30 May 2014

Joishthya 16, 1421 Rajab 30, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 60

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

WEEKEND | NALANDA: THE SCHOOL OF JOY

7 | FIGHTING BACK A RISING TIDE

Minister: Trial of Jamaat not possible now Campaigners say the comment may have been made out of ignorance n Nazmus Sakib and Zakia Ahmed

Act 1973. I do not think he knows how trials of individuals and organisations can go on simultaneously for committing war crimes and genocides.”

Another campaigner and historian Prof Muntassir Mamoon said: “Since the minister has said the trial [of Jamaat] is not possible, it might be so that the amendment [to the tribunal law] was not brought at all. [I am saying so] because he is the law minister.

He must have good knowledge about law, not we.”

The minister yesterday also said: “We need to consider who are to be punished if Jamaat is tried [and found guilty]. The tribunal law does not say anything in this regard. In our country, if any company is convicted under the Companies Act, 1994, then the board of directors of the company receives the punishment.

“Suppose Jamaat faces trial and is convicted for war crimes. Then the leaders of the party will serve the punishment for the crimes of Jamaat as per the existing laws of the country.

But many leaders of Jamaat have already been sentenced by the tribunal.

So, how can a person be punished for

Law Minister Anisul Huq has said Jamaat cannot be tried now under the tribunal law as it lacks provision for the purpose – a comment that campaigners say is made out of ignorance.

Contradictions might arise if trial against Jamaat commenced now since there was a case pending over the cancellation of its party registration while the trials of senior Jamaat leaders for crimes against humanity were also underway, the minister said.

He made the comments last night in response to reporters’ queries after a programme on the Supreme Court premises.

Anisul said: “A case [on Jamaat’s registration] is pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. So if another case is commenced against the party, outcome of the current case must be considered. As per the law, trials of two cases on the same subject cannot go on at the same time.”

However, war crimes campaigner and writer Shahriar Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune: “I think he [the minster] has not read the amendments brought to the International Crimes Tribunal

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Eight file nomination for Narayanganj 5 n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj Eight people along with a large following yesterday filed nomination papers on the last day of submitting nomination to run in the Narayanganj 5 by-election to be held on June 26.

SM Akram, former Awami League MP and current Nagarik Oikya adviser, filed nomination paper as an independent candidate, said Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar Morshed.

He was followed by Narayanganj City Awami League President Anwar Hossain and Twoki Moncho Convener Rafiur Rabbi as independent candidates and AKM Salim Osman as Jatiya Party candidate, he added.

The constituency fell vacant after Jatiya Party presidium member Nasim Osman died on April 29.

A total of 13 people, including GM

15 | NO MATTER WHAT, BRAZIL FAVOURITES

Ekram’s ‘bodyguard’ tipped off the killers Jamil Khan with Our n Mohammad Correspondent, from Feni Law enforcers yesterday arrested Belal Hossain Patowari, a close associate of Ekram who allegedly updated the killers about the Fulgazi chairman’s location, from Khagrachhari’s Matiranga.

Based on information, police arrested 48-year-old Belal, the secretary of

Awami League’s Anandapur union unit and a union parishad member, from the house of a local named Abul Basher in Bornal union at around 2:30am, said Mainuddin Khan, officer-in-charge of Matiranga police station.

Ekram’s relatives and locals said Belal worked as a bodyguard for the Fulgazi chairman and had ascended the party ranks with Ekram’s backing.

During interrogation, other arrested suspects said Belal had colluded with them after being promised a better post in the party and a large amount of money. An investigator, seeking anonymity, said Belal had agreed to conspire with the killers as he was unhappy about Ekram’s attitude. Belal – who always accompanied Ekram – did not go with him on the day of the murder, but was aware

about the movements of the leader.

Mohibullah Farhad, executive editor of Feni Protidin who was with Ekram during the attack, said on the day of incident, he had called Belal around 10am to ask where the Fulgazi chairman was. Based on Belal’s information that Ekram was at the Diabetes Hospital in Feni, Farhad joined the leader.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

FOOTBALL TAKES THE FRONT SEAT

With just two weeks before the Fifa World Cup 2014 kicks off, soccer is back in Bangladesh, now a cricketing nation. The photo taken yesterday at the Tejgaon Railway Station shows a few kids – some inside a abandoned compartment – playing with a football MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

TIB’s open challenge to the ACC

n Asif Showkat Kallol

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

a senior ministry official said.

“Placing a dearness allowance in the coming fiscal year will be a wild idea because it may put pressure on the inflation situation,” he said.

Officials also said if the bankers were given a raise without giving any visible

‘Dearness allowance in the coming fiscal year will be a wild idea’ monetary hike to the government employees, it might spark unrest.

In October 2013, food inflation rose to 8.38% from 7.93% in September, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics.

In a recent television interview, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan

INSIDE B1 | Business

Bangladesh Bank has recommended the government taking actions against chairman and board of directors of BASIC Bank for their alleged involvement with the bank’s Tk4,500 crore loan scams.

4 | News

A contractor was killed in a gun attack in broad daylight in Arambagh yesterday while a tea vendor was found slaughtered in Kafrul area of the capital.

5 Hundreds of readymade garment workers from two factories in Gazipur refrained from work and staged demonstration demanding arrears be paid.

6 | Nation

Members of Agyan party, a group who rob people after drugging them, have become active all over the district, including at bus and launch terminals, ferry ghats and railway stations.

9 | World

8 | SISI SWEEPS POLL AS ARMY REASSERTS

Pay hike for government bankers and staff unlikely in budget With only a week to go before the budget is announced, the government is yet to decide anything concrete on a pay hike for government employees.

Sources said the permanent pay commission had sent a proposal for non-financial benefits for government employees instead of monetary hikes.

Although the finance minister and his junior have hinted that the employees of the central bank and the four state-owned commercial banks may get a hike soon, the latest news is that both they and their ministry have backtracked from that position.

The logic behind this is a “lesson” learnt from October last year, when a 20% dearness allowance was declared for public servants, which is now said to have resulted in a surge in inflation,

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

20 pages plus 24-page weekend supplement | Price: Tk10

Thailand’s military rulers held out little hope for early elections yesterday, a week after the army seized power, saying conditions had to be

right and divisions healed before there could be a return to civilian rule. Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha ousted the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on May 22 to end months of protests that had depressed Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.

11 | Op-Ed

There is a tendency in Bangladesh to drown in an issue when it hits the news headlines.

It may be a political issue, or it may be related to law and order. This time, it is the elite crime fighting Rapid Action Battalion, or RAB as it is “popularly” known.

12 | Entertainment

The soundtracks of Ananta Jalil’s upcoming flick was released officially at a press conference yesterday at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

14 | Sport

Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s leading physicists, has hit out at “ballerina” Luis Suarez after analysing England’s chances at the forthcoming World Cup in Brazil.

said the government was going to announce a pay scale for the state banks next month.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed Finance Minister AMA Muhith to give some hints about the new pay scale in his budget speech.

A draft of recommendations – which reportedly do not include either a dearness allowance or a hike for the bankers – from the permanent pay commission is likely to be incorporated in the June 5 budget speech for FY2014-15.

Former central bank governor Mohammad Farashuddin, now the chairman of the Pay Commission, said: “A pay hike for 13 lakh government staff will definitely have an impact on the inflation. Given the circumstances, we will consider recommending health insurance and buying textbooks for their children.” l

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International, yesterday urged ACC Commissioner Md Shahabuddin to disclose the Berlin-based organisation’s malpractices, if any, immediately.

“We will cooperate,” Iftekharuzzaman told reporters at a press conference at a city hotel. “We have no mask; we have one identity: TIB.” The Anti-Corruption Commission official on Wednesday threatened to “expose” the TIB’s financial transactions and questioned the accuracy of its recent report on corruption in the ACC. Iftekharuzzaman said he was “embarrassed” by the words and the body language of ACC Commissioner Shahabuddin. “He has also embarrassed himself by those words and body language.”

He said a person holding a post in an important institute like the ACC should not use language that would sound “politically motivated.”

The TIB press conference was organised to disseminate its study report on the progress of implementation of National Integrity Strategy of Bangladesh.

The ACC commissioner had questioned TIB’s spending of foreign funds meant for research and said they would look into the matter.

“Why at an opportune moment? Expose us today. We will help you in the investigation,” he said, referring that the ACC would curtail its freedom of speech if the warning was issued only to criticise the TIB. Iftekharuzzaman said his organisation rated the ACC as its “child.”

“The TIB has a very important role  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, May 30, 2014

JS body recommends taking 3,300 new judges

Court grants remand against Kamal again

n Kamran Reza Chowdhury

n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

The parliamentary watchdog on Law Ministry has recommended increasing the number of higher and lower court judges to 5,000 from the existing 1,700 to accelerate disposal of cases.

In line with a report by the Law Commission, the 10-member Parliamentary Standing Committee also suggested that police must produce an arrestee before the court within 24 hours – as stipulated in the Code of Criminal Procedure.

The committee discussed the Law Commission report to find ways for reducing the backlog of 32 lakh cases.

Commission Chairman ABM Khairul

Haque placed the report in line with a previous decision of the watchdog. The committee adopted the suggestions and sent those to the Law Ministry as its recommendations.

“At present we have 1,700 judges.

For quick disposal of the cases, the number should be raised to 5,000 – of course in phases,” Suranjit Sengupta, the committee chairman, told reporters at the parliament building.

He said since appointment of judges involved a huge budget, the committee suggested increasing allocation for the Law Ministry in the upcoming budget, set to be placed in parliament on June 5.

In his 23-point suggestions, Khairul

Haque, a former chief justice, proposed that the judges must be present in courts from 9am to 5pm. The proposal, accessed by the Dhaka Tribune, says the monthly meeting of the district judges must be conducted regularly.

The set of recommendations states that the civil cases should be heard on the first day and continued, while issuing of summons at an appropriate stage. Besides these, the lower courts must not be adjourned at will.

Committee members Law Minister Anisul Haq, Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Shahara Khatun, Shamsul Hoque Tuku, Abdul Majid Khan and Talukder Md Yunus attended the meeting presided over by Suranjit. l

NARAYANGANJ SEVEN MURDER CASE

A Narayanganj court yesterday again granted three days remand against Kamal Hossain, employee of key accused Nur Hossain in the seven murder case.

Senior Judicial Magistrate KM Mohiuddin passed the order after Investigation Officer Mamunur Rashid Mandal sought four days remand against Kamal.

Earlier on May 17, Kamal was sent to three days remand in the case. During the interrogation, Kamal claimed that Moshiur Rahman helped Nur to escape.

Acting on his information, police

arrested Moshiur Rahman on Tuesday for allegedly helping Nur escape to India.

Moshiur told reporters on Wednesday that he had no contact with Nur for a year, adding that Kamal was solely responsible for helping Nur escape.

Moshiur, however, provided contradicting information to reporters regarding the place of his arrest. Police said Moshiur was arrested in Jessore, while he claimed to be arrested in Dhaka.

Sources concerned to the investigation of the case said Kamal was taken to remand again so that police could question both Kamal and Moshiur face to face. l

JEWEL MURDER CASE

Nila sent to jail after remand n Our Correspondent, Narayanganj Jannatul Ferdous Nila, the key accused in the Jewel murder case and a close associate of seven murder case’s key accused Nur Hossain, was sent to jail yesterday following a three-day remand.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Istiak Ahmed passed the order, while he also ordered the CID to investigate into the Jewel murder case. According to the order, CID Inspector Nurunnabi will be in charge of the case.

SI Monsur Ali of Siddhirganj police station said “daring woman” Nila, during interrogation, intelligently avoided her involvement in the murder, adding that police would try to interrogate Nila in front of “Dakat Mona,” another accused in the case who already gave his deposition in the case.

It would also be investigated whether any family member of Nila was involved in drug business, the SI added.

Officials concerned in the investigation said Nila and her cousin Shah Alam were present at the scene where Jewel was murdered.

Nila was also questioned about Nur Hossain, they added.

Earlier on October 26 last year, police recovered Jewel’s body in pieces in Siddhirganj’s Ayubnagar area. l

The photo proves that bullock carts - which was once signature of rural images - has not entirely slid into oblivion amid all the mechanical hustle and bustle of city life. Goods brought on water at the Sawarighat in the capital are carried into the city on bullock carts yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Eight file nominations for 2nd witness testifies in 14 years Narayanganj 5 SI Noor Hossain, complainant of a case filed over attempts on the life of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, gave deposition yesterday after a long time.

Judge Md Nuruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Tribunal 2 recorded the deposition and fixed June 9 for cross examination.

Including the police official, only two out of the 89 prosecution witnesses have deposed so far.

The accused are: Huji Chief Mufti Abdul Hannan, Md Mohibullah, Munshi Ibrahim, Md Mahmud Azhar, Md Rashed Driver, Md Shah Neaz, Md Yousuf, Md Lokman, Sheikh Enamul and Md Mizanur Rahman.

During yesterday's hearing, all of them were present before the tribunal.

A source from the court said because of the witnesses' reluctance to appear, the trial was yet to make any significant progress although many years had elapsed.

On August 1, 2012, the court recorded deposition of tea seller Md Badiuzzaman - the first witness - but the remaining 88 witnesses did not appear before the court although the court issued arrest warrants.

According to the case documents, police on July 20, 2000, recovered 76 kg explosives planted near Sheikh Lutfor Raman College at Kotalipara in Gopalganj where Sheikh Hasina was scheduled to address a rally two days later.

In this connection, Kotalipara SI Noor Hossain filed a case under the Explosives Act, framing charges against 16 on April 8, 2001. l

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Arafat who was the organising secretary of the Chhatra League’s central committee had collected nominations, but five of them did not submit their nominations.

After submitting nomination paper, independent candidate Rafiur said: “This election is crucial in view of the long-running incidents – murders, terrorism and enforced disappearance – in Narayanganj, but not in a national perspective. The election is being held at a time when people in Narayanganj have mounted resistance against terrorism...

To stop those incidents and trying to get in the way of the members of the godfathers’ family from being elected, I am contesting the election.”

SM Akram said he was contesting the election because people wanted it. More-

Minister: Trial of Jamaat not possible now  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

the same offence again? It should be considered that imposing punishment two times is contradictory with the constitution... This is not the right time to bring Jamaat in the dock. Circumstances must be taken into account and we need to think more,” he observed.

Regarding this, Shahriar said: “The case pending with the apex court is related to the registration of Jamaat because its charter contradicts with our constitution. But the case at the tribunal would be filed on genocide and war crimes charges. Genocide-war crimes and registration are not the same. This case will not involve Jamaat’s charter.

The two cases are completely different.

Why then is he [the minister] saying that case would have an impact on this case?

“Motiur Rahman Nizami [Jamaat chief] was punished in the 10-truck arms haul case. Does that mean he will not be punished in the case that is going on against him at the tribunal? Should not he be punished for his role during the Liberation War?” Shahriar inquired.

When asked whether there could be a possible agreement between the ruling Awami League and Jamaat, the law minister told reporters yesterday: “There is no question of consensus with Jamaat because they do not be-

The High Court yesterday directed the Information Ministry to stop all English advertisements in electronic and print media within one month, except for those which have no other scope but to be in English.

It also directed the home secretary to stop writing all nameplates in English, number plates of vehicles and other signboards in all its departments including the police by a timeframe.

The court has asked the home secretary and the information secretary to submit reports within July 1 stating the “effective measure” they have taken to implement Bangla at all levels.

The bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice ABM Altaf Hossain passed the order after Deputy Attorney General Biswojit Roy placed a report of the Public Administration Ministry on implementation of Bangla.

During the hearing, Biswojit said: “Letters asking for implementing the use of Bangla have been sent to the authorities concerned. The government needs more time to implement the order.”

The court said no effective step had been taken so far except for exchanging of letters. l

BNP seeks extra time for holding council n Mohammad Zakaria

ATTEMPT ON SHEIKH HASINA'S LIFE

n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

HC conditionally allows adverts in English n Nazmus Sakib

lieve in the ideologies of Bangabandhu.

Rather Jamaat conducts criminal activities... The trial of persons for crimes against humanity will continue. Those who are left will be brought to justice.

We will not compromise with this.”

Shahriar Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune: “If there is any political consideration behind the law minister’s remark, then it will be suicidal for the Awami League and its alliance.”

Advising the law minister to not talk about all these, the writer said: “The judges at the tribunal will decide on the type of punishment. It is none of a minister’s business.”

The Dhaka Tribune asked the minister that if there was no provision for punishing an organisation, why then did the investigators of the war crimes tribunal probed into allegations against Jamaat and why the state prosecutors worked on the allegations.

In reply, the minister said over phone: “Ask them [investigators and prosecutors] about this. I do not know anything about this.”

Prof Muntassir told the Dhaka Tribune: “Generally, the government is the plaintiff of any case at the tribunal...

Why did then the government approve them [investigation against Jamaat]?

Nobody can do this without the gov-

ernment’s approval.”

The Dhaka Tribune contacted a number of prosecutors of the tribunal but none of them wanted to say anything about this.

Only one prosecutor, seeking anonymity, said: “It is all for good. We are now relieved of our responsibilities...

The law minister said the trial cannot he held under the existing law. I do not think it would be right to say anything regarding this.”

Motiur Rahman, the officer who investigated the allegations against Jamaat, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I have seen while investigating that Jamaat was directly involved with the crimes that were committed during the 1971 Liberation War. All those crimes took place at the instigation of and order from Jamaat leaders. In some places, they themselves committed crimes.”

He also said: “Even the International Crimes Tribunal has directly talked about Jamaat’s role during the Liberation War in many of its verdicts.”

According to Motiur’s probe report, Jamaat and its wing Islami Chhatra Sangha; the peace committees, the Razakar, al-Badr and al-Shams forces formed to help the Pakistani army; and Jamaat’s mouthpiece daily Sangram committed crimes that are mentioned

over, when he was an MP, there was no incident like murder, extortion, enforced disappearance or any oppression against opposition leaders and activists.

Salim Osman, also BKMEA president, said he would make Narayanganj a city of peace if he was elected. He also sought the support of Narayanganj city Mayor Ivy in the election.

City Awami League President Anwar Hossain said: “Grassroots level Awami League leaders and activists want me to contest the election, because the party did not nominate any candidate here.”

Returning Officer Mihir said these nomination papers would be verified at all relevant offices, including the Bangladesh Bank. The filed nomination papers would be scrutinised on June 1, he said, adding that the deadline for withdrawing nomination papers was June 9. l

in sections 4(1) and 4(2).

The investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal finalised the probe report against Jamaat and handed it over to the prosecution on March 27 for submitting formal charges.

A seven-member team led by prosecutor Tureen Afroz is working on preparing the charges. However, there have been disagreements within the prosecution team whether to try Jamaat now considering that its supporters could carry out violence across the country.

PM: Jamaat intruding in AL

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina claimed that Jamaat-Shibir men were carrying out mayhem by intruding into the ruling party.

“The Jamaat-Shibir activists have taken shelter under the Awami League in disguise. They are intruding in the Awami League and Jubo League and committing murders, misdeeds and criminal activities,” Hasina said while addressing Bangladeshi expatriates at a hotel in Tokyo.

She said there were some people who joined the ruling party. “After the government took office, they have become government party by changing their stand.” l

The BNP has sought extra time from the Election Commission (EC) to prepare its party council as it did not have sufficient time to do so.

The BNP’s Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday submitted a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad.

Rizvi came to the commission secretariat around 3pm yesterday and hurriedly left the commission without talking to press. Acting EC secretary Sirajul Islam confirmed the matter.

The party held their latest national council in December, 2009 and according to the directives of EC, BNP had to hold its next council by 2012 as a registered political party.

But despite several attempts the party failed to hold council and has been getting extensions from the EC repeatedly. l

Ekram's ‘bodyguard’  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Soon after allegations were raised against Belal about his involvement in the murder of Ekram, Awami League suspended him on May 26, said the party’s Fulgazi upazila unit Secretary Abdul Alim. After rumours spread about Belal’s involvement, locals also set the suspect’s house on fire on May 27.

“A team of Feni police has brought Belal to Feni around 9pm on Thursday after getting information of his arrest,” Shamsul Alam Sarkar, senior assistant police super of Feni, told the Dhaka Tribune.

Three more suspects confess

Three more suspects in the murder case – Kazi Shanan Ahmed, Chowdhury Mohammad Nafis Uddin Anik and Helaluddin – gave confessional statement under section 164 of the penal code at the court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Khairul Amin, after investigation officer of the case Inspector Abul Kalam Azad placed them before it.

According to sources, Shanan, in his statement, said he was with Abid – a key suspect in the case – on the evening before the murder, when Abid received a phone call from Jihad Chowdhury directing Abid to go to the Salam Community Centre, which was reportedly the place where the murder was plotted.

Later at around 11pm, Abid called Shanan and asked to bring his friends to the Academy Road – the scene of the crime – at 8am the following day.

Reaching there, Shanan said he saw Ruti Sohel, Jihad Chowdhury, Arif, Jubo League leader Jiaul Haque Bappi and around 35 more people waiting there.

Asked about the plan, Abid told Shanan that they would stop Ekram’s vehicle, according to Shanan’s confession.

Meanwhile, Nafis Uddin Anik, nephew of key suspect Mahtab Uddin Chowhdury Minar, said he was a childhood friend of Abid.

In his statement, Anik said he saw that Engineer Rahul was the first to break the window of Ekram’s vehicle and Jiaul Haque Bappi was the first to stab Ekram with a knife. During the attack, Abid and Ruti Sohel shot Ekram through the broken window; while Jihad ordered another young man to set the vehicle ablaze by taking kerosene from a nearby shop.

Following the attack, Jihad asked Anik to call his uncle Minar – a local BNP leader – on the phone. Getting the

call, Minar asked his nephew if Ekram was dead, to which Anik replied that the upazila chairman had been killed.

On the other hand, Helaluddin, who gave shelter to Abid, said in his statement that Shipon and Sifat were his childhood friends and on the day of incident they had called him about coming to his home, and eventually reached there at 4am the following day.

The court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Khairul Amin also placed Jubo League Leader Bappi on a five-day remand, after the investigation officer placed him before the court.

Paritosh Gosh, police superintendent of Feni, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they were getting many new names and data from the arrestees. The police were analysing the statements and information, and taking action only after getting confirmation about it, he added.

So far, 22 people have been arrested in connection with the killing of Ekram.

Meanwhile, Nusrat Jahan, wife of BNP leader Minar yesterday claimed that her husband had no involvement in the murder of the Fulgazi chairman.

Speaking at a press briefing, she said Minar was ill and police had arrested him on “baseless” information.

Nusrat also claimed that the main accused in the case Jahangir Mohammad Adel was not being arrested as he was now under the shelter of local MP Nizam Uddin Hazari.

Fulgazi upazila Awami League has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Monday at Fulgazi, demanding punishment of Ekram’s killers, said secretary of Awami League’s Fulgazi upazila unit, Abdul Alim. l

TIB’s open challenge  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

in establishing the Anti-Corruption Commission. It is us who demanded creating the commission. We prepared the draft of the law that instituted the Anti-Corruption Commission. We want it to be effective,” he said.

Iftekharuzzaman said people knew that the TIB was foreign-funded but “we do not accept a single farthing or spend without the approval of the government; even though there is no scope of it. We maintain accountability to the government.” l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Friday, May 30, 2014

TIB hails integration strategy of government n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The government move to ensure “self-purification and integrity in all activities of the state and politics” through formation of the National Integration Strategy has brought some positive changes in some government institutions, says the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

The TIB now suggested that law enforcing agencies, armed forces and madrasas should also be brought under the scheme.

While presenting its findings on progress of the strategy adopted in October 2012 the TIB thanked the government for its efforts to ensure transparency in the state organs through some commendable measures in the executive, legislature and judiciary.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina heads the National Integrity Advisory Council while Finance Minister AMA Muhith is the chief of the executive committee of the council.

The National Integrity Implementation Unit is headed by an additional secretary of the cabinet division and supervised by the cabinet secretary.

“We have many reasons to be satisfied with the short-term gains. In the short term (one and a half years), opportunities have been created to ensure integrity and transparency,” Iftekharuzzaman, the TIB executive director, said at a press conference in Mahakhali.

The TIB findings praised the government for instituting the national web portal and national e-service system and introducing the alternative dispute resolution.

“Regular meetings of parliamentary standing committees, installing servers

of the election commission in most of the districts, the initiative to introduce social performance audit and setting up a cell to look into corruption of the anti-corruption commission were some of the achievements.”

Institutions such as political parties, private industrial and commercial units, NGOs and civil society organisations, family, educational institutes and media have no focal point, according to the report.

While detecting inadequacy of strategy, the report pointed out that many of the challenges such as political influence, internal corruption, non-cooperation of the opposition parties, and poor implementation of the laws and the absence of a separate secretariat for the judiciary were not included in the strategy.

Public administration, legislature, judiciary, election commission, attorney general’s office, public service commission, comptroller and auditor general’s office, anti-corruption commission, local government bodies, political parties, private sector industry and commercial bodies, NGOs and civil society organisations, family, educational institutes and media have come under the national integrity strategy.

“Challenges, recommendations and planning of police and armed forces have not been included in the strategy.

Besides, religious and social institutes that can hugely influence integrity have not also been included,” said the report.

“Police, armed forces, the national human rights commission, the national board of revenue and madrasas should be brought under the programme,” said Iftekharuzzaman. l

Public transport workers vandalise buses parked outside the Barisal University yesterday, during a clash with the university students. Story on Page 4

ACC to start probe into Nur Hossain’s wealth n Tribune Report

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday decided to launch an inquiry into the alleged illegal wealth of former Awami League leader and Narayanganj city corporation Councillor Nur Hossain, the prime accused in the seven murder case.

Considering specific allegation against the councillor, a regular

Arguments continue in Ershad’s radar purchase case n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka Court yesterday recorded the prosecution argument partly and set June 2 for rest of the arguments by prosecution and also the defence in the radar purchase corruption case field against former military ruler HM Ershad.

Special Divisional Court Judge Md Abdur Rashid recorded the argument placed by public prosecutor of Dhaka Special Divisional Court Md Shahin Ahmed.

The Jatiya Party chairman was not present at the court during the hear-

ing while former Air Force chiefs AirVice Marshal (retd) Sultan Ahmed and Air-Vice Marshal (retd) Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed were in the dock.

Another accused Director of United Traders AKM Musa has been absconding since the beginning of the case.

The name of proprietor of United Traders Shazed Ali was dropped from the charge sheet.

The court on April 24 concluded recording statements by 12 witnesses in the much-talked-about case which was filed by now-defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau on April 4, 1992.

The case says Ershad while serving

as president had purchased radar for the Air Force by misusing power and in collusion with four others, causing the state to incur a loss of around Tk64.04 crore during his rule.

Investigation Officer Manjur Ahmed pressed the charges against Ershad and four others on October 27, 1994, showing 38 people as prosecution witnesses.

The accused were indicted on August 12, 1995 but the proceedings were adjourned from August 12, 1995 to 1998.

The High Court cleared way for the trial on August 8, 2006. The trial resumed on November 2, 2010. l

‘International community has full confidence in government’ n Sheikh ShahariarZaman State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahariar Alam yesterday said the government does not like questions about the legitimacy of the January 5 election or when the next election would be held.

He was speaking at a press briefing on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Japan visit at the ministry. Hasina went to Tokyo on a four-day visit on May 25 and came back yesterday morning.

“The vibrant bilateral relations that Bangladesh has with Japan, Russia, China, and even with the US, it is clearly understandable that international community has full confidence in the government,” he said.

“We don’t feel any problem at working level,” Shahriar said.

A country like Japan has made strong commitments during a bilateral visit and it proved that the confidence in the current government is much more than it has been at any time in the past, he added.

Japan has announced up to about $6 billion yen loan commitment for different priority projects in Bangladesh during the visit by the prime minister to Tokyo.

Japan committed the loan for the next four or five years and the priority projects are Ganges Barrage, multi-modal tunnel under river Jamuna, dedicated railway bridge over river Jamuna, multi-modal Dhaka Eastern Bypass, and ecological restoration of four rivers around Dhaka. l

FOCUS BANGLA

meeting of the commission decided to launch the inquiry, an ACC official told reporters. An officer would soon be appointed to conduct the investigation.

Quoting from the allegations, the official said Nur, who was a truck driver in 1987, had accumulated a huge amount of wealth in the last few years, particularly in between 2012 and 2014.

route.

Earlier, the ACC officials said they were collecting information and documents related to the wealth of Nur, and the three dismissed RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) officers.

ACC officials yesterday said they were preparing to bring the RAB officers under scrutiny as allegations say that they had been involved in the murders in exchange for money. l

BNP: None can erase Zia’s name n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The BNP yesterday alleged that a conspiracy to erase the name of party founder late president Ziaur Rahman from the minds of people has been going on.

But the Awami League will never ever be successful in its attempt to do so, said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the BNP. “From the very beginning the conspiracy has been in place to demean Ziaur Rahman. The killers believed that the ideology of Zia will die with his killing.”

Thirty three years have passed but no one has been able to obliterate his name from the minds of people, said Fakhrul.

He was addressing a discussion at

Mufti Izhar trial in ACC case begins

n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong A Chittagong court yesterday recorded a deposition given by the first witness in an ACC case against Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury, the nayeb-e-ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam.

Senior Special Judge SM Majibur Rahman recorded the deposition by plaintiff Sirajul Hoque, a deputy director of the ACC, on the first day of the trial. The court fixed June 25 for depositions by other witnesses.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Izhar on August 17 last year as the accused had not submitted his wealth statement in response to ACC notice. The charge sheet was pressed on April 21 while the court indicted Izhar on May 12. l

No army deployment in Barisal 5 by-polls

n Mohammad Zakaria

A woman holds a placard, demanding recognition of female farmers, during a human chain formed in front of the National Press Club by Kendrio Krishak Maitri yesterday to press for adequate allocation for agriculture sector in the next budget MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Nur built two buildings – one five-storey and another six-storey – by spending Tk13 crore in Narayanganj.

He also owns two flats in Gulshan, one in Banani and another in Dhanmondi.

He also grabbed a huge piece of land in both Dhaka and Narayanganj.

The expelled vice-president of Shiddhirganj unit Awami League owns 32 buses named ABS Transport, which operates in the Narayanganj-Chittagong

The Election Commission has decided not to deploy army personnel during the upcoming Barisal 5 by-elections, slated to be held on June 12.

The EC asked intelligence agencies to increase vigilance on the constituency so that anarchy cannot be created centring the by-polls.

The decision came from a meeting held in the EC secretariat yesterday between its commissioners and the different law enforcement agencies.

A senior assistant secretary of EC told the Dhaka Tribune that police, members of BGB, RAB and Ansar would work in the polls as mobile and striking forces. l

the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh to mark the party founder ZiaurRahman’s 33rd death anniversary.

Fakhrul said a conspiracy was still going on against Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman to keep them away from politics.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia attended the programme and was seated with the audience. She listened to the speeches made by the leaders and activists.

Fakhrul, referring to first prime minister of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmed’s daughter Sharmin Ahmed’s book, said: “It was proved that Ziaur Rahman proclaimed independence. People of the country do not believe in Awami League’s falsehood.”

The spokesperson of the party hinted that the solution would come

through movement if the government does not hold elections under a non-partisan interim government.

Taking part in the discussion Bikalpadhara Bangladesh President and the founding secretary general of the BNP AQM Baddrudoza Chowdhury said Ziaur Rahman is the part of the history and it would not be possible to erase him from the history through falsehood.

“It is nothing but a failed attempt by the Awami League,” he said asking the BNP leaders and activists to follow Zia’s philosophy.

Terming Zia the successful reformer of the country, Baddrudoza Chowdhury said those who stigmatised Zia are the enemy of independence and history of the country. l

Subhan witness cross examined after a week n Udisa Islam The defence of war crimes accused Maulana Abdus Subhan cross examined the seventh prosecution witness who testified last Thursday.

Defence counsel Mizanul Islam questioned Jahanara Begum, 65, wife of martyr Razab Ali Bishwas, at the International Crimes Tribunal 2. Mizanul had been absent at the tribunal for the last one week due to some personal difficulties.

Hailing from Shahpur of Ishwardi in Pabna, Jahanara said her husband had been killed on May 2 of 1971 upon the order of the accused because Razab was a pro-liberation activist and leader of Swadhinata Sangram Parishad.

She used to help the freedom fighters of the area by hiding their arms and feeding them during the Liberation War. Mizanul grilled her in the first half of the session and claimed that the witness had given false statement.

Jahanara denied the suggestion and sought justice from the tribunal.

After the questioning, the tribunal adjourned the trial until Sunday.

During the deposition, she said: “On May 2, 1971, Subhan along with the Pakistani Army personnel attacked our village and opened fire indiscriminately. I, along with my husband, his friend Shamsul Haque and members of my in-laws family hid in a bamboo brush. But Subhan and his cohorts took us into their custody.

“When the army men wanted to shoot my husband following the order of Subhan, I begged to him to save my husband’s life. But Subhan threw me away and then members of the army shot my husband and Shamsul in front of my eyes.”

Accused Subhan, a nayeb-e-ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, was indicted on December 31 last year on nine charges of crimes against humanity he had committed in Pabna. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Friday, May 30, 2014

Contractor gunned down, Jubo League man slaughtered in capital n Kailash Sarkar

Sumi’s bail bond accepted, no bar to release n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday accepted the bail bond submitted on behalf of juvenile accused Khaleda Khatun Sumi, domestic help of slain Special Branch inspector Mahfuzur Rahman and his wife, in a case filed for murdering the couple.

Sumi’s counsel Syed Nazmul Huda told the Dhaka Tribune: “Following the acceptance of the bail bond, there is no bar to release her from the National Juvenile Correction Centre in Gazipur.”

Judge Zakia Parvin of the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka passed the order.

Earlier in the day, Sumi’s mother Saleha Khatun and her step father Nur Mohammad alias Nurul Amin appeared before the court and her mother submitted her voter identity card to prove her identity.

The court also warned Sumi’s mother and her counsels that action would be taken if they did not appear before court during hearing of the case.

On May 26, the court did not accept the bail bond as Sumi’s mother could not produce her national identity card. Sumi was indicted on May 20 when the court also granted her bail on a Tk20,000 bond in the sensational murder case. The court fixed June 16 for starting trial against her.

Another court on May 6 framed charges against Oishee Rahman – daughter of the couple – and two of her friends Mizanur Rahman Rony and Mahfuzur Rahman Jony. The case is set to begin on June 5 with the testimony of prosecution witnesses. SB official Mahfuz Rahman and his wife Swapna Rahman were found dead in their rented house in Chamelibagh of the capital on August 16 last year.

During interrogation, Oishee said she killed her parents with help of Sumi. l

A contractor was killed in a gun attack in broad daylight in Arambagh yesterday while a tea vendor was found slaughtered in Kafrul area of the capital.

The contractor identified as Sultan Ahmed, 45, came under the gun fire around 11am in front of his office Mokhbul Plaza at Arambagh.

A listed contractor of the Water Development Board, Sultan was a resident of Kadomtola in Sabujbagh.

Police and witnesses said a gang of masked criminals launched the attack and fled the scene on their motorcycles.

He was a close aide to Jubo League leader Milky, who was also shot dead in Gulshan several months ago.

Sub-Inspector Aman Ullah of Motijheel police station said the bullet wounded contractor Sultan died after he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

The DMCH sources said Sultan received two bullets in his chest and abdomen.

Mohammad Shameem, an office assistant of contractor Sultan, said a gang of armed criminals sprayed bullets indiscriminately at Sultan while he was entering his office at 10/3 Arambagh.

Sultan’s driver Amir Hossain said the criminals swooped in on Sultan immediately after he got down from his car and was trying to enter his office.

“I dropped my boss and his body guard Kamrul in front of the building and went to park the car. Suddenly, I

heard the sounds of several rounds of bullets. I saw two youths flee past me,” driver Amin Hossain said.

According to Sultan’s bodyguard Kamrul Hasan, Sultan asked him to buy a water bottle from a nearby shop.

“I was buying the water bottle when some gun shots were heard. I rushed to the building and saw two youths run away. Sultan’s body was lying on the staircase,” he said.

Police picked up Kamrul and Amin for interrogation.

Manager of the SASI Private Limited Ali Ahsan Shamim told the Dhaka Tribune they suspected sub-contractor Afzal Hossain.

He said Sultan had been running the Water Development Board projects in Tangail, Kurigram and Bhola.

“As far as I know he had an old feud with Afzal. On September 2011, Afzal abducted my boss and the abductors freed him after a few days and left him in Khamarbari area in Farmgate.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police Md Ashrafuzzaman in Motijheel Division said they were trying to find the reason behind the killing and trying to arrest the killers.

Sultan owned a business firm named SAIS Ltd located on 2nd floor of Mokhbul Plaza.

Police said contractor Sultan’s suspected killers were hired by his rivals centring a business feud.

Police and witnesses said the killers were waiting in front of his office and attacked him with firearms as soon as he got down from his car.

Two siblings hacked in Jatrabari

Transport workers, BU students clash; 6 migrants’ bodies arrive today n 10 injured, 3 vehicles vandalised

n Tribune Report

n Our Correspondent, Barisal

Two siblings were hacked indiscriminately over a small dispute in the capital’s Jatrabari yesterday.

The victims are Masud, 28, a medical assistant of a local hospital and his elder brother Abul Kashem Bulbul, 40.

They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in a critical condition.

Sources said local goons swooped in on the siblings in response to the protest made by the younger brother against two youths for snatching berries from a little boy.

Rehana Begum, Masud’s mother, said Masud caught them snatching some Acai berries from a boy by local youths named Rubel and Jewel. When he protested, the youths beat him up.

Hearing this news, Kashem and his mother rushed to the spot and then the goons also beat him up too. Later some local elders tried to mediate the issue and called for arbitration between them at Amtola in Jatrabari.

On their way to Amtola, some associates of Rubel and Raju again attacked them with sharp weapons and began to hack away at them. Locals rushed the siblings to DMCH in a critical condition. l

At least 10 people, including eight students, were injured and three vehicles vandalised in a clash between students of Barisal University (BU) and transport workers over a trifling matter yesterday.

Students of the university declared boycott of the classes and examinations, demanding punishment to the transport workers who attacked them.

Witnesses said the clash resulted from an altercation over denial of students’ concession fare and giving them a stoppage by a bus in front of the BU’s permanent campus at Karnakathi on the eastern bank of the Kirtankhola River at 10.50am.

The other students were informed of this and they rushed in, damaged the bus and beat its two workers and tried to block the highway by stacking bricks on it.

On hearing of it, transport workers also rushed there and, haphazardly parking their vehicles, they blocked a nearby highway crossing that connects at least 17 routes of Barisal-Bhola-Patuakhali-Barguna district.

They attacked the BU campus, triggering a fierce clash between them in which at least eight students were in-

Family members of businessman Sultan Ahmed try to calm down his son at Dhaka Medical College Hospital after Sultan was shot dead by miscreants yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE “We primarily suspect that the murder took place following a feud over his business and are trying to find his rivals,” said Saifur Rahman, assistant commissioner of Police in Motijheel Zone.

Meanwhile, the slaughtered body of tea vendor Mizanur Rahman, 26, was found around 6pm.

Son of Nuru Miah of Char Muladi in Brisal, he was a resident of Senpara in Mirpur Section 10 and was also a leader of local unit of Jubo League in Kafrul.

Delwar Hossain, a maternal uncle of Mizanur, said his nephew used to return home within 12:30am, but last night he did not return home and his body was found near his shop

in the morning.

Inspector Abdul Qaiyum, officer-in-charge of Kafrul police station, said Mizanur was said to be a leader of local Jubo League and also a tea vendor in front of SA Paribahan at Kafrul.

“We are trying to arrest the killers and find the mystery behind the murder,” the OC said. l

Rabiul Islam

jured and damaged two student buses parked on the campus.

Police baton-charged and fired six rounds of rubber bullets and three rounds of tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control, said Ziaul Islam, officer-in-charge at Barisal Bandar police station.

Road communications returned to normalcy at 3:00pm after students, marooned on the campus, were safely transferred from the spot to the city under police protection.

Students declared boycott of classes and examinations, saying that they would not return to class until those involved in the attack on them were punished.

The university authority, transport owners and workers association and law enforcing agencies would sit together at the Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP) office today said Abu Raihan Md Saleh, BMP (north) deputy commissioner.

Barisal University Proctor Md Shafiul Alam said students Shamim Shikdar, Toufiq Omar of economics, Bidhan of law, Shovon of marketing, Sayeed of Bangla and three others were injured.

Of them, Shamin was admitted to Barisal Sher E Bangla Medical College

Hospital, he said.

Barisal Bus Workers Union’s President Sultan Mahmud said Anwar Hossain and Md Miraj, driver and supervisor of a bus were injured in the attack by students.

BU General Students Forum Convener HM Zahirul said transport workers not only often assault them denying concession fare, but also deny them any stoppage in front of the campus.

They even tease female students.

Declaring boycott of classes and exams, he said no students would attend classes and examinations until those transport workers responsible for the attack were punished.

He also demanded that a permanent solution be made over denial of students’ concession fare and giving them stoppage in front of the campus.

Barisal Transport Workers Association General Secretary Sultan Mahmud said it is not possible to give students any stoppage right in front of the university gate as there is a sharp road slope there.

Students often refused to pay any bus fare and are locked in altercations with transport workers. They even assault the transport workers when they tried to protest, he said.

Bodies of six Bangladeshi migrant workers who were killed in a fire in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka this afternoon.

The fire, which took place on May 12 in a furniture shop named Titas Furniture, killed a total of nine Bangladeshi migrant workers.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the bodies of Matiur Rahman, Mohammad Jalal, Md Selim, Shah Alam, Khorshed and Zakir Hossain is scheduled to land at Shahjalal International Airport at 3pm, according to a press release issued by the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board under the Ministry

of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.

The process of sending the other three bodies is still in progress, stated the press release.

“I will hand over the bodies to their respective families at the airport,” said Md Ziauddin, director of the board, while talking to the Dhaka Tribune over phone yesterday.

He also said each of the families would be given a cheque of Tk35,000 for transport and burial cost. The families have been advised to bring necessary documents.

It is to be noted that the government also allocates Tk3 lakh for the family of a migrant workers who die abroad. l

Foreign student mugged n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Muggers snatched Tk2 lakh from a Malaysian student of Chittagong Medical College in the city’s Probortok intersection area yesterday morning.

Lakdesh, 25, a final-year MBBS student at the medical college, was on a rickshaw when he was mugged, according to the victim and police sources. The muggers, who were on a CNG-run auto rickshaw, snatched his bag containing

the money with such force that he fell off the vehicle and sustained injuries.

Lakdesh said he had withdrawn the money from a branch of Standard Chartered Bank at Probortok intersection before he got on the rickshaw.

“Suddenly, a dark-skinned hand shot out of a CNG-run auto rickshaw right beside my rickshaw and grabbed my bag away from my hand.

A case was filed with the police station in this regard, the OC added. l

Hanif: Tarique Rahman talks nonsense n Emran Hossain Shaikh

Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu poses with the Tobacco Control Journalism awardees yesterday NAHIRUL ISLAM

Dhaka Tribune reporter awarded n Tribune Report

A staff reporter of the Dhaka Tribune has been awarded the Progga Tobacco Control Journalism Award 2014 in the best national English daily category.

Abu Bakar Siddique won the award for his report titled “Farming tobacco takes its toll on Bandarban forests” published on May 31 last year in the Dhaka Tribune.

In a ceremony yesterday at the city’s Ruposhi Bangla hotel, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu handed over the award as the chief guest.

A total of five awards were given in different categories. Ubaidulla Badol, senior reporter of the Daily Jugantor, won the best national Bengali newspa-

per report. Moidul Islam, staff correspondent of Ntv, and Rita Nahar, staff correspondent of Boishakhi Television, won the best broadcast report category, while Shah Suel Ahmed, chief reporter of the Daily Sylhet Surma, got the award in local newspaper category.

A 13-member jury board, headed

by Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique judged the winning reports.

Progga, a research and development organisation in collaboration with Anti Tobacco Media Alliance, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids have been giving this award since 2011 in the wake of “World No Tobacco Day” to be observed tomorrow. l

Castigating BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman’s remark that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a failed politician while Ziaur Rahman a successful one, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif yesterday said Tarique was talking nonsense just to draw media attention.

“A son of Ziaur Rahman, Tarique was engaged in looting and is now leading a comfortable life in London, he said, adding that becoming mentally imbalanced, he is now talking rubbish.”

Hanif came up with his speech while talking to reporters at his business office in Karwanbazar in the city.

‘Khaleda Zia wanted to dissolve RAB because the Jamaat-e-Islami pressed her to do so’ Hinting at Tarique Rahman’s recent controversial remarks, the Awami League leader said the press coverage encouraged him to talk so.

“Such rantings will stop if the news media cease to publish those,” he said.

Earlier at a rally in London held on Wednesday on the occasion of Ziaur Rahman’s 33rd death anniversary, Tarique said his father was the most successful politician while the architect of Bangladesh’s independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was a failed politician.

About BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s speech that Awami League will not be able to come to power in the next 42 years, Hanif said it was an audacious statement made by the party chief.

Class four student raped in Shariatpur, police reluctant to register case n Our Correspondent, Shariatpur A schoolgirl was raped allegedly by her private tutor in Rupbaburhat village under Janjira upazila of Shariatpur on Wednesday morning.

Family members of the victim, who is a class IV student at a local kindergarten school, said when she was being tutored by her teacher, Shahidul Islam, son of Hamed Madbar of village Kalai

Moral Kandi upazila, at the school after school hours, he took her to a secluded room and raped her.

Mother of the victim told the Dhaka Tribune that they had gone to Janjira police station to file a case against Shahidul, but the officer-in-charge of the police station did not register any case, but advised them to settle the issue mutually.

Md Shaheen Alam, founder of Sab

Kindergarten, said, “Hearing of the incident, we have already removed Shahidul Islam from his service and we want his punishment.”

The rapist Shahidul Islam remained absconding since the incident.

When contacted, Akram Ali Miah, officer-in-charge of Janjira police station, said: “I have been informed about the matter, but no one came to me to file any case.” l

“The countrymen will give a befitting reply to her statement in the coming days,” he said.

Hanif alleged that Khaleda Zia wanted to dissolve RAB because the Jamaat-e-Islami pressed her to do so.

“The elite force deals with Jamaat with an iron fist following the war crimes trial and that is why the party wants RAB’s extinction,” he said.

Brushing aside Khaleda Zia’s allegation that the government is not allowing the BNP to hold rallies, the Awami League leader said if that was the case how she [Khaleda Zia] attended the rally at Munshiganj. l

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZARIF I hope the Sun shines on you, the wind is at your back, your food tastes good, you see smiles and hear laughter every day and not just today on your birthday. “Happy Birthday” my dearest brother Fahim Mahtab Majumder....

Truly yours, Jeba Fouja Jerin.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Friday, May 30, 2014

Fund crisis not to blame for poor city services City residents deprived of adequate services for corruption, irregularities n Abu Hayat Mahmud Despite city corporation authorities’ claim that a lack of fund prevents them from delivering adequate services to residents, five major issues have been said to be the reasons for the poor service.

It has almost been two and a half years since the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) was split into two bodies – north and south – but little has been done to improve citizen services because of five major issues continually hampering development of the two bodies.

According to city residents and urban planners, the five concerns are the absence of public representatives following the split, corruption of a few officials, irregularities and nepotism, lack of coordination between the two bodies and other government utility service providers, and confusion about jurisdiction over some areas.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) officials, however, denied the allegations and mentioned budget shortage and fund crisis as the reasons

for failing to deliver quality services.

Professor Nazrul Islam, president of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh and chairman of the Centre for Urban Studies, said no research was conducted on the future pros and cons before the split of the DCC. He suggested the government should not frequently transfer the two administrators – one for DSCC and the other for DNCC – every six months in accordance with the City Corporation Act. He also said a few corrupt officials hindered growth of both the bodies.

Mentioning absence of public representatives in the two city corporations, Professor Dr Sarwar Jahan, head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Buet, said: “If the government does not change its decision, corruption and irregularities will continue rising while quality of services will deteriorate in the future”.

Residents of different areas under DSCC and DNCC alleged that they are still waiting for pothholes on streets to be fixed, and ensuring proper drainage system, garbage management, street lamp maintenance and anti-mosquito drives.

Moreover, collecting different certificates, including birth certificates and TINs, from a total of 10 zonal offices has become a tall order for city dwellers as they are allegedly forced to pay bribes for having their certificates issued.

DSCC sources said, in 2012 a syndicate, comprised of a few DSCC officials and a construction firm, embezzled a large sum through tender fraud for nominal road and drain reform.

More than 350 shops in different markets under the DSCC are under occupation of some Awami League and BNP leaders with assistance of some corrupt officials but the city corporation authorities are yet to take steps to recover them.

According to sources, a number of corrupt DNCC officials in 2012 embezzled a large amount of money through purchase and frequent change of low-quality street lamps.

DNCC authorities allegedly removed the newly-installed lamps in less than a month when troubles were detected. The authorities concerned then formed a committee to test the quality of the lamps.

In many places, road and drainage

system maintenance has been poor as DSCC and DNCC authorities have not yet drawn a clear demarcation line.

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Ansar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune, road and infrastructural development has been suffering from lack of fund.

“DNCC has a comparatively healthy annual budget. Its revenue is more than that of DSCC,” he added.

DNCC Chief Executive Officer BM Enamul Haque said: “We have strictly collected the revenue from our income sources and we get a bigger budget allocation than DSCC in each fiscal year.

But comparatively, DSCC has more income sources than us.”

Enamul said they need around Tk560 crore for road repair throughout the year. “We spent about Tk400 crore from a total income of Tk456 crore in the last fiscal year.”

Former LGD secretary Abu Alam Md Shahid Khan said the government usually allocates the city corporations sufficient money that they cannot cover from their income sources.

“Every year, the two city corporations have more money coming from

the national budget and they have more sources of revenues too. The allocation varies between the two for different new projects and foreign investments,” he added.

According to the FY2013-14 budget, the DSCC budget allocation for development and revenue expenditure is more than that of the DNCC. However, in reality, DNCC enjoys more development than DSCC. DSCC allocated around Tk1876 crore in this fiscal year, of which around Tk1560 crore, allocated for development, is supposed to come from the government, private sectors, public-private partnerships and foreign finance, and around Tk288 crore, allocated for revenue, is to come from revenue income.

Besides, DNCC allocated around Tk1984 crore in this fiscal year, of which around Tk1132 crore, was allocated for development, is supposed to come from the government, private sectors, public-private partnerships and foreign finance, and Tk205 crore, allocated from revenue, is to come from revenue income. l

1.2kg gold seized at Shahjalal Airport, 1 held n Kailash Sarkar For the second time in a row, customs department officials seized 1.2kg of gold and detained a person at the Hajarat Shahjalal International Airport on Wednesday night.

The arrested is Shariful Islam, from Benapole area in Sharsha upazila of Jessore district.

Ruhul Amin, assistant commissioner of the airport customs department, said they detained Shariful Islam immediately after his arrival at the airport at 9:30pm receiving a tip-off and recovered a gold bar weighing 1.2kg upon searching his body.

“Shariful arrived at Dhaka airport on a flight on Malaysian Airlines from Malaysia,” the official said.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, the customs officials recovered 12 bars and 27 necklaces weighing 1.5kg of gold from a DHL parcel, a courier service agent, sent from Singapore to a local electronics shop.

Sources said around 60 criminal rings are involved in smuggling gold, diamond, various precious metals and stones, currencies and other items through the airports of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.

The smuggling of gold has intensified in recent times centring the airports in Bangladesh since the Indian government imposed some restrictions on the import of gold last year.

There had been a record of the seizures of gold weighing 124kg and 109kg respectively in two separate hauls at the Dhaka airport. l

WEATHER THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

FRIDAY, MAY 30 DHAKA TODAY TOMORROW SUN SETS 6:41PM SUN RISES 5:11AM FORECAST FOR TODAY 36

28

Chittagong

33

26

Rajshahi

38

27

Rangpur

34

24

Khulna

37

26

Barisal

36

27

Sylhet

34

23

Cox’s Bazar

33

27

Dhaka

A huge traffic congestion creates on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue in the city yesterday after a suv goes out of order

3,000 USTC students face study disruptions n CU Correspondent Nearly 3,000 students of the University of Science and Technology Chittagong were facing severe disruptions to their studies as a work abstention by teachers and other employees demanding implementation of service rules entered a 12th day yesterday.

Meanwhile, the trustee board of the private university has called an emergency syndicate meeting at its Dhaka office today to find a solution for ending the work stoppage.

On the other hand, the protesting teachers and staff, as well as the suffering students, have sought the prime minister’s intervention to appoint an administrator immediately to resolve the stalemate.

Teachers, officials, doctors and staff

members, under the banner of “Teachers-Doctors and Officials-Employees Coordination Parishad”, have been abstaining from work every day from 9am to 1pm since May 18, hampering academic and administrative activities.

However, the Bangabandhu Memorial Hospital under the university remained outside the purview of the strike and medical services continued as normal, sources said.

Students of the university’s medical faculty, meanwhile, alleged that around 1,200 students of batches 26 and 27 were not registered with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.

“The issue has been raised with the higher authorities several times. But, they are not paying any heed,” said Kumar Biswajit Bisu, a student representative.

Campus sources said the university has around 300 teachers and 150 staff members, and over 3,000 students, including 800 foreigners.

The university is sponsored by Janasheba Foundation, a private charity. A nine-member trustee board runs the university,established in May 1989.

Kamal Uddin, joint secretary of the coordination committee, said the USTC authorities were not implementing the service rules for staff, pay scales and other job facilities, even after 25 years of the university’s inception.

“There is no president-nominated vice chancellor, pro VC or treasurer who can run the university smoothly,” Kamal said.

The parishad leaders accused the trustee board of irregularities and mismanagement, claiming that the board

members appointed their own candidates as VC, pro VCs and treasurer to serve their “ulterior purposes”.

Vice Chancellor M Rezaul Karim, meanwhile, refused to make any comments about the deadlock and asked this correspondent to contact the chairman of the trustee board.

When contacted, Mina Islam, member secretary of the trustee board, brushed aside all allegations and claimed that a section of irregular and undisciplined workers were provoking the staff.

She also alleged that the agitating staff took the VC as hostage and forced him to sign an official order calling for a syndicate meeting.

Mina added that the university authoritieswould take legal action against those who incited the strike, jeopardising the students’ education. l

n Our Correspondent, Sylhet

PRAYER TIMES

Source: IslamicFinder.org

The workers sat on the road which caused a huge traffic congestion on both sides of the road The workers said that the authority had promised them to pay the arrear yesterday had not keep their word.

As soon as they saw main gate of the factory closed, they took to the street and blocked the Abdullahpur-Baipail road for about half an hour.

Upon receiving information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after charging batons on the labourers.

Meanwhile, workers of Japan Bangla also stage demonstrations near the factory as the authority had not been paying salaries for the last two months.

At one stage of the agitation, the workers sat on the road which caused a huge traffic congestion on both sides of the road.

A large number of law enforcement were deployed in front of these two RMG factories to avoid any untoward incident.

Mustafizur Rahman, director of industrial police, said there was an unrest by garment workers in Gazipur, but they managed to bring the situation under control. l

Police yesterday busted an adulterated medicine factory in Savar’s Genda area and arrested nine people involved.

Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamrul Hasan Molla conducted the drive and sentenced the arrestees for different periods after forming a mobile court following the drive.

The arrestees are Monir Hossain, 38, who was in-charge of the factory, Mamun, 23, Mukul, 24, Enamul, 18, Alamgir, 23, Yusuf, 20, Aminul, 27, Jahangir, 20, and Mozammel, 23. Mamun was sentenced to one year imprisonment, while the rest were given six months of imprisonment.

Confirming the incident, UNO Kamrul said nine workers of SF Laboratory were sentenced to different periods, adding that the factory was sealed following the drive. A large amount of adulterated medicines were recovered from the factory, which was later destroyed.

However, factory owner Abdul Jabbar could not be nabbed, the UNO said.

Sources said the factory had long been producing adulterated medicines in the area, but no step were taken to stop the production. l

50 CCTV cameras to be set up in Sylhet

Source: Accuweather/UNB

3:46am 5:11am 11:56am 3:16pm 6:41pm 8:07pm

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

WORK STOPPAGE CONTINUES

21.1ºC Syedpur

Fajar Sunrise Jumma Asr Magrib Esha

Hundreds of readymade garment workers from two factories in Gazipur refrained from work and staged demonstration demanding arrears be paid.

Police said workers of Moyuri Wear Ltd and Bangla Japan had begun their demonstrations in the morning to bring attention to various demands including payment of arrears, an increase in attendance bonus and overtime payments.

Workers of Moyuri Wear Ltd said the factory authority had been making excuses and delaying in payment for the last three months.

They also said they were paid less than the salary paid to other garment factory workers. The workers started their demonstration on the factory premises yesterday around 9am after seeing main gate of the garment factory closed.

Adulterated medicine factory busted in Savar n Our Correspondent, Savar

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

36.0ºC Khulna

Garment workers demand arrears be paid in Gazipur n Our Correspondent, Gazipur

The President Abdul Hamid takes a photograph with the family members of nine Bangladeshi peacekeepers who died on job or were injured, at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city yesterday. President handed over awards to family members at a function arranged in observance of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers PID

The Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) has taken a decision to set up 50 closed circuit cameras at some key points in the city aimed at combating crimes such as mugging.

The SMP also decided to set up a police station in the outskirts of the city to bring law and order under control.

Commissioner of SMP Mijanur Rahman said this while addressing Opening House Day of Shahporan police station yesterday. He said incidents of mugging has significantly increased in the city.

In recent time a good number of mobile phones, motor cycles, and CNG-run auto rickshaws had been robbed.

Although law enforcers are sincere about their job, but they could not recover most of the robbed items because

of a lack of logistical support, he said expressing hope that if the entire city is brought under vigilance by closed circuit cameras, the level of crime would decrease by a large extent.

Besides, the law enforcement will also get support from the cameras to monitor any accident, political programme and the movement of people, he said.

“We are working on budgeting the project and other related work,” he said.

There are six police stations in the city – Kotwali police station, Dakshin Surma police station, Jalalabad police station, Airport police station, Shahporan police station and Moghol Bazar police station, Mijanur Rahman said, adding that the SMP also has plans to set up a police station at Naksha, in the outskirt of the city, to strengthen monitoring of the law enforcement agencies. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Agyan party members become active in Rajbari n Our Correspondent, Rajbari Members of Agyan party, a group who rob people after drugging them, have become active all over the district, including at bus and launch terminals, ferry ghats and railway stations.

Many bus passengers said the Agyan party operatives have become active and are roaming around different crowed places, including at bus terminals, launch terminals, ferry ghats, railway stations, the Daulatdia brothel and shopping malls.

Sources said over 100 Agyan party members, including women, are active in the southern districts including Rajbari , Faridpur, Madaripur, Jessore, Jhenidah and Kushtia.

Most of the victims include traders and bus passengers. In many cases, the gangsters use beautiful girls to make their mission a success.

The criminals make their targets unconscious by feeding them sedativemixed food items and then take away their belongings.

Md Abdul High, 60, a cloth trader from Kushtia, fell victim to muggers at Rajbari police line bus stand area in Rajbari Sadar upazila on May 26 at noon.

The helpless trader had fallen from the bus when he had become unconscious. Locals sent him to Rajbari Sadar Hospital. He was released from the hospital after two days.

He said he was coming from Barisal by bus on May 26. On the way, another bus passenger gave him some cucumber to eat. Before this he had been talking quite cordially with Abdul, as one would with a close relative.

“I ate his offered food with confidence. Then, at one stage, I fell unconscious. I don’t know what happened later, but the muggers looted valuables, cash, mobile phone and some clothes from me,” said he.

Another victim, Abul Basher, 65, from Noakhali, was recently going to his relative’s house in Ramkantopur village of Rajbari Sadar upazila.

He said:”I got off the ferry and got onto a bus. At that time, a criminal gave

me some betel. Later, I became unconscious. After three days, when I was released from the hospital, I saw that I had lost all my valuables.”

When contacted, Md Abul Basher, officer-in-charge of Goalondo police station said, innocent people and traders often fell victim to such gangs and lost their cash and valuables. “In most of the cases, the victims do not inform police and we cannot take action,” said the OC. Dr Arefin Sarker of Rajbari, said the victims came to the hospital with the help of locals, and such victims always regain their consciousness within 2448 hours of the occurrence.

“In some cases, many victims who consume excessive amounts of sedative-infused foods, die after the doping,” he pointed out.

“A number of law- enforcers – both in uniform and plainclothes – are now moving in to different strategic points at Daulatdia launch ghat and ferry ghat areas in Goalondo upazila to catch the criminals, including muggers and agyan party members,” said Abul Basher. l

Friday, May 30, 2014

Teesta chars now real boon Security official killed in BCL for pumpkin growers n Our Correspondent, Rangpur Once an barren stretch of countryside, the sandy shores of the Teesta River in northern districts have turned into real boon for the ultra-poor of the area.

Hundreds of extremely poor villagers in at least 15 upazilas across the districts are now earning their livelihoods by cultivating pumpkins on the derelict land of the river basin.

With support from the Department for International Development (DFID), the pumpkin growers are now able to generate healthy incomes from their land.

The poor inhabitants of the 68 unions in the upazilas of Rangpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha districts are happy to grow pumpkins, which have changed their lots in life.

“The Teesta devoured my cultivable land and I could barely keep myself together even three years back, but now I am happy because I can grow pumpkins on my sandy land,” said Mohammad Ali of Dhamur area under Gangachara upazila in Rangpur district.

Like Mohammad Ali, about 3,200 families of the northern districts have been cultivating pumpkins in the Tees-

ta basin for the past three years during the dry season.

The DFID and Stimulating Household Improvements Resulting in Economic Empowerment jointly undertook a project to facilitate cultivation of pumpkins in 255 chars.

Practical Action Bangladesh, an NGO supported by the Department of Agricultural Extension, is giving technical assistance to the very poor in order for them to cultivate pumpkins.

Nirmal Chandra Bepari, manager of Practical Action Bangladesh, said earlier, when the project was first launched, people ridiculed the beneficiaries working at the chars to cultivate pumpkins, but later their conceptions changed.

A few days back, Sarah Cooke, DFID country representative in Bangladesh, visited the shoals along with some other high officials of the donor organisation and was highly pleased to see the activities out there.

Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension said it was really hard to grow pumpkins in chars where there were no nutrients in soil, but it became possible to do the task when new techniques were applied. l

gunfight

n Our Correspondent, Comilla A security agency official was killed in a clash between two rival groups of Comilla Victoria Government College unit BCL at Munsefbari area in the district yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Ahsan Habib Samu,40, the district unit director of Guard Bangladesh Security Agency.

He was the nephew of local MP AKM Bahauddin Bahar and son of Omar Faruque.

Witnesses said supporters of BCL leader Pinku and Russell got into an altercation with him around 1pm over admission relates issues.

The altercation escalated into a gunfight where Samu was shot dead on the spot and Pinku, injured.

When contacted, Korshed Alam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali model police station said the clash had taken place over establishing supremacy in the area.

Additional police forces had been deployed in the area, he said. l

NHRC chief: Leave blame game, work for good governance n Our Correspondent, Jessore

Transport workers vandalise a bus at Baneswar Bazar in Rajshahi yesterday, protesting the ongoing drive against unauthorised human hauliers locally known as Nasimon, Karimon and Bhotbhoti DHAKA TRIBUNE

NEWS IN BRIEF 10 rescued while being trafficked out through Benapole Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in a drive rescued 10 people, including seven children, from a house in Sharsha frontier upazila on Wednesday night. Those rescued were identified as Mozam Hossain, 10, Nur Mohammad, 9, Murtaza, 11, Toha, 6, Tanzila, 12, Sabia, 13, Aklima Khatun, 13, Hena Khatun, 28, Laila Begum, 35 and Marium Begum, 25.

They were handed over to Benapole port thana police, reports UNB. Acting on a tip-off, the BGB troops launched a drive along the border around 8pm and rescued seven children and three women from a house in the area, said BGB-26 battalion commander Lt Col Motiur Rahman. He said the rescued people hailed from different parts of Narail district. According to the victims, human traffickers took them to the border areas alluring them to provide good jobs in India. The traffickers, however, managed to flee the scene.

– Tribune Report

Robbery in Gaibandha, three injured At least three people including a journalist were injured during a robbery on Rangpur-Dhaka highway in Gaibandha early yesterday. Sources said a group of armed robbers blocked the approaching road to Gaibandha on the highway in the Gareya Bridge area under Palashbari upazila with logs. The robbers looted around Tk6 lakh from the passengers of a night coach and injured at least three by stabbing, the passengers said. The injured are: Jobayer Ali, 48, Gaibandha correspondent of the daily Bangladesh Today, Deen Islam, 50, the coach driver, and Montu Mia, 40, assistant to the driver. The injured were admitted to the Palashbari Upazila Health Complex. The injured told the Dhaka Tribune that the Gaibandha-bound night coach named Al Hamra Paribahan reached the spot around 2am yesterday. There were 15-16 robbers who blocked the road with logs. The driver tried to reverse the coach but another group attacked from the rear and forced the driver to stop by breaking windows and stabbing his assistant, they said. Officerin-Charge Gopal Chandra Chakrabarti said a team of patrolling police rushed to the spot upon being informed but the culprits managed to flee. A case has been lodged, the OC added.

– Our Correspondent

Missing housewife found dead in Chuadanga The body of a housewife was recovered from a septic tank at Jorgachha village in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district Wednesday night, three days after she had reportedly gone missing. The deceased was identified as Maherunnesa,40, wife of Amirul Islam of the village. Police said Maherunnesa Mariam went missing on Monday. Three days after she went missing, a bad odour spread from the septic tank at Amirul’s house. On information, the police recovered the decomposed body of Mariam, packed in a sack, from the septic tank. Quoting locals, police said Amirul might have strangled Mariam to death following a family feud over repaying loan taken from a NGO. Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Alamdanga police station, said Amirul has gone into hiding.

– Our Correspondent

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Dr Mizanur Rahman yesterday stressed the need for establishing good governance rather than resorting to any blame game.

“Nobody is above the rule of law.

Good governance is another name of the rule of law,” he said at a workshop on victims of trafficking in Jessore, adding: “Let the law take its own course.”

Rights Jessore, a human rights organisation, organised the workshop with the support of the NHRC, with

journalists, police officials, human rights defenders and with NGO officials in attendance.

Pointing out that human trafficking is a violation of human rights, NHRC chief Mizanur said, “Students of Dhaka University often fall victim to human rights abuses. The government knows this.”

The Rights Jessore has so far repatriated 400 people from India and 90 oth-

ers from Iran with the support of the government, the workshop was told.

Deputy Commissioner Mostafizur Rahman, Superintendent of Police Anisur Rahman, Executive Director of Rights Jessore Binoy Krishna Mallick, among others, spoke at the workshop.

Jessore Senior District and Sessions Judge Dr Md Golam Murtuza Mozumder presided over the workshop. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Long Form

7

Friday, May 30, 2014

Fighting back a rising tide That their homes and fields would be flooded every morning and evening was as sure as the phases of the moon. That they would die in large numbers during tropical cyclones was more obvious still. This is the fate of more than 30 million people living in the low lying coastal districts of southern Bangladesh. What has been done to manage this continuous calamity and what more can we do?

critical infrastructure.

For the first time in these conservative districts, the labour pool included women, who were lured from their homes to work for wages at or above the prevailing rate. Getting women to participate took some time, Shorab Hossain, a senior economist with the project, told me. Elders said it would be impious, but the poorest families broke the boycott and others followed.

Even then, there were culture clashes. In the early phases of the project, Hossain noticed the women in the all-female work crews weren’t actually eating the beef and fish in their catered lunches; they were taking the meals home to their husbands.

Hossain told them he would stop providing the protein if they didn’t consume it on the spot. “Community leaders complained we were giving them men’s food,” he said.

The last sign of opposition came several years ago when, Hossain recalled, he stepped out of a training session to see a grey-bearded man running down a muddy path just ahead of a mob of women workers. They’d had it with the old man’s harangues.

“Our work is better than the men,” a 50-year-old labourer, Nur Bano, told me. “We are slower, but our work is of better quality.”

Bangladesh is most vulnerable to tropical cyclones. The picture was taken after the Cyclone SIDR

S

n Dan Morrison

ome time ago, while on the last portion of a journey down the Ganges River across India and Bangladesh, I found myself on a 20-foot wooden fishing boat, riding the blunt chop and slashing cross-currents of the Ganges as it merged with its sister-rivers, the Brahmaputra and the Meghna, and then poured into the Bay of Bengal. It was the height of the summer monsoon, and the rivers behaved like barely-strangled seas, casting smaller crafts high into the air as their two- and three-man crews (or two-and-three-boy crews) worked the sails and clung to the gunwales like skateboarders on a half-pipe.

Amid the rain and wind, it felt necessary to glance now and again to the shoreline and estimate what it might take to reach safety in the event we capsized. More often than not, however, there was no shore to be seen. On the deltaic islands that make up Bangladesh’s southern frontier, the line separating land and water is more than indistinct — it is often not there.

It is an article of faith in media and advocacy circles that Bangladesh is doomed, that rising sea levels will swallow as much as 20% of this nation, and send tens of millions of climate refugees hurling themselves across the barbed-wire border to India.

The narrative pits carbon-belching giants in the West and China against a poor and helpless waterlogged state.

But Bangladesh has been fighting back — literally holding back the sea — through a combination of foreign money, fertile mud and local democracy. How this has worked, and how it may still fail, says a lot about what can happen when governments and donor states make local people the agents of their own renewal.

More than 30 million people live in the low-lying coastal districts of southern Bangladesh. It is a region ruled by water — the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers spill an incredible 68 cubic miles of water, along with 525 million tons of eastern Himalayan silt, into the Bay of Bengal each year. As the rivers flow down, the tide comes up, twice each day, to press its enduring claim to Bangladesh’s barely-elevated nether-lands.

This claim went unopposed for thousands of years. The poor inhabitants of the lower Bengal delta lived just above sea level on slowly-accreted islands of alluvial muck, surviving through subsistence rice cultivation, fishing and luck. That their homes and fields would be flooded every morning

and evening was as sure as the phases of the moon. That they would die in large numbers during tropical cyclones was more obvious still.

Records of these storms date at least to the 16th century, when Abu al-Fazl ibn Mubarak, vizier to the Mughal emperor Akbar, wrote of a 1582 cyclone: “It blew a hurricane with thunder and lightning for five hours, during which time the sea was greatly agitated. The houses and boats were swallowed up, nothing remaining but the Hindoo temple on the height. Near 200,000 living creatures perished in the calamity.”

The delta would be punished by giant storms and storm surges with a brutal regularity. A 1998 SAARC report counts 96 cyclones striking the coast of present-day Bangladesh between 1582 and 1996. As many as 100,000 drowned in Bakerganj (later Barisal) during a cyclone in 1876, and another 100,000 were killed by hunger in its aftermath. Nearly a century later, in 1970, a six-day cyclone, with surges as high as 33 feet, killed between 300,000 and half a million people.

are either pumped out (that’s what all those windmills were about) or released through sluice gates during low tide.

More than 120 such polders were built in present-day Bangladesh between the 1960s and 1980s. Work stopped in the aftermath of the 1970 cyclone and during Bangladesh’s bloody liberation war the following year, but in time vulnerable southern islands were ringed by high earthen walls. The twice-daily inundation was halted, and coastal Bangladesh saw new roads, electricity, and more productive agriculture. The sea, meanwhile, was biding its time.

Nothing much happened from there. Maintenance of the polder areas was poor. Residents had little say in how and when their embankments were repaired, or when the sluices might be opened to release water from sodden fields. The embankments were seen as government property, and the government – centralised, corrupt and burdened with the administration of a very poor country – seldom showed up for work.

Bangladesh has been fighting back — literally holding back the sea — through a combination of foreign money, fertile mud and local democracy

“Even from an airplane it was possible to smell death,” an Associated Press correspondent wrote after surveying the destruction.

Into this salinated breach stepped the United States. In the 1950s and 1960s, leaders in Dhaka complained that the majority of foreign aid to Pakistan unfairly favoured the West.

This is how the polders came to be built, first as an American project and, from 1972 until today, as a preoccupation of the Dutch. A polder is an enclosed system of dikes, canals and inlets first employed on the northern coast of Europe in the 1500s.

These coastal embankments keep the North Sea from swallowing much of Holland. A low-lying area (or very low-lying: 20% of the Netherlands is below sea level, and another 50% sits just one metre above) is surrounded by a dike to hold back the waters.

Rainwater and excess ground water

After winning independence in 1971, Bangladesh witnessed a long season of political assassinations and dictatorship that has been followed since 1991 by the wild and sometimes violent democracy we know today. As the economy grew, with a GDP that’s expanded by more than 5% a year since 2003, Bangladesh didn’t so much shed its image as a global charity case as see that image reborn through the lens of what will surely be the 21st century’s defining catastrophe: climate change.

News stories have focused on the plight of Bangladesh’s “climate change refugees,” despite the absence, according to a 2012 report by the United Nations Development Program, of any real evidence that such persons yet exist. Meanwhile, the country isn’t short on families who’ve lost their homes to the age-old calamities of riverbank erosion, seasonal flooding and cyclones. And indeed something is coming – the Intergovernmental Panel

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

on Climate Change predicts global sea levels will increase between 28 and 98 centimetres by the end of this century. But predictions of Bangladesh’s imminent submergence don’t account for the polders, which form a rickety palisade against the invading sea.

One evening in the summer of 2012, I took an overnight steamer down the winding Buriganga, Meghna and Lohalia rivers to Patuakhali district.

I had heard of a development project taking place there that had revived and strengthened the coastal polders by that rarest of methods – participatory democracy and grass-roots mobilisation.

In the course of eight years, from 2004 to 2011, the programme, called IPSWAM, for Integrated Planning for Sustainable Water Management, funded by the Dutch and Bangladeshi governments, had changed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people in nine polder areas. According to a 2009 evaluation of two of these polder communities by outside experts, the programme, which cost EUR14.5mn, had reduced the number of people living in extreme poverty from 45% to 16% — a result that alone ought to have made it famous. Previously waterlogged land had been made available for farming, and acreage that had borne one crop a year now supported two or even three harvests. All at an annual cost of EUR9.06 per beneficiary.

This explosion of well-being had been achieved through a simple trick: paying residents, rather than outside contractors, to repair the embankments and to dredge by hand silt-filled irrigation canals.

Everybody won – the labourers had more cash, which they spent on food and education, and landowners saw their harvests increase. In an attempt to make Bangladesh’s water development bureaucracy more responsive, the men and women formed local water management bodies to monitor the health of their embankments and canals. Local hands were paid for any task that could be performed by them, while contractors hired by the government for the bigger jobs weren’t paid until the community signed off.

This ethos of active participation in civic life was a novelty, one that took some getting used to. “In the beginning it was tough, people needed motivation,” Zakir Hossain, a 35-yearold farmer, told me. Residents had a profound incentive to maintain the dikes on which their lives depended, but decades on the margins had left them feeling both helpless and without a sense of responsibility for this

Quality counts. In 2011 an embankment on Bhola Island was breached after its walls had been weakened by rat holes. That wouldn’t have happened if the locals there had been in charge

When I returned to Patuakhali 15 months later, in October 2013, it was clear these concerns had been justified. IPSWAM had closed shop, but the state hadn’t stepped in with its own technical oversight, and the dikes were deteriorating. With no money to pay for maintenance of the embankments and canals, residents had seen their incomes plummet and fields were again becoming waterlogged.

“There’s no government maintenance,” Mofizur Rahman, a 32-year-old village councilor, said. “We can do some of it ourselves, but for the bigger jobs, we need the government.”

In the village of Fedinagar, a farmer named Forhan Talukdar said he’d withdrawn his two daughters from school. “Fatima went to my parents crying,” he said of his 15-year-old. “I couldn’t tell her it was about money. I just said, ‘I can’t send you this year.’”

“I cannot overcome this problem,” Talukdar continued. “We need the government, or someone, to fix our embankment and our sluice gates.

That’s all we ask.”

Rashida Begum, a 35-year-old labourer, said she and her husband, a rickshaw driver, had struggled to keep their children in a private school since the maintenance money dried up. Tuition for Suma, 15, was Tk1,200 a month, she said. For Russell, 11, it was Tk800. While there are no public secondary schools in Fedinagar for her daughter, I asked Rashida if there wasn’t a free government primary school to which she could at least send the boy. “The education is better at

From 2004 to 2011, the programme, called IPSWAM had changed the lives of an estimated 200,000 people in nine polder areas

of maintenance, workers in Patuakhali said. When cyclone Sidr struck in 2007, Patuakhali accounted for just over 10% of the more than 4,000 fatalities nationwide, a relatively low toll that residents attributed in part to the strength of their dikes.

This is how the polders will form Bangladesh’s front-line of defense against the rising seas. According to the World Bank, it would cost $2.5bn to raise and reinforce the 43 polders in the greatest danger of being overtopped during a severe cyclone, and thus at the greatest daily risk as sea levels increase over the coming decades.

As the experience of IPSWAM shows, however, that protection is contingent on residents having some form of direct responsibility over their infrastructure, with support from their government.

Over the two days that I motorbiked along Patuakhali’s embankments and mud pathways during my first visit there, residents were adamant that their lives had been transformed, yet complaints remained that important repairs were coming slowly or not at all. In a village called Panshtala, villagers had constructed a 20-footlong mud patch after river currents claimed a section of the embankment (you can’t get more participatory than scores of barefoot men and women hauling baskets of mud on their heads to stanch the Bay of Bengal). At a different spot half a mile away, water was eroding the earth surrounding a large sluice gate. The government should have repaired the sluice two months earlier, a villager told me, “Now it can go any time.”

Of greater concern, however, was the future. IPSWAM had ended. Now villagers would have to contend with the very bureaucracy that had allowed their embankments to crumble in the first place. Without the support of outside engineers, economists and other specialists, how would they get by?

this [private] school,” she replied. “It is my dream that he will go higher than us.”

Here we see the unheralded changes taking place in Bangladesh, the broadening aspirations of its poorest citizens, and the limits clamped on those ambitions.

As the villagers told their stories, new investment was being readied. A $68mn Dutch-funded program, called Blue Gold Bangladesh, aims to expand IPSWAM’s participatory ethos to more than half a million people, while promoting local entrepreneurship and access to markets. Its goal is to create 26 self-sufficient polder communities that, within six years, will be able to adequately fund their own maintenance.

It could work. Who, in 2004, would have predicted that a relatively simple intervention could take a hammer to extreme poverty in some of Bangladesh’s poorest townships?

Many thousands of children are healthier, better-fed and better educated as a result. Just as striking is the change in morale, the new sense of possibility that villagers have acquired. “In the heart, we are more respected,” Beauty Rani, a 35-year-old mother of two, and a member of her local water management group, told me. “You can feel it. There is a change.

They see you as they didn’t before.”

But it may be that these coastal communities are still too marginalised to move themselves. Absent the power and attention that comes with outside funds and expertise, residents living on this silted frontier fear they will rise on a new tide of resources only to sink again into malaise, and find themselves once more vulnerable to rising seas and punishing storms. l Dan Morrison is a journalist and author of The Black Nile. This piece, which was funded in part by the Solutions Journalism Network, first appeared in Politico Magazine.

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

World

Friday, May 30, 2014

Sisi sweeps election as military reasserts n AFP, Cairo

Opposition hails boycott

Ex-army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has scored a crushing presidential election triumph and consolidated the grip of the military, 11 months after the overthrow of the only Egyptian president not drawn from its ranks.

96%of voters, at least 21 million Egyptians, chose retired field marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who deposed elected Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, with ballots counted from all but a handful of 352 stations, state television reported Thursday.

Sisi’s only electoral rival, leftist leader and longtime opposition figure Hamdeen Sabbahi, won less than four percent.

The former general, who retired from the army to run for office, becomes Egypt’s fifth president hailing from the military, reasserting the institution’s grip on politics in the Arab world’s most populous nation.

The military has always formed the backbone of political life in Egypt and the institution has provided its leaders ever since army officers toppled the monarchy in 1952.

The only exception was Morsi, elected in 2012 a year after an uprising overthrew longtime strongman Hosni Mubarak, himself a former air force commander.

“Few would have imagined that ... three years after Mubarak’s toppling, a field marshal, a new pharaoh, would be elected again with 96%, without even unveiling a programme and without campaigning,” said Middle East analyst Karim Bitar.

Sisi rode on a wave of support for a

A man carries a boy on his shoulders waving an Egyptian flag as supporters of Egyptian presidential candidate and former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi celebrate in Cairo’s Tahrir square on May 28 AFP Monday-Tuesday election was extended for a third day in a last-minute decision which sparked protests.

Sisi had called for at least 40 million of Egypt’s almost 54 million eligible voters to go to the polling stations.

But an election commission official put actual turnout at about 25 million, or 46%, although it could edge higher, official Al-Ahram newspaper reported on its website, down from 52% when Morsi was elected in 2012.

“Ultimately, we have no real way to verify (government) turnout numbers” or Sisi’s victory margin, Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center wrote on Twitter.

He pointed to the absence of “parallel counts and not enough (international) monitors.”

potential new strongman who can restore stability and revive the economy after three years of turmoil.

But his opponents say that since he ousted Morsi last July, Egypt has undergone a return to autocratic rule.

A state crackdown targeting Morsi supporters has left at least 1,400 people dead in street clashes and seen more than 15,000 others jailed.

Dozens of young activists have also been jailed for violating a law banning all but police-authorised protests.

Amid the crackdown on dissent condemned by rights groups and Western governments, the military-installed authorities had aimed for a high turnout as a sign of legitimacy.

Private and state-run media pressed Egyptians to go out and vote, and the

Egyptian authorities are touting the election as a milestone on the road to democracy following Morsi’s ouster, but Human Rights Watch says the crackdown on opposition “stripped these elections of real meaning.”

“The intense crackdown on dissent over the last 10 months has created a repressive environment that severely undermines the fairness of the elections,” the New York-based group said Wednesday.

Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood is hailing what they see as a successful boycott.

“The great Egyptian people have given a new slap to the military coup’s roadmap and... written the death certificate of the military coup,” said its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party.

All of the movement’s main leaders are now in jail or exile, and Morsi himself is being tried on charges that could carry the death penalty.

Prominent activists behind the uprising which ousted Mubarak three years ago had also called for a boycott, charging that Sisi is an even worse autocrat in the making.

Ahead of the final official results, hundreds of Sisi supporters took to the streets on Wednesday night to celebrate their candidate’s victory, waving Egyptian flags, setting off fireworks and honking car horns.

“It’s a victory for stability,” said Tahra Khaled, among the crowd in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, nerve centre of the mass protests which brought end to the Mubarak era. l

Syria opposition powerless as Assad holds election Syria: elections in a war zone June 4, 2014: a presidential election after 3+ years of war

Death toll

The battle for Syria 2000

Total:

Refugees (registered or awaiting registration)

3 million

TURKEY

Total IDPs*:

1 million

6.5 million

2011

since March 2011

March: Protests spread after deadly crackdowns on democracy rallies July: Anti-regime Free Syrian Army formed

162,000 killed SYRIA LEBANON

EGYPT

136,000

children

Population

Religions 80% Sunni 10% Alawite 5% Christians Military

178,000 regime troops (estimated: about half of the pre-war level)

2012

JORDAN

March: Aid groups condemn army’s shelling of civilians November: Opposition groups form Syrian National Coalition

600,000

MAGHREB

Morocco, Libya, Algeria

20,000

SYP/USD exchange rate

Economy Estimated losses since the start of the conflict:

$143.8 bn

(end 2013)

Unemployment (2013, Q4)

80,000 opposition forces (70,000 rebels + 10,000 jihadists)

Inflation (2013)

117%

n AFP, Beirut Syria’s divided rebels and their foreign backers have been watching in disbelief as the regime gears up for an election to give Bashar al-Assad another presidential mandate despite their uprising.

The vote, which the Damascus regime can hold only in territory it controls and embassies abroad, signals confidence by Assad and his allies that

2013

*Internally Displaced Persons

54.3% of the workforce 3.39 million jobless

Sources: AFP, UNHCR, SOHR, World Bank

August: US President Barack Obama calls on Assad to quit

250 km

8,607

22.4 million (2012)

IRAQ 220,000

1 million

53,978

civilians

Bashar al-Assad takes power after father Hafez’s 30-year rule

April: Iranian-backed Hezbollah confirms its fighters are backing Assad’s troops

150

August: Outrage after sarin gas attack kills hundreds: Assad agrees to dismantle chemical weapons

100

2014

May 28, 2014 1 USD = 149.15 SYP

200 SYP

January: Rebels launch offensive on Jihadist fighters, accusing them of atrocities

46.80 0

2011

2012

they will win the war.

“Two years ago, we used to think it was impossible the regime would last long enough to hold the 2014 election. I just can’t believe it’s going to happen,” sighed Thaer, an activist from Homs city, once known as “the capital of the revolution.”

“When the revolution began, we were much stronger, the movement was peaceful and massive, and our hopes were high,” he told AFP via the

2013

2014

May: Regime troops advance into Homs, Aleppo, threatening rebel supply routes

Internet.

Now, he says, the election is a new signal that Syria’s revolt has escalated into a proxy war, “in which the Syrian people are paying the highest price.”

A rebel commander in Damascus province agreed.

He said the reason the regime is able to hold its vote is because of the opposition’s endemic division, a lack of leadership, and a failure by the inter-

national community to make good its promises to the revolt.

‘Factionalism burdens the revolution’

“The international community is not merely paralysed... The truth is it doesn’t actually want to help,” said Selim Hejazi, echoing the opposition’s belief that while Assad has all the help he needs, the so-called Friends of Syria who back the revolt have been more self-interested.

Hejazi also cited “the continuous disorganisation and factionalism among the ranks of the armed opposition (as) burdens to the revolution.”

While Assad’s regular army has received huge amounts of military, financial and economic assistance from Russia and Iran, support for the rebels from their backers in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the West has been at best chaotic.

Even though the opposition has seized significant swathes of territory across the country, the regime still massively outguns the rebels with its regular army, air force, growing paramilitary force and elite fighters from Lebanon’s Shiite Hezbollah.

Syria’s revolt broke out in March 2011 as an Arab Spring-inspired, non-violent movement demanding political change.

It later morphed into a nationwide Islamist insurgency that in time has grown increasingly radical and violent, after Assad’s regime unleashed a massive crackdown against dissent.

The West, especially the United States, has so far held back from providing much military assistance, citing fears that weapons would land in the hands of jihadists. l

Obama’s big speech: Blueprint and self defense n AFP, Washington The core of President Barack Obama’s foreign policy was revealed in the moment he gazed into the eyes of hundreds of cadets at a West Point graduation ceremony on Wednesday.

“You are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan,” Obama said at the famed military academy in the state of New York.

Obama made his name as a young Illinois lawmaker railing against the invasion of Iraq, and rode that anti-war tide all the way to the White House.

His major foreign policy speech Wednesday, in which he laid out a blueprint for US leadership in the world while avoiding military quagmires, was partly about political vindication.

“The main message that he delivered since being in office is ‘I am getting this country out of the two wars I have inherited,’” said James Goldgeier, dean of the School of International Service at American University.

“He said he is going to do it, and that is what he has done.”

Obama’s address, his latest attempt at defining his elusive foreign policy doctrine as he barrels from global crisis to global crisis, was many things.

It was an explanatory note for historians who begin sizing up his legacy in just two and a half years – and who will ask for instance, why did Obama intervene in Libya but not in Syria?

It was a settling of political scores: Obama has bristled in recent months at criticism from the likes of John McCain and other Republicans who brand him

Russia forges economic bloc with three formar Soviet republics ‘A bridge between the East and the West’ services, capital and labour, as well as n Agencies co-ordinated policy in major economic The presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus signed a treaty yesterday creating a vast trading bloc which they hope will challenge the economic might of the United States, the European Union and China.

Moscow says the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) of ex-Soviet states will create a shared market and help integrate economic policy, starting next year.

Critics, however, say the project is an attempt to revive part of the old Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko predicted Ukraine would join the bloc eventually.

Russia had pressed for Ukraine to join while Viktor Yanukovych was in power as president, before his overthrow in February by opposition forces looking to build ties with the European Union instead. Relations have deteriorated sharply since then amid violent unrest in eastern Ukraine.

The three presidents signed the agreement establishing the EEU at a meeting in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

It will come into force on 1 January, once it has been ratified by the three countries’ parliaments, and aims to guarantee free movement of goods,

Nigeria vows ‘total war’ 5 things about Google’s self-driving car against Boko Haram n Agencies

n AFP, Abuja Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vowed ‘total war’ against terrorism as the country’s security forces stepped up efforts to rescue more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists 46 days ago.

“I am determined to protect our democracy, our national unity and our political stability by waging a total war against terrorism,” Jonathan said in an address marking 15 years since the return to civilian rule in Africa’s most populous country and largest economy.

“The unity and stability of our country, and the protection of lives and property are non-negotiable,” he said.

Nigeria returned to democracy on May 29, 1999 after nearly 16 years of military rule but the country has recently been blighted by a five-year Islamist insurgency in north and central Nigeria that has claimed thousands of lives.

The mass abduction of teenage girls on April 14 from a secondary school in Chibok in northeastern Borno state has sparked global outrage and drawn unprecedented attention to Boko Haram’s uprising.

The incident has also drawn offers of military aid and intelligence from several foreign powers including the US, Britain, France and China.

“I have instructed our security forces to launch a full-scale operation to put an end to the impunity of terrorists on our soil,” Jonathan said.

“I have also authorised the security forces to use any means necessary under the law to ensure that this is done.

I assure you that Nigeria will be safe again, and that these thugs will be driven away,” he vowed.

Jonathan linked the Boko Haram group with foreign organisations like al-Qaeda.

“For our citizens who have joined hands with al-Qaeda and international terrorists in the misguided belief that violence can possibly solve their problems, our doors remain open to them for dialogue and reconciliation, if they renounce terrorism and embrace peace,” he said.

Nigeria is increasingly keen to blame outside forces for the Boko Haram violence, but experts largely reject this claim and instead see the violence as largely domestically inspired. l

Google caused a flurry of excitement by unveiling an all-new self-driving car that takes its array of add-on sensors and integrates them into a vehicle that looks like a cross between a Smart car and a Cozy Coupe.

Currently being tested around the company’s Californian headquarters, the prototype could offer a whole new paradigm for driving where vehicles are operated by a single push-button and function like an automatic taxi service. Here’s a list of seven interesting things about the car, complied

by The Independent.

1. It can’t avoid killing small animals The sensors that allow the car to avoid pedestrians and cyclist aren’t sensitive enough to avoid smaller beasties. It’s unclear exactly what the size threshold is (will a small dog be seen? A badger?) but Wired reports that squirrels are definitely “too small” and could get “creamed.”

2. It’s got a face for a reason Google says they’re trying to make the car look as friendly as possible and to that end built a ‘face’ into the front of the car.

Humans seeing faces in random objects is

well-documented but the choice underscores the fact that Google faces a struggle against those who are inherently hostile to technology.

3. No signal on your mobile? No Google-car for you Of course the problem with connected cars is less-than-connected roads. Ever got spotty signal on your phone on the motorway? Then that’s where your self-driving car might lose access to the detailed maps that it uses for guidance.

4. You will still need a steering wheel –

feckless and say he is bullied by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Obama tried to debunk the critique that being a reluctant warrior is a strength, not a weakness.

He enlisted General Dwight Eisenhower, whose 1953-1961 presidency is remembered as a peaceful interregnum between World War II and Korea and Vietnam.

“Tough talk often draws headlines, but war rarely conforms to slogans,” Obama said, before quoting Ike’s dictum: “War is mankind’s most tragic and stupid folly.”

The president also laid down a blueprint for future presidents on how America could lead the world but avoid spilling the blood which soaked the last decade of war.

Mark Jacobson, a former senior Nato official in Afghanistan, said Obama was sending a message that “an aggressive foreign policy or an internationalist United States does not mean military intervention.”

Obama’s speech came a day after he announced plans to leave a 9,800 strong training force behind in Afghanistan -- but added that all American soldiers would be home before he leaves office in early 2017.

Leadership in Obama’s lexicon means not rushing off into major land wars abroad or deploying military force to solve every problem: “Just because we have the best hammer does not mean that every problem is a nail,” he said.

It is reflected in his $5 billion plan to help equip allies to fight spreading Islamic extremism in an arc from South Asia to the Sahel. l

for legal reasons Despite the fact that the car is being advertised as having no controls, Google will have to include both pedals and a wheel when they test the vehicles on California’s streets thanks to the state’s laws. This tension between what a car is and what it isn’t is sure to continue to plague Google .

5. Google will pay the parking tickets So far Google’s self-driving cars have never gotten a parking ticket (and they’ve only been in two accidents — both when humans had taken control) but if they do, it’s apparently Google that will pay up. l

sectors.

Between them, the three states have a combined GDP of about $2.7tn (£1.6tn; 2tn euros)

‘We lost some’

Putin said the creation of the EEU had “epoch-making significance.”

“This document is taking our countries to an absolutely new level of integration, fully preserving their state sovereignty,” he said as he met his counterparts in Astana.

The three countries were “creating a powerful and attractive centre of economic development, a large regional market uniting more than 170 million people,” he added.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said he saw the new union as “a bridge between the East and the West.”

Along with Ukraine under its new leaders, other former Soviet republics have refused to sign up for the union, although Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are considering membership.

“We lost some along the way: I mean Ukraine,” President Lukashenko said at the signing ceremony. “I am sure that sooner or later the Ukrainian leadership will realise where its fortune lies.” l

Ukraine general dies as helicopter shot down n Agencies A Ukrainian military helicopter has been shot down in Slovyansk, killing 14 people including an army general, as rebels and government forces continued fierce battles in the country’s east.

The acting Ukraine president, Oleksandr Turchynov, told parliament yesterday: “I have just received information that terrorists using Russian anti-aircraft missiles shot down our helicopte. It had been ferrying servicemen for a change of duty.”

A separatist spokesman had earlier told Russian news agencies that the militants had downed a Ukrainian army helicopter in a fierce battle that was still raging on the southern outskirts of the rebel-controlled city.

The unnamed spokesman said that “as a result of active military activities, several houses belonging to civilians caught fire.”

The attack came as separatists in Donetsk began holding funerals for dozens of fighters killed in the battle for the city’s airport on Monday. l

World

DHAKA TRIBUNE

9

Friday, May 30, 2014

Thai military rules out early elections n Reuters, Bangkok Thailand’s military rulers held out little hope for early elections yesterday, a week after the army seized power, saying conditions had to be right and divisions healed before there could be a return to civilian rule.

Army chief General Prayuth Chanocha ousted the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on May 22 to end months of protests that had depressed Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy and raised fears of enduring chaos.

“It is the council’s intention to create the right conditions ... to put Thailand on the path to free and fair elections,” Lieutenant General Chatchalerm Chalermsukh, deputy army chief of staff, told reporters, referring to the junta.

Thailand has become polarised between supporters of Yingluck and her influential brother, deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and the royalist establishment that sees Thaksin and his pro-business, populist ways as a threat to the old order.

Chatchalerm did not elaborate on what conditions were needed for an election, but said the military wanted to see reconciliation and an end to the political rift that emerged after Thaksin won his first election in 2001.

“I want to ask you how long it takes to heal divisions between two groups that has been going on for 10 years?”

Chatchalerm said.

“The two sides do not have to love each other but we want the situation to stay calm and peaceful. We need a period of time for all sides to cool down.”

The United States and other allies have criticised the coup and called for a quick return to democracy.

Chatchalerm said the army had been forced to step in reluctantly because of six months of debilitating anti-government protests, organised by a pro-establishment politician, Suthep Thaugsuban.

“Administrative paralysis has been devastating for Thailand. It put a strain on Thailand’s GDP which became negative for the first time in many years,” he said.

Gross domestic product shrank 2.1% in the first quarter of 2014, as the anti-government protesters damaged confidence and scared off tourists.

Data on Wednesday showed Thailand’s trade shrank in April and factory output fell for the 13th straight month, underscoring the tough job the military government faces in averting recession.

The military has moved quickly to tackle economic problems, notably preparing payments for hundreds of thousands of rice farmers that the ousted government was unable to make.

Afghan border police personnel take part in a ceremony at a police training centre on the outskirts of Herat on May 29, 2014. Afghan security forces are due to take over from their Western allies, a US-led NATO force, by the end of 2014 when the foreign troops leave the country AFP

Sharif criticised in Pakistan for silence on Kashmir issue

Powerful figures

General Prayuth met a team of advisers for the first time on Thursday to map out a strategy for securing the country and propping up the stumbling economy.

Among his advisers are two powerful establishment figures hostile towards Thaksin, who remains central to the political turmoil despite being ousted in a 2006 coup and now living in self-exile.

The two, a former defence minister, General Prawit Wongsuwan, and former army chief General Anupong Paochinda have close ties to Prayuth.

All three are staunch monarchists and helped overthrow Thaksin in 2006. l

n Agencies Just a day after he shook hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif is facing heat in his home turf, Hindustan Times reported yesterday.

The tone of the coverage on many news channels shifted from positive to negative, with many anchors questioning the timing of the press conference by the Indian foreign secretary in which Islamabad was taken to task for its record on terrorism.

“The press conference was held on the same day as the two PMs met; it could have been held later,” comment-

ed Zafar Hilaly, a foreign policy analyst.

“Went to congratulate and came back with a show-cause,” declared The Express Tribune, a Pakistani national English-language daily, which was one of many publications that insinuated that the Pakistan PM was embarrassed on Indian soil despite his bold decision to go to Delhi.

Most news channels which had shown live coverage of Sharif’s trip to India, jumped on the bandwagon and started to report on how the Indian media was interpreting their foreign secretary’s press conference and how this was embarrassing for Sharif.

Foreign secretary Sujatha Singh

had emphasised that terrorism was discussed and that India asked for a speedy trial of the 26/11 accused.

The Pak PM is also facing criticism for not raising the Kashmir issue “even once” A number of leading politicians such as PML-Q leader Chaudhry Shujaat, the Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan also criticised Sharif for the trip and the supposed plight he had suffered. The two news channels that played up this coverage were ARY News and Express

Indian girls found hanging after rape n Agencies

Indians on their new PM Modi silent on priorities

Two teenage girls have been found dead, hanging from a tree in a northern Indian village after they were gangraped by five men, police said yesterday.

A post-mortem report indicated that the cousins from the low-caste Dalit community, aged 14 and 15, hanged themselves late on Tuesday after the attack in a village in the Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh state.

“The report suggests ante-mortem hanging, which means the girls probably committed suicide. But we will take into account all aspects before coming to a conclusion,” Atul Saxena, Budaun’s police chief, told the AFP news agency.

Police have arrested three people, including two police officers, the AP news agency reported.

The two Dalit girls were found hanging from a tree on Wednesday night in their village after they went missing the night before, according to Saxena. l

Brijesh Sharma, government official: “Any step taken towards renewing ties and moving towards reconciliation is appreciated. Mr. Modi has established himself as a man who can rise above pettiness and assert India’s role in the region. A role that should be, and could be, of that of an elder brother. Mr. Modi has reaffirmed his commitment to moving towards a future.”

Iqbal Ur Rehman, professor, strategic studies, Aligarh Muslim University: “History dictates that we should adopt a wait-andwatch plan. You have to remember how previous governments were thwarted by regional interests when it came to foreign policy. There is still no reason to believe that Mr. Modi will be able to override any objections from states such as Tamil Nadu or Bengal, for example, when he deals with emotive issues.”

“Also, Modi’s campaign used rhetoric about ‘illegal’s’ crossing over from

Vietnam accuses Chinese ships of gun threats n AFP, Hanoi Vietnam yesterday accused Chinese war ships of pointing their weapons at Vietnamese vessels during an escalating standoff near an oil rig in contested waters.

The tense confrontation came as China moved its deep-sea rig to a new location earlier this week that Hanoi considers is still within its territory.

“When we approached (the Chinese warships guarding the rig) they uncovered their guns, turned them and pointed them at the Vietnamese vessels,” Ha Le, deputy chief of Vietnam’s Fisheries Surveillance Department, told AFP. Japanese media meanwhile reported a standoff during which at least eight Chinese ships surrounded and trained their machine guns on a Vietnamese coastguard boat, just six kilometres (around four miles) from the rig.

One Chinese ship kept a machine gun pointed on the Vietnamese vessel as it came within just 200 metres (220 yards), according to a Yomiuri Shimbun journalist at the scene.

The report said that at least 100 Chinese ships had been in the area as Chinese jets flew overhead.

Vietnamese and Chinese vessels have engaged in increasingly tense skirmishes over the rig in the South China Sea that have triggered international alarm.

On Tuesday, Vietnam accused a Chinese ship of ramming and sinking one of its fishing boats. l

n Faiz Rehman, from New Delhi

Bangladesh. Will he distance himself from his own campaign? More importantly, will the RSS allow him to hobnob with nations they see as a threat to their ideology?” he added.

KS Krishnan, government official: “Modi means business, and he has demonstrated that from day one. I feel like he is out to prove something. With the exception of Pakistan, which for obvious reasons will take more time, relations will improve significantly with our other neighbours including Bangladesh, which should form the bedrock of our own ‘look-east’ philosophy.”

Vibhav Dhawan, managing partner at Positive Moves: “The fact is this is a man shorn of insecurity. He has a massive mandate, and he cannot, come what may, be dislodged for the duration of his five-year term. India, traditionally, has been extremely, some would say, suicidal, passive when it comes to external affairs.

It’s almost like ‘Let a Train maul you, and then don’t react.’ l

n AFP, New Delhi

India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructed top ministers yesterday to prepare their agendas for the first 100 days but did not reveal which of the country’s many problems would be tackled first.

The pro-business leader was sworn in as prime minister on Monday armed with a powerful mandate to reform the ailing economy after his right-wing Hindu nationalist party won a landslide election victory.

Speculation has been mounting about what the Modi government would grasp first given the scale of India’s economic problems, including creaking infrastructure, energy shortages, high inflation and poor public finances.

After attending a cabinet meeting chaired by Modi on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu refused to say what was top of the list amid sky-high expectations.

“Containing inflation is an obvious priority for the government,” Naidu

‘Obesity weighs heavily on global health’ Obesity around the world Overweight or obese people

Overweight and obese children In percent

around the world As percentage of the global population

19

Overweight = Body Mass Index > 25 Obese = Body Mass Index > 30

in developed countries

in developing countries boys girls

29 23.8 16.9 16.2

2.1 billion

857

22.6

people (inc. 671 million obese)

million people

8.1 8.4

2013

1980

2013

1980

1980

12.9 13.4

2013

Proportion of overweight and obese people in selected countries As percentage of the population of the country 0 to 10 %

10 to 20%

United States

20 to 30%

30 to 50 %

+20 yrs

more than 50%

-20 yrs

France

Britain

Germany

Kuwait

China

70.9

28.8

55.9 19.9

66.6 26.1

64.3 20.5

74.5 24.6

28.3 23

62

29.7

42.8 16

57.2 29.2

49

84.3 45.5

27.4 14

19.4

Mexico

Vietnam

66.8 28.4 71.4 29.3

13.6

5.2

12.3

6.1

Cambodia

Panama 21.4 10.6

11.9

3.8

30.9 9.9

18.3

3.8

Paraguay

Benin

62.9

21.3

9.4

73

24.3

29.9 13.1

4.9

Egypt

Qatar

India

Tonga

71.2 31.5

75.7 33.5

19.5 5.3

83.5 34.5

79.4 39.5

78.5 22.1

20.7 5.2

88.3 52.6

Sources: The Lancet, WHO, INSEE

n AFP, Paris

Nearly a third of adults and a quarter of children today are overweight, according to a report yesterday that said no

country has turned the tide of obesity since 1980.

Traditionally associated with an affluent lifestyle, the problem is expanding worldwide, with more than 62 % of

overweight people now in developing nations, said the report.

There are some 2.1 billion overweight or obese people in the world today -- up from 857 million 33 years earlier.

Among the most striking statistics: more than half the population of Tonga is now classified as obese -- a dangerous level of overweight -- as are more than 50% of women in Kuwait, Libya, Qatar and Samoa.

The United States also stands out with nearly 75% of men and 60% of women overweight or obese, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study published in The Lancet medical journal.

“Obesity is an issue affecting people of all ages and incomes, everywhere,” said Christopher Murray, director of the University of Washington Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, who helped collate the data for the period 1980 to 2013.

“In the last three decades, not one country has achieved success in reducing obesity rates, and we expect obesity to rise steadily as incomes rise in low- and middle-income countries in particular, unless urgent steps are taken to address this public health crisis.”

One is considered overweight with a weight-to-height (BMI) ratio of 25 or over, and obese from 30 upward.

A staggering 671 million people now fall within the obese category, said the study -- 78 million of them in the United States, which accounts for five percent of the world’s population, but more than a tenth of its grossly overweight people. l

told reporters when repeatedly pressed about the government’s focus.

“All sectors are a priority (for the prime minister) and expectations are high,” Naidu said, adding Modi had reminded ministers of the need for good governance and efficient implementation of policies.

Parliament will sit from June 4 for the first time since the election to swear in new lawmakers and select a speaker of the house for the coming sessions, Naidu said after the cabinet meeting.

In his first foreign policy test, Modi held landmark talks on Tuesday with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, and other South Asian leaders whom he invited to his inauguration.

He called for action against anti-India militant groups in Pakistan and expressed hopes trade could bring the nuclear-armed rivals together.

At Modi’s first cabinet meeting late on Tuesday, his administration announced a special investigation team to track illicit funds or “black money” in a sign it was serious about its campaign pledge to curb rampant graft. l

News, both of which are at loggerheads with the Sharif government over its handling of the move to close down the Geo News channel.

The Pak PM is also facing criticism for not raising the Kashmir issue “even once” and did not mention the country’s stance of the water dispute with India.

But not all were critical. Daily Dawn stated in an editorial that despite the meeting of the two PM’s, India’s own diplomats chose to take a tough line in public and it became clear “just how difficult it would be to bridge the gap between’s India’s almost exclusive focus on terrorism and Pakistan’s wanting to expand talks … ” l

Pakistan PM orders action on stoning n AFP, Islamabad Pakistan’s prime minister yesterday demanded “immediate action” over the brutal murder of a pregnant woman who was bludgeoned to death with bricks outside a courthouse while police stood by.

Farzana Parveen was attacked on Tuesday outside the High Court building in the eastern city of Lahore by more than two dozen brick-wielding attackers, including her brother and father, for marrying against the wishes of her family.

Hundreds of women are murdered by relatives in Pakistan each year supposedly to defend family “honour,” but the brazen nature of the attack, in broad daylight and in the centre of the country’s second-largest city, has shocked rights activists.

The fact that police officers guarding the court apparently did nothing to intervene to save the 25-year-old has added to the outrage. l

Iranian hackers ‘used Facebook to spy on US’ n Agencies Iranian hackers set up fake Facebook accounts and tried to befriend US and Western officials in an effort to spy on them, an internet security firm has said.

The hackers created fake personas and populated their profiles with fictitious personal content, and then tried to befriend targets, the Reuters news agency reported.

Targets are believed to include a US navy admiral, politicians, ambassadors, lobbyists and officials from several other countries including the UK and Saudi Arabia, according to the internet firm, iSight Partners.

ISight declined to identify the victims and said it could not say what data had been stolen. “If it’s been going on for so long, clearly they have had success,” said Tiffany Jones, a company executive.

The firm said Iranian hackers created six online personas, who appeared to work for a website, newsonair.org, and another eight who purported to work for defence contractors and other organisations.

The operation has been active since at least 2011 and is thought to be the most elaborate cyber espionage campaign using “social engineering” uncovered to date, iSight said.

To build credibility, the hackers would approach high-value targets by first establishing ties with friends of the target, classmates, colleagues, relatives and other

connections over social networks run by Facebook, Google, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Then they would send links that infected PCs with malicious software, or direct targets to web portals that ask for network log-in credentials.

The firm said hackers made connections with more than 2,000 people, adding that it believed the group ultimately targeted several hundred individuals in a “low and slow” campaign.

A spokesman for Facebook said it had discovered the hacking group and had removed the accounts.

LinkedIn said the site was investigating the report, though none of the 14 fake profiles uncovered by iSight were currently active.

ISight said it did not know if the hackers were tied to the government in Tehran, though it believed they were supported by a nation state because of the complexity of the operation.

The firm said newsonair.org was registered in Tehran and probably hosted by an Iranian provider. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Friday, May 30, 2014

CODE-CRACKER

The key to unlocking SEZs

W

e welcome the government’s announcement that it will allocate Tk300 crore in the upcoming budget for land acquisition to develop seven economic zones in the country.

Lack of suitable land is a major deterrent to attracting private investment in the country.

While it is encouraging that the government is addressing this factor, it could go faster still, by reviewing and releasing the large amount of unproductively used land which the government already owns or controls via state – owned industries.

SEZs cannot grow without the government facilitating better road and railway links and reliable power.

These factors are important for all types of businesses. With our small land area, improved communication and power links can make all the difference to encouraging investment in all parts of the country.

Bangladesh received $1.78bn of foreign direct investment worth in 2013. Although a third higher than the previous year, it falls far short of the economy’s potential. Myanmar, with a population one – third our size and an economy which is still significantly smaller, attracted a larger amount, and this is predicted to grow much higher and faster with growing liberalisation.

It is vital for the government to increase development of SEZs to boost private sector confidence and investment, particularly in exportorientated sectors which are key to the economic development of the country.

The feasibility and tender strategies currently being worked on by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority and the Hi-Tech Park Authority (BEZA) should be speeded up strategically to help create jobs and accelerate growth.

SEZs cannot grow without the government facilitating better road and railway links

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

What should I call you?

May 24

Ronnie Esam Sohail is right on the money! What he describes here is often hilarious, always infuriating, and absolutely true. Thanks, Esam, for this funny and accurate portrayal of this atrocious aspect of our culture.

Sammy Ronnie: Funny, accurate, and perhaps ill-advised. lol Ronnie Sammy: Haha. I hope not. I’m guessing Esam has perhaps got a few friends in the right places here in Bangladesh to keep him out of harm’s way. At any rate, he’s safely ensconced in Kansas, so I reckon no worries.

DispassionateObserver Oh dear, certainly we have not moved with times. I have a friend who years ago had refused to call his boss “Sir” (his response was “You are not my school

Intruders? Not so fast

Build a better brand for tourism

T

he three-day international tourism fair opening today is a welcome opportunity to promote the country’s tourism industry.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to Bangladesh’s GDP will rise by 7.9% this year to Tk935.5 billion, supporting around 1.3m jobs.

Bangladesh has a large number of natural attractions for its size, including the unique World Heritage splendor of the Sundarbans, to add to the attractions of our culture and history.

Moves to attract international investment and tourists are certainly welcome to help improve facilities and grow income. They can also encourage residents who usually holiday abroad to spend more money within the country.

However, it is important to recognise that, with disposable income increasing for more people as the economy grows, the number of visitors hosted by the travel and tourism sector will become much larger even without the numbers of international tourists increasing significantly.

The sector therefore faces two contrasting challenges. On the one hand, some locations, particularly around beaches and forests face growing environmental threats from ill–planned development and the large numbers which they attract. While on the other, there are many potentially major attractions which are very poorly maintained or not even marketed at all.

It is crucial for the sector to safeguard the sustainability of key attractions by encouraging more responsible and eco-tourism initiatives.

Improving branding along these lines can be combined with awareness raising, so more visitors appreciate attractions and sites which are currently overlooked.

It is crucial for the sector to safeguard the sustainability of key attractions by encouraging more initiatives

May 25 AN Oh man, you hit the nail on the head. The whole infiltration bogey is manufactured to keep an upand-coming Bangladesh in check, and, of course, to exploit the religious sentiments of the majority Hindus. Despite the much trumpeted secular hue of the Indian society, the reality is otherwise as the recent election amply demonstrates.

Imagine the hue and cry the Indian establishment, their media, and all would raise if an Islamist party came to power in Bangladesh by free-and-fair ballot. But there you are – that would be selective interpretation of democracy.

Be that as it may, now that the people of India have spoken, we look forward to a new beginning in our relationship. And that for India means giving our due share of trans-boundary rivers, ratifying LBA, and stopping carnage at the borders.

As for the other irritants, Dhaka should send a clear message: We are open for business, not for charity or hegemony. At the end of the day, India needs Bangladesh as much as we need India, so let’s hope common sense prevails and we grab the win-win opportunities before our two nations.

Hafeejul Alam I believe nothing has changed in India. It’s not BJP that won the election, rather it’s Modi with his fierce communal outlook that got the landslide.

Shamim Osman admits to his conversation with Nur Hossain May 24

vihan Just imagine!!

Mehedi Hasan What do the people think about Shamim, now?

I’m really surprised. Shamim asked Nur to be a good man, to pray five times in the mosque.

Shamim never said anything bad to Nur Hossain.

CALVIN AND HOBBES

How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 5 represents R so fill R every time the figure 5 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in 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

teacher”), but eventually he got fed up with so many “Sirs” and he left his job and the country. Come to think of it though, if you insist on being called by your first name, perhaps things might change. vhs The important folk like to keep hearing about how important they are. If you take away their name and title and way of being addressed, many just fall apart.

Sammy Not particularly disagreeing with the author but he does seem to like poking at a lot of people across all the powerful sections of society in Bangladesh ... perhaps needlessly. He is likely to get a good gonopituni if all these people he makes fun of find him in some dark alley! lol Mohammad Zaman Tongue-in-cheek and very enjoyable.

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.

First foreign stop: Bangladesh

May 24 Mohammad Munshi For Narendra Modi to set a new mould in India’s relations with all its near neighbours would require overturning 80 years of Indian foreign policy that has allegedly promoted interference, subversion, sabotage, propaganda, and intimidation in the entire South Asian region. If Bangladesh has been wary of Indian intentions then it has done so for good reason. India has displayed a hegemonic and expansionary agenda that is exploitative of all its neighbours, but especially the weak nations such as Bangladesh.

The writer gives too much credit to India where it is undeserved. If anyone has read the seven point agreement of 1971 between Indira Gandhi and the Mujibnagar government, then it should be clear that the Indian contribution in the war was entirely self-serving and part of a longterm project to dominate the South Asian region.

It is unlikely that Narendra Modi has any intention of making a revolutionary change in Indian foreign policy and, in any case, will be restrained by the South Block mandarins and the military, intelligence, business, and Hindu religious elites.

JLIT99 Mohammad Munshi: If it were for people like you, Bangladesh would still be under the hegemony of Pakistan, and subjugated under an autocratic military which refused to accept the democratic mandate of the Bangladeshis in 1970.

Of course it was in India’s interest for Bangladesh to be created. Huge refugee camps had built up in India, and India was weary of having a two front war with Pakistan. But Bangladesh has proven to be a free nation that is not a puppet state of India as you would have us believe.

CROSSWORD Across 1 Lukewarm (5) 4 Cult (4) 7 Optical illusion (6) 8 Sacrificial table (5) 10 Lounge (4) 11 Greek letter (5) 12 Do wrong (3) 14 Expensive (4) 17 Transmit (4) 19 Anger (3) 20 Waterway (5) 23 Solitary (4) 25 Ward off (5) 26 Spring back (6) 27 Tools (4) 28 Go in (5)

DOWN 1 Vestiges (6) 2 Muslim leader (4) 3 Dreadful (4) 4 Cold meal (5) 5 Self (3) 6 Underground room (6) 9 Lacerated (4) 13 Sucking fish (6) 15 Irish republic (4) 16 Clergyman (6) 18 Garment (5) 21 Farewell! (4) 22 Level (4) 24 Fresh (3)

Mohammad Munshi JLIT99: If there were more people like me, Bangladesh would be a truly sovereign and independent nation rather than a vassal state or protectorate of India.

A reason to learn May 24

Breadbitten As a student who barely passed his way through his A and O Level examinations and is now doing just well enough to support his numerous vices, I give this article a glowing one and a half thumbs up!

PEANUTS

Sammy I appreciate the author’s heartfelt and accurately described anguish. That said, perhaps that author is somewhat younger, because this has been the case since time immemorial: Bangladesh’s education system (at least in the national curriculum track) is entirely about exams, tests, pre-tests, and pre-exams, and always has been. An entire industry is grown around this obsession (the “coaching” and “tuition” sectors) and words like “brilliant” and “meritorious” are used to describe, in glowing terms, those who ace these endless exams. In a status-obsessed culture where, until recently, only a graduate of medical school or of BUET meant anything to his/her parents, exams are the be all and end all of it all. As for morality, the less said, the better.

Ayan Rahman Rushida Ahmad, eloquently said. And I tell you, you will still be reluctantly ignored by those authorities concerned, such as parents. Thank you anyway. :D

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

Friday, May 30, 2014

11

An open letter for public leadership n Joanna Lovatt

D

Should the elite force be disbanded?

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

RAB under scrutiny

T

n Nadeem Qadir here is a tendency in Bangladesh to drown in an issue when it hits the news headlines. It may be a political issue, or it may be related to law and order. This time, it is the elite crime fighting Rapid Action Battalion, or RAB as it is “popularly” known.

I decided to write this piece because I always disagreed with this habit of drowning ourselves with an issue indiscriminately without proper study.

Indeed, the seven murders in Narayanganj are inhuman acts and those responsible – even if that includes high-ups, elected or unelected people – should be punished. The involvement of three defence officers working for RAB is absolutely unacceptable. But has it been proved yet? Why malign a force which has delivered more in safeguarding the citizens by fighting so-called Islamist terrorists like Bangla Bhai and other wanted criminals?

True, one bad apple spoils the lot, but when an organisation dedicates its life to safeguarding the citizens, why should it be disbanded? As our love for attacking anybody in a tight corner has become a national character, we have recently put all our efforts in denouncing RAB.

What is ironic is that politicians who created RAB now want it to be disbanded. Like the old saying goes – should we cut off our head if we have a headache?

In a country where malpractice, or more crudely, corrupt practices are in abundance, a few errant men in black uniform might have been involved in a crime, but why blame the whole body?

The government has moved to deal with the three, and that is possibly the best way to deal with the situation.

Our actions are only demoralising the elite crime-fighting force as we never sing when they bring in laurels, saying it is their duty. Don’t we all need a pat on our back sometimes? As I write this piece, RAB has acted swiftly in the Feni incident. We will not say: “Hey, great work done,” as we feel it is their duty.

Let me quote some official statistics. Between 2006 and May 2014, RAB accomplished marvels for the nation.

This includes the arrests of the JMB leaders, the yaba king and queen, and

A few errant men in black uniform might have been involved in a crime, but why blame the whole body?

If I may add a very personal note, RAB once helped me fight a fictitious case filed against me and ended the matter.

It does such favours to many of our distressed citizens and if we look, we will find the list is very, very long.

the Pakistani leader of a suicide squad and his local accomplices, rescuing kidnapped children and men, busting drug rings, and seizing huge amounts of explosives from Dhaka. They have arrested 1,101 Islamist militants so far.

What if the explosives were not seized and the terrorists were able to use them? What would have happened to the country? It would simply be hell!

But we were saved from that.

RAB is blamed for extra-judicial killings, but officials deny these allegations firmly, saying shootouts happen in self-defence. But since the issue is hot, there is scope to look into the matter deeply. And if found correct, then measures have to be taken to stop such killings. Similar killings are not uncommon in other parts of the world, including the US. Statistics show that 826 people were killed in shootouts with RAB since 2004. The highest number of killings, 195, took place in 2006, during the BNP-Jamaat rule.

But if we take into consideration the seizure of explosives, weapons, or drugs, isn’t it protecting human rights?

There are similar forces in many other countries including SWAT in the United States and several in India with its famous Black Cats.

The whole episode has given us an opportunity to study the activities of RAB and its officials, and take corrective measures. Disbanding it is not the solution. Let us think twice before taking any hasty decision. l Nadeem Qadir is a senior journalist.

ear Bangladesh, When I first landed on your soil from Scotland, only six months ago, it was January 3. Dhaka was in a hartal chokehold, and although I could sense the muted frustration of my Bengali friends, they were resigned to the state of affairs. Mostly, they feared that the deadlock would halt your progress, and stunt your economic growth.

Despite the critical situation, I was confused by what I initially perceived to be complacency amongst my friends and colleagues. I soon realised, however, that there was little they could do. Although 507 people were killed in the political violence of 2013, life had to go on, and so it did.

Times are more peaceful now, but the cynicism remains – about the traffic, the health system, and the brain drain – just to name a few. It chips relentlessly against the spirits of those around me. In a country where 47 million people live below the poverty line, the scope of the problem is clearly immense.

International aid is being used to build bigger hospitals, to sponsor revolutionary agricultural programs, and to inject your intellectual borders with foreign experts and professionals.

There is no doubt that you are now at the cutting edge of global development research, but, if we really want to shift the status quo, these efforts feel inadequate.

The first thing I learned when I started working with Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center, an educational leadership institution, is the difference between technical and adaptive approaches to challenges. If you want to address illiteracy, you don’t just build a library, you also ask what is preventing children from learning to read. When 33.3% of adults, and 21.3% of your youth are illiterate, the situation warrants more than mere bricks and mortar.

In reality, governmental bodies have a limited capacity to address problems like this, and at a certain point, someone else must step up and account for the shortfall. The adaptive response to this would be to tackle the root cause. What is the root cause of the traffic? What is the main reason behind the poor public health system?

Why is there an exodus of your most talented citizens? And for those that stay, why are they choosing the private sector?

I can answer my first two questions with the last two, and the answers to those are obvious – money, security, and safety. Everyone has the right to desire these things, because, after all, life must go on.

The irony is that I encounter the entrepreneurial spirit and strong sense of national and civic duty of your youth every day, but the best and brightest have a habituated aversion to the civil service. I can’t blame them – selection is based only 45% on merit, with the

remaining 55% being decided by a narrow and elitist quota system, and it is no secret that rampant corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, and a lack of transparency and accountability plague your public institutions.

Inevitably – and especially in this context – young people will care about their careers first, and their country second, and entering the private sector seems like the practical and smart thing to do (at the end of the day, they might say, there’s always philanthropy). I’m not saying that they’re wrong to do this, but it becomes a problem when the perceptual connection between authority and leadership prevents change on the ground level. The mayor should widen the roads, they might say, while riding alone in their car to work.

For there to be any kind of lasting, systemic change, leadership must belong to your people

Everyone is so aware of the problem, but what is the point of understanding it if no one’s taking any action? Where is the value in education without application?

The youth’s perception of public service is not wrong, but it acts like a reinforcing loop – in their minds, leadership belongs to authority, but those who are in positions of authority are rarely in the position to exercise effective leadership.

For there to be any kind of lasting, systemic change, leadership must belong to your people, not be confined to your institutions. Adaptive change is limited without the participation of active citizens in the change process.

Building a library won’t help a child learn to read, if he must beg on the streets to save his ailing mother.

This generation already knows why they should engage in public leadership – you are ranked 137 out of 177 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception – and there are plenty of educational institutions in place that can surely teach them how. But the most crucial task that lies ahead is to inspire them to want to. Life will go on, but does status quo need to stay the same? l Joanna Lovatt, a graduate of University of Aberdeen, is a Communications Officer at Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC).

BYLC is trying to forge a different paradigm for youth engagement in the public arena, by both consciously developing a movement of the next generation of leaders who are imbued with a public service ethic, as well as acting as a nonpartisan group articulating concerns and aspirations of today’s youth.

Why this U-turn? n M Abdul Latif Mondal

A

t a pre-budget meeting with more than a dozen chairmen of the parliamentary standing committees at the State Guest House Padma in the capital on May 7, Finance Minister AMA Muhith rejected their demand for a block allocation of Tk50m for development works in each of the constituencies of the MPs, saying that the government was considering spending the money for health, education, and LGED (local government engineering department) sectors through local government bodies.

Referring to his talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister Muhith also said that such mechanism would strengthen the local government system. But hardly a week had passed when the finance minister had to change his stance against block allocation to the MPs. At another prebudget meeting with the parliamentary standing committees on May 15, the finance minister said that allocation for the constituencies would continue.

The finance minister has given two reasons for changing his position. One of the reasons is that the LGRD minister has convinced him about the necessity of constructing rural roads. The other reason is that there are widespread allegations of corruption against the LGED and the

local MPs should be involved with the LGED activities for the development works in their constituencies to check corruption.

It is a fact that block allocation was made for the constituencies during the period of the immediate past AL-led government. But it was then criticised by the civil society members and many others. The finance minister’s initial stance this year against block allocation to the MPs was appreciated by the civil society members. But his U-turn favouring block allocation to the MPs has given rise to some important questions.

The involvement of the MPs in local development work has already invited severe criticisms

Firstly, Bangladesh follows a centralised planning system. We have a planning commission for preparation of national plans – annual, rolling, five year, perspective – for the economic and social development of the

country. The government undertakes development projects for implementation through annual development programme (ADP) mechanism with both domestic resources and foreign assistance. The Planning Commission prepares ADP in consultation with the relevant ministries and their agencies.

A project has to pass through feasibility test, technical analysis, economic analysis, financial analysis, social analysis, environmental analysis, etc for inclusion in the ADP. In the instant case, it may not be possible to follow the established procedure for approval and implementation of projects undertaken by the MPs in their constituencies.

Secondly, it appears that the block allocation to the MPs will be spent for improvement of rural road networks.

While the importance of development of rural roads cannot be undermined, at the same time we have to assess the priority needs of different constituencies. The priority of demands varies from constituency to constituency.

For instance, there are some constituencies where road communication is more or less satisfactory, but they lack electricity for income generating activities. There are others whose primary concern is protection from river erosion and floods. There are still others where primary health care and education are in deplorable

conditions and they need the highest allocation. So block allocation of funds to the MPs for undertaking construction of rural roads in their constituencies may miss the basic concept of utilisation of scarce resources to meet the most important needs.

Thirdly, in the absence of any MP from the BNP-led alliance, the present parliament has no opposition in the true sense of the term. Four-fifths of the MPs are from AL. The MPs have openly said that if block allocation is not given, they will not be able to face their electorates in future. The fund will, therefore, be used to meet political commitment. Since the fund will be allocated to the MPs, the implementing agency will have to work according to the wishes of the MPs. So there will be lack of proper planning for undertaking work. The quality of work may also suffer.

Fourthly, the constitution of Bangladesh and the rules of procedure (ROP) of parliament made thereunder have delineated the functions and responsibilities of the MPs. Making of law, investigating or inquiring into the activities or administration of the ministries as members of the parliamentary standing committees on various ministries, and speaking in parliament on matters of public interest are some of the most important functions of the MPs. To discharge the assigned

functions, the MPs have to keep themselves busy in the House and within its precincts whether the House is in session or not.

Involvement of the MPs in local development works is at variance with the functions and responsibilities assigned to them by the constitution and the ROP. The framers of the constitution and the ROP were conscious enough to specify the functions and responsibilities of the lawmakers.

civil society members and others. It is being said that people have, in fact, elected 300 executives in place of 300 legislators in the general elections. As an advisor to the upazila parishad, an MP has the last say in all developmental matters within his constituency.

This is against the fundamental spirit of strengthening the local government bodies.

The finance minister should give a second thought to his changed stance.

The finance minister’s initial stance this year against block allocation to the MPs was appreciated. But his U-turn has given rise to some important questions

Therefore, the functions of the MPs must conform to the functions and responsibilities entrusted to them by the constitution and the ROP. If the MPs are required to be involved in local developmental activities, necessary amendments will have to be made first in the constitution and the ROP. Fifthly, the involvement of the MPs in local development work has already invited severe criticisms from the

In order to strengthen the local government bodies, the said fund should be channeled through them and they should be responsible for implementing the works. This will be in consonance with the provision of the Upazila Parishad (Sub-district Council) Act, 1998 (amended up to 2011). l M Abdul Latif Mondal is former government secretary.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Most Welcome music once more n Hasan Mansoor Chatak

Ananta Jalil at the music launch of ‘Most Welcome 2’

SADIA MARIUM

The soundtracks of Ananta Jalil’s upcoming flick was released officially at a press conference yesterday at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel. Ananta Jalil and Sajid Rizwan Matin, head of market communications of Grameenphone were present at the event along with a few singers and music composers of the film including Emon Saha, Shahid, Akash and Naumi.

Grameenphone has released the numbers as welcome tune and download track for it’s customers exclusively. International singers including Kailash Kher and Subhamita Banerjee have worked in a song of the movie, other singers include Bappa Mazumder, Shahid, Akash Amrito, Naumi, Tanvir Tarek and Shom Chand. The music composers of the film are Emon Saha, Akash Amrita, Tanvir Trek and Rofi, while the lyrics are written by Akash and Jahid Akbar. Shooting for the songs took place in places like Ladakh, the famous Tesselaar Tulip Garden and Gujrat, India.

Very soon, the videos will also be available to the Grameenphone users.

About his work, Ananta Jalil said: “I have always tried to introduce something new to the audience and the film industry of Bangladesh. This time around, I have used Dolby Surround 7.1 sound system in ‘Most Welcome 2.’ I hope the movie enthusiasts will appreciate my effort.” Ananta also said that many filmmakers in Bangladesh falsely claim to have used Dolby Surround 5.1 in their movies and that “Most Welcome 2” is the only movie of the country with Dolby Surround 7.1 technology.

Ananta who claims that he has never used a stuntman said: “I was injured several times during the shooting for the action scenes of my movies, but I never gave up.”

The development of the film began in February 2012 as a sequel of 2012 blockbuster “Most Welcome.” Among many rumours surrounding the anticipated film, “Most Welcome 2” is said to be the most expensive film in the history of Bangla Cinema.

The film stars Ananta Jalil and Afiea Nusrat Barshaa in lead roles.

Indian actors Jakie Shroff is the antagonist, while Bipasha Basu and Subhasree Ganguly will be appearing in cameo roles in the film.

The movie is set to hit the theatres during Eid. l

Indian Classial evening at Bengal Shilpalaya

n Entertainment Desk One moment Brad Pitt was signing autographs, and the next taking an apparent blow to the face.

Pitt was at the Hollywood premiere of “Maleficent,” starring his partner Angelina Jolie on Wednesday night, when a man hopped a barrier and apparently attacked the actor, Los Angeles Police Sgt Leonard Calderon said in a report.

The suspected attacker is 25-year-old Vitalii Sediuk, a serial troublemaker at celebrity events.

Police did not say whether Pitt was punched or slapped, just that the attacker struck him in the face. Sediuk was arrested on suspicion of battery, police said.

Sediuk has a history of confronting celebrities at red carpet events. In 2012, he was slapped by actor Will Smith after he attempted to kiss Smith.

At the 2013 Grammy Awards, Sediuk charged the stage before singer Adele could accept her award.

Sediuk also hugged actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Bradley Cooper around the knees at separate events earlier this year. Most recently, he put his head up America Ferrara’s dress at the Cannes premiere of “How to Train Your Dragon 2” last week.

After the attack Wednesday evening, Pitt and Jolie continued walking the blue carpet. Neither appeared fazed by the incident. l

n Afrose Jahan Chaity

“Gaan pagol,” a new band inspired by eastern classical, folk and melodious music, will emerge officially through a musical show today at the Bokultola of Dhaka University at 6:30pm.

Led by classical singer Mohammed Shoeb, the band has come up with the motto to use acoustic instruments in most of their compositions.

“We want to reintroduce the root, which is classical music. Nowadays, the use of

acoustic instruments is very rare. Therefore, we aim to popularise the soothing tune of acoustic instruments among the mass people of the country.”

Shoeb informed the Dhaka Tribune that the troupe will perform some of their unreleased tracks at the launching ceremony.

The line-up of Gaan Pagol includes Sheuli on violin, cello and mandolin, Amit on violin and djembe, Mehedi on violin and ghatam, Arif and Apel on classical guitars, Monoj on flute, Philip on khamak, Raju on chajon, and Arefin on bass guitar. l

SYED LATIF HOSSAIN

n Entertainment Desk Indian Bangla filmdom’s popular duo Jeet and Shubhasree’s “Game” will hit over 200 cinemas of the West Bengal today. Directed by Baba Yadav and co-produced by Jeet and Yadav, “Game” is a romantic-action flick where Jeet is playing the role of an army officer.

This is the third time Jeet and Shubhasree will be seen together. Their previous film “Boss,” released in 2013 and after the success of the film, the producers decided to go for a sequel titled “Boss 2.” Regarding the film, Jeet said: “I’m expecting ‘Game’ to be more rewarding than ‘Boss.’ I request all our fans to give the movie a chance.”

On the other hand, Shubhasree and Ankush’s “Ami Shudu Cheyechhi Tomay,” a co-production of Bangladesh and India has released this month and is still running in the theatres of both the countries. l

Lara Dutta makes a comeback n Entertainment Desk

Bollywood actor Lara Dutta, who had taken a sabbatical post the birth of her baby said she is focusing on movies right now and will begin shooting this year.

Lara married Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi in 2010 and in January 2012, she delivered a baby girl. Now, the actor-producer is gearing up for a comeback in films.

“Right now I am focusing only on films. I am definitely making a comeback soon. I will start shooting this year, the release is not in my hands. I am not at liberty to talk about the films that I am working on at present,” Lara said in a media interaction recently.

“Everyone knows that we are doing a sequel to ‘Chalo Delhi,’ that is in the pre-production stage. I am quite excited about it. Apart from that, there are films that I am doing outside my production house,” she said.

“Chalo Dilli” featuring Lara and Vinay Pathak in the lead roles and Akshay Kumar in a guest appearance was released in 2011. Now, Lara is getting ready to roll a sequel, reportedly titled “Chalo China.”

“There is a lot happening this year with my production house Bheegi Basanti Entertainment. We are producing films and TV shows,” she said. l

Brad Pitt attacked

Gaan Pagol emerges

Jeet-Shubhasree’s Game releases today

n Entertainment Desk An Indian Classical musical evening titled “Borendra Dhrupadshailee” will be held today at 6:30pm at the Bengal Shilpalaya, Dhanmondi. The show features performances of artistes from the Theatre and Music Department of Rajshahi University. Bengal Foundation arranged the programme to promote the artistes of the Barendra region which holds historical and cultural legacies.

In the event, Mousumi Biswas, Golden Mandal and Solok Hossain will perform Khayal while Asit Roy and Alamgir Parvez will sing Dhrupad. For the instrumental assistance, Iftekhar Alam Pradhan will play tabla and Sushen Roy will play pakhawaj, an Indian classical percussion instrument.

For the development of Indian classical music, ancient Barendra is considered as a blessed land where prominent artistes Norottom Das Goswami, Rojonikanto Sen and a few others were born. Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Mohammad Amir Khan and Radhikamohan Mitra are the famous Indian classical singers and instrumentalists who practiced and developed their traits at Barendra. l

Friday, May 30, 2014

Satyajit Chakraborty performs at IGCC today

n Entertainment Desk

A melodious evening is in store for the audience at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC), Gulshan branch today at 6:30pm. Bangladeshi musician Satyajit Chakraborty will perform in the event which is organised by IGCC in association with Asian Paints, IRCON and Marico Bangladesh.

Born in Chittagong, Satyajit Chakraborty trained in sitar under his father Ustad Binode Behari Chakraborty, elder brother Somorjit Chakraborty and Ustad Abul Hussain of Bangladesh, and sitar maestro Pandit Ajay Sinha Roy of India. He has also trained in Tabla under Pandit Sajal Karmaker of India.

A gifted artiste, Chakraborty received the “5th Citycell Channel i Music Award” (instrumental) in 2010. He has performed at the prestigious Dover Lane Music Conference in Kolkata.

Chakraborty is an A-grade artist of Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television. He has released an album titled “Udashi” in 2010 from Laser Vision. l

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Bornil Pandulipi Time: 12pm – 8pm Gallery Shilpangon Second Sight Time: 12pm – 8pm The Daily Star Centre, 64-65 Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue Dhaka

Did you know?

Frank Lampard has now hit 39 shots at World Cups without scoring, the most of any player since 1966

Sport

Friday, May 30, 2014

13

DAYS TO GO

14 Stephen Hawking plays down England hopes

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 However you look at it, Brazil are WC favourites

Fully fit Mushfiq joins nat’l fold Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who was on leave, joined the national practice camp yesterday ahead of the India series next month. A finger injury had kept the wicket-keeper-batsman away from the field.

“It (injury) is better now. I batted in the nets for an hour today (yesterday). It still feels weak and I did not have plans to practise today to be honest. I hope I will be totally fit in the next two-three days,” said Mushfiqur to the media at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

The Bangladesh skipper joined the national camp a day after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced an under-strength side for the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in Dhaka next month.

The 25-year old informed that he has had the opportunity to take a look at the Indian squad.

“The side will never appear big if you are just looking into the names as they do not have their key players,” said Mushfiq.

“This side was formed on the basis of the performance in the ongoing IPL (Indian Premier League). We should not think too much of whom we are playing against rather we should concentrate on our own performance and try to give our best in the field.

“We have not been doing great in

Moderate start for BD U19s The Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team made a modest start in their first of two four-day matches against Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) U-19 following the conclusion of the opening day’s play at Fatullah yesterday.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, MPCA U-19 posted 245 for the loss of six wickets in 89.5 overs before stumps were drawn signaling the end of the first day’s proceedings.

One-down batsman Siddarth Patidar top-scored for the visitors with 92 while Arjun Patel chipped in with 59. Together, the third wicket pair of Patidar and Patel added 146 runs and threatened to take the game away from the hosts before a flurry of wickets halted their innings.

Saleh Ahmed Shawon scalped two wickets while Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehedi Hasan Rana and Mehedi Hasan Miraz all took one wicket apiece. l

Scholastica beats Nabo Jagoroni Scholastica defeated Nabo Jagoroni Sangha in the Cute Open Women’s Volleyball at the volleyball stadium yesterday.

A total of eight teams - BJMC Green, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Jagannath University, BJMC Red, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Police, Nabo Jagoroni Sangha and Scholastica - are participating in the event. l

the field for the last few months so if we can get our personal things right, it will actually not matter if we are facing [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni or [Virat] Kohli. Their (India) side might be young but it is a very balanced side,” said Mushfiq.

The diminutive skipper believes the healthy track-record at home will work as an advantage for his side. The national cricket team had to encounter a lot of criticism due to their sub-par showings in the first three months of this year. Mushfiq thinks that short home series against the cricketing giants is an opportunity to revive their flagging fortunes.

“There will always be pressure let it be a full-strength India team or the one they are sending,” Mushfiq said. “But we are concentrating more on performance as we did not have a good time in the last few months. I believe we will be able to beat even their best team on our day,” he said.

Mushfiq informed that he and his team is not fretting over the negatives at the moment. “We are thinking positive. We have Imran sir (Sarwar Imran, assistant coach) with us. He knows each and every one of us very well. The training sessions are running efficiently. There will be wins and defeats in the game but I hope we will be able to make a fresh start from here,” hoped the Bangladesh captain. l

Workers pose with a replica of the one and half feet tall and six kg Fifa World Cup trophy, made from sweets, in a bakery workshop in Kolkata yesterday

NSC in favour of bridging gap between DFA and DSA

Bangladesh A suffer humiliating defeat Sagicor High Performance Center inflicted a crushing defeat on the touring Bangladesh A side by as big a margin as 351 runs on Wednesday, with one more day of the first four-day match played at the Windwark Park, Barbados still remaining.

Resuming the third day on 170/2, overnight batsman Kraigg Brathwaite, who was just four runs short of his hundred reached the milestone and went on to smash a brilliant 164 off 237 balls with 14 fours and a six before the skipper was out leg before to Robiul Islam as the home side eventually declared their second innings on 352/8.

Left arm spinner Taijul Islam bagged three wickets while fast bowler Robiul picked up two wickets for Bangladesh A in the second innings.

Chasing a mammoth 504 runs to win in the fourth innings of the match, the second string Bangladesh side could only manage to add 12 more than their first innings total and was bundled out for just 152. Opener Shamsur Rahman’s 33 was the highest score for the tourists. Fast bowler Miguel Cummins bagged four wickets while leg spinner Devendra Bishoo took three wickets for Sagicor to wrap up the visitors’ innings with a day to spare.

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh A skipper Nasir Hossain won the toss and opted to bowl where his bowlers justified the captain’s decision by

restricting Sagicor to 292 in their first innings despite man of the match Blackwood’s 160-ball 140. Robiul Islam and Taijul Islam took three wickets each for the visitors.

Bangladesh A started their reply well with openers Imrul Kayes and Shamsur Rahman adding 66 for the opening wicket before the visitors collapsed in no time like a house of cards.

The second string national side lost their last nine wickets for just 63 runs

BRIEF SCORE

Sagicor: 292 and 352/8 Brathwaite 164, Carter 49 Taijul Islam 3/95 Bangladesh A: 140 and 152 Shamsur Rahman 33 Cummins 4/40, Bishoo 3/58 Sagicor HPC won by 351 runs on the second day with Naeem Islam and skipper Nasir Hossain getting out for ducks. Carlos picked up four wickets while Cummins bagged three wickets for the hosts.

With such a shameful outing in the first four dayer, the visiting Bangladesh A side faced an injury blow after fast bowler Subashish Roy suffered an injury to his right shoulder while fielding and is currently under observation as Nasir’s boys now prepare for the second four-day match of the tour scheduled to begin from June 2 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. l

Players of Scholastica defend against Nabo Jagoroni Sangha in the Cute Open Volleyball yesterday

REUTERS

National Sports Council (NSC) is finally taking some realistic initiatives to facilitate the relationship between District Football Association (DFA) and District Sports Association (DSA) in order to make football run regularly and smoothly at the root levels of the country.

In the 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of National Sports Council held yesterday, the Youth and Sports Minister Biren Sikder pledged to settle the issue between DSA and DFA and said a 10 or 12-member committee will be

formed soon to solve the problem.

The committee will then have to submit their report and suggestions in two months after which the National Sports Council will take necessary steps accordingly.

Meanwhile, DSA is the only association affiliated to National Sports Council while DFAs were formed according to the direction given by world football’s governing body Fifa in 2008 in order to administer football better across the country.

A distance has always prevailed between the two organisations (DFA and DSA) and as DFA is not recognised

by the government or NSC, they face difficulties with DSA regarding many issues like venues and organising tournaments. Most of the local venues are allocated for only DSA and that is why BFF requested NSC for the local venues for three or four months a year to organise football tournaments.

Meanwhile, National Sports Council will send Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) a letter demanding their due of Tk. 500m for gate money and it was decided in the AGM that this money will be used to build mini stadiums in 480 upazilas across the country. l

UCL 4 kicks off today The fourth season of the Underground Champions League 5-a-side futsal kicks off at the Abahani outer basketball court today. The tournament will be contested by 32 teams consisting non-professional players of different age level starting from school kids to university graduates.

To make the experience more realistic, the organisers - Bangladesh Underground Football Assiciation (BUFA) and Akbor Haider Munna - apart from hiring professional referees to run the game they will also play the official UEFA Champions League theme song when teams take the field for their respective game. The tournament will conclude on June 6. l

Brothers Union winger Rubel Miah scores against Team BJMC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MUMIT M

Brothers Union continue good run

MUMIT M

Brothers Union ended the second phase of the Nitol Tata Bangladesh Premier Football League in fourth place after beating 10-man Team BJMC 2-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Nigerian midfielder Simon Ezeodika and local forward Rubel Miah netted two fabulous goals in the either side of each half to salvage all three points for the Orange and finish an excellent second phase where they earned six victories in nine matches compared to two out of nine in the first phase. Fourthplaced Brothers now have 29 points from 18 matches, 10 more than BJMC

who are sixth.

Brothers’ attacking trio of Kester Akon, Rubel and Simon were too much to handle for the opponents and could have opened the scoring 10 minutes into the opening half. But BJMC goalkeeper Hemel produced a superb save to deny Nigerian striker Kester’s shot from inside the box.

Four minutes later, BJMC’s Nigerian midfielder Uche Felix hit the woodwork from 20 yards out.

Simon scored a spectacular goal in the 17th minute to put Brothers ahead.

Receiving a long ball, the Nigerian forward let it bounce before his feet as he unleashed a precise volley from 25 yards out which went over Hemel and deep inside the bar.

Hemel made another decent save in the 26th minute to deny Brothers

from doubling their lead after Simon attempted an angular shot following a pass from Kester.

BJMC were then reduced to 10 men five minutes into the second half when Hemel, during a Brothers counter-attack, came out of the box to clear the ball with his hands and the referee did not hesitate to dish out a straight red card to the desperate keeper.

Rubel netted another brilliant goal with a solo effort five minutes before stipulated time. The in-form forward started the run from his own territory and raced past three opposition players before cutting inside the keeper and placed the ball calmly into an empty net.

Nigerian midfielder Samson Illiasu pulled one back for BJMC in injury time smashing home a low Aminur Rahman Sojib cross from the right side. l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Neuer, Lahm start training Germany keeper Manuel Neuer and captain Philipp Lahm kicked off their belated World Cup preparations on Thursday with light training after missing the start of the camp through injury. Neuer did not do any goalkeeping training and only some light running as he races to recover from his shoulder injury. There was more good news for coach Joachim Loew with Lahm training in part with the team for the first time on Thursday as he also recovers from a foot injury picked up two weeks ago.

–Reuters

Sport

Friday, May 30, 2014

France upbeat over Ribery, Benzema

Don’t buy iguana, Brazil warns fans

France coach Didier Deschamps said Wednesday he had no plans to expedite Franck Ribery’s return from injury while also playing down concerns over the fitness of Karim Benzema. Ribery was rested for Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over Norway at the Stade de France, the first of three pre-World Cup friendlies for Les Bleus, with the Bayern Munich winger still bothered by a minor back problem. “Ribery didn’t play in this morning’s (training) match,” Deschamps said Wednesday.

–AFP

World Cup fans looking for that special souvenir from Brazil should know it is illegal to buy parrots, iguanas and other wildlife, authorities said Wednesday, releasing a list of environmental guidelines for tourists. Monkeys, birds, snakes, butterflies, spiders and scorpions are also included on the list of off-limits purchases. The list warns tourists not to buy jewelry or crafts made from wild animals, including anything with feathers, teeth, leather or butterfly wings.

–AFP

(Left) Argentina’s national team players Sergio Aguero (L), Maximiliano Rodriguez (2nd L) and Lionel Messi talk as head coach Alejandro Sabella (R) walks by during a training session at the squad’s camp ahead of the World Cup in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. (Right) Brazilian national football team players during a training session at the squad’s Granja Comary training complex, in Teresopolis, 90 km from downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday

Judge Brazil on World Cup delivery, not protests: govt The world should judge Brazil on how well it hosts the World Cup and not assume recent protests and strikes will derail the event, a government minister said Wednesday.

“We are confident we will deliver a fantastic World Cup in two weeks’ time. We can only respond to prejudice with achievement,” said Deputy Sports Minister Luis Fernandes.

Fernandes has been at pains over long and difficult months of preparation to show Brazil is capable of rising above the public discord over World Cup spending, which has soared be-

yond $11 billion.

Strikes by police, transport workers and teachers, protests by bow-and-arrow-wielding indigenous leaders, the late delivery of stadiums and a swathe of projects which never left the drawing board have fueled pre-Cup tensions.

But just as the Australian team prepared to touch down in Brazil -- the first team to arrive for the tournament, which kicks off June 12 -- Fernandes predicted his continent-sized, football-mad country would eventually see the Cup as a boon.

“We have to think beyond the World Cup. The benefits are huge,” said Fernandes of “an opportunity to intensify (Brazil’s) historical challenge to develop.”

The hosts will only be able to make

Wenger put England before Arsenal: Wilshere Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger dissuaded Jack Wilshere from rushing his comeback from injury to ensure he would be fit and ready for the World Cup campaign, the England midfielder has said.

The injury-prone 22-year-old, who broke his foot in March, said he had been desperate to get back to first team soccer, fearing that if he was not playing England manager Roy Hodgson might not include him in the party for Brazil.

“I was panicking a bit about the squad, I wanted to be in it,” Wilshere told the Guardian.

“I thought I was ready but he said: ‘No, you’re not. You need to train alone if you are to have a good World Cup. You need a good fitness base and to be right in every aspect.’

“That is what I am now.”

Wilshere’s frequent injuries have led

some critics to wonder whether he will ever fulfil the potential he showed as a teenager, a question mark Wilshere is convinced he can remove if given a chance in Brazil.

“I think a good World Cup can erase a lot of doubts,” Wilshere added.

“It is about the team and, if the side has a good World Cup, you are going to look good as a player.

“It’s up to the manager if I play but I’d like to think if I’m on the pitch I’ll have a successful World Cup - having an impact, playing well and keeping the ball.

“If someone had told me four years ago I would be going to a World Cup now, I would have been happy with 15 caps and this chance.

“To have played only that number of games is disappointing but I have to look to the future and hopefully I can contribute.” l

a “full assessment of economic and social returns after the World Cup,” Fernandes told reporters in a conference call from Brasilia.

Asked how Brazil planned to overcome transport disruption if a recent wave of bus drivers’ strikes continues, Fernandes said, “We do have contingency plans.”

He added the government did not have “any indication of massive strikes” disrupting the tournament, which opens in Sao Paulo when and favorites Brazil meet Croatia.

Fernandes insisted that Brazilians should take a long-term view of the benefits of staging the event and the 2016 Olympics, which Rio de Janeiro will host in two years’ time. l

Colombia to wait until ‘last minute’ for Falcao Star Colombia striker Radamel Falcao is to be given until the “last minute” to prove his World Cup fitness, coach Jose Pekerman said Wednesday.

“We will wait until the last minute of the last day,” said the Argentine coach from the team’s World Cup training base in Cardales, near Buenos Aires.

Pekerman, who coached his native Argentina at the 2006 World Cup finals where they went out in the quarter-finals to Germany, must submit his final 23-man squad by June 2, ahead of the global showpiece kick-off 10 days later.

Falcao, 28 and who has scored 20 goals in 51 international appearances, suffered serious knee ligament damage playing for his club Monaco in a French Cup tie on January 22 and has not played since.l

Chilly, but clean bill of health for Brazil Brazil’s World Cup hopefuls began training in cool and rainy conditions but received a clean bill of health from their doctors Wednesday at their hillside base camp outside Rio. If the squad had been hoping for balmy conditions at their Granja Comary complex in the town of Teresopolis they would have suffered a rude awakening, with the thermometer showing just 17 Celsius (63 Fahrenheit) as they trotted onto a chilly pitch.

Under the watchful gaze of 2002 World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, the 23-man squad began their session shortly after 10:00 am (1300 GMT) after some indoor warm-ups

-- the three goalkeepers following the program in reverse.

Chelsea midfielder Oscar, coming off hip and thigh troubles, and striker Jo, likewise shaking off fitness problems as he looks to play second fiddle to main striker Fred, both joined the group from the outset for an hour-long session.

The bulk of the squad had arrived Monday -- when they were met by sporadic protests by citizens angry at the cost of staging the event. Tuesday they underwent a series of fitness tests, preparing to hit tip-top form for their June 12 opener against Croatia and all 23 are ship shape, according to team doctor.

Physical trainer Paulo Paixao meanwhile sought to allay fears regarding the fitness of Oscar, who has permission to leave the camp temporarily with his wife expecting their first child any day. l

Stephen Hawking plays down England hopes Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s leading physicists, has hit out at “ballerina” Luis Suarez after analysing England’s chances at the forthcoming World Cup in Brazil.

The 72-year-old professor, who wrote the best-selling ‘A Brief History of Time’, has looked at data from every World Cup since 1966 -- the only time then hosts England have won the tournament -- and concluded the heat and humidity in South America do not augur well for Roy Hodgson’s Three Lions.

But he believes their prospects will improve if they have a European referee for their group match with Uruguay as northern hemisphere officials are less likely to be deceived by the Liverpool striker’s on-field theatrics.

Hawking has also devised the formula for a perfect penalty, with spotkicks long a problem for England at

GREAT WORLD CUP SHOCKS

Episode

3

Pak Do-lk (R) scores the winning goal against Italy in the group match during 1966 World Cup

North Korea 1 Italy 0 (1966) Pak Do-Ik entered World Cup folklore by striking the only goal of the game to secure the hermit Stalinist state a remarkable 1-0 victory over Italy in a group match in the unglamorous setting of Middlesbrough in north-eastern England. It did not presage a golden era in football for North Korea as they had to wait till 2010 for their next appearance at the finals. However, for Pak it opened up a whole new world. “I learnt that playing football can improve diplomatic relations and promote peace,” he said when he made an emotional return to Middlesbrough in 2002. North Korea went on to lose 5-3 to Portugal in the quarter-finals but their feat was immortalised in a BBC documentary ‘The Game of their Lives’.

–AFP

major tournaments, because “as we say in science, England couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo”.

Hawking, whose analysis was commissioned by bookmaker Paddy Power, added: “Ever since the dawn of civilisation, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable.

“They have craved an understanding of the underlying order in the world.

Turning to England, who won the World Cup wearing their red change kit rather than their first-choice white, Hawking said: “Statistically England’s red kit is more successful and we should play 4-3-3 rather than 4-4-2.

“Psychologists in Germany found red makes teams feel more confident and can lead them to being perceived as more aggressive and dominant.

“Likewise, 4-3-3 is more positive so the team benefits for similar psychological reasons.

As for penalties Hawking, who was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neurone disease, when he was just 21 and told he had only a few years to live, said “velocity is nothing without placement”.

He added: “If only I had whispered this in Chris Waddle’s ear before he sent the ball into orbit in 1990” (Waddle was one of the England players who missed a penalty during a World Cup semi-final loss to West Germany).

“The statistics confirm the obvious.

Place the ball in the top left or right hand corner for the best chance of success 84 percent of penalties in those areas score.

“There is no evidence that it’s advantageous to be left or right-footed but bald players and fair-haired players are more likely to score.

“The reason for this is unclear. This will remain one of science’s great mysteries,” Hawking said. l

German firm behind goal-line technology looks beyond World Cup With two weeks to go to the finals of the soccer World Cup in Brazil, small German start-up company GoalControl has the technology ready make the calls cheered and challenged around the globe: goal or no goal.

This year’s World Cup will be the first when ‘goal-line technology’ will be used, years after the concept was introduced to sports such as cricket, rugby and tennis.

The system, which costs 100,000170,000 euros a year, makes use of 14 cameras. They send digitalised pictures to a data room, sitting in the top of the soccer stadium. After analysing the data, the message will be sent to a special watch, worn by the referee with the word “GOAL” if the balls is over the line.

The process takes less than a second.

“Clearly, the world cup is very important to us. We hope to convince some sceptics about the technology,” said Dirk Broichhausen, managing director and co-founder of GoalControl.

At the moment the company makes less than 10 million euros in annual revenues. But it estimates it is tapping into a market of about 100 million euros.

“The game is changing rapidly and we are looking at other sports which can use our technology,” Broichhausen said at the Tivoli soccer stadium, which has has the system installed.

FIFA was persuaded to move to technology after an incident in the 2010 World Cup when England’s Frank Lampard was denied a goal against Germany when his shot hit the bar and officials failed to spot it had bounced down just behind the line. That would have tied the match at 2-2 but Germany went on to win 4-1.

The incident had echoes of a famous incident in 1966 when England beat West Germany 4-2 in the final at Wembley, helped by a similar disputed goal that was given to the English on this occasion.

Germans sometimes use the phrase “Wembleytor” to refer to such incidents when the eye struggles to see whether the ball has crossed the line.

It was a similar incident five years ago, during the German second soccer division game between Munich 1860 and Kaiserslautern, that prompted Broichhausen to wonder whether software could recognise the ball and make the call. It could.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

15

Friday, May 30, 2014

Ronaldo crowned world’s most marketable player

QUICK BYTES

Abahani, Kalabagan, Ansar & VDP secure win in MWCL Abahani Limited, Kalabagan KC and Ansar & VDP picked up wins in the Metropolitan Women’s Cricket League yesterday. Abahani bagged a comprehensive 135 run win against Orient Sporting at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium. Batting first Abahani scored 218 runs for seven wickets. Opener Sharmin Sultana led the innings with 89 runs. In reply, Orient were all out with only 83 runs on the board. At BKSP Ground 3, Kalabagan posted 204 runs losing eight wickets after opting to bat first. Lily Rani was unbeaten on 42 runs. Chasing 205 runs to win, Rayer Bazar Athletic could manage only 131 runs for the cost of all wickets to hand Kalabagan a 73 run victory. At BKSP Ground 4, Ansar secured a thumping 193 run victory against Dhaka Cricketers. Batting first, Ansar scored 233 runs riding on Farjana Akhter’s unbeaten 79 runs. Dhaka Cricketers folded for a mere 40 runs in reply. Tithy Rani was the pick of the Ansar bowlers with four wickets.

–Tribune Desk

AFP

Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s most marketable footballer, according to a study released by an international sports market research company Wednesday.

Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi ranked second in the study conducted by Repucom, ahead of club teammate and surprise third-placed entry Gerard Pique of Spain.

The data measured the perceptions of over 6,500 people in 13 countries, including Britain, the United States, Brazil, China and India, which was reportedly claimed to represent the views of more than 1.5 billion people worldwide.

2013 Ballon d’or winner Ronaldo, who helped Real Madrid clinch a 10th Champions League title on Saturday, was also found to be the most wellknown player on the planet with 83.9 percent of people aware of who he was.

“Ronaldo is an endorser’s dream.

His value is as important to the teams he plays for as they are for the companies that endorse him,” said Paul Smith, CEO of Repucom.

“Global awareness of Ronaldo is what drives his commercial power and with over 82 million facebook likes and 26 million Twitter followers, he is also one of the most liked in the business.”l

Australia became the first team to touch down for the World Cup in Brazil Wednesday but it was a low-key arrival as they dodged well-wishers and were ushered away under tight security.

About 100 Brazilian fans were waiting at Vitoria airport but the Socceroos, arriving in darkness, went straight from their plane to a bus with blackedout windows and were whisked away to their hotel.

Dozens of heavily armed riot police were also at the airport, with authorities apparently fearing a repeat of protests which have marred the tournament’s build-up.

Fans trying to catch a glimpse of the squad, who were wearing suits, rushed into the street to wave as they set out on the short drive to their town-centre hotel.

Australia, who are playing their third straight World Cup, have their first match on June 13 against Chile.

They will also face Spain and the Netherlands in a difficult Group A. They are ranked at 59, the lowest of the tournament, with one columnist remarking “the bookmakers regard Australia’s World Cup possibilities as something worse than a snowball’s survival chances in hell”.

But midfielder Tommy Oar said Ange Postecoglou’s side were using their lowly status as motivation.

The next teams expected in Brazil are Croatia and Iran on June 3. The last arrivals are South Korea, Ghana and Portugal on June 11, the day before the opening match.

Meanwhile hosts Brazil opened their base camp on Monday and, after undergoing medical checks, took to the practice pitch for the first time on Wednesday. l

Oishee, Mou in junior table-tennis semis Oishee and Mou made it to the girl’s singles semifinals in the South Bangla Bank 2nd National Junior Table Tennis at the Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Indoor Stadium yesterday. The other semifinal will see Juthi face Mahi. Meanwhile, Akash, Sabbir, Tasin, Jubair, Ridoy, Sarjil, Bivu and Sajib reached the boy’s singles quarterfinals. The quarterfinals will be held today. The finals of the boy’s and the girl’s doubles will also take place today.

–RM

Manchester United owner Malcolm Glazer dead at 85

Malcolm Glazer, the controversial American owner of English Premier League giants Manchester United, died Wednesday. He was 85. Glazer -- the son of a Lithuanian immigrant who went on to build a diverse business empire -- gained a global profile through his ownership of United, one of the world’s biggest and best supported football clubs. But he was deeply unpopular with hardcore United fans after loading the club with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt following a 2005 buyout. His death was announced on the website of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team, one of his other sports franchises. “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are saddened to announce the passing of Owner/President Malcolm Glazer earlier this morning at the age of 85,” the statement said. “A dynamic business leader, Glazer helped mold the Buccaneers into a model franchise and one respected league-wide.”

–AFP

A child poses in front of the Fifa World Cup Trophy, during the launching of the Brazil’s Tour, at Itaquera mall in Sao Paulo, Brazil yesterday

However you look at it, Brazil Low-key Aussies kick off World Cup arrivals are World Cup favourites Markets are bullish on Brazil, physicists say their victory in the World Cup is a near certainty, bookmakers are now giving only the shortest odds.

Whatever way you look at it, the world’s biggest sporting prize to be awarded in Rio de Janeiro on July 13 is for the host country to throw away.

Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs and Italian bank Unicredit both released studies Wednesday using “stochastic” or “footballistic” models or a “Monte Carlo simulation”.

The rival institutions agreed that it will be Brazil v Argentina in the final and that maybe it will not be worth the Argentines turning up in the Maracana stadium.

“The most striking aspect of our model is how heavily it favours Brazil to win the World Cup,” said Goldman’s report.

The American bank’s study relied on six parameters including the Elo ranking of individual country’s football success, goals scored and conceded in recent matches, past World Cup results and the advantage of the tournament venue.

Goldman said Germany and Spain would be the losing semi-finalists.

Unicredit predicted South American domination with Uruguay also reaching the semi-finals and only Germany from Europe.

The Italian bank’s assessment used FIFA’s world ranking, home country and continent advantage, number of years as a FIFA member, the number of appearances in semi-finals of the under 17 and under 20 world championships and results from the last World Cup. “The data say it all,” proclaimed the

Murray, Nadal into third round

Nigeria force draw in controversial friendly World Cup finals bound Nigeria had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Scotland in London in a match which is subject to a match fixing investigation. The build-up to the game between the Africa Cup of Nations champions and the improving Scots had been overshadowed by reports that Britain’s serious crime squad had launched a match fixing investigation.

The National Crime Agency, which investigates serious and organised crime, is said to have asked world football’s governing body Fifa to issue an alert over attempts to influence the game at Fulham’s stadium Craven Cottage. The NCA are said to have told Fifa they have general information from Asian betting markets suggesting there had been attempts to rig the friendly and they hoped to stop any suspect activities by issuing the alert. A Fifa spokesman said they worked closely with law enforcement agencies and other sports organisations to tackle match manipulation.

–AFP

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bank, which highlighted Brazil’s heat and humidity, better record and home advantage.

Host nations have reached the semi-finals in 12 of the past 19 World Cups. They have won six.

Brazil, however, has already been beaten at home -- in 1950 -- as it hates to be reminded.

World famed Cambridge University physicist Stephen Hawking is also backing ‘la Selecao’, even though he is not a football fan.

Hawking, who is nearly paralysed by motor neurone disease, put his money on Brazil in a commentary hammering his native England’s chances.

The economists and scientists mirror bookmakers’ predictions for the World Cup, which starts on June 12.

Ladbrokes on Wednesday offered 3-1 for a Brazil triumph, Argentina 4-1 and Germany 5-1. l

A supporter wearing a lion head stands next to the traing pitch where the Cameroon’s fotball team attends a training session in Walchsee, Austria on Wednesday ahead of a friendly football match against Germany AFP

Italian FA dismisses allegations over Lazio player’s age The Italian football federation (FIGC) has dismissed allegations that Lazio youth team player Joseph Minala is in his early 40s.

African website senego.net reported in February that Minala, who is from Cameroon, he had told them that he was 41 years old, something the player denied in a statement on the Serie A club’s website. Minala made his Serie A debut against Sampdoria in April. l

Defending champion Rafael Nadal handed out a bruising lesson to highly-rated Austrian Dominic Thiem on Thursday as a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory took the Spaniard into the French Open third round.

Meanwhile, Seventh seeded Andy Murray reached the French Open third round on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 over Australia’s Marinko Matosevic.

Wimbledon champion Murray, who made the semi-finals at Roland Garros in 2011, faces Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the last 16.

Eight-time winner Nadal, bidding to be the first man to clinch five Ro-

land Garros titles in a row, had been expected to face a severe test from the 20-year-old world number 57.

But Thiem, who trains for big matches by running through forests carrying tree trunks to build stamina, ran out of steam on Philippe Chatrier court despite showing occasional glimpses of potential.

Nadal took his career record in Paris to 61 wins against a single loss and goes on to face Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

Nadal’s compatriot David Ferrer, the fifth seed and last year’s runner-up, cruised past Italy’s Simone Bolelli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 and next faces Italy’s Andreas Seppi.

Donald Young, the former world junior number one, made the third round for the first time by beating Spanish 26th seed Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 7-6 (7/1), 6-3.

Looking to make the most of the

National boxing starts tomorrow The Walton Smartphone 27th National Senior Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championship gets underway at the Muhammad Ali Boxing Stadium tomorrow.

The three-day meet will see 92 male and 20 female boxers from 31 teams take part in 10 different weight categories.

Ever since taking over the helm in January this year, the new executive committee of the Bangladesh Boxing Federation has taken the initiative to organise more tournaments consistently. The 27th edition of the national boxing meet is seeing light after a gap of three years with the last edition held in 2010.

Moreover, the boxing federation officials will be keenly following the performances of three boxers - Shur Krishna Chakma in the 60kg category, Al Amin in the 64kg and Md Arif Hossain in the 69kg category. In a presser held at the conference room of the Bang-

abandhu National Stadium yesterday, boxing federation general secretary MA Kuddus Khan pinned his hopes on the three boxers who might bring laurels for the country in the upcoming Commonwealth and Asian Games.

Sponsors Walton provided a purse

of Tk400,000 to the boxing federation officials which was handed over by AFM Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn, additional director. Federation senior vice president SM Alam and officials Sultan Uddin Ahmed and QA Mannan were also present on the occasion. l

MA Quddus Khan, the general secretary of Bangladesh Boxing Federation (2L) and A.F.M. Iqbal bin Anwar Dawn (3L), the additional director of Walton was present in the press conference of the Walton National Boxing at the BNS yesterday COURTESY

shock defeats of top seeds Serena Williams and Li Na in the women’s draw, Serb sixth seed Jelena Jankovic, three times a semi-finalist, eased past Japan’s Kurumi Nara 7-5, 6-0.

Sloane Stephens, the 15th seed, saw off Slovenia’s Polona Hercog 6-1, 6-3.

Russian 27th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the champion in 2009, beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.

In a match held over from Wednesday, Argentina’s Paula Ormaechea came back from 6-2, 5-3 down to beat Romania’s Monica Niculescu 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 and will face title favourite Maria Sharapova for a place in the last 16.

France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who shocked Chinese second seed Li in the first round, made the third round for the first time with a 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-3 win over Alison Riske of the United States. l

Tiger Woods to skip 2014 US Open Tiger Woods will miss his second major championship of 2014 as he struggles to return to top form following back surgery earlier this year.

The 14-time major winner announced on his website Wednesday that he is skipping next month’s US Open while he continues his rehabilitation.

“Unfortunately, I won’t be there because I’m not yet physically able to play competitive golf,” Woods said.

“I’d like to convey my regrets to the USGA leadership, the volunteers and the fans that I won’t be at Pinehurst.”

Woods has not competed since the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March and this is the sixth major championship the American has missed because of injuries.

Woods shot a third round 66 at the WGC-Cadillac to vault back into contention but struggled with back pain in the final round on March 9. l

16

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Friday, May 30, 2014

‘Childbirth services poor in upazilas’ n Moniruzzman Uzzal Around 70% of the upazila health complexes did not have the pair of obstetric-gynaecologist and anaesthetist, required to ensure a safe comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care, a study carried out in 2012 found.

Consultants or medical officers trained in paediatrics were also absent in around 80% upazila health complexes, reads the ICDDRB study, published at a press conference in the institute’s Sasakawa auditorium yesterday.

Although an estimated 15% of mothers were likely to face severe complications during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum, a large number of pregnant women were not getting proper healthcare from the health complexes.

The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research Bangla-

desh (ICDDRB) also published a set of policy recommendations for strengthening the healthcare system for both mother and child.

Dr Mahbub-e-Elahi Khan Chowdhury, head of ICDDRB’s reproductive health unit, said the ICDDRB conducted a needs assessment study to identify the health systems gaps in both public and private sectors in 24 low-performing districts of Bangladesh.

The study was conducted from March to October 2012, in partnership with the UNFPA and with funding support from Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development.

The ICDDRB found that in 72% of the districts covered by the study, pregnant women could access comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care facilities within a two-hour travel time and basic facilities within one hour.

EMERGENCY OBSTETRIC & NEWBORN CARE SERVICES : SCENARIO IN UHCs

70% 80% 40% 90% 42% 25% 40% MORE THAN

LESS THAN

have no trained care provider for Ob-Gyn and anesthesia have no provider for paediatric care services (consultant or mo) have no blood transfusion services of the private for-profit facilities had caesarian section delivery hospitals have shortage of beds have no life saving drug Oxytocics for management of obstetric have facilities for antenatal, post-partum and post natal care

*UPAZILLA HEALTH COMPLEX

SOURCE: ICDDR,B

Blood transfusion services were not available in more than 40% of the upazila health complexes that were

designated to offer comprehensive services.

Although about 90% of the private facilities had Caesarean section delivery, one-third of these did not have blood transfusion services, which is essential to manage complications.

The study found that in public facilities for maternity care, there was a shortage of about 42% of the beds on current requirements.

Oxytocics, which are lifesaving drugs for preventing postpartum haemorrhage, was not available in 25% upazila health complexes.

Quality of care was also low for antenatal care, postpartum examination, newborn examination and post-natal care, as less than 40% facilities could follow the World Health Organisation’s recommended steps to perform these procedures. l

Digital Bangladesh Task Force formed n Mohosinul Karim The government has formed the Digital Bangladesh Task Force headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division yesterday.

Its executive committee will be led

by Abdus Sobhan Sikder, principal secretary to the prime minister, says another gazette notification.

The gazettes say the committees aim to enhance the technology-based development in the country to reach the goal of Digital Bangladesh as well as export software products.

The task force comprises 23 members, including ministers, parliament members, public servants, IT experts, business leaders and university teachers.

The 19-member executive committee includes public servants, IT experts and business leaders.

The task force will work to identify the prospects of Bangladesh in the financial, social, commercial and scientific arenas and will prepare a master plan with strategies to expand and develop the country’s information technology sector.

It will also work to set a target and implement the plan to introduce ICT services like e-governance, e-commerce, e-trade, e-finance, e-medicine, e-education and e-training in the country.

At the same time, the task force will set up a timeframe aiming to build software and IT-enabled service sector with the goal of exporting software. l

Mass hearing held against Kushtia judge n Our Correspondent, Kushtia

Further explosion rocks Kallyanpur high-rise

A mass hearing has been held yesterday against a judge of a special women and children repression prevention court in Kushtia on charges of miscarriage of justice where she had acquitted several accused in a number of sensational cases.

The daylong hearing against judge Afzal Hossain was held at the auditorium of Kushtia District and Sessions Judge Court in the presence of judge of Jessore Senior District and Sessions Judge Court Dr Golam Mortuza Majumder.

A probe committee was formed in the face of protests against Afzal acquitting the accused in cases filed in connection with violence against women and children in exchange for bribes.

He also faced allegations of irregularities and corruption.

Yesterday’s hearing was attended by more than a hundred families who had been denied justice, lawyers of Kushtia Bar Association, and social and human rights activists.

The victims and their family members described how they had been deprived of justice. While presenting information, they were provided legal assistance by lawyers attending the hearing.

Judge Golam Mortuza documented the victims’ statements and collected signatures. Due to time constraints, however, not all the victims could present their statements. The statements were mostly identical.

It is very sad that such allegations have been raised against a judge, Judge Golam Mortuza told reporters.

“As a citizen of a sovereign and independent country, everyone certainly has the right to fair justice,” he said.

“The allegations against the judge suggest that he could not ensure justice to the victims or did not try to do so for some other reasons. Such allegations against a judge will erode people’s reliance upon the justice system,” he added. l

Another explosion took place at the basement of the 12-storey Mizan Tower in the capital’s Kallyanpur area yesterday evening, prompting the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) authorities to declare the building unsafe fearing further explosions.

Witnesses said the second explosion took place roughly 24 hours after the first explosion on Wednesday evening.

Police evacuated the building after yesterday’s explosion, and Rajuk banned entrance to the building. Residents of the adjacent buildings were also asked to remain alert.

Abdul Mannan, member (planning) of Rajuk, said a five-member committee had been formed to assess the building’s structural condition, while experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) had been requested to determine the next steps.

The committee’s report would decide whether the building was still inhabitable, he told the Dhaka Tribune.

n Kailash Sarkar

Residents are being evacuated from the 12-storey Mizan Tower at Kallyanpur in the capital after a second explosion rocked the building yesterday evening SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Both the Rajuk committee and the Buet experts will start their investigations today, according to Mannan.

“We have asked police not to allow anybody to enter the building as further explosions may take place any time. Residents in the adjacent buildings have also been asked to stay alert as a cautionary measure.”

The Rajuk official said the explosions took place due to stagnant gas inside the sewerage lines that had not been cleaned for a long time.

The second explosion took place when personnel from Titas Gas were removing gas from the sewerage lines.

Abdul Alim, senior officer at Fire Service and Civil Defence station in Mohammadpur, said: “The second explosion happened around 12 feet away from the first explosion site. It shattered the glass panes of a restaurant on the building’s first floor.”

Immediately after the explosion, the Rajuk authorities declared Mizan Tower risky for residence, hours after they had declared it safe on Wednesday night. l

BGB man shot dead by Myanmar border police Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summons Myanmar envoy presuming the BGB man was only detained Claiming that the BGP was dilly-dal- sador in Dhaka Than MyoMyint and trolling BGB team since Wednesday body of Mizan,” BGB Director General n Tribune Report Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed told the Dhaka lying and had not responded to a re- strongly protested the firing and deten- morning.

A BGB person was allegedly killed by Myanmar’s Border Guard Police (BGP) at Naikhongchhari in Bandarban on Wednesday.

Mizanur Rahman, a nayek of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), went missing that day when a patrolling team of the 31 BGB battalion was allegedly shot by the Myanmar frontier guards, near the border pillar number 52 at Paanchhari in Dochhari union.

“Through a source and interpreter, the BGP is now willing to hand over the

Tribune on the phone yesterday.

“We want the body and his belongings,” the BGB DG said, adding that the BGB personnel were in uniform during the attack and had followed all rules.

Our Bandarban correspondent reported that Mizan was carrying a submachine gun (SMG) and 120 rounds of bullets when he went missing.

“We have set up a number of camps to check the influx of Rohingyas, and our members went there [the scene of the shooting] to check,” he added.

quest for a flag meeting, Maj Gen Aziz said: “We have strongly protested the move of the BGP… We are putting pressure from all sides.”

He said security has been beefed up along the Myanmar border.

The BGB wanted better ties with the Myanmar border guards, Aziz said, but added that the troops might not show compassion to their Myanmar counterpart in future.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry summoned Myanmar Ambas-

tion of the border guard, apparently assuming that he was only detained but not shot dead.

“He was summoned this afternoon [Thursday] and served a verbal note,” said a Foreign Ministry press release.

During a meeting with Foreign Secretary Mustafa Kamal, Bangladesh also demanded immediate release of the captive border guard.

Mizanur Rahman had remained missing following a random firing by the Myanmar border guard on the pa-

Bangladesh also demanded a thorough investigation into the incident to prevent any recurrence of such incidents.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Myanmar also lodged a strong protest with the Myanmar Foreign Ministry.

The Myanmar envoy assured that the matter would be duly conveyed to the authorities concerned immediately and that he would correspond back to Bangladesh as soon as he heard from them. l

JS body suggests higher duty on polythene raw materials n Kamran Reza Chowdhury The parliamentary watchdog on textiles and jute ministry yesterday recommended that the finance minister in the next budget impose higher import duty on polythene-making materials so that the prices of polythene bags go up and consumers switch to jute bags.

While discussing the problems facing by the jute industry, the parliamentary standing committee on textiles and jute ministry observed that environmentally-hazardous polythene bags had flooded the local market despite ban while the law for mandatory use of jute in packaging had a little effect.

The 10-member watchdog also discussed alleged irregularities in the sale

of land of the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation by the immediate-past minister.

The watchdog, headed by Saber Hossain Chowdhury, thanked the government for making the textiles and jute ministry a parent ministry for the readymade garment industry.

“Businesspeople will always go for the cheaper options; so we have to make polythene costlier by slapping higher import duty on raw materials of polythene bags,” Saber told the Dhaka Tribune after the second meeting at the parliament building.

“Then jute bags will turn cheaper and people will switch to environmentally-friendly products instead of hazardous polythene,” he said.

The BNP government in 2002 banned use of polythene in the country considering its disastrous impact on the environment, but polythene had staged comeback under the nose of law enforcers.

Polythene reduces the soil fertility and it takes over hundred years to destroy. If burnt, polythene

and plastics emit poisonous gas.

The Awami League government in 2010 passed a law for mandatory use of jute in packaging, but higher cost of the jute bags encouraged the businessmen to opt for poly bags.

The chairman said some of his committee members raised the media report on sale of the BJMC land by the immediate-past minister who had allegedly sold the land property worth Tk3,000 crore for only Tk248 crore.

“The Prime Minister’s Office is investigating the allegations. We will examine the report and form a probe committee if necessary,” said Saber, asking the ministry officials as to whether the ministry had any mechanism to accept allegations of corruption from the people and dispose of properly.

The officials who attended the meeting informed that a deputy secretary was in charge of it.

The watchdog suggested that the ministry be proactive in accepting the corruption charges, if any. The standing committee adjourned the meeting which was scheduled for June 2.

Jute Minister Emaj Uddin Pramanik, his deputy Mirza Azam, Monnuzan Sufian, Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, Fahmi Golandaz Babel, Dr Enamur Rahman, Kujendra Nath Tripura and Sabina Akter Tuhin attended the meeting. l

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B3 US economy shrank 1% in first quarter

B4 Donating for development: How hard can it be?

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 2014 www.dhakatribune.com/business

BB: Take actions against BASIC board

Offloading SoE shares gathers pace again

Showkat Kallol and Jebun n Asif Nesa Alo

n Kayes Sohel

Muhith says the board will be ‘reformed in a short time’ Bangladesh Bank has recommended the government taking actions against chairman and board of directors of BASIC Bank for their alleged involvement with the bank’s Tk4,500 crore loan scams.

The central bank sent a letter to the finance ministry yesterday saying that the chairman and board of directors cannot avoid their responsibility in one of the country’s biggest credit forgeries.

In the afternoon yesterday at the Secretariat, Finance Minister AMA Muhith told the Dhaka Tribune that he had received the letter but was yet to read it.

He, however, said the board would be “reformed in a short time.”

Muhith said: “We cannot dissolve a board instantly. We have to wait until formation of another board of directors.” But Bank Division Secretary Dr M Aslam Alam declined to make any comment on the matter.

Although Bangladesh Bank had sent such letters earlier recommending actions against the present board of BASIC Bank, the finance ministry didn’t initiate any move.

Under the Bank Company Act, the central bank cannot take actions against bank officials appointed by the government. It can only report about the government-appointed chairman and directors to the government about their irregularities with recommendation to consider actions against the misdeeds.

Under a recent amendment to the law, Bangladesh Bank has already removed BASIC Bank Managing Director Kazi Faqurul Islam for the loan scams with a directive to halt lending in the

bank’s Gulshan, Dilkusha and Shantinagar branches in Dhaka.

In a recent letter, finance ministry asked the central bank to stop loan activities in Gulshan branch of BASIC Bank and provide a review of all steps taken against the bank in last one year, said a senior executive of the central bank.

Following the instruction, Bangladesh Bank decided to suspend loan disbursement of the three branches, he said.

The central bank also sent a review of steps taken against the BASIC Bank over the last one year.

Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu is the Chairman of BASIC Bank’s board of

directors while the members are Shubhashish Bose, Fakhrul Islam, Shyam Sunder Sikder, Neelufar Ahmed, Quamrun Naher Ahmed, Md Anwarul Islam and Anis Ahamad.

Investigations by Bangladesh Bank last year revealed that the Basic Bank had approved loans of Tk4,500 crore, mostly without proper documentation or scrutiny.

Most of the irregularities took place in four branches - Motijheel, Shantinagar, Dilkusha and Gulshan - that granted loans of Tk4,424.93 crore between December 2009 and November 2012 on poor documents and inflated mortgages.

The bank gave loans to nonexistent companies and promptly approved loans to clients after they had opened accounts. In September last year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Bangladesh Bank and BASIC Bank to rein in the financial irregularities rampant in the state-run scheduled bank for the past few years.

But the central bank’s latest investigations still found irregularities continued at BASIC Bank, even as recently as January, which prompted Bangladesh Bank to slap a notice to the bank’s MD Kazi Faqurul asking why he should not be removed from his position. l

Two more private airliners to begin operation soon n Muhammad Zahidul Islam US-Bangla Airlines and Epic Air, two new private airliners, are going to run their commercial flights soon in the domestic destinations with a target to go beyond the boundary.

US-Bangla Airlines, a concern of US-Bangla Group, which is a business conglomerate in Bangladesh, was established in 2010 to meet the growing demand home and abroad.

The latest operator is going to launches its service any day of the third week of June, Air Commodore (Ret) Muhammad Golam Tawhid, Executive Director of US-Bangla Airlines informed the Dhaka Tribune.

US-Bangla Airlines is set to begin its journey with two air crafts, having 76 seats including 6 businesses class.

One of the aircraft has already arrived in Dhaka and the next one will come within a week.

Epic Air, another consortium of some local firms, has already applied to the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB), seeking a no objection certificate (NoC) “We will run our commercial flights as soon as we get the Air Operation Certificate (AoC) from CAAB,” Muhammad Golam Tawhid of US-Bangla Airlines told the Dhaka Tribune.

Golam Tawhid also informed that they would operate five flights a day on Dhaka-Chittagong-Dhaka route from the very beginning of the operation.

Two flights will run on Dhaka-Jessore-Dhaka route each day while one fight will fly on Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka and Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka routes daily.

According to a source of the US-Bangla Airlines, the airliner has another plan to expand its wings up to the closest distances on international routes like Kolkata, Delhi, Bangkok, Kathmandu and Yangon.

We also have a plan to go for more international destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Guangzhou, Kunming, Muscat, Doha, Dubai, Abu-Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Kuwait, said an official of the airliner.

“Epic Air applied of NoC in February, this year and we are hopeful to get it within a short time,” Imran Arif, Chief Executive Officer of Epic Air,”told the Dhaka Tribune.

After getting NoC, Epic Air needs to apply for AoC. “We’ve planned for launching our commercial flights by November, this

year,” Imran Arif told the Dhaka Tribune.

Epic Air is planning not only for domestic market but also for the international routes within a short time as domestic market is already over crowed.

“Mainly we are targeting the international market as the local market is very small in size,” said CEO of Epic Air. In response to a question Imran Arif said, though lots of carriers in the domestic market are operating but their passengers carrying capacity has fallen, which creates a scope for the new comers.

Currently, around seven lakh local passengers flies each year.

According to CAAB, a total of 5.96lakh domestic passengers traveled in 2009 while 5.23lakh passengers in 2010, 5.28lakh in 2011, 5.89lakh passengers in 2012 and 6.48lakh in 2013. l

The initiative to offload shares of the state-owned enterprises resumed again after repeated attempts by the government during last five years.

The government has decided this time to pick 26 jute mills for selling out part of their stakes through stock exchanges, officials said yesterday.

The expedition came after the finance ministry set the deadline early this month for the state-owned enterprises (SoEs) to offload their shares in the stock market by this year.

This is not the first time, however, that a deadline was set to offload shares of the SoEs – the first was three and half years back.

Sources in the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB), another state-owned financial entity and which is designed to act as an issue manager, said the government has decided to sell the state-owned jute mills under Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) in the stock market.

Officials said the government could sell about half of its stake in 26 jute mills. The selloffs could take place before the end of the year on the bourses, according to them.

“The sale might be a part of the government’s efforts to shore up revenues to narrow the fiscal deficit in the next fiscal year,” said an official.

He said the government expects the performance of the loss-making jute mills would improve, as a result.

The officials of the jute mills at a recent meeting at the textiles and jute ministry have been asked to prepare necessary listing documents by September this year.

According to the BJMC, a number

of loss-making jute mills have already been shut down.

However, some state-run jute mills performed better than before due to some measures taken by the government earlier, said an official.

The government in January 2010, when the market was bullish, selected 26 SoEs and instructed them to offload shares in the next six months.

‘The sale might be a part of the government’s efforts to shore up revenues to narrow the fiscal deficit in the next fiscal year’

Since then, only two companies – Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited and Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) – have sold out parts of their stakes through IPO (Initial Public Offerings) amid repeated instructions from the finance ministry.

Earlier at a meeting in the finance ministry, some SoEs promised to submit their share offload plan to the regulator by June while seven to eight companies expressed their willingness to enter the market by October.

The non-profitable state-owned firms, however, did not want to offload their shares until they become profitable. l

Imports rise 10.6% in April n Tribune Report The country’s import expenditure rose by 10.6% to $3bn in April compared to the same month last year.

It, however, registered slow growth as compared to a rise of 30.6% to $3.4bn in March (year-on-year).

The imports dropped 6.4% from the previous month, according to LC (letter of credit) settlement data Bangladesh Bank released yesterday.

Import increased by 23.33% to $3.13bn in February of current fiscal year just after January 5 polls, compared to growth of 15.52% in the same month of the previous year.

The imports took an upturn in the

recent months thanks to the increase of food and capital machinery imports, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

He said big entrepreneurs became active again to their business after the national election, creating fresh demand for capital machineries and raw materials.

Bangladesh Bank is also encouraging the importers as it is maintaining a comfortable reserve of foreign exchange.

The value of LC against import of rice stood at $54.3m in March, wheat $69.6m, sugar $47m, edible oil (crude) $82m, pulses $29m and capital machinery $240m. l

Three social activists get SCB-FE award

Educationists for introducing ‘education surcharge’ n Mushfique Wadud Educationists have suggested the government to introduce an “education surcharge” for increasing allocations in education sector if it fails to manage adequate funds for this sector.

They came up with the opinion at a time when the budgetary allocations in education sector has been in a declining trend over the last couple of years.

Excepting the last year, the country’s education sector has been witnessing a declining trend in budgetary allocation, in terms of percentage of the whole budget, since the education policy adopted in 2010, they observed.

The budgetary allocations in eduction sector was 13% in FY2010, 12% in FY2011 and around 11% in FY2012.

However, there was a slightly increase in terms of percentage, which is 11.7% allocated in the fiscal year 2013.

Educationists have blamed the poor allocations for the slower progress in the education sector.

Although the number of students are increasing annually, the budgetary allocation is declining in the education sector, Siddiqur Rahman, a former director of Dhaka University’s

Institute of Education and Research, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“The budgetary allocation must be increased for the education sector and if it is not possible overnight, increase should be made gradually,” he said.

It is alarming that the budgetary allocation in the education sector has been declining over the years.

We have heard that the government would allocate a good amount for the construction of the Padma Bridge but education sector should not be deprived from getting necessary allocations, Rasheda K Choudhury, Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education, told the Dhaka Tribune.

She has proposed the government to introduce an education surcharge in case the government is unable to provide the education sector with the necessary allocation in the next budget.

“Some neighboring countries have successfully increased their allocations in the education sector by introducing an education surcharge as education is mch more important for development than any bridge or other such mega project,”she added.

According to different reports, budgetary allocation in education

sector in the other developing countries is three times higher than Bangladesh.

“Education for All Global Monitoring Report of 2013-14” released by UNESCO early this year noted that it is worrying that Bangladesh, which spends only a small proportion of its gross national product (GNP) on education, has reduced spending further.

The report ranks Bangladesh among 25 countries, which dedicate less than 3% of their GNP to the education sector.

The report showed that in terms of public spending on education, Bangladesh’s condition was even worse than some other African countries.

According to the report, Tanzania has already been spending more than 6% of its GNP on education.

A total of Tk11,935 crore has been allocated for education, including primary and mass education (from the development and non-development budgets combined) in 2013-14 fiscal year.

Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, himself, on several occasions also underscored the need for increasing budgetary allocation in education sector to ensure quality education in the country. l

n Tribune Report Three veteran social welfare activists have been awarded by Standard Chartered and The Financial Express for their individual contribution to the society.

They are Joynal Abedin from Mymensingh, Kartik Poramanik from Chapainawabganj and Polan Sarker from Rajshahi.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the awards to the recipients at “Standard Chartered-Financial Express CSR Award 2014” at a city hotel yesterday. The awards have been given in recognition to the recipients’ activities supporting the society’s poor by health-care, tree plantation and education.

Joynal Abedin, a rickshaw-puller from northern Mymensingh, established Mumtaz Hospital, a basic medical centre in his village, to provide poor with health-care service.

Another awardee Kartik Poramanik is a hairdresser by profession but demonstrated an extra-ordinary passion for tree plantation. He planted hundreds of trees in his own village Tarapur and neighboring villages under Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj.

Polan Sarker from Bausa village of Rajshahi has been awarded for his outstanding dedication to enlighten people distributing free books among the villagers.

Recognising their contribution, Bangladesh Bank

Finance Minister AMA Muhith hands over crests to three social activists at ‘Standard Chartered-Financial Express CSR Award 2014’ at Radisson Hotel Dhaka on Wednesday RAJIB DHAR

governor Dr Atiur Rahman said the central bank will take a grand initiative for the welfare of the three awardees as part of its social responsibility initiatives.

“The central bank, from now onwards, is committed with the Standard Chartered to work together for the de-

velopment of these three award recipients,” he said.

Standard Chartered Bangladesh CEO Jim McCabe, CSR Award Committee Member Dr Hafiz GA Siddiqi and The Financial Express Editor Moazzem Hossain, among others, addressed the function. l

B2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Stock DSE GAINERS

Stocks end flat amid choppy trading

DSE key features May 29, 2014

Traded Issues

293

n Tribune Report

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

104

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

180

69,150,697 70,435

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

9

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,272.73

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

27.55

CSE key features May 29, 2014 Turnover (Million Taka)

198.72

Turnover (Volume)

Daily capital market highlights DSE Broad Index :

3,233.03

Number of Contract

Gainers took a marginal lead over the losers, as out of 293 issues traded, 113 closed positive, 126 negative and 54 remained unchanged.

Food and Allied posted a staggering over 2.95% gain, driven by steep price appreciation of heavy-weight BATBC which advanced 4.6%.

Telecommunications lost the most with a fall of 1.25%, followed by non-banking financial institutions and banks which closed 0.69% and 0.45% lower respectively.

Most other sectors including power and pharmaceuticals also edged lower.

IDLC Investments said despite a gaining start, market struggled in first half, only to surrender to downbeat in the later half.

Amid market level volatility, demand and supply force shuffled one another and remained stronger, it said. “Besides, having two positive sessions of total 53 points gain, a natural profit booking took place.

Resultantly, the bourse ended flat.”

Lafarge Surma Cement was the most traded stocks for the third consecutive session with shares worth over Tk46 crore changing hands, followed by Square, Prime Bank, Heidelberg Cement, Mercantile Bank, Grameenphone and Olympic Industries. l

Stocks closed flat amid choppy trading yesterday, as late profit booking cut early gains.

The market swung between green and red throughout the entire session as intra-day volatility was points.

After two sessions of modest rally, the benchmark index DSEX witnessed factional losses of 0.6 points to close at 4,430. The Shariah index DSES also saw fractional drop of 0.5 points to 992. The comprising blue chips DS30 fell 3 points or 0.3% to close at 1,609.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) Selective Categories Index, CSCX, was down 24 points to 8,469.

Turnover remained largely unchanged as investors were lagging of fresh fund re-injection. But, large cap centric positioning continued and top five scrips captured 28% of the total turnover.

Turnover recovered slightly and crossed Tk300 crore after eight consecutive sluggish sessions. The total turnover at DSE stood at Tk323 crore, slightly up from the previous session’s Tk321 crore. Cement sector once again topped the liquidity chart with about 20% contribution to the total market turnover.

Company

Turnover (Million Taka) Turnover (Volume)

4,918,556

Number of Contract

7,834

4430.47759

(-) 0.01%

▼

Traded Issues

213

992.82122

(-) 0.05%

▼

Issue Gain (Avg. Price Basis)

73

1609.26775

(-) 0.22%

▼

Issue Loss (Avg. Price Basis)

131

CSE All Share Index:

13668.80780

(-) 0.04%

▼

Unchanged Issue (Avg. Price Basis)

8

CSE - 30 Index :

11206.38020

(-) 0.44%

▼

Market Capital Equity (Billion. Tk.)

2,178.50

8468.99810

(-) 0.28%

▼

Market Capital Equity (Billion US$)

26.41

DSE Shariah Index : DSE - 30 Index :

CSE Selected Index : DSE LOSERS

Ambee Pharma -A AIBL 1st Is. M. F.-A BD Fixed Income MF-A Zeal Bangla Sugar -Z S. Alam CR Steel -A Islami Bank BD - A IDLC Finance -A Malek Spinning-A

-9.43 -5.33 -5.00 -4.40 -3.36 -3.17 -3.01 -2.94

Average (% change) -10.53 -2.66 -4.96 -2.64 -2.32 -1.11 -3.40 -1.93

GPH Ispat Ltd-A Dulamia CottonZ

-2.84 -2.78

-2.20 -1.67

Company

Closing (% change)

CSE LOSERS

Ambee Pharma -A Sun Life Insurance-N Rahima Food -Z Prime Insur -A Pragati Gen. I -A PrimeFin. 1st MF-A GSP Finance-A IDLC Finance -A

-9.81 -5.40 -5.07 -5.00 -4.66 -4.59 -3.70 -3.46

Average (% change) -10.34 -5.43 -5.10 -3.44 -3.12 -3.51 -3.61 -1.60

BSRM Steels-A Argon Denims Limited-A

-3.01 -2.88

-1.69 -4.60

Company

Closing (% change)

ANALYST

Closing average

Closing

Bank NBFI Investment Engineering Food & Allied Fuel & Power Jute Textile Pharma & Chemical Paper & Packaging Service Leather Ceramic Cement Information Technology General Insurance Life Insurance Telecom Travel & Leisure Miscellaneous Debenture

DSE Million Taka 437.67 74.32 54.31 371.79 243.07 213.02 1.24 316.47 407.25 0.75 63.68 47.26 7.13 664.45 15.06 46.51 50.35 127.61 19.19 70.92 0.97

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Latest PE

319.71 7.32 7.67 8.86 34.89 24.85 45.50 23.39

321.90 7.10 7.60 8.70 34.50 24.40 45.10 23.10

322.00 7.50 8.00 9.20 35.70 25.20 47.00 24.00

302.10 7.10 7.50 8.70 32.50 23.00 42.00 21.50

17.376 2.309 0.391 0.031 7.343 27.202 8.074 15.093

3.20 1.49 0.56 -30.63 1.90 0.96 -0.88 2.24

99.9 4.9 13.7 -ve 18.4 25.9 -ve 10.4

48.41 7.08

47.90 7.00

49.50 7.10

45.00 7.00

13.462 0.017

2.42 -4.13

20.0 -ve

Closing average

Closing

Daily high

Turnover in million

Daily low

Latest EPS

Wata Chemicals -A Eastern Lubricants -A Bangladesh Lamps -A LafargeS Cement-Z Midas Financing-Z Samorita Hospital -A GeminiSeaFood-Z Renwick Jajneswar-A Eastern InsurA Monno Stafllers -A

320.00 56.10 58.00 22.80 40.90 18.70 18.20 44.70

321.50 56.10 58.00 23.00 41.10 18.70 18.60 46.30

314.50 56.00 58.00 22.00 40.20 18.70 17.80 44.70

0.960 0.056 0.145 0.120 0.027 0.009 0.096 0.361

3.20 0.00 -1.01 0.92 2.52 1.64 1.56 -0.88

100.0 -ve 24.8 16.1 11.4 11.6 -ve

75.26 52.86

74.20 54.00

76.80 54.00

74.00 51.00

3.763 0.017

4.72 4.04

15.9 13.1

Despite a gaining start, market struggled in first half, only to surrender to downbeat in the later half

% change 13.54 2.30 1.68 11.50 7.52 6.59 0.04 9.79 12.60 0.02 1.97 1.46 0.22 20.55 0.47 1.44 1.56 3.95 0.59 2.19 0.03

Million Taka 19.55 5.68 2.00 25.44 14.70 19.34 29.65 21.41 16.83 1.99 17.93 0.84 47.41 1.42 1.29 2.97 9.98 2.20 8.39 0.06

% change 7.85 2.28 0.80 10.21 5.90 7.77 0.00 11.90 8.60 6.76 0.80 7.20 0.34 19.03 0.57 0.52 1.19 4.01 0.88 3.37 0.02

Million Taka 457.23 80.00 56.32 397.23 257.78 232.36 1.24 346.12 428.66 17.57 65.67 65.20 7.96 711.86 16.48 47.81 53.32 137.59 21.39 79.31 1.02

Total

9.93 7.85 6.87 6.51 6.11 5.90 5.40 5.36 5.35 5.26

CSE GAINERS Company Bangladesh Lamps -A Islami Ins.BD-A LafargeS Cement-Z ACI Formulations-A Takaful Islami Insu-A Samorita Hospital -A Aftab Auto.-A Usmania Glass -A Apex Foods -A Prime Bank-A

Closing (% change) 9.26 6.44 6.37 6.02 5.99 5.56 4.89 4.77 4.28 4.26

Average (% change) 9.93 7.08 4.44 5.49 6.44 5.05 5.16 3.72 4.00 4.22 Average (% change) 8.79 6.52 5.69 8.14 5.32 4.44 4.35 5.78 5.98 2.85

Closing average 59.80 503.03 118.84 77.04 19.16 92.81 132.00 315.69 36.91 321.58

Closing average 120.98 24.82 77.28 87.95 30.08 94.00 78.97 155.94 112.39 24.15

Closing 59.80 513.90 121.30 78.50 19.10 93.40 132.80 318.60 37.40 324.10

Closing 121.50 24.80 78.50 88.00 30.10 95.00 79.30 155.90 112.00 24.50

Daily high 59.80 514.00 123.20 80.90 19.80 94.80 134.00 323.00 37.70 327.70

Daily high 122.30 24.90 80.00 90.00 30.40 95.00 79.90 157.90 115.00 24.80

Daily low 59.80 485.00 105.00 74.80 17.00 89.10 128.00 305.10 35.50 310.00

Daily low 117.90 24.80 75.00 86.00 29.50 93.00 76.90 151.00 111.90 23.50

Turnover in million 0.311 5.986 4.569 461.888 0.082 5.815 0.033 32.627 1.794 1.222

Turnover in million 0.181 0.062 38.136 0.273 0.135 0.141 8.530 1.101 0.444 1.363

Latest EPS 9.80 6.95 0.92 2.16 -6.91 2.20 -11.90 3.92 3.44 1.12

Latest EPS 0.92 1.92 2.16 6.28 1.76 2.20 3.14 4.07 3.01 5.00

Latest PE 6.1 72.4 129.2 35.7 -ve 42.2 -ve 80.5 10.7 287.1

Latest PE 131.5 12.9 35.8 14.0 17.1 42.7 25.1 38.3 37.3 4.8

News from trade server BSRMSTEEL: Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (CRISL) has rated the Company as “AA” in the long term and “ST-2” in the short term in consideration of financials of the Company up to 31st December 2013 (audited) and other relevant quantitative as well as qualitative information up to the date of rating declaration.

IPDC: The Company has informed that it has credited the bonus shares for the year ended on December 31, 2013 to the respective shareholders’ BO Accounts on May 25, 2014.

UTTARAFIN: The Company has informed that cash dividend for the year 2013 has been credited to the respective shareholders’ Bank Accounts through online banking system and also dividend warrants has been delivered/dispatched to the shareholders who have bank accounts without online facility and /or information not available with the Company.

IPO Subscription: Tung Hai Knitting & Dyeing Limited subscription date 18-22 May 2014, NRB upto 31 May 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500.

DSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z Square Pharma -A Prime Bank-A HeidelbergCement -A Mercantile Bank -A Grameenphone-A Olympic Ind. -A

CSE

Closing (% change)

Far East Knitting & Dyeing Industries Limited subscription date 15-19 June 2014, NRB upto 28 June 2014. @ taka 22, face value taka 10 and market lot 200. Shurwid Industries Limited subscription date 0812 June 2014, NRB upto 21 June 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 10 and market lot 500. Saif Powertec Limited subscription date 06-10 July 2014, NRB upto 19 July 2014. @ taka 10, face value taka 30 and market lot 200.

Dividend/AGM AMBEEPHA: 15% cash and 20% stock, AGM: 16.06.2014, Record Date: 28.05.2014.

MBL1STMF: 3% cash, Record date: 02.06.2014.

AIBL1STIMF: 5.5% cash, Record date: 02.06.2014.

ORIONPHARM: 15% cash, AGM: 22.06.2014, Record Date: 21.05.2014.

PURABIGEN: 15% stock, AGM: 29.06.2014, Record date: 21.05.2014.

SALVOCHEM: 10% stock, AGM: 27.08.2014, Record date: 25.06.2014.

ISNLTD: No dividend, AGM: 17.06.2014, RD May 20, 2014.

GOLDENSON: 25% stock, EGM and AGM: 21.06.2014, Record Date: 15.05.2014.

MERCINS: 10% cash, dividend for the Public Shareholders (B-Group) only, AGM: 16.06.2014, Record Date: 15.05.2014.

CMCKAMAL: 12.50% stock, AGM: 30.06.2014. Record Date: 29.05.2014.

RUPALIBANK: 15% stock, AGM: 31.05.2014, Record date: 14.05.2014.

LEGACYFOOT: 5% stock, AGM: 21.06.2014, Record Date: 12.05.2014.

BDTHAI: 5% stock, AGM: 21.06.2014, Record Date: 25.05.2014.

MONNOSTAF: 10% cash, AGM: 26.06.2014, Record Date: 19.05.2014.

INTECH: 10% stock, AGM: 23.06.2014, Record Date: 15.05.2014.

ISLAMIINS: 15% stock, AGM: 09.07.2014, RD: 12.05.2014.

BXPHARMA: 10% cash & 5% stock, AGM: 21.06.2014, RD: 18.05.2014.

STANDARINS: 15% stock, AGM: 18.06.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

SONARGAON: No dividend, AGM: 07.06.2014, RD: 15.05.2014.

JMISMDL: 15% cash, AGM: 24.07.2014, RD: 22.05.2014.

Latest PE

320.04 56.05 58.00 22.77 40.69 18.70 18.15 45.61

SECTORAL TURNOVER SUMMARY Sector

Daily high

Friday, May 30, 2014

% change 13.13 2.30 1.62 11.41 7.40 6.67 0.04 9.94 12.31 0.50 1.89 1.87 0.23 20.44 0.47 1.37 1.53 3.95 0.61 2.28 0.03

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

ACI Limited- A Eastern Housing -A BSRM Steels-A

Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A Meghna Petroleum -A Aftab Auto.-A National Tubes -A Hwa Well Textiles-N CSE TURNOVER LEADERS Company LafargeS Cement-Z

Aftab Auto.-A Square Pharma -A Familytex (BD) Ltd.-A BEXIMCO Ltd. -A BD Submarine Cable-A Grameenphone-A Meghna Petroleum -A Appollo Ispat CL -N HeidelbergCement -A Hwa Well Textiles-N BSRM Steels-A ACI Limited- A UCBL - A Matin Spinning-N

Volume shares 5,995,500 443,938 4,637,276 210,790 5,966,118 347,269 358,386 343,131 874,359 700,775

2,025,000 182,212 620,783 294,000 1,111,000 Volume shares

493,500 108,014 27,251 246,500 235,644 27,911 18,600 17,282 173,200 8,600 100,500 50,000 13,238 113,305 60,600

Value in million 461.89 119.93 110.99 110.57 108.25 92.85 82.76 81.58 53.61 52.67

51.79 51.71 49.01 46.00 45.81

Value in million

38.14 8.53 7.35 6.32 5.44 5.02 4.96 4.90 4.78 4.52 4.13 3.76 3.11 3.01 2.62

% of total turnover 14.29 3.71 3.43 3.42 3.35 2.87 2.56 2.52 1.66 1.63

1.60 1.60 1.52 1.42 1.42

% of total turnover

20.04 4.48 3.86 3.32 2.86 2.64 2.61 2.57 2.51 2.37 2.17 1.98 1.64 1.58 1.38

Daily closing 78.50 270.00 24.60 522.80 18.00 266.30 229.30 240.30 62.00 74.50

25.70 282.80 79.20 156.00 41.00

Daily closing

78.50 79.30 270.00 25.80 23.30 179.50 265.60 282.40 27.50 523.90 41.00 74.20 239.90 26.50 43.00

Price change 6.51 -0.52 5.13 -1.69 -2.70 -1.30 -2.55 4.57 3.51 -2.23

Daily opening 73.70 271.40 23.40 531.80 18.50 269.80 235.30 229.80 59.90 76.20

Price change

Daily opening

-0.77 -0.60 4.35 1.69 -0.73

6.37 4.89 -0.41 -0.77 3.10 -0.61 -1.45 -0.63 -1.43 -1.74 -0.73 -3.01 4.08 -0.38 -2.27

25.90 284.50 75.90 153.40 41.30

73.80 75.60 271.10 26.00 22.60 180.60 269.50 284.20 27.90 533.20 41.30 76.50 230.50 26.60 44.00

Daily high 80.90 272.90 24.80 530.70 18.50 269.50 239.90 245.00 62.50 76.80

26.00 286.40 79.80 158.00 41.90

Daily low 74.80 260.00 22.00 520.00 16.80 260.00 215.00 210.00 54.00 73.00

25.30 260.00 68.40 140.00 40.90

Daily average 77.04 270.14 23.93 524.56 18.14 267.36 230.92 237.74 61.32 75.15

Daily high

Daily low

Daily average

80.00 79.90 272.70 26.90 23.40 182.00 268.70 285.00 27.90 529.80 42.00 76.80 243.00 26.80 44.10

75.00 76.90 268.00 25.30 22.60 179.00 264.10 282.00 27.50 520.20 40.80 74.00 227.50 26.40 42.80

25.58 283.78 78.95 156.45 41.23

77.28 78.97 269.69 25.66 23.10 179.83 266.86 283.53 27.58 525.13 41.13 75.26 235.18 26.53 43.27

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Business

B3

Friday, May 30, 2014

US economy shrank 1% in first quarter n AFP, Washington The US economy contracted at an annual rate of 1% in the first three months of 2014, a significantly weaker performance than initially estimated, official data showed yesterday.

It was the first time the world’s largest economy shrank since the 2011 first quarter. The contraction was twice as strong as analysts’ consensus estimate.

The Commerce Department previously estimated gross domestic product (GDP) grew a tepid 0.1% in the first quarter that was marked by unusually severe winter weather.

The weakness was more than accounted for by a marked decline in inventory investment, especially by motor vehicle dealerships, the Commerce Department said.

Inventory investment was revised down, particularly in retail trade, manu-

facturing, mining, utilities and construction. Excluding inventory investment, GDP grew 0.6% in the first quarter.

Imports, which subtract from GDP, were revised higher.

Also contributing to the fall in GDP were declines in exports, business investment, state and local government spending and housing investment.

“Ouch. The bad news is that the headline GDP number is worse than consensus, but the good(ish) news is that almost all the hit is in the inventory component,” said Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics in a research note.

Analysts view the first-quarter slump as largely winter weather-related after the economy grew 2.6% in the 2013 fourth quarter. Economic indicators have pointed to a rebound in activity in the second quarter.

“We still think Q2 growth of about 3% is a decent bet,” said Shepherdson. l

The photo shows a container being moved at the port of Boston

Samsung unveils new digital health platform n AFP, San Francisco Samsung on Wednesday unveiled a new digital health technology platform that uses sensors to track a range of body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Unveiled at an event in San Francisco the new platform dubbed “Simband” does not include any commercial products, but Samsung demonstrated how it might work with a wristband.

The South Korean electronics giant showed how a device can track measurements such as heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure and collect data from a variety of sources to help consumers better understand what is happening with their health.

Simband will work in tandem with a cloud-based open software platform called SAMI which securely stores data and can provide better insights into health issues.

“The combination of Simband-designed sensor technologies and algorithms and SAMI-based software will take individual understanding of the body to a new level,” the company said in a statement.

The new tech platform in cooperation with university researchers is part of an effort by Samsung to use digital products to help improve health care.

“Our bodies have always had something to say but now, with advanced sensors, algorithms and software, we will finally be able to tune into what the

body is telling us,” said Michael Blum of the University of California at San Francisco, in the Samsung statement.

“Validation of these technologies will improve the quality of data collected and help advance the ability to bring new products to market quickly.”

The Samsung Digital Health Initiative is based on open hardware and software platforms and allows the use of sensors, algorithms, and data collection and analysis that can help consumers and health care providers.

The initiative “provides an exciting opportunity for the brightest minds in the technology world to come together to develop the products that will, for the first time, put individuals in the driver’s seat in understanding their own health

and wellness,” said Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer, Device Solutions at Samsung Electronics.

“At a time when health care spending is at record levels and when the number of people over the age of 60 worldwide is expected to exceed more than 1.2 billion by 2025, digital health is an incredibly important area for innovation. We believe this initiative will be an essential first step and we invite developers and partners across the globe to join us in creating the technologies of the future that will help make people’s lives healthier.”

The move follows an announcement

by Google last year that it was launching a new company that could draw on the work from technology and other sectors to combat health problems. l

S&P hits record on growth bets n Reuters, New York

Smartphone market still growing as prices fall

US stocks rose at the open yesterday on expectations of strong growth in the second quarter, even as data showed the world’s largest economy contracted in the first quarter.

Supporting the push to a fresh record high on the S&P 500, the number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, pointing to a strengthening labour market.

“Personal consumption was actually revised up, it was a big number and it held,” said Phil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Investors in New York. l

Global smartphone sales will jump 23% this year to more than 1.2 billion units, fueled by growth of low-cost handsets in emerging markets, a research firm said Wednesday.

An IDC survey said smartphone sales will maintain an annual growth rate of 12.3% through 2018.

Much of the growth is coming from low-cost devices using the Android operating system, with Apple’s market share eroding, Microsoft Windows making modest gains and BlackBerry fading further, IDC said.

“What makes smartphone growth so amazing is where the growth will be

n AFP, Washington

taking place,” said Ramon Llamas, an IDC analyst.

“Smartphone shipments will more than double between now and 2018 within key emerging markets, including India, Indonesia and Russia. In addition, China will account for nearly a third of all smartphone shipments in 2018.”

IDC said it expects the average selling price of smartphones to drop this year to $314 from $335 in 2013, and to keep declining to $267 by 2018.

The research firm said it expects Android to remain ahead of the pack with an 80.4 percent market share in 2014, and to lose a modest amount of ground to Windows over the coming years.

Apple’s iOS market share is forecast to drop from 14.8% in 2014 to 13.7% in 2018, suggesting growth in some markets, despite Apple’s lack of low-cost units.

IDC said Windows Phone is slowly gaining traction and that its market share will rise from 3.5% this year to 6.4% by 2018.

The report said BlackBerry’s market share will be less than one percent this year - 0.8%, and keep dropping to 0.3% in 2018.

“The question of whether BlackBerry can survive continues to surface,” the IDC report said. “The only way the company will be viable is likely through a niche approach based on its security assets.” l

AFP

Dollar falls in Asia ahead of revised US growth data n AFP, Tokyo The dollar weakened against the yen and euro in Asia yeterday as markets await the release of US indicators later in the day, including revised first-quarter US economic growth.

In afternoon Tokyo trading, the greenback eased to 101.68 yen from 101.84 yen late in New York and well off the levels close to 102 yen earlier Wednesday in Asia.

The euro ticked up to $1.3606 from $1.3590 in US trade but it slipped to 138.37 yen from 138.40 yen, as investors bet on fresh easing measures by the European Central Bank (ECB) at its policy meeting next week.

“Today, the focus will be on the US jobless claims numbers and the annualised US (quarter-on-quarter) GDP growth,” Credit Agricole said.

It added that while the jobless claim numbers are likely to improve an expected downward revision of economic growth will dampen the market mood.

Expectations are high that the ECB will announce new measures to combat tepid price rises, with its head Mario Draghi hinting at possible new policy moves as the bank struggles to prevent deflation in the eurozone.

“A full week out from the ECB meeting and participants are already playing a game of ‘what will they do’ in earnest,” National Australia Bank said.

“This is influencing the mood across

many markets, not just Europe.”

Investors were also digesting a 13.7% drop in Japanese retail sales in April, underlining the impact of the country’s first consumption tax rise in 17 years.

Tokyo raised the levy to 8% from 5% on April 1 as it looks to reduce its massive public debt burden. But there are fears the hike will hit consumer spending and dent a recovery in the wider economy.

A full week out from the ECB meeting and participants are already playing a game of ‘what will they do’ in earnest The dollar was mixed against other Asia-Pacific currencies.

It weakened to 58.80 Indian rupees from 59.04 rupees on Wednesday, to 1,021.32 South Korean won from 1,021.55 won and to Tw$30.04 from Tw$30.08.

It strengthened to 43.98 Philippine pesos from 43.90 pesos, to 32.75 Thai baht from 32.66 baht, to 11,632.50 Indonesian rupiah from 11,610.80 rupiah, and to Sg$1.2550 against Sg$1.2549.

The Australian dollar rose to 92.76 US cents from 92.63 cents, while the Chinese yuan edged down to 16.21 yen from 16.26 yen. l

Oil prices rise before US data n AFP, London

NRB Commercial Bank Limited yesterday inaugurated its 17th branch at Nabinagar in Savar, Dhaka. The bank’s director, Rafikul Islam Mia Arzoo inaugurated the branch Managing director (current charge) of EXIM Bank, M Sirajul Islam recently received an award from Md Alamgir, administrator of Dhaka South City Corporation for beautifying the city during the ICC T20 cricket

Union Bank Ltd has inaugurated its Islampur Branch yesterday in Sylhet. Sylhet City Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury inaugurated the branch

NCC Bank Ltd has recently signed an agreement with Placid Express, USA for availing web-based domestic money transfer service. Golam Hafiz Ahmed, the bank’s MD and CEO and Mohammed H Rashid, executive vice president and CFO of Placid Express signed the agreement

Oil prices rose yesterday as dealers awaited the latest US supply report for clues about demand in the world’s biggest crude consumer. US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for delivery in July, climbed 22 cents to $102.94 a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for July gained 37 cents to stand at $110.18 a barrel in London midday deals compared with Wednesday’s closing level.

The Department of Energy will release its US stockpiles report Thursday, a day later than usual because of an American public holiday on Monday.

Crude stockpiles are expected to have risen 100,000 in the week ended

May 23, according to a Wall Street Journal survey. Last week’s release saw an unexpected 7.2 million barrel fall, signalling improved demand.

Sanjeev Gupta, head of the Asia-Pacific oil and gas practice at consultancy firm EY, said apart from US stockpiles data, “oil markets will be following developments in Ukraine and Libya closely”.

Investors fear a full-blown conflict in the ex-Soviet state, a conduit for a quarter of European gas imports from Russia, will disrupt supplies and send energy prices soaring. There are also mounting concerns about a possible supply disruption in Libya, a member of oil cartel OPEC, as it faces increasing political and security turmoil. l

NOVO Healthcare and Pharma Ltd, a sister concern of United Group yesterday ventured into producing quality pharmaceuticals by using “Vegetable Shells” in all its capsule products.

The company is the first in Bangladesh that has taken such an initiative, said a press release.

The company’s director Malik Talha Ismail Bari was present at the launching ceremony

B4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Friday, May 30, 2014

Donating for development: How hard can it be? n Kashif Choudhury This. This right here? This, is the tale of the two Escobars. One is Arturo Escobar; a Columbian anthropologist who has either studied or taught at some of the premier institutions of the world from Cornell to UC Berkley. The other is another Columbian by the name of Pablo Escobar. Born in December of 1949, he met his end with a bullet to the head almost 44 years from today, running from the cops on the rooftops of Medellín, his home town. In these 44 years, he built a drug empire estimated by Forbes to have been worth around $25bn in 1990, which to this day makes him the richest criminal in history. In his peak, he controlled 80% of the world’s cocaine trade and was responsible for more than 50,000 drug related deaths in Columbia during the early 1990s.

But what could bring two men of such difference in an article? Well, let’s start with the Escobar which doesn’t have blood on his hands. Arturo Escobar, he is famous in development circles for his critique of modern development practices by the West. He argues that after the end of the World War II, the developed world started to view the itself as a series of homogenous, poverty stricken, illiterate states that just needed some Neoliberal loving (not Arturo’s words, mind you). To this end, they created institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and various other spinoffs to implement their view of what development should be in these less fortunate countries. Hence we find the presence of these institutions in every developing country in the world today, paving the way for a brighter future for these poor souls.

This approach towards development by

these supernational institutions has also come under criticism from various quarters, citing the fact that there is very little actual, sustained development that takes place in these countries through the efforts of these institutions. Now, this could be because of the large bureaucratic tangles in these organizations, or the fact that they are so detached from the culture and mindset of the countries they operate in. As one of my lecturers of a Development Economics course put it, “how is a Harvard Graduate from America in a 2 tonne, air conditioned SUV going to know what a farmer in Rangpur considers to be development?”

The various issues regarding this sort of institutional approach to development from an ethnocentric approach (insensitive to the uniqueness of societies) has caused citizens of developed countries to question the usefulness of their donations. This has led to calls for such things as “impact investing,” which focuses on real, quantifiable performance measures of social and environmental impacts in addition to financial ones relating to the projects undertaken by development organisations. This has been followed by calls for an entirely new approach to development, an approach that calls for giving the poor cash directly and doing things that affect the poor in direct ways.

Now, enough about Arturo the anthropologist; let’s move on to Pablo the psychopathic drug sniffing maniac. As stated, he was shot dead on the roof of a building after successfully evading the cops for almost 16 months. Police officers celebrated this fact with flailing arms, waving their guns in the air. So you would imagine that the general public would share in the joy and that he would subsequently be buried in a

was born into extreme poverty and knew what it was like to go hungry. That is why he built schools, churches, football clubs, and many other social institutions. He even built entire housing estates so that people at least had a place to sleep. To this day, the people of Medellín regard him to be a hero.

Now, here’s the $25 billion dollar question: How could a murderer such as Pablo Escobar gain the affection of thousands while well dressed, well meaning (read suspicious), men from lands far away with wads of cash pouring out of their suits get nothing but scorn from locals as well as their own people? In my opinion it is because a local who spends directly for his people, keeping in mind his culture and the things they value does more for development that Ivy Leaguers roaming around in Land Cruisers trying to spread what they think is development.

So, we should put emphasis on donating, what little we can, to foster development in our own country instead of relying on a “one size fits all” strategy by the World Bank and its brethren institutions. After all, development means different things to different people and only we know what the people of Bangladesh would consider to be development the same way an Indian knows what a person from Rajasthan would consider to be development. Or as the Kuwait Fund’s tagline would put, we should help people help themselves. l

quiet funeral somewhere unknown. No, not quite. Thousands turned out to his funeral wailing their eyes out; men and women of all ages, united in tears for a man who had the blood of thousands in his hands.

Malaysia Muslim groups call for boycott of Cadbury, Mondelez foods after pork traces n Reuters, Kuala Lumpur Muslim retail and consumer groups in Malaysia yesterday called for a boycott of products made by Britain-based confectioner Cadbury and its parent Mondelez International Inc, after two chocolate varieties were found to have infringed Islamic rules by containing pork DNA.

‘Although only two products were listed as contaminated, since the same mechanism is used to produce other products, doubt exists in our minds that all products could be exposed to the same contamination’ Cadbury Malaysia on Monday recalled the Dairy Milk chocolates after the finding by Malaysian authorities in a random test.

Products in the Muslim majority Southeast Asian nation are regularly checked to ensure they are halal, or

permissible according to Islamic law.

Cadbury Malaysia only sells to the local market. Mondelez’s Malaysia sales are a small fraction of the around 15% of its revenues that come from the Asia-Pacific region, but concerns over halal standards could jeopardise sales in bigger Muslim markets, such as Indonesia and the Middle East.

A Muslim retail group said on Thursday the 800 stores it represents would be asked to stop selling all products made by Cadbury, Mondelez and US food giant Kraft, which acquired Cadbury in 2010 in a $19bn deal.

Kraft subsequently spun off its North American grocery business as Kraft Foods Group. Mondelez is the name of what remains of Kraft Foods Inc after the spin-off. Its brands include Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers, which were among more than a dozen products the Muslim groups urged Malaysians to boycott.

“This will teach all companies in Malaysia to maintain and protect the sensitivities of Malaysians,” Sheikh Abdul Kareem Khadaied, the head of research with the Muslim Consumers Association Malaysia, told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur.

He said the companies should have apologised and recalled all their products voluntarily.

“This is an issue that cuts across religion,” he told Reuters. “It affects the vegetarians as much as it affects the Muslims.”

Cadbury Malaysia said in a statement this week that it was working closely with the Islamic Affairs Department to ensure its products meet halal guidelines. It said the authorities were running more tests and would announce the results within a week.

A spokeswoman for Cadbury Malaysia declined to respond yesterday to the call for a nationwide boycott.

The Muslim retail and consumer groups said a full boycott of Cadbury and other products was needed because the contamination was unlikely to have been limited to just the two types of chocolate.

“Although only two products were listed as contaminated, since the same mechanism is used to produce other products, doubt exists in our minds that all products could be exposed to the same contamination,” said Bazeer Ahmad, an adviser with the Malaysian Muslim Wholesalers and Retailers Association.

Besides pork, items considered nonhalal by Muslims include alcohol and the meat of animals and birds that have not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites. l

Why? Well, you see, Pablo was a paradox. Despite his criminal tendencies, he engaged in the development of his people the way Arturo suggested; by knowing their views and feeling their pain. Pablo

A suspended General Motors Co engineer who worked on the defective ignition switch at the heart of a massive recall told congressional investigators that he had forgotten ordering a change to the switch, when he testified in a deposition last year, the New York Times reported.

GM engineer Ray DeGiorgio did not say anything to the congressional investigators to suggest that Chief Executive Mary Barra knew about the defective switch before she took the top job at the company this year, the Times said, quoting people familiar with the session.

DeGiorgio, who was suspended by GM on April 10, designed the switch for the 2003 Saturn Ion and other models, including the Chevrolet Cobalt, which have been recalled. GM has linked 13 deaths to accidents related to the switch.

The defective switch was redesigned in 2006 without a change to the part number, which later confused investigators looking into crashes of the now-recalled cars. Congressional investigators produced an internal GM document showing DeGiorgio had signed off on the change in April 2006.

In a deposition last year for a lawsuit related to a fatal 2010 crash in Georgia, DeGiorgio denied that he knew of the change. The New York Times reported that he told congressional investigators recently that at the time of the deposition, he had forgotten about the change, because it was part of a package of changes. l

Modi win engenders hopes for India’s sluggish economy n Reuters, New Delhi India’s economy probably showed few signs of recovery in the March quarter, but Narendra Modi’s thumping victory in the recent general election has raised hopes of an investment-led turnaround in the coming quarters.

A Reuters poll of 48 economists INPOLL4 predicts no clear improvement in Asia’s third-largest economy, which is likely to have grown by 4.8% from a year earlier, a tad better than 4.7% in the quarter to end-December. The GDP data is due at 1200 GMT on Friday.

If the forecast materialises, it would mark a second straight fiscal year of sub-5% growth - the worst slowdown in more than a quarter of a century.

Modi won India’s first outright parliamentary majority in three decades with a pledge to boost growth and create jobs, raising hopes among investors for a turnaround led by spending on infrastructure.

Ninety-three percent of CEOs in a polled carried out by one of India’s industry chambers FICCI said they expect a substantial improvement in the nearterm economic situation following the election of a strong government.

“As soon as investors see first signals of growth-supportive policies, you will see a definite turnaround on the ground,” said Adi Godrej, chairman of Godrej group, a conglomerate with annual sales of $4bn.

Godrej hopes that growth will pick up to 8% within two years. At the current rate, the Indian economy cannot generate enough jobs to employ the 10 million young people who enter its workforce every year.

Gridlocked

Capital investment contributes nearly 35% to India’s economy, but it probably barely grew in the fiscal year that ended in March.

Projects worth 6.2tn rupees ($105bn) were shelved last year due to bureaucratic gridlock, according to CMIE, an economic think tank, the highest in the past 18 years.

Modi’s reputation, assiduously built while running the western state of Gujarat, of speeding up implementation of infrastructure projects and promoting manufacturing has raised hopes of a similar push at the national level.

DILBERT

A woman works in a greenhouse in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province on May 29. European businesses fear the ‘good times are over’ in China, a survey showed, citing the country’s slowing economic growth, rising labour costs, falling profits, regulatory hurdles and pollution AFP

Kashif Choudhury is a business analyst at LightCastle Partners, an emerging market specialized business planning and intelligence firm. The article was originally published in the LCP Blog (lightcastlebd. com/blog).

GM engineer said he forgot change to switch in recalled cars n Reuters

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes his oath at the presidential palace in New Delhi REUTERS Arvind Panagariya, an economics professor at New York’s Columbia University who is tipped to get an advisory role in the government, has called on the new administration to revamp the cumbersome tax regime and boost capital spending.

But that’s easier said than done.

States wield much of the power in approving projects, while only a quarter of approvals come from federal agencies. High corporate leverage and rising bad loans at Indian banks are also weighing on investments.

Stressed loans in India - those categorised as bad and restructured - total $100 billion, or about 10 percent of all loans.

The debt-equity ratio of Indian firms, meanwhile, has hit a two-decade high of 97.9 percent, according to Nomura.

“Investor sentiment has changed but government needs to follow it up with action to address structural bottlenecks,” says MS Unnikrishnan, managing director at capital goods maker Thermax, who expects a gradual recovery.

Short-term steps to boost activity could also raise concerns about the new government’s commitment to fiscal deficit reduction.

Adding to the growth challenge is an adverse global economic climate that is hemming in the country’s exports growth. The sector accounts for nearly a quarter of the domestic economy.

Equally worrisome are the prospects of below-average monsoon rains this summer, which could hit farm output and fuel inflation. That would make it

tougher for an inflation-focused central bank to lower interest rates to support growth.

Exuberance

Hopes of an economic revival have attracted copious capital inflows, triggering a rally in the country’s financial markets.

For some ebullient investors, this is the beginning of the strongest bull market. The BSE index .BSESN is already the best performing equity index in Asia this year. The Indian rupee INR=D2 too, has hit an 11-month high to the dollar.

Such is the euphoria that Jim O’Neill, who had once called India the biggest disappointment among the BRIC economies, is asking the South Asian nation to be labelled as one of the ‘fabulous five’ economies instead of the ‘fragile five’.

O’Neill coined the term BRIC in December 2001 to jointly describe the four biggest developing economies Brazil, Russia, India and China.

The ‘fragile’ tag came into vogue when the most vulnerable emerging markets were roiled by capital outflows from May to September last year after the U.S. Federal Reserve hinted it would wind down its monetary stimulus.

Unnikrishnan of Thermax, cautions against such “irrational” exuberance.

“A child is born. It is expected he will do well and earn good money,” he says.

“But he is not going to earn money today.” l