their education level is among the lowest in India, and their political representation is next to nil (the Modi-led BJP government does not have a single Muslim amongst the 282 members who won seats in parliament). This poor attitude towards Indian Muslims does not get the attention it deserves because of the rousing economic success that India’s elite enjoyed in the last two decades. But the fact remains, that for 140 million Muslims in India, life has been pretty bleak, and is about to get much worse with the Modi-led BJP in power.

Modi needs to accept the demographic realities of India and try to address genuine grievances Undoubtedly, a sizable chunk of the 140 million Muslims in India are Bengali-speaking (Bihar, Orissa, and Assam have languages that are close to Bengali as well, and historically they were part of greater Bengal), and it is this demographic group that Modi keeps referring to as “illegal Bangladeshi intruders.”

Forty-one of the accused “intruders” lost their lives in the first week

of Indian elections in Narayanguri, Assam. The situation bares resemblance with the Rohingya issue, as the Burmese government, like Modi, also claims that Rohingya Muslims who speak a language close to Bangla are actually Bangladeshis.

To label these people as Bangladeshis is just another form of economic marginalisation of the minority, and will undoubtedly cause tension not only amongst communities within India and Burma, but will also affect bilateral ties with the people of Bangladesh. This trend has historic connotations as well, and it dates back to colonial era that led up to the partition of Bengal, and later, the Indian sub-continent.

From a Bangladeshi point of view, this latest rhetoric by Modi is rather hollow and lacks factual evidence.

Over the past two decades, Bangladesh significantly curbed population growth, and enjoys lower rates of population increase (1.2%) compared to India (1.3%). Bangladesh also leads India on most social indicators such as life expectancy (69 vs 65), infant (aged<1) deaths per 1,000 live births (37 vs 47), infant (aged<5) deaths per 1,000 live births (46 vs 61), maternal death per 100,000 live births (194 vs 200), infant immunisation rate (94% vs 66%), female (aged 15 – 24) literacy rate (77% vs 74%), and underweight children (36% vs 44%). It is rather inconceivable that people would migrate to a country that has a lower standard

Is there trouble at the border? of living than their own.

Conversely, a large influx of people from India and Burma already had an adverse effect on the socio-economic environment of Bangladesh. An estimated 200,000 to 500,000 Rohingya refugees are living in Bangladesh at the moment, and they comprise largely of low-skilled peasants who are attracted to careers in crime and religious extremism in Bangladesh. In addition, an estimated half a million Indians are living and working illegally in Bangladesh, without paying any

AFP

taxes. They sent $3.7bn in remittance to India from Bangladesh in 2013, making Bangladesh the 5th largest source of income for Indians.

The Bangladesh government’s open door policy, along with economic marginalisation of people from the border states of India and Burma (mostly Muslims) makes Bangladesh an attractive location for illegal immigration. The Bangladesh Bank needs to do more to curb the illegal outflow of money, and the government needs to make sure that it is protecting the

country from illegal foreign intrusion.

With a high level of youth unemployment in Bangladesh, such a large inflow of people is not desirable for the economy and society in general.

As for Mr Modi, he needs to accept the demographic realities of India, and try to accommodate and address the genuine grievances of the economically marginalised Indians, including Bengali-speaking Indian Muslims. l Junaed Shahid is a development professional.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Nazrul’s film legacy and beyond n Hasan Mansoor Chatak Kazi Nazrul Islam, has many distinct features that set him apart from other more ordinary beings. Besides his literary talents, Nazrul was also an actor and a filmmaker, a fact that is hardly acknowledged. He is considered the pioneer filmmaker among the Bangalee Muslims of the subcontinent and his contributions to film range from direction, to music direction, songs, screenplay writing, acting and playback.

He was directly involved in approximately 17 to 18 films.

Nazrul’s film career took off in 1931, when he recited his poem “Naari” and rendered a song for the experimental and first ever sound film in Kolkata titled “Jolsha” under the historical Madan Theatres, originally a collection of short pieces of film consisting of song, recital and drama act. He worked for the film company to brush-up the voice of actors, because in sound films, every actor had to sing and therefore required a vocal coach. The following year, he worked in two films, “Tohollaad” and “Bishnu Maya.”

His major contribution in film was in 1934 when he co-directed “Dhrubo” with Satyendra Nath Dey and wrote 17 out of 18 songs of the film. He also played the character of Narod under the Pioneer Film Company. His work in the fantasy film collected both appraisal and criticism as he illustrated a young Narod in the film instead of the conventional image of the character.

In 1935, he worked as the music director and lyricist for the film “Paatal Purri,” developed an experimental tune “santhal jhumur” for a film which was centered on the Santhal people and

also enacted a short role in the movie.

In 1936, he gave music direction for “Groher Pher,” a murder-thriller-romance flick. Subsequently, he faced several obstacles when his capability as a music director was questioned by scholars of Bishyabharati when he got the opportunity to direct music in Rabindranath Tagore’s “Gora,” as all were Tagore songs. Following the incident, Nazrul got special permit from Tagore for the work.

His other remarkable work include the films “Bidyapoti” and “Sapurey,” the story and songs of both the films were written by Nazrul.

In 1941, under the chairmanship of Kazi Nazrul Islam, the first Bangalee Muslim production house was formed. Bengal Tiger Pictures, named after Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque had illustrious people in the committee including Abbas Uddin Ahmed, Humayun Kabir and others. However, the company never took off as Nazrul became seriously ill and their first project “Madina,” never came to light. His other noted work of 1941 include a song for the film “Nandini” and 8 songs for “Chourangi,” before he took to bed for his illness.

Nazrul’s love and devotion to God reflected in his works, while his political consciousness and activism was utterly absent in his films.

The Nazrul Institute has not yet archived the contribution of the literary doyen in the film arena. The films in which Nazrul worked are currently unavailable in any forms in Bangladesh, except for the one reel of his film “Dhrubo,” which has a total of 18 reels. The Nazrul Institute, sole research institute and autonomous body of the government, has no plan to collect this works and archive.

Anupam Hayat, Nazrul exponent and film

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Channel i to celebrate Nazrul’s 153rd birthday n Entertainment Desk Channel i will observe the 153rd birthday of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at their premises in Tejgaon today.

The organisation is gearing up to host the 9th “Nazrul Joyonti Mela” which will be conducted by Amirul Islam and Shahidul Alam Sachchu. The event is titled “AB Bank Channel i Nazrul Joyonti Mela.”Every aspect of Nazrul's life and work will be the focus of the event, which includes paintings on the legendary poet. The celebration is planned to be a colourful and fun-filled affair. The fair will have 20 stalls featuring products of the cottage and handicraft industries, Pansupari (betel nut and betel leaf) by Kona Reza and traditional food by Keka Ferdousi. Live performance of renowned Nazrul Geeti singers and dance will also be presented at the event.

Channel i will telecast the occasion live. l

Shilpakala to celebrate Nazrul’s birth anniversary n Entertainment Desk Poster of the film Chourangi where Nazrul worked as music director historian said: “Nazrul revolutionised the art of filmmaking during that era, when the Muslim community faced many restrictions. Nazrul made an impression on his disciples through his songs and films. His works inspired many to indulge in arts, culture and the overall business of the expressive medium.”

Rafiqul Islam, litterateur and eminent Nazrul exponent said: “Film and theatre related endeavors of Nazrul were his occasional acts along with his literary and musical pursuits. Unfortunately, many of his recordings for the radio are unaccessible today due to the lack of the archiving process and his films faced the same fate. It has become a necessity to archive his works that are still accessible.”

Nazrul’s film contributions face the threat of obscurity . To carry on the legacy of Nazrul, his work should be collected in every available form and archived by the Nazrul research institutes and organisations. l

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy’s celebration marking the 115th birth anniversary of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will begin with the laying of flower wreath to the poet’s grave in the Dhaka University campus this morning. A discussion and cultural programme will be held at the National Natyashala Auditorium at 6:30pm with the presence of littérateur Zillur Rahman Siddiqui as chief guest and novelist Rashid Haider as discussant.

BSA director general Liaquat Ali Lucky will preside the session.

A cultural show will take place after the session which will open with Nazrul’s granddaughter Khil Khil Kazi’s performance of the Nazrul song “Mora Ei Britte.”

The session will feature eminent singer Sujit Mostafa and a few others. Syed Hasan Imam who is an eminent actor and cultural personality will recite Nazrul’s peom “Manush,” Ahkamullah will recite “Bidrohi” and “Naari” will be recited by Mahmuda Akhter. Nobochetona and Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts ( BAFA) will perform dance pieces synchronised with popular Naz-

NAZRUL SPECIALS ON TV Gobhir Nishithe

“Gobhir Nishithe,” a drama based on Nazrul’s song will be aired on NTV at 9pm. Written

by Pantha Shahrear and directed by Noim Imtiaz Neamul, the drama features popular soap actor Intekhab Dinar, Badhon, Kazi Ujjal, Mahmudul Islam Mithu and many others. The plot of the drama revolves around a writer named Afzal who is working on a book. He revisits Rangamati as the place is related to the book he is writing. He passes a busy day hardly noticing when evening falls.

Slowly he begins to recall his previous visit where he became close to a woman named Nayantara, who was his only companion for three long months. He asks himself about his feelings for Nayantara.

Moron Pother Jatri

Based on Kazi Nazrul Islam’s poem “Obhishap,” a special drama titled “Moron Pother Jatri,” will be aired on Banglavision at 9:05pm. Written and directed by Kaunain Sourav, the drama features Anisur Rahman Milon, Sumaiya Shimu, Amirul Haque Chowdhury, SS Mohsin, Sayed Khan Dilu and many others. The plot of the drama revolves around Mir Shaheb’s daughter Aleya,

who is in a relationship with a flautist named Khaled. Aleya’s father refuses to accept their relationship and in his denial, throws Khaled out of the village. Deprived of all contact with Khaled, Aleya suffers from a nervous breakdown. After several attempts to get her treatment, her family finally succumbs into seeking out a spiritual healer who informs them that the problem lies with her family and they are the ones in need of treatment.

Agnigiri

“Agnigiri” featuring Arfan Nisho and Bidya Sinha Saha Mim will be aired at 8:25pm tonight on RTV. The play based on Nazrul Islam's short story with the same title has been adapted by Mohiuddin Ahmed and directed

by Sajjad Sumon. The story of the drama revolves around a self-effacing and religious college student named Sabur, played by Nisho, who pursues his studies by working as a lodging master in Patwar Ali Nasib Mia's home. He teaches Arabic and Persian to Patwar Mia’s only daughter Nurjahan played

by Mim. Sabur is shy in nature and never even looks at Nurjahan properly, and yet they fall in love with each other at one point. Faced with the harsh realities of life, their love story meets a tragic end.

A live programme ‘Droheo Tumi Premeo Tumi’ featuring a dance piece by Puja Sengupta will be aired from 8pm to 10pm tonight on SATV. The show also features musical session and recitations based on the work of the legendary Rebel Poet Nazrul

Nazrul

“Nazrul” will be aired tonight at 8pm on ATN Bangla. Popular actor Riaz will play the role of Nazrul in the single episode play which will air marking the birth anniversary of the rebel poet. Written and directed by Ferdous Hasan, the story is about a teacher who named his son Robi as a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore.

He was always in fear that his son will turn out to be a rebel like Nazrul. Growing up, Robi fails in all spheres of life. When his father cannot tolerate his son’s failure any longer, he advises Robi to read books of Rabindranath Tagore.

During his search, Robi stumbles upon works of Nazrul which gives him a new purpose in life.

Did you know?

Newcastle’s Shola Ameobi has made more substitute appearances (138) in the Premier League than any other player

Sport

Sunday, May 25, 2014

14 Brazil hit by new pre-World Cup strikes, protests

14 Chelsea to sell David Luiz to PSG in record deal

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Zamora fires 10-man QPR back into Premier League

Real secure La Decima Real Madrid capped the 2013-14 season with a hard fought 4-1 win over city rivals Atletico Madrid in the final of the Uefa Champions League in Lisbon yesterday.

The decisive moment came in the sixth minute of the second half of the extra time Gareth Bale headed Real into the lead while Marcelo added the third two minutes later, the rout was completed by Ronaldo who converted a penalty in the last minute of extra time.

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos scored the equaliser with just a minute left of the five minute stoppage time against Atletico Madrid to take the match into extra time with an unlikely 1-1 score line after Atletico played a more measured game and looked set to win a tactical battle 1-0.

Gareth Bale broke through the Ateltico defence with a solo effort in the 32nd minute but put his shot just wide from the middle of the box.

A mistake from Real goalkeeper Iker

Casillas handed Atletico the lead in the 37 minute. It was Diego Godin again, the centre back who scored the title-winning goal at Barcelona seven days ago. A corner from the right was half cleared by the head of a Real defender, and the defence charged out Casillas came into no man’s land, and Godin got above Khedira near the penalty spot to loop a gentle header towards goal. Casillas ran back desperately and clawed the ball out, but it was behind the line when by the time he got there.

In the 45th minute Real earned a corner on the left but Di Maria’s outswinger was headed away by Villa.

Six minutes after the resumption Atletico midfielder Koke’s left-wing cross bounced across the line of the area to Raul Garcia, who shot over from an advantageous position.

The game started on an unexpected note as Atletico started with injured striker Diego Costa, but the gamble did not pay off as he limped off the pitch in the 7th minute.

This mirrored his early substitution against Barcelona a week ago, except this time around Atletico did not go one to secure a fairy tale finish to what has been an epic and unprecedented season. l

Karate team finish runner-up in Nepal

Sarwar Imran appointed as Tigers assistant coach

Bangladesh karate team finished as runner-up in the 8th NSKA International Martial Art Karate Championship which concluded in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.

Bangladesh bagged five more gold medals on the closing day.

Bangladesh won a total of 12 medals including seven golds, two silvers and three bronzes. Nasima Akter Jui was adjudged the best player of the tournament in women’s section.

On the last day, Munni Khanom clinched gold in women’s single kata event where her compatriot Jui won

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) named Sarwar Imran as national team’s assistant coach yesterday for the threematch ODI series against India in June.

Imran, who is considered as one of the most respected coaches in the country with three decades of coaching experience, will assist the new national head coach Chandika Hathurusingha.

Hathurusingha, the former Sri Lanka cricketer, is likely to take charge of the Tigers on June 10.

On previous occasions Imran per-

RESULTS Real Madrid Ramos 90+3, Bale 110, Marcelo 118, Ronaldo 120-pen

Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring a goal against Atletico Madrid during their Champions League final at the Luz Stadium in Lisbon yesterday

formed well in his roles as the head coach, assistant coach and the bowling coach of the national team. He has also worked as the head coach of the A team, Bangladesh Under-19 team and National Academy teams for different tenures.

“We have appointed [Sarwar Imran] Imran bhai as the assistant coach for the upcoming India series,” said BCB cricket operations committee chairman Akram Khan yesterday.

“Since the head coach (Hathurusingha) arrives on June 10, Imran bhai will begin the training from Monday (tomorrow),” Akram revealed. “He has

Mariners thrash Old Ideals in premier handball Dhaka Mariner Young’s Club thrashed Old Ideals 41-10 in the Cute Premier Division Handball League at the handball stadium yesterday. The winners led the first half 23-3.

For Mariners Hamidur scored 10, Miozanir 7 while Robiul and Rakibul both scored 6 goals each.

In the other match of the day, Prime Sporting Club beat Menzis Krira Chakra 45-27 with the winners leading the first half 21-14.

Imran scored 11, Ashik 10 while Shandhi and Mamun scored 7 each. l

been Bangladesh’s coach before. He will be with the team till the India series and then we will take it from there.”

When queried about when the other recruited national coaching staffs are likely to join, Akram replied, “The trainer is likely to come by June 5 or 6.

Our local trainer Ifti (Iftikhairul Islam) will work with the players till then.”

Bangladesh’s preliminary squad for the India series will start training from tomorrow. The players have been asked to report to assistant coach Imran at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at 8.30am. l

Atletico Godin 36

REUTERS

Nat’l Championship starts today The 34th National Cricket Championship 2014 kicks off today. The first day will see 12 games from the first round of the tournament being played at different venues across the country.

In Khulna Division, Khulna will face Bagerhat in Jessore while Jessore will lock horns with Jhenaidah in Narail.

In Sylhet Division, Moulvibazar and Sunamhanj will come face to face at Sylhet.

Chittagong will face Bandarban in Cox’s Bazar in the day’s only game from Chittagong Division while in Barisal Division, Patukhali will play against Barisal in Barisal.

Nilphamari will take on Lalmonirhat while Ranpur will face Panchagar in the day’s two games from Rangpur Division.

From Rajshahi Division, Pabna will face Chapinawabgonj at Rajshahi Divisional Stadium while Rajshahi will take on Sirajgonj in Bogra.

In Dhaka Division, Narayangonj will face Netrakona while Mymensingh and Manikgon will be locking horns against Gazipur and Sariatpur respectively.

The first round of the 50 over competition will be played on pitches covered by mat. The sixty-four participating district teams are divided into 14 groups where the teams will play according to league system in the first round. l

Maruf to become Sheikh Jamal’s chief technical advisor

Bangladesh won a total of 12 medals including seven golds, two silvers and three bronzes silver. Munni also grabbed gold in the women’s open kumi event.

Nasima Akter Jui, who earlier won two golds on the opening day, clinched her third gold in the women’s minus 55kg kumi event. Nipasha won bronze in the minus 50kg kumi.

Md Hasan Khan and Md Shamim Osman were the only ones from Bangladesh who won gold in men’s section. Hasan Khan bagged gold in men’s single open kata event while Shamim Osman won gold in men’s single minus 60kg kumi.

Shamim also won silver in open single kumi and bronze in U-18 age group kata category. Bangladesh men’s team also won bronze in men’s team kumi event. l

4 1

Bangladesh karate team display their runners-up trophy of the NSKA International Martial Arts Karate Championship at Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday COURTESY

Sheikh Jamal are all set to appoint former Sheikh Russell coach Maruful Haque as the club’s chief technical consultant today for the rest of the season.

Maruf guided Sheikh Russell to their historic treble winning campaign last season before being sacked by the club on 20th April for the club’s poor performance in the ongoing season. Maruf had criticized Sheikh Jamal on many occasions since the club’s foundation but he couldn’t reject when the club president Manjur Kader offered him the job over phone on Friday. Maruf will be officially appointed as the technical advisor today, confirmed Manjur Kader yesterday.

“This team required a very good consultant like Maruf. He is experienced and to protect our championship, we need a technical consultant or advisor whose experience would guide the team in the right way,” said Sheikh Jamal president Manjur Kader.

“His position will lie between the coach and the manager. We expect a very good result for the team from him,” he added.

From main critic to technical advisor, Maruf wants to see the change from a professional points of view. “I don’t have any personal problem with Sheikh Jamal and any official of the club. Whatever I said before was the demand of the situation and for the sake of the club I coached. I spoke for

Sheikh Russell and it didn’t stop me from being sacked. The professional football world is like that,” explained Maruf.

Maruf’s actual job will be to share his experience and thoughts with the club and the players. “Everything will be like before. All the responsibility will be on the coach (Joseph Afusi). I will only share my knowledge and experience,” he added.

This new role will see Maruf reunited with players from his former club.

Sony Norde and Mamunul Islam, who were the most influential catalysts in Maruf’s treble winning campaign with Sheikh Russell last season, left the club for Jamal at the beginning of this season. l

Record-setting Yusuf powers KKR to second spot A phenomenal knock from Yusuf Pathan, who blasted his way to a 22-ball 72, catapulted Kolkata Knight Riders to the second-place in the point table as the hosts hammered Sunrisers Hyderabad by four wickets in their final IPL match at a jam-packed Eden Gardens yesterday.

Pathan made full use of the two lives to smash the fastest fifty in IPL history as KKR knocked off a 161-run target in 14.2 overs when they were required to overhaul it in 15.2 to make it to top-two.

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib al Hasan conceded only 25 runs including a rear maiden in his four overs and took a wicket despite missing one when Yusuf dropped Darren Sammy before

the latter scored his first run. But in the second half the in-form batsman Shakib given his wicket away scoring only 1 run.

Pathan enthralled the packed Eden Gardens crowd with his exceptional knock which featured seven sixes and five fours. After being dropped on nought and 15, he completed his half-century in just 15 balls.

The result pushed Chennai Super Kings to third place and KKR will now clash with table toppers Kings XI Punjab in the first Qualifier on May 27 at Eden Gardens.

Leading run-getter Robin Uthappa (41) and Gautam Gambhir (28) set up the chase before Yusuf’s blitz. Yusuf was on his way back to dug out before he could open his account after hitting straight to midwicket fielder Anirudha, who dropped the sitter.

BRIEF SCORES Hyderabad 160/7 (20ov) Dhawan 29, Sammy 29, Shakib 1/25 Kolkata 161/6 (14.2ov) Yusuf 72, Uthappa 41, Sharma 4/38 Kolkata won by 4 wickets Bangalore 154/6 (20ov) Kohli 73, Yuvraj 25, Nehra 3/33 Chennai 160 (17.4ov) du Plessis 54, Dhoni 49, Rampaul 1/21 Chennai won by 8 wickets It would have been a second wicket in the Karn Sharma’s over after the leggie dismissed Manish Pandey but the breather turned around KKR’s fortunes as they were reeling 78/4 in 9.4 overs after Uthappa (41) and Ten Doeschate were dismissed in the same over.

Yusuf made his intention clear in the next over when he slammed Parvez Rasool one six and a boundary and even got a second life when Steyn dropped him at the square leg boundary, that went over the rope. The JK spinner leaked 22 runs in that over.

Steyn had to bear the brunt of dropping Yusuf as the biggest onslaught from the Baroda hitter came only against the South African speedster who conceded 26 runs in his last over with two sixes and three fours.

Such was Yusuf’s fury that he made the world’s no 1 bowler look sorry with the bowling sequence of 4-6-6-4-4-2. ate flourish from skipper Darren SRH skipper Darren Sammy (29) had guided Sunrisers to a 160 for seven after being invited to bat. Shikhar Dhawan (29 from 31 balls) and Naman Ojha (26 from 23 balls) also contributed in team’s total. l

Yusuf Pathan celebrates his 15-ball half century against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Kolkata yesterday

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Klose ready to break records in Brazil

Germany’s veteran striker Miroslav Klose has said he will be “100 percent” ready for next month’s World Cup in Brazil, where he aims to break the tournament’s goal record. With 14 goals at three previous World Cup finals, the 35-year-old Klose is just one short of Brazil striker Ronaldo’s record of 15 for the all-time goal-scorer. As one of only two strikers in the squad, the veteran says he will be ready when Germany open their Group G campaign against Portugal in Salvador on June 16 after being blighted by injury at his Italian club Lazio from the end of March until the start of May. – AFP

Sport

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Katsouranis rejects talk of division

Greece vice-captain Kostas Katsouranis stressed there were no rifts in the squad ahead of the World Cup after publicly apologising to team mate Giannis Maniatis for a public bust-up while playing for their clubs. The pair, two of coach Fernando Santos’ most senior players among his 23-man squad, almost came to blows in controversial circumstances in a tense Greek Cup semi-final last month. PAOK midfielder Katsouranis, 34, was sent-off in the April 16 match against Maniatis’ Olympiakos, and both players had to be separated after the final whistle as scuffles broke out.

– Reuters

Lahm and Neuer join Germans

Coach Joachim Loew welcomed Philipp Lahm and Manuel Neuer into Germany’s pre-World Cup camp on Saturday before holding a closed doors training session on Saturday to fine-tune their Brazil 2014 plans. German captain Lahm, who has laboured with an ankle injury, and goalkeeper Neuer (shoulder) finally joined the squad late on Friday having missed the first few days in north Italy where Loew’s squad assembled on Wednesday for their 10-day camp. The Bayern Munich pair had remained in the Bavarian capital to receive intense treatment from the German Football Association (DFB).

–AFP

Brazil hit by new pre-World Cup strikes, protests

Toure receiving treatment in Qatar for ‘minor’ injury

Brazil faced new protests and strikes Friday as bus drivers continued their walkout in Sao Paulo’s suburbs and Rio de Janeiro braced for demonstrations 20 days from the World Cup. The bus drivers’ strike stranded commuters in 10 towns in the greater Sao Paulo metropolitan area for a second day.

It came on the heels of a two-day strike by their colleagues in the city center that affected more than a million people and caused transport chaos in the country’s economic capital.

The suburban drivers are demanding a 10-percent salary increase, like their counterparts in the city.

“Only 13 buses left the garage” in the suburb of Osasco, said union spokesman Roberto Meiado, quoted by news website G1.

Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, has 20 million people in its greater metropolitan area, and buses are the backbone of its public transportation network.

Employees of its metro system are

meeting next week to decide whether to stage their own strike.

Brazil has been hit by a wave of strikes and protests in the months leading up to the World Cup and elections in October.

Teachers, police and bank security guards have all gone on strike in recent days. A new protest by activists opposed to the cost of hosting the World Cup was meanwhile planned for Friday evening in Rio de Janeiro.

The protesters say the more than $11 billion being spent on the tournament would have been better used on education, health care, housing and transport.

On Thursday, thousands of people joined a similar rally in Sao Paulo organized by the Homeless Workers’ Movement. Sao Paulo will host the opening match of the World Cup on June 12, and Rio the final on July 13.

Last year, protests during the Confederations Cup, a World Cup dress rehearsal, drew one million people to the streets and at times turned violent, to the embarrassment of tournament organizers. l

Long-serving Ameobi to leave Newcastle

Hillsborough jury visit disaster scene

Nigeria striker Shola Ameobi is to leave Newcastle after 14 years with the Premier League club.

Ameobi’s current contract expires imminently and after discussions with Magpies boss Alan Pardew, he has decided to bring down the curtain on his long spell at St James’ Park. The 32-yearold was handed his senior debut by Bobby Robson as a teenager, but often struggled to establish himself in the starting line-up, with a succession of managers preferring to use their own signings instead of the youth team product.

“Following discussions with Newcastle, both parties felt it was the right time for us to part company,” Ameobi said. l

Jurors on the inquests into the deaths of 96 football supporters in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster visited the stadium on Friday to witness the scene of the tragedy for themselves.

The 11-strong jury visited the Hillsborough ground in Sheffield, northern England, where Liverpool fans were crushed to death on a terrace in Britain’s worst sporting disaster.

Listening through wireless headphones, the jurors were guided by Lord Justice John Goldring, the coroner presiding over the inquests, to some of the key locations around the stadium, home to second-tier side Sheffield Wednesday.

They were taken to the site of pens

A graffiti painted by Brazilian street artist Paulo Ito on the entrance of a public schoolhouse in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Friday. A picture of the graffiti depicting a starving child with nothing to eat but a football has been shared more than 50,000 times on Facebook AFP

three and four at the Leppings Lane end of the ground, formerly a fenced-in standing section which is now covered by open seating.

Orange tape illustrated the height of the fence dividing the two pens, while a cane was placed at the front of the terrace to show the height of the fence between the pitch and the pens.

They also saw the tunnel leading to the area, plus the site of the former gymnasium, which was used as a make-shift morgue on the day of the disaster, but is now a club shop.

The jurors were also taken to the train station where some Liverpool supporters arrived from, a pub where some of them drank before the game and hospitals where casualties were taken. l

Chelsea to sell Luiz to PSG in record deal David Luiz is on the verge of joining Paris St Germain after Chelsea on Friday revealed they have agreed a deal to sell the Brazil defender to the French champions.

Luiz’s move is reported to be worth a world record fee for a defender of £50 million ($84 million, 61 million euros) and the transfer will be rubber-stamped once he has agreed personal terms and passed a medical.

“Chelsea Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed terms for the transfer of David Luiz to the French club,” a statement on Chelsea’s website announced.

“The move is now subject to David Luiz agreeing personal terms with PSG and passing a medical examination.”

PSG representatives are believed to

Evra signs new deal with United

Colombian national players Jackson Martinez (C), Carlos Sanchez (L) and goalkeeper Farid Mondragon play during the farewell for the squad ahead of the Fifa World Cup Brazil 2014, at the Campin stadium in Bogota, on Friday. The team is heading to Argentina to play friendly matches against Senegal and Jordan as part of their preparation for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil AFP

Klinsmann praises Donovan reaction United States coach Juergen Klinsmann praised Landon Donovan on Friday for the “professional” way he handled being left off the World Cup squad and kept the door open for him to return in case of injuries.

But the German gave few clues as to the motives behind the controversial decision announced on Thursday to leave Donovan, the country’s all-time top scorer, off the final 23-man squad saying other forwards had just edged out the Californian.

“He said that he doesn’t kind of understand it, he thinks he should have been in the 23 which is well taken. I want the player to speak up and say that,” Klinsmann told a news conference in Palo Alto, California.

“I tried to lay out a couple of reasons, those are technical parts ... I am not going into those details right now. I told him that I hope for his understanding and that he stands by us and that if something happens tomorrow and that I can call him and he is back right away.

“He assured me that 24/7 he is at our disposal and when the call comes he

is ready to go but obviously he also expressed his disappointment but also in a very professional way - I admire that a lot.”

“As a coach you have to make a decision based on what you want to execute in Brazil, what do you want to see and how do you want to build those components into the group,” said the former Germany striker and coach.

“I felt, we coaches felt, that the guys we chose are a little step ahead of Landon in certain areas.” Asked for specifics on what areas Donovan had been lacking in, Klinsmann threw the ball back to the media but gave some clues. l

Yaya Toure is receiving treatment in Qatar for an unspecified injury before joining up with his Ivory Coast team mates at their World Cup training camp in the United States, the Ivorian Football Federation said on Friday.

He is the only one of the 28 players named in the preliminary squad by coach Sabri Lamouchi to miss the start of World Cup preparations in Dallas on Thursday.

The midfielder will only fly to the US next Thursday to join up with his colleagues, the federation added in a statement.

The Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha confirmed the African Footballer of the Year’s admission for what it called, in a statement, a “minor injury”.

Toure had suffered a thigh injury in mid-April but returned after two weeks to help Manchester City secure the Premier League title. On the last day of the season on May 11 he went off in the second half with a reported hamstring injury as City beat West Ham. Toure’s build-up to the June and July finals in Brazil has been overshadowed this week by comments from his agent Dimitri Seluk who said the midfielder was upset with City after an apparent birthday snub and could leave the English champions. l

Patrice Evra ended speculation that he was set to leave Manchester United by signing a one-year contract extension with the Premier League club on Friday.

France left-back Evra was reportedly considering quitting United after eight years but, following the confirmation of Louis van Gaal’s appointment as the team’s new manager, he has decided to extend his contract, which was due to expire next week, by another 12 months.

A tweet from United’s official Twitter account read: “We can confirm that Patrice Evra has extended his contract at mufc for another year.”

Evra seemed likely to leave after it emerged that United had tabled a bid for Southampton’s England left-back Luke Shaw. l

Duff, Riise among Fulham exits after relegation Damien Duff, John Arne Riise and Mahamadou Diarra were among the casualties of Fulham’s relegation from the Premier League as the west London club announced a string of departures on Friday.

Republic of Ireland winger Duff, Norway left-back Riise and Mali midfielder Diarra have all been released, with Steve Sidwell, Giorgos Karagounis and John Heitinga also among nine players who have left Fulham following their slide into English football’s second tier. l

have flown out to Brazil to complete Luiz’s medical at the World Cup hosts’ training base on Friday.

The French club’s willingness to shatter the record for a defender was motivated by their desire to seal a deal before Barcelona or Bayern Munich

could swoop for the centre-back.

PSG claim the formalities of the deal will be completed on June 10 to ensure Luiz can concentrate on the forthcoming World Cup. A statement on the PSG website read: “Paris St Germain, Chelsea FC and David Luiz would like to confirm that they reached an agreement regarding the terms of an upcoming transfer of the Brazilian defender that would occur during the next transfer window which is to start on 10 June 2014.

“In accordance with the player’s wish to prepare for and play in the World Cup in his home country in the best possible conditions, both clubs and David Luiz wished to reach an agreement as soon as possible between, on the one hand, Paris St Germain and Chelsea FC, and on the other, between the Parisian club and the player, in order to formalise the transfer as soon as the transfer window opens.” l

Ronaldo hopes Brazil can deliver home triumph Embarrassed about his country’s inability to complete the promised infrastructure ahead of next month’s World Cup, Brazil great Ronaldo believes the hosts will get it right on the pitch and win the tournament for a record sixth time.

Brazil will stage the World Cup in June and July for the first time since 1950 and are favourites to lift the trophy at the Maracana stadium on July 13.

The hosts have struggled to build stadiums on time and many of the promised infrastructure projects such as airports, bus lanes, and metro lines have been either cancelled or scaled down.

Ronaldo, who as a member of the Local Organising Committee is one of the most visible backers of soccer’s world governing body FIFA and the Brazilian government, said Brazil has always faced problems of “corruption, embezzlement, overcharging” and he lamented the late delivery of stadiums, three of which are still not ready.

“In 2007 when they decided that the World Cup would be in Brazil, President Lula signed everything and agreed to everything and then they get here and there’s this bureaucracy, total confusion and lateness,” Ronaldo told Reuters in an interview on Friday at his office in Sao Paulo.

“It’s a shame. I am embarrassed, this is my country and I love it and we shouldn’t be transmitting this image abroad,” he added.

“But we mustn’t forget that Brazil wasn’t perfect before the World Cup. It was the same or worse.”

The former Barcelona, Real Madrid

and Inter Milan striker is betting on Brazil to win the competition, with Germany his second favourites, followed closely by Argentina and Spain.

Brazil are on a rich run of form and have won 13 of their last 14 encounters, including the five games that won them the Confederations Cup last year.

However, no side has ever won the World Cup a year after lifting the Confederations trophy and there is also the little matter of pressure. Local fans are desperate for a home win and yet only six players in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s 23-man squad have been to a World Cup before.

Ronaldo, 37, said the players were experienced enough for the big occasion and will be well prepared by Scolari - the man who led Brazil to their last title triumph in 2002, with the help of two goals from Ronaldo in the final.

The first match against Croatia on June 12 could set the tone for the tournament, he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Makelele rubber stamps Bastia coaching deal

QUICK BYTES

Women’s Club Cup from today The 6th Women’s Club Cup will begin today. The 14 teams participating in the tournament this season are Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited, Abahani Ltd, Kalabagarn Krira Chakra, Khalaghar Shamaj Kalyan Shamity, Associates in Community and Rural Development, Rayer Bazar Athletic Club, Dhaka Cricketers, Indira Road K.C., Jahurul Islam City Cricket Club, Dipali Jubo Shangha, BKSP, Gulshan Youth, Ansar & VDP and Orient Sporting Club.

– Tribune Desk

Joe Cole to leave West Ham West Ham United have released former England midfielder Joe Cole, the Premier League club said on Friday. Cole, 32, first joined the club 20 years ago and had two spells with them. He moved to Chelsea in 2003, staying for seven years and winning the Premier League three times, then had three years at Liverpool, one of them spent on loan to French club Lille. Returning to London in January last year on an 18-month contract, he could not command a regular place and was not offered a new deal. His 56 games for England, with 10 goals, included appearances at three World Cups. Defender George McCartney and midfielder Jack Collison have also been released, West Ham said on their website (www.whufc.com).

– Reuters

Watford sign goalkeeper Gomes Championship side Watford have signed Brazilian goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes on a free transfer from Tottenham.

“Heurelho Gomes has agreed terms on a one-year deal at Vicarage Road and will officially become a Watford player on July 1,” the clubs said on its website. The 33-year-old Gomes spent part of last season on loan at German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim. He made 135 appearances for Tottenham over a six-year period having arrived at White Hart Lane from PSV Eindhoven in 2008. But his last game for Spurs was in November 2011 and he subsequently lost his place to Brad Friedel and then Hugo Lloris.

Having been given his international bow in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Gomes was also part of Brazil’s 2010 World Cup squad in South Africa.

– AFP

Murray close to hiring new coach Wimbledon champion Andy Murray on Friday revealed he is close to appointing a new coach after identifying the person he wants to succeed Ivan Lendl.

Murray began his coaching search last month after the announcement that the Scottish star’s successful two-year partnership with Lendl had ended. The 27-year-old, who won Wimbledon, the US Open and the men’s Olympic singles gold medal during his time with Lendl, has been linked with legends like John McEnroe and Mats Wilander, as well as well-respected coaches Bob Brett and Larry Stefanki. Brett and Roger Rasheed have been considered by Murray in the past but the latter’s successful partnership with Grigor Dimitrov means he is not a contender this time.

– AFP

Leicester complete treble swoop Newly promoted Leicester made a treble swoop for Marc Albrighton, Matt Upson and Jack Barmby on Friday as the Foxes prepare for life in the Premier League. Nigel Pearson’s side booked their place in the English top-flight by winning the Championship and they have wasted no time strengthening the squad for the step up in class. Albrighton was the most significant of the signings, with the 24-year-old agreeing to join on a free transfer from Aston Villa.

– AFP

DAY’S WATCH Sony Six Indian Premier League 4:30PM Punjab v Delhi 8:30PM Mumbai v Rajasthan Star Sports 1 3:30PM Badminton Thomas & Uber Cups 2014 Star Sports 2 3:30PM England v Sri Lanka Second ODI Star Sports 4 5:45PM F1: Monaco GP Main Race

15

Sunday, May 25, 2014

QPR’s English striker Bobby Zamora scores the winning goal against Derby County during their English Championship Play Off final at Wembley Stadium in London on yesterday AFP

Zamora fires 10-man QPR back into Premier League Ten-man QPR clinched promotion to the Premier League in dramatic fashion as Bobby Zamora’s stoppage-time strike secured a 1-0 win over Derby in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

Harry Redknapp’s side were reduced to 10 men for the final 30 minutes after Gary O’Neil’s red card, but Zamora punished a mistake by Richard Keogh to steal victory against the run of play and ensure the west Londoners will make a quick and lucrative return to the English top-flight after last season’s relegation.

It was a real smash and grab raid by QPR, who struggled to find any rhythm even before O’Neil’s dismissal, but although Derby dominated they had only themselves to blame for failing to make

the most of their chances.

QPR’s triumph made them the first team to win promotion after finishing fourth in the second tier for 16 years.

In a scrappy first half, McClaren’s men appealed in vain for a penalty when teenage midfielder Will Hughes raced onto Jamie Ward’s pass, cleverly turned back in the other direction and took a tumble after Richard Dunne’s awkward challenge.

Robert Green came to QPR’s rescue in the 40th minute when he plunged low to his left to turn away an inswinging free-kick from Ward that almost crept in at the far post.

The momentum swung back in Derby’s favour moments later when O’Neil was sent off in the 60th minute.

Hughes seized on a loose pass and picked out Johnny Russell, who flicked

the ball through Dunne’s legs and appeared poised to bear down on goal until O’Neil’s desperate lunge sent him crashing to the turf and brought a red card from referee Lee Mason.

McClaren’s side tried to press home their numerical advantage and substitute Craig Bryson drew a smart save from Green before Martin’s near-post strike was repelled by the former England goalkeeper.

And with extra-time looming there was an astonishing sting in the tale.

QPR winger Junior Hoilett showed great determination to win the ball wide on the right, but his cross should have been cleared by Keogh.

Instead the Derby defender diverted his clearance straight to Zamora, who could hardly believe his luck as he dispatched a fine first-time finish past Lee Grant to send QPR back to the big time. l

Paris Saint-Germain assistant boss Claude Makelele has finalised a twoyear deal to manage Bastia, the Ligue 1 side confirmed on Friday.

This will be the 41-year-old former Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG midfielder’s first full managerial role.

He will arrive in Corsica on Monday to sign a deal to succeed Frederic Hantz, who in a four-year spell gained Bastia promotion to Ligue 1 with a 10th place finish last term.

Makelele will be assisted by former Bordeaux player Didier Tholot, 50, who coached Ligue 2 Châteauroux from June 2010 to late 2013.

Goalkeeping coach Hervé Sekli will remain and has signed a three-year deal.

Makelele has acted as PSG’s assistant manager since 2011 after his retirement from the pitch where he won the Champions League with Real in 2002, and the Premier League title with Chelsea in 2005 and 2006. He has also won league titles in France with Nantes in 1995 and twice in Spain with Real in 2001 and 2003.

He played 71 times for France, and was part of Raymond Domenech’s side that were beaten on penalties by Italy in the final of the 2006 World Cup. l

Pietersen slams Downton over axe row Kevin Pietersen has blasted England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton for claiming he was uninterested during the dismal Ashes series in Australia.

Downton launched a scathing attack on former England batsman Pietersen during an interview with BBC Radio’s Test Match Special on Thursday.

The ECB chief said Pietersen appeared “disinterested” and “distracted” in the fifth Test in Sydney, and that he was unable to find anyone within the England set-up who wanted the controversial 33-year-old to remain in the team.

England’s thrashing in the Test series in Australia was the beginning of the end for Pietersen, who was reported to have strained relations with several members of the squad and was eventually axed in February with

Downton overseeing the decision.

Until recently, the ECB’s explanations for effectively ending the South Africa-born star’s international career had contained only limited detail, but while Downton may have been hoping to draw a line in the sand on Thursday, Pietersen’s response ensures the saga will rumble on.

“The suggestion that I was uninterested during the winter Ashes series against Australia is wholly untrue,” Pietersen said in a statement.

“Although I was having injections in my knee, which inhibited my mobility and thus my ability to field close to the wicket, I was fully motivated to play for England and whilst I accept that the series as a whole fell well below my own personal standards, I finished the series as the top scorer.

“I did, and continue to have a good relationship with most of the England players.” l

Corruption inquiry nears Hamilton hints at ‘Senna-style’ revenge on Rosberg end: ICC chief An inquiry into corruption that has rocked world cricket is entering its final stages, officials said Saturday, as former New Zealand international Chris Cairns was to fly to London to be interviewed by police.

Cairns has vehemently denied any involvement in corruption but believes he is the person alleged to be “Player X” -- the match-fixing ringleader mentioned by former team-mates Lou Vincent and Brendon McCullum.

International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Dave Richardson said he believed investigators were “not far

away” from interviewing Cairns and the inquiry would be wrapped up in a matter of weeks.

“We are at the end of the investigation. It is close to being finalised and I’m sure Chris Cairns will be spoken to and given an opportunity to put his side of the story,” Richardson told Radio Sport.

Cairns’ lawyer confirmed to the New Zealand Herald that he was heading to England on Saturday to be interviewed.

“Chris Cairns is meeting with the Met police to conclude the interview he started and is also hoping to meet with the ICC anti-corruption unit,” lawyer Aaron Lloyd said. l

Lewis Hamilton has hinted that he may inflict ‘Senna-style’ revenge on his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix as payback for the German’s controversial pole-claiming performance in qualifying on Saturday.

Race stewards are holding a lengthy investigation into the authenticity of a mistake made by Rosberg which evidently incensed Hamilton.

The world championship-leading Briton, who has always held an emotional fascination with three-time champion Brazilian Ayrton Senna, sug-

gested he may copy one of his idol’s moves.

Asked to compare his currently strained relationship with his teammate and closest championship rival Rosberg with the infamous rivalry at McLaren of Senna and Frenchman Alain Prost, Hamilton said he was thinking of taking his own action.

When a BBC reporter asked: “Are you even more like Senna and Prost now?” Hamilton replied “Essentially.”

Then asked if he would sit down (with Rosberg) and “sort it out,” the Englishman said: “I don’t know if Senna and Prost sat down and talked it out.

“I quite like the way Senna dealt

Rivals wary of clay king Nadal’s backlash Rafael Nadal might be seen by some as losing his grip on the French Open crown, but his main rivals for the title don’t share that view ahead of Sunday’s opening day at Roland Garros.

The 27-year-old Spaniard has been strangely subdued during the long buildup to the consecration of the claycourt tennis season with just the one title to his name - at Madrid when Japan’s Kei Nishikori was forced to retire in the final with a back injury.

Quarter-final defeats to David Ferrer in Monte Carlo and Nicolas Almagro in Barcelona were shocking and he was swept aside in the second and third sets by Novak Djokovic in the Rome final last week.

But ATP tour events are one thing, taking on eight-time winner Nadal at his Roland Garros stronghold is quite another. French hope Jo-Wilfried Tsonga said that it would be pure folly to downplay the Spaniard’s hopes of a record ninth title in Paris.

“If we have to look at the results these last couple of weeks, of course we can say that,” he said.

“But when we look, you know, in

Spanish Rafael Nadal poses for photographers on a tennis court built in front of the Eiffel tower ahead of the 2014 French Open in Paris on Thursday AFP the past, there is no reason to say Rafa is different than the other years.

“You know, he’s still the same guy, the same champion, and I’m sure he wants to win again here in Roland Garros.”

Words echoed by Andy Murray, who led Nadal 4-2 in the deciding set in the Rome quarter-finals last week before losing it 7-5.

It would not take long, he said, to es-

tablish whether or not there were any chinks in the Nadal armoury.

“Normally when the tournament starts, you know, whether Rafa has been playing well or not, I would expect him to play great tennis here,” the Wimbledon champion said.

“I would expect Novak to play great tennis here. Roger, I would also expect to play very well.

“So there is nothing there to suggest that they are all of a sudden going to stop performing well in the slams and struggle. I would expect them to all have great tournaments.”

For Djokovic the win over Nadal in Rome was encouraging, but he knows from past experience that getting the better of Nadal in the year’s second Grand Slam is a different challenge altogether.

He has played the Spaniard five times at Roland Garros in their marathon rivalry and lost all five times - albeit getting closer to turning the tables every time.

“The tournament win in Rome came at the right moment for me,” he said.

“For my confidence level it’s definitely a booster and positive thing, and hopefully I can carry that confidence coming into Roland Garros. l

with it, so I’m going to take a page out of his book.”

It was not clear what Hamilton was referring to, but Senna deliberately drove Prost off the circuit in one infamous Japanese Grand Prix in 1990 when their relationship had deteriorated beyond repair.

In Saturday’s qualifying session, 28-year-old German Rosberg, who is three points behind Hamilton after five races in the drivers’ championship, lost control of his car on his final flying lap and went off down the escape road at Mirabeau, prompting waved yellow flags to slow down the rest of the field behind him. l

Kohlschreiber buoyed for French Open by Duesseldorf title Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber says he will take plenty of confidence into the French Open after claiming the clay-court ATP Duesseldorf title in Saturday’s final.

The 30-year-old top-seed cruised to a 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic, 35, to claim the fifth title of his career and his fourth in Germany.

Kohlschreiber, ranked 29th in the world, needed just 72 minutes to claim victory against the giant Croat, who is 6ft 11in (2.11m) tall, having won on clay at Munich in 2007 and 2012 and on grass at Halle in 2011.

Kohlschreiber, seeded 28th for Roland Garros, is enjoying a good run of form having taken the first set off Novak Djokovic in his last 16 defeat to the world number two at the Rome Masters last week.

At the French Open, he will take on Spain’s Pere Riba, ranked 85th in the world, in the opening round on Monday or Tuesday. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Sand intrusion damaging arable land in Haor basin Bakar Siddique back from n Abu the northeast The intrusion of sand brought by the downhill water from India has turned a vast tract of arable land in the country’s northeast Haor basin into barren land, resulting in the destruction of local ecology and depriving thousands of their livelihoods.

According to the Sunamganj District Agricultural Extension office, at least 3,000 acres of arable land have gone under sand in the past six years, creating huge losses of agricultural production in the district.

The crisis was triggered on July 20, 2008, when a flash flood from the nearby West Khasi Hill of the Indian state of Meghalaya brought in a huge amount of sands and stone chips to the Tahirpur upazila in Sunamganj, destroying vast areas of arable land.

“Within a few minutes, the nearby ponds and wetlands filled up with sand and stone chips that day,” said 42-yearold local Rokon Uddin, who had experienced the flash flood.

More than 2,000 acres of agricultural land in three villages – Chanpur, Rojoni Line and Rajai – owned by local farmers and villagers disappeared in that single event which changed the area’s ecosystem and robbed thousands of their livelihoods.

Since then, unplanned mining in Meghalaya – one of India’s main source of mineral resources – has reportedly been causing a large amount of sand to get mixed with the downhill water that eventually flows into Bangladesh and ruins large areas of arable land every monsoon. Mass deforestation, caused by unplanned mining, had also caused the soil in the hills to become more vulnerable to landslides.

Ponchashol Haor, which locals said

Rain brings relief n Abu Bakar Siddique

Moderate rainfall yesterday was a relief to people in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, which had been suffering under a moderate heat wave for a few weeks.

According to the Met Office, the city witnessed 34 mm of rainfall from 11:45am to 5:00pm while 68mm rainfall took place in Jessore, 44mm in Comilla, 48mm in Maijdee Court, 14mm in Bhola, 21mm in Patukhali, 9mm in Kutubdia and 9mm in Barisal.

The temperature dropped by 3.3 degrees Celsius from Friday’s 38 degrees Celsius in the capital. The country’s highest temperature was 39 degree Celsius in Chuadanga yesterday while it was 40.6 degree Celsius in Jessore on Friday.

Moderate rainfall may continue for three to four more days in the country until the deep convection over the North Bay disappears, said Abdur Rahman Khan, Meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department, Dhaka.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted, according to weather office sources. It is also likely to occur at some places in Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Dhaka divisions in the next 24 hours starting from 3 pm yesterday.

Earlier on Friday, the weather office in a special bulletin advised Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra to keep all fishing boats and trawlers close to the coast until further notice. l

Sand brought by the downhill water from India has turned a vast tract of arable land in the country’s northeast Haor basin into barren land used to cover a large area of land near Chanpur village, has now vanished because of sand intrusion from the West Khashi Hills.

Andru Sholomar, a leader of the

Khashia community in Rajai village who lost 20 acres of arable land to sand intrusion, told the Dhaka Tribune that over the past few years, he had failed to produce any crop on the land that

previously produced harvests thrice a year.

He also claimed that he had lost three more acres of land in the past two weeks alone because of the sand

DHAKA TRIBUNE

brought in by the rain-triggered floods from the nearby hills in India.

Locals said the government was yet to take any initiative for saving the area’s ecology or removing the layers of

Thousands of cases piling up under DMP n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Over thousands of cases with different police stations in the capital have remained unresolved for years due to lack of coordination and manpower shortage.

Investigations into at least two hundreds sensational cases in 49 police stations in the capital are yet to see the light of the day while everyday some new cases are being added to the existing ones.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, a numbers of officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said it was a gigantic task to complete regular duty and investigate previously filed cases at a time. Besides, most of the officials are to deal with at least 15 cases.

For this reason, investigation officers are submitting charge sheets without completing proper investigation to get rid of additional duty and thus the main accused in those cases have remained untouched, he said.

On April 22 in 2012, the body of a woman was recovered from the MP Hostel. The corpse remained lying in the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for 15 days. Later, the body was buried unidentified by Anjuman Mufidul Islam without taking any DNA sample.

Asked about it first Investigation Officer of the case Sub-inspector Azim

Uddin said they did not find any suspected criminal. The next Investigation Officer Sirajul Islam, inspector of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, said: “We have come to know that she was a street sex worker”.

On June 6 in 2012, criminals killed Nishat Banu at her residence on the Topkhana Road in the capital after confining her mother to a room. Khaleda

The figure came up in a report submitted to the police headquarters a couple of days back Banu, mother of the victim, blamed police officials of the police station concerned for the delay in the investigation.

Later the case was transferred to the DB police who arrested six people in connection with the murder but yet to unearth the mystery behind the murder.

Fazlur Rahman, inspector of the DB and investigation officer of the case, said the investigation is underway.

Similarly, no headway has been made in the investigation of the murder case of former army official Nasir Uddin, 63, and his wife Mahmuda Akther, 58. They were killed at their own residence at Sayednagar of Dakhinkhan

on July 31 of 2012.

After Rapid Action Battalion and police the DB police are now investigation the case.

Daughter of a lawyer couple Tasnim Rahman, 13, was killed at Hazaribagh on September 24 of 2012. However, Nuruzzaman, sub-inspector of the DB, said the murder is still veiled in mystery.

Police constable Badal Mia was killed while on duty at Gonojagoron Moncho programme on February 21 in 2013 but no clue to the murder has been found as of today. Investigation Officer of the case, Abul Khayer, inspector of the DB police, said they were yet to identify the killers.

According to sources in the police headquarters there have been over 16,357 cases gathering dust with 49 police stations of the DMP. The figure came up in a report submitted to the police headquarters a couple of days back.

Investigation officers of those cases have been changed a number of times but to no avail. Under pressure from the high officials investigation officers have recently started working on those cases.

Several investigation officers of the DMP said due to lack of cooperation and coordination investigations in many of those cases had remained halted.

They, however, said they had already started investigation but were

facing trouble as in most cases they did not know the motive behind the murders. They also attributed lack of clue and witnesses to their failure.

They are now thinking about submitting the final reports without and investigations only to get rid of extra workload.

There are 853 sub-inspectors at the 49 police stations of the DMP. A sub-inspector has to deal with the investigation of at least 20 cases. After a case is filed the officer-in-charge of the police station concerned assign a field-level sub-inspector to investigate the case.

Not only the new investigation charges the sub-inspector has also to submit update of the previous cases to court. Moreover, the investigation officers are bound to investigate politically filed cases.

Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of the DB police and also the spokesperson of the DMP, said filed-level police officials are always a bit under pressure to investigate cases but the crisis would go with regular monitoring.

When asked Hassan Mahmood Khandker, inspector general of police, said they were discharging their duties properly and investigating the cases. Some cases need some more time for investigation but “we are hopeful about completing them shortly”, he said. l

Man submits fake letter to be in PM’s entourage n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

A long-awaited rainfall brings them outdoors for fun and game yesterday afternoon, when they used to remain indoors amid the intense heat engulfing Dhaka city and elsewhere in the country for a few weeks RAJIB DHAR

In a daring attempt, an imposter forged a document by Prime Minister’s Office to become a member of the entourage of Sheikh Hasina’s tour in Japan.

One Mohammad Khorshed Alam on Wednesday went to the protocol section of the Foreign Ministry and submitted a fake letter which stipulated that four journalists including him should be members of the premier’s entourage to Japan.

The letter said the four were included in the prime minister’s entourage in addition to the list earlier supplied by her office.

In the letter, Khorshed was described as a reporter of Primenewsbd.com. The others were Mohammad Nazrul Islam, photojournalist of Primenewsbd.com, Mohammad Masud Parvez, reporter of weekly Ajker Surjodoy, and Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, photojournalist of weekly Ajker Surjodoy.

When an enquiry was made from the Foreign Ministry, the Prime Minister’s

Office said no such letter was issued.

When Foreign Ministry officials asked where he got the letter, Khorshed said a contractor of the Roads and Highways Department named Ratan gave it to him.

When I called Ratan after reaching the Foreign Ministry office, his phone was switched off, said Khorshed.

“We handed Khorshed over to the police,” said a Foreign Ministry official.

The police arrested Khorshed under Section 54 and produced him before court on Thursday requesting a remand order. The court, however, refused the remand plea, sent him to jail, and also instructed police to interrogate him at the jail gate within three days.

An officer of Shahbagh police station said he would be interrogated today or tomorrow.

“We are yet to know his full identity.

We only have a national identity card which says he is a resident of Moghbazar area,” he said.

Police are yet to arrest the three others whose names were mentioned in the fake letter, he added. l

sand by excavating or dredging.

Although local administration and the ministries concerned had previously exchanged letters on the matter, no effective initiative had been taken so far.

On November 24, 2008, the Environment Ministry issued a letter to the Foreign Ministry, asking them to inform the Indian counterpart about the issue.

On September 3, 2009, the Environment Ministry finally received a reply from the Foreign Ministry, which said the Indian government had been informed of the issue through the High Commission of India in Dhaka.

However, a joint secretary of the Environment Ministry, seeking anonymity, said: “The ministry is not aware of any such incident right now, as most of our present officers were not affiliated in the office during that time.”

Nurul Qadir, head of the ministry’s Environment Pollution section that is now handling the issue, told the Dhaka Tribune that the Environment Ministry would try to address the matter soon after locating the documents of previous communications.

The Foreign Ministry was now also ignoring the crisis.

“Currently the ministry is not giving priority on the issue at all, as it is an old issue,” said Tareq Md Ariful Islam, director of South Asian Desk of the Foreign Ministry told the Dhaka Tribune.

The ministry could move forward with the issue if the local administration sent specific request again, he added.

Asked about the issue, Yamin Chowdhury, deputy commissioner of Sunamganj, admitted that they were yet to have any specific plan to solve the problem even though local administration had been informed of the crisis since the very beginning. l

Foreign minister unaware of Modi’s visit to Dhaka n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali yesterday said they have no knowledge about the possible visit of Indian Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi to Bangladesh.

“We still don’t know about it. We want that he visits Bangladesh,” the foreign minister told a press briefing.

Indian media had recently published reports that Modi would go on the first foreign trip to Bangladesh and during his visit, he would ink Teesta water sharing deal which was supposed to be signed during the visit of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2011.

Mahmood said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her talks with Modi invited him to come to Bangladesh. “Let him take an oath and form a government,” he said.

Modi is set to swear in as the prime minister of India tomorrow and he invited the heads of government and state of the SAARC countries to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Bangladesh Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury is expected to attend the programme on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In its election manifesto, BJP said it would pursue a foreign policy based on “Equations will be mended through pragmatism and a doctrine of mutually beneficial and interlocking relationships based on enlightened national interest.”

According to its manifesto, BJP would work towards strengthening regional forums like SAARC and ASEAN. l

Bangabandhu's cousin Mominul Haque dies n Tribune Report Cousin to the 'Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman', Mominul Haque Khoka died at 81, in Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Friday night.

Khoka, also a valiant freedom fighter, breathed his last breath at around 8:15pm in the hospital, according to his family members.

He left behind his wife, a son, a daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.

The body of Khoka will be brought to Dhaka by a flight of Bangladesh Biman this evening, BSS reports. He will be buried at Banani graveyard after Zohr prayers on Sunday after namaz-e-janaza on Eidgah ground at Satmasjid road in the city. l

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B3 India hits US, China

with solar imports anti-dumping duties

B4 German economy gets off to good Q1

SUNDAY, MAY 25, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

Tax cut for listed companies unlikely Hope for non-listed ones yet to evaporate n Syed Samiul Basher Anik The rate of corporate income tax is likely to remain unchanged in the upcoming fiscal year as the National Board of Revenue (NBR) forwarded a fresh recommendation to Prime Minister’s Office.

The case for non-listed companies has not been, however, cancelled as the prospective candidate for the tax exemption.

The revenue authorities put forward the recommendation on Thursday, following the PM’s instruction to see the extent of revenue loss due to previously proposed rate cuts.

“The previous proposal, if implemented, would cause a revenue loss of at least Tk600 crore annually,” said a senior official as the NBR worked on the PM’s instruction.

He said the NBR considered the tax cut proposal made earlier would make it difficult to achieve around Tk149,000 crore of revenue target likely to be set for the for the fiscal 2014-15.

The corporate tax contributes around 65% of the revenue comes from the income tax. The NBR is planning to mobilise highest revenue from income tax - 38% of the total revenue targeted for fiscal 2014-15.

In its fresh proposal, the official said, the NBR recommended reduction of tax rate only for the non-listed companies.

Earlier at few pre-budget meetings, the finance minister as well as the NBR chairman indicated that the new budget would accommodate some exemption from the corporate tax.

Different trade bodies have long been urging the government to reduce the corporate tax for both publicly list-

NBR may liberalise UP for 2 export sectors n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

ed and non-listed companies.

The tax-cut indication emerged after the businessmen proposing for the exemption to recover from the setback they suffered due to political turmoil before the January 5 national election.

The tax authorities last week held a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they recommended a corporate tax-cut plan, but the PM instructed making an estimate of revenue loss to be incurred if the plan is implemented, another senior official said.

“We have changed our previous position as NBR will surely fail to achieve the revenue target,” he added.

In the revised proposal, he said the NBR recommended reduction of tax rate for the non-listed companies from the existing 37.5% to 35% and keep the rates for other companies unchanged.

Currently, banks and financial institutions are paying 42.5% corporate

tax while it is 27.5% for publicly traded companies, 37.5% for non-publicly traded companies, and 37.5% for merchant banks. For the publicly traded mobile companies, the tax rate is 40% while it is 45% for the non-publicly traded operators.

NBR officials said they would finalise the tax rates after getting consent from the Prime Minister. The NBR would hold another meeting with the PM before the budget scheduled to be placed in parliament on June 5.

Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Prof Mustafizur Rahman emphasised on bringing the non-listed companies under the listed companies’ list first, rather than lowering the tax rate, to support increasing the revenue collection.

“There is a huge possibility that lowering the corporate tax rate will have negative impact on the revenue

collection as the revenue target set for the FY2014-15 is already challenging to achieve,” he said.

According to a KPMG conducted “Corporate and Indirect Tax Rate Survey 2014,” the corporate tax rate in some South Asian countries are 20% in Afghanistan, 27.5% in Bangladesh, 28% in Sri Lanka, 33.99% in India and 34% in Pakistan.

Former NBR Chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid said the government should opt for alternative methods, may be expanding the tax net, to cover up the revenue losses.

“Before lowering the tax rate for corporate companies, NBR has to ensure the revenue losses to be incurred, as a result, would be compensated through taking effective measures like plugging of loopholes in the tax system, and expansion of the income tax base,” he said. l

Cox’s Bazar to ‘have special economic zone’ n Tribune report

Speakers at a dialogue on ICT budget held at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka yesterday

Planning Minister AHM Mostafa Kamal yesterday said the government will develop a special economic zone in Cox’s Bazar considering its tourism and economic potentials.

“Cox’s Bazar will be developed as a special economic zone and a special tourist spot,” the minister said while visiting the marine drive project in the sea beach town.

A marine drive road is being constructed between Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf to develop the district’s tourism and economy.

Mostafa Kamal said Cox’s Bazar didn’t get proper attention of the international tourism though it is blessed with the world’s largest sea beach.

The 84-kilometer marine drive project will be completed by December 2015, he said, adding the city will be the most potential place of the country’s economic development in next five years. l

The country’s apparel accessories and plastic goods manufacturers would be entitled to get utilisation permission (UP) from their respective associations in exporting goods from next fiscal year.

Bangladesh Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) and Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA) would get the authority of issuing UP certificates in favour of their members.

The National Board of Revenue took the primary decision in response to a long standing demand by the exporters, said a senior official yesterday.

The tax authority has primarily decided to allow it to avoid unnecessary costs and harassments, he said, adding that a summary has already been forwarded to the finance minister for consideration.

If provided, members of the associations will enjoy duty-free import of raw materials to execute export orders, he said.

Both the industries are now producing and exporting a good number of items including buttons, cartons, packages, elastic, embroidery, labels, poly bags, sewing thread, zippers, plastic items etc.

The tax authorities were earlier against providing the support as a section of the RMG exporters abusing such facility, another NBR official said.

Industry insiders said allowing them for issuing UP certificates would help minimise the hidden costs and time that would help grow the sectors.

BGAPMEA President Rafez Alam Chowdhury said providing the facility will help minimise hassles and unwanted complexities being faced by the exporters and will help expedite the export process.

“We are exporting 30-35 items in many countries. To make the export process faster like the BGMEA and BKMEA, the government should allow us issuing UP certificates to our association members,” he said.

He also urged the government to allow the facility with easy conditions as being provided to the BGMEA and BKMEA. l

ICT refinancing fund on cards n Muhammad Zahidul Islam The government is planning formation of a refinancing fund worth between Tk500 crore and Tk1,000 crore for further development of the country’s Information Communication and Technology sector by collecting funds from both from the private and public sector.

State Minister for Information and Communication Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak came up with the disclosure at a pre-budget meeting organised by three IT-related business bodies at a city hotel yesterday.

The government is planning to run two different projects through refinancing, which will be collecting from both the private and the public sector and the fund will be in between Tk500 crore to Tk1,000 crore, said the state minister.

“One laptop for each student and a Research and Development sector (RND) will be launched under this project. Apart from that we are also planning to distribute laptops among all the

3 crore students, which will help them to be acquainted with the ICT since their student life,’’ said Palak.

“Through setting up the RND centers, we can do researches for the market, which will help scrutinise the best fit IT related businesses in the country.”

'Through setting up the RND centers, we can do researches for the market, which will help scrutinise the best fit IT related businesses in the country' Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS) president Abu Hanif Md Mahfuzul Arif demanded a special fund for the ICT sector worth Tk5,000 crore, which the industry entrepreneurs can use for the development of this sector with only in 8% interest rate during his presentation in the meeting. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

ICT people demand Vat-free Internet

Reduce disparity to meet MDGs, speakers say

n Muhammad Zahidul Islam

n Tribune Report

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector people demanded making Internet free of value added tax to reach the goal of building “Digital Bangladesh” by 2021.

The demand was placed at a pre-budget discussion meeting at a city hotel yesterday.

Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS), Internet Service Providers Association Bangladesh (ISPAB) and Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) organised the function.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak addressed the discussion and said he would place a set of recommendations on Internet Vat before the finance ministry.

“I will place a proposal to reduce or withdraw Vat on Internet use to the finance minister and will also speak about the matter at the parliament’s budget discussions,” he said while speaking at the discussion.

He sought help from his colleagues in this regard.

“As a user, I also think Vat should be reduced on Internet use.”

The speakers said although Vat on jewellery purchase is only 2.5%, the

rate for Internet use is 15%.

The government earns around Tk300 crore from Vat on Internet use.

Some speakers suggested the government can at least slash the Vat rate on the Internet use.

According to them, the Vat cut will bring about revolution to the Internet market.In his speech, the state minister said he wants to make income from online freelancing also tax-free and will place such proposal before the finance minister.

He said as freelancing is contributing to earning of foreign currency, it should be free of tax like remittance.

Palak said five years back the ICT sector budget size was only Tk200 crore and in the next budget the figure will be Tk3,700 crore. “It shows the government has given importance on the sector.”

BCS president Abu Hanif Md Mahfuzul Arif said there are around 3.5 crore Internet users now in Bangladesh, which will reach around 10 crore by 2021 if the market receives support from the government.

ISPAB Akhtaruzzaman Manju also spoke at the discussion and demanded tax holidays for Internet market for next five years.

BASIS president Shameem Ahsan

sought at least 5% allocation of the national budget (Tk12,500 crore) for the ICT ministry. ICT ministry currently gets Tk1,250 crore.

“ICT could better help the country than any other sector in Bangladesh become economically solvent,” Shameem Ahsan said.

Senior Vice President of BASIS Syed Almas Kabir sought tax exemption on income from ICT sector till 2025 as the facility is valid through June 2015.

However, the state minister wants it be given till 2021 as per the government’s digital goals.

Ex-president of BASIS Fahim Mashroor said in 2012 the National Board of Revenue decided to automate tax collection system for which the companies have deposited over Tk50 lakh as Vat. But suddenly the NBR stopped the automation process, he alleged.

According to BASIS, the government can add at least Tk2,500Tk3,000 crore to its present revenue earning from the sector if the NBR introduces the automation process.

Former BCS president Md Faizullah Khan and former BASIS president Habibullah N Karim also spoke at the discussion. l

It is a must to reduce the growing disparity between rich and poor people of the country and also among the countries as it has been appeared as a huge challenge, which needs to be addressed properly under a new framework initiated by the United Nations, speakers said at a seminar yesterday.

They said still most of the people are living under the extreme poverty although the target for reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set for 2015, aiming to halve the poverty on top of the goals.

The speakers were addressing a national seminar styled “Post 2015 Development Agenda: Towards a Transformative and Rights Based Development Framework’’ held yesterday at the National Press Club in the city.

VOICE, a right-based organisation, arranged the seminar presided over by Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairman of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF).

Despite remarkable progress in achieving MDGs, a good number of the goals will not be fully attained by 2015. That’s why we need more efforts for poverty alleviation, preventing child and maternal mortality, ensuring children’s access to good health, education, pure drinking water, sanitation and sustainable environment.

Dr. Kazi Khaliquzzaman noted that that having a remarkable success to achieve MDG goals, Bangladesh still needs to make sincere efforts to meet its development needs.

The post-2015 development agenda should ensure inclusive and equitable economic growth while it needs more attention to reduce the poverty level and inequality, particularly among the marginalised groups and improve living conditions, he added.

The meeting was addressed, among others, by Rustom Ali Foraji, MP, Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, executive director of Unnayan Onneshan, and Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE while Farjana Akter, coordinator of VOICE presented a key note paper. l

B2

Bearish spell grips stocks for 4th week n Tribune Report

DSE Broad Index : DSE - 30 Index : CSE All Share Index: CSE - 30 Index : CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS

Golden Son -A Purabi G Insu.A Northern Jute -Z Apex Footwear-A Janata Insur -A In Tech Online -A Square Textile -A Summit Power -A Federal Insu.-A People`s Leasing-A

Closing (% change) -22.82 -16.36 -15.86 -13.98 -13.70 -12.84 -11.77 -10.54 -10.42 -10.22

CSE LOSERS Company Apex Footwear-A Golden Son -A Popular Life Insu. -A Dhaka Ins. Ltd.-A In Tech Online -A Square Textile -A Summit Power -A Asia Pasific Insu. -A Federal Insu.-A Janata Insur -A

Closing (% change) -27.01 -22.51 -18.13 -16.25 -13.42 -12.05 -11.65 -11.60 -10.88 -10.75

4384.06428

(-) 0.74%

1589.60172

(-) 0.92%

13553.7846

(-) 0.76%

11122.1463

(-) 0.73%

8435.2437

(-) 0.86%

Average (% change) -21.72 -16.07 -15.86 -13.91 -12.91 -12.47 -11.61 -10.91 -11.99 -10.32 Average (% change) -27.02 -21.88 -18.12 -16.23 -12.80 -11.31 -11.53 -11.60 -11.44 -11.41

Closing average 44.81 18.44 122.00 342.28 19.03 12.98 87.90 31.27 21.44 16.78

Closing average 332.05 44.70 203.23 29.93 12.94 88.42 31.08 22.10 21.22 19.03

Weekly closing

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ Weekly high

44.30 18.40 122.00 342.00 18.90 12.90 87.70 31.40 21.50 16.70

Weekly closing

11,732.21 291,279,697

Number of Contract

Weekly capital market highlights

48.20 22.00 135.00 380.00 19.70 13.30 101.00 32.00 24.60 17.30

Weekly high

332.10 44.40 203.20 29.90 12.90 88.30 31.10 22.10 21.30 19.10

345.00 48.30 205.00 34.00 13.50 100.00 31.70 23.00 23.70 19.30

311,574

Traded Issues

304

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

103

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

199 2

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,261.16

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

22.41

CSE key features May 18-20, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

984.73

Turnover (Volume)

26,848,848

Number of Contract

40,570

Traded Issues

244

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

91

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

148

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

4

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,148.90

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.05

Turnover in million

41.20 18.30 122.00 322.00 18.90 11.60 84.00 27.00 19.90 15.00

Weekly low

221.003 18.797 0.078 165.023 2.311 6.572 55.651 46.318 10.410 17.409

Turnover in million

319.10 43.20 201.10 29.90 12.50 86.20 27.00 21.50 20.80 19.00

0.133 18.776 1.016 0.415 0.693 4.190 3.754 0.214 0.444 0.076

Ambee Pharma -A MeghnaCement -A SummitAlliancePort.-A BSRM Steels-A S. Alam CR Steel -A Mercantile Bank -A Southeast Bank-A Barakatullah E. D.-A Al-Haj Textile -A GPH Ispat Ltd-A

23.64 9.78 9.68 9.30 9.21 8.97 5.64 5.61 5.42 5.38

CSE GAINERS

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

Weekly low

Closing (% change)

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

Sunday, May 25, 2014

DSE GAINERS

DSE key features May 18-20, 2014

ulatory actions played the role of a protagonist.

It said expected cancellation of whitening of black money through capital market investment facility coupled with the central bank’s more stringent actions to monitor and control banks and their subsidiaries’ investment portfolio outweighed the strong possibilities of corporate tax cut and subsequently improved profitability, in investors’ mindset, exerting a bearish vibe.

“Consequently, market was continuing its downbeat note with 7-month record low turnover up to the mid-point of the week.”

Lanka Bangla Securities said despite stable economic scenario and ample liquidity, the market has been going down.

It said the economic activity has not yet picked up after last year’s disruption. First quarter 2014 performance of listed companies were not that much encouraging, said the stock broker.

On the other hand, banks are reducing their exposure to the capital market following central bank’s directive, it said.

“All these are weighing on the market. Investors are eagerly looking for the upcoming budget. They are expecting this budget to be progrowth,” the leading stock broker said.

Losers took a strong lead over the gainers as out of 303 issues traded during the week, 192 declined, 87 advanced and 24 issues remained unchanged. l

Bearish spell gripped stocks for the fourth consecutive week, as investors were cautious ahead of upcoming budget to be announced on June 5.

Moreover, long downward trend put damper on investor mood, according to stock brokers.

During the week that ended Thursday, the DSEX came down below the ‘psychological’ threshold of 4,400-mark and settled at 4,384, shedding 33 points or 0.8%.

The blue chips comprising DS30 was down 15 points or 1% to close at 1,589. The DSE Shariah Index DSES fell 12 points or 1.3% to 973.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, was down 73 points or nearly 1% to close the week at 8,435.

Of the week’s five trading sessions, four finished in the red and only one session managed to close positive.

The week’s average daily turnover stumbled to Tk234 crore, registering a decline of more than 35% and which is much steeper over the previous week.

“With the quarterly declarations slipping on the negative territory, investors started to search for new stimulus to rebalance portfolio, which ended in vain,” said IDLC Investments in its weekly market analysis.

It said budgetary expectations and current macroeconomic scenario took the spotlight of last week’s show, while the central bank’s reg-

Company

Stock

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Latest EPS

Latest PE

4.08 0.92 -11.08 -11.44 1.40 -0.80 6.60 3.00 1.36 1.08

Latest EPS

11.0 20.0 -ve -ve 13.6 -ve 13.3 10.4 15.8 15.5

Latest PE

-11.44 4.08 17.00 1.84 -0.80 6.60 3.00 2.48 1.36 1.40

-ve 11.0 12.0 16.3 -ve 13.4 10.4 8.9 15.6 13.6

Closing (% change)

Company Ambee Pharma -A MeghnaCement -A BSRM Steels-A S. Alam CR Steel -A Mercantile Bank -A SummitAlliancePort.-A Eastland Insur -A Southeast Bank-A Active Fine Chem.-A ISN Ltd. -Z

24.59 10.23 9.57 9.42 9.03 8.72 6.88 6.70 5.84 5.77

Average (% change) 21.19 11.09 9.13 10.18 13.21 10.38 5.96 6.44 4.81 7.92 Average (% change) 20.08 10.22 9.93 13.68 10.16 9.45 6.77 6.53 9.27 4.71

Closing average

Weekly closing

355.55 127.13 24.02 71.46 34.70 17.12 20.61 30.58 115.04 48.11

361.40 125.70 23.80 70.50 33.20 17.00 20.60 30.10 114.70 47.00

Closing average

Weekly closing

350.36 125.20 71.17 34.91 16.92 23.85 40.40 20.56 70.58 10.89

361.30 125.00 71.00 33.70 16.90 23.70 40.40 20.70 68.90 11.00

Weekly high

Weekly low

368.00 131.40 24.60 73.50 35.70 17.40 21.50 31.80 123.00 49.50

Weekly high

278.00 114.50 20.00 60.00 27.00 14.10 17.60 25.70 105.00 42.50

Weekly low

367.90 129.80 73.00 36.00 17.20 24.30 40.70 21.00 71.30 11.00

264.50 115.50 62.00 28.00 14.30 20.00 38.90 17.50 65.30 10.10

Turnover in million

Latest EPS

81.187 51.330 29.887 168.502 43.775 152.349 141.520 46.053 77.753 61.825

Turnover in million

3.20 7.00 1.08 4.72 1.90 1.16 3.04 1.69 2.00 2.42

Latest EPS

15.155 1.510 12.634 4.165 7.691 3.966 0.097 9.716 13.624 0.441

3.20 7.00 4.72 1.90 1.16 1.08 4.24 3.04 3.72 0.20

Latest PE 111.1 18.2 22.2 15.1 18.3 14.8 6.8 18.1 57.5 19.9

Latest PE 109.5 17.9 15.1 18.4 14.6 22.1 9.5 6.8 19.0 54.5

Weekly news from trade server CITYBANK: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 204.50 million with consolidated basic EPS of Tk. 0.29 (restated 0.25) as against Tk. 111.43 million and Tk. 0.16 (0.13) respectively.

MONNOSTAF: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 0.11 million with EPS of Tk. 0.28 as against Tk. 0.50 million and Tk. 1.25 respectively.

BDTHAI: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 9.94 million with basic EPS of Tk. 0.22 (restated 0.21) as against Tk. 8.48 million and Tk. 0.19 (0.18) respectively.

NTC: (Q1): NPAT=Tk. (118.33) million with EPS of Tk. -17.93 as against Tk. -1.60 million and Tk. -0.24 respectively. Accumulated profit/(loss) of the Company was Tk. (117.91) million as on 31.03.2014.

BDWELDING: (Q1): NPAT=Tk. 4.94 million with EPS of Tk. 0.12 as against Tk. 10.09 million and Tk. 0.25 (restated) respectively.

SUMITPOWER: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 512.27 million with consolidated basic EPS of Tk. 0.87 ( restated 0.75) as against Tk. 508.61 million and Tk. 0.86 (0.75) respectively.

KPCL: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 690.88 million with consolidated basic EPS of Tk. 2.01 (restated 1.91) as against Tk. 583.72 million and Tk. 1.70 (1.62) respectively.

SPPCL: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 160.34 million with basic EPS of Tk. 1.16 (restated 1.06) as against Tk. 146.76 million and Tk. 1.30 (1.16) respectively.

CMCKAMAL: (Q1): NPAT=Tk. 28.75 million with basic EPS of Tk. 0.38 (restated 0.33) as against Tk. 31.78 million and Tk. 0.42 (0.37) respectively.

ORIONPHARM: (Q1): NPAT=Tk. 380.79 million with consolidated EPS of Tk. 1.63

as against Tk. 294.17 million and Tk. 1.26 respectively.

INTECH: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. -4.18 million with basic EPS of Tk. -0.22 (restated -0.20) as against Tk. 0.77 million and Tk. 0.04 (0.04) respectively.

JANATAINS: (Q1): NPAT=Tk. 12.37 million with basic EPS of Tk. 0.40 ( restated 0.35) as against Tk. 9.49 million and Tk. 0.31 (0.27) respectively.

PROVATIINS: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 13.29 million with basic EPS of Tk. 0.63 (restated 0.56) as against Tk. 11.69 million and Tk. 0.55 (0.50) respectively.

PARAMOUNT: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 9.04 million with basic EPS of Tk. 0.45 (restated 0.41) as against Tk. 8.06 million and Tk. 0.40 (0.37) respectively.

ASIAPACINS: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 26.36 million with EPS of Tk. 0.62 as against Tk. 29.73 million and Tk. 0.70 respectively.

DHAKAINS: (Q1): NPAT= Tk. 17.35 million with EPS of Tk. 0.46 as against Tk. 16.81 million and Tk. 0.45 respectively.

HWAWELLTEX: (Q3): As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 31.03.2014 (Jan'14-Mar'14), the Company has reported net profit after tax of Tk. 37.37 million with EPS (including extra ordinary income) of Tk. 0.98 as against Tk. 29.01 million and Tk. 0.83 respectively for the same period of the previous year. However, EPS excluding extra ordinary income was Tk. 0.55 as on 31.03.2014 (Jan'14-Mar'14) and Tk. 0.83 as on 31.03.2013 (Jan'13-Mar'13). Whereas net profit after tax was Tk. 125.71 million

with EPS (including extra ordinary income) of Tk. 3.44 for the period of nine months (Jul'13-Mar'14) ended on 31.03.2014 as against Tk. 104.25 million and Tk. 2.98 respectively for the same period of the previous year. However, EPS excluding extra ordinary income was Tk. 2.99 as on 31.03.2014 (Jul'13-Mar'14) and Tk. 2.98 as on 31.03.2013 (Jul'12-Mar'13).

Fixed Assets/Right/Investment: MICEMENT: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to install two Packing Units in its factory which will cost Tk. 210.00 million approximately including civil construction.

BANKASIA: The Company has informed that the Board of Directors has taken the following decision: "Resolved that the proposal to issue Bank Asia 7 Year Floating Rate (11.50% to 14.50%) Non-Convertible Subordinated Bond with an issue price of Tk. 300.00 crore to raise capital of the Bank, subject to the approval of Bangladesh Bank, BSEC and the general shareholders of the Bank in the EGM be and is hereby approved, provided that any changes in the feature of the Bond, tenor, issue size or whatever as deemed necessary by any regulatory advice or otherwise may be decided by the Board of Directors of the Company." Date of EGM: 26.06.2014, Time: 10:30 AM, Venue: Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh, Council Hall (2nd Floor), 160/A Kakrail, Dhaka-1000. Record Date for EGM: 29.05.2014.

CHANGE OF DSE BROAD INDEX VS SECTORAL INDEX 3%

Pharma & Chemical Index

DSE BroadIndex

2%

1%

22

15

08

01

24

17

10

03

27

20

13

06

27

20

13

0%

06

ANALYST

Consequently, market was continuing its downbeat note with 7-month record low turnover up to the midpoint of the week

-1%

-2%

-3%

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 1314.85 340.21 331.36 1135.14 643.30 1022.64 6.53 1757.96 2094.12 2.94 287.92 239.93 44.43 1086.13 70.43 177.03 269.42 574.49 80.83 251.41 1.13

% change 11.21 2.90 2.82 9.68 5.48 8.72 0.06 14.98 17.85 0.03 2.45 2.05 0.38 9.26 0.60 1.51 2.30 4.90 0.69 2.14 0.01

Million Taka 101.12 34.03 15.05 95.18 57.13 107.11 0.00 196.79 172.81 63.86 11.18 71.99 5.40 86.32 7.82 5.31 17.71 68.93 20.44 36.86 0.20

CSE

% change 8.60 2.90 1.28 8.10 4.86 9.11 0.00 16.74 14.70 5.43 0.95 6.13 0.46 7.34 0.67 0.45 1.51 5.87 1.74 3.14 0.02

Million Taka 1415.97 374.24 346.41 1230.32 700.43 1129.75 6.53 1954.75 2266.93 66.80 299.10 311.92 49.83 1172.45 78.25 182.34 287.13 643.42 101.27 288.27 1.32

Total

% change 10.97 2.90 2.68 9.53 5.43 8.75 0.05 15.14 17.56 0.52 2.32 2.42 0.39 9.08 0.61 1.41 2.22 4.98 0.78 2.23 0.01

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 LafargeS Cement-Z Square Pharma -A Hwa Well Textiles-N Grameenphone-A Matin Spinning-N HeidelbergCement -A Eastern Housing -A Orion Pharma-N Meghna Petroleum -A Golden Son -A CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company Hwa Well Textiles-N Square Pharma -A LafargeS Cement-Z BD Submarine Cable-A Grameenphone-A Appollo Ispat CL -N Matin Spinning-N Orion Pharma-N BEXIMCO Ltd. -A Golden Son -A

Volume shares 8,799,530 2,179,805 10,788,500 1,594,553 6,002,000 533,380 4,083,500 4,374,860 793,998 4,807,323

Volume shares 1,679,500 260,790 763,500 199,562 123,400 1,034,400 590,800 403,840 853,844 408,855

Value in million 601.00 571.56 463.58 416.45 277.84 269.15 251.26 228.36 224.46 221.00

Value in million 71.77 68.92 51.86 36.71 32.22 27.95 27.30 21.27 19.86 18.78

% of total turnover 5.12 4.87 3.95 3.55 2.37 2.29 2.14 1.95 1.91 1.88

% of total turnover 7.53 7.23 5.44 3.85 3.38 2.93 2.86 2.23 2.08 1.97

Weekly closing 69.30 255.00 42.30 255.30 45.20 513.40 59.10 51.50 282.30 44.30

Weekly closing 42.20 256.50 69.00 180.10 255.70 27.10 45.30 51.40 23.70 44.40

Price change 2.82 -4.57 -2.76 -3.48 -4.03 0.21 -6.78 -1.90 1.26 -22.82

Weekly opening 67.40 267.20 43.50 264.50 47.10 512.30 63.40 52.50 278.80 57.40

Weekly high 70.90 280.00 44.70 270.00 48.30 528.00 65.00 55.00 287.20 48.20

Weekly low 66.20 239.00 39.90 240.00 44.70 479.20 55.00 46.20 255.00 41.20

Weekly average 70.04 258.02 42.85 257.77 45.71 519.64 60.03 51.36 283.32 44.81

Price change -2.54 -4.93 2.99 -5.31 -3.03 0.00 -4.03 -2.10 -8.85 -22.51

Weekly opening 43.30 269.80 67.00 190.20 263.70 27.10 47.20 52.50 26.00 57.30

Weekly high 44.70 272.90 70.90 192.50 264.80 28.30 48.30 57.00 24.50 48.30

Weekly low 39.90 255.40 66.00 179.90 255.00 26.00 44.80 48.00 20.50 43.20

Weekly average 42.62 259.47 70.06 181.44 257.27 27.53 45.76 51.26 23.79 44.70

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

Sunday, May 25, 2014

India hits US, China with solar imports anti-dumping duties

Buoyant sentiment boosts dollar in Asia trade n AFP, Tokyo

n Reuters, New Delhi India will impose anti-dumping duties on solar panels imported from the United States, China, Taiwan and Malaysia to protect domestic solar manufacturers, according to a government statement seen by Reuters on Friday.

The order, almost certain to anger India’s trading partners, sets duties of between 11 and 81 US cents per watt and comes after a investigation which started in 2011. The ruling by a quasijudicial body has to be published by the Finance Ministry before it takes effect.

The decision adds to India’s growing trade disputes just before Narendra Modi takes office as prime minister on Monday.

“Imposition of anti-dumping measures would remove the unfair advantages gained by dumping practices,” said India’s Anti-Dumping Authority in its order released on Thursday.

Local manufacturers have long complained that US, Chinese and Malaysian companies enjoy state subsidies and are selling their products at artificially low prices to capture the Indian market.

India also believes that anti-dumping duties imposed on Chinese solar producers by the European Union and the United States have further driven down the price of Chinese solar products, to the detriment of Indian suppliers.

India aims to raise its solar power capacity to 20,000 MW by 2022 from 1,700 MW currently. It imported solar

A man cleans panels installed at a solar plant at Meerwada village of Guna district in Madhya Pradesh products worth nearly 60bn rupees ($1.03bn) last year, according to an industry estimate. Domestic manufacturers got less than 2% of that business.

“India’s solar manufacturing is now bound to revive and further increase with both local and overseas participation ensuring a robust supply chain,”

said HR Gupta of the Indian Solar Manufacturers’ Association.

Under the new duties, importers will have to bear additional costs of between 5% and 110% while importing solar cells and panels from the United States, Malaysia and China.

The U.S. Trade Representative has

B3

REUTERS

filed two cases against India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), complaining local content rules discriminate against US solar companies.

A senior USTR official said the United States would look carefully at the new duties given the importance of the US solar industry. l

Buoyant investor sentiment lifted the dollar against the yen and euro in Asia on Friday, while the Thai baht logged modest gains after a military coup that followed months of deadly street protests.

In midday Tokyo trading, the greenback fetched 101.78 yen compared with 101.72 yen in New York Thursday.

The euro inched up to 138.92 yen from 138.90 yen while it slipped to $1.3648 from $1.3653, following a slight downturn in a key eurozone gauge of business activity.

Traders remain upbeat following a sharp improvement in Chinese manufacturing activity and positive comments about interest rates from the US Federal Reserve.

On Thursday, the US Labour Department said initial jobless claims, a measure of the pace of layoffs, ticked up slightly from the previous week, while existing homes sales were 1.3 percent higher in April, the first positive month so far this year.

“The trend is declining and we should see further improvements in the unemployment rate in coming months,” National Australia Bank said of the US jobless figures.

“In contrast to the better Chinese and US manufacturing data, European manufacturing readings were disappointing,” it added.

Markit Economics’s May composite purchasing managers index (PMI) for the eurozone fell to 53.9 points from 54

in April, a slight pullback in the pace of expansion.

The baht rose to 32.51 against the dollar from 32.54 on Thursday. Thailand’s new military junta summoned the kingdom’s ousted leaders Friday as an international outcry grew over a military coup that has brought a harsh crackdown on civil liberties.

'The coup reduces uncertainty about the immediate outlook and, in particular, the possibility that the political standoff would turn much more violent' Claiming the army was acting to halt months of deadly political turmoil, the tough-talking military chief declared a nationwide night-time curfew and ordered masses of rival demonstrators off the streets.

“The coup reduces uncertainty about the immediate outlook and, in particular, the possibility that the political standoff would turn much more violent,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics.

“For these reasons it could actually be positive both for Thailand’s economy and financial markets in the near term.” l

India best performing eBay initially believed user data safe after cyberattack equity market in Asia-Pac n Reuters, Boston

n Reuters, Mumbai The BSE Sensex rose more than 1% on Friday, making India the best performing equity market in Asia-Pacific for 2014 in dollar terms.

The benchmark has gained 2% this week on continued hopes the incoming Narendra Modi government would unveil substantial economic reforms.

Gains were also helped as State Bank of India surged after reporting bad loans fell in January-March, sparking a rally in other state-run lenders.

Modi will be sworn in on Monday, ushering in the new Bharatiya Janata Party government, and investors will first focus on his cabinet appointments, especially the finance ministry portfolio. The administration would then need to unveil a new budget by early July.

Still, not all analysts are as optimistic. Deutsche Bank downgraded Indian stocks to “neutral” from “neutral/ overweight” relative to other global emerging markets, saying valuations,

appeared “very stretched.”

“Earning multiples look a little stretched for short term. July budget would be the next check point for this rally,” said Alok Roongta, chief financial officer at Bharti AXA Life Insurance.

The BSE Sensex rose 1.3%, or 318.95 points, to end at a record closing high of 24,693.35, although the index is still around 3 percentage points away from the all-time high hit last week.

This brings the Sensex’s gain so far for the year in dollar terms to 23.71% in 2014, compared to the next best performer, Indonesia’s IDX Composite which gained 22.7%. The Sensex rose 2.4% for the week, marking its third consecutive weekly gain.

SBI surged 9.6%, after earlier hitting its highest since May 2011. The staterun lender said net non-performing loans as a percentage of total assets fell to 2.57% in the March quarter from 3.24 per cent in the preceding quarter. The Sensex rose 2.4% for the week, marking its third consecutive weekly gain l

Singer launches FIFA World Cup offer n Tribune Business Desk Singer Bangladesh Limited recently launched its new campaign “Singer Bishwa Kapano Offer’ targeting FIFA World Cup Football Brazil 2014.

The campaign starts today and will

remain valid till the end of the tournament, - July 13. Under the campaign customers can win cash discount, scratch cards, gifts on purchase of its products from Singer Mega, Singer Plus and Singer Pro outlets all over the country. l

eBay Inc initially believed that its customers’ data was safe as forensic investigators reviewed a network security breach discovered in early May and made public this week, a senior executive told Reuters on Friday. eBay has come under fire over its handling of the cyberattack, in which hackers accessed personal data of all 145 million users, ranking it among the biggest such attacks launched on a corporation to date.

“For a very long period of time we did not believe that there was any eBay customer data compromised,” global marketplaces chief Devin Wenig said, in the first comments by a top eBay executive since the e-commerce company disclosed the breach on Wednesday. eBay moved “swiftly to disclose” the breach after it realized customer data was involved, he said.

Wenig would not say when the company first realized that the cyberattackers accessed customer data, nor how long it took to prepare Wednesday’s announcement.

He said hackers got in using the credentials of three corporate employees, eventually making their way to the user database.

Hackers accessed email addresses and encrypted passwords belonging to all eBay users. “Millions” of users have since reset their passwords and the company had begun notifying users, though it would take some time to complete that task, Wenig said.

“You would imagine that anyone who has ever touched eBay is a large

number,” he said. “So we’re going to send all of them an email, but sending that number all at once is not operationally possible.”

At least three U.S. states are investigating the company’s security practices. Customers have complained on social media about delayed notification emails. And New York’s attorney general called on eBay to provide free credit monitoring services to users.

But the Internet retail giant has no plans to compensate customers or offer free credit monitoring for now because it had detected no financial fraud, Wenig said.

Wenig declined comment when asked if he thought eBay had good security prior to the breach. He said the company would now bolster its security systems, and has mobilized senior executives in a subsequent investigation of the attack.

“We want to make sure it doesn’t happen again so we’re going to continue to look our procedures, harden our operational environment and add levels of security where it’s appropriate.”

The breach marked the latest headache for eBay this year. In January, it crossed swords publicly with activist investor Carl Icahn, who mounted a campaign to get it to spin out PayPal. Then in April, the e-commerce company disappointed investors with a weak second-quarter outlook, pressuring its shares.

Avoiding back doors

Buying and selling activity on eBay remained “fairly normal” though eBay is still working out the cost of the breach, which included hiring a number of security firms. Wenig, who was previously a senior executive at Thomson Reuters Corp, declined to comment on whether the cost could be material to eBay’s results.

Wenig’s revelation that the company initially believed that no customer data had been compromised might take some of the heat off eBay’s executive team.

Cyber forensics experts said it’s not uncommon for large companies to take weeks to grasp the full impact of an

attack, because hackers are often able to steal data without leaving obvious clues.

“In some cases you go in and find the smoking gun immediately. Other times, it takes a few days or even a few weeks,” said Kevin Johnson, a cyber-forensics expert who was not involved in the eBay investigation but has worked for other Fortune 500 companies.

Daniel Clemens, a forensics expert and CEO of Packet Ninjas, said investigators often ask companies to hold off on disclosure until they believe they understand the full extent of an attack.

Otherwise, they risk tipping off attackers who might cover their tracks or leave “back doors” so they can return after the investigators complete their probe.

On Wednesday, the e-commerce company announced that hackers raided its network between late February and early March. The company said financial information was not compromised and its payments unit PayPal was not affected.

When eBay first discovered the network breach in early May, the senior team was immediately involved and held multiple daily calls on the issue.

EBay staff have been working around the clock since Wednesday.

Wenig said he could not provide much more detail about what happened in the attack beyond the scant information given out so far.

He declined to provide further specifics, citing ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and several forensics firms including FireEye Inc’s Mandiant division. l

Rupali Bank introduces online banking in 532 branches n Tribune Report Modhumoti Bank Limited recently held its 11th executive committee meeting that was presided by the committee’s chair, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, MP Md Fahad Rahman, the youngest Fide master of the world became brand ambassador of Prime Bank for the next one year. The bank’s managing sirector (currently in charge) Ahmed Kamal Khan Chowdhury and Fahad Rahman signed an agreement on this regard at its head office

The state-run Rupali Bank has introduced online transaction system in its 532 branches across the country.

The bank took the initiative for introducing computerised system in all the branches recently as part of its overall development plan to provide modern banking service to the clients, said Rupali Bank chairman Dr. Ahmad al- Kabir.

‘’We have started automation system, ATM service into the banks to conduct competitive banking activities as like as the other banks’’, he said.

“We will introduce online banking system in the rest of 131 branches soon.”

The bank has established 40 ATM booths in different districts across the country. Clients of 58 branches of the bank are getting the ATM service. l

China: economy faces pressure, policy fine-tuning needed n Reuters, Reuters

PRAN recently held a gala award ceremony of the 14th PRAN National Pickle Competition 2013 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital. Singer Sabina Yasmin handed over the awards at the presence of Faridur Reza Sagar Managing Director Channel I and Uzma Chowdhury, director of corporate finance at PRAN-RFL Group

Rotary International and Bangkok Hospital recently signed a memorandum of understanding on providing health service and other facilities to Rotarians at a ceremony in Dhaka. Rotary governor Ghulam Mustafa and governor nominee SAM Shawket Hossain were present on the occasion

China’s economy still faces “relatively big” downward pressures and timely policy fine-tuning is needed, Premier Li Keqiang was quoted by state radio as saying on Friday.

China’s annual economic growth slowed to an 18-month low of 7.4% in the first quarter, raising the risk that China could miss its economic growth target - set at 7.5% in 2014 - for the first time in 15 years.

“Currently, the economy is generally stable and we see positive structural changes, but downward pressures are still large and we cannot be complacent,” Li said during a visit to the northern region of Inner Mongolia.

“We should use appropriate policy tools and pre-emptive fine-tuning in a timely and appropriate manner to help resolve financing strains for the real economy, especially small firms’ difficulties in financing and high borrowing costs,” he said. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Sunday, May 25, 2014

German economy gets off to good Q1 n AFP, Frankfurt Booming investment provided the German economy with a healthy kick start into this year, but business confidence in Europe’s biggest economy appears to be stalling already, data showed on Friday.

The German economy grew by 0.8 percent in the first three months, according to the calculations of the the federal statistics office Destatis.

That is the biggest GDP increase in three years.

And the momentum came solely from domestic demand, the Destatis said, pointing to a 3.3% rise in investment in equipment and a 3.6% jump in investment in construction.

In addition, consumer spending was up by 0.7% and public spending by 0.4%.

Germany is one of the world’s biggest exporters, but net foreign trade - the balance between exports and imports - is actually putting the brakes on recovery, knocking a total 0.9 percentage point off the overall growth rate, Destatis said.

The strong first-quarter performance had been widely expected, especially because the winter has been so mild, which is positive for outdoor industries such as construction.

Analysts have therefore cautioned that the momentum is unlikely to be sustained. And the latest sentiment indicators back this up.

Confidence indicators stall

Last week, the ZEW investor confidence

agreed Timo Klein at IHS Global Insight.

“The ECB is expected to keep monetary policy very soft until late 2015, probably even introducing some further loosening measures in June.

“Financing conditions will thus remain very favourable in Germany for a considerable period. In addition, it needs to be kept in mind that the euro, despite having strengthened modestly since mid-2012, is still at quite competitive levels for Germany’s export industry,” Klein said.

Uptrend still intact

Growth of the German economy was driven exclusively by booming domestic demand in the first quarter, while foreign trade put the brakes on activity AFP survey fell unexpectedly sharply in May. And on Friday, the even more closely watched Ifo business climate index fell this month instead of holding steady as analysts had predicted.

Ifo chief Hans-Werner Sinn said that companies are no longer as positive about either their current business or the outlook for the next six months.

“A lull was seen in the German economy in May,” he said.

Nevertheless, most analysts believe the German recovery has not come off the rails just yet, even with the situation in Ukraine and the potential fall-

out for the euro area remaining a big unknown.

“The Ifo business climate has dropped far more than expected this month, but this setback doesn’t mean the German economy is changing course,” said Commerzbank chief economist Joerg Kraemer.

“For one thing, the GDP data show that the German corporate sector is finally investing more,” he said and he believed they would continue to do so, given the very low level of interest rates.

“Germany’s near-term economic recovery prospects remain quite good,”

Jennifer McKeown at Capital Economics took a more cautious view.

“The breakdown of German GDP for the first quarter confirmed that the strong quarterly gain was partly down to temporary factors. And the renewed fall in the Ifo business climate index in May suggested that the recovery may now be slowing,” she said.

Stefan Kipar at BayernLB said he was now pencilling in slower growth for the second quarter.

“The strength of the first quarter was exaggerated by weather effects, which will fall away in the second quarter,” he said.

“In addition, uncertainty about the situation in Ukraine is weighing somewhat on export-orientated sectors,” the expert said.

Nevertheless, the upward trend “remains intact,” Kipar said.

“The clouding of sentiment is more a process of normalisation following the very sharp increases seen in the first quarter,” he said. l

Putin tries to woo investors to Russia but many stay away n Reuters President Vladimir Putin tried on Thursday to warm up relations with foreign investors chilled by the crisis in Ukraine, but many senior executives snubbed him by boycotting a conference billed as Russia’s answer to Davos.

The St Petersburg International Economic Forum has for years drawn global business leaders to the elegant former imperial capital on the shores of the Baltic Sea, and deals worth billions of dollars have been signed at it.

But not this year. Many chief executives have stayed away under pressure from the US government, which said attendance would be “inappropriate” after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the imposition of US and European Union sanctions on Moscow.

Putin is not due to show up until Friday, when he delivers the keynote speech. But he sent a telegram to delegates with two messages: Russia wants to do business with the West but it will not do so at any price - it must be treated as an equal partner.

“Russia is ready to broaden multifaceted contacts with all partners on the basis of true equality and respect for one another’s interests,” he wrote as he made his way back from China after signing a landmark gas supply deal.

At the forum, Putin is likely to hold up the 30-year supply deal with Beijing

French economist Piketty: FT's criticism 'ridiculous' n AFP, Paris French economist Thomas Piketty hit back Saturday at criticism by the Financial Times of his best-selling book on income inequality, telling AFP the newspaper was being "ridiculous".

The FT claimed Friday there was little evidence in the 43-year-old's original sources to underpin his argument in "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" that an increasing share of total wealth is in the hands of the richest.

But Piketty said: "The FT is being ridiculous because all of its contemporaries recognise that the biggest fortunes have grown faster.

"The data that we have on these fortunes is imperfect but data for other things such as tax declarations on estates is more reliable."

He worked "completely transparently" and posted all his data online, he added.

The FT said in its report that once it had "cleaned up and simplified the data, the European numbers do not show any tendency towards rising

wealth inequality after 1970".

But Piketty told AFP in an interview: "Where the Financial Times is being dishonest is to suggest that this changes things in the conclusions I make, when in fact it changes nothing.

"More recent studies only support my conclusions, by using different sources."

The English-language version of Piketty's book topped the Amazon bestseller list in the United States and has sparked a political debate about the gap between rich and poor.

Critics have tried to deride his work by labelling him a neo-Marxist, but it gained him an audience at the White House last month with top economic advisors to US President Barack Obama.

Piketty uses data from the past two centuries across 20 countries to demonstrate how inherited wealth has ensured the dominance of a small class of people and will continue to do so unless action is taken.

He rejects the argument that economic growth in the capitalist system benefits everyone, and advocates a punitive global tax on wealth to address the issue. l

as a sign to the West that it cannot isolate Russia globally because it has powerful allies in Asia.

But with Russia’s economy tilting into recession and capital flight accelerating, an exodus by foreign investors would be a painful blow for Putin.

Although US and European sanctions have so far targeted only a few dozen individuals and small firms, the overall chill and the threat of broader measures in future are having real economic consequences, Russian officials say.

“We sense and understand that the informal character of the pressure ... is all causing serious consequences for our economy,” First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov was quoted as saying by RIA news agency.

Growing dangers

After a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine in February, Putin triggered the biggest confrontation with the West since the Cold War by declaring the right to send troops.

Russia seized and annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in March and has since then massed tens of thousands of troops on the frontier. Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow is behind an uprising in eastern Ukraine by armed separatists who have declared independence and called for Russian military support. l

China’s economy entered ‘manageable slowdown’

n Reuters

Co-Chairs of the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2014, World Wide Fund for Nature, Yolanda Kakabadse, (left), Chairman of the Board Toashiba Corporation, Atsutoshi Nishida (2nd left), Executive Director of Lippo Group, John Riady, (2nd right) and Chairman of Lawson Incorporated Takeshi Niinami (right) join hands at a press conference during the World Economic Forum in Manila on May 22, 2014. The forum, focusing on the fastest-growing region of the world, needs to look at ways to make growth more equitable and sustainable to bring more people out of poverty while also finding ways to minimise environmental damage brought on by the group AFP

China’s economic slowdown is “manageable” as the country is in a stage of development where reforms and environmental protection take precedence in policy considerations, Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said.

Speaking at a conference in Rwanda on Thursday, Zhou repeated the government’s stance that China should no longer only pursue high economic growth rates, but should also focus on delivering high-quality expansion.

“I think this is manageable slowdown,” Zhou said. “We have come into a new stage where we emphasize more on structural changes, economic reform and having much better environmental protection.”

He did not comment on the direction of China’s monetary policy, which some analysts predict will be loosened this year by lowering the reserve requirement ratio to free up more cash for bank loans and shore up the economy. Up against unsteady global demand, weaker domestic demand and investment growth, China’s economy has lost steam this year with growth falling to an 18-month low of 7.4% in the first quarter. l

US wins WTO case against China on luxury cars Google making 3D tablet n AFP, Washington The WTO on Friday rejected Chinese tariffs on US-made luxury cars, handing Washington a victory on one of the growing number of disputes between the world’s two largest economies.

A World Trade Organization panel, responding to a US complaint, found that China was inconsistent with the global body’s rules when it imposed tariffs in December 2011 over alleged US dumping and subsidies.

China, the largest foreign market for US automakers after Canada, ended the tariffs in December 2013 as the WTO case progressed. But a US official said Washington insisted that the WTO formally rule against the measures to ensure they stay off the books.

“The message is clear - China must follow the rules, just like other WTO members,” US Trade Representative Michael Froman told reporters, echoing a common message from President Barack Obama’s administration when responding to concerns about Beijing.

“Americans deserve to compete on a fair and level playing field, and we will never stop fighting to ensure that our trading partners live up to the commitments they made in our international trade agreements,” Froman said.

China imposed the tariffs over what it said were unfair US practices amid a raft of trade disputes. But Froman noted that the United States had won in all three cases that had come to WTO resolution, the others concerning steel products and broiled chickens.

The WTO decision came at the end of an especially tense week between

the two powers, with the United States on Monday for the first time indicting Chinese military officers for allegedly stealing trade secrets through hacking.

Strong market for US

China in 2011 had imposed tariffs for alleged dumping - selling in a foreign market at below home-market prices - that ranged from 2 to 21.5%. It also slapped tariffs of up to 12.9% for what it said were US subsidies.

Consumers in China, unlike those in some more developed Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea, have shown a strong appetite for cars from

the United States as incomes grow.

In 2013, the United States sold $8.5bn in cars to China, about 13% of global US auto exports. The US Trade Representative’s office said that the duties in question affected more than half of US car exports to China.

The tariffs applied to cars from Detroit’s Big Three - General Motors, Chrysler and Ford Motor - and also to automobiles from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Honda that were manufactured in the United States. US lawmakers, who frequently accuse China of using unfair trading practices to sell low-cost goods overseas, cast the WTO decision as a victory for ensuring the world’s largest

developing economy abides by rules of the WTO, which it joined in 2001.

“It is laughable for China, the biggest dumping perpetrator in the world, to claim that US vehicle exports are being sold in China below the cost of production when they are obviously not,” said Senator Carl Levin, who represents the auto state of Michigan.

China did not immediately react to Friday’s ruling. The state-run Xinhua news agency noted that the WTO did not agree with all US points and quoted a commerce ministry spokesman as saying in 2011 that US subsidies and dumping had “substantially harmed” China’s auto industry. l

n AFP, San Francisco

Google next month will start cranking out prototypes of a 3-D tablet designed to give users immersive experiences that could include virtual reality, according to US media reports.

The tablet will have a 7-inch display and an array of sophisticated cameras, sensors and software, the Wall Street Journal said in a story citing unnamed sources. Google on Friday said they had nothing to announce.

Indian oil cos to pay $11.4 bln fuel subsidy n Reuters India has ordered oil companies to provide $11.4bn subsidy for 2013/14 to help cover losses of state retailers that sell fuels at cheaper rates - a jump of 12 percent from the previous year, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

India regulates retail prices of liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene and die-

DILBERT

A visitor poses for a photo with an Audi R8 Spyder at Auto China 2014 in Beijing

AFP

The tablet was reported to be part of a Project Tango worked on by a special team at the California-based technology firm.

The project was said to involve giving advanced mapping and virtual reality capabilities to mobile devices powered by Google’s free Android software.

Nearly 42% of people in the United States used tablets at least once a month last year and that figure was expected to top 46% this year, according to industry tracker eMarketer. l

sel to keep prices under check for the masses, leading to revenue losses at Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp.

ONGC, OIL and GAIL will jointly cover about 48% of the 1.4tn rupees ($23.82bn) revenue losses of the retailers in the fiscal year to March 2014, while the government has agreed to provide a cash subsidy of 702.72bn rupees. l